Cut Throat City (2020) Movie Script

1
[male reporter] Let's get right
into the Gulf of Mexico,
still tracking and monitoring
the path and the progress
and the strengthening
of Hurricane Katrina.
This is gonna be one of the most
powerful hurricanes we've ever seen.
[female reporter] With the expectation
of it becoming a category four
on Monday,
when it's expected to come ashore.
So this is just quite a monster.
[thunder rumbling]
[light music]
[man] Now listen, you niggas.
I will not waste my breath on you
with a cleverly worded,
articulate warning.
You will come out or die.
And we will burn your ass
like we did Harvey over here.
You have ten seconds to live.
Ten
nine
eight
[gunshot]
seven
six
five
[metal clanking]
four
three
two
one.
[dramatic music]
[shouting]
[glass shattering]
[laughing]
[crowd chanting]
Burn them. Burn them.
Burn them. Burn them.
Burn them. Burn them.
Burn them
[upbeat music]
[grunts]
[screams]
-[Blink] That's it.
-Yo, that shit is fire, bro.
It's like you created
a world of your own, man.
-Yo! Hey.
-Damn.
It's cool and all,
but it don't really reflect the 5-4.
Not enough reality.
I mean, you gotta keep it real, dawg.
Yeah. They should have made your ass
stupider and uglier, too.
-Fuck you.
-[Andre] All right. Look.
Graphic novels are supposed
to be fictional, man.
You know, it's a form of escapism, bro.
[inhales]
That's what the weed is for.
Yeah. Go ahead and pass that
while you at it.
But you can still keep it real,
even if it ain't.
Like The Godfather.
That shit fake
but you can feel the realness
in them Mafia motherfuckers.
Everything don't have to be
this over-the-top Tarantino shit.
You crazy? Reservoir Dogs was the shit.
[barks]
Overrated.
Plus, he say the word "nigga" too much.
You say the word "nigga" too much.
Wait, wait. What's too much?
Like, Lil' Wayne numbers?
I don't know. But there gotta be, like, a
A nigga threshold.
Especially if you white.
I mean, Nigga does have a point.
What the fuck does that make me, then?
I don't know, nigga,
we gotta figure you out.
-[chuckles]
-You a watered-down Creole right now.
-Fuck you.
-[laughs]
-Give me my damn book, man.
-[all laugh]
Y'all niggas don't know art
when you see it.
[puffs]
This, my art.
Right here.
Nigga, you brought that on my wedding day?
It's a bad neighborhood.
-Put that shit away.
-All right.
You giving up all the pussy for one.
Just locked down.
I don't know how you do it.
I think it's love, man.
I need to get over there.
I have to take these damn photos.
I'm getting married, huh?
[all groaning]
-Get it.
-Get it.
-Get it.
-Get it.
[indistinct chatter]
[hip-hop music plays over radio]
[light music]
I want you to listen to something here.
You're not the reason
I'm marrying your mom.
You're the reason
I'm gonna stay with my baby.
-All right?
-Okay.
Ball 'em up, ball 'em up,
block, block, block.
Doo, doo, doo, block 'em up.
Okay, right hand.
Left hand. Right hand.
[romantic music]
[in soft voice]
Look at you.
-[Demyra's mom] How's that dress feel?
-Tight.
[Demyra's mom]
I wish your father was here.
Mom, were you happy on your wedding day?
I'm gonna tell you something
that your grandmother told me, D.
It's not always about happiness.
It's about meaning.
[clicks tongue]
-I'll take that as a nope.
-[laughs]
[chuckles]
-Find the meaning
-[sighs]
happiness will come later.
[Demyra's mom] You look beautiful.
Thanks, Mom.
[female anchor]
Hurricane Katrina may extend
-[woman] Hurry up, we're late.
-from southeast Louisiana, as we know,
all the way into Kentucky
and southern parts
of Illinois and Indiana.
We finally get a Black woman in office,
and she fuckin' giving hurricanes
Black people names.
Shit, I wouldn't have mind
a piece of Hurricane Fashawnya.
-You know what I'm saying?
-You right about that, son.
[both chuckle]
She can blow my way any day, baby.
[chortles]
Man, they sent the motherfuckers
over here.
Man, got the technology from the Russians.
What?
Hurricanes and shit.
They been using them for years
to kill Black people.
That and Viagra.
-[camera clicks]
-[both laugh]
-Damn, boy.
-Laugh.
-Oh, yeah.
-[chuckles]
-You using Viagra already?
-You want some Viagra right now?
-I'm America's worst nightmare.
-[hisses]
A nigga with a gun and a hard-on.
[all chuckle]
What?
He's my best friend, Mama. And
I'm his best man,
and I don't even know what to say.
Hm. And you've known James
since kindergarten, yeah?
-You ain't gotta say anything, baby.
-[smooches]
[slow wedding music playing]
[all cheering]
-[Miracle] Blinky Blink! Yeah!
-[Andre] Shit! Look at that shit. Huh?
[Miracle laughs]
I don't really know what to say
in front of a big crowd.
But, uh to my best friend
and his best lady.
-[chuckles]
-[glasses clink]
[mellow music playing on saxophone]
[mellow music playing on saxophone
continues]
-[thunder rumbling]
-[smooches]
[Blink sniffs]
Storm's coming.
[wind bell chimes]
-[thunder rumbling]
-[cracking]
[Blink] Katrina hit New Orleans
on August 29th, 2005.
[wind howling]
The worst hurricane to date.
The fact is, if there was ever a city
not meant to take Katrina
that would be New Orleans.
[intense music]
[crow cawing]
[male reporter]
The governor of Louisiana said today
that she is considering
the remarkable step
of evacuating the remaining residents
of New Orleans.
And with much of New Orleans
now underwater,
authorities are focused
on search and rescue.
[helicopter whirring]
If ever the cavalry was needed,
it is now, and it is in New Orleans.
The flooding here is getting worse
after waters from Lake Pontchartrain
broke through a levy.
And when you pull back for a wide shot,
the scene is nothing short of apocalyptic.
[birds chirping]
I wanna wake up by your side
And sometimes the other side
Even bought a ring and asked her
If she'd like to be my bride
She said yes and start to cry
It was the best day in my life
Still, I thank the sky
That God done made
A good woman in my life
[Demyra] There you go, baby.
["Before I leave" by Freedom
playing over radio]
You look good. Wow.
I don't know about this shirt,
though, babe.
I know about that shirt.
-[Blink] Mm-hm.
-[Demyra] Hmm.
Oy!
-[Blink] When it get like this?
-[Demyra] Babe, it's been like that.
That's three months.
[sighs]
Daddy gonna come take care of this, huh?
-Okay.
-Hm?
Baby, while you're out
-Go on, you're gonna be late.
-Isiah.
Take care of your mom, all right?
-All right, Dad.
-[Blink] I'm going.
[door opens]
[distant dog barking]
["Wolf" by D4ngerboy playing over radio]
I'm on the road
Pull me up and roll over nigga
I always roll up in a certain news
You nigga rolls up
And that who is you
Only way to is moving you
I'm motor 4-48
Come on, woadie.
This ain't no dub.
This shit imported from Cali, son.
"Atomic Dog".
Oh, but give me somethin' from closer.
This shit is small.
Let me get, like, two for 30 or something.
If you don't get the fuck outta here
before I bust your snot box
[Blink] Hey.
[chuckling]
What's up, woad?
See, I like that
customer service there, baby.
-He tryin' to get a discount.
-[chuckles]
Katrina done wiped all my shit away.
Shit. Not everything, man.
[lighter clicks]
[upbeat music playing over radio in car]
-What's happenin', woad?
-What's up, mate?
[man] Got the stuff?
Life like a movie
Life came up groupies
Kick 'em off the bus
If they start to act goofy
I don't like stupid women
I like stupid ass
[engine starts]
[engine revs]
Cousin nigga's doing some bullshit.
Big fish, little fish.
-[Junior] Watch 'em. Watch 'em.
-[barking]
-[Andre laughs]
-[Junior] Get 'em. Kill 'em.
-All right, out. Out.
-[whistle shrills]
-Come here.
-[Blink] What's happenin'?
-What's up?
-[Andre] Oh, man. What's happenin'?
[Blink] What's up?
Shit, what's up? What's up?
Get the big bro hands up.
[Andre] Okay, all right.
Ready to start, huh?
-Uh-huh. Watch out, watch out.
-[Andre] Huh?
That's the best you got?
That's the best you got?
[Blink] Oh, shit. Oh-ho.
I'm gonna come for you.
-[Andre] Oh. Whoa. Oh. Oh. Oh.
-Do better than that.
-Whoa. Whoa.
-Whoa. Whoa.
[both laughing]
Yo, yo, Blink, Miracle.
You ready for this shit?
[Junior] Whoa. See him?
Get him. Watch him. Watch him.
