♪ I want to buy my innocence ♪
[Finn Alexander] Six months ago,
my grandfather was a complete stranger to me.
I still don't know why I trust him, but I do.
Maybe because he's more of a friend than anyone else I know.
He makes me able to do things I wouldn't do otherwise...
Sweetheart, come on. Please? We're late, come on.
College fair, woo-hoo!
[Finn] ...because sometimes,
my anxiety makes even getting out of bed hard.
[groaning]
♪
♪ Now I overthink things ♪
♪ That I shouldn't, I couldn't ♪
♪ You wouldn't believe what I did as a kid back in 2016 ♪
Yo, what's up, Finn? How those Legos doin'? [laughs]
[Finn] When most people are scared,
they get this thing called "fight or flight."
Me? I freeze.
- Who was that? - Uh, nobody.
Yeah, I've had to smack a few nobodies in my life.
You don't pay 'em no mind, yeah?
I'm gonna go check out that school over there.
- Okay, yeah. - Alright.
Finn, that's a girls' school, son.
Is it?
Oh, no. Do you. Be fluid, go ahead.
[speaker] Welcome, everyone.
[clears throat] Excuse me.
Can-- Hello?! Everybody!
The lovely Ms. Dunlap has something she would like to share.
If we could all just pay attention for a second.
- Please, go right ahead. - Thanks...
- [Edwin Alexander] Yeah. - ...but you can call me Kim.
I will do that.
[clears throat] So, welcome to college night.
We are lucky to have representatives from--
- Dad? Would it be okay... - Yes?
...if we don't hit on people at college night?
- 'Cause it's not a pickup joint. - Okay, okay.
I was just being friendly, girl.
- That's all. - Oh, that's friendly?
Dad, be honest with me, do I have siblings?
- [Kim Dunlap] Walk around, explore. - We-- [sighs]
We're not doin' this right now.
[Kim] The good news, Finn is very bright.
So, when somebody starts with the good news,
it's hard for me to hear it
because I'm just waiting for the bad news, so.
Um, just give it to us straight.
- Yeah, yeah. - Okay, well, Finn has
some major work to do.
He doesn't have any extracurriculars or community service,
so I'm worried about how strong his application will be.
I should've let you start with the good news.
[Kim] His grades are solid and he tests well.
- [Edwin] Okay. - [Kim] Uh, but for the more
competitive schools, he'll need a great essay to help him stand out.
Alternatively, there's no shame in community college.
Or gettin' a job? I mean, college is not for everybody.
- [Finn] That is true. - No, it is for everybody
named Finn Alexander. You're going to college.
[Edwin] But if ya don't fit that profile...
- But when you do... - ...then--
- ...and he does. - Okay, you guys need to get
on the same page.
The Good Dad/Bad Mom act is just gonna confuse him.
[Paige Alexander] I think you mean Bad Dad/Good Mom, right?
You said what you meant, didn't you,
- Kim? - No, I'm not sure she did.
I don't mean to speak for you, but obviously, standing here,
- we know who the good parent is. - Well, let her speak for herself.
[Finn] And when freezing doesn't feel like enough,
I wish I could disappear.
[Paige and Edwin arguing, muffled]
[Paige] Finn, we need to talk about this college stuff.
Man, that's a lotta coffee.
Yeah, well, I have a panel discussion later today,
so if I could have a cappuccino IV, I would.
Do not deflect.
You're behind and we need to deal with it.
You need to go easy on my man.
'Kay, Dad, this is what the guidance counselor was talking about.
You and I need to present a united front.
- Then stop disagreeing with me. - What, what?
[Edwin] Look, Paige, this lady said his grades are good.
So, what you need to do, let him take a break,
come on down to the halfway house with me.
- Yeah, I like hangin' out with Grandpa. - Great, hang out at home.
Okay, but Murphy said I need to come out of my shell
and it gives me somethin' to write about on my applications.
Well, it's hard to write when you've been killed in a prison riot.
