Black Belts (2023) Movie Script
1
[eagle cries]
Amazing, Son.
Compton Strong Style is what you desire,
yes?
[Maurice] Ferocity of wolf.
Adaptive as coyote.
Strong Style is lethal.
But what is it that you truly desire?
To strike fear in the heart of my enemy!
Experience Compton Strong Style!
Hi-yah!
[electronic voice] Compton
Style
[eagle cries]
[assistant]
Don't fight, Boss. Be the bigger man.
[Big Boss's opponent]
Best listen to ya girl, chump.
[Big Boss] Nah, sucka.
- I don't jive with it.
- [Big Boss] I don't jive it with it.
[grunts, sighs]
[breathes shakily]
[sighs]
[knocks on door]
[Maurice] Bob Ross, time's up.
Hey, you remember Mr. Williams?
I need you to go see him.
We need some more pinewood cut.
Oh,
and some three-quarter inch screws too.
KJ, you hear me?
Straight down Alondra, on the right.
Good.
[chuckles]
Everything go smoothly in there?
Yeah. Toilet's clogged.
[Maurice] All right.
If you hurry back,
I'll show you how to use that table saw.
- And no...
- Shortcuts. I know.
Dad,
are we gonna train?
[chuckles] What are you talking about?
We've been training
in the back all day, KJ-san.
It's called building character, hmm?
Never mind.
[sighs]
[door closes]
Never been this hard
But it wasn't easy
[KJ] He keeps telling me
to call him Tim the Tool Man.
- I mean, who is that?
- [laughs]
Tool Time? No?
[sighs] When are you coming back?
Hey, we agreed as a family
not to ask that question.
You know how hard it is for me to be away.
It's just easier with you.
[sighs] KJ, just talk to your dad.
Okay? He can help you.
I-I got to run to this meeting, okay?
I'll see you soon. Love you.
Love you.
- [doorbell rings]
- [KJ] Hey, Mr. Williams.
[Mr. Williams chuckles] Hey, there he is!
[stammers] Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Are you supposed to be in here?
- I mean, does your dad know you in here?
- He sent me.
All righty, Almighty.
- What you need?
- Just some screws and some pinewood cut.
All right. I got some of that in the back.
Follow me.
So, what you been up to?
Oh, I've just been running business
in my hardware store.
Your dad told me about the house.
I'm glad y'all gonna fix that up.
I bet he couldn't wait
for the summer break
- to put you to work, huh?
- [sighs] Apparently.
Hey, man. What's the matter?
Handiwork does a body good.
What size screw you need?
Uh, three and one-quarters.
Three and one-quarter?
Them some big screws.
[stammers] I mean, one and three-quarters.
- All right, I got some of those.
- [phone rings]
[Mr. Williams] Yeah, this is Williams.
All right, hold-hold on.
Hey, is, um, Missy in the back?
If your dad asks,
I'ma tell him that you snuck past me.
[chuckles] Here.
You all right, KJ?
Yeah, I'm good.
Good.
Ain't gonna be long
before that wood is ready.
[grunting, groaning]
[grunting, groaning continues]
- Fire.
- [opponent groans]
[opponent grunts] Hey.
You ain't supposed to be back here,
lil homie.
- Where you from?
- I'm just here to see Missy.
- Yo, he good.
- No.
That's Lil Hatton.
His people over on Creswell.
I don't know him.
Rolling up like he the opps.
- Could've easily caught the fade, my boy.
- Like you did?
- Hey, chi... Chill.
- Go do your job.
[clicks tongue]
[Missy] Mm-hmm.
- Ain't seen you in a bit. You good?
- Yeah, I'm straight.
Need a job?
Nah. We don't hire weirdos.
Shut up, Trey.
[scoffs]
- [opponent 2 coughs]
- Man, what's wrong with him?
I don't know.
Nah. Stuck with my dad.
I'm on punishment for fighting.
[Trey] Fighting, you say?
Creswell, right?
As in the birthplace
of Compton Strong Style?
Hmm.
Maurice Hatton.
The hood Dark Knight is your daddy.
Meaning you're versed
in the deadly arts, right?
Show us.
Come on.
You about that life, right?
Show us something.
- Come on. Come on, show us! Show us!
- [Missy] Chill out, Trey. Relax.
Why are you pressing him?
[clicks tongue] Man, whatever.
Dude is wack.
[scoffs]
[Missy scoffs]
[door closes]
- [knocks on door]
- Hold on.
[exhaling deeply]
Come in.
[door opens]
[Maurice] So, look, I had a thought.
- If you ever wanna just...
- Train me. Just train me.
- Why won't you train me?
