Little Wing (2024) Movie Script

1
Some men are born great.
Some men achieve greatness.
And some men have greatness
thrust upon them.
Shakespeare
is the most quoted man
to have walked the earth.
And I chose him as my
inspirational artist because...
Because you
always do the right thing,
Tessa Lu.
Since first grade,
you've been on a collision
course of greatness.
You come from a nice family,
you always know the perfect
thing to say
and the perfect way to act.
I mean, I even voted for you
for class president.
Twice.
- And you were perfect.
- Perfect.
Perfect presentation.
Thank you, Miss Gibbons.
So, wouldn't it be perfect
if this story was
about Tessa Lu?
But it's not.
- It's about me.
- Kaitlyn McKay.
You're next on my list.
Have you selected
your inspirational artist?
Um...
Have you researched quotes
from said artist?
No, Miss Gibbons.
I have not decided yet.
But I do feel that
Britney Spears inspires me
and she did say...
"Ding-dang, y'all, I'm rich.
It's weird, but I'm really rich.
I mean, ding-dang, y'all."
Free Britney.
Kaitlyn, you had better begin
to take this seriously.
This assignment is for
the entire term.
And if you don't finish
the assignment,
I will have to see
your face...
...in this class again.
Well, be careful.
Miss Gibbons can make
your life miserable.
Adam King.
We've always gone
to school together.
We've always been best
friends. Always.
Did you see Tessa today?
Ooh. God.
He's really smart,
but now that he's 13,
all he can think about
is girls.
When Tessa Lu
was talking today...
My gosh. She is so hot.
And what she said,
"Some have greatness
thrust upon them."
You wanted to thrust
your greatness upon her?
Na... No.
OK. Fine. A little bit. Yeah.
Who'd you pick for
your inspirational artist?
I'm not gonna do it.
Come on, Kat.
You gotta do it.
No, I don't.
My parent's just got divorced
and I'm in a period of
emotional upheaval.
I mean, just ask
the school therapist.
You can't keep trading on that,
you know?
Watch me, fanboy.
- Smell you later.
- Smell you later.
Pat Litch.
Divorce is like Christmas
to a real estate agent.
Trading on people's emotion
and misery.
Great business.
Hey, Pat.
Can I get this back to you?
Sure.
It's gonna be great.
Thank you.
Hey, honey.
So I'm losing my dad
and my house in the same year?
You're not losing your dad.
We're getting a divorce, honey.
And you knew about
selling the house.
Yeah, well I'm not moving to
West Linn or wherever.
Well, we won't be moving till
after the summer,
so you'll be able to see
the school year out.
I'm not going.
This is my house.
It'll be good.
Kat, I promise.
I guess everyone
lies to themselves.
Hey. Have you seen your
brother?
Do you walk home together
anymore?
- Nope. Haven't seen him.
- Hey.
Kat, the Lashers are coming
over for dinner,
so do your homework.
Ben Lasher,
or should I say Captain Ben,
has been my mom's boss
for years now.
My mom's a detective with
the Portland Police.
Although boring
and dry as dirt,
Ben and his wife
are nice people, I guess.
I always suspected they help
my mom out financially
- here and there.
- So, Matt,
do you think the Blazers are
gonna win everything this year?
Earth to Matty.
Hey.
I don't know.
Well, I happen to know that
the Celtics are coming to town.
You know, I got some
pretty good seats.
Thought you might
wanna come with me.
That's nice.
Sure.
Thank you.
Ben, you have a gift
for Kaitlyn too.
- Why don't you go get it?
- Great idea.
Left it in the truck.
Be right back.
I knew what it was.
Be nice.
I couldn't wait.
It was the only thing
I'd asked my mom for.
There was no way she could
forget that night I asked.
It was a Wednesday night
and my father said...
Your mother and I are...
We're getting a divorce.
How could you do this to us?
Can I have a phone?
All's fair in love and war.
And divorce is exactly that.
Please?
I had wanted an iPhone forever.
But I would settle for
whatever cell phone he gave me.
These are for you.
Birds.
- They're pigeons.
- Racing pigeons.
You should have
just given me chickens.
Chickens?
Yeah.
At least I could eat those.
Kat, go to your room.
Gladly.
Maybe you can learn
some manners.
That girl thinks she's
the queen of the neighborhood
She's got the hottest trike
in town...
My mom doesn't get it.
First, my dad walked out on us
nine months ago,
now she wants us to pack up
and leave the only home
we've ever known as a family.
Sometimes it makes me
just wanna
tear this whole place down
and do the job for her.
I wanna try your clothes on
I've lost enough already.
Haven't I?
I'm not gonna lose this too.
Did I, or didn't I?
No. Answer me.
Did I, or didn't I?
Did I get the house free
and clear
in the divorce settlement?
Yes!
OK. So I can sell it.
Of course I don't!
Of course I don't!
I don't wanna uproot everybody.
I can't afford it.
What don't you understand?
I owe 100 grand on the house
and the mortgage repayments
by myself, I can't...
No, I can't pull
any more shifts.
I don't see the kids enough
as it is.
You know,
why don't you talk to me
when you're in a better mood
and you can actually listen?
A few weeks before
Dad moved out,
Matt had just gone quiet...
Yes! If 100 grand
suddenly magically appeared...
... and he hasn't
said much since.
I think birds are cool.
Homing pigeons do cool stuff.
Yeah, like pooping
and making noises all night.
Is that cool?
I'll take them. I mean...
I'd have to ask my mom, but...
if you're gonna give them back,
I'll take 'em.
My mom told her boss she'd give
me a week to warm up to them
before she gave them back.
Don't let your mom
give them back. I want 'em.
Hey.
What do you want for them?
Know what?
I want $465,000.
What?
Is that what this house
is worth?
All I know is that my mom
owes 100 grand on the house.
And if I had that money,
I'd buy this house
and kick everyone out.
I'd live in here forever.
