Rob Peace (2024)

[bunniefuu]

[vehicles passing]

[chattering in distance]

[horns honking]

[siren wailing in distance]

["The Message" playing]

It's like

A jungle sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from goin' under

It's like

A jungle sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from goin' under

A child is born

With no state of mind

Blind to the ways

Of mankind

God is smilin' on you

But he's frownin' too

'Cause only God knows

What you'll go through

You'll grow in the ghetto

Livin' second-rate

And your eyes

Will sing a song

Of deep hate

The places you play

And where you stay

Looks like one

Great big alleyway

You'll admire

All the number-book takers

th*gs, p*mps and pushers

And the big moneymakers

Drivin' big cars

Spendin' 20s and tens

And you'll wanna grow up

To be just like them, huh

Smugglers, scramblers

Burglars and gamblers

Pickpocket peddlers

Even panhandlers

You say, "I'm cool, huh

I'm no fool"

But then you wind up

Droppin' outta high school...

[person] Robert DeShaun Peace.

Graduate school application.

Statement of purpose.

To whom it may concern,

Science is my passion...

It's like

A jungle sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from goin' under

...a passion that perhaps began

the day my father's house

burned down.

At only five years old,

I was unaware

how important this event

would become in my own life...

that I would learn

about cause and effect

and the sequencing of things.

I would learn about

the choices we make,

the dangers we face

for the people we love.

It's like a jungle

Sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from goin' under

It's like a jungle

Sometimes

It makes me wonder

How I keep from goin' under

[song ends]

[vehicle approaching]

[engine backfires]

[tires screech]

[engine switches off]

Mom, Dad's here.

Dad!

Shaun!

What's up, little man?

How you doing? You good? Yeah?

You looking good, boy.

Looking strong.

[Shaun chuckles]

[father]

Yeah. Good to see you.

What's up, Jackie?

Skeet.

Shaun,

go get your coat.

Appreciate you

getting here on time.

Yeah, no problem.

You're looking good, Jackie.

Don't worry. I'm not gonna

ask you to marry me again.

[chuckles]

So, where you guys headed?

He's always talking

about going to the beach.

So, uh, I figured

we could ride out

to Coney Island,

listen to the game there.

Uh-huh.

But this piece of sh*t

ain't gonna get us there.

Can I use Horace's car?

Nah.

Daddy's taking us to church.

Uh-huh.

Boy should be

coming to church too.

Mornin', Frances.

Skeet.

Okay. I guess I'll take him

down to the park then.

With all the dealers?

Well, you know,

they're not really dealers

on a Sunday, Frances.

Day of rest?

Not in front of the boy,

okay?

What time

y'all getting back?

Won't even be dark.

Come on, boy. Get in.

[car door closes]

[engine starts]

[engine rattling]

If I'm Lou Piniella, right?

And I'm sending out

Rickey Henderson, batting .300.

Not this season.

Okay,

but let's say he's down 25%.

Nah.

He's not doing that bad.

Okay, but let's say he is.

What's his average

gonna be?

.225.

Okay. So, what would that be

on, like, 250 at-bats?

Count me down.

You really think you can do it?

Yeah.

Okay. Five, four...

On 100 at-bats, it's 22.5.

So that's 22.5 times two...

Three...

...which is 45.

Then you have half of 22.5,

which is 11.25.

Uh-huh. Two...

Okay, so 45 plus 11.25

is 56.25, or 56 hits.

g*dd*mn!

Can't be seven years old

smarter than your old man.

Let's do another one.

[engine backfires]

Hang on.

sh*t!

Aw, sh*t.

This car is dead.

[engine sputtering]

[groans]

[engine switches off]

[Skeet sighs] All right.

[hand brake engages]

[sighs]

All right.

We can walk to my place

from here.

What about the car?

I'll get someone

to look at it tomorrow.

It's not going anywhere.

[sniffs]

[sniffs]

What?

[sniffs]

You mess up the air?

No.

You fart in my car?

I know it's a dump, Shaun,

but that don't mean

you got the right

to take a sh*t in it.

Get out.

I didn't fart.

Yes, you did. Go on.

[door closes]

Stand over there.

Go on!

[glove compartment opens]

[baseball game

playing on radio]

[Skeet]

What's going on, Irving?

[chuckling]

Hey, look who it is!

The cavalry!

How's the game, Mr. Gaskins?

Uh, Ward and Winfield showed up.

You gonna listen with me?

What you doing out here?

It's my asthma.

Couldn't breathe too well

upstairs.

Carl!

It's the cavalry that's gonna

turn this neighborhood around.

Young people like you.

Carl!

What's up?

Bring some beers down,

will ya?

Some lemonade for Shaun.

[Carl]

I thought we was heading out.

Car gave out.

Gonna listen to the game

with Irving.

Call Mickey.

Sure.

Yo, what's up, Shaun?

Hey, Uncle Carl.

I'ma be there.

[baseball announcer continues]

[Skeet]

That's just the way the game go.

That's bad. That's bad.

Skeet, he's here.

[Skeet] Yo, Mickey.

[Mickey] What's up, Skeet?

Yeah, good, man. Good.

[whispers] Car died. That's why

I still got all this sh*t on me.

I'll take care of it.

Okay. Thank you.

You want a beer

or something?

I'm good. Thank you.

Thanks, man.

All right.

Thanks.

You look out for people, Shaun,

and they look out for you.

You can patent that.

[laughs]

What the hell

are y'all doing out here?

I wasn't gonna let Irving

listen to the game by himself.

This your son?

Yeah. Yeah, this is Shaun.

He's good-looking.

You're supposed to say,

"Like his daddy."

I know

what I'm supposed to say.

[all laugh]

Whoo!

[friend] Stella!

Stella! Stella!

[Stella]

You been drinking already,

Georgie?

We've been waiting on you.

I'm here now, ain't I?

So where you ladies goin'?

Few drinks. You comin'?

Nah. Well, maybe later.

I gotta take him home, so...

[sighs]

Your loss.

[chattering, laughing]

You know I told you

not to fart in the car?

Don't sh*t

where you eat either.

Okay? [laughs]

[all laugh]

He ain't lyin'.

You can patent that too.

[Carl] He ain't lyin'.

[coughing]

You okay, Irving?

Yeah, I'm all right. [coughs]

Get some water for him.

Get some water.

You okay?

[siren wailing in distance]

[Rob] And that was the last day

I remember being a child.

[g*nshots]

[women screaming]

[screaming, g*nshots continue]

[person panting]

[phone ringing]

[reporter]

The East Orange community

is still reeling

from the murders

of two sisters,

Charlene and Estella Moore,

at their apartment

in the early hours

of Sunday morning.

[ringing continues]

Shaun!

DeShaun, get the phone!

I got it.

Daddy,

your bathwater is ready.

Be polite.

Hello. Peace residence.

You know I didn't do this,

right?

You know

I didn't k*ll those girls?

Say it.

[Shaun] You didn't k*ll them.

k*ll who?

You didn't k*ll those girls.

That's right,

and it's gonna be okay.

Okay?

All right,

put your mom back on.

[sighs]

So, what's gonna happen next?

What's the process?

I don't even know.

I don't know what's going on.

Just some...

[sighs]

They searched my apartment,

took my g*n.

They're not even getting me

a lawyer right now.

They're saying this whole thing

could take years.

[official] I have been

informed that the jury

has reached a verdict

in the matter

of the State v.

Robert E. Douglas.

If it pleases the court,

the verdict should be read

into the record.

The jury finds the defendant,

Robert E. Douglas, guilty...

[cheering]

...on two counts

of m*rder in the first degree.

[judge] Mr. Douglas,

do you have anything to say

at this time before sentencing?

I did not commit this crime.

I don't even know

why I'm accused of this.

[sighs]

I didn't know Miss Broadway.

I don't know how

she could identify my voice

from an argument

happening down the hall.

First time

I ever laid eyes on her

was the day before.

She was so drunk, she couldn't

have told you whether

it was Hanukkah or Halloween.

Mr. Douglas,

I know that you've

maintained your innocence

throughout this trial.

And I have to tell you

that I'm struggling.

