Original subtitles

Zachary Brock, you better be in bed.

Can you fix it? I don't know.

First I have to see if it's a bad sector or, you know, a glitch in the video

feedback or maybe probably a scanner.

Wait a minute.

Awesome. Keep going, man.

That's as far as we've got.

Oh, this is so cool.

Do you want to throw me a face on that, buddy? You're like a genius, Brock.

Well, Jurassic Park, they broke the ice, but I'm just merely following in their

footsteps. Bromley's so uptight.

She'd die if she ever saw this.

I gotta have it.

You know what?

I just happen to have a copy right here.

Let it go past you. Name it.

I want to see Emily Paulson appear to Nabal.

Up close and personal. No way.

She's your girlfriend. I can't do that, Brock. Get real.

Okay, fine.

Okay, okay.

I'll make it happen. I don't know how, but I will.

Yep.

Say bye!

Bye!

So, who's Don?

Kenny, does the concept of personal privacy mean anything to you?

Who's Don?

Kind of a pen pal, if you must know.

A pen pal?

Yeah, we met in a chat room. You know, online.

Computers.

Modem.

Hello.

Chat room.

That's like, uh...

Computer dating.

Kenny, do you live in a cave?

So I don't like computers. Shoot me.

Okay.

A chat room is kind of like a bar, only without the obnoxious drunks and smoke.

So you sit at home all alone, just you and the computer.

And you talk to guys all night, and that's supposed to be fun?

You can meet some very interesting people.

Let me get this straight.

You're willing to date a complete stranger based on his typing ability?

We have been trading email for weeks.

He's a veterinarian.

He loves Woody Allen films, and he writes amazing poetry.

We decided to meet at O 'Callie's to decide if we want to have a date.

Max, I don't want to burst your bubble or anything, but do you believe what a

guy says to you on his computer?

I mean, ask yourself this.

What kind of a guy spends his life on a computer trying to pick up girls?

I see thick glasses, pimples.

And one of those pocket things for his pen.

Think about it.

You lost it?

Look, are you sure I didn't give it to you? Hi.

You checked the computer lab?

Yeah, it wasn't in the A drive.

Check this for me, okay?

Lost and found. Hey, I've been there twice. Come on.

Don't worry about it, man.

If you have to, you can copy one off mine.

Look, I don't need another copy. So what's the problem?

Are you kidding me?

That thing should fall into the wrong hands.

Zachary Brock, to the principal's office, please.

Zachary Brock, please report to the principal's office.

I'm a dead man.

Are you done?

Well, I could be.

Never mind.

Hi.

You look great.

Maxine?

Hi. Hi.

What?

Oh, it's just that you are taller than I expected.

But that's okay. I mean, it's not a problem.

I like to get dressed up and wear high heels sometimes.

Good. You're everything I pictured and more.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Sure. Well, you know, I knew that you had to be great.

And since you're a cop, I thought you'd be in pretty good shape. But you didn't

tell me that you were so beautiful.

I bet you say that to all your pen pals.

You're the first.

Really? Well, I've never followed up on it before. I mean, most of the stuff on

the chat boards, it's so superficial.

Right. People tend to lie about themselves, want to be something they're

Exactly. You never really know who you're talking to. But with you, I

real connection. I thought, finally, I mean, here's someone I really want to

meet.

Me too.

Um, how about a drink?

Oh, I'm on duty.

A coffee?

Yeah, milk and a little sugar, please.

You got it.

Yes.

The clip stops there.

I don't know what to say.

I'm so sorry, Carol.

Where did you get this, young man?

It's just Miss Bromley's face, Dad.

I morphed it onto part of a clip that I downloaded from a website.

Morphed? Computer term.

Zach is a very bright computer student, Mr. Brock.

You did this at school?

Partially. Oh, Zachary.

It was just a joke.

Well, it's not funny, young man. And you owe an apology to Miss Bromley right

this second.

