Original subtitles

[ knock on door ]

Ella!

Unh-unh, curtis.

Don't start, now.

I'm not finished in here yet,

Okay?

Well, baby, take a break.

What you doing?

Take a break. Rest your feet.

Can't be working all day.

What's wrong with you?

Oh, really, baby?

Just stop there.

Take a little -- take a load

Off.

Thank you, curtis. Finally.

[ knock on door ]

Okay. Break over.

Get the door, baby.

You know what?

That's why I don't like you.

You play too much, curtis.

You play entirely too much.

[ laughs ]

Ga-ga-ga-goo! Ella!

Surprise! [ laughs ]

Look at you, man.

What you doing here?

He's suffocating me.

Oh, my bad.

I guess I don't know my own

Strength.

Well, I do, and it's scary.

Okay, who the man?

[ both laugh ]

My man.

Wait, what's happening?

I thought you moved back to l.A.

For good.

Well, that was the plan.

And it was a good one, a real

Good one.

[ laughter ]

You haven't given up on it, have

You?

Well, I'm not sure.

I need time to think, you know,

To assess the situation.

Oh, my goodness.

Okay. Who is she?

She?

You think I'm gonna be swayed on

My life's goals by a pretty face

And a big behind?

[ chuckles ] Yes.

[ laughs ]

Okay, well, her name is carol,

And her butt ain't that big.

[ both laugh ]

Well, you better let me check

Her out, okay?

Because everybody know, brother,

You got lousy taste in women.

No, I don't.

Yes, you do.

No, I don't.

Oh, please.

Remember the one with the lazy

Eye?

Mm-hmm.

Oh, my -- ella, you should

Have seed her.

Baby, she had the lazy eye.

Every time she opened her mouth,

I thought she was talking to the

People next to me.

Remember humpback helen, man?

Oh, my goodness!

Double-d on both sides, man.

Couldn't tell if she was coming

Or going.

[ both laugh ]

Mount st. Helen.

[ laughter ]

Hey, look.

I'm gonna tell you something.

Speaking of going...

[ laughter ]

...You're probably in a hurry.

[ laughs ]

Hey, listen, you come back

Sometime and bring your little

Girlfriend.

Oh, I can bring her tonight.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

You sure can.

We can have grub and play

Spades.

And I'm supposed to make the

Grub?

Yes! I love you!

You read my mind!

[ laughs ]

[ siren wails, horn honks ]

Oh, yeah.

That's what I'm talking about.

Slant to the sidelines and up

The field for 6.

That was weak.

After this kickoff, you about to

Get beasted.

Now, how'd you get this game?

Nobody has it.

Yeah, including the chump I

Took it from.

Wait. You stole this?

No. I just borrowed it.

He just don't know it.

What's up, malik?

Hey, guys.

Nothing.

Just putting this whupping on

Narcel.

That must be you.

I'm malik's dad.

Oh, what's up, mr. P?

And I'm malik's mom.

Hmm.

You married to him?

[ chuckles ] My boy!

He's the boy.

I'm a grown man.

Um, are you two in a class

Together, or...

Lady, I'm in a class all by

Myself, but malik can hang,

Though.

Aren't you cute?

Better stop flirting in front

Of your husband.

[ chuckles nervously ]

Oh, man, he funny.

He funny, man.

He's just got so many jokes.

Oh, man. Oh, whoo!

Uh-huh.

Malik, you did your homework?

Well, I-I did some of it.

And when you think you're

Gonna be getting to the rest of

It?

Don't worry. I'm on it.

No. You on the couch.

And if your grades start

Slipping, you're gonna be on

Punishment.

It was nice meeting you,

Narcel.

Homework.

Just another way for a teacher

To take away our free time.

No, see, you get free time

When you graduate from college.

Right now, it's homework time,

And you need to leave so that

Malik can get to his.

Dad, I told you I'm gonna

Do it.

Pump your brakes.

For real.

P-pump my what?

First of all, I don't even know

What that means, all right?

And second of all, don't make me

Embarrass you in front of your

Friend.

You know how this works --

Homework then games.

Where I live, it's games,

Games, and better games.

Well, then you need to go

Where you live, 'cause this game

Is over.

Called on account of payne.

Dad, come on, man.

Why you tripping?

Malik, this boy is a bad

Influence, and he needs to go

Home now.

[ sighs ]

Man, my dad is tripping.

He said you got to go home, so

I'll just holler at you later.

All right.

Man, but you need to do

Something about your dad.