I mean, I'm sitting here

with this verdict, and I...

just don't know.

Your Honor,

I got a ten-year-old son...

who's been coming to the jail

with his... with his mother

every week for years now.

My son's a beautiful child.

He's a brilliant child.

A brilliant child.

I thank God every day.

[Rob] And from then on, I knew

I would need to control

the chaos of life.

[waves crashing]

[waves lapping]

[Jackie's father]

He just never stood a chance.

Once them police

get the lock on you...

At least they gave him life,

not the death penalty.

[Jackie] I'm gonna put Shaun

in private school.

He'll be okay in elementary,

but after that,

he's going to private.

How?

I got three years

to figure it out.

He ain't staying

in these schools around here.

If they only see him

as the son of a convict,

that's the only way

he will see himself.

He didn't do it.

How are we gonna get him out?

The best thing

you could do for Skeet

is to keep being brilliant.

It's the best thing

you could do for me too.

Come here, baby.

[grunts] Getting big.

You know, in this neighborhood,

everybody knows you as "Shaun."

But everybody who knows Shaun

knows about those women

and about your daddy

and what they say he done.

So out there in the world,

you use your first name,

Robert.

It'll keep your daddy

in your heart,

if you want him there.

And at the same time,

as far as anybody knows,

Rob Peace

ain't got nothing to do

with Skeet Douglas.

You understand?

[person]

I wanna ask you a question.

I ask it of all my freshmen

at the beginning of the year.

What do you think

is the most important thing

that you can learn here?

What's the most important idea,

virtue or philosophy

that St. Benedict's

can encourage?

Anyone?

Tavarus?

Uh, kindness?

[all chuckle]

[priest] Kindness.

I like that.

Certainly part of it.

Anyone else?

I wanna be fearless.

Fearlessness.

Fearless? Okay.

Anyone else?

Brotherhood?

Thank you, Rob.

Brotherhood.

"Whatever hurts my brother

hurts me."

In your time at St. Benedict's,

you will come to understand

these words deeply.

They will carry you

through the rest of your lives,

just as they have for me.

[clamoring]

[cheering]

[whistle blows]

Decades ago, when I first came

to this school as a student,

it was for rich white kids.

Years later,

when we reopened

for this community,

we purposely left it,

in many ways,

the same as it was.

Educationally, of course,

but also sports

as well as sciences.

Fencing, water polo,

trips along

the Appalachian Trail.

Why?

To support

the bonds of brotherhood.

"Whatever hurts my brother

hurts me."

[bell rings]

[friend] Wow, Rob!

You are a genius.

I knew it.

You did pretty good too.

sh*t!

We'll keep studying together,

Tav.

Whatever.

We'll get your grade up,

no problem.

["Time's Up" playing]

Speakin' in tongues

About what you did

But you never done it

Admit it, you bit it...

[door opens]

[Jackie] You okay?

Uh-huh.

I got some math for you.

You got the ledger?

Yeah.

How much to change your tuition

from yearly to monthly?

Uh, an extra $97 a month,

or just over $1,100 a year.

$1,164.

Why? You lost a job?

Administration cuts

at the hospital.

But I'll get something else.

So, if we get

all the money back now,

then with two weeks' severance

and 875 bucks a month

from the insurance,

how we lookin'?

[Rob] Uh...

We'll be fine for a while.

Just need to bring down

the living costs

by, like, $40 a week.

I could help with that.

Plus, we don't need

all that fresh produce.

Not for me, anyway.

I'll eat whatever.

You'll eat horse meat

if I put ketchup on it.

[chuckles]

What's all of this?

It's Dad's friend,

Irving Gaskins.

Said Dad was innocent.

Died before he could testify.

I'm not k*lling myself

working three jobs

if you're not even gonna

concentrate on your schoolwork.

I just wanna know what happened.

And anyways, as of right now,

you only got two jobs.

Don't sass me. I'm serious.

I better get to these kitchens

before they fire me too.

Ma?

The school's great.

When I get through it,

I'm gonna take care

of everything, I promise.

When we get through it,

you're going to college.

And after that, be my guest.

Take care of everything.

[chuckles]

[Rob]

Science helped me navigate

the challenges I faced.

[camera shutter clicks]

Science is organized.

[camera shutter clicks]

Results come

from the collection

and analysis of data.

Completing tasks,

interpreting results

and reaching conclusions.

[door opens]

[young Rob] After your house

on Pierson Street burned down,

you didn't have any money.

The public defender

should've seen

that you were indigent

and joined your case

straightaway.

"Indigent"?

[Rob] Yeah.

If they'd seen

that you were indigent,

your trial would've started

three years earlier,

Mr. Gaskins

would've still been alive

and able to testify

that the m*rder weapon

wasn't yours.

Of course it wasn't mine.

So, what does that all mean now?

I can file this for you.

It means you're entitled

to post-conviction relief

because they violated

your right to a speedy trial.

It means they could let you out.

That's the Sixth Amendment.

[chuckles]

Just like Irving used to say.

You're the goddamned cavalry.

["Thuggish Ruggish Bone"

playing]

[knocks on door]

It's the Thuggish

Ruggish Bone...

There's a lot of leaves

out here.

Want some help?

How much do you want for it?

Uh, $20.

Great.

Knock when you're done.

All right.

Thank you.

You're feelin' the strength

Of the rump, step up

Hear the funk of the jump

That the thugstas feel

Just be thuggin', buggin'

Lovin' yo peoples

'Cause we so real

Chill

Better bring yo weapon

When steppin'

Bring on that ammunition

Trip and don't slip

Not to mention

Never knew no competition

But I gotta get mine

So scream out, mo'

And let me hear ya holla

Not about

That mighty dollar

Roll with the bone

Mo' th*gs will follow

Chain g*ng

Remainin' the same

Flamin' my dank

And drinkin' brew

Thinkin' about that hangin'

Clockin' my bank

And thuggin' with trues

Foo's

It's the Thuggish

Ruggish Bone

It's the Thuggish

Ruggish Bone

It's the Thuggish

Ruggish Bone

[judge]

The Sixth Amendment guarantees

the right to a speedy trial.

And while I accept

the public defender's position

that three years is not uncommon

for a capital crime,

it is my belief that

the death of Mr. Gaskins

in the interim period

was of significant

negative impact in this case.

And as a consequence thereof,

the indictment

which charged Robert E. Douglas

with m*rder and other offenses

is dismissed.

[whoops]

[shouts]

[gasps, exclaims]

[both laughing]

Shaun! You did it, Son!

You did it!

This decision

is stayed for 30 days

should the State wish to appeal.

We will, Your Honor.

In the interim, Mr. Douglas,

you are free to go.

[music playing]

[people laughing]

[Skeet] I'm telling you,

that was over in Crown Heights.

[Carl] You don't know

Brooklyn from Queens.

[laughing, chattering]

[Skeet] He's talking about me?

[Rob] You? What?

[Carl]

So you weren't in Harlem?

[all laughing]

[Skeet]

It's just good times, man.

Skeet?

You looking good, Jackie.

How long you out?

It'll be a few weeks

before the appeal.

You putting

the band back together?

He said it was cool

if I came through.

Oh, so he's in charge now?

Jackie, let's go talk.

I don't wanna talk, Skeet.

Congratulations on getting out.

On him getting you out.

He's working three jobs

on top of school.

What, you his fourth now?

Ma!

Shaun!

Shaun!

Shaun!

Shaun! Shaun!

You got in!

Shaun!

What?

You got into Yale, baby!

What?

You got in!

You opened my letter?

You got in!

You got into Yale!

[laughing] What?

Yes!

My baby got into Yale.

[Rob laughing] Yes!

Yes, baby! Yes!

[sniffling]

Stop crying, Ma.

I can't stop.

[sniffles] In what universe

are we sitting at this table

working out colleges

for you to go to,

including Ivy League?

"Universe" is right.

I mean, this one don't even look

like it's on the planet Earth.

[Jackie] Because it's not.

Look, I don't even

gotta do all that.

Montclair a good school too.

I'd be around here.

I wouldn't have to leave home.

Montclair?

When you could be

a science major for Penn,

Johns Hopkins or Yale?