He's already apologized, Mr. Brock.

What I'd really like to know is whether this has been given to other students.

What about it, Zachary?

It was just for me, that's all.

All right, then, Miss Bromley, if you'll escort Zachary outside, I'd like to

have a few words with the sheriff and Dr.

Brock.

Zachary, move along.

Am I expelled?

Detention, young man. Two weeks.

And suspension of your computer privileges for the rest of the term.

How could you let this happen? What?

How could you? Should word of Zachary's little escapade in virtual reality leak

out, the entire school system could be at risk. I could be sued.

There could be criminal implications, for God's sakes. Your son produced

pornography on school property using equipment paid for by the taxpayer's

dollar. I can't believe he would do this. Well, there are plenty of people

there just waiting to blow the lid on this whole cyberspace thing. And I don't

want any part of it. All right, Michael. We'll talk to him.

Dad, you put up a race on the computer.

Consider it a race.

That was the only copy, right?

Well, it's also on my hard drive.

Couldn't get in there.

This thing's a monster.

Making slaves out of it.

This thing is off limits until further notice. You understand that, young man?

And if you ever do something like this again, I don't know what I'll do. You

don't want to find out.

How am I going to do my homework?

The old -fashioned way, with paper and pencil.

You didn't make a copy for me?

Kim Cheater is a damn thing. I never trusted him or always hated him. Your

are chauvinist pigs.

My sons? Well, I certainly never taught them to view women as tits and ass.

What? And I did?

Jill, part of this is just... I'm too upset, Jimmy. I don't want to talk about

it. The whole thing makes me sick.

I always felt Zach spent too much time in front of that damn thing. I don't

to talk about it to me. I'm going to go to a movie. I'm going to stuff my face

with malted milk balls and forget I have a family.

What?

Kevin? Zach?

Hey, are you still with that copy of the Z -Files?

Got it right here, my man. Why?

I need it back.

What? I told Oslo I had the only copy.

But we had a deal.

Hey, this is my wife we're talking about here. If my dad found out I lied, he'd

kill me.

Okay, okay, I'll give you the disk.

Copied it to the net anyway.

What? I uploaded it onto this Usenet group I know so my cousin in Colorado

see it.

You put it on the net?

You put the Z -files on the World Wide Web?

Jeez, how could you be such an idiot?

Hey, don't have a cow.

I didn't know. How was I supposed to know?

I thought you'd be jazzed. I mean, you're immortal, man.

I signed your name and everything.

I don't want to be immortal.

Thousands of people could see it.

Download it.

Distribute it.

You've got to get it back.

Okay. Sure.

How?

Don, is that you?

Are you expecting someone else?

Let's rock and roll.

Don, are we going to a costume party?

Listen, come on. I know a great Italian place in Stevens Point.

What, you want French, Chinese?

This is a joke, right? I mean, I know you have a sense of humor.

Oh, the dress too much for you? The dress.

Yeah, and the hair.

Pearls.

You're wearing pumps.

You didn't know?

Know what?

That I'm a cross -dresser?

How was I supposed to know that?

Because we met on the mix -and -match chat board.

What else did you expect?

Mix -and -match.

See, I thought that meant male, female, but it doesn't, does it?

Oh, my God.

I had no idea.

When I first saw your name, Max, I said, here's a gal who really knows

what's going on.

And I thought we really connected at O 'Callie's.

Me, too.

Tough luck, huh?

Okay. So we're both a bit surprised.

Yeah.

But that doesn't mean we still can't go out and have a good time.

Uh, Don, I think it does.

Why? Because you're wearing a dress.

You can't get past that, huh?

Okay.

I understand.

Can't say that I'm not disappointed.

But look it was really nice getting to know you

Draw

me some email if you change your mind

Women

aren't objects to be manipulated like characters in some computer game Zachary

Is that where you got the idea from a computer game?

No.

I was just goofing around. I mean, I like computer animation.

