Original subtitles

Dinner's almost ready.

Oh, it's so good to have you

All here.

You have to come over more

Often.

No, they don't.

Is that a skateboarding

Squirrel?

Yep. Slow news day.

Okay.

Ella, baby, you're not gonna

To believe it.

You won't believe it in a

Million years.

What is it, curtis?

Baby, I just got -- is that

The skateboarding squirrel?

Curtis?

Wait a minute. Watch this.

He's about to do the kick flip.

Well, baby...

Kick flip.

[ laughs ]

I never get tired of seeing

That.

Who was on the telephone?

Baby, that was the district

Chief.

He wants to see me tomorrow

Morning about...

A new job.

Curtis, that's wonderful,

Baby.

That's wonderful.

Doing what, baby? Doing what?

Baby, all he would say is

That it's very important.

That's all we need to know.

That's all I need to know.

Let's celebrate.

Come on, you guys.

Curtis has a new job.

Oh!

We don't care what it is.

It's just a job.

C.J.!

Yeah.

Let's celebrate.

Come on, let's eat and

Celebrate.

Could y'all get a little happier

About it?

Celebrate.

Get out of the house and stop

Bugging us.

Good job, uncle curtis.

Although...Maybe I don't want

Their lousy job.

How about that?

[ indistinct talking ]

But you know what?

Maybe they finally recognized

My genius.

Well, I don't know, baby.

Did you call them, or did they

Call you?

But I'll tell you this.

I bet you I won't go crawling

Back.

Huh?

No.

I'm not gonna play their

Games, how about that?

Don't play their game. No...

I'm not gonna be they fool.

No, be your own fool.

Hey, curtis, listen, baby.

Just go down there tomorrow,

Hear what the man has to say,

And then make up your own mind.

Huh? Dinner now.

Okay.

Malik, get the tv.

[ music playing ]

Finally tonight,

Army pfc clayton reiger of

Marietta was killed yesterday by

A roadside bomb on the outskirts

Of baghdad.

Clayton was just 17.

17?

C.J., let's get this

Laundry --

Hey...

Stop playing. Give me that.

That's what I'm talking about

Right there.

Let's get busy.

No, let's not get busy.

We got four kids from busy.

Okay, guys, you gotta hear

This.

I thought this was a sleep-in

Day.

I can sleep when I'm old

Like you.

Uh, uh...Der.

When I'm older and wiser,

Like you, sir.

Nice try. What you got?

My future.

[ chuckles ]

Does it involve paper or

Plastic?

Very funny.

I went down to the army

Recruiting office.

Oh, really.

Yeah, just to get some info.

You know you can enlist at 17?

Well, of course with your

Parents' permission.

Malik, if you're concerned

About college tuition, we've got

That squared away.

No, no, it's not about that.

I just want to serve my country.

So, you...

In the army?

Yes, that's right.

But you afraid of the dark.

Shut up.

I have to say that if it's

You standing in between us and

Our enemy...

I'm joining the enemy.

Why don't you go in the

Laundry room and stand between

The washer and the dryer and

Empty them out?

Fine.

Bye, mommy.

Bye.

Bye, daddy.

Bye, colonel.

Sanders.

No running in the house.

Stop.

Look, I'm really thinking

About doing this when the time

Comes.

Okay.

But I-I'm serious.

I hear you.

Baby, please finish the laundry.

I'm tired now.

You not upset?

Please. [ chuckles ]

Tomorrow, it'll be the music

Industry or baseball or some

New girlfriend, you know.

You think so?

Yes.

And I also know that if I put my

Foot down now, he is only going

To want to do it more.

I really only wanted to marry

You when my dad said I couldn't.

Your dad didn't want you to

Marry me?

[ chuckles ]

You think I married you for your

Good looks, baby?

Yeah.

No.

Ohh, these are so sweet.

Oh, thank you.

You didn't eat them all, did

You?

Baby, quick, quick.

Ella, quick.

Curtis, curtis, what, what?

Baby, do you realize who you

Married to?

I'd say no.