With a handout.

It's not a handout.

St. Benedict's

is gonna pay his way because

he makin' them look good.

[phone ringing]

I don't need you around here.

I need you with a future

that people around here

can't get.

Hello?

It's for you.

Now, look, I gotta get to work.

I'm so proud of you. Mmm.

Mmm.

Skeet Douglas.

[person on phone

speaking indistinctly]

Uh-huh.

Okay.

Yeah.

[handset settles in cradle]

They appealed already.

I'm going back next week.

f*ck!

[Skeet]

It's all for nothin'. Just...

Just...

Nah. Nah, nah, nah.

We did it once.

We do it again.

This is temporary.

I promise you. Just...

I promise you.

[sighs]

Okay.

Knowing about

what I've been experiencing,

you know?

Just all these minds literally

being damaged on a daily basis.

The boy was brilliant.

From, like, this big,

he was brilliant.

[friend] This one?

[Skeet] Yeah.

[friend] Is that right, Shaun?

You were always brilliant?

Aw, no, look,

now you're calling me a nerd.

That's like calling me a nerd.

You gotta ask one question.

Where'd he get it from?

[all laughing]

It ain't from him.

It ain't him.

It ain't his genes.

He said, "Yeah."

[all laughing, chattering]

Call me later. All right.

[friend] All right.

You look out

for your daddy now.

I'll try my best.

[friend] Skeet raised him good.

[friend 2] Yeah. Good boy.

Can hardly recognize it now.

Last time I saw it,

it was still all burned out,

before they fixed it up.

I'm gonna go

and talk to him.

[Skeet] I remember my father

talking all the time

about the r*cist bullshit

he went through

to buy that house

after the w*r.

It was a white neighborhood

back then.

When he died,

I wanted us all to live in it.

Like a family.

Your mother said no

'cause I was shifting

a little weed.

So I took that apartment

on Chestnut with Carl.

Rented the house out

to them fools

that never paid me a dime.

Ended up

setting the place on fire.

In the end,

Michael Tucker was the only one

who'd pay all the back taxes

and buy it off me.

For a dollar.

Don't get me wrong.

I'm not blaming your mother.

I just don't believe

you can ever be facing

the wrong direction

if you're standing

by your people.

Ever.

I'll patent that.

[chuckles]

[chuckles]

Yeah, patent that sh*t.

Patent that sh*t.

[sighs]

[sighs] I'll bring the car back

in a few weeks, all right?

Take your time.

Yes, sir.

Make sure

you enjoy yourself up there.

Thank you.

[Frances, Rob chuckle]

[Rob] All right, y'all.

Now, you know

you don't have to change, Shaun.

We love you

just the way you are.

If you come back here

a white man,

I ain't letting you

in the house.

[all laugh]

Take care of yourself, Son.

Mm-hmm. Yes, ma'am.

I love you.

I love you.

All right.

[engine starts]

[Rob] My passion began

to carry me away from home

with a worry that I was leaving

a part of myself behind.

At Yale,

I would learn how any organism,

finding itself

in unfamiliar surroundings,

relies on one key

biological mechanism to thrive:

evolution.

Chloroplasts

from the second endosymbiosis

have their own genome

and ribosomes,

and, as a result, we have

double-membrane organelles.

Ultimately,

what we're looking at

on this board

are probably

the most important events

in all of evolutionary history.

Okay, let's turn to page 177.

Let's dig into this.

Wow. That was intense.

[both chuckle]

Why are you taking

Intro Biology

if you really wanna be

an English major, man?

Uh, to keep my parents

off my back, mostly.

They're not that excited

about me being a writer.

But, you know,

writing is

a holistic experience.

You gotta know all of it.

I wanna write about

the human heart.

How do you do that

if you don't take biology?

You sound like

you gonna be all right, man.

[chuckles]

What are you thinking about

as a major?

I'm looking at MB&B.

Molecular biophysics

and biochemistry?

Isn't that, like,

the hardest course here?

Like, literally

the hardest course at Yale?

Maybe the physical chemistry

part, but...

Uh-huh.

And that doesn't worry you?

Nah. I mean, it's science.

Most of the time,

things work out

the way they supposed to.

Make it easier

than anything else.

Think about it.

[chuckles]

[ringing]

[Rob] Jeff! Hang on, Jeff.

Hold on. No, it's all right.

No, it's okay.

I got it. I got it.

I got it.

Yeah. It's for me.

[person on phone]

...correctional facility?

[door closes]

Hey, hey, Dad.

[Skeet] Hey, Son.

You settling in okay?

Yeah. You know,

it's, uh, classes,

water polo practice.

I'm working in the kitchen

like Ma.

[chuckles]

Sounds good.

[chuckles]

Get that court date yet?

Nah. I've been talking

to somebody over there

almost every day though.

We'll find out soon enough.

Uh-huh.

You know, you, uh--

You ain't gotta call me here.

I, uh--

I can-- I can reach out to you

when I hear something from 'em,

or I can just come see you,

you know?

Why's that?

There's another guy in the dorm.

I don't want everybody

in my business.

That's all.

No problem.

You can call me anytime, Shaun.

You know where I am.

[buzzer sounds]

[handset settles in cradle]

[indistinct shouting]

[whistle blows]

[beeps]

[whistle blows]

[whistle blows]

Hey.

Nice work, man.

[beeps]

[gate unlocks]

Yo! Yo! You mind

holding the door for me?

Uh, you got a pass?

Yeah. It's in my bag.

No, he's okay. He's okay.

You must be

the brother from Newark.

Yeah, Rob. What the f*ck?

Sherman. I was the brother

from Newark last year.

This is Oswaldo.

You gonna walk around Yale

being Black,

you gotta keep

that ID handy.

Damn! It's like that?

[Sherman]

Don't worry. You'll, uh--

You'll get used to it.

You smoke?

Don't everybody?

[Oswaldo] Right?

Are you serious?

Well, I'm just saying

incremental change

isn't necessarily a bad thing.

It's how most things get done.

Why not apply that

to race relations

at Ivy Leagues?

Amen. It isn't always

about revolution.

It's about education.

Isn't that why we're here?

Problem is,

most white people

are addicted to status.

It's their drug of choice.

So a lot of these

r*cist m*therf*ckers are just...

high.

[all laugh]

[Sherman] I hear that, Naya.

What about you, Rob?

You're fresh off the boat.

You think we need to rise up

against the man over here?

You wanna know the truth?

You want me to be honest?

Yeah.

I-- Look, I honestly

don't give a f*ck.

I don't give a f*ck.

About racism?

Here? Mm-mmm.

Well, that's crazy.

[laughs]

Nah. Look. No, look,

if some white boy

took the wrong turn

and ended up

in my neighborhood,

I promise you

his only thought gonna be

how the f*ck is he gonna

get back amongst his own people

before something happens to him.

[Oswaldo] Okay.

But, look,

we all took the wrong turn,

and we ended up at Yale. Word?

[all chuckle]

For real, it's some bullshit.

It is.

But I'm not here to educate.

I'm trying to learn.

I'm trying to figure out the

best way to help my community

when the time comes.

The f*ck else is there?

I'm not about to

keep my guard up

if nobody's swinging.

[all chuckle]

You could patent that, Naya.

[Jackie] For my baby.

["Free" playing]

[chattering]

You did.

I taught you very well.

[laughs]

So, you were saying

about the course?

Yeah. You know,

with molecular biophysics

and biochemistry,

you got all these

other sciences rolled in.

Like, uh, geology, engineering,

even a-- astrophysics.

You can learn about--

Like space?

Yeah.

We learn how everything work,

everything.

It's incredible.

So what are you gonna do

when you finish?

Then I'm gonna

go into research.

New cancer treatments,

immunology.

When I graduate,

I'll take a PhD,

become a professor myself.

[Frances gasps]

Open my own lab one day.

Curing cancer?

Maybe.

"Professor Peace

cures cancer."

[Frances laughs]

That's a headline.

[Frances] Our grandbaby.

[grandfather laughing]

We got a court date

in five months.

Five months?

That's what they sayin'.

That's the soonest they can do.

With a whole new setup?