You know, if I had that money,
I'd give it to you.
- Bull crap.
- I would, Kat.
I don't want you to move.
- I gotta go.
- Yeah.
- See you in the morning.
- Yeah.
Can I take the pigeon magazines?
Um, yeah. Take those. Yeah.
OK. Ooh, got a lot of stuff.
Kaitlyn, they are amazing.
Who?
The birds.
- The birds?
- The pigeons.
I was up all night
reading about them.
Did you know that they helped
kill Hitler?
It was sweet
how Adam fell in love
with the birds.
He really had done
his homework.
Homing pigeons have been known
to fly thousands of miles
- back to their original home.
- Adam, catch!
I'm out, Max! How many times
do I have to tell you?
Thousands of miles?
Yes!
Even a perfectly executed
dodge ball death-knock couldn't
kill Adam's enthusiasm.
And in Belgium,
it was a royal sport...
He continued
to pound the virtues
of homing pigeons.
Many kings of England
had racing pigeons.
Mike Tyson has racing pigeons.
So did Elvis!
You just don't know
the depth of the culture...
I was about to shut him up,
but then he said
the magic words...
One of his birds is valued
at $120,000.
He's considered an authority...
Wait. Who has a bird
that's worth $120,000?
Jaan Vari has a bird
called the Granger.
- Jaan who?
- Vari.
All right. He's a very
successful pigeon racer.
And he's got this bird,
the Granger,
who's fathered a whole line of
fast and smart racing pigeons.
- This Granger dude...
- ...is worth $120,000?
Where does
this pigeon dude live?
Here. In Portland. That's why
I'm talking about him.
OK. So, where in Portland?
I don't have his address.
There was an article on him....
Here, somewhere.
If I can find it.
I can help you...
- Let me...
- There it is.
- This one?
- Yes.
"Jan Vari and the Granger..."
It's pronounced "Jaan".
OK.
The article says
he was a pilot in Vietnam.
"Vari adds that the church
across the street
has a bell tower
that the birds like to fly
around a few times a day."
- Let's go.
- What?
Where are you, Mr. Vari?
First Baptist on Alder.
Wrong bell tower.
All right, um...
First Unitarian on Taylor.
Boom.
So, we're gonna leave
late Thursday night,
like, really late. All right.
I have a good feeling
about this.
If we want to meet Jaan Vari,
just contact him through
the Pacific Northwest
Pigeon Racing Society.
I'm not looking
to meet Jaan Vari.
- You're not?
- No.
I'm looking to steal that
punk's $120,000 bird.
Wait. What?
If you don't have
the stones to do it,
grow a pair
or get out of my way.
You're insane.
I really think you should go see
that school therapist again.
So, you're out?
Is that it, fanboy?
You're out?
What would you do with
the Granger if you stole it?
I don't know.
It's a $120,000 bird.
I mean, I'll think of something.
You can't race it.
It'll fly back to his house.
I'll have him make babies
with my birds and sell those.
You don't have any idea
how to do that.
Then I'll sell it to somebody
that does.
Look...
I really need your help, OK?
No.
I'm sorry. NO.
Riding our bikes
through the streets of Portland
at midnight, Kat.
We could die.
It's the only way
I can keep my house.
What's in it for me?
Listen.
What would possibly make me
wanna commit a robbery with you?
I'll make out with you.
Like, French kissing,
with tongue?
I'm Irish. I don't know
what French kissing is.
OK. Right.
Um, does Irish kissing
have tongue?
Well, I mean, I'm Irish
and I have a tongue,
so, yeah, why wouldn't it?
- Cool.
- Honey, I'm home!
Kat?
Can you come and,
set the table? Hey, Adam.
- Hi, Ms. McKay.
- Bye, Adam.
Bye, Ms. McKay.
Come on, honey.
I gotta go back to work tonight.
- Bye
- Bye.
Coming, Mom!
It was finally
Thursday night...
and I couldn't wait
for it to get late.
Ever since finding out that
there was a pigeon in Portland
worth $120,000,
I read just as much as Adam.
The Granger was a rare
strain of pigeon.
Since he was a young bird,
he had been the fastest flier
in North America.
His son and daughters
had dominated pigeon races
for the past five years.
No wonder he was worth so much.
Kat! Kat, it's me. It's Adam.
Wait. Were you trying
to scare me, you creep?
No, I wasn't.
Is that your Darth Vader
costume?
OK.
You said wear something dark.
This is the darkest thing
I had. Don't judge me.
Maybe you should see
the school therapist.
I tried. She was fully booked
with you.
Whoo!
Whoo!
It was then I realized
for the first time what this
whole thing was about.
I couldn't rely on my parents
anymore for anything.
I needed to take matters
into my own hands.
How much longer?
We're almost there.
And pedaling down
dark Portland streets
was the first step
toward doing that.
OK. So, what we need to do
is pull the ladder down
to the fire escape
and then we're home free.
Here.
OK.
- Hurry up. Hurry up!
- This will be easy. Watch.
Come on.
OK. Let me try. Let me try.
Man, that's hard.
Ready? Three, two, one.
Go!
Told you it was gonna be easy.
- Hurry up.
- I'm trying.
Adam, keep up.
It's beautiful.
Come on.
Remember, the Granger
has like a white helmet.
Kat, come on!
You take that cage,
I'll take this one.
How many birds are in here?
No Granger.
Do you see him in there?
I don't see him in here. None
of these have white helmets.
He's gotta be in here
somewhere.
Listen,
if you had a $120,000 bird,
wouldn't you sleep with it
on your pillow?
- What are they doing?
- Communicating.
Maybe they can tell me
where the Granger is.
I don't speak pigeon.
Stop it. Come on.
We gotta focus.
I knew this was a dumb idea.
I'm an idiot for letting you
talk me into this.
I'm serious, like, Kat...
- I found him.
- What?
What... How...
Yeah, that's him.
All right, buddy.
Come on.