Get him! Get him!
-Kill him, boy.
-[dog snarls]
-[Junior] Take that. Yeah, kill it.
-[Blink] Damn!
The hell is that?
Oh, this be my big ticket, man.
-Band Dog. Half lover, half killer.
-Half motherfuckin' ugly.
-That's three halves, Sesame Street.
-Fuck you, Miracle.
This is a beautiful dog.
Very protective. It's the shit overseas.
I start breedin' 'em,
puppies sell for 750 a pop.
I can make that off a quarter.
Man, if you ain't smoke it all first.
[Blink] I'm gonna get one of them shirts
off the line.
Yeah, one of my dad's shirts.
Once I get my shit up and running, boom.
Buy me some hooks, drop my album.
-[Miracle] Whoopdie-whoo. You know?
-[Blink] Whoa.
But I ain't goin' by Miracle no more.
I'm gonna go by Teasy.
As in "Tea-Z".
-[Miracle] You feel me?
-[Blink] I feel you. Wait, wait, wait.
-What the fuck is "Tea-Z", man?
-[all laugh]
Tea-Z. Your real rap name, nigga,
should be Lay-Z.
-That's what the fuck it should be, man.
-Fuck you.
Oh, man, I
-I didn't make shit this morning, bro.
-Damn, we all broke, man.
Blink, why don't we talk to your cousin?
He ain't my cousin, Junior.
That's Demyra's people.
We don't need to be hittin' up
that trailer park-ass body-ass nigga, man.
He can get us all killed.
-They're FEMA trailers.
-FEMA's a goddamn joke.
He turned that shit
into a fucking mansion.
Look, man, all right,
even if Blink's cousin is cousin now, man,
still, that dude a gangster
and he make me nervous.
-And what the hell are we?
-We ain't no gangsters.
You sure as hell ain't
a good dope dealer, bro.
In fact, you about the brokest-ass dope
dealer I know on this block, man.
-[Miracle] Yeah, I know.
-We don't need FEMA, all right?
We sure as hell don't need Cousin here.
We good. We gonna be all right.
[Blink] Well, talk to a nigga.
What I'm looking like?
What the fit look like?
-White.
-Real white.
-White.
-[all laugh]
[phone ringing in distance]
[escalator whirring]
[soft music playing over PA]
[Peter] Come sit.
[Blink sighs]
[door closes]
-[groans]
-[Peter] Let me see.
[Blink mutters, clicks tongue]
[Peter clears throat]
[Blink sighs]
Derivative.
[paper rustles]
Derivative.
Fair.
-Have you been published?
-Uh, Tulane's school paper.
-And you never graduated?
-Just associate's.
Did you use a toothbrush
for this background?
Yes, sir.
Okay.
[clicks tongue, sighs]
I don't know, you know?
And they, they need some time to incubate,
but, James
Just call me Blink.
Tell me, James, um
Who are your inspirations?
Charles Schulz. Um, I grew up on Peanuts.
Um
[inhales]
Gary Larson.
[inhales]
Um
Uh, Yoshiaki Kawajiri.
Yeah, okay, yeah, I meant in life.
Who do you wanna see coming
to Cut Throat City, James?
I, I'm not sure,
I never really thought about it.
The first thing you think about
is your audience.
[groans]
Well, if we only focus on our market
then a cartoon would never be anything
more than a cheap, dim commodity,
that, uh, that would never change,
you know? It'll never
Yeah, I don't know
who's giving you that advice, but it's
Actually, I, I got it from you.
Um
An anime expo, 1990.
I got a transcript from the library.
-Fair enough.
-[rustles]
Thanks for comin' in.
Send the next one.
[somber music]
Baby, what you doin'?
Puttin' this stuff up.
I'm gonna change this room
into a game room for Ike.
What's the plan, babe?
I'll figure it out. Do what I gotta do.
Babe, we can still apply for FEMA aid.
No, no, I don't wanna do that. No.
No. They'll come here,
try to take the house. No.
It's they fault we in this mess anyway.
I'm gonna handle it.
I ain't gonna play the blame game, James.
We gotta take responsibility
for our actions.
Responsibility?
This whole goddamn situation is
-based on lack of responsibility, Demyra.
-[distant motor rumbles]
The governor blame the mayor
and the mayor blame the fucking president.
The president blame FEMA.
You talking to me
about fucking responsibility.
What you think? What you think?
I get to go downtown and
fill out an application, salary desired,
and, what, "Yeah, Blink, we just
We looking for a nigga like you. Yeah.
-Yeah, we looking for a nigga like you."
-Enough.
-"We out here. Come on in."
-Enough with the Yat speak.
You got a name, James.
-You got a name.
-My pa gave me that nickname, all right?
You hear me?
Yeah, your pop gave you
a nickname that stuck.
Too bad he didn't.
[sighs]
Look, he left my mama, all right?
He ain't leave me.
Baby, you're a talented
educated Black man.
You went to Tulane.
Well, none of that matter.
No, 'cause I'm still in the Ninth Ward.
Yeah, we still here.
But we can go anywhere we want, baby.
-Anywhere we want?
-Mm-hm?
No, we can't. That's the whole issue.
It's my problem.
We was underwater before Katrina, D.
And they rebuilding all this shit.
But what about us?
Huh?
What about the 5-4?
[inhales]
We the last goddamn ward
to see a fucking dime!
[pants]
What the fuck is that about, huh?
-Goddamn ward!
-[thumping]
[Isiah crying]
[panting]
[dramatic music]
[sighs]
[exhales]
[murmuring]
[in soft voice]
We good. I got you.
Don't worry about nothin'.
You don't gotta worry about nothin'.
[pants]
I'm not worried.
[crickets chirping]
-[lighter sizzles]
-[distant dogs barking]
[car honk wailing]
-[car engine revs]
-[hip-hop music plays over radio in car]
[Blink] What's happenin', wo?
-[Blink] Andre!
-[knocks on door]
I'm comin' in.
[Andre] There it is, bro. What did he say?
He said nobody was gonna publish my strip
called Cut Throat City.
Blink, come on, man.
You know you can't listen to that, bro.
I got D and Ike now.
Yeah.
[door lock clicks]
Mama.
-Mm-hm.
-[Andre chuckles]
-[Andre laughs]
-[Andre's mom] Mm-mm.
James, get your ass down off my counter.
Well, sorry.
-Dre, how was your commute home?
-[Andre] Not too good.
-[paper rustles]
-[Andre] Not much traffic.
You hear anything from Second Line?
It's hard to make it out here
as a musician, Mama.
-Especially now.
-Hmm. I love you, Dre, but
I can't afford
to take care of a grown man.
Mama, come on.
You need to stop worrying about me, Mama.
Now you know
I'm gonna be a famous jazz musician
-Just like Miles David.
-Mm.
I'll buy you that big old house
you always wanted, right?
Go ahead and take care of that album cover
and whatever, you hear?
Well, Mr. Basquat and Mr. Gillespie,
in the meanwhile,
save some of that baloney for your sister.
Hey.
Remember, you boys can dream,
but best hope around here, your money.
[woman] Current and pre-disaster address.
-[Demyra] The same.
-[woman] Insurance?
[indistinct chatter]
-Total household income?
-Thirty-two thousand.
I'll need copies of your tax returns.
-Yeah.
-So
What, we, we eligible or what's up?
Well, it depends on
what type of assistance.
There's repair. There's temp housing.
There's replacement housing.
What about replacement?
Well, this type of assistance
only happens in insular areas
or remote locations specified by FEMA.
Unfortunately,
the Ninth Ward isn't covered.
[whispers]
Why am I not fucking surprised?
Baby
-[woman] Here's your own form.
-We, we, um
[Demyra] We got insurance
so I don't understand why
[indistinct chatter]
[ominous music]
Y'all niggas just don't get it.
This happened just how they want it.
Why you think the 17th Street levy blew
on the black side of town
and not the white?
Well, gravity.
Ain't no gravity,
and ain't no conspiracy.
First, they flood us,
then they pushing us out,
then they buy all our land
with those bullshit FEMA checks.
Then they sellin' 'em to the casinos.
That's just a fact.
[Miracle] Man,
Cousin's makin' it rain out here.
With FEMA here and no cops,
like a goddamn candy store.
He gettin' his hustle on,
he gotta need some soldiers.
[Miracle] Me and Jun was hollering,
we was figuring
maybe we make a move with him.
We all need the money.
[ominous music]
Blink?
Let's holler at him.
[intense music]
[gun cocks]
[dog barking in distance]
[upbeat music playing over radio]
-[animals squealing]
-[indistinct chatter]
[man 1] Come on. Come on. Come on.
Come on. Get his neck. Get his neck.
[indistinct shouting]
[man 1] Get up. Get him up.
Get up. Get up.
-Get up, get up. Get up.
-[man 2 groans]
[man 1 laughs]
Fred Sanford wins. Yeah.