That's right, a new judge.

I only got out

'cause of that judge, Shaun.

That judge

knew I didn't do sh*t

from the start.

I know, but there's

still no case there,

though, Pop.

Well, they sure as f*ck

thought there was a case.

How much can you

put together for a lawyer?

I mean a good one.

There's nothing, Pop.

What about the people that

raised your money for school?

That's just tuition.

I'm working in the kitchen

for everything else.

What about

your friends up there?

They're all rich people, right?

I can't ask them.

Why not?

'Cause you don't wanna

tell 'em I'm in here?

Didn't you promise me

you'll get me out of this place?

I am.

Then stop screening my calls

and f*cking do it!

They're trying to

send me back to Trenton

and f*cking bury me there,

Shaun!

You're the only one

I f*cking got!

[buzzer sounds]

[door slams]

[Curtis] Here we go.

[person whimpering]

We got you. We got you.

We got you.

There we go.

It's okay, Dad.

[Curtis] You okay?

[father shouts]

[father groaning]

[sighs] Thanks, Ma.

[door closes]

Um...

Tav's coming over.

You wanna smoke?

Huh. [sniffs]

One day,

we're gonna have to find out

what God has against

the fathers of the sons

of East Orange.

[Tav] I know, right?

[Curtis] I never really know

what's going on with my dad.

He's going back to the hospital

in a few weeks.

I think I'm gonna

drop out of Morehouse.

Come back for a bit.

You for real?

Yeah.

My mom's nervous as sh*t

to be in the house by herself.

Only white lady

in a three-mile radius.

Man, I told you I could

help her sell this place

if it comes down to that.

How the real estate business

coming?

For me,

it's dog sh*t mostly.

They still got me

doing title research.

But there's money

in flipping houses.

Or just getting

all these vacant homes

back in circulation.

Yo, that's actually what

I wanted to talk to you about.

Look, if we still had

my dad's place on Pierson,

we wouldn't be

in any of this sh*t.

I'd flip it in a heartbeat,

get my dad the lawyer he wants

and still have enough money

for grad school.

That's what Yale

got me thinking about, man.

Wealth.

[friend chuckles]

Legacy.

When you start with it,

what it means.

I mean, look at that school.

It took 200 years

for Yale to be what it is.

More.

That's what we gotta do

out here--

change the microenvironment.

[chuckles] The what?

The microenvironment?

[Rob] In cancer research,

you improve immune response

in a microenvironment.

Healthy cells flourish.

Tumor cells can't.

Sometimes I forget how much

of a f*cking nerd you are.

[laughing]

[Rob] My father believed

in standing by your people

to fight uncertainty

and chaos.

And I wanted to do the same.

So, inspired by him

and the biological world

I was studying,

I would try and pull all

the divergent areas of my life

together

and create balance.

Be sure the glassware

is all put away.

You can keep the hoods on

for the next class.

Thank you, everybody.

Professor Durham, you mind

if I have a quick word with you?

Of course.

I enjoyed your paper,

Mr. Peace.

Your knowledge

of mitochondrial diseases

is very advanced for a freshman.

Why is that?

I did a couple extra courses

at Essex Community College

my senior year.

[chuckles]

Come on. That's it?

No, I, uh--

I actually got

a bit obsessed with it.

Metabolic disorders,

gene therapy treatments,

that kind of thing.

Some students

can find the increase

in workload here

overwhelming early on.

Doesn't seem to be

bothering you though.

Uh, yeah.

I think I'm doing all right.

I, uh...

That's what I wanted

to talk to you about actually,

if there's anything else

I could be looking at.

Yes, always.

What are you bad at?

What are your gaps?

I guess right now

it's lab work.

I haven't had

that much exposure to it

at this level.

I think that's why

I'm favoring the theoretical

over the practical

side of things.

Well, how about assisting

grad students in the lab?

We don't normally offer that

until the sophomore year,

but if you're committed,

I'm prepared

to make an exception.

Of course.

That'd be great.

Yes?

Thank you.

Okay. I'll set it up.

Thank you.

[whistle blows]

[people shouting, cheering]

[cheering]

["Respect Yourself" playing]

Just get out the way

And let the gentleman

Do his thing

You the kind of gentleman

That want everything

Your way...

Let's go! Let's go, baby!

It's a brand-new day...

Rob!

[laughing]

Hey, uh, don't take this

the wrong way,

but my regular guy didn't show.

You know where

we can get some weed?

Yeah. As a matter of fact,

yeah, I do. Yeah, come on.

You ready right now?

Yeah, I'm ready right now.

My man! Eric, come on.

Come on. Come on.

We're out. We're out.

Are you coming or what?

Come on.

Y'all good? [laughs]

I'm great.

Respect yourself

Na, na, na, na, na

Respect yourself

Di, di, di, di

["Ring The Alarm"

playing on speakers]

You've gotta be

f*cking kidding me.

Hey.

This is not cool, man.

It's a sacred space.

[Rob] No, man. It's, uh--

It's time to integrate

the neighborhood.

'Sup?

What is happening?

[Rob] All right, okay.

Let's-- Let's all play nice.

[chuckles]

God forbid

we actually learn something

about each other here.

Rich folk, meet some

slightly less rich folk.

[scoffs]

[Rob]

Hey, no pro bono work, man.

You better pull some money

out your toga.

No problem, man.

[chuckles]

Over there.

["One Life to Live"

playing on speakers]

And I got dreams

How to make it big

I got the vibe

I risk every chance

I take...

You know,

you might actually be

onto something here.

How so?

It's a hard market to break into

if you're not one of 'em.

For the most part,

people sell weed

to their own groups, right?

Gives the white guys

an advantage overall.

You do okay though, right?

Yeah, but I don't need much.

Still do some accounting for

my dad's contracting business

in New Jersey,

and I got that work-study thing

at the library here, so...

Contractor?

Yeah, he does well.

But I don't wanna live off him,

so I move a little.

Off-campus, make sure ends meet.

Wait. On the street?

In New Haven?

Yeah. Small-time though.

[laughing] What? Aight, sh*t!

White boys sell it on campus?

Mostly.

Even if they got caught,

which they never do,

they got the strings to pull.

But the school

couldn't care less about

throwing my a*s to the curb,

or yours for sure.

It's the bullshit

we're in now.

Uh, not "we."

[chuckles]

Equal rights to sell drugs

is not the hill

I'm about to die on, bro.

[laughs]

f*ck that.

[Naya] Hey, guys.

Not sure how much more

of your privileged sh*t

I can take.

One of your people out there

has a tattoo that says,

"Dominate or drown."

[Rob chuckles]

[mouths] What the f*ck?

Hey, it's not my people,

but it's true. [chuckles]

See ya, fellas.

See ya.

[Oswaldo] You good, man?

Hmm?

[laughs]

I'm fine.

[Naya]

So, what's your greatest fear?

I fear failure,

I guess,

like everybody else.

What about you?

Honestly, sometimes I feel

like I'm scared of everything.

[both chuckle]

So it'd probably be easier

for me to tell you

what I'm not scared of.

Okay, what are you

not scared of?

Honestly, I guess

I'm not scared of failure.

[laughing]

[laughing] What?

Like, I'd rather not fail.

But most of the times,

isn't that

the best way to learn?

No, not for me,

if I can avoid it.

And how do you avoid it?

Try to keep things simple.

Harmonize complexities

until a solution

presents itself.

So you're an idealist

is what this means?

No, I'm a scientist.

["Closer" playing on speakers]

I'm moving upward

And onward

And beyond

All that I can see

Stretching out my arms

And I can reach

Oh, so close

It's right there

[song fades]

[Durham]

Okay, for the ELISA experiment,

choose your primary antibody

and your enzyme label

and then proceed

once you're satisfied

with the calibration curve.

[door opens]

[person speaking indistinctly]

[person] Excuse me.

What are you doing

at this station?

Aren't you

the lab assistant?

Yeah. Professor Durham

asked me to come

and check the crystal screens.

Really? Why?

[chuckles]

You gotta ask her that, man.

[scoffs]

Is-- Oh, is that yours

right there?

Yeah.

I had a question

about the protein preparation.