It's not a prison and you know that, Paige.
Okay, a post-prison riot.
Mm-hm, it's about Mal.
- [Finn] Mm! - No, no, no, this is not about Mal.
Mal and I are officially friendly.
- [Finn chuckles] - And that means what now?
It means that he texted me
to say "no hard feelings" and "let's be friends."
I said "same-sies." So, brand-new world.
I am friends with a guy.
Okay, well, Ms. Dunlap said I need community service.
- [phone dings] - Right?
Oh, shit, one of my panelists just canceled. Shit, okay.
We, uh, we have to have this conversation, but not right now.
Cool, 'cause this conversation can be over right now
- if you just let me go. - Okay now.
Okay, go, go. Yes, that's fine.
- But I, but I, I have to take you. - [Edwin] We goin' to prison.
- [Finn] See you at prison. - We goin' to prison.
- [Paige] Dad, really? - I'll see you at prison.
[Paige] That's not funny, Finn. It's not funny.
Oh...
Hey, hey, Finn.
If anything happens while you're here,
don't be too proud to just run, okay?
- Where? - As fast as you can.
- [Mal Kennedy] Hey! - Look who's here.
Hey, big man, I heard you'll be joining us today.
- Yes, sir, all day. - Well--
So, look, we gon' take off before somebody changes her mind.
- [Paige] Wait, Dad. Hey! - Gotta go!
Don't worry, he's good. I'll personally make sure of it.
Okay.
- How you been? - Uh, great.
You know, super busy going viral, which is a lot more work.
Oh, you could really help me.
- I can? - Yeah.
I have this panel and it's called "Social Media to Social Work,"
and somebody just dropped out.
It's only an hour. You would be perfect.
So, just say that you'll do it?
I don't know. I mean, you think that'd be cool or--
Why, because--
Yeah, come on, this is as friends, colleagues,
- you know? - Mm.
Like, this is-- I'm cool, you're cool.
- We're cool. - Cool.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
Also, um, I just really need this to go well
because I don't know if you saw the disastrous TV thing that I did.
Ooh, yeah, who didn't see that?
Right, so, since then I've been bleeding clients.
I just need to remind people that I still know what I'm talking about.
Mm...
fuck it, sure.
- Really? - Mm-hm.
Okay, but Mal doesn't swear.
- Friend Mal does. - Friend Mal?
- Mm-hm. - Okay, friend.
That's amazing, thank you.
- So I'll text you the fuckin' address. - Text me the fuckin' address.
- Okay, great. Okay, thanks. - Cool.
- Oh, yay. - Yep.
- Alright, thanks. Okay. - See ya.
[Tre] I didn't wanna answer a survey.
I just stayed in the line to hear a woman's voice.
Finn, you ain't never had a girlfriend, right?
- No. - You do like girls, right?
- [Edwin] Hey. - [Miles] Not, not that I give a shit, man.
Look, I'm tryna hear about some ass, man.
You a'right over there? What size shoes are those?
- Hey, hey, hey. Nix that, man. - Ten and a half.
[chuckles] Hey, come on, Old School,
you ain't teach the kid nothin'.
Y'all forget I was locked up his whole life, man.
Teach me what?
That shoe thing is just some old jailhouse nonsense.
If a dude asks you what size your shoes are,
he plan on takin' 'em from you.
But we ain't doin' that here, am I right?
I see.
Is there a bathroom here?
Yeah, uh, you go down the hall on the left.
Mm, alright... Okay.
- [Edwin] Be careful, hear? - [Finn] Yep.
That's my dude right there, y'all.
Now Mama made him a little soft,
but we gonna help him learn how to stand up for himself.
Yeah, are you sure about that?
'Cause he, he left with that "I'll see you in the car" energy.
Let me go check on him.
Hey, Finn?
Malcolm Kennedy, you do truly meaningful work
with justice-impacted individuals like my dad.
So, tell us, how does social media figure into reentry?
