Original subtitles

( Horn honking )

I'm Alex Mack.

I was just an average kid

until an accident changed my life.

And since then...

Nothing's been the same.

( Zapping )

My best friend Ray thinks it's cool.

My sister Annie thinks I'm a science project.

I can't let anyone else know.

Not even my parents.

I know the Chemical Plant wants to find me

and turn me into some experiment.

But you know something?

I guess I'm not so average anymore.

Ray: I don't know which I hate more:

English tests or math quizzes.

I hate woodshop.

Woodshop?

Yeah, all that noise and dust.

Like the world needs another spice rack.

You're not good at it, are you?

The worst.

Hey, Alex...

Ray.

Hey, what's up, man?

Hi, Scott.

So... woodshop, huh?

Yeah, love it.

It's better than gym... Or lunch.

Oh, I know, I love it, too.

I'm just sorry I didn't get it this term.

Scott!

Look what I made.

Uh, maybe your little friends would like to see it, too.

Oh, no!

You know, next week

I'm heading up the school woodshop club.

Doing the best I can to qualify as a nerd.

( Boys laugh, slap five )

Really? Maybe I'll join.

Scott...

I need you.

Hey, I'll see you guys later.

What?

I have a week.

Maybe I'll start liking it by then.

Annie: Now make the blue one go higher?

You're not concentrating.

No, I'm not.

I need to ask you something.

I just wanted to know...

How you get a boyfriend.

Well, I guess we entered a new phase in our relationship.

It's no big deal.

I'm just curious.

Alex, Bryce will be here any minute.

Let's finish the test first.

( Exhales deeply )

Not bad.

Okay.

Now tell me.

How do you get a boyfriend?

What's the secret?

There's no secret.

It just... happens.

You're in the right place

at the right time, and...

He's there and you're there...

Well, what if you know where he's going to be?

Can you be there on purpose to make it the right time?

Even if it means

joining the woodshop club?

Woodshop?

You hate woodshop.

( Doorbell rings )

Alex, you're too young to be this desperate.

I know, but...

You should never do something

to impress some boy, not even Scott.

Never?

Absolutely not.

Mrs. Mack: Annie! Bryce is here.

That's...

compromising your principles.

What principles?

I have principles?

( Door closes )

Paradise Valley National Park?

Great mountain climbing.

Clean, crisp air

amazing views

and, like, 20 different kinds of Poison Ivy.

I don't think there are 20 kinds.

You don't really like mountain climbing, do you?

I've never been, but...

Climbing rocks and scaling cliffs

sounds dangerous...

and itchy.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

I've been wanting to check out this new trail

and I was kind of hoping you'd like to come.

It's really pretty safe, they got, uh...

Park rangers...

Safety equipment...

Calamine lotion.

Gee, that sounds like it involves going outside.

Venturing into a land without beakers and test tubes.

It's really not her speed, Bryce.

You think you know me.

You could never do anything that strenuous.

I'll bet Annie

could do anything she sets her mind to.

Anything she wants.

Thank you.

And I want to go mountain climbing.

Great! Great.

Saturday?

Paradise Valley air freshener, huh?

And Danielle Atron wants you to handle

this account personally?

I vowed I would never work with her again.

She's so difficult.

She's so picky.

She's so...

...here!

( Footsteps )

Danielle!

We were just talking about you.

I see you're handling our new air freshener account, Barbara.

Well, I'm holding the folder.

( Laughs nervously )

Yes, I'm handling it.

Um, Danielle, I, I hope

that this goes smoother than last time.

Not to worry-- I've already chosen

the perfect spokesperson.

She'll appear in all television commercials

and magazine ads.

Miss Atron has found someone

all of America will love.

She's warm, she's friendly...

she's beautiful, she's charming...

Wonderful.

Who is she?

Me!

Hmm.

Smells terrific.

I wish you were doing the commercial.

Mom, Dad.

Bryce asked if I could go

mountain climbing with him this weekend.

It's okay, right?

Whoa, not so fast, Annie!

Mountain climbing?

Yeah. Like a hill

only bigger.

This really interests you?

I like to try new things.

Sounds a little dangerous to me.

Bryce wouldn't ask me

if there was anything unsafe about it.

I don't know.

Hey, since when do you worry

about my safety, anyway?

You never said anything

when I handled nuclear waste or deadly viruses.

You handled what?

How dangerous can a little climbing be?

You handled what?

Oh, Mom.

Your father and I will discuss this.