I'm sorry?

You're using

a phosphate buffer.

That's gonna bind, right?

No. Its dialyzed,

so any binding at this scale

will be negligible.

Yeah, it'll be small,

but I don't think

it'll be negligible.

You don't think?

No.

I think it's fine.

Okay.

You know, I actually don't even

trust what you think, man.

Excuse me?

You came in here thinking

I was in the wrong place.

I'm not.

[scoffs]

I spoke with them

about questioning you.

It won't happen again.

I really don't need you

to fight my battles for me,

okay?

Okay.

But it wasn't

entirely for you,

to be honest.

Bias, any bias,

racial or gendered,

it's a... serious challenge

for us here.

Science is almost defined

by its paternalism

and conservatism.

It's a problem,

not just for individuals

but for the discipline

as a whole.

You, for example,

have a brilliant mind

and a unique life experience.

Certainly unique

from most of us here.

And that combination

might make you

just a little more likely

to think of

an alternative solution

to a problem, right?

Rather than just

the incremental evolution

of an existing solution.

To think radically.

And radical thinking

changes the world.

So I'm an experiment too?

Well, we all are

when it comes down to it, yeah?

It's the reason why

we should never lose sight

of fundamental

scientific reasoning.

If complications arise...

try making changes.

You can choose hours

when it's quiet around here

if you want.

[sighs]

Can I ask you something?

Yeah.

What's going on?

I just got a lot on my mind.

I'm just trying to talk.

That's all.

Okay.

[clears throat]

I got a friend back at home.

Mm-hmm.

And he's doing time.

And he has an appeal coming up,

and he's probably...

gonna lose.

And it's just been

stressing me out.

I could raise money

for a lawyer,

but that's just gonna

f*ck up everything

I got going over here.

So, you feel like you're pulled

between this place and home.

Yeah.

It's hard to know

what's more important.

Yeah.

I am deeply unsettled

by this case.

And I unequivocally side

with the State's counter appeal.

I see no reason

for the post-conviction relief

to stand.

I can honestly not see

why it was instituted

in the first place.

It is hereby overturned,

and you are to be sent back to

Trenton Correctional Institution

to serve out the remainder

of your sentence.

[sighs]

[lawyer]

This latest judgment is absurd.

For a retainer

of a few thousand dollars,

I can take this on,

and I think we will win.

But I warn you,

it'll get expensive.

And the basis from which

we would now be working

is that your father

was treated unfairly

by the system,

even though he was guilty.

I understand that as a strategy.

It's not a strategy.

Of course, it's possible

that Irving Gaskins

was telling the truth

and the police planted

a m*rder weapon

on your father.

But it's also possible,

and if you ask me, likely,

he was simply

protecting his friend.

It's not just

Mr. Gaskins though.

There was a lot of questions

about the m*rder weapon.

I believe the police

destroyed my father's g*n

and switched it out.

There's absolutely no evidence

to support that.

And why did your father

have a g*n on him at all?

Probably for protection.

He was selling weed back then.

You never asked him.

I don't need to.

Look, I'm sure that I would

wanna believe my father too.

But in this case,

the objective facts

are just not on his side.

[Rob] I spoke to a lawyer.

You can afford a lawyer?

[Rob]

Just wanted to see

what he'd say.

And what'd he say?

He didn't think

Dad was innocent.

Well, what do you think?

I think it's the system.

I think they cover themselves.

They cover their own.

Shaun, it's been over 13 years.

You don't think you should stop?

It don't matter

if it's been 13 years

or 30 years if he didn't do it.

There's no motive.

The m*rder weapon

is inconsistent.

No history of violence.

"No history of violence."

You tell me then,

was he violent?

Was he?

With you.

It didn't happen a lot,

but it happened.

And when it did, I made sure

we all weren't living

in the same house.

I didn't think there was much

wrong with trying to preserve

a little bit

of the image

you had of your father.

[sighs]

Maybe even that was too much.

[door closes]

[sighs]

[person panting]

f*ck!

sh*t!

[breathing shakily]

[crying]

I should've told you

it was my dad in prison, baby.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

It's okay. I get it.

Rob, you just have to know

that none of this

is your fault.

It's not.

So why is it on you?

I just don't believe

he's a m*rder*r.

You shouldn't have to

carry all of this.

[sighs]

God, you deserve

to live your life.

You deserve to have a shot

at being happy.

[sighs]

[kisses]

[kisses]

When I was a kid, I used to

sit in front of my house

after the rain.

You ever notice how the tires

hit the blacktop after the rain?

[waves crash]

[Rob]

It sounds like the ocean.

Used to close my eyes

and pretend I was on

some beautiful beach somewhere.

Switch off.

I gotta find that spot.

Maybe I can help.

I mean, my mom's from Rio.

My dad's from San Juan.

I do know something

about beaches.

[phone ringing]

[exhales]

[ringing continues]

[ringing continues]

[ringing continues]

[beeps]

Hello?

[beeps]

This is a call

from the Trenton

Correctional Facility.

Will you accept the charges?

Um...

Sure.

I've been getting

these headaches for a while now.

Just...

Just brushed it off.

You never think

it's gonna be something bad.

And I just, uh--

I blacked out.

Keeled over in the dayroom.

They took me down

to the infirmary

for tests, and...

And it came back

with brain cancer.

[Skeet breathes shakily]

[crying]

That's when I called you.

I'm sorry.

It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay. I'm sorry

I haven't been here as much.

I'm gonna take care of you.

I'm gonna get you out of here.

It's too late for that.

It's only gonna be

a few months now anyway.

They said, uh--

[sighs]

They said six.

[exhales]

You let me take care of you,

it'll be a lot longer than that.

I study cancer.

I study cancer.

I know all about

the new medications

and what they do.

I can buy 'em for you.

You'll see me graduate,

for a start.

And way beyond that.

You're not gonna

fight this alone. Okay?

I will get you out of here, Dad.

I love you.

[sighs]

I love you too, Son.

[Rob] The need

for my father's medication

tested everything

I thought I believed.

Tested my commitment

to family...

community...

all of it.

Was I prepared

to risk everything...

that I had achieved

for him?

Watch your head

when you're coming in.

[Rob]

I want this application

to be truthful.

And the truth is,

I'm not proud

of all the choices I made.

A lot of my dad's sh*t

is still down here,

but you can use the place.

This is perfect, man.

Yeah.

Working in the lab

means I can bring

the equipment back out here.

You bring the bulk weed

from Florida, all right?

And I'll treat the buds,

make 'em more potent.

Everything on campus

is pretty much dog sh*t,

so it's a huge market

for good product.

There's plenty of

white boys selling.

The school kinda let it slide.

You gonna pack it all from here?

If that's all right.

[Curtis] Sure.

My mom's not coming back.

Not since my dad passed.

[canister hissing]

It's good.

How good? Articulate it.

"Articulate it"?

It's like

I don't feel all f*cked up,

but I'm still getting high

as a m*therf*cker.

You feel like

you could still do sh*t?

Like what?

I don't know.

Like read a book, drive a car.

[Curtis] Right now?

Hypothetically, bro.

[inhales sharply]

Maybe.

So what,

you mixing different strains

together or something?

Nah, man.

If we had some planters,

I could do some hybridization.

Mmm.

But for now,

I'm just extracting

the cannabis oil

and dropping it

right on the buds.

But mostly butane.

Patent this sh*t, bro.

Patent it.

You guys wanna open a window?

[Tav] sh*t.

[partner]

Or maybe grab me a gas mask?

Sorry, babe.

[clears throat]

[kisses]

[partner]

You coming up anytime soon?

[Tav] I'm coming now.

[clears throat]

You're sitting

on a gold mine, man,

for real.

[Rob] Look, we do this

the right way, man,

we can get to

that other thing too.

Abandoned homes, bro.

Getting a legacy.

I don't want your boy

growing up the way we did.

It's cool. It's cool. It's cool.

[inhales deeply]

[laughs]

Come on!

[laughing] Come on! Yo!

[buyer]

Rob Peace! How'd you know?

In and out of the pool.

[Rob] Gotta stay sedated.

What's that right there?