See, I like hanging out with

You, but I need a drama-free

Place to play my games, so

Holler at your pops.

Tell your mom I said bye.

Tell your mom he said what?

Hold up.

J-just say bye.

It's just...Common courtesy.

Rake 'em!

Yes, baby!

[ laughs ]

Pa-yow!

Unh-unh.

Hello!

Bam!

Up, up, and away!

Uh, we lost that hand, woman.

But we almost won.

Okay, it's cards.

Almost winning is losing.

Come on, now

I thought when I met you, you

Said you worked at a casino in

Las vegas.

I did.

I was the cigarette girl.

Oh, that's so nice.

I guess that's why you getting

Smoked!

Oh, no!

Unh! That's my payment!

There it is.

Oh, no.

Well, my only redemption is

That, uh, wonderful meal that

Ella made.

Girl, you put your foot in it

Again.

You did. You did.

For real? Ew!

Can you pass me that?

Oh.

Listen, you guys, I need to

Get these dishes taken care of,

Because I am going to the

Cooking expo early tomorrow.

At the atlantic station?

Yes.

With hot sauce harry?

Oh, you know hot sauce harry?

Oh, man! [ laughs ]

Oh, man, he's got this new

Hot sauce called...

Both: "Watch out there now!"

I love that stuff!

I know.

I've been trying to get curtis

To go with me.

Come on, man.

Oh, I know. The cooking show.

It's so fun.

No, thank you.

What, then we gonna go to a

Ballet?

Go get a pedicure?

Oh, I know.

And then when we get through

With that, we can go shoe

Shopping at the

"Hell no" mall.

Curtis, you don't know what

You're missing, man.

Yeah, well, I don't want to

Know.

Hey, baby, y'all like cooking so

Much, take jesse with you.

Hey.

Curtis, jesse may want to

Take carol, and three is a

Crowd.

No, I'd -- I'd rather go

Shopping with curtis.

I've never been to the

"Hellnaw mall."

It's the "Hell no" mall.

Hellnaw mall.

Sounds fun.

[ laughter ]

You might want to hide the

Sharp objects.

Get the pen.

[ laughter ]

Oh, yeah!

What you gonna do now, punk?

[ laughs ]

All right, now press the "A"

Button.

It'll get you strapped.

Strapped?

What kind of game is this?

It's called "Wrong turn."

All right, dad.

Now bust a cap in that dude and

Then snatch his bling.

Do what? And we'll what?

Gunfire ][

Whoa!

Did I just shoot that old lady?

Yeah, dad.

Look, man, they always in the

Way.

Look, all right, now take your

Controller back.

Now you got to run from the

Cops, so you better get on that.

Siren wails ][

Where did you get this game

From?

Uh, narcel gave it to me.

Should've known.

Man screams, explosion ][

[ click ]

Dad, what are you doing?

Look, how long have you known

This kid?

Since school started.

And why am I just now meeting

Him?

Well, you haven't been around

As much as before.

Fair enough.

My job is demanding.

I know.

It's just that what worries

Me is -- narcel isn't like your

Other friends.

Come on, dad.

You're overreacting.

I mean, it's just a game.

It's just for fun.

Malik...

I don't want you hanging out

With this kid.

Dad, come on.

You're overreacting.

He's just my friend.

Look, I'm not asking.

I'm telling you.

Stay away from this kid before

You wind up running from the

Police for real.

Okay, dad. I got it.

All right.

I'm going over to see

Uncle curtis.

We won't have this conversation

Again, all right?

I'm gonna take this with me.

[ sighs ]

I found these on the floor in

Your bedroom.

Oh, miss wilhelmina, I wasn't

Done reading those.

You leave them again, I'm

Gonna take them to read at the

Beauty shop.

How a black shop ain't gonna

Have nothing to read?

No ebony, essence, or jet, not

Even a right on! Magazine.

I want to know how

Stoney jackson is doing.

[ doorbell rings ]

Well, I guess I'm supposed to

Get that.

Who is you?

Nunya.

Oh, I get it.

I'm supposed to ask what that

Means.

Then you say, "Nunya damn

Business."

Then you wake up hooked up to a

Bunch of beeping machines.

Uh, uh, miss wilhelmina, he's

A friend.

Then you can identify the

Body.

Boy, take that hat off in this

House.

Ain't you got no home training?

So, what's up, narcel?

Came to see my boy.

"Wrong turn: high octane" just

Came out today.

I'm about to go to the mall to

Pick it up.

Let's roll.