Well, um, look, the only true power any marginalized group has
is to bring an awareness to their struggle.
So, when you consider how legacy media has been complicit
in perpetuating injustice,
why wouldn't we take advantage of social media?
- [applause] - And so, what does that look like?
Well, I encourage my clients to document both
the rehabilitation and the roadblocks
put in their path.
- [applause] - Wow... that's amazing.
Thank you for being a lifesaver.
- Of course. - I actually got two new clients
and a "good job" from the VP of my department.
So, you know, people are trusting Paige Alexander again.
You know, I was happy to do it, so.
I knew you were good at your job,
but you're, like, really, really good at your job.
You sound really, really surprised.
No, more like proud... of myself for inviting you.
[both laughing]
So, friend, do we need to, like, process the past or just--
- Uh, let's not, let's not. - That's great. Okay, so, alright.
I was thinking maybe, um,
we could just get a quick, friendly drink, you know?
So, I could thank you for showing up for me tonight.
- Sure. - Okay, great.
- We'll be there. - Oh.
[Esti Nelson] [over phone] The fuck you mean he's bringing
- his girlfriend? - Well, apparently,
she used to be his ex-girlfriend,
but then they got back together after we broke up.
You were a rebound?
Or, or she is. Paige, what are you thinking?
I am thinking that Mal and I are friends
and you know I have never been friends with a guy before,
so maybe this is really good for me.
Or maybe it'll be a disaster.
Why are you acting like When Harry Met Sally is for real?
Like, people can be friends with the opposite sex.
Not if you break up with them.
If you break up with someone, they'll always be in love with you
or you'll always be in love with them.
The point is, someone is always still in love,
they just don't admit it.
There is a reason that movie is a classic.
- Can I just be happy for him? - Yeah, you could, but why, Paige?
This is a bad idea. Turn around.
- No, I'm still parked. - Then crash your car.
This is literally what insurance is for.
I think it's gonna be fine.
I'm, I'm, I am gonna call you and tell you how great it was.
Yeah, I don't think I've ever met a pole dancing instructor before.
That's, that's exciting.
Mm-hm, I mean, you know, Ava's being modest.
- Oh. - The, uh, teaching pole
is her side hustle.
Oh, okay. What is your main hustle?
I just finished law school.
[Mal] Fourth in her class.
She takes the bar next month.
Wow, I feel like those things are so opposite.
[Ava] Well, actually, the law and the pole
have more in common than you might think.
For me, they're both tools to empower women in a world
that would rather we forfeit our power.
Whoa, beauty and brains.
Or should I say booty and brains?
[all laughing]
I mean, [laughs] she's a jackpot.
Says the obvious lottery winner. I saw you up there on that panel.
- Oh. - You're a boss and you're hot.
- Me? - [Ava] Mm-hm.
No, I think of myself as more lukewarm.
Mm-hm. Uh, anyway, uh, I-I think we should go.
What? You should come to a class sometime.
- No. - I could never.
That's what I thought. The pole makes me strong.
And it really helps me get in touch with the power in my body.
I honestly can't imagine myself on a pole
'cause I feel like it would trigger my daddy issues.
Girl, don't even get me started.
I have massive issues with my dad being in jail my whole life.
- Wait, what? - [Ava] Mm-hm.
- Excuse me? Same! - What?
- Same! - [all laughing]
You are so cool!
- Was your dad in federal or state? - State.
Oh, mine was in federal, so I guess he was a little more ambitious.
- [laughing] - Wow, how did you two meet?
Is there some sort of halfway house dating app I don't know about?
[laughs] I think I have a type.
You're so fun. So, why did you and Mal break up?
- Well, it was really a timing issue-- - She fucked her ex.
Oh, I see.
Well, like I said, pole is empowering and healing.
And it can really help a woman get her shit together.
[Finn] Social anxiety doesn't just make it hard for me to talk to people.
It makes it hard after I've talked to people.
It's like he's in one of those sensory deprivation tanks,
but without the tank.