Let me see.

This is 40?

Yeah, that's a 40.

[guard]

Douglas, medication for you.

It seems plausible

to infer the information

from the differences

in electron densities.

Yes. It's excellent.

Look, I think it'll make

a pretty good subject for a PhD.

I wanna stick to biochemistry

and therapeutic application

postgrad.

Yes! That's great news.

I think you should start

applying for programs

as soon as possible.

You'll have

my full recommendation

to a topflight school,

and now in your final year,

we'll just continue

to support you

in any way we can.

[person] Yo, what's up, bro?

[chattering]

[lawyer] Mr. Douglas.

Hey. How you doing?

Hello.

Hey.

Tom Rivers.

Pleasure to meet you.

Even if somebody opened it,

they still wouldn't know

what's inside.

How much is enough?

Lawyer gonna need 30K

for the next review.

Same thing for another

six months of medication.

You okay?

I just feel like

I came a long way

just to end up

with the biggest dealer

on campus.

But you know

what I'm doing this for.

Yeah. I do.

So why you giving me sh*t?

Because it feels like

you like this.

I don't like it.

But what the f*ck?

Am I supposed to walk around

mad all day?

Ain't this

what you asked me to do?

Live my life, be happy?

Yeah. That's right.

That's right.

But you want me to watch you

not give a f*ck

that you could be doing this

for somebody

who k*lled two women.

He didn't k*ll anybody!

You're sure about that, now?

Then why is it

such a big secret, huh?

Why don't you go tell everybody?

Do a f*cking charity event.

Raise money that way.

You know why you don't?

Because you

don't f*cking know, Rob.

What does that say about you?

What the f*ck

does it say about me?

This is why I didn't wanna

f*cking tell anybody.

Because they'd ask questions.

f*ck.

Remember when you were

the smart guy from New Jersey?

Nobody knew

what to make of you.

Now you're just a drug dealer

from East Orange,

doing stupid sh*t.

And guess what.

Everybody's cool.

[grunts]

[trunk rattles]

[softly] f*ck.

[metal clatters]

[Durham] I noticed

the bioreactor was missing.

It's $3,000.

I've been

bringing back everything

as soon as I could.

Why would you do this?

What are you using

this equipment for?

[Rob sighs]

You know what?

I don't wanna know.

It's done.

It's...

I didn't wanna let you down.

I'm-- I'm--

I'm the person you think I am.

I am. I promise you.

It's who I've always been.

[exhales slowly]

["Southern Hospitality"

playing on speakers]

[people chattering]

Cadillac grills

Cadillac mill's

Check out the oil

My Cadillac spills

Matter of fact

Candy paint Cadillacs k*ll

So check out the h*s

My Cadillac fills

Pretty-a*s clothes...

[chattering, laughing]

Pretty a*s, high class

Anything goes...

[song distorts]

[music fades]

[Jeff] Hey, man.

You good?

I just need some fresh air.

I'm just a bit f*cked up.

You think Naya's gonna show?

I can't believe

we're almost finished here.

Yeah.

I gotta tell you, man.

Um...

If I hadn't been

living with you,

there's...

a lot that I wouldn't

have seen or--

Please don't

do this to me now.

No. I'm serious.

For real. Like...

I'd have been

another f*cking dumbass.

I mean,

it's like... this party.

You've got frat boys

and polo players

dancing to Ludacris...

[laughing]

...with dining hall ladies

and f*cking militant members

of the AfAm Society.

You bring people together.

You do.

I'm never gonna know

how you got through all this,

with everything

you got going on

with your dad.

I hope he knows

what you risk for him.

It's all over now.

I've almost raised

all the money I need.

It's all done.

Anybody else

would've done the same.

Uh-huh.

You're telling me you wouldn't

have done it for your dad?

My dad? [chuckles]

Even with all the sh*t

I got going on with my dad,

he'd...

He'd never ask me

to risk anything.

[groans]

Oh, my God!

[people speaking indistinctly]

[radio chatter in distance]

[gate unlocks]

[person] Let's move!

Right up here on the right.

What the f*ck?

f*ck! f*ck.

Hey, yo, Tav!

[groans]

[Rob] Tav, wake up, man.

Hey, come on, man!

Tav, wake up, man!

Tav, man, come on!

Get up, man!

What is wrong--

Tav! Tav! Wake up! Wake up!

[banging doorframe]

I need you to help me

with something, man.

Come on!

f*ck, man. sh*t.

Come on, Tav, man.

Get up, man.

Tav!

All right, look,

all this right here,

it's gotta go.

It's gotta go.

Hey, yo, Jeff! Hey, yo, Jeff!

What's going on?

Man, security on their way.

Go stall them for me.

I'll try.

Go, go, go!

sh*t, man!

All right.

We good.

It's outta here.

Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.

[Jeff] Master Clark.

Go back.

I'm glad I caught you.

I wanted to talk about...

Open the window.

Open the window. Yeah.

...a couple questions

about my course load

this semester.

I was really thinking...

Hold on.

Let me lock it.

...if it's okay,

maybe a master's program.

If you'll just take a sec.

You want me

to hold on to it?

Nah, it's drug money, man.

It's not safe.

...talk to you about a class

that I would like to add.

Take it to Uncle Carl.

Tell him it's clothes.

...give me a second

of your time?

Please can we

just take a second?

[breathing heavily]

[objects clattering]

[door closes]

Hey.

Jeff told me

what was going on.

What happened?

They didn't find anything.

So Professor Durham

convinced them

to let me graduate, but...

she's, uh, rescinding

her recommendation,

so I won't be getting into

any postgrad programs

anytime soon.

Damn.

That's Yale, right?

Yeah.

Just before they decided

to name the school after him.

We made it though.

Mm-hmm.

Everything else

we can figure out.

I miss you, Naya.

I'm sorry

about the way I've been.

Let's spend more time

after graduation.

No pressure.

I just wanna see where we are.

I'm leaving, Rob.

What do you mean,

you're leaving?

After graduation,

I'm going back to Rio.

My mom got a job at an NGO,

and she asked me to come help.

So...

Well, for how long?

See how it goes, I guess.

Well, I could come see you.

I mean, look,

all that other sh*t

is behind me.

It's not behind you.

You just hit your target.

It'll never be behind you

unless you really change things.

I can't be with you

if you won't.

You've got

a good heart, Rob.

You don't have to

live like this.

Not for anybody.

[sighs]

[Skeet]

Doesn't feel like sleeping.

Just... [sighs]

...coming in

and out of darkness.

It's the medication.

I wake up surprised

I'm not already dead.

Don't say that.

So you'll graduate?

Yeah.

I really didn't think

I'd be around for that.

I told you.

I'm proud of you, Son.

After they nearly kicked me out,

I've been thinking about you.

A lot.

Yeah?

My whole life been...

dealing with you in here.

One way or another.

I know.

I know. I'm sorry

I can't give that back to you.

[Rob]

No. I don't want you to.

But I need you

to tell me the truth.

"The truth"?

Did you k*ll those women?

[Skeet breathing shakily]

You didn't...

You didn't believe me

all this time?

No. It's not that. It's just

we never talked about it.

Whether Irving was just trying

to protect you.

Why you had the g*n

in the first place.

I'm--

We never talked

about what happened.

[gasping]

I'm dying, Shaun.

What difference

does it make now?

I need to know.

You need to know?

Come on! Get out! Come on!

The last thing I wanna--

Get out of here!

The last thing I wanna do

is let go of you, Dad.

What are you talking about?

But if you can't

tell me the truth,

I got to. I got to.

Get out of here!

What the hell

are you talking about?

[sobbing]

I'm gonna f*cking die.

What's that...

[sobbing]

[priest]

God, accept our prayers

on behalf of your servant,

Skeet Douglas.

Do not

count his deeds against him,

for in his heart,

he desired to do your will.

May your mercy join him

to the angels in heaven.

We ask this through Christ,

our Lord.

Amen.

[Rob]

There's no reason East Orange

can't be more like South Orange

or Montclair.

[scoffs]

[Rob] I'm serious.

And we do it without

moving people out

or raising the rent.

It's just gonna take time.