Do you have a particular problem with Miss Bromley?

She's kind of strict, and I thought it'd be funny.

Oh, and my idea would just draw some silly cartoon, and that would be the end

it. The point that we're trying to make here, Zachary, is that sex isn't a game.

It makes it dehumanizing and ugly.

Do you understand that, Zachary? How would you feel if someone did this to

mom or Kimberly? How would you feel?

Awful. Awful, right.

Now, you remember that next time you think of doing something like this.

Yeah.

Okay.

Night. Night.

Night, honey. Love you. Oh, I love you.

Love you too, Barbara.

So how did it go?

How'd what go?

You know, yesterday with Mr. Computer.

Oh, okay.

Geek, right? Like I said.

In fact, he's quite gorgeous.

Gorgeous?

Handsome.

So what, you gonna see him again?

I don't think so.

Didn't hit it off, huh?

Actually, we had more in common than even you could imagine.

Hey, Jack.

Okay, number three, four steps, please.

Hi,

Edward.

What do you want?

What I was wondering is, how can you delete a program on the Internet once

posted up to a user group?

Do you control the user group?

No.

Hasta la vista, baby.

Why?

Because you don't control the software. Once you upload, you can kiss it

goodbye. Your stuff is floating around planet Earth until the sysop or the

webmaster decides to blow it up. Probe. What about the trapdoor? They gotta have

a trapdoor, don't they? Get out of here, okay? Go to school or something.

You're the guru of Rome.

You gotta help me.

No, you listen, pal.

Not even God can help you now, okay?

Only Bill Gates himself.

Carter? Hmm?

You dated a transsexual, right?

Once.

I went out with her once, and I didn't know it at the time. Okay?

I thought he was a she. Well, technically, he was a she, but nobody

been a he.

Carter, it's okay.

Why, are you dating a transsexual?

No. I just know a... transvestite, or a cross... Dresser,

actually. Cross -dresser. Ooh, interesting subset of the whole

cohort. It's not as uncommon as you think.

Studies show that up to 10 % of American men enjoy wearing women's clothing,

especially undergarments.

You're kidding.

Yeah, we're talking straight men here, heterosexual all the way.

So it's not that weird.

Well, it's definitely weird.

Gender dysphoria, dissonance between body and brain.

Frankly, the question...

Transfixed psychologist for years.

It doesn't mean you shouldn't go out with a guy.

Carter, I am a police officer. I can't be seen out in public with a man who

dresses like a woman.

Why not? You're dressed like a man.

This is a uniform. I'd say that's different.

Is it?

Why?

Forgive me for waxing philosophical here, but...

Are we talking fashion statement or deviant behavior?

Food for thought.

God, Carter.

Am I that desperate that I could go out with a guy who looks better in Angora

than I do?

Only you can answer that.

I haven't had a date in six months.

I think I scare men.

But you don't scare him.

No. He thinks I'm great.

Well, that should tell you something.

Don't you dare tell anybody about this.

I can't believe it. It's Miss Bromley.

Yes, yes, yes. Take it off, baby. Take it off.

It's outrageous.

He did this all by himself?

That nerd. Hey, the guy's not without his redeeming social values.

What happened?

As far as it goes. No!

Oh, Ann.

Stop.

Problem, boys?

Miss Bromley.

This is all your fault. We shouldn't even be here.

All right, all right.

That's

it.

Shut up. Shut up and sit down.

I sound like Henry.

She can really sue us.

Not only can she, but she is.

The four of you are being charged with negligent supervision.

The children are being named for emotional distress, libel, and sexual

harassment. How can she go after the boy? How can she go after us?

You're being sued for negligence. All my son did was post a file on the

Internet. Well, according to her complaint, they've been receiving over

an hour from around the globe.

You're kidding.

Oh, yes.

There's a whole new world out there.

Legally speaking, one might say it's an untamed wilderness.