- Does he do this often? - I have never seen this before.
[Edwin sighs]
Now I don't have to go back there, do I?
You done had 17 years of veggie burgers and touch football.
Come on, let's try somethin' new, man.
Well, what if I don't want to?
You trust me?
- I think so. - So, I'm askin' you to give it
another shot, huh?
Finn, it'd be good for you to start pushin' back on folk.
[sighs] Okay, fine.
- [Edwin] Okay. You eaten today? - [Finn] No.
[Edwin] Come on, I'ma whip somethin' up for you.
Come here.
Come on. Come on, it ain't gonna be no veggie burger either.
[Esti] I'm hungry too.
- What'd I miss? - I think it was male bonding?
- Oh, I wanna see. Do it again! - No, no, no, no, no, no.
Tell me about Mal's rebound with his rebound with you.
Oh... Ava is great.
[Paige laughing]
She actually invited me to go to her pole dancing class.
Uh, we grew up going to Hope Lutheran.
- We don't dance on poles. - We repressed?
I think I might be repressed.
Is that what Murphy meant when he said I have to work on this?
Well, show me your swivel.
I'll tell you. Mm-hm, mm-hm.
[laughing] Okay, here's my swivel.
- [clears throat] - [♪ smooth R&B music playing]
♪
[music distorts, ends]
- I should go to pole class? - You should run straight there.
♪
♪ Never, ever felt this kind of love before ♪
Check on the sly, okay?
- [Finn] Mm-hm. - Alright.
- [Finn] Okay. - [Edwin] Hey, hey.
Hey, you back, man. Good to see you, big dawg.
- [Finn] Thanks. - I still like those kicks.
[Edwin] Now you don't ever listen, Tre. You don't listen, man.
Don't you understand, nobody ever taught him how to fight?
Right, son?
Actually, Mom tried to sign me up for debate.
- Oh, that's a firm no. - Yeah, I didn't even do debate.
But I don't wanna fight people.
I don't want you to fight people.
But if you know how to fight,
you stand taller, you'll be more confident.
All those nobodies at school won't seem so big and bad.
How is fighting gonna make me taller?
- Come on, come on. - Oh, my God.
- Always got me doin' something crazy. - Just come with me.
Alright, Finn, look at me.
- What the? - In the joint, they'd strap these things
to they chest before the riots.
- Right? - [Miles] Right.
Good for blades, worthless for tear gas, a'ight.
- [Edwin] Amen. - I'll keep that in mind.
Okay. Alright, now,
I want you to let your hands fly.
Watch me, watch me. [imitating fists flying]
- Come on. - Do I have to make that noise?
You make whatever noise you wanna make.
Okay?
- [Finn swishing] - Good.
Okay.
Okay, that's good.
Okay, now, Finn... hit like you're angry.
But I'm not.
Yeah? I think you got a whole lot to be angry about.
[Finn] Oh, like what?
Seeing me get busted.
Your mama...
like your daddy.
[♪ "Win the War" by Alexander Lewis playing]
[Edwin] Yeah.
All that baggage... way too much for you to carry, man.
Let it go. Let it out, son.
- [Tre] Show them bitches. - [Miles] Give it to 'em, man.
- [Tre] You heard what he said. - [Edwin] Come on, man. You got this.
[Finn] I was stuck doing the same thing I always do.
But it was time to step into my power.
[ ♪ "Win the War" continues]
♪
Oh!
[Edwin] [slow-motion] What's your name?
That's my Finn! Didn't I tell you? Look, that's my man!
♪ Pussy make him do the cha cha ♪
[Ava] Work, Pamela.
Okay. Love it, Sam. Oh.
- Hi. - Oh, my God, you came!
Is that weird? My sister said I should come.
You weren't just inviting me to be nice, right?
- No way. I'm so glad you're here! - Oh, thanks!
Aw, welcome to your new safe space.
- Oh, wow. - You're gonna love it here.