- [sighs]
- KJ, come on.
- [sighs] Whatever, dude.
KJ, what the...
I'm... I'm not gonna have...
I need you to run back to the store.
Three-quarter inch screws,
not one and three-quarter inch.
A-And take that stuff out to the shed
before you leave out.
- KJ.
- Yeah.
[chuckles]
[chuckles]
Hey, you know what?
Let's go ahead and call it for the day.
We can grab some doughnuts
from M & T's.
KJ?
[Maurice] KJ?
Your daddy called up here.
These are what you need.
Now, in exchange for my services,
he's gonna teach me Strong Style.
It'll be like Batman and Robin Hood.
On God! [laughs]
Uh, it's just Robin.
[Trey] Not here, it ain't.
- En garde!
- [groans]
[heavy breathing]
Learn some French, no-Karate Kid.
[saw grinding]
What up, KJ?
Yo, my boy, you can't just waltz in here
whenever you feel like it.
Nah, sucka. I don't jive with it.
[laughs]
- Oh, yeah? I'm sick of fools like you.
- [chuckles]
Yo, this dude wants the squabbles?
Come on!
- [grunting]
- [Missy] Hey, relax.
It doesn't need to be all that. Trey.
["Feels Good" by Tony! Toni! Ton playing]
[KJ grunts]
It feels good
Grand master.
- [panting]
- [Trey groans]
You made your point. You're good.
[Trey groans]
Is he in the back?
Whatever. I'll be at your house
training next week, fool.
Experience Compton Strong Style!
[eagle cries]
[Maurice] KJ! KJ, no!
[Maurice] KJ. Come on. Get up.
This fighting thing...
There's so much you don't understand.
So much responsibility.
Why do you always feel like
you have to attack...
Attack? You think I wanna fight?
- What just happened at the shop?
- [sighs]
And that fight a few weeks ago?
Hey! Enough disrespect!
I'm not about to talk
to the back of your head. Sit down.
Tell me something, anything.
What's going on with you?
You know, at school I wasn't fighting.
But what am I supposed to do?
Get marked out?
I should have been able
to earn my suspension.
Wait. So this isn't
about you defending yourself now?
[scoffs] You don't even get it.
I need to know Strong Style,
not how to glue wood.
How is that gonna stop me
from getting beat up?
[scoffs]
You are so much like your Uncle Donnie.
You have no idea.
His need to fight
was about something else.
I never knew exactly what it was,
but it wasn't for the art
or for the sport.
The fight he was looking for,
it found him.
KJ, Compton Strong Style
will not solve all your problems.
And it didn't stop a bullet
from taking my brother!
And I won't have that for my son!
Well...
[sighs] That's not gonna be me.
[sighs]
[sighs]
[pencil scratching]
Okay.
Come on.
All right. Let's go. Takedown.
[sighs] I don't wanna train right now.
No, you wanted to learn. So let's learn.
Let's go.
[sighs]
- [grunts]
- [sighs]
[panting]
Fix your footing next time when you land.
Again.
[breathes heavily, grunts]
- [panting]
- Nope.
Nope, nope, nope.
We are not going back inside
until you get this right.
Again!
[breathes heavily]
- [grunts, pants]
- [grunts]
Where's your energy, KJ? Huh?
What's wrong?
Come on. Are you scared?
[sniffles] I'm not scared.
Then do it right this time.
Come on. Bring it. Let's go. Again.
[breathes heavily]
[grunting]
[panting]
- Come on.
- [panting]
Get it out. Let it go.
[steam whistling]
[grunts]
[sniffles, cries] I'm sorry.
[KJ sobs]
I just wanna draw.
- [sniffs]
- I know.
[sniffs]
[sniffs] I wish it were that simple.
[crying]
[Maurice sighs]
[Maurice breathes shakily, sniffs]
[sniffs]
[sniffs] This isn't gonna be easy for me
but I'm gonna train you the right way.
Okay?
But I need you to get something.
In order to conquer and control this,
you have to first conquer this.
The real power
of Compton Strong Style is in there.
[crying]
[breathes shakily]
KJ, I love you.
[sniffs] I love you too.
I'm so, so, so proud of you.
[kisses]
[sniffs, sighs]
- [smoke detector ringing]
- [sniffles]
[sniffs] Let's go inside
before we burn the house down.
[chuckles]
[sighs]
Come on.
[dishes clattering]
- Did you get enough food?
- Yeah.
So, Dad, show me something.
[Maurice chuckles]
Only train the body,
and the mind suffers, KJ-san.
[chuckles]
- Okay, Kung Fu Kenny.
- [Maurice chuckles]
So what about that move?
Dad?