Are you suggesting Bromley might actually get away with this? What kind

damages are we looking at here? The suit is seeking $500 ,000.

What? It's a nice round number.

Doug! Relax.

Relax.

Relax.

I'm filing a motion to dismiss. With any luck, we'll have this thing thrown out

tomorrow. And if that doesn't work?

Well, you start liquidating assets.

Come on. Come on.

Brighten up.

It's only a joke.

So, we're going to have to sell the house?

Of course not, Matthew.

Let's both sell the car.

At least not before you get my driver's license.

Matthew, nobody said anything about selling the house or the car, okay? Can

change the subject, please?

Hey, you have to move past Potato.

Now, you.

Oh, I didn't mean it. I didn't mean to do it.

I wish I never learned how to use a computer.

This Bromley hates me. You guys hate me. Now we're going to lose our house.

Honey, nobody hates you. And we're not going to lose the house.

You just made a mistake, okay?

We're just disappointed that you lied to us, son.

You didn't consider anyone else's feelings.

Zach.

Done. Look, Mac, before you close the door on the two of us, I just wanted a

chance to plead my case.

Max, can you honestly say that you haven't been thinking about me?

Look, when I stopped by the other night, you saw a freak.

Something perverted, scary.

It's okay.

I understand.

But to me...

You were looking at a man very much in touch with his feminine side.

Unafraid to express his feelings.

Come on, Don.

I mean, think about it, Max.

Fifty years ago, women weren't allowed to wear pants in public.

So? Well, your sex has made tremendous strides. I mean, but what about men? I

mean, we're not allowed to explore our feelings, our softer side, our

gentleness.

Well, some of us refused to go along with that.

But why? I mean, how... How did it get started?

Mom.

She wanted a little girl.

She used to put me in dresses.

Hmm.

Anyway, I liked it.

The whole thing never really interfered with my masculine activities.

I played football in high school and college.

But didn't it affect your social life?

Inevitably, yeah.

It'd be the moment of truth.

You know, things would heat up.

I'd shuck my jeans.

And my date would notice that I was wearing ultra -sheers.

Stuff like that.

I thought about repressing it.

Don't let people know.

But then I thought, why be ashamed?

There's nothing wrong with me.

So, I chose my course.

No tears, no regrets.

Today, when I put on pantyhose, I feel great.

And it's not just the thrill of the nylon.

I am striking a blow for social progress, for breaking down stereotypes,

promoting greater understanding between the sexes.

And if that means I have to go through life alone,

So be it.

That's all I have to say.

I'll leave now.

Wait a second.

You want a cup of coffee?

Coffee would be great.

He's asleep.

Good. Zach is going to have to learn there are consequences for his actions,

even if he is a kid. Did you know he can get pornography on that thing? No.

We buy a computer for these boys, and then we just let them loose.

I thought we were being enlightened, but maybe we were just being careless.

I should have supervised him more. How are you going to supervise him? You have

to call Zach when you want a program of ECR.

Yeah, I know.

I know how to get on the terminals at work, and that's all I know about

computers. I wouldn't know how to get on the Internet if my life depended on it.

We laugh about it, but to me the fact is we haven't kept up.

I gotta pay the price.

I move for immediate dismissal of all claims.

That's nice.

On what grounds?

We're talking about a practical joke, Judge. A childhood prank that the

plaintiff has blown completely out of proportion.

Some prank?

You've seen the evidence.

It's obvious the plaintiff's image has been grafted onto another woman's body.

Obvious?

Then explain why my client has received over 300 indecent messages since this

program went public.

Life requires a sense of humor, Your Honor.

Adolescent hijinks may try our patience, but since when do they constitute

intentional infliction of emotional distress?

Now, if my clients have placed a whoopee cushion on the plaintiff's chair and

she sat down on it, would that entitle her to legal damages?

These are good boys, Judge.

If they're guilty of anything, it's being 12 years old.

There was no malice involved, hence no libel as for sexual harassment.