Oh, am I dressed okay?
There's no insecurity in here.
Well, there might be a little.
Ladies, welcome Paige.
[ladies clapping]
This is your pole.
- Oh, I have my own pole. - [Ava] Mm-hm.
Let's show her what we do, ladies.
- And make it nasty. - Make-- Oh.
[♪ M.O.E. by LightSkinKeisha playing]
Nice. If you don't want you, he don't want you.
Let's go.
♪
And sit on it.
And yes, Paige! Yes.
I need that coochy to the mirror, Paige.
[Paige gasps]
- [Ava] Yes! - [Paige] Oh...
[Ava] Face down, ass up.
That's the way we like ass.
- Ah. - [Ava] Yes!
♪ You better get your man before I make him break his neck ♪
♪ Let my diamonds talk for me, I ain't even gotta flex ♪
♪ Big Bank Beisha charm sittin' on my breasts ♪
[Ava] Up!
[Paige screaming, laughing]
Oh, my God! You're a natural!
- That's so fun! - [Ava] I told you.
Yeah.
[ ♪ "Win the War" resumes]
Alright, then.
Mayweather made a career outta not gettin' hit.
Okay, come on, you try.
What if he punches me?
[scoffs] Come on, man, I'm not gon' punch you, bro.
Besides, the worst part of being punched is the fear of being punched.
- Okay, go. - [Tre] It's just like gettin' spanked,
- but on your face. - Yeah, his mama doesn't believe
- in corporal punishment. - And she's Black?
[Ava] Now we're gonna do somethin'
- a little bit more advanced, okay? - Okay!
Oh, but don't feel like you have to.
- Okay? - Oh.
Do I smell a challenge?
N-No, she's just being nice. It's my first class.
Nah, bitch, that's a flex. Sis isn't tryna give you her man.
Hoes know if the competition gets too sexy, it's gonna be a wrap.
And that's on period.
- [Ava] Okay. - I wanna try.
- Really? - Yeah.
- Oh, okay.
[softly] Go get the mat.
Look, really listen to your body, okay?
- [Paige] Okay. - Okay.
- [Paige] So here? This high? - Yes.
- Good. Reach. - Okay. Yeah?
You got it. Yes.
Wow, okay. Yes.
Squeeze.
♪ Pockets full of guapo, I get money like I'm Pablo ♪
♪ Big-stepping, trend-setting, all these bitches follow ♪
♪ Money over everything the mothafuckin' motto ♪
♪ Took off on these bitches they can't see me like I'm Waldo ♪
♪ Bitch, I'm 'bout my money, I look like I hit the Lotto ♪
I love it, you're amazing!
She better recognize! Go me!
- Look at you go! - Thank you, thank you.
I think I did it! [screams]
- Oh! - [thuds]
Oh, my God! Quick, get some ice! Get some ice!
- Are you okay? - No.
- Breathe, breathe, breathe. Oh, shit. - [Paige crying]
Oh, my God, breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe.
- You looked beautiful, though. - Thank you.
- You did sign the waiver, right? - [Paige groans]
- [Edwin] You ready? - [Finn] Yeah.
- [Miles] Alright. - [Edwin] Relax, relax your body.
- Good. - Oh, shit.
There you go, just like that, just like that.
- Go, Finny, - Yeah. Shake it off.
[Edwin] Bob and weave.
- [laughter] - [Edwin] Oh, oh, my God.
Oh, he gettin' fancy with it now.
You ready? I'm gonna come with it. You ready?
[punch lands]
- [all groaning] - Oh, Miles!
What the hell is wrong with you?!
Baby, baby, you weren't supposed to hit him.
- You said that wasn't gonna hurt. - Oka-- Oh, look at that.
- Go get some ice, man. - I got you.
- Y-You okay? - [Finn] How bad is it?
[Edwin] Okay, it's not that bad--
Go help. Get a towel. Get a towel.
[Tre] It's, it's pretty bad.