First, we concentrate

between South Orange Ave.

and Central.

And when the banks come in,

we can expand.

Right now,

we're the primary investors.

It's gonna take about 20K each

for us to get started.

We can put that on top

of what I got saved from Yale.

And how are we

getting the money, selling?

Nah. We're past that.

This is legit.

I'm getting a job.

I could get 20

from the refinance

on this place.

Tav, how much you got saved?

Around there.

Mm-mmm.

We'll figure it out.

It's all good.

I'm in.

[chuckles]

[grunts]

[Rob] I still believed

in changing the world

around me.

[whistle blows]

Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!

[Rob]

I believed that all evolutions

could affect the future.

[whistle blows]

And maybe...

Hands up!

...correct the past.

So, what are we looking at?

It's my dad's old house.

It burned down years ago.

It was vacant for a while.

How much

you think it's worth now?

[exhales]

Hard to say from out here.

But, um, if they've done

a reasonable job inside,

I'd say... 200,000, 250,000.

200,000, 250,000?

There's 172

abandoned homes

in East Orange.

Right now,

they're just havens

for gangs and violence.

With your company's

large-scale contracting work

and my knowledge on the ground,

we can buy up

enough of them and turn this

whole neighborhood around.

And what are you

asking for exactly?

Reduced labor costs?

Yeah, for a significant share

of my company, Peace Realty.

Look... [chuckles]

...even with reduced costs,

you'll need the banks

to loan you

a lot of money up front.

I know.

To get that,

you'd have to show

clear and consistent profit

for at least a year,

maybe two.

Are you sure that's

what you wanna be doing?

Right now? Yeah.

Yeah, it is.

Okay.

Well...

Yeah, if you can get the houses

to a decent level,

show the numbers working

and guarantee the spend,

yeah, it's possible

we could come in.

[weed trimmer whirring]

All right, so, uh,

can anyone tell me

what determines

the activity of ions

in an aqueous solution?

Go ahead.

How they're charged.

Good. Good! Good!

And? What else we got?

Their density?

Okay. Um--

Their concentration,

or magnitude,

and their sign.

And what's the Yale version

of all that?

Trust me.

Y'all don't wanna

know that, man.

Come on, sir.

Bring back that knowledge.

[all] Yeah! [clamoring]

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

You don't wanna know that.

It's the Yale version!

[students clamoring]

For real? All right, look.

[Rob] You asked for it.

I want us all to bear in mind

the Nernst equation.

Yeah. Calculating

the ionic equilibrium potential.

So Ecell,

the instantaneous

cell potential...

Y'all don't wanna know now.

[students laugh]

[Rob]

The instantaneous

cell potential...

[hammers pounding]

[machinery whirring]

Y'all working hard. [chuckles]

The neighborhood was pretty good

when you were a child.

No reason why

it couldn't be again.

[Rob] Uh-huh.

That was a long time ago, Mama.

The five places

in Oakwood...

[chuckles]

...you won't even

recognize them by the time

we're done with them.

It's like you got

an umbilical cord

stuck in East Orange,

and no one can shake it off you.

Get some rest, Mama.

She's right.

What we're doing is important.

We're changing things

around here.

You already

changed things, Shaun.

You're the son of a convict,

and you've never been to jail.

You changed things.

You're the son of a convict,

and you went to Yale.

Baby, go to grad school.

The neighborhood's

not on you.

I know you lost your father,

and I lost mine,

and any day now,

we're gonna lose Mama too.

But at least for right now,

for once in your life,

you can just breathe.

Find your dream.

[Rob] Go ahead. [chuckles]

All right, now.

[Rob, homeowner chuckle]

I'll get the sign

out of here soon, okay?

All right.

[chuckles]

All right. Let's do it.

[Oswaldo] Look,

I know you think Peace Realty

could basically run itself,

but there are, like,

15 other Realtors

popping up now.

You were right.

You were first,

but now everybody

sees the potential.

Even some of the guys

who were working with you

started a company.

I trained my competition.

There's no better compliment.

[Oswaldo] Yeah,

but if you wanna stay on top,

you gotta

keep the business growing.

We can help you do that.

And we're prepared

to take on a larger commitment.

It was never about

staying on top.

It was about

changing the neighborhood.

It doesn't matter

if that's with Peace Realty

or with someone else.

Well, it matters to us.

What's going on, man?

You know, we wanna keep

growing this investment.

And I don't mean

for developments

like they got going up

in Jersey City and Newark.

I'm talking about

a-- a community trajectory.

You sound like

you sellin' this to me now.

[laughing] I'm trying to.

[Rob laughs]

Yeah, man,

don't let Peace Realty

fall away.

You're right.

It's not just about money.

But it's that attitude

that's making this successful.

People know it's about heart.

[Rob] I'm thinking about

trying something else.

Even getting inspiration

overseas.

Maybe.

I just wanted

to talk to you about it

before I made any decisions.

What about continuing

with your studies?

Getting your PhD

like you always wanted?

Running your own lab somewhere?

I like that.

I still don't know if I can

get into any programs

with everything

that happened at Yale.

You might not need

those recommendations

anymore.

You graduated with honors,

and you may have been here

long enough

to get into a program

with a teaching requirement.

Let me look into it.

But you shouldn't leave it

any longer.

I've seen people get stuck.

I felt so good being here.

These kids,

they're teaching me a lot too.

That's how it goes sometimes.

It's been wonderful

having you here.

But the kids should be seeing

pictures of you on a wall,

not your face in a classroom.

It's time for you to fly,

so they see they can.

Okay.

[line ringing]

[phone ringing]

[speaking indistinctly]

[beeps]

[person answers in Portuguese]

[speaking Portuguese]

[person speaking Portuguese]

[Naya, Rob speaking Portuguese]

[Rob in English]

I wanna ask you something.

Okay.

I started applying

to grad schools again, and...

I can get a place in a program

with an enhanced

teaching requirement.

That's great, Rob.

That sounds perfect.

How would you feel about

coming to see me?

To grad school?

Yeah. You could study,

or you can work.

We'll figure it out.

So you want me to

just drop everything

and follow you?

No. What I'm saying is

how about you tell me

a place you'd like to visit?

I can see if there's a school

I can get into around there.

Okay, well, I'll tell you this.

If it came down to

Stanford or MIT,

I'd definitely visit California

over Massachusetts.

California, it is.

[chuckles]

[handset settles in cradle]

Whoo!

It's gonna be in the back

over there.

I just put it in the back.

It's in the back porch,

all right?

Just go handle that for me.

I appreciate you, bro.

I spoke to him already.

He said it's done.

It's in the back porch.

Go get it.

Thank you.

That's it right there? Okay.

Let's see.

They're gonna need one

of those boards

around the corner.

Rob?

Yeah?

[speaking indistinctly]

[Rob]

Yeah, let's do it.

Let's go.

[Oswaldo] Yeah?

Good. Let's do it.

[Rob] Thank you, man.

[announcer]

The Dow is down

a record amount.

Last week it gave up

a devastating 1,874 points.

The people that have the most

to worry about in this drop

are people that were

way overexposed to stocks

or overextended

in real estate.

[Rob] No! No! No!

Don't put me on hold again.

f*ck! f*ck!

Hey, what they sayin', man?

They're sayin'

we owe over $200,000,

and they're not f*cking around.

So what? Everything's gone?

This place is worthless now?

But hey, look, look, look,

all the properties

are gonna be going down now.

So we should buy more properties

and dig ourselves out.

How?

They froze the loans, man.

Because of what?

Because of subprime?

f*ck!

[Tav breathing heavily]

I put everything into this, Rob!

Everything!

Now, I have nothing left

for my son. [crying]

We'll--

We'll figure it out. We...

[announcer]

...a financial storm

that seems to darken every day.

[crying]

[Rob]

The financial collapse in '08

devastated the neighborhood

all over again.

It felt, like, no matter

how many variables

were controlled for,

chaos was always waiting.

[door opens]

Hey. I'm sorry to bother you,

Mr. Tucker.

Shaun Peace.

You knew my dad, Skeet Douglas.

Yeah. I remember you, Shaun.

I saw the sign out there,

and I...