[wind howls]
[chuckles]
[eagle cries]
Amazing, Son.
Compton Strong Style is what you desire,
yes?
[Maurice] Ferocity of wolf.
Adaptive as coyote.
Strong Style is lethal.
But what is it that you truly desire?
To strike fear in the heart of my enemy!
Experience Compton Strong Style!
Hi-yah!
[electronic voice] Compton
Style
[eagle cries]
[assistant]
Don't fight, Boss. Be the bigger man.
[Big Boss's opponent]
Best listen to ya girl, chump.
[Big Boss] Nah, sucka.
- I don't jive with it.
- [Big Boss] I don't jive it with it.
[grunts, sighs]
[breathes shakily]
[sighs]
[knocks on door]
[Maurice] Bob Ross, time's up.
Hey, you remember Mr. Williams?
I need you to go see him.
We need some more pinewood cut.
Oh,
and some three-quarter inch screws too.
KJ, you hear me?
Straight down Alondra, on the right.
Good.
[chuckles]
Everything go smoothly in there?
Yeah. Toilet's clogged.
[Maurice] All right.
If you hurry back,
I'll show you how to use that table saw.
- And no...
- Shortcuts. I know.
Dad,
are we gonna train?
[chuckles] What are you talking about?
We've been training
in the back all day, KJ-san.
It's called building character, hmm?
Never mind.
[sighs]
[door closes]
Never been this hard
But it wasn't easy
[KJ] He keeps telling me
to call him Tim the Tool Man.
- I mean, who is that?
- [laughs]
Tool Time? No?
[sighs] When are you coming back?
Hey, we agreed as a family
not to ask that question.
You know how hard it is for me to be away.
It's just easier with you.
[sighs] KJ, just talk to your dad.
Okay? He can help you.
I-I got to run to this meeting, okay?
I'll see you soon. Love you.
Love you.
- [doorbell rings]
- [KJ] Hey, Mr. Williams.
[Mr. Williams chuckles] Hey, there he is!
[stammers] Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Are you supposed to be in here?
- I mean, does your dad know you in here?
- He sent me.
All righty, Almighty.
- What you need?
- Just some screws and some pinewood cut.
All right. I got some of that in the back.
Follow me.
So, what you been up to?
Oh, I've just been running business
in my hardware store.
Your dad told me about the house.
I'm glad y'all gonna fix that up.
I bet he couldn't wait
for the summer break
- to put you to work, huh?
- [sighs] Apparently.
Hey, man. What's the matter?
Handiwork does a body good.
What size screw you need?
Uh, three and one-quarters.
Three and one-quarter?
Them some big screws.
[stammers] I mean, one and three-quarters.
- All right, I got some of those.
- [phone rings]
[Mr. Williams] Yeah, this is Williams.
All right, hold-hold on.
Hey, is, um, Missy in the back?
If your dad asks,
I'ma tell him that you snuck past me.
[chuckles] Here.
You all right, KJ?
Yeah, I'm good.
Good.
Ain't gonna be long
before that wood is ready.
[grunting, groaning]
[grunting, groaning continues]
- Fire.
- [opponent groans]
[opponent grunts] Hey.
You ain't supposed to be back here,
lil homie.
- Where you from?
- I'm just here to see Missy.
- Yo, he good.
- No.
That's Lil Hatton.
His people over on Creswell.
I don't know him.
Rolling up like he the opps.
- Could've easily caught the fade, my boy.
- Like you did?
- Hey, chi... Chill.
- Go do your job.
[clicks tongue]
[Missy] Mm-hmm.
- Ain't seen you in a bit. You good?
- Yeah, I'm straight.
Need a job?
Nah. We don't hire weirdos.
Shut up, Trey.
[scoffs]
- [opponent 2 coughs]
- Man, what's wrong with him?
I don't know.
Nah. Stuck with my dad.
I'm on punishment for fighting.
[Trey] Fighting, you say?
Creswell, right?
As in the birthplace
of Compton Strong Style?
Hmm.
Maurice Hatton.
The hood Dark Knight is your daddy.
Meaning you're versed
in the deadly arts, right?
Show us.
Come on.
You about that life, right?
Show us something.
- Come on. Come on, show us! Show us!
- [Missy] Chill out, Trey. Relax.
Why are you pressing him?
[clicks tongue] Man, whatever.
Dude is wack.
[scoffs]
[Missy scoffs]
[door closes]
- [knocks on door]
- Hold on.
[exhaling deeply]
Come in.
[door opens]
[Maurice] So, look, I had a thought.
- If you ever wanna just...
- Train me. Just train me.
- Why won't you train me?
- [sighs]
- KJ, come on.