That's some bullshit, yo.
That shit was amped.
[background chatter]
Fuck you say?
I said the rat was amped.
Amped or not,
you better have my money, bitch.
[Cousin] Hey, where my little niggas at?
Get your ass up here.
[upbeat music playing continues]
[raccoon chitters]
[man] You being stupid?
It was amped.
It was amped.
[whirring]
So
what brings you motherfuckers to Oz?
[Cousin] You do know you in Oz, don't you?
Yeah. You get the Tin Man.
The Cowardly Lion. The scarecrow.
I guess that make you Dorothy.
[chuckles]
-Yeah, we got Toto in the car too, Cousin.
-[Cousin laughs]
Uh, you came all this way
to make me laugh?
It's a crazy-ass picture.
[Cousin] Hm. Well,
as a matter of fact, it is.
Did y'all know
"Katrina" means purification?
Yeah, it provided the perfect opportunity
for the long-awaited pretext
for accelerated gentrification.
That's fucked up how they did us.
Yeah, Uncle Sam a motherfucker, huh, bro?
You could say what you want
about the methodology, but
if you get at the personal shit,
study they motives, you'll find
that we ain't that different.
[Cousin] Mm-mmm.
There's one thing about us
that is very much the same.
We all some greedy-ass motherfuckers.
Black or white, rich or poor.
That's what make us American.
[sighs]
Now
if you gonna roll with me,
you better do just that
'cause I ain't got time for no tourists.
I don't hold no niggas' hands.
And don't you think
just 'cause you married into my blood
that you mean somethin' to me.
I'm in it for the money. That's it.
I ain't gonna let no nigga fuck it up
for me. You hear me?
Not you,
or any of these little
goofy-looking motherfuckers
-you brought in here with you.
-[thuds]
Say, Cousin, this nigga ass-bet.
At my game?
That's ballsy.
-[blows air]
-[Cousin] Well,
you guys are just in time to be useful.
[Cousin] What should I do with him?
Come to my game, he give his word,
he say he got money.
If he'd have won,
he'd have wanted to get paid,
and we'd have paid him.
But he bettin' on his ass.
He should walk the plank.
-Come on, Cousin. Don't do me like that.
-No, no. You do it to yourself now.
[man] Come on, man.
Ah. Please, come on, man.
Don't be shy now.
-[raccoon chitters]
-Drop 'em.
[upbeat music]
[raccoon chitters]
[raccoon squeaks]
-Go.
-[sighs]
You might wanna look away for this part.
[raccoon chitters]
[screams]
[screaming continues]
-[grunts]
-[men] Oh!
[man 1] Fuck, man. His dick.
[Cousin] Get his ass out of here.
Two things in the world
I sure can't stand.
That's a lying-ass woman,
and a crying-ass man.
[Cousin] Whew.
Oh, well.
[clears throat]
[breathes deeply]
[indistinct chatter outside]
[Cousin] Come on.
[Miracle] But, Blink,
why the fuck I gotta drive? Why?
-Why white chocolate head ass can't drive?
-It's your fucking van.
I'm not tryin' to stay in the van
with that dumbass dog, man.
I'm tryin' to get out there
and get active, too.
Fine. I'll fucking drive then.
-Bitch, you ain't driving my van.
-What the fuck you want, then?
You want me to drive
your slow fucking van, I'll drive
-your slow fucking
-I fucking just told you
Yo, yo, yo, yo, shut the fuck up.
Both of you, yo.
You drivin', Miracle,
'cause it's your fucking ride.
It's an important ass job, man.
We need you on point.
Just do it exactly like he said,
all right?
New license plate. Velcro, on and off.
Everybody, cover up your tats.
Wear your gloves
and when you waving your piece around
none of that sideways shit, nigga.
Straight and tight.
[Blink] Dre.
Keep your head down, man.
All right? Don't look up.
I got you.
Here, man. Shit, you scary ass.
We wearing hoodies and jeans.
And don't bring your fucking dog, Junior.
All right?
It's one and done for us.
Let's go over it again from the top.
[Blink] New license plate
[dramatic music]
[Blink] Dre, keep your head down, man.
I got you.
-[gun cocks]
-[Miracle] Eighty thousand dollars?
You know how many beats
I can buy with that shit?
[Blink] This is one and done for us,
you hear me?
[intense music]
[whispering]
Our Father
who art in Heaven
hallowed by thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done on Earth,
-[jacket zips up]
-[Blink] as it is in Heaven.
[Blink] Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive our trespasses,
as we forgive
those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Thine is the kingdom
and glory
forever.
Amen.
[car engine revs]
[suspenseful music]
-[clanks]
-Put your hands on the fucking counter.
Don't touch no buttons,
don't make no sounds. All right?
Nod if you understand.
I said nod if you fucking understand me.
What he just fucking said.
[both grunt]
Shit. Shit.
-[Andre mutters]
-[keys clatter]
[tense music]
[tense music continues]
[gun cocks]
-[engine revs]
-[gunfire]
[Blink] Come on, come on, come on.
Come on. Come on.
[gunfire]
-[Blink] Get in the car. Get in the car.
-[gunfire continues]
Get in the car.
-Get in the car.
-[gunfire]
-[engine revs]
-[tires screech]
Come on. Missed them niggas.
-[Blink] Whoo. Whoo. Whoo.
-[Junior] Shit. Come on.
-Go, go.
-[Blink laughs]
-Oh, shit.
-No way, we good.
Man.
Miracle, you was doing
some drag racing shit there.
[door lock clicks]
[foreboding music]
[foreboding music continues]
Baby
Baby, where you been at all day?
I just wanted to do something.
I just wanted to do something.
My pa used to say,
he used to tell me, you know,
"Gotta keep my eye on you,
'cause if I blink,
I'm gonna miss you."
I want to be messing with my art,
I want my, my drawings,
I want my thoughts,
I want them to be remembered, I wanted
-I wanted to do something.
-Baby, what happened?
[Blink] He had the biggest smile
on his face, D.
Like he, he knew he made it,
we all made it, we was
We was good. We
-[Junior] Yo.
-Holy shit, man.
-Yo, how much we get?
-[Andre] Let's see, let's see.
[Junior] A stack of cash and chips, man.
What you got?
-[glass shattering]
-Oh!
-[Miracle] Fuck.
-[Andre] Drive, nigga. Drive!
[police] Pull it! Stop!
-[gunfire]
-[Miracle] Fuck! Shit!
-[all grunt]
-[gunfire continues]
-[Andre screams]
-[tires screeching]
-I got this thing. I got this.
-[Blink] Go. Go.
[tense music]
[crashes]
I told y'all niggas,
all you gotta do is believe in Tea-Z!
-[Blink] We lose them?
-Tea-Z's gonna make it happen.
Yeah, we got lost them niggas.
[Andre] I don't, don't feel right, man.
Fuck!
[Blink] What's going on?
What's going on? What's going on?
-[Blink] Shit!
-[Junior] Holy shit!
Dre, we're gonna get you. We
[Andre whimpering]
[Junior] Dre. Come on, man.
You're gonna be okay, Dre.
[Blink] Hold it down or something,
Junior, come on.
[ominous music]
[Demyra] You okay?
[ominous music continues]
That's a gunshot wound.
Nah, it's a car accident.
Hit and run.
Really?
Did you file a police report?
This is a legitimate business I run.
What are you boys tryin' to pull?
Pastor, we ain't tryin' to pull anything.
-This nigga got--
-Don't use that word in front of me.
Uh-uh.
-Yeah.
-You understand?
-Yeah.
-[pastor] Now
I don't know what you kids were into,
and I don't wanna know.
But unless you supply me
with a notarized death certificate,
not only can I cannot help you
[sighs]
I'm gonna have to ask y'all to leave.
And take him with you.
Give me the money.
[drawer closes]
Reverend.
Reverend Stewart.
-That brother of ours
-[sighs]
he got a mama.
He got a family.
He got a brother and sister.
[whispers]
I am begging you to make it look right.
I know you can, all right?
I know it ain't a lot.
I got 4,000 dollars right here. Okay?
Believe me when I tell you,
this is all we got.
Please make this go away.
[Stewart sighs deeply]
It's gonna cost me a thousand
just to get a death certificate.
Well, uh
You boys gonna have to dig
a whole lot deeper in your pockets.
[sighs]
Four thousand will barely even get you a
-[thuds]
-cardboard box.
You hear me?
-[gun cocks]
-How's this for deep, motherfucker?
[Miracle] Hm?
You're gonna give my nigga
the best casket you got in this bitch,
or you gonna be in one beside him,
motherfucker.
You got that? Nigga.
[laughs]
[inhales deeply]
You can barely afford
to bury one dead body.
How you gonna bury two?
-[gun cocks]
-[breathes heavily]
-[bangs on table]
-Ditto.