All right. Take this.
What's the pillowcase for?
- It relaxes them.
- What?
Did my research too.
Come here, buddy.
Come here.
Wow.
He's really something special,
isn't he?
Love the sentiment,
but put him in the pillowcase
and let's go.
Come on.
- Gentle.
- OK.
All right.
Is he OK?
He's OK.
OK.
OK.
Come on, man!
Adam!
I don't have my goggles!
What?!
Hurry up!
My goggles!
Looking for these?
Did you touch my birds?
Did you touch my birds?
Get off me!
Adam!
- Are you OK?
- Go!
Go!
Come on!
I'm warning you!
Come on!
Hurry up!
Get yourselves back here!
Get back here now!
Dude! Come on!
I'm right behind you!
Go! Just go!
No.
OK.
Go down!
You get back here!
I was so scared
of getting caught.
I never looked back.
I had no idea
what happened to Adam.
Julie Smith?
- Here.
- Here. Andrew Bingham.
Here.
Trisha Bailey?
- Here.
- Here.
Adam King.
Adam King?
Not here.
Sorry. I'm here, Miss Gibbons.
Mr. King,
it's nice to see you.
Looks like you paid the price
for something.
How on earth did you
hurt your arm?
I broke my wrist.
It's no big deal.
Let's get to work.
Is anybody ready
with their assignment?
Hey.
I can carry your books for you
and we can walk slow.
My mom is picking me up.
Um...
Hey, I'm sorry.
About your wrist.
That must have been
really scary.
But, um...
the good news is that
the Granger's fine now...
I don't wanna hear about
the Granger.
I will never admit to having
anything to do with that bird.
Ever.
You're on your own.
Adam?
I barely got away from him.
I had to run with my arm
flapping in two pieces
and push my bike uphill.
Stopping every 20 minutes
to throw up from the pain.
I'm sorry.
I should have gone back
for you.
Forget it.
We never need to talk about
what happened ever again.
You did something wrong
for the right reasons,
I did something wrong
for the wrong reasons.
Wait.
What?
If you're saying that
I stole the bird because
I wanted to save my house
and you stole it 'cause you
wanted to make out with me...
What?
Well...
I have the bird.
OK. So enjoy it.
I owe you.
I don't care.
We're even.
I don't want it that way.
I need a break from you.
The Granger was
a fascinating dude.
Not just because he was worth
a small fortune.
You must be hungry.
Hey, buddy.
No. No.
Stay.
OK. Stay.
Stay.
Stay.
My...
Without Adam,
I would have to figure things
out on my own.
But who could I sell him to?
It was a small community
of pigeon fliers.
So I had to be careful.
I learned that people have been
trying to buy the Granger
for years, but Jaan Vari
refused to sell him.
I considered trying to bribe
Vari into paying me a ransom
to get him back, but...
it was safer
to find another home
for this beautiful pigeon.
Following the footsteps
of a rag doll dance
We are entranced
Spellbound
Following the footsteps
of a rag doll dance
We are entranced
Spellbound
Spellbound
Spellbound,
Spellbound
Spellbound
Spellbound...
I needed to get
some control
and get money for this bird.
The only people I found
who would be interested
in the black market sale
of the Granger
were these Russian guys
who seemed to have
a very big loft of birds.
Only problem...
it was all in Russian.
I don't speak Russian.
But I know somebody who does.
Kiril Kozov.
Russian-born child prodigy,
but couldn't spell his way
out of a vodka shop.
He helped me on
the occasional geometry quiz
and I would give him
a clear sight line
during the spelling test.
Kiril would have to be
my great Russian hope.
Can't touch!
Whoa!
You want to sell them a pigeon
for $100,000?
Shh.
You're a crazy girl!
Kiril.
We've been helping each other
for a long time now.
You're the first student
in our class behind Tessa Lu.
I would hate to see you drop
out of the top ten
because you can't even
spell committee.
Can you spell committee, Kiril?
No.
Kiril told me that
these clowns called themselves
the Russian Pigeon Mafia.
I don't think they're
the real mafia.
I mean, I don't think.
On your right.
Sorry!
The Granger...
Do you have him?
Very nice.
Now ask him
if he has the money.
Good men...
Do you have payment
for the bird?
Tell her $25,000.
Take it or leave it.
It's a stolen bird.
$25,000.
OK. Um...
They humbly offer you $25,000.
- And hope you can see...
- Tell them...
that they can stick it
in their butts!
Yeah.
Um...
Gentlemen...
The young lady
can't accept that offer.
She needs the money
for an operation
for her sick father.
I'm so sorry.
No, you didn't tell them!
You didn't tell them, did you?
$100,000.
Or you can stick it
in your butt!
What's she saying?
With all respect...
The young girl asks that you
give her $100,000...
or you can stick it
in your butts.
Now we're getting somewhere.
OK.
Fine. Fine.
Like punk rocker
Kathleen Hanna once said,
"I have to take risks, because
why else would you be alive?
Because you only have
one life to live."
You don't need
to scratch inside
No, just please hold
onto your pride and...
So don't let them
bring you down and...
Don't let them
bring you down and...
Those are your arms
that is your heart
No, no, they can't
tear you apart
They can't take it away now
This is your time
this is your life and...
This is your time
this is your life and...
Keep on living
I had $25,000 in cash.
I was one step closer
to saving my house.
And I had lost my best friend.
Adam would come around though.
I mean, we've had fights
through the years, but...
...he'd always come around.
- Hi.
- Hi.
My name is Jaan Vari.
Yeah?
I believe this belongs
to Kaitlyn?
Why, thank you.
Kat, is this your bag?
Could be.
Well, how many K McKays
in your school, honey?
Thank you. That's, you know...
Sorry. What was your name?
Vari. Jaan Vari.
Well, thank you so much
for returning it.
Wait. I...
Kaitlyn has...
something of mine that
I'm desperate to get back.
I'm about to go to jail.