Why, they couldn't even spell it, much less inflict it.

Now about the parents.

Consider, Judge, you could hardly have four more responsible adults seated

before you. A sheriff, a business executive, a guidance counselor, and a

Can we seriously believe these are negligent mothers and fathers? Why, of

not. The only reason they're here, Your Honor, is because they're the ones with

deep pockets, not the kids.

That's not true.

Quiet. Public opinion is swinging towards regulation of cyberspace.

The plaintiff saw an opportunity to jump on the bandwagon, and she took it. He's

lying. Ms. Bromley, please.

Now sit down.

This is no business for the courts, Judge.

It's a family issue, not a jury issue.

Apologies have been made and lessons learned.

For once, let's forget about the lawsuits and leave it at that.

He almost makes it sound like Tom Sawyer, doesn't he?

Childhood pranks, adolescent hijinks.

Well, let me tell you how these... Hygiene have affected my client.

She can't sleep for more than four hours a night. She has chest pains from

stress. She's receiving an average of 25 lewd email messages an hour.

She cannot walk down a school corridor without being stared at, snickered at,

talked about by both students and teachers.

In short, Your Honor, my client's reputation and livelihood have been

overnight. And we have a right to assess responsibility.

Zachary Brown intentionally misappropriated my client's image to

fraud. Kevin King intentionally sent that fraud to a public forum where he

anyone with access to the Internet could see it.

As for the parents, all four...

signed agreements sent home by Rome Junior High at the beginning of the

year, agreeing to supervise their children's use of online services. I

recall signing that. Yes, we did, Jimmy. Do you remember that brochure we were

going to read?

In most respects, these may be exemplary parents, Your Honor, but by failing

to monitor their children's use of what is not a toy, but a very adult tool,

they allowed a serious offense to take place.

We don't turn the car keys over to our kids and simply say, go ahead, have a

good time. Nor should parents allow their children to joyride down the

without proper training and care. They should have known better.

They said they knew better.

And to claim ignorance now is to deny the truth. The injury done is manifest.

The line of responsibility clear. This suit must proceed.

Thank you.

We'll take a one -hour recess, at which time I'll make my ruling.

I'm telling you, she killed us in there.

Don't throw in the towel just yet.

Henry's a bulldog for the First Amendment.

We still got a good shot.

I need some air.

Michael, what should I do?

Jimmy hates computers.

I have a laptop at work, but I've never been online or... You want to help your

children? Well, of course.

I've got two words of advice for you.

Read aloud.

What? I'm serious.

I always have read aloud to all my children, but Zachary's 12 now.

Doesn't matter.

Despite all our pedagogical advances, despite computers, despite everything,

I am convinced that reading aloud to your children for as long as you

can is still the best way to teach them and be close to them.

Really?

But don't listen to me.

I'm just an old fuddy -duddy.

I'll be lucky to have a job once this is all over.

Nothing is more sacred to me than freedom of speech.

But the First Amendment is not an absolute.

Just because the law hasn't caught up with cyberspace doesn't mean a person

do whatever he wants out there any more than he can yell fire in a crowded movie

theater in Rome, Wisconsin.

Though this may have begun as a prank, that's hardly where it ended.

Computers can invade privacy, spread pornography, and wreak havoc.

on people's lives, just as the plaintiff has alleged.

In my view, she has the clear right to a jury trial.

Though I also agree that this matter would be best resolved outside a

A settlement would avoid what would almost certainly be a long and risky

Mr. Wambaugh, your people's exposure could be extreme.

Now one more thing.

And this is strictly a personal observation.

A lot of this talk about computers bringing the world together strikes me

much nonsense.

A person sitting alone in front of a computer screen is not interacting with

another human being.

He isn't listening to someone's voice or looking into someone's eyes.

Perhaps it is this very...

Disembodiment of human contact that encourages youngsters like Zach and

to create pornographic material, to treat people as abstractions

rather than fellow human beings with very real feelings.