-[metal clanks]
-[exhales]
We lost Andre.
He didn't even wanna be there.
[muttering]
[door bangs]
-[Blink] Who is it?
-[banging continues]
-[Junior] It's Junior.
-Oh, shit.
-[door bangs]
-[Junior] Open up.
-[door lock clicks]
-Man, we got a problem.
[indistinct chatter]
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
You niggas can't cut the fucking line.
[Junior] Come on, nigga,
we're just coming in.
We're gonna get our friend Miracle, okay?
Oh, that crazy-ass nigga Tea-Z?
Ah, 25 and y'all good.
[upbeat music playing]
-Hey. What you doing?
-[Blink] What you thinking, man?
-Let's go.
-Let's go outside, man.
[Blink] Yo.
You know how fucking hot these chips are
right about now, nigga?
Nigga, these chips are so fucking hot,
it could get all of us sent straight
to fucking jail.
Unless Cousin kills us first.
Dre just died, fool.
The very same night
your stupid ass is throwing money on hoes
like you fucking cash money millionaire,
nigga.
You ain't the only one hurtin'.
Hey, what the fuck does that mean?
You don't think I loved Dre, too? Huh?
That was my dawg just like it was yours.
We all grew up together, nigga.
You don't think I'm hurt?
You mourn your way, nigga, I mourn mine.
[Blink] I know you mourn, bro.
It's just that if you do
do you gotta go to strippers
and champagne and stolen money?
You wanna see all of us in a pine box?
Fucked up, bro.
[background chatter]
-[thuds]
-Fucked up.
[birds chirping]
[groans]
[phone beeps]
[cell phone ringing]
[ringing continues]
-[groans]
-[phone beeps]
-Hello?
-[Jackson] Good morning.
Is this Detective Lucinda Valencia?
Who the hell's this?
This is city councilman, Jackson Symms.
I've been told that
you are newly in charge of robbery.
Congratulations.
[groans]
So what?
-[exhales]
-Okay, you can check the tone.
I wasn't always a city councilman.
I'm a former deputy chief NOPD.
You understand me?
I'll have your job in one phone call.
So listen to me and the words
I say to you now.
-The Fairgrounds Casino was hit.
-[coins rattle]
That is in my district.
Apparently, four gangbangers walked in
and got into a gunfight
with some of our city's finest.
Trouble is,
I know the first responding officer,
and he says by the time he arrived,
the gunplay was over,
that no NOPD officers were involved.
That means
somebody is playin' dress-up cop
and walkin' into a perfectly good
tax-paying casino
and shooting up the place,
that can't happen, all right?
Especially after Katrina.
I'm trying to bring goodwill back.
You understand?
I'm trying to get investors to come in.
And this kinda crime scares money away.
And I want you to figure out
what the fuck is going on!
[sloshes]
[car engine revs]
[Blink] How much cash we got left?
-Twelve hundred.
-Fuck.
Yo, Dwyer.
[car engine revs]
Damn, son.
There goes the Miracle Whip.
Shit was getting too hot anyway, man.
Well, we broke again.
-[machine whirring]
-But we still got those chips.
[Blink] I don't know, Miracle.
It's a good trade-in.
It's all right, man.
[engine revs]
[brakes squeal]
All right.
Let's be smart, lay low.
Figure this shit out with Cousin
tomorrow, all right?
Shit ain't half bad.
[phone ringing]
[phone ringing continues]
-[man] Detective Valencia.
-Yes, sir?
David Wyland, casino day manager.
Welcome. Take a seat, please.
-[Lucy sighs]
-[thuds]
-Heck of a thing.
-[David] Yeah.
Listen, I already spoke to detectives,
gave my statement, Miss Valencia.
I don't know exactly why I had to come
all the way down here. I've got
[sighs]
-a ton of work to do.
-I understand, sir.
But it's just a couple of questions,
if you may.
I mean, thankfully, nobody got hurt.
Our pocketbooks did.
Don't know exactly how much,
but probably close to 150 grand.
-Cash or chips?
-Both. But either would do.
We can't do a chip recall on that.
Too expensive.
But we will keep our eyes open.
Red flag any peculiar cash-ins,
in case these kids come back.
They were kids?
[Lucy] Kids, sir, the gunmen?
Listen, detective, you know better than I.
Could you please have your office send me
all your employees list, former, present,
anyone you may have contracted
for security?
And duplicate your surveillance tapes
and send that on my way.
I'd really appreciate that.
Are we done here?
We're done here.
[sighs, groans]
[pensive music]
[panting]
[upbeat music plays over radio]
[Cousin] Mm. I'm impressed.
I send you in for 100
you make out with 150.
But it ain't true, Cousin.
We left with about 25.
Huh?
You can't believe the papers.
Know what I mean?
You know, they inflating and get theirs.
You hear me? I'm just
Now, forgive me if my sneaking suspicions
start kicking in,
but the first thing I think is how I know
you ain't just deflating?
We ain't deflating, Cousin.
Our boy Dre got killed.
We had to pay for his funeral.
That's your business.
You fucked up. Where's my money?
We had about five.
We got your chips.
Hey, fuck these punk-ass chips, man.
The paper say 150. You say 20.
We meet in the middle, let's say 80.
Even if I include these bitch-ass chips
you brought here, that leaves 70.
-Where's my money?
-We had the money.
-Came out of nowhere--
-We, we was good.
Son, we was good. We was on our way out.
Then Dre got killed.
We had to pay five grand
to get Dre buried.
Yo, stop talking to me
about this dead man. Listen, man.
You done spent the Wizard money
on the Scarecrow funeral.
And you interrupted my business,
impeding on my profit.
You 'bout to get yourself fucked up,
right?
Cousin, but we got away, though.
Shut your bitch-ass mouth,
or I'm gonna shut it for you, permanently.
We gonna get you your money, Cousin.
All right? We just need a little moment,
a little time.
We gonna get you your money,
big dog, with interest.
I get it.
It's a negotiation.
We negotiating.
Fellas, let's show them how we negotiate.
-[raccoon chitters]
-Hey, yo.
-Whoa, whoa.
-Cousin, son, we ain't even got
Oh, yeah.
-[gun cocks]
-Sure you already know how this works.
You ain't got my money,
you got to walk the plank.
[raccoon chitters]
We gonna get you your money,
with interest, you hear me?
No exceptions.
-We, we can all win here.
-[Cousin] Tugging at my heartstrings now.
If I had one, you'd have it.
Afraid everybody can't win on this one.
-You done already lost me, boy.
-[metal clanks]
Drop 'em.
[whistle shrills]
Come on, son, we gonna do this.
[Junior] Get 'em, boy.
-[Cousin grunting]
-[dog growling]
[clanks]
[both grunt]
[groans]
[dog barking]
Jun, get the car.
-[gunfire]
-[dog whimpers]
[clicks]
Well, get the fuck out of here.
Let me catch you somewhere else
and kill you.
[Blink breathes heavily]
We gotta go.
You should have killed his ass, man.
What the fuck we gonna do? Huh?
He killed my fucking dog, man.
[phone rings]
[phone ringing continues]
[beeps]
-Hey, baby.
-[Blink] Demyra?
Demyra, take Ike,
go to your mom's, all right?
-What?
-Go to your mom's. Right now.
What about Andre's funeral?
Only funeral gonna be mine's right now
if I don't skip town.
-I don't understand.
-Just do it.
Just do it. Tell me when you get there.
Baby.
[cell phone beeps, thuds]
We gotta figure some shit out, nigga.
We gotta figure something out fast.
[phone ringing]
[sighs]
[ringing continues]
[exhales]
Malley. How many casings did they find?
Thirty-three.
-And nobody got hit?
-[O'Malley] Nah, come on.
Homeboys never learned
how to hold a gun straight.
-They hit what they don't aim at.
-[Lucy] Can you do me a favor?
Can you reach out to clinics,
hospitals, vets?
I don't give a shit
if they treat farm animals.
Can you just find
if someone got patched up somewhere?
Will do.
[man] Ooh?
Good morning.
[laughs]
-Peace, bro.
-[barber] All right.
-All right, man.
-[door closes]
What's up, girl-fight?
You get lost looking for a yoga studio?
[Lucy] No, I was just thinking more of a,
of a fade.
-Maybe a number 15.
-[sniffing]
[coughs]
[Courtney] Mm.
Oh, well, uh
the sign says appointments only.
Oh, did someone read that to you?
[scoffs]
-[sniffs]
-[Courtney] Hey, baby.
Go get you some ice cream, okay?
[Lucy] Well?
Cocaine's a hell of a drug, detective.
I know why you're here, all right?
This shit came with a tail, baby.
Well, who jacked them?
I don't know.
"Don't know" don't cut it, cowboy.
Listen, Courtney.
You wanna keep on dancing,
-you better play me some music.
-[Courtney chuckles]
You gonna have to be a cop on this one.