Nah, man, I can't. Sorry.

What you mean you can't?

Well, my dad's still a little

Upset about last time.

Man, your dad don't even know

Me.

But it's cool.

I got other boys that'll be

There with me.

You do what your dad said, like

A little punk.

Look, hold on, man.

I ain't no -- I ain't no punk.

Then come to the mall.

All right, look, as long as

We're not gone too long.

Man, we'll be right back.

They'll never know you're gone.

All right, let's go.

Uh, miss wilhelmina, I'll be

Right back.

[ both laughing ]

Hi, baby.

Hey, y'all back already?

Y'all were so quick.

I swear I've never seen so

Much food in my life!

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, wait.

Watch this.

Baby, baby, it was off the

Chiz-ain!

[ both laugh ]

I learned so much.

Baby, your paper's upside down.

This woman is amazing.

She was teaching the experts how

To cook.

Me?

Oh, curtis, this one jumped

Onstage and taught the guy how

To make a real flambé.

Only thing flambéing on that

Stage was the chef.

Hey!

[ laughter ]

Yeah, yeah.

Here we go.

Oh, curtis, watch.

I learned so much.

* curtis and jesse used to

Hang all day *

* now ella payne's got

Something to say *

* she can play cards and she

Can cook *

* she can quote scriptures

Out the good book *

[ both scatting ]

T-t-t-t...

T-t-t-t-t-t...

Time-out!

[ laughs ]

[ chuckles ]

Okay. Time-out.

I heard your little rhyme.

You got y'all a little -- you

Worked that whole thing out

While y'all was gone?

Yeah.

Okay.

Well, you know, I remember when

That was just our thing.

We used to do that, jesse.

Oh, it is, but that was

Before I found out that ella had

Chops, man.

She's got rhyme and rhythm.

You're a lucky man, curtis.

I tell him that all the time.

Baby, you are.

You're a lucky man.

[ scats ]

Check this out, man.

In one day, this woman showed me

The only reason I'm with carol

Is because she wasn't a

Challenge to me.

What?

Wait a minute, wait a minute,

But I thought you really liked

Her, man.

I mean, unh!

Unh.

Unh-unh!

I want a woman with substance,

Man.

[ laughs ]

Well, I'll tell you

Something.

You don't watch out, that woman

Of substance is gonna have you

Getting mani-pedis.

Oh! Curtis, listen, baby.

I did not know that we had so

Much in common.

[ laughs ]

Thank you, thank you.

Movies.

We like the same books.

We like the same music.

[ laughs ]

Well, of course we do, baby.

We're married.

Curtis, not me and you.

Big jesse and me.

[ both laugh ]

Oh, as a matter of fact, we're

Going to the big gospel concert

Tonight.

You -- you are?

Praise the lord and

Hallelujah.

[ both laugh ]

Uh, that is, if it's okay with

You.

I mean, she's your wife and

Everything.

I don't want to be

Disrespectful.

Come on.

You know I ain't going to no

Gospel concert.

Right.

Go on. Have a good time.

Gonna be fun.

7:00.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

* we're going to the concert and

It starts at 7:00 *

* and I'm going with a woman

Who came from heaven *

[ both scatting ]

I got your message.

Man!

I was wondering if you was ever

Gonna get home.

You said malik left with

Narcel.

Where'd they go?

Well, I made a few calls.

Ree-ree at the newsstand said

She saw them at the marta

Station, so I called man-man,

Who works at the token

Dispenser.

And he said they changed trains

At five points.

Then skinny white willie saw

Them at the lenox mall.

I don't know what the hell

Willie was doing at the mall.

He owes me $20.

Do you know where they are?

Oh, unh-unh.

Oh, anybody that dress like has

Got to be guilty.

Hey, miss wilhelmina.

Shh!

Okay. [ chuckles ]

Hi, honey.

Hey.

Good day today?

Oh, it was until I found out

Malik is out running the streets

With that kid narcel after I

Told him not to.

Okay, but that doesn't sound

Like malik.

No. It doesn't sound like

Malik, but it does sound like

That kid.

That kid has rubbed me the wrong

Way from the jump.

She's just lying.

She knows she didn't pay that

Car note.

See, I'm sure there's an

Explanation, okay?

Well, there better be a good

One or else he gonna be on

Punishment until he has his

First child.

You know you got to get a

Dna test.

[ cellphone rings ]

You and your stories or your

Judge or whatever that is.

Hello?

Yeah, this is captain payne.

[ sighs ]

Yeah, yeah, I have a son named

Malik.