But first I'm gonna puke
on my shoes
and then I'm gonna go to jail.
What does she have of yours?
Well, you know...
I don't want to get anyone
into trouble.
Kat, get down here.
No. Here it comes.
I had grilled cheese for lunch.
Trouble? Well, if Kat has
stolen something of yours, sir,
I assure you,
she would be in huge trouble.
Huge.
But you can't just come around
and make these accusations.
What exactly has she got
of yours, sir?
- She's got...
- I can taste it.
I'll puke on his shoes.
...a real love of carrier
pigeons and pigeon racing.
Now, I get the feeling you
didn't tell your mom
that you'd come by a meeting
at the Pacific Northwest
Pigeon Club.
The bag, she left it there.
Right. Yeah, no, she...
- She didn't tell me that.
- Yeah.
- Didn't think so.
- Um...
I'm sorry.
A colleague of mine, um...
gave Kat two young pigeons.
So...
She seems to be
warming up to them.
Getting a lot of value
out of the hobby.
I know she's getting
a lot of value.
Who gave her the birds?
Um, my friend Ben Lasher.
- I know the Lashers.
- You do?
- Yeah. You work with Ben?
- I do.
So you're a cop?
Well, I'm a detective, right.
Well, good. I mean, I...
You know, we gotta solve
all the crime we can.
Right.
I'm gonna puke again.
I'll tell you what, Mrs. McKay.
- Ms.
- Beg your pardon.
Ms. McKay.
I've got an old pigeon loft.
It's a little house
for the birds.
Now, I could come by
and set it up here
for Kaitlyn
and give her some lessons
on looking after the birds
and training them to compete.
That's very generous of you.
Um...
Yeah, I do have room
in the backyard,
but Kaitlyn, she'll have to
show real commitment.
What do you say?
Yeah.
Sure.
Good.
Wh... Are you sure
you have the time, Mr. Vari?
Well, I'm retired.
You know,
you should tell Ben Lasher
that I'm building a loft
for Kaitlyn.
- Right.
- He may want to help.
- Great. I will.
- Good.
Yeah.
Kaitlyn, see you tomorrow.
So, you like the pigeons?
- Yeah. They're cool.
- Yeah.
When was
the last time I was happy?
...friends, family?
Charles Schulz remains
a very inspirational artist.
Outstanding.
Hey.
I liked your presentation.
Liar.
OK.
Then, I think that you're
a grade-grubbing punk who
only did Charles Schulz because
your dad's a Peanuts geek
and works for The Times.
You've become really mean, Kat.
Um...
Are we not friends anymore?
I guess it's just that,
you know,
after eight years of being
best friends it would be...
really good to know
if anything had changed.
I don't know.
Guess things have changed.
Um, he came to my house
yesterday.
- What?
- Jaan Vari came to my house.
I left my gym bag on his roof.
He found me.
What did you tell him?
I don't know. It was weird.
He didn't bust me.
- Did he mention the Granger?
- No.
He's coming back
to my house today
to bring some old shack
for my birds.
OK. OK. Maybe he doesn't know
you stole the Granger.
No. He knows that
we stole the Granger.
"We"? Listen. I told you.
Leave me out of this.
Just come over to my house
today and meet him. OK?
- I've met him.
- You're still in this with me.
Hey. Take half the money.
I don't want the money! OK?
I just don't want anything
to do with this.
Why can't you just
understand that?
Listen. I'm just gonna
tell my parents everything.
You know what?
Don't tell your parents, OK?
I'll protect your little image.
We're good.
I'm out of your life forever.
- Kat...
- No.
Hello, Kaitlyn.
Nice to see you again.
Kaitlyn, this is Carol Vari,
Jaan's wife.
Hi.
Jaan and Ben are out
back finishing your pigeon loft.
Why don't you check it out?
Hey, Kaitlyn.
Hope you don't mind.
I took the liberty of getting
your birds from your room.
When Jaan's done here,
maybe you can show them
around their new home.
Anyway,
I'm gonna get a refill, Jaan.
- Do you want some water?
- No. I'm all right.
Glad you're liking the birds.
I bet you know what
goes in here.
I want you to take this carrier
wherever you need to
and bring it back
with the Granger inside.
I can't.
Can't or won't?
I can't.
Where's my bird?
- I don't have it.
- I asked...
Where's my bird?
I know who does.
The boy has it?
What's one more lie?
Yeah.
- He's got it.
- Does he live near here?
Why didn't you call the cops
that night?
I was stupid.
I thought you might
care about the birds.
I thought you were
just a good kid
who made a stupid mistake.
But forget it.
I want the Granger back.
Today. Now.
It's not possible.
Really? Well...
I bet if I went into that
kitchen right now
and told your mom,
who's a cop,
that you came
in the middle of the night,
scared my wife, stole a bird
worth more than your house...
I bet I'd get
my bird back today.
Are you scared now?
Because you should be.
I'm not scared.
Whoop-de-frickin'-do, honey.
All right. Stay out here.
Be tough.
I'm gonna make your mom
get my bird back.
- Wait.
- No.
You had your chance.
It's over.
I was nice about it.
You didn't even apologize!
You're a surly little cretin!
I'll kill him.
I will.
I'll have to kill him.
In one call...
he's dead.
You're bluffing.
Try me.
- When?
- Friday.
You'll bring him
to my apartment?
Fine. Four o'clock.
And he's OK?
The boy is taking care of him?
OK. Two more lies.
Yeah.
He's taken care of.
Because if he's not OK, sweetie,
I'm gonna make your life
a living hell...
Hey, Mom.
Hey.
Yeah. Friday.
Friday at 4:00.
What's Friday?
Kaitlyn's coming
to my apartment
and I'm gonna show her
my loft and...
Racing pigeons.
Friday at 4:00 should be great.
The school therapist
said everyone
feels overwhelmed.
And alone.
It's normal.
I'm feeling really normal
right now.