You white folks don't like when
locals robbin' a casino, you know I mean?
That motherfuckers fuckin' my money up.
So before that happen,
I let you know what I know.
And vice versa.
Good to see ya.
[hip-hop music on radio playing]
[ominous music]
[birds chirping]
[engine revs]
[gun cocks]
[man] I got 12 reasons why
you might not wanna take another step.
It's Blink. Your son, James.
What you doing here?
We need a place to stay for a few.
You got trouble, boy?
Yes, sir.
Come on.
That trouble ain't gonna follow you here,
is it, boy?
-Huh?
-No.
Morning.
-[metal clanks]
-[Yolanda] Man,
-it's about motherfucking time.
-[metal gate closes]
[Yolanda] This nigga tight.
He needs some pussy.
-D'you want his number?
-[Yolanda] Mm-hmm.
Ooh. Is that Louise's?
[Yolanda] Oh, wait, wait,
wait, wait. Look.
I had a client.
He came to the club the other night.
He was in there tossing around chips
that came from the casino that got robbed.
[scoffs]
But a couple of drinks later,
he started boasting and things,
talking about
he knew the dudes that did it.
Give me a name.
Said his name was Tea-Z,
something like that.
Tea-Z?
Yeah.
[deep inhale]
A guy named Tea-Z, Yolanda
ain't a fucking lead.
You're making me waste my time.
Come on, Lucy, wait, look, I just
I figured maybe
you might find him at the funeral.
Fuck.
[door clanks]
Oh, what a time
I've been having
Trying to make it through
-Oh, the burden's so hard
-[thumping]
-You know that I am carrying
-[grunting]
I'll fix you, crawdad.
Now I was born in the ghetto
In a three-room shack
-Still, I'm trying to make it through
-Yes, sir, oh, yeah
Mm
Hold
[mumbling]
[Lawrence] Foot!
Huh. Look it, look it, look it.
Keep your hands up.
Everything changes when you get hit.
Listen
You know the rich man done padlocked
My front door
Still I'm tryin'
To make it through
But, oh, leavin' my wife
And all my children
No
But still, I'm trying to make
This here is for your for your body.
Black strap molasses,
yohimbe, sarsaparilla.
I've been trying to make it through
Gotta get it up you, drink up.
Get the worms out you.
No matter what I do
-Still, I'm trying to
-Oh, yes, I'm
[knocks on door]
[Lucy] Mr. Stewart?
Lucinda Valencia, NOPD.
I got some questions for you.
So I hear I got a grandson, huh?
He look like you?
[Blink] Yeah.
He's a good kid. He, uh he's a lefty.
Got a mama?
-Demyra's a queen.
-Oh, she a queen, huh?
Hmm. Then what you doing out here?
I got hit.
It's tougher now.
Yeah, of course, it's tough.
You Black from the Lower Ninth.
-What's new?
-No, that's just an excuse.
Oh? No, that's a fact of life.
Look, I ain't here for no lecture.
Uh, I just need a place to stay.
Don't be prideful, James.
You got a wife and a son now.
You don't recognize what you up against.
Can't run away from it.
Ain't no ignoring it.
You gonna have to deal with it.
Pride is what do it to you.
What, it was, it was pride
that make you not stay?
-It was pride made you leave?
-No.
Kept me from coming back.
Word of advice, huh?
[inhales]
Don't leave your queen out there
by herself.
[Lawrence sighs]
[Lawrence] Somebody will come along,
take her.
[ominous music]
[Cousin] Whoa, now. What's happenin', fam?
-[drawer closes]
-[Demyra] Hey, Cousin.
[Demyra] Missed you at the funeral.
[Cousin] You for sure missed your husband
and his little homies, right?
What you lookin' for, huh?
There ain't nothing for you here.
Oh
Well, that's simple.
I'm, I'm just lookin' for him.
Well, then that makes three of us.
He left two days ago,
I ain't seen him since.
[Cousin sighs]
So
you telling me you ain't got no idea?
[Demyra] No.
[rap music plays over radio]
After all these years,
you treat me like this?
I wouldn't even much know we family,
how you act.
Now you do know everybody looking for him
ain't trying to help him now, right?
So tell me, where is he?
Where a man from the Ninth Ward go
who leave their wife and baby?
To hell, mostly.
I done told you he ain't here.
[sighs]
We knee-deep in gasoline,
you killin' people over matches.
I ain't killed nobody yet, cousin.
-Besides, you know how it is out here.
-[distant cheering]
He who dies with the most matches
wins the game, right?
And now understand,
I don't much give no fuck
about your little husband.
But the little one's still my family.
I feed my baby, Cousin.
[Cousin] Hey, Demyra.
Sometimes the devil you know
beat the one you don't.
[Demyra] We all know you, Cousin.
-[car door opens]
-[Demyra] Come on.
You don't know somebody wants
to snatch your little ass up.
[car door closes]
[Blink] I've been thinking.
That hit
where them cops come from?
They just appear out of nowhere,
as soon as we step out?
They were dirty cops.
Yeah, there ain't no other type of cops.
They all dirty.
No, nigga. We shot at them.
And the next day, no one turns up
to turn anything out, ask questions?
Come on, son, somebody leaked that shit.
Ain't nobody from the Lower Ninth Ward
turn on Cousin, bro.
Maybe they ain't from the Lower Ninth.
[Junior] What are we gonna do? Huh?
Just stay on the run
till Cousin goes away?
I'm serious, man.
We survived more than Cousin
our whole lives.
Gettin' pushed out of our own home?
Ain't nobody pushin' me out of my home.
We gotta get him his money.
With Cousin, it's all about that money.
Y'all heard him say it himself.
So what's to stop him
from takin' our money
-and then killin' us afterwards?
-[Miracle] Exactly.
Last time y'all talked to him
didn't go too good.
You almost lost your dick
and your life, nigga.
We gotta go over his head.
Calliope?
The Saint.
There ain't but one nigga on this earth
that scares me,
and that's The Saint.
That nigga fuck around and kill all of us,
all of our family.
Maybe.
But we dead anyways.
Look, I don't know about y'all,
but I gotta see my family again.
So, The Saint
could be our only option.
What's the plan?
[warp music sting]
["Hot Damn" by Blimes and Gab plays]
[man laughs from song]
I never wore a ruby slipper
Fuck is a silver spoon?
Silverstone ain't my sister
Take your 'tude and get a tomb
I should get a room with myself
Help is that over the top
Shelf, well, nah
I'm sexy as this beat is
Strong as these feet is
Huh, they call me baby
Yeah, like I'm a fetus
Jesus Christ with it
[Blink] Hands up.
We want your motherfucking money!
-[people scream]
-[Blink] Get your fucking hands up now.
[man shouts]
-[Blink] Get the fuck up. I told you.
-[man grunts]
-[all clamoring]
-[indistinct chatter]
[indistinct shouting]
[Miracle] Fucking
You got goals to Japan
[Miracle] Your fucking wallets, go.
Put your stuff in this fucking bag,
let's go, let's go, let's go.
[Miracle] Ain't fucking playin' with you.
Get up, get your dumb ass
to the fucking floor.
[Blink] Come on!
The fuck in here. Let's go.
[Miracle laughs]
Whoo!
Go. Whoo!
[indistinct chatter]
[Miracle whoops]
Can't understand it all
First chick I shared a kiss with
I took her panties off
Caught her with her skirt lifted
It pissed her granny off
All my life been a misfit
Misguided into mischief
The truth is I only lie to my mistress
When I'm puffin' a lie
You can lie with the fishes
Blimes got them biscuits
You can die in this Bisquick
-[gunshot]
-[all screaming]
Shut the fuck up
and put your hands on the fucking wall!
-[Miracle] Fucking do this now.
-[Blink] Right now.
-[Miracle] Fucking turn around.
-[Blink] Go!
[Miracle] Turn around.
I ain't write this with a pen
It's a vape
-You getting free smoke picture Drake
-[Blink] Give me the fucking money.
Didn't I tell you to go over there?
Huh? Huh?
[screams]
Get your ass over there! Hurry up!
From the Farizano to the Golden Gate
We got it, we got it, we got it, come on.
[Blink] Let's go!
Go, go.
I wanna be part of the plan
Nah, you should make your own moves
And I'mma do what I do
Aight dude, cool
Hot damn, you got goals to Japan
I wanna be part of the plan
Nah, you should make your own moves
And I'mma do what I do
Aight dude, cool
Hot damn, you got goals to Japan
I wanna be part of the plan
Nah, you should make your own moves
And I'mma do what I do
[car engine revs]
[Andre's mom] James was the closest.
I was sure they'd be at the funeral, but
you know how boys are.
Do you have any idea
where they might be, ma'am?
You have any kids, officer?
No, I, I don't.
Your kids come with a special kind of GPS.
You don't always know where they are,
but you know where they are.
