Original subtitles

♪ I bet we've been together for a million years ♪

♪ and I'll bet we'll be together for a million more ♪

♪ oh, it's like I started breathing ♪

♪ on the night we kissed

♪ and I can't remember what I ever did before ♪

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ and there ain't no nothin' ♪

♪ we can't love each other through ♪

♪ ooh-hoo

♪ what would we do, baby

♪ without us?

♪ sha-la-la-la

Hi. Hi.

Did you get everything you needed at the mall, Mal?

Yeah.

I got two shirts, couple of pairs of pants,

a jacket, and a pair of shoes.

I thought you went there for school supplies.

Uh...yeah.

Um, well, they were out of school supplies.

See, the...

The, uh... The school-supply truck broke down.

Yeah, it was on the news.

I bought a present for Andrew while we were there.

I hope he likes it.

Ellen.

Oh, that's so sweet. Oh, Andy'll love it.

Wh-whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

Hold the phone. Time out.

What... this is... This is not a toy for a boy.

This is a doll.

So?

So?

So this better fold out into a truck.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with boys playing with dolls.

It's perfectly natural.

It is not perfectly natural...

Do you know what happens to boys who play with dolls?

They become men who play with dolls.

Alex, this is healthy for Andrew.

It will help him to enter adulthood

without hang-ups about sexual roles.

Ellen. I have those hang-ups.

I'm okay.

No, you're not, Alex.

Come on, let's go take it up to him.

Hey, hey, he... He's not gonna like it.

You'll see.

Tell... Tell him to use it as a bat.

Dad, I am telling you, the blue tie looks better.

It's not better, Jennifer.

It is.

Jennifer, you don't know.

You've never had an interview

for the job of Midwest Regional manager for PBS.

As a matter of fact, I have, dad.

And I wore this tie, and I got the job.

Oh. Honey, relax. You look great.

You'll do great on the interview, too.

Alex: Yeah, dad.

Want you to know we're all rooting for you.

We want you to get this job 'cause you deserve it.

You worked hard. You're the best at what you do.

You're the perfect man for the job.

Thank you, Alex.

There's more money involved with this job.

It's not the money that's important, Alex.

This is the kind of job I've dreamt about for years.

Your dad's right, honey.

This job could mean a greater voice

in the creative direction of public television.

Great.

He could make it more commercial.

I am so proud of you.

I haven't got the job yet.

Oh, it doesn't matter.

I'm still proud.

You're a man of passion and conviction,

and I love you no matter what job you have.

Yeah, dad, we all love you.

Now, get the job, or don't come home.

How long can it take them to make up their minds?

Steve, the interview just ended two minutes ago.

I guess the tension's getting to me.

Oh, Steve, come on. Take it easy.

I mean, you are, without a doubt,

the most qualified man in this organization.

You're going to get the job.

Oh, yeah? What about Carl Peterson?

Peterson.

Oh, I forgot about him.

He's good.

Maybe I should go downstairs

and get friendly With Petey.

Gus!

Come on, I'm just kidding, Steve.

Relax.

But Ted Broadnax is good too.

Yes?

Uh...all right, fine. T-thank you.

Justin Phillips is on his way over here.

I don't know about this, Gus.

I mean, I know I'm qualified,

but somehow I don't get the feeling I'm his kind of guy.

I'm low-key. Phillips is more high-powered.

I think he's gonna go with Peterson.

Nah. It'll be Broadnax before Peterson.

I had no idea I'd be so nervous.

This job means a lot to me, Gus.

Look, the whole staff is pulling for you...

Except for Peterson and Broadnax.

Good luck. Thanks.

Now, believe me, I've, uh...

I've been in situations like this before.

I know how to handle it.

Am I interrupting something?

Oh! No.

Not at all. Please, uh, come in, Justin.

Steve, I know you must be a little anxious,

so let me get right to it.

How would you like to be

the new director of programming for the Midwest?

You're kidding.

Yes, I am.

You're kidding?

Yes, I am. Oh!

Steve, the job is yours.

Thank you, Justin.

Well, you want to go out for some dinner?