You let our daughter handle nuclear waste

and deadly viruses?

At the office, under

controlled circumstances with... special equipment.

I-I wish we had discussed this first, George.

It was for science.

For humanity.

It'll never happen again

and mountain climbing is definitely

out of the question, right?

Actually, I...

I think it may be good for her.

I trust Bryce, and

you know, if Annie doesn't start getting outdoors...

this might be the only pine scent she ever smells.

( Coughs )

( Shouting ): Annie?

We've decided.

I talked it over with Mom and Dad

and I'm going mountain climbing

with Bryce this weekend.

Boy, the lengths you'll go just to impress that guy.

Excuse me?

Well, isn't this exactly

what you told me not to do?

That you shouldn't do something just to impress a guy?

I mean...

Aren't you going mountain climbing

just to impress Bryce?

I don't need to impress him.

I'm doing it because I think that it's important

to try to share his interests.

Same as he does for me.

Same as he does for you?

Mm-hmm.

I don't see him

drooling over computer projects

or helping you set up DNA molecules.

You're doing this to make him like you better.

You're doing something you don't even want to.

You're... you're compromising your principles!

Oh, you don't know

what you're talking about.

Maybe... But it sounded good.

( Door closes )

Woodworking and you?

Your life's just too exciting.

Did you know that there's, like

a thousand different types of nails?

Why can't people just glue things together?

Bryce: Hey, what's up, Ray?

What's up, man?

Morning, Bryce.

Morning, sir.

Something I need to ask you...

Mr. Mack, I assure you we'll be supervised

by an experienced ranger

and using special equipment.

You have no reason to worry about Annie's safety.

Was that what you wanted to ask?

Uh, that, and... are you

sure you have enough gas in your car?

Full tank.

Have a nice time.

Okay.

Hey.

Look! Gourmet sandwiches for four.

Where are Mark and Alyssa?

When I went to pick them up

they saw the brochure with the picture

of the mountain on it

and they're at the movies now.

Some outdoor spirit, huh?

We're not busy for lunch.

You have to climb a mountain to get one.

Well, hey, you two want to come along?

Yeah! Bryce!

Ray, are you sure about this?

Yeah. Come on, Alex, it'll be cool!

Hmm, well, all right.

Alex...

You don't want to go.

Yes, I do.

Bryce: Well, hey, Mr. Mack

is it okay?

Well, I'll check with Barbara.

Great, I'll go call my dad.

( Zips bag sharply )

It'll be cool, Annie.

Trust me.

( Birds screeching )

Wait till we're up on the north face.

It's a perfect 360-degree view of all of Paradise Valley.

Even the sewage plant, if that's your thing.

Oh, joy.

So, Bryce, you ever

do any science stuff with Annie?

Yeah, once I found a mysterious object

in a sneaker under my bed

and I gave it to her to analyze.

Figure out what it was.

A dust-covered peach.

Ew. That's it?

Well, yeah, I mean

Annie's the molecule lover, not me.

You're not even supposed to be here.

At least try to mind your own business?

I'm just looking out for you.

You're my sister.

It's my business.

Alex.

Annie.

( Chuckles )

Check out the mountain.

It's just a puny little hill.

( Chuckles )

Yeah, it is.

But we're climbing that one.

( Wind whistling )

So, I see you've got

all the requisite safety equipment:

Helmets, harnesses... These things.

Carabiners.

Right, carabiners.

You know what these things are.

You're just putting me on.

Not really, but don't tell my boss.

Do you need all this trail mix?

Yeah, for stamina.

And to leave a trail in case we get lost.

Good. You wouldn't want me to have to save you.

No, we sure wouldn't.

Hope it's not going to take a lot of stamina

to hike the hiking trail.

Raymond!

What? You want to climb that thing?

Hiking trail, huh?

We could do the hiking trail

if you're having second thoughts.

No. Uh-uh.

It's time I learned the ropes.

See you guys at the top.

Ranger: Ah, young love.

Kind of, um...

Sickening?

Yeah.

Hope Annie'll be okay.

They bring any bug spray?

Yeah.

Then they'll be fine.

( Insect buzzing )

This is the first time

we've had tea together, isn't it?

That I recall.

Chamomile-- it's my favorite.

I'm so pleased.

I love what you've done with the office.

I was still thinking

it could be a little less...

Cold? Antiseptic?

Formal.

I was thinking

of lightening it up a bit.

Oh... well, that would be easy.