And I know them boys
as well as I know my Dre.
And I think they in trouble.
I hope they're not, Mrs. Hampton.
Could you tell me where James lives?
[birds chirping]
[horn honks in distance]
[ominous music]
[unlocking door]
[Lucy] Police.
[ominous music continues]
[foreboding music]
[object clatters]
[indistinct chatter]
-I wasn't resisting no fuckin' arrest.
-Put his black ass in the cage.
-Fuck you, white boy.
-Fuck you, homeboy.
-Fucking woadies.
-[man] I don't do that shit, dawg.
Yes?
I think
I might have something for you, Lucy.
[O'Malley] I got a name
from the kid's guest registry you gave me.
The initial "C Bass".
That mean anything?
Cousin Bass. Lower Ninth, career thug.
-Gets rolled, nothing ever sticks. Why?
-Hmm. That's what I thought.
'Cause there's a Lorenzo Bass
on the casino's payroll as well.
We're lookin' for kids, Irish.
Bass is almost 40.
Sometimes casinos tap a local to check
for its flaws in security.
Now, if these flaws were big enough.
Um, maybe this guy Bass figured
he'd exploit 'em.
Sold them to these kids.
-[ominous music]
-[distant dog barking]
Can I help you?
Hi, councilman.
My name's Demyra.
I worked here when your wife was sick.
Sent over by the hospice.
Ella was a strong woman. Hey, Po'boy.
Even the strength of God
can't cure cancer.
[bell tolling]
Still doesn't tell me why you're here.
Well, I don't know where else to go.
I need your help,
something in the Ninth Ward.
Something that involves my husband.
Hmm, starting to sound like
something that
you should call the police about.
I can't trust the police, sir.
[Jackson] Here. Come on.
There's a lot of councilmen. Why me?
You know what it's like to lose a spouse.
My husband ain't no criminal. Okay?
He's in trouble. Now I'm in trouble.
And so is our son.
I'm gonna do whatever I can
to protect them.
You know, Miss Symms
Miss Symms always said you was different.
Trying to be a better man.
Oh, boy.
[chuckles]
You're about the same age she was
when we met.
She tell you how we met? No.
She was at an intersection,
and I did what you're not supposed to do.
I I gave her a ticket for being pretty.
Thought I thought I would charm her,
you know.
Well I didn't know
that she just passed the bar.
And she's an attorney, right,
so I thought we could flirt
when she'd come to court,
but the truth is it was already thrown out
before I even got back to the precinct.
The captain's chewing me out
for abuse of power,
all the things they teach in the academy.
[gulps]
[whispers]
But I got her number.
Now it's been two years.
[Demyra] You said
you believe in fresh starts.
Right?
[Demyra] Yeah.
I need your help.
[cracks knuckles]
Tell me what you know.
[breathes deeply]
[Jackson] You remember your lessons? Hm?
[lighter clicks, clinks]
1927, Fordham, Mississippi?
They found 40 tons of dynamite,
15 miles from the French Quarter.
Right at the levy. Yeah. No.
What, what's the idea? You know the idea.
The idea was
to sacrifice the poor districts
in the name of preserving
the more fair aspects of our city. Huh?
Only, only one judge was opposed to it.
He said, "Gentlemen
what you have witnessed here today
is the public execution
of our fine parish."
Plaquemines, Saint Bernard,
completely decimated.
But don't, don't worry about them anyway.
The mosquitoes down there,
they are so large,
they can stand flatfooted
and fuck a turkey.
[laughs]
Engineer Corps covered it all up.
Some mythical barge they talked about.
Like a barge wouldn't go over the levy,
it's gonna go through it, it's
Now the same thing is happening.
2005, the exact same thing.
Different words, design flaw,
engineering failure.
[chuckles]
None of it explains
the dynamite they found,
which they did find.
Boom!
It's gonna take a hundred years
to find the proof.
[lighter clangs]
I'll have 80 proof right now.
I know. Please stop, I know.
I'll stop.
Just not today.
[laughs]
I mean, think about it,
what were they gonna do, huh?
Give up on the Garden District? Huh?
Lose the French Quarter?
It's not gonna happen.
There's too much money.
There's too much power.
Yeah, right. Yeah.
I wanna be some rogue councilman. Hmm.
Fighting corruption.
Bullshit.
The same corruption
that paid for our house.
-Paid for our
-[lighter clinks]
our kids to go to private school.
Your medical bills.
I know. I know it's our district.
I know people are crying.
[sighs]
What'd you say?
"We can see further through our tears
than through the lens of a telescope"?
I hear you.
All I see right now
forgive the French,
but it's the same shit in the same toilet,
getting flushed the same way.
I'll come back tomorrow.
Mm.
I love you, Ella.
[crickets chirping]
[ominous music]
[keyboard clacking]
[beeps]
-[beeping]
-[keyboard clicking]
-[trills]
-[thuds]
[dialing]
[line ringing]
Detective Valencia.
What do you have for me?
-This turned into a murder case.
-Uh-huh.
-Kid killed, Andre Hampton.
-Yeah, trumpet player.
Look, I'm not sure
how the pieces fit together.
But it seems that
Courtney's in bed with Cousin.
-Cowboy Courtney?
-Yeah.
All right.
Let me handle the big players.
Listen to me, okay? What I need from you
is to help these kids.
Quite frankly, they're getting played.
This is your chance, all right?
You wanna protect and serve?
Then protect and serve.
[sighs]
[phone clanks]
-Fucking Courtney.
-[phone clanks]
Ah. Damn.
Nigga can't play on no empty stomach.
Hey, where's Boogie at with my order?
[Courtney] I'm in here starving and shit.
Oh, there goes my man.
[Courtney laughs]
[Courtney] Okay.
It's adding up.
[Courtney chuckles]
Nigga, I know you ain't eat
some of my chicken, man.
Man, this supposed to be
a 12-piece combo, nigga.
What the fuck, you think I can't count?
Man, count this shit off, man.
[man] Shit, nigga. One, two, three, four
-[screams]
-Get the fuck out here, nigga.
-Fucking with my fried chicken, man.
-[door opens]
Motherfucking crazy?
Hey, that's assault,
and it'll get you at least six months.
I wanna see you in my office,
Cowboy, right now.
[bangs]
[door closes]
-[Lucy] Lorenzo Bass.
-Hmm.
You could have told me he was your CI.
I could if I thought you needed to know.
[both chuckle]
Well, what else did you forget to tell me?
-Hmm?
-Hey, it ain't always pretty,
but it's always real, you dig?
Cousin owes somebody a lot of money.
That somebody happens to be The Saint.
There's a war goin' on
you don't know about.
What d'you think they did with County
before the storm? Huh?
They let 'em all go. Everyone.
Feds left.
Now we got more criminals, more violence.
Less intel, less cops.
Now, we can deal with The Saint.
But this Cousin, he outta control.
So why don't you do something about it?
-Hmm?
-[Courtney] Why?
It's time, money and resources
we don't have.
So you leaked that shit,
and you got one of them boys killed.
You rather I arrest him so he could spend
the rest of his life in jail?
They're out on the lam,
knocking off truck stops.
They got the cops
and two fucking warlords over them.
Don't be pious with me, girl.
Them niggas would shoot you
in a crack cocaine heartbeat.
Man, get the fuck up on outta here
and get back to your smash 'n grabs,
and let the real cops
deal with this shit here. All right?
It's the real cops
that make this shit happen.
I'm bringing in the boys.
Hey! Where you going?
[Courtney] Man, who you think you are?
Where you going, Lolita? Huh?
You don't live around here.
You think that badge protects you?
-[door opens]
-I protect you!
Any of those niggas would put a bullet
in your ass if it wasn't for me.
[door bangs]
[upbeat music on radio playing]
[drawer closes]
[indistinct chatter in distance]
Yo, pop, we back.
-[door closes]
-This why you here?
-This why you came to see me?
-No.
-It ain't about--
-Oh, yes it is.
I don't want your dope money.
It ain't dope money.
Whatever kind of money it is,
I don't want it,
and I don't want it in here.
Why, 'cause it's more money
than you made in your whole life?
[Lawrence stammers]
-[Blink] Mm. You fucking jealous.
-Jealous?
How many catfish you gotta catch
in order to make this, pop?
This big boy money,
maybe if you caught more fish,
you wouldn't have made so many mistakes.
Maybe if you caught more fish,
me and Ma's wouldn't be stuck
in the Lower Ninth
-while you--
-I've made mistakes. Yeah!
Uneducated! Prideful!
That's what I was.
You don't have to be that way.
You got a son now. You got an opportunity.
Look, it's too late
for all that daddy talk, you hear me?
You need to get out the house.
Get out of here. Get out of my house!
Take Jodeci and ge, get out of here!
You bringing trouble
in my threshold of my house.
[ominous music]
Can someone tell Jackson
I'm not gonna make it to lunch today?