I can't let some old bird guy
send me up the river.
I gotta get his bird back.
The Russians have a warehouse
in Russian Alley.
Their loft was probably
on the rooftop.
I'd crawl up
and snatch the bird.
What's it like to live?
How'd's it feel to be...
I guess I was scared
to do it on my own.
So stupid.
Why did I think I could fix
any of this?
I should just disappear.
No one would care.
Maybe life would just be
better someplace else.
Where? Doesn't matter.
Just go, right?
You OK?
Yeah. I'm fine.
How had my life come to this?
My cop mom driving me
to the apartment
of the guy that I stole
a $120,000 bird from?
I was done trying to think
my way out of it.
I've made
a very serious decision.
I had one way out.
And it was final.
Look here. All right.
I sold the Granger.
What?
I sold the Granger for $25,000
to the Russian Pigeon Mafia.
You're full of crap.
I'm not.
They keep their loft in a
warehouse above Russian Alley.
Feel free to go get
your bird back.
Do you realize you're standing
on my roof
and admitting
to a serious crime
that's going to change
the course of your life?
- I don't care.
- Enjoy prison, sweetie.
Because if this doesn't
get you there,
- something else will.
- I don't care.
Let's get your mom up here,
see if she can make you care.
- I don't care.
- Well, I care!
I care! A lot!
Have you any idea how much
I loved that bird?
How perfect he is?
What it took to bring him
into this world?
By taking that bird you have...
destroyed what's left
of my life.
And I'm, um...
I'm gonna destroy yours.
- I don't...
- Don't say it!
Don't. Come with me.
Now.
Carol! Carol?
Carol?
Carol!
What?
- Are you OK?
- I'm OK.
Get me the girl's mom's number.
- I have it in the kitchen.
- Thank you.
821-2217.
8-2-1-2-2-1-7.
Carol?
Can you leave us for a minute?
Thank you.
Voicemail.
I really wanna kill you
right now.
I wish you would.
You want to die?
Is that all
the "I don't care" crap?
You want to die,
so you don't care?
You want to kill yourself?
Yeah, well,
that's how you feel now, but...
You have no idea how I feel.
I spent 22 months in Vietnam.
I know all about wanting to die.
All about it.
Have you thought about it,
how you'd do it?
The Army had a series
of questions
for anyone they thought was
a potential suicide.
Now, if you've actually thought
about how you'd do it...
then you're getting
pretty damn close.
I lost a lot of friends
that way.
It's what they call...
permanent solution...
to a temporary problem.
Did you really sell the Granger?
Yeah.
Are you gonna call my mom?
Get out of here.
Get out of here. Go on.
Go on. Get!
I don't know if we should wait.
Hey.
I'm just...
telling your brother that
we got an offer on the house.
It's a pretty low offer, but...
Pat thinks we should take it.
So you're actually gonna do it?
I didn't say we were
gonna do it. I just...
I...
I'm just saying that
we got an offer.
- Sell it.
- Yeah?
I don't care anymore.
Just do whatever you want.
With everything going on,
Matt and I
were speaking even less.
If that was at all possible.
I'm leaving soon.
I don't really want to but...
seems like I have to.
You could say
they're just birds.
But the thing that makes
them different
is that they establish one
home in their life
and will fly thousands
of miles if they have to,
just to get back there.
No one knows why they do it.
You have to train them to know
when and where their food is.
It makes them hungrier
to come home.
Come on!
I had to name them.
My grandfather used to
sing this song called...
Charlie Tickets.
Did he ever return?
No, he never returned
And his fate remains
unlearned
He may ride forever
'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man
who never returned
Will you come back, Charlie?
Yeah.
He'll come back.
I didn't forget about you.
Everyone forgets about the
girls because we're quiet.
Juliet.
Even though Romeo
was kind of an idiot...
Juliet was some awesome gal.
Maybe Adam could come take
of you?
You know, if he ever talks
to me again.
Before I leave, I want to see
Juliet and
Charlie Tickets fly.
- Just once.
- Good night.
Pigeon racing is known as
the poor man's horse racing.
Because anyone can do it.
Once you think your birds
know where they belong,
you drive them miles
from their loft
and fling them into the air.
I feel like a weirdo.
Well, we are weirdos.
Hey.
Give me this.
I think it's time.
Charlie, take care of Juliet.
Juliet...
kick Charlie's butt.
One...
two... three!
Come on!
Come on.
See if we can beat them home.
I was starting
to understand pigeon fliers.
The love for the birds
is not just about winning.
It was about the fact that
the birds want to come home.
But there are dark moments too.
The doubt that you should have
released them
in the first place.
Charlie?
Juliet?
Hi! Hi! Over here!
My gosh, you made it!
Over here. See the loft?
It's over there.
That's where your home is.
I can see you! Over here!
Over here. Come on!
Right over here.
Right over here!
Right there. The loft!
Come on!
Juliet!
That's amazing.
How did you know?
You're so smart.
Girls are so smart.
Have you seen Charlie?
Charlie Tickets!
Charlie Tickets!
My gosh.
You made it!
I never knew how
much someone could love a bird.
I guess the Granger
was like family to him.
He wasn't expecting me but...
he let me in anyway.
She was right there.
Boom. Juliet. And then...
Where's Charlie Tickets?
I got nervous.
Was he lost?
I didn't know.
But then he just whizzes right
by my head
and walks into the loft
like it's another day
in the office.
They're fast, Jaan.
I wanna race 'em.
Now imagine if you had a bird
that you thought
was not only fast,
but that everyone else on
the entire planet knew was fast
because he beat
every single bird home.
Could you imagine
how pissed you'd be...
if some kid stole that bird
and sold it
to a bunch of gangsters?
Yeah.
I want to help you
get the Granger back.
We're gonna get him back.
We are?
Yeah.
You, me and the kid.
What kid?
Your little boyfriend,
who jumped off my roof.
He's not my boyfriend.