- [sighs] Whatever, dude.
KJ, what the...
I'm... I'm not gonna have...
I need you to run back to the store.
Three-quarter inch screws,
not one and three-quarter inch.
A-And take that stuff out to the shed
before you leave out.
- KJ.
- Yeah.
[chuckles]
[chuckles]
Hey, you know what?
Let's go ahead and call it for the day.
We can grab some doughnuts
from M & T's.
KJ?
[Maurice] KJ?
Your daddy called up here.
These are what you need.
Now, in exchange for my services,
he's gonna teach me Strong Style.
It'll be like Batman and Robin Hood.
On God! [laughs]
Uh, it's just Robin.
[Trey] Not here, it ain't.
- En garde!
- [groans]
[heavy breathing]
Learn some French, no-Karate Kid.
[saw grinding]
What up, KJ?
Yo, my boy, you can't just waltz in here
whenever you feel like it.
Nah, sucka. I don't jive with it.
[laughs]
- Oh, yeah? I'm sick of fools like you.
- [chuckles]
Yo, this dude wants the squabbles?
Come on!
- [grunting]
- [Missy] Hey, relax.
It doesn't need to be all that. Trey.
["Feels Good" by Tony! Toni! Ton playing]
[KJ grunts]
It feels good
Grand master.
- [panting]
- [Trey groans]
You made your point. You're good.
[Trey groans]
Is he in the back?
Whatever. I'll be at your house
training next week, fool.
Experience Compton Strong Style!
[eagle cries]
[Maurice] KJ! KJ, no!
[Maurice] KJ. Come on. Get up.
This fighting thing...
There's so much you don't understand.
So much responsibility.
Why do you always feel like
you have to attack...
Attack? You think I wanna fight?
- What just happened at the shop?
- [sighs]
And that fight a few weeks ago?
Hey! Enough disrespect!
I'm not about to talk
to the back of your head. Sit down.
Tell me something, anything.
What's going on with you?
You know, at school I wasn't fighting.
But what am I supposed to do?
Get marked out?
I should have been able
to earn my suspension.
Wait. So this isn't
about you defending yourself now?
[scoffs] You don't even get it.
I need to know Strong Style,
not how to glue wood.
How is that gonna stop me
from getting beat up?
[scoffs]
You are so much like your Uncle Donnie.
You have no idea.
His need to fight
was about something else.
I never knew exactly what it was,
but it wasn't for the art
or for the sport.
The fight he was looking for,
it found him.
KJ, Compton Strong Style
will not solve all your problems.
And it didn't stop a bullet
from taking my brother!
And I won't have that for my son!
Well...
[sighs] That's not gonna be me.
[sighs]
[sighs]
[pencil scratching]
Okay.
Come on.
All right. Let's go. Takedown.
[sighs] I don't wanna train right now.
No, you wanted to learn. So let's learn.
Let's go.
[sighs]
- [grunts]
- [sighs]
[panting]
Fix your footing next time when you land.
Again.
[breathes heavily, grunts]
- [panting]
- Nope.
Nope, nope, nope.
We are not going back inside
until you get this right.
Again!
[breathes heavily]
- [grunts, pants]
- [grunts]
Where's your energy, KJ? Huh?
What's wrong?
Come on. Are you scared?
[sniffles] I'm not scared.
Then do it right this time.
Come on. Bring it. Let's go. Again.
[breathes heavily]
[grunting]
[panting]
- Come on.
- [panting]
Get it out. Let it go.
[steam whistling]
[grunts]
[sniffles, cries] I'm sorry.
[KJ sobs]
I just wanna draw.
- [sniffs]
- I know.
[sniffs]
[sniffs] I wish it were that simple.
[crying]
[Maurice sighs]
[Maurice breathes shakily, sniffs]
[sniffs]
[sniffs] This isn't gonna be easy for me
but I'm gonna train you the right way.
Okay?
But I need you to get something.
In order to conquer and control this,
you have to first conquer this.
The real power
of Compton Strong Style is in there.
[crying]
[breathes shakily]
KJ, I love you.
[sniffs] I love you too.
I'm so, so, so proud of you.
[kisses]
[sniffs, sighs]
- [smoke detector ringing]
- [sniffles]
[sniffs] Let's go inside
before we burn the house down.
[chuckles]
[sighs]
Come on.
[dishes clattering]
- Did you get enough food?
- Yeah.
So, Dad, show me something.
[Maurice chuckles]
Only train the body,
and the mind suffers, KJ-san.
[chuckles]
- Okay, Kung Fu Kenny.
- [Maurice chuckles]
So what about that move?
Dad?
[wind howls]
[chuckles]