Otherwise, she would've left

Already.

Curtis, curtis, baby, come

On.

Just -- come on, baby.

Just tell me what happened?

What happened?

Baby, I'm back with the

Department.

You are back with the

Department?

Hello!

Curtis?

They finally realized nobody

Could fill my boots.

Actually, nobody will go

Near your boots 'cause we had to

Bury them behind the firehouse.

How about I go dig one up

And put it --

Uh, baby.

What is the job?

Can you just say that?

I am the special-event

Ambassador liaison.

Really.

What will you be doing, curtis?

Baby, you are looking at

The new face for the fire

Department.

[ laughter ]

Ella, they want me to shake a

Few hands, make a few speeches,

Kiss a few babies.

The district chief told me he

Was looking for a people person.

Oh, couldn't find one,

Then they called you, huh?

Ha ha!

You just don't stop with it.

Let's see if you laughing when

My driver picks me up.

A driver, curtis?

That's right, baby.

The job comes with a driver,

A speech writer, a handler.

And a fairy godmother.

[ laughs ]

[ laughs mockingly ]

You on a roll today.

Baby, they sending over my

Uniform.

They sending over my uniform.

They took my measurements this

Morning.

Oh, curtis, it's just good

To see you so excited, baby.

I know! I know it!

Baby, can you imagine that?

They didn't retire me.

They're promoting me.

Mm.

Man, I'm gonna be the

District chief's right-hand man.

Mm, yes.

Curtis payne.

Too bad the district chief

Is left-handed.

[ chuckles ]

I heard that.

[ laughs ]

Oh, come on, man.

You go and drop that ball.

It's ridiculous. Come on.

No, no, no, no. Get out.

No. Uncle curtis, I wanted

To watch the game at my house,

But janine is running the vacuum

Cleaner.

Ella, baby, get me the vacuum

Cleaner.

[ knock on door ]

Oh, good. More noise.

Maybe you'll leave.

I hope it's a mariachi band.

Shut up!

Hey.

I was close.

How you doing, mr. Payne?

They delivered this to our house

By mistake.

Oh, oh, it's my new uniform.

Oh, thank you, diego.

Thank you, diablo.

Such a big box, baby.

It's for a big job, baby.

I hope it got a big hat

To fit on that big head.

Shut up.

Whoa, whoa.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, man in

Uniform.

What is this?

You playing soldier?

As you were, men.

They were leaving.

I'm gonna go try on my new

Uniform.

Uh, malik, I didn't even know

You were interested in the

Military.

Yes, I joined the junior

Rotc.

He looks great, doesn't he,

Diego?

Yeah, he does.

Have you really thought

About this, baby?

It's a couple days a week

At school.

I mean, no one's going into

Combat.

Well, not yet, anyways.

It's the "Yet" that bothers

Me.

Well, I'm 16.

There's guys who are 17 that's

Already fighting for our

Country.

And dying for it.

C.J., I don't know about

This.

Oh, it's just junior rotc.

Come on, aunt ella.

You come on, c.J.

Really now, this...

Look, I'm proud of malik.

He's taking initiative.

Oh, and we get to play

Paintball in the woods.

That sounds like a lot of

Fun.

Paintball, huh?

Wait.

You do wear protective gargles,

Right?

Goggles?

Yes, auntie ella, we do wear

Goggles.

Yes.

And sometime they take us up

To fort benning, and we get to

Meet the real troops.

Fort benning?

Diego, you were in fort benning,

Right?

No. I was in camp lejeune.

Well, tell me all about it.

I don't remember much.

Did you do the obstacle

Courses?

Did you check the weapons?

Come on.

I was actually only there

For a little while before I got

Shipped to iraq.

I remember what that was like.

Ella.

What?

Ella. Psst.

Ella, come here.

Can you believe this?

Goodness. [ laughs ]

Baby, come on, the zipper's

Stuck.

Come on, get me out of this

Thing before the guys see me.

Come on, baby, hurry up before

They see me.

Too late.

[ laughter ]

[ laughter ]

Say it -- say it one more

Time.