He doesn't even talk
to me anymore. He's...
He's a jerk.
So you're in love?
No, not... No.
That makes things a lot harder.
What a mess.
What do you think
makes them come home?
There's a number of theories.
Well, what's your theory?
Love of the loft.
They love their home so much
they'll die
trying to get back to it.
Can they love
more than one home?
No.
You take them from their home,
you're gonna have to lock them
in a cage.
Then they're called prisoners.
But if they ever get out...
they'll fly back...
to the only home
they ever loved.
Love of the loft.
Love of the loft.
That one.
Absolute nuisance.
Would you like to play
the radio?
I'm so glad
you stole that bird.
The Granger.
We've had a condo in Arizona
waiting for us to move in.
But Jaan can't leave the birds.
Not a great idea for someone
dying of lung cancer
to be running around a roof
in Portland in the winter.
He didn't tell you
about his lungs?
It's been six years
of operations
and chemotherapy.
He's done really well.
But it's winding down now.
I couldn't stop
thinking about Jaan...
and the Granger.
How you only learn one home
your entire life.
You wonder why?
This is why.
You never listen to me.
How anywhere else you go...
you're a prisoner.
...Francis Scott Key
is my inspirational artist.
Very nice.
Always nice to hear you play.
Very, informative.
- Thank you.
- Seriously?
Kaitlyn.
Do you have an educated opinion
about Kiril's presentation?
Yeah. It was a little bit
of a snooze fest
and a little bit of a lie.
Sorry, Kiril.
You know I'm right.
Before I send you
to the main office
to discuss that comment...
would you like
to clean it up?
We all know Kiril can play
the cello like a mother,
but I don't believe
for one second
that Francis Scott Key
is his inspirational artist.
In fact, all of these
presentations
are about some old,
dead white dudes.
OK, Miss McKay. I think it's
best you go talk to Dr Monroe.
How about a woman?
And someone
who's actually living?
Kaitlyn...
"You don't need
to scratch inside.
Just please hold on
to your pride.
And don't let them
push you around.
And don't let them
bring you down.
Because those are your arms
and that is your heart.
And, no, no,
they can't tear you apart.
They can't take it away
because this is your time.
This is your life.
This is your time.
This is your life.
This is your time.
This is your life.
This is your time.
This is your life.
Keep on livin'.
Keep on livin'."
Who wrote that?
Kathleen Hanna.
She was born right here
in Portland.
Just five miles from here.
And her life...
it sucked.
She had to move around.
Her parents got divorced and...
and she started the band
Bikini Kill
because she had a lot to say
and she was not afraid
to say it.
She wasn't afraid to be sad,
or angry,
or just totally messed up.
And when I listen, it helps.
It helps remind me that...
this is my time.
This is my life.
Take me to your boyfriend.
He's not my boyfriend.
Get in.
We have a problem.
No, you have a problem.
No, we have a problem.
All three of us.
Hi, Adam.
Remember me?
We met on my roof.
How's your arm?
It's doing good.
Thank you, sir.
I give Adam credit
for not crying.
He was close.
He was so close.
We go on the weekend.
Be ready.
Both of you.
Sorry.
Hey, Kat?
Come in.
And just when I thought
that life couldn't get
any more complicated...
Are you OK?
My body really changed.
There's no way I couldn't
consult my mom about that.
Do you wanna go to the mall?
It's a school day.
Even better.
Since the divorce,
I had never seen my mom
take a day off.
Do you like this?
Too... shiny?
No. I used to have that shirt
when I was like ten.
Got it.
This is so boring
but it's perfect.
- I kinda like it.
- Yeah? I like it too.
- Mom.
- Yeah?
What about...
Well, they're cute.
But, Here.
- Does it hurt?
- No, they don't hurt.
These are more comfortable,
you know?
You have so many of these.
It's time. You need underwire.
What?
So, how do you win?
What do you mean?
A pigeon race.
Like, if every pigeon
goes to a different home,
how do you know
which one wins?
Um, well,
it's actually pretty simple.
It's just the distance flown,
divided by the time it took
for the bird to get there.
And that equals
the yard per minute.
Boom.
Simple.
It's the fastest flier.
You know, the fastest flier.
- I know. I got it.
- Yeah.
Boom.
Come on. We gotta go.
- Mom?
- Yeah?
Thanks for today.
Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn!
Where were you yesterday?
After you bring Jaan to my
house to terrorize me,
you don't show up to school?
I panicked thinking
something's going down.
I went shopping with my mom.
Took the day off.
Took the day off?
Well, I hope you ate tea
and crumpets
because they don't have
crumpets in jail, Kat.
What are you talking about?
About Jaan and his plan
to steal the Granger back.
Yeah, well, I'm gonna help him.
Well, I'm not.
So what are you gonna do
about that?
Nothing.
Thing is, we stole
this precious and rare bird
from this guy, who could have
ruined our lives,
but he didn't,
which is really cool.
So if I can help repay
the favor
by helping him get his bird
back then I will.
Do whatever you want, Adam.
The weekend
was approaching fast.
Jaan called me to tell me
there was a race coming up.
And that everyone was going
to be at the club
registering their birds.
He wanted to see if there were
any rumors
about the Granger...
While we're here,
we'll get your birds registered
for the race.
...if the Russians
had sold him off
or kept him in their loft
for breeding.
War breeds strange bedfellows.
Inside looking out
Got no place to shout
Don't crowd me...
Jaan seemed a little taller
as he walked through the VFW.
VFW?
That stands for
Veterans of Foreign Wars.
I never knew that.
Nice to see you, Jaan.
Being there with
all those pigeon fanciers...
got me even more excited
to race my birds.
Hey, Jaan.
Did you bring the Granger?
We'd love to see him.
No, Paul.
I didn't bring him today.
Yeah, but you're buying a band
for him for the race, right?
I mean, you're gonna race
the Granger, aren't ya?
Yes.