We could bring in some more flowers, and...

And put up some new drapes

redo everything in chintz

a new carpet and...

And get rid of the couch

and lose this high-tech desk.

It's so eighties.

What do you think?

Listen, Barbara, I didn't hire you to be my girlfriend.

Thank goodness.

I hired you because

I need you to come up

with an excellent ad campaign.

So give it to me straight.

What do I need to do to... make America love me?

A makeover?

A big makeover.

A total makeover.

Fine.

Let's get started.

Man, your sister's even worse than you.

Climbing that thing just to impress Bryce?

She wants to share his experiences.

The way you want to share

Scott's woodshop experience?

Exactly.

Annie and Bryce are a couple.

They're supposed to do things together.

But they're supposed to do things they both like.

You sister shouldn't be up there.

So I shouldn't join woodshop?

Oh, no, you should definitely do it.

Use your powers to float giant beams across the room.

Hammer them together without using your hands.

You'd be the best.

Probably still hate it.

All right, come on, Annie.

You've almost made it.

This one's a piece of cake.

A piece of real stale cake.

I'll spot you. You ready?

I guess.

Okay, just put your foot

over...

( Screams )

Annie!

Bryce, help me!

Annie, don't worry.

Listen, you're not

in any danger.

I'm hanging from a cliff.

No, no, you're not.

You're hanging from a rope

and it's not going anywhere.

What now?

I can't reach you.

I'll get help.

No, no, no!

( Wind blowing )

Oh, hey.

Over here.

( Laughs nervously )

( Bird warbling )

Ah, that's a yellow- bellied sapsucker.

Really?

Nah, I just like saying

yellow-bellied sapsucker.

Annie ( Yelling ): Help!

Help!

Can anybody hear me?

That sounds like Annie.

Annie!

Annie, where are you?

Annie!

Ray: Come on.

Oh, how did I get into this?

Alex: We're coming.

Oh, my gosh.

Are you okay?

Alex, does it look like I'm okay?

Hang in there.

There's not much else I can do.

Alex, your canteen.

Annie: Alex, what are you doing?

Annie: What are you doing?

I'm not really thirsty.

It's not water

it's your sister.

Alex?

Alex: Hang on, Annie, hang on.

Okay, I'm going to try and swing you to me.

Come on, Annie, reach!

Come on, Annie.

Come on, Annie.

You're so close.

Don't tell me you were just admiring the view.

I guess I got in over my head.

I guess so.

And... now what do we do?

Try, try again.

Watch me.

All right!

All right, Annie.

I present to you the new and improved

Miss Danielle Atron.

What do you think?

I think...

You look ridiculous.

Thank you.

But I have an idea.

Bryce: She's not in danger

just really scared.

Ooh, tuna fish.

Yeah, I'd be afraid, too.

Annie, h-how did you...?

Alex and Ray helped me.

Actually, Annie's quite the climber.

No, no, I'm really not.

Ranger: Is that a chicken sandwich?

Ray: Yes.

I hope you're not disappointed.

That you didn't plunge to your death?

No, I'm okay with that.

Maybe next time you could share

my interest in bowling, okay?

You like bowling?

No, but we don't have to do this again.

Yeah, but how are we going to get down?

Uh... hiking trail.

Hey, you joining us?

No, I just came to say that I wasn't.

See... well

I don't really like woodshop.

Oh.

Alex, are you joining woodshop?

No, I just...

Too bad.

The more the merrier.

And it's so much fun making things.

Well, I'm glad you enjoy it.

I just couldn't pretend.

See you inside.

Soon.

Scott: Yeah.

If you hate woodshop

I guess I can't convince you otherwise.

Definitely not.

I'm sure we have other things in common.

Probably.

Scott, I need you.

I'd better go.

Alex, hurry up, it's almost on!

( TV announcer speaking )

Alex: Coming!

You still up there reading about wood?

No, I gave that up.

What, did Scott drop out of woodshop?

No, but you know how

you were trying too hard to impress Bryce?

Me?

Whatever do you mean?

Mrs. Mack: Oh!

Oh, it's coming up, it's coming up!

( Banjo playing )

Whew!

( With Southern twang ): Smells like a barn in here.

Vince?

On TV?

What happened to Danielle?

Oh, she was just trying a little too hard

to get people to like her.

New Paradise Valley air freshener.

Available in pine and new extra pine.

( Sniffing )

Ah... that's more like it.

( All laughing )

Captioned by Grant Brown