We'll celebrate, talk about some new projects?

Well, I'd love to, except, uh, oh,

my family, they're expecting me.

Well, maybe tomorrow night.

Well, I-I usually try to have dinners with my family.

Maybe. I-I'll let you know tomorrow.

Okay, we'll do it tomorrow.

We'll order in, and we'll make it a working dinner.

Um, okay.

Well? Well?

I got it.

All right, Steve.

Congratulations.

Oh, uh, here.

Oh. This is for you.

You were pretty confident I'd get this promotion.

Hey, I never doubted it for a minute.

Thanks, Gus.

What does it say on the back?

Andrew.

No, tell me it isn't true.

Just tell me it isn't true.

Let's face it, Alex,

the only toy Andrew will play with is this doll.

I can't believe this is happening.

I've offered him trains. I-I've offered him trucks.

I've offered him soldiers. I've even offered him money.

B-but he has some kind of obsession with that stupid doll.

Her name is Sassy Susie.

You know what, Alex, I think it's you

that's got an obsession with this doll.

Why are you so threatened by it?

Hey, I'm not threatened. Okay?

Isn't she cute?

Oh! Mallory! Mallory!

I can see why... Come on, knock it off, will you?

Alex is afraid of Sassy Susie.

I am... I am not afraid of this or any other doll.

"I love you, Alex." Knock it off!

Hey, everybody. Hey, hey.

Hey, that's Sassy Susie!

Oh!

I used to have one of these when I was a little kid.

I rest my case.

You used to play with a Sassy Susie, Skippy?

I think that's great.

Oh, I had the whole set.

Uh, Wonderful Wendy, Perky Patty...

Easy Edna.

Skippy, uh, here's - here's 10 bucks.

Why don't you, uh, take, uh, Sassy Susie out

and show her a good time?

Uh, no, thanks, Alex.

No, I-I think I'm a little too old for dolls now.

But I'll take the $10.

I'm gonna take Andrew up and get him dressed for dinner.

Your dad should be home any minute.

Where are we going for dinner, mom?

I reserved a special table at Guido's.

We are finally going to celebrate your dad's promotion.

Oh, uh, put him in that cute pink jumpsuit we got him.

No, look, mom, mom, mom.

Put him in that, uh... that suit of armor I bought him.

And don't forget the sword.

Come on.

Don't you remember what you learned

at that women's study group we went to?

Ellen...

Come on.

What did you learn?

Avoid sexual stereotypes.

And what else?

Men and women are equal.

And?

Dolls are for girls.

I'm sorry, Ellen.

This is my brother we're talking about.

Where's dad, already?

He should have been home a half-hour ago.

I need to talk to him about something.

Look, Jennifer, when are you gonna realize

dad is an important executive now?

He hasn't got time to waste on your little preteen drivel.

Well, as long as you're here for me, Alex.

Dad still isn't here yet?

Well, why should tonight be different?

He hasn't been home any night before 10 this past week.

Can't we go without him, mom? I'm really hungry.

Honey, we can't have a celebration dinner without him.

Hey, gang.

Hey, dad. Hi, Ellen.

Elyse, do you remember how I've always wanted to do

a documentary about the plight of the Navajo Indians,

but I could never get the go-ahead?

Now I'm the guy who gives the go-ahead.

And I had a little meeting with myself this afternoon,

and I talked me into it.

Oh, that's - that's wonderful.

Now, how about dinner? Oh, no, thanks.

I, uh, grabbed something at work.

I've got a lot to do here.

It's a dinner to celebrate your job.

What...

Oh, right. Uh...

You already postponed it five times.

Okay. Okay. I'm coming. I'm coming.

All right. Let's go.

Can I bring this stuff with me?

Steven.

Okay. All right. The work can wait. Let's go.

Oh, excuse me.

Just...

Hello?

Oh, hi, Justin.

What...

Oh, just a second.

Listen, it'll just take about 15 minutes.

I'll meet you at Guido's.

15 minutes. Right.

Yeah, Justin. I'm here.

Huh, what? Oh, no.