I'm gonna race him.
Settle down.
This, by the way,
is my friend. Kaitlyn.
She's got birds.
And they're fast.
Everyone let out
that condescending...
Jaan, I had no idea you
had such a sweet side.
Tell me, sweetie, hon...
What are the names
of your birds?
Juliet and Charlie Tickets.
Charlie Tickets?
Isn't that the man
who never returned?
I wanted
to punch him in the face.
I'm sorry, sweetheart.
That's the worst name ever
for a bird, ever.
See you on race day, folks.
The man who never returned.
We were almost out
of there when I saw them.
A cold shiver ran down my back,
like someone had just dropped
an ice cube down my shirt.
And then the worst thing
happened.
What's wrong with you?
They were there.
Who?
The Russian Pigeon Mafia.
Did they say anything to you?
I was embarrassed.
I wanted to tell him that
they winked at me
and blew me a kiss.
I wanted to tell him
a lot of things.
I am so sorry.
I'm sorry about the Granger.
It's OK. It's OK.
Can I take you home now?
I know you're sick.
For the love of God.
Don't listen to Carol.
She's a crazy old woman.
She said you're really sick.
Forget all that!
What?
So you're not dying?
I'm dying, Kaitlyn.
We're all dying.
Some of us are just doing it
a little bit faster
than everybody else.
Can we go now?
I was gonna jump,
in the Willamette.
You asked me...
if I had thought about how
I was gonna kill myself.
I was gonna jump in
the Willamette River.
Well, you know, um...
drowning is not
a good way to go.
Your stomach fills with water
and you choke to death.
I don't have a lot of options.
Are you a good swimmer?
Yeah.
Actually a very good swimmer.
If the will to live kicks in
really hard at some point,
you might automatically find
yourself starting to swim
and, before you know
where you are...
you make it to shore.
I thought about that.
And...
you'd feel tired.
And wet.
And you'd be alive.
Are you afraid to die?
No.
Not today.
I have been.
There was a moment
in the hospital.
I woke up...
and I was alone.
And I was sure that my life
was a flock of birds...
and I could feel them
flying away.
Sounds really scary.
Being alone...
can be scary.
Everything can be all right
as long as you're not alone.
Now, me and my buddies...
We had some good times
in Vietnam.
And that was a war
and people were shooting at us.
Do you know what Vietnam is?
Some bullshit war like the ones
we're always in?
No. Vietnam
is a beautiful country with...
really amazing people
and it smells like paradise.
Vietnam taught me...
the meaning of life.
Really?
What is it?
Thank you for today.
I had a good time.
Me too.
I have a...
dying wish.
What's that?
That we might actually
pull this off.
I want my bird back.
I want that too.
Caw-caw!
And that's when
things got weird.
- Bye.
- See you later.
Yeah.
I left Adam out of it.
He'd done enough.
It would just be me and Jaan.
But that was probably
the best team anyway.
Where are you going?
Um...
I'm gonna go steal a bird from
the Russian Pigeon Mafia.
That sounds like
a really dumb idea.
I'll grab my stuff.
You good?
Yeah. It's my method.
I thought it was just us.
You remember my brother Matt?
Yeah. Yeah.
Seen you at the house. OK.
Let's do it.
A dying man,
my brother who doesn't speak...
and me,
all trapped in a truck
on a criminal mission.
How bad could life be?
Every day and night
Every day and night
I can see
your disco disco dick
Is sucking my heart
out of my mind
I'm outta time
I'm outta fucking time
I'm a gasoline gut
with a Vaseline mind, but
Wanna disco?
Wanna see me disco?
One, two, three, four
Who took the Bomp
from the Bompalompalomp?
Who took the Ram
from the Ramalamadingdong?
Who took the Bomp
from the...
Take this.
Shit.
I can hear them.
It's no use.
It's solid steel.
It can't be cut. Let's go.
Rope!
What for?
Just give me the rope.
Come on, Matt.
You got it, Matt. Come on!
Matt!
Even if you pull yourself
up to the pipe,
what are you gonna do then?
The ledge.
I'll get there
and I'll break the window.
Forget it, Matt.
Just forget it.
I said forget it!
Maybe take a break, Matt!
- You got it!
- Yeah!
You got it, you got it!
Get the truck.
Straight.
Perfect.
Tie this up.
OK, Matt.
Give me a thumbs up
when you're ready.
OK.
This is nuts.
But how are you gonna
get to the ledge?
I'll jump.
Matt, come on. It's too high.
It's OK.
I'm OK.
Jaan, slow down.
Slow down, just...
Shit.
Matt, are you OK?
- You got it?
- I'm OK. I'm OK.
Then Jaan said
what I was thinking.
Come on down, Matt.
It's too far.
Come on down.
It's not worth it, Matt.
I wished a lot of things
in that moment
before he jumped.
I wished I hadn't stolen
the Granger.
I wished my father hadn't left.
I wished that Matt
wouldn't jump.
Yeah!
Are you OK?
Um, I'm OK.
I... I got it.
You've got it, Matt!
You've got it!
Pull yourself up. Come on!
Pull yourself up.
Put your foot on the ledge.
Pull yourself up! Come on!
He's there. He's there.
He made it.
It was one of the most
amazing things
I had ever seen.
I won't forget it.
Ever.
Your brother's crazier
than I am.
Yes!
You did it, Matt!
Matt did something
I hadn't seen him do
in two years.
He smiled.
- Prisoner birds.
- Prison birds.
Thanks.
Granger, Granger,
Granger, Granger.
Where are you, buddy? Come on.
What... There he is!
- There.
- There? OK.
- Hi.
- Hey, buddy.
Hey, buddy boy.
Hi.
Hey.
- It's OK.
- It's OK.
- Come on.
- How you doing?
Shh. You're all right.
Aw, look at you.
Good boy. Good boy. Yes.
In you go.
- We got him!
- We got him.
We finally got him!
Caw-caw!