Say it again. [ laughs ]

C.J.

I'm sidney, the safety seal.

[ laughter ]

Oh, get off the floor.

It's not that funny.

Ohh.

Yeah, it is.

Is this the big promotion?

Are you the fire department

Spokesperson?

Hey, uncle curtis...

[ imitating seal ]

I gotta get my camera.

Yeah, get your camera to take

A picture of me killing you.

Now, now, no one likes an

Angry seal.

I'm sorry, brother.

Let me get some fin.

[ laughter ]

I'm gonna tell you this.

This don't leave this room,

And I mean it.

W-we're sorry. We're sorry.

Okay.

Our lips are sealed.

[ laughter ]

Oh, no. You know what?

Come on over here.

Come on over here with malik

So we can get a picture

Of the army man and the navy

Seal!

[ laughter ]

I can't wait till I see

That district chief.

Mm.

Hey, what are you gonna do,

Flip him off?

[ laughs ]

You.

Curtis! Malik!

Baby, just calm down.

Think this thing through,

Really.

No! And I mean it.

I will not be humiliated.

Ah -- ohh!

You guys, it's not funny.

Are you okay, curtis?

[ laughter ]

My boy.

Yeah.

Looking good. Look at you.

Whew. Whew. Whew.

Man, look at you.

Your mom must be upstairs.

Uh, should I go change?

No! No, man.

Chicks love a dude in uniform.

Man, looking crispy.

C.J., you missed the cutest

Thing.

Hayden was --

It had better be halloween.

Uh, mom, let me explain.

No, let me handle this one,

Son.

Let me -- see, baby, see, what

It is -- what it is, see, is

That it's just junior rotc.

Junior.

Yeah, right.

See, they not really doing

Nothing.

They just going out, learning

Things about war.

That's all.

No, that's not

That's not all, okay?

C.J., you were right.

I should have put my foot down

Earlier.

I should have said something.

What? Put your foot down?

Mom, I don't --

No, no, don't go down that

Road, son.

Don't go down there.

You are not doing this, okay?

God bless every person in the

Service who defends us and risks

Their lives for this country,

But it will not be you.

It won't be my baby.

It's not happening.

Uh, see, baby,

I'm a firefighter.

Yes.

And, you see, I would be a

Hypocrite if I told my son to

Play it safe for the rest of his

Life.

See?

See, ma, I can go out right now

And get hit by a car.

Uh, uh, malik, no.

Stay out of this, malik.

Stay out of this.

Stay out of it?

No, I'm in this.

I'm this close from being an

Adult and making my own

Decisions.

That -- no.

That's the road I was talking

About, son.

You are worried about

Stepping outside and getting hit

By a car when you can very

Easily get hit right here.

You are not old enough to be

Making these kind of decisions

On your own, and you will not

Talk to me that way in my house,

Do you hear me, little boy?

Ohh.

Ohh, I'm counting down

The days till I get out of here!

Ooh, that was wrong.

You just drove off the road,

Son.

Hold on. Hold on.

"Hey, everybody -- "

Oh, say it with a squeaky voice.

[ high-pitched ] "Hey,

Everybody, I'm sidney the safety

Seal -- "

[ coughs ]

[ normal voice ] That hurts.

I can't do that.

Ugh.

* if -- if you think you smell a

Fire, don't know what to do *

* just find old good old

Sidney *

Ugh! This is crazy.

Curtis.

I can't wait to call this

District chief.

I'm telling you that right now.

Okay, sidney...Baby, I know

This is not what you expected

To do, but, curtis, it really --

No, ella.

No means no, okay?

No!

Okay, baby.

Baby, don't nobody want

To see a grown man dressed

Like a seal.

Come on!

You don't look that bad.

Baby, don't do that.

Don't do that.

[ gasps ]

Please don't do that.

Just don't do it.

[ gasps ]

Oh, great.

Not you, too, little girl.

I love you, sidney!

[ chuckles ]

You do?

[ laughs ] Yeah!

Oh, wow