- [Edwin] Come on. - [Finn indistinct]
[Paige groans]
- Oh, Jesus Christ. - Hey.
- Oh, what happened? - It's no big deal, what happened to you?
No, no, no, what happened to him?
Mom, it was an accident.
I was just tryin' to teach the boy how to fight and the punch missed,
- that's it. - You hit my son?!
What? Grandpa wouldn't do that.
You let somebody else hit my son?
- Maybe. - Paige.
This is why I didn't want him to go down there.
Are you okay, Finn? You have blood on your shirt.
Oh, my God, stop. I'm fine. I'm fine.
[doorbell rings]
- He is not fine. - [Finn] I'm fine!
- He said he's fine. - You are not fine!
Are you happy?
[sighs]
[♪ curious music playing]
- Ugh, you. - Hold on.
- [Paige] You-- - Okay. Please, let me tell you
what happened.
You let some guy who just got out of prison hit my son.
It does sound crazy when you say it like that.
And how would you say it, Mal?
First off, I would say, I'm sorry.
Okay? They were teaching him how to box.
He's young and green, and bobbed when he should've weaved.
But the medic checked him out, he is fine.
And your dad got an earful from me already,
so, again, I am sorry.
Thank you for getting him checked out.
I know he's fine. I just--
Yeah, no mom wants her kid comin' home
- with a bloody nose. - Exactly.
Rough day for the Alexanders?
What do you mean? I'm great.
[chuckles] Well, um, I heard the pole won a round.
- Oh, did you? - Yeah.
[Paige] Hm.
[Mal groans]
That's gonna bruise.
Yeah, I'm gonna tell everybody I got filler.
You know, you take care of everybody else.
I just hope you let somebody take care of you.
These are terrible.
Yeah, because they're Brussel sprouts.
Peas would be better, but peas have too much sugar.
Mm, true.
- [both chuckling] - You know, I'm not gonna lie,
I wasn't sure us bein' friends would work,
but, uh... this is cool.
- Mal. - What?
Um...
I don't know if I'm ready to be friends with you or Ava, just yet.
Sor-- I thought that I did.
I-I thought I was ready, but I, I, um-- Is that okay?
Perfectly okay.
I get it.
[♪ "Coloring" by Kevin Garrett playing]
Apology tea.
Well, then you should've brought me the whole pot.
- Baby, I'm sorry. - I know.
I know you didn't mean for it to happen.
God, he had no business bein' down there.
Well, I told you that.
And that school counselor was right. She was right, she was right.
The boy needs to see his elders being unified, right?
Elders?
You are older than he is, Paige.
I don't like being the bad mom.
It's not fun.
I know I'm... sometimes a better runnin' buddy
than a... responsible dad type.
Paige...
I'm still learning what that is, baby.
- You wanna learn some Big Dad Energy? - You can't school me.
[chuckles] Okay, go upstairs.
You tell him to put his damn clothes in the dryer.
- [laughing] - Just like that.
♪
♪ Don't want the world to know that side of me ♪
[Finn] Mike Tyson said,
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched."
[chuckles]
What I think he meant is there's no time to think.
You just have to react.
My granddad taught me lessons I would never learn in any book.
I learned that life and manhood isn't just about throwing punches,
it's also about taking them.
Sometimes you end up with a bloody nose,
but once you stare down the barrel of a fist,
tests, and grades, and even people seem less scary.
Thanks to my grandpa, I'll never freeze again.
So I'm ready for whatever comes my way.
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪
♪ Don't try your best to stall stay for the night ♪
[Edwin] Oh, shit. Sadiiq.
♪ Nothing's right if you're gone ♪
♪ Stay for the night, if it's all a lie ♪
♪ I wouldn't mind if you're wrong ♪
♪ Stay for the night, we've been alright ♪
♪ For so long ♪
♪ There's no coloring around us anymore ♪
♪ You either know or you don't ♪
♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪
[speaker] Woo-hoo!
[spray paint can hissing]