[Lucy whispers]
Let's see.
-[door shuts]
-[dialing]
[ringing]
-Hello?
-[Lucy] James?
This is Lucinda Valencia, NOPD.
-James, you there?
-Yeah, I'm here.
I'd like to talk to you, if that's okay.
No, I'm not, uh, I'm not in town
right now. I, I, I'm not sure
You'll meet me at the IC tonight.
Dusk. Is that clear?
[phone beeps]
[indistinct chatter]
[car engine revs]
-[car door closes]
-[puffs]
[Lucy] Sorry about your boy.
It wasn't us.
I know you?
You were a freshman at Tulane
when I was a senior.
I remember seeing your sketches
on the school paper.
-I was an art minor myself.
-[clicks tongue]
Well, this isn't a reunion, so
You and your boys been busy.
My boys? Who you referring to?
I'm not sure what you're talkin' about.
You don't know what I'm talking about,
but I'm here to tell you to stop.
You're in trouble, James.
On both sides of the line. And the feds
the feds want a new New Orleans.
-Feds do.
-Yeah, the feds do and so do I.
And so should you.
A new New Orleans or a new Lower Ninth?
Both.
A place where everybody can get jobs.
Homes with running water and electricity.
Banks. Grocery stores.
Neighborhoods that's not ran by criminals.
That's the New Orleans you referring to?
You're a criminal, too, James.
-You ain't taking what's yours.
-What?
[stammers]
What exactly am I taking?
You're taking from the casinos.
That's what you think. Okay.
I'm caught up now.
The casinos
have been taking from us
since we been here.
So you ask me,
the new New Orleans is
just like the old one.
That one sucked, too.
I really loved your art, James.
I really did.
A pencil can take you a hell
of a lot further than a gun.
Well, not in the Lower Ninth. So
I'm working on a sketch of my own.
And when I'm done with that
you're gonna see me again.
-[car door closes]
-[car engine starts]
[Courtney] Fuck you worried
about three little niggas
-from the Ninth Ward for, huh?
-[Jackson sighs]
We find a body in the river
every fucking week.
Them little niggas fucking my business up.
Yeah, well, money's a funny thing, right?
Make any man feel like a king.
[Courtney]
Make a man feel like a slave also.
-What do I gotta do
-Hmm.
to get these boys home?
Let me tell you.
In 1813,
governor of Louisiana
offered a 500-dollar reward
for the capture of a outlaw pirate
named Jean Lafitte.
He was thinking of New Orleans.
Now, Lafitte, the pirate,
countered with a 5,000-dollar reward
for capture of the governor.
Ain't nothing new about New Orleans,
Jackson.
No. We don't have to redefine New Orleans.
All we have to do is redefine ourselves,
which we can do.
Look at the way you dress,
look at the way you try to work people.
Just remember
I was there for the original sin,
and to me, you are always gonna be
a two-bit dope dealer.
[Courtney] Hmm.
And you always gonna be
a little dirty street cop
who realizes he can make more money
wearing a suit than a uniform.
I'll double it.
Get those kids in.
Still skimping
on your campaign contributions, I see.
Yeah
Let me ask you this. That, uh, politician,
that governor, or the pirate.
Who lived longer?
The pirate.
["Money Man"
by Phonkp x Fred Blaze playing]
["Money Man" by Phonkp x Fred Blaze
continues playing]
Hey, yo, baby girl.
Let me get two bottles
for them niggas over there.
Hey, yo, sweetheart,
give 'em four bottles.
[man 1] All right.
[splutters]
[Blink] Whoo!
[lighter clinks]
[indistinct chatter]
[Blink] Yeah,
this all my money right here.
See, I see you, man.
But this time brother gets what?
We gonna roll, and this time
we gonna really roll, bro.
-[man 3] Oh, shit.
-[thuds]
Hope that don't break your pockets,
my nigga.
[Blink] Uh-huh.
[Blink] Yeah, son.
I cannot afford the change
You bring every day
Your mood swings like a pendulum
And I cannot
-[all] Oh!
-Oh, shit!
[all laugh]
[man 1 cheering]
[man 4] Let's go.
[indistinct chatter]
Lil' bro, I hear you.
[puffs]
Shit's the killin' fields.
You know what I'm saying?
All the weed done moved out
to the suburbs.
Chalmette, Pointe a la Hache.
All you gotta do is pay out,
you can move all the rock all you want.
[man scoffs]
Just gotta deal with Talibans
and the Vietnamese.
Making it goddamn hard
for a nigga to stay alive.
Y'all Lower Ninth niggas lucky
y'all shit's still underwater.
[scoffs]
What about The Saint?
You think he can help?
I don't know.
Ask for yourself.
[guns clicking]
[Courtney] Get up.
Let's take a ride, little nigga.
[serene music]
[door opens]
[sighs]
Do you boys know
where you're actually from?
This place
this place was founded
by 800 of my ancestors.
Les femmes du roi.
The king's daughters.
Their sole purpose
was to attract male settlers,
make fertile this here land.
I left this place when I was a young man
like yourselves.
[The Saint] Desperately in search
of the so-called American dream.
Yet I never realized
how much of a nightmare
that dream must have been
for most of you people.
Now, I understand that
your Ninth Ward privileges have expired.
Yes, sir.
And you come here seeking asylum?
We we wanna go back.
Back?
Back to where most of you were born
out of wedlock?
[The Saint] Back where half of you
don't graduate from high school.
And of that half
the males
[deep exhale]
are dead by the age of 20 or in jail.
Have a seat.
[serene music continues]
-[bag unzips]
-[The Saint] My God.
You three little piggies have been busy.
-For your trouble.
-Thank you.
[The Saint sighs]
Now please tell me, what in God's name
has the Lower Ninth ever done for you?
You've got a nice little chance
to move on.
You can move away.
You got money.
You got ambition.
And definitely got talent.
[The Saint glugs]
[clicks tongue]
I know that 'cause y'all are survivors.
So just answer one little question for me.
Why do you wanna go back?
Because it's
it's our home.
It was mine
long before it was yours.
Would you mind if I
shared a Scripture with you?
It's one of my favorite Scriptures.
[The Saint] From The book of Ezekiel,
chapter three
verse 18,
"If I say to the wicked,
'You shall surely die,'
and you give him no warning,
nor speak to warn the wicked
from his wicked way
in order for his life to be saved,
that wicked man shall die in his iniquity,
but his blood
I will require at your hand."
"But if you warn the wicked,
and he does turn away from his wickedness,
or from his wicked way,
he shall die in his iniquity,
but you will have saved your life."
[tranquil music]
Warning always comes before destruction.
[gun cocks]
[Blink mutters]
What was that?
[whimpers]
[sighs]
Boys, repeat after me.
-[speaking Spanish]
-[boys repeat in Spanish]
[Blink sighs]
Y'all know what that means?
Click your heels.
'Cause there's no place like home.
Run along now.
-[boys speaking in Spanish]
-[The Saint] No place like home.
[doorbell chimes]
[chiming continues]
[crickets chirping]
[instrumental music plays]
[Jackson] This right here, it's the
church of my choice.
Holy communion.
Makes me remember all I'm grateful for.
[huffs]
All the things you've taken.
We've taken more than our share.
-[exhales]
-That's true.
Nathaniel
it's good to see you.
They're calling you The Saint now?
That makes me laugh.
I like it.
Just know your original sin,
'cause I was part of it.
Is this your penance?
I want it to be my absolution.
I wanna start over.
I was hoping you could take
what Katrina couldn't wash away.
For every man
there's an appointed time to pay his debt.
And for our friends
that time is now.
And for you, I will do this.
Do for your neighbor,
as your neighbor would do for you.
[bell tolling]
[instrumental music plays]
[sighs]
I miss jazz.
[Cousin] It's been gone away
from New Orleans for quite some time now.
Way back when Louis Armstrong
moved to Queens, I guess.
[The Saint] Sound of trumpets
and trombones have been replaced
by drum machines and turntables.
The art of crooning supplanted by
angry voices.
[Cousin] Shit really makes sense,
ya hear me?
You know why all of these
little niggas in the Third Ward
holler "Callio"?
I highly doubt they know.
-Calliope was the goddess of epic poetry.
-[The Saint chuckles]
[clicks tongue]
Lorenzo
we could've been great friends.
Katrina could've
[sighs]
brought us together,
instead of tearing our worlds apart.
[inhales]
As romantic as that may sound
hell, no.
We too much alike.
[inhales]
Greedy-ass motherfuckers.
That's why they can take all
the opportunity away from us.
They can flood us.
Jail us.
Even try to kill us.
But they can never kill our greed.
Oh, no.
That's why we'll pimp, rap, sling dope,
cheat or steal,
even if it's from each other.
[ominous music]
Have you seen my altar?
It'd be an honor.