End of speech.

Motion to dismiss denied.

We'll set trial next week.

Thank you.

Miss Bromley?

Yes?

What are you doing?

I'm leaving, Zach.

Before the trial?

I mean, I've turned in my resignation.

I can't teach here anymore.

Something you wanted?

I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry.

You know, about everything.

I didn't mean to lie to you about that other disc.

I didn't know that Kevin would put it on the net, I swear.

Did your parents put you up to this? No.

Grounded, I'm not even supposed to be here.

I didn't mean to hurt you or embarrass you or anything.

I just thought, you know,

I thought that... You thought that it would be cool.

Yeah, kind of.

But it was stupid. I mean, I know that now.

I didn't mean to objectify you or anything.

Well, that's all I wanted to say.

I accept your apology, Zach.

But it doesn't change what happened.

I wish that I could say that it doesn't hurt.

But it does hurt.

It hurts a lot.

What you and Kevin did has changed my life.

When they sit down, let me do the talking.

Judge Bone gave Bromley plenty of leverage to come in with a high number.

can never knock it down when there's a lot of screaming.

We have to present a united front.

All right, we get the point.

Come in. Come in, ladies. Come in.

I want you to know that we have every intention of appealing Judge Bone's

ruling. And I will not be bullied by... Let me get the grand, Sandy.

Here's our terms.

Three months' salary.

plus relocation and attorney's cost.

That's it?

Deal.

I'll draw up the documents.

I'll let you work out the details yourself.

But first, I'd like to say a few things.

I didn't start this suit to make money.

I wanted to set an example.

You have no idea what it's been like for me the last few days.

But Zach, he dropped by to see me.

And I realize that I'm not the only one who suffered.

Nothing can change what happened.

But I do need the means to make a fresh start, and then we can drop the whole

thing.

I know that you're good parents, because you have good kids.

And I'll miss them.

Nice girl.

I hope you like garlic.

Mmm.

Love it.

So how's our little experiment going?

You feel okay?

Fine. I'm feeling fine.

I just had a feeling that things would work out between us.

Right.

It's just clothing, after all.

So, how was your day today?

Did you bust anyone?

Kick some butt?

Uh, no. It was pretty quiet, actually. I just stopped a couple of people for

speeding.

No butt -kicking today.

I'm really glad you invited me, Max.

I just find myself incredibly attracted to you.

No, sorry, I can't. I'm sorry. Am I moving too fast?

No, it's not that.

Well,

I'm probably closed -minded and shallow and petty, but when I spend time with a

man, I like to feel like a woman.

I don't make you feel that way?

No, you make me feel like I'm out with my sister.

You know, women are always talking about how they want a sensitive guy, a gentle

guy, someone who's interested in their lives, not just his own.

And as soon as they find one, they balk.

Face it, what women really want is that same macho jerk they've been complaining

about all along.

I know this is probably all my fault, and I know it's probably all in my mind,

and I'm sure under all of that mascara you wear, there's a wonderful person,

that's who you really are.

But this is who I really am.

And when you leaned in to kiss me, I thought I was just gonna...

Sorry.

Well, at least you're being honest.

That's more than I can say about most women.

See you on the Internet?

Sure.

Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that

station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show.

To begin my life with the beginning of my life, I record that I was born, as I

have been informed and believe, on a Friday at 12 o 'clock at night.

It was remarked that the clock began to strike and I began to cry

simultaneously.

What did that do? It's not doing anything.

Where does it say that?

In consideration of the day and hour of my birth...

It was declared by the nurse and by some sage women in the neighborhood who had

taken a lively interest in me several months before there was any possibility

our becoming personally acquainted, first, that I was destined to be unlucky

life, and secondly, that I was privileged to see ghosts and spirits,

gifts inevitably attaching, as they believed, to all unlucky infants of

gender, born toward the small hours on a Friday night.