Well, can't it wait until tomorrow?

I can't go.

Uh, yeah, go on, Justin.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Oh, don't tell me that jacket's on sale.

I still can't afford it.

Yeah, I'm totally depressed, too.

I'll talk to you later.

I can't believe it.

What's the matter, Mal? Wardrobe problems?

Yeah, I know how that is.

Come, let me hold you.

Mom, when is dad supposed to be home?

7:00.

It's after 8:00 already.

Are you kidding?

He hasn't made it home on time for weeks.

Does dad still live here?

Well, he's still using it as a mailing address.

Hi. Any mail for me?

On the desk.

Hi.

Oh, honey, you must be starving.

Uh, no.

I-I grabbed something to eat at work.

Oh. Well, that's okay.

It gives a chance to have a little time together.

Yeah. Oh, hi, Justin.

What...

Yes, I was just thinking the same thing.

That is an excellent way to approach him.

I'm gonna go up and check Andy. He was a little...

Shh. Yeah. Mm-hmm. ...a little fussy...

Yeah. ...when I put him down earlier.

I think these problems are all solvable, Justin.

Good. All right. I'll see you then.

Dad, are you gonna be able to make my soccer game next week?

Well, I'll check my calendar at work.

Jen, I promise I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Dad, I need to talk to you when you get a chance.

Oh, sure, Mal, maybe later.

Ladies, ladies, ladies, ladies.

Come on, look. We've been over this before.

Time is money.

Y-you don't just get to come in and see dad

and get to talk to him anymore.

Those days are over.

Well, uh, Jennifer, I can give you an appointment with dad

at, uh...

...2:30 in the morning.

I'll take it.

Okay, have you been to see dad before?

Dad. Dad, just come upstairs when you get a chance, okay?

Okay. Hey, come on, come on.

Let him work. Let him work. Let's go. Move it out.

Here we go. Here we go.

Ah!

Got a couple of minutes for an old friend?

Sure.

Oh.

Yeah?

Uh, Justin.

Yeah. Um...

Okay. That could work.

Oh, good.

Good. Yeah.

Well, um... all right.

Yeah, no problem.

Hon, thank you.

Uh, I have to go out of town for a few days.

Washington.

Why?

Justin thinks we may be able to get funding

for this new series I've been wanting to do,

the interviews with members of Congress.

Oh, good. Well, that's great.

That means I'll miss Jennifer's soccer game.

Damn.

Well, I'll take her, or Mallory will.

And Andrew's doctor's appointment,

that's on Wednesday.

I'll take him.

I miss you. I already miss you.

I miss you, too.

Oh, mom, come on.

Your appointment isn't till tomorrow.

Oh, hi.

Good evening.

I see your name is Andrew.

Very good.

Well, what do you know?

I-I have a-a son named Andrew.

Me too.

Oh, well, uh, that's my Andrew.

Hey, yours is cute.

Mine's got purple hair.

Well, you know teenagers.

He's 32.

He's a record producer in New York.

That's what he says he's doing this week, anyway.

Last week he was a carpenter.

Next week, who knows what he'll be?

A shepherd, maybe. I don't know.

Uh, it's nice he calls each week to, uh, keep in touch.

Yeah. He likes to reach out and nag someone.

Still, they're our kids, right?

Blue hair, purple hair, spiked hair.

We love 'em anyway, right?

Love is a strong word.

Thanks, sport.

Oh, Justin. Come in.

Thanks, Steve. How'd it go today?

Good. I think we're ready for Kenwell tomorrow.

I know you are.

I just came from a round of follow-up meetings.

Steve, everything you've done so far has worked.

Oh, thank you. I'm trying.

Well, this is gonna be

a record-breaking year for raising funds,

and you've had a lot to do with that, Steve.

There's something decent and honest and attractive about you

that makes people want to give you money.

Here, take 20 bucks.

Listen...

Listen, Justin, have you eaten yet?

Because i-I've got some extra here.

Oh, yeah, I had a bite in my room.

Oh, nice-looking family, Steve.

Yours?

Yeah. Yeah.

Uh, this is, uh...