[The Saint] Do you believe in the gods?
[Cousin] Well, I believe in God. A God.
Now, while there may be others
running around, tending the beat.
Maybe even us.
There can only be one alpha dog.
You think so?
Is this the beautiful part of the story
where you tell me that The Saint
is going to introduce the demon
to the God?
I don't think he'll be where you're going.
-Now, just as we--
-[gunshot]
-[Cousin thuds]
-[bullet clanks]
[foreboding music]
[sighs]
Au revoir, my friend.
-Sorry to get you up at 5 a.m., ma'am.
-Talk to me.
We got a call earlier, shots fired.
Four bodies, no witnesses.
A ton of stuff inside.
Guns, casino chips.
That's why we called you.
[Courtney] Hey, yo, Perkins, you got
that health goods list for me, man?
[eerie music]
[background chatter]
[Courtney] Hey.
I told you it's a war going on out here,
girl, and we treat it as such.
[hammer banging]
Welcome back.
I'm here to tell you
the investigation's over.
You're free to start again.
You're getting a second chance.
What d'you think about that, mm?
James.
I wanna know who broke this door.
I did.
[Lucy] That should cover it.
[ominous music]
[sighs]
Be good, James.
[indistinct chatter on TV]
You're home now, baby.
Darlin', I want you to listen
I stayed up all night
So I can get this thing right
And I don't think
There's anything missing
'Cause a person like you
Made it easy to do
I waited for so long
To sing to you this song
'Cause your eyes
Are the windows to heaven
Your smile could heal a million souls
Your love
Completes my existence
You're the other half
That makes me whole
You're the only other half
That makes me
Whole
["A Love Rediscovered"
by Stone Foundation playing]
[distant dog barking]
Oh, Lord
-[distant dog barking]
-[cat growls]
What have you done today?
Hey, God
[Miracle] Buried our brother
to get back to this?
[Junior] That's what we wanted, right?
No, we wanted something more out of life.
You know,
I don't do this shit just to survive.
I think we need to do this shit again.
All right, then.
We gotta do this shit again.
Shit, every fucking casino in Louisiana
be ready for us.
Nobody talkin' about no fuckin' casino.
[ominous music]
The money
it's in the back to the left over there.
And we need to communicate,
it's Ace, Deuce, and Tres.
I need you ready to go.
-Three minutes, bro.
-[Junior exhales]
-Let's go.
-[gun cocks]
[action music]
[car doors slam]
[gun cocks]
[Blink] Get down!
-Don't fucking move.
-[al gasp]
[Junior]
Put the fuckin' gun on the ground.
[Blink] Get down! Hands up!
-[woman] Okay, okay, okay.
-[Blink] Stop!
[Blink] Crawl over there. Hurry up, bitch.
Put the fuckin' gun on the ground. Slow!
[Blink] Crawl, bitch. Crawl! Hurry up!
[Junior] Go!
[Blink] This is a motherfucking robbery.
Don't make it a homicide.
-[Junior] Open the fucking safe.
-I don't know the code--
-[gunfires]
-Open the fucking safe!
-Now, motherfucker!
-[safe beeps]
-[thuds]
-[man grunts]
Yo, Ace.
Tres.
Tres. Keep your fuckin' heads down.
[Junior] Ace!
-How much do we take?
-[Blink] All of it.
[gun cocks]
Grab all that shit, nigga.
[action music continues]
-[gunshots]
-[Junior] Shit! Get down!
Get out!
Everyone get the fuck out now! Go!
[all clamoring]
[gunshots]
[thuds]
-[Miracle] Ace!
-Come on, nigga, come on.
-Fuck. Y'all good?
-[Blink] Yes.
Yo, look.
-What the fuck?
-[Miracle] It's on now. It's on.
[Junior] Let's get the fuck out of here.
I got the money. Let's go.
-[Junior] Fuck, man. Shit!
-[police siren wailing]
Fuck! Shit!
Fuck. What are we gonna do, Miracle?
[Junior] What the fuck do we do?
-[police] Come out with your hands up!
-[Junior] Fuck!
-[gunshots]
-[glass shatters]
-[Miracle] Shit. Cover that up.
-Plug that shit up!
[coughs]
[tense music]
[panting]
Shit!
[gunshots]
[intense music]
[Blink panting]
Junior. Don't fuckin' die on me.
-[Junior whimpering]
-[Blink] Shit.
Junior, come on. Gotta get outta here.
[Blink] All right?
[Blink panting]
[dramatic music]
[panting]
[guns cock]
[breathes heavily]
[intense music sting]
[intense music continues]
[gunshots]
Here's your money.
I'm unarmed.
[dramatic music]
[tires screech]
[indistinct radio chatter]
Hold fire!
[male reporter] At least
three men attempted to rob
a Seventh Ward office of FEMA
this evening.
Witnesses said a security guard
gave his life
while freeing several dozen hostages.
The police and the perpetrators
exchanged heavy gunfire.
Two men are dead.
Police don't know
how many gunmen are left.
[indistinct radio chatter]
Stand down!
I said stand down!
[Peter] Who do you wanna see
coming to Cut Throat City, James?
[gunshots]
[somber music]
[somber music continues]
[Demyra sobbing]
[screaming]
[inhales]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[Blink] You know, a lot of people think
that Katrina was a disaster sent by God
to punish us for our sins.
-But if you ask me
-[thuds]
Katrina's always been with us.
Just had a bunch of different names.
[crowd applauding]
[tranquil music]
[Blink] Would you believe me if I told you
this one was inspired by you?
[Lucy sighs]
It's beautiful.
Listen, uh
thank you for not finishing that sketch
that you was working on.
Well
you're the artist, not me.
I told you a pencil was gonna take you
way further than a gun.
I'm really proud of you, Blink.
[chuckles]
[sighs]
Congratulations.
You taught me
How to run, run, run, run, run
Right into the sun, sun, sun, sun, sun
Just to find that light within
And to let it shine again
So that life can now begin
You taught me
How to run, run, run, run, run
Yeah, can I help you?
I'm Demyra.
This your grandson.
Isaiah, say hi to your papa.
Hi.
[Lawrence] Mm.
Wanna shake his hand?
[Lawrence] Oh.
Okay.
You got speed. We gonna work on that.
[Lawrence] All right. Mm-hmm.
[Blink] You know, water can give life,
and water can take life.
But all water has perfect memory,
forever trying to return
from where it once came.
And that's home.
[dramatic music]
[closing theme music]
[bell tolling]
[ominous music]
Courtney.
[Courtney] Hey. Councilor.
You looking sharp.
-You too, sir.
-Yeah, thank you.
[Courtney] So, out of all the places
in New Orleans, why here?
-[exhales deeply]
-This family?
No.
No, this young man here,
he got laid to rest, thanks to your
Saint and Cousin rivalry.
That's a piece of work right there.
Isn't always pretty,
but it's always real, ya hear?
Yeah, yeah.
[Courtney] You got my money?
-[distant siren wailing]
-Yeah, I got your money.
-[Jackson] Count it up.
-[thuds]
[Jackson clears throat]
[Jackson] You know, I saw this young man
play no less than, uh,
no less than eight times.
Last time my wife saw him play,
it was Mother's Day, you know.
-Hmm.
-She just started crying.
I gotta be honest with you, though, man.
I ain't bring tissues with me
for your tears.
Yeah. Yeah.
[Jackson] I understand.
"Do for your neighbor
as your neighbor would do for you."
No, it's do unto
-[gasps, grunts]
-[gunshots]
-[gunfire]
-[groans]
[pants]
[Jackson] All right, get over here.
Oh, Jesus.
[Jackson] Shit.
[Jackson whispers]
Okay. All right. Yeah.
[Jackson exhales]
All right.
Hold this.
Take the money.
Put the weapon back in here.
[panting]
Yeah. Okay.
I'm very sorry you had to see this,
but hopefully,
you will be a more judicious overseer
of our precinct. Hm.
All right.
Then, this man here, would you, uh
Take that, take that, take that.
Thank you, yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. Put it in the bag. All right.
You're a smart man. You know what this is?
This is your balls.
And my insurance. You understand me?
The Saint doesn't think
you have the character
and the moral fortitude
to hold down the Lower Ninth.
Ain't that funny?
A saint who doesn't believe in miracles?
I do. Okay?
I've been sleeping in my car
since Katrina.
You ain't gotta worry
about the Lower Ninth.
I'll hold it down real tight.
Get your white ass out of here.
That's for Dre.
["Feds" by Ghostface Killah
feat Harl3y&Hue Hef playing]
["Feds" by Ghostface Killah
feat Harl3y&Hue Hef continues playing]
And now pretties, Gremlick
-He's got everything you want
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-Bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
-I got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches, bitches
-You got 'em, got 'em
-Bitches
-We got 'em, got 'em
-So basically you got bitches
["Blues In B Flat" playing]