This house was in my family

for a long time.

I, uh-- I just wanna know

what's gonna happen to it.

[Tucker] Once we paid

all the back taxes on the place

and done some renovating,

we refinanced for the first time

and sent Skeet some money.

Not much,

but we did our best

to help him out.

Thank you.

He thought

we'd abandoned him

at the trial.

I guess everybody did

in the end.

It's crazy what they can do

to an innocent man.

We were really proud of you

finding that loophole,

getting him out

that first time.

Wh-- What makes you so sure...

that he was... innocent?

[Tucker] I mean,

it's not exculpatory evidence

or whatever,

just photographs,

but that was your father's g*n.

I knew it pretty well.

After the fire, Skeet kept it

inside the basement door here.

There was rust all over it.

I don't think

it could even sh**t.

The g*n

the police came up with

was bullshit.

They wanted

to close the case.

And after Irving died,

they could.

We couldn't say anything

in court.

I'd been doing stupid sh*t.

Police were on me

all the time,

making threats,

even death threats.

Finally, we stepped back.

Only thing we could do.

Your mother never knew whether

to tell you about it back then.

I guess we all decided

it'd do more harm than good.

[door opens]

You okay?

I spoke to

Michael and Sheila Tucker.

Why didn't you tell me?

Why did you hate him so much?

I didn't hate him at all.

You let me think he was guilty.

That's not true.

I never said that, not once.

He died thinking

I walked away from him.

I couldn't get him out, Shaun!

No matter what I did,

the Tuckers

were never gonna testify.

But why didn't you tell me?

Because the little bit of doubt

you always had about your father

was the only reason

you pushed back against him.

Ma!

It was.

God help me,

I loved that man.

But he would watch you

burn to the ground

trying to get him out.

Now, maybe he was innocent.

I still don't know.

But I had a choice

to believe in you or him.

And I chose.

It wasn't your choice to make.

Yes, it was.

Don't do this.

I'm begging you.

I'm not

letting anybody else down.

You need to loan us $10,000

to make some real moves.

[scoffs]

And we're in the clear.

We buy 50 pounds of bulk weed

from the connect in Florida,

convert it downstairs,

serve it in the streets.

That's a 2,000% return.

400K at least.

We pay everybody back,

split the rest,

and we out of the hood.

Or you could just walk away.

I tried that already, Oswaldo.

It doesn't work.

Six weeks, and I pay you back.

Six weeks.

Then it's grad school,

normal life.

How you gonna do all this, Rob?

We just gonna sell

under the noses of

all the gangs in New Jersey?

[sighs] We hire in. Mules.

They serve it real quick.

Tell them we're working

for the k*ller Bloods

or some other g*ng.

We operate out of here,

but we don't sleep in here.

Every deal we make

is in the streets.

We don't tell 'em anything,

not even our real names.

That's the only way.

[scoffs]

I'll lend you the money.

But I can't be around this.

It's crazy.

[sighs]

[door opens]

[door closes]

[Curtis] All right.

Keep going back.

[Curtis]

This way? Straight?

[Rob]

Yeah, very, very straight.

[Curtis]

I'll just take it back this way.

All right. I got you.

Just make sure it can't be seen

from the street.

It's all good.

Here you go.

[mule] Word up.

Why's there so much, huh?

It's a lot.

I thought

you can handle a lot.

I can,

but where's it coming from?

I don't know.

So why's it

gotta move so fast?

That's just the way it is,

okay?

Okay.

[money rustling]

[engine revs]

[tires squeal]

Mules got you spooked, huh?

It's that Kamar.

Questions every f*cking night.

Ain't no trial period.

Only way you get rid of him

is with what you got

in your hand right there.

Just make sure

you don't get followed.

All right.

Let's head out.

Can't stay here.

[train passing]

[Rob]

Graduate school application.

Statement of purpose.

To whom it may concern,

Science is my passion.

I believe science

has helped me navigate

the complex systems

that have surrounded me,

the pressures

that I've encountered

in my life.

My interests

have centered on immunology...

[vehicle approaches]

[tires screech]

[Rob] ...and the states

and functions

of nucleic acids.

This area focuses

on origins and environments

to help treat

incurable cancers

like the one

that took the life

of my father.

f*ck.

[Rob] I believe these

therapeutic applications

will aid our understanding

of disease

and eventually

prevent all manner

of catastrophic instances...

before they occur.

[faint chattering]

Hey, yo, Tav.

[gate opens]

Yo. What's up, man?

[chuckles]

It's everything

we made so far.

Except a little bit

I gave to my mom.

It's about 25K.

I'll pay you the rest

of your cut in a few weeks,

all right?

I want you out of this now.

It's enough

for you to get started

on something legit, man.

Money mean you got choices.

Mean your boy

got choices too.

All right.

[Rob] The knowledge I gain

by earning a PhD

will help me achieve

my career objectives...

which include

educating future scientists

as a professor

and continuing

scientific research...

to better understand

the pathways of life.

What's going on?

Kamar's outside.

sh*t! He tail you?

I don't know. Maybe.

You want it?

[sighs]

He just want a cut.

All right.

sh*t.

[exhales]

What the f*ck is going on?

What the f*ck are you doing?

You ain't no gangsta.

The f*ck's the matter with you?

[vehicle approaching]

[tires squeal]

[g*n c*ck]

Whoa!

[g*n c*ck]

[door slams shut]

They're coming.

[door opens]

Get out! Get out!

Whoa!

[shouts]

[g*nsh*t]

[g*nshots]

[Father Leahy] What do you think

is the most important thing

that you can learn here?

What's the most important idea

that St. Benedict's

can teach you?

The pursuit

of excellence?

What is excellence?

Why do we pursue it

with the knowledge

that we are all flawed?

There is no excellence.

There is no flawlessness.

It's not excellence

that we should seek.

It is grace.

And grace is reserved solely

for those who have struggled

to move this world forward.

They will succeed.

Eventually, they will.

And through their endeavors,

all of the walls around us

will come crashing down.

That is grace.

And grace...

[waves lapping]

...is peace.

[Rob]

I am forever grateful...

for the love I've received...

the love

I've been able to give...

the places I've found myself

and the knowledge

that these places

were always here and now.

Thank you for considering

this application.

Robert DeShaun Peace.

I wish I could've seen

the world you'd make, Shaun.

The one you'd make

would be beautiful.

["Smile" playing]

If I tell the truth

I would say

That I've been hurt

Many times before

So it's hard for me

To ever wanna give

Anybody, anybody else love

I was bitter and broken

Until you

Jumped inside my heart

I guess God needs you

Where you are

'Cause the pain

I felt before

Don't exist anymore

You light up my dark, oh

I been broken

For a long time

Now I'm standing

In the sunshine

It's kinda crazy

How you made me smile

'Cause the winds in my life

Been blowing

But you made me smile

And I wanna know how

'Cause I never thought

I had enough

I been holding back

A lot of love

But you make me smile

And I wanna know how

'Cause it's scaring me

Darling

I'm falling and falling

Just make sure you catch me

I'm only thinking

'Bout now

How you make me

Smile, smile, smile

I feel strong

I feel well

I feel confident

Better about myself

Life was dust

Turned to gold

In just a short time

You found

A diamond in my soul

You brighten up my dark, oh

I been broken

For a long time

Now I'm standing

In the sunshine

It's kinda crazy

How you make me smile

'Cause the winds in my life

Been blowing

But you make me smile

And I wanna know how

'Cause I never thought

I had enough

I been holding back

A lot of love

But you make me smile

I just wanna know how

'Cause it's scaring me

Darling

I'm falling and falling

Just make sure you catch me

I been searching

All around for you

I been looking

All around for you

And I finally see the light

Took me a long time

But I'm glad

I finally know the truth

I forgot about

The hurt I knew

I just wanna give

My love to you

'Cause the mirror

Don't scare me now

I feel strong

I feel well

I feel confident

Better about myself

You really make me smile

And I wanna know how

'Cause it's scaring me

Darling

I'm falling and falling

Just make sure you catch me

I'm only thinking

'Bout now

How you make me smile

Oh, smile, smile, smile

How you do it

[song ends]