Let's go.
It's $25,000.
I was gonna use it to...
try and...
raise the money
to buy our house back.
You really wanna stay?
I don't wanna go, Matt.
Please don't let them
take the house.
Don't you wanna stay there?
It's been a tough place to live
the last couple of years.
Yeah, but I'm not leaving.
I was gonna leave the money in
the Granger's cubby but I...
I think I'm gonna keep
the money.
- Come on, Matt, we can...
- Leave the money.
Just leave the money.
Jaan Vari and his crew.
Jaan Vari!
Give us the Granger.
Hey!
He's ours now.
I left the money!
It's all in there!
Open the cage.
Open the cage, Kaitlyn.
- What?
- We had a deal, little girl.
He'll fly home.
He knows where home is.
Jaan Vari.
Don't.
Don't do it!
- No.
- Go, boy.
- No!
- Go!
Go!
Yes!
Go home, boy.
We did it! Whoo!
Things were on the upswing.
The Granger was free from
the Russian Pigeon Mafia
and on his way home.
Here you go.
So, you're really gonna race
those birds?
Yeah, I mean...
they're pretty fast
and smart but...
I mean, they're the only
pigeons I know, so...
I spoke to Mr. Vari today.
He called me.
Yeah?
I just wanted to make sure that
you're OK, Kat.
I want you to know that
you can talk to me, you know?
About anything.
I'm really fine, Mom.
It's not fine.
It's been a brutal year and...
the divorce has been
so hard on you and...
I've been so focused on
figuring out the house
and your brother,
he doesn't talk and...
I don't ever want you
to hurt yourself.
I don't ever want you to think
about hurting yourself.
I promise you, you have
a great life ahead of you.
Great, do you hear me?
You're 13...
and you're in eighth grade...
and it sucks.
Yeah.
It really does suck.
I love you.
So, um...
Did you, you know...
go the other night?
Yep.
We went to set the Granger free
and I returned the money.
I'm sorry I didn't come
with you.
I should have gone.
Hey.
That wasn't your war to fight.
It really wasn't.
OK?
Things went the way
they were supposed to.
So, how are your birds?
They're good.
Kick-ass, even.
I'm gonna race them
on Saturday.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Can I come?
Yeah, sure.
It's really early though.
I don't care. I'm there.
Hey, come on.
It was finally race day.
And we all had to deliver
our pigeons to the club
so they could be driven
to the same starting point.
Where's the Granger?
Did you decide not to race him?
He...
He didn't come home.
Well, I mean, I've...
read where a bird comes back
to his original loft
ten years later, so...
You just mean
he's not home... yet.
Yeah. Yeah, you're right.
He's not home... yet.
- Here you are, my dear.
- Thank you.
Juliet.
Hey.
Charlie Tickets.
You wanna see it?
I haven't seen
one of these in a long time.
Now...
You walk up this trail,
there's a little bluff
where you should sit
and watch the start
of the race.
It's only about
ten minutes away
but, you want to get
the best view you can.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
Thanks.
- Thanks.
- No problem.
I just want to make sure that
you're all covered up too.
It was perfectly quiet.
And it was a beautiful morning.
I don't know that I was
ever up that early
and really got to watch
the sunrise.
It was incredible.
What you thinking about?
I don't know.
Actually...
I'm kinda thinking about
kissing you.
Is that OK?
Thank you.
Charlie? Juliet?
Charlie Tickets
reporting for duty.
Go on inside, buddy.
Get warm.
Jaan was right.
It was the most amazing thing
I had ever seen.
It's been really great
working with you, Maddie.
If I can just get you to sign
right here,
this will finalize everything.
I appreciate it all.
Sure. I'm gonna leave
a copy of all this paperwork.
Great.
Well...
Enough out of me. I'm glad
we got everything squared away.
Maddie, Kaitlyn, good night.
Thanks.
So, it's done.
We're staying.
Wait. We're staying?
Like, here?
- Like, in this house?
- Yep. Gonna be tight but...
your daddy gave us the money
so we can stay.
Thanks, Mom.
Don't thank me,
thank your brother.
He threatened to kill him
if he didn't, which is weird,
'cause I always thought he was
fine moving, but...
then he's making
death threats.
He's not taking drugs, is he?
No. No, he's not.
That was the most
we ever spoke
about what he said to Dad
about keeping the house.
He'd done a great thing.
And he had done it for me.
Granger!
Granger!
Granger! Come on!
Go, let's go! Come on. Down.
- Come down. Come down.
- Jaan.
Jaan!
Hey. Look who showed up
on my window this morning.
The Granger!
He came home.
He finally came home.
No.
No, leave him in there for now.
What are you doing?
Where's all your birds?
We're gonna finally
sell the apartment.
I have to go away for a while
so I'm giving...
the birds away to some
really good pigeon folk.
Except this guy.
He refuses to leave.
And I've, I've saved some
good birds for you.
Where are you going?
I have...
I have to go into hospital
for a little bit.
What's a little bit?
- What's a little bit?
- I don't know, Kaitlyn.
The truth is...
it's...
It's probably gonna be
for a while.
Well, what about the Granger?
He's yours.
What?
No. No.
No way. Not after everything
we've been through. No!
He flew home.
Your home is now his home.
Take good care of him.
- Jaan...
- Promise me...
you'll take good care of him.
Yeah.
Yeah. I'll take good care
of him.
- You know where he is.
- Yeah.
I remember
the last time I saw him.
We sat there for hours.
I'd come back to get a really
nice racing timer
that Jaan insisted that I have.
Alright.
I'm off.
I'm glad you came by.
Enjoy the timer.
Race those birds.
That Charlie is special.
I know he is.
Before I go...
I wanted to tell ya...
the meaning of life.
Life is sweet, Kaitlyn.
Life...
is sweet.
Caw-caw!
Life can hurt.
Life can be the eighth grade.
But...
life...
when you really think
about it...
is sweet.