Alex, Mallory, Jennifer, Andrew, Elyse, uh,

and, uh, Skippy, our neighbor.

He keeps sticking that back in there.

Well, that's great, Steve.

I've got three at home, myself.

You miss them?

Oh, yeah, sure.

But, you know, you get used to being away,

long hours.

They get used to not having you around.

It works out all right.

The important thing is we love what we do, right?

Right. Right. Yeah, sure.

Sure. That's the way it is with guys like us.

The work takes over.

Nothing else is as satisfying.

Well, the work is satisfying, yeah, but I...

You'll see, Steve. You'll see.

That's the way it is.

You're a winner. You're willing to pay the price.

That's what separates the guys like us.

Dad. Hi, Alex.

What are you doing back? Everything all right?

Oh, fine. Where's your mother? Sleeping.

Already? What time is it?

Uh...3:30.

I lost track of time.

How you doing?

What're you doing up?

Uh, well, I started reading this book, uh,

"Vector Calculus: the Untold Story."

Couldn't put it down.

I feel like I haven't seen you in a while.

Yeah, well, you've been busy.

Anything big going on in your life?

Any big changes?

Well, uh...

I'm married now - you knew that.

Two kids.

And I'm president of the United States.

Yeah. I read that somewhere.

Listen, dad, you know, uh...

Don't feel guilty

about all the time you have to spend working these days.

I mean, we all understand.

Even Andrew.

I'm giving up my promotion, Alex.

I'm taking my old job back.

Uh, dad, what are you saying?

You don't want to do that.

I mean, you got... You got more power on this job.

You got more money.

You got more money.

There's more to life than power and money, Alex.

Give me an example.

Look, dad...

I...

I don't pretend to understand you...

you know, what makes you tick,

why you, uh... you live your life the way you do.

In fact, I-I stay awake at night wondering,

you know, "where did I go wrong?"

But, uh...

I guess you know what you're doing.

Underneath it all, i-I believe in you.

Thanks, Alex.

Steven. Oh, hi, Elyse.

Hey. Is everything all right?

Fine. I just came home early.

The trip went well?

Oh, it went great. Big success.

We made a lot of money.

Uh, they loved my ideas.

It felt good.

So why give it up?

Give it up? What's he saying?

I'm going back to my old job, Elyse.

Mom, Andrew's up. He needs his bottle.

Dad?

Where?

No, Jennifer, over there.

In our kitchen?

Come on.

Oh, sleepy time.

You guys look great. All of you.

Jen, I want to hear all about your soccer game.

Mal, if you want to talk to me, now's a perfect time.

Will you be here in the morning?

I'll be here.

Okay. Good.

This is for Andrew.

Is that guy really dad?

I don't know. It looks like him.

Don't blame yourself, Alex.

You did your best with me.

Glad you're back, dad.

Okay, what really went on down there?

Well, just like I said, it went great.

Big success.

So big that you want to quit?

Elyse, I was sitting in a motel room in Washington, D.C.

I'd just finished the most successful meeting of my life,

and I realized something.

What?

Everything I care about,

really, really care about,

is in this house.

There's no such thing as success for me

if it gets in the way of my life here.

Honey, you're not always gonna be traveling so much.

It's not just the traveling.

It's, uh...

The long hours, the total absorption in the work.

That's not gonna change.

You know, there are a lot of things I don't like

about this new job.

But I want you to be everything that you want to be.

So don't give this up for us, for me.

I don't want this job now, Elyse.

It's not the right time in my life.

What I do want...

Is to be home to tuck Andrew in at night,

to help Mallory with her homework,

to fall asleep in your lap,

reading the paper,

have you carry me up to bed.

I've missed that, too.

There's a price to pay for everything.

Tonight I realized the price I've had to pay.

I've had to lose the intimacy of the people I loved,

the everyday involvement with my children.

Teaching them, playing with them,

watching their teeth come in.

And I've had to lose the pleasure and comfort

of having you at my side.

I don't want to be number one at work.

I want to be number one right here.

You are with me.

Come on, I'll carry you upstairs.