Okay, I'll be right down, then.

Be right down where?

I got to go.

Go where?

Malik's been arrested.

What? No. Wait, wait, wait.

I'm going with you.

I hope he don't get this

Judge.

This judge don't play.

He's been arrested for what?

[ scats ]

Curtis...How do I look?

Oh, okay. Okay. I see you.

Baby.

Why you never dress like that

When we go out?

Curtis, we never go out.

Come on, baby.

Oh, you just got an answer

For everything, don't you?

Where is big jesse?

We're gonna be late, baby, and I

Don't want to be late, curtis.

Oh, you don't have to worry,

Okay?

I'm sure your buddy gonna be

Here sooner or later.

Calm down.

Okay, curtis payne.

What is wrong with you?

Yeah, I'm sure you want me to

Tell you so you can go tell it

To big jesse over coffee.

Oh! [ chuckles ]

Curtis payne.

Why you laughing?

What's all the laughing?

Come on. Come on.

Baby, the big chief?

Are you jealous?

[ laughs ]

Me and big jesse.

[ laughs ]

Yeah, you can laugh all you

Want to.

Look, baby, that's how it

Starts, okay?

First, you cooking something

Good in the kitchen.

Next thing you know, you cooking

In the --

Oh, curtis, please.

I know you don't think I want

Anything to do with a big jesse.

Baby, there's only one man for

Me, and his name is

Curtis payne.

He's the man I married, he's the

Man I raised my family with, and

He's the man I left food for in

The refrigerator.

Really?

Mm-hmm.

You left me some food in

Refrigerator?

You didn't have to do that.

Curtis, I know I didn't have

To.

I never have to.

Baby, but I do it because I want

To.

I do it.

It's just my way, baby, of

Telling you how much you mean

To me.

That's it.

[ groans ]

All right, ella.

Look, I'm sorry.

I'm -- I'm sorry, baby, okay?

I mean, come on.

You know I'm not jealous.

I ain't never had a jealous bone

In my body until now.

It's just I see you and jesse.

Y'all are having so much fun.

[ scats ]

I mean, it just didn't feel

Right.

Oh, oh, baby, please.

[ smooches ]

Well, how does it feel now,

Babe?

[ smooches ]

Feel a little better.

[ laughs ]

You know, really, I-I kind of

Feel dumb, you know, just...

[ knock on door ]

...That I even doubted you.

I know, I know.

It's okay, baby.

Don't worry about it.

We good? [ laughs ]

You're late.

Yeah.

Uh, who the man?

Come on.

Uh, look, ella, I know I'm

Supposed to go to the gospel

Concert with you, but carol

Wants to go to the rump shakers

Of funk concert down at the

Civic center, and she is my

Girlfriend.

She is?

Yeah, I know she's not smart

And she can't cook and she can't

Play cards to save her life, but

You have seen her now, haven't

You?

[ both mumble ]

[ clears throat ]

Oh, yes.

I'm going to, uh, step on out of

Here.

I will make it up to you.

Watch out there now.

Boy, you're -- ooh!

That's cold-blooded.

[ laughs ]

Oh.

Oh, baby, don't be upset about

That.

Don't take that personal.

That's jesse.

Curtis, I told you -- I don't

Care about big jesse.

I wanted to go to the gospel

Concert, baby.

I got dressed.

You can still go to the

Concert.

I don't want to go by myself.

Baby, you don't have to go by

Yourself.

Really, baby?

No. I'm gonna call calvin.

Curtis!

You don't want to go with

Calvin?

No.

Oh.

Oh, I'll call floyd.

[ laughs ]

Thank you.

Oh, baby, that was a wonderful

Concert.

Yep, it was pretty good.

Oh, hallelujah!

Whoo!

Except for that one man. Ugh!

What one man, baby?

The man, ella, that sung the

Song for 20 minutes.

Baby, that's how

"I love the lord" goes.

What's "I love the lord"?

That was the song?

[ laughs ]

Yes, "I love the lord."

That's four words.

Right.

He was still singing the

First word when we left!

[ laughs ]

The way he was singing, if

We'd have stayed, we'd have been

Ready for church.

We wouldn't have to come back

And go back.

Please.

Man holds one note the whole

Doggone night, and that's so --

Everybody else want to sing.

He hold one note.

* I

* I

I knew you were gonna talk

About him.

Do you love?

Yes, I do.

Do you love?

Yes, I do.

* I-I-I-I-I

* I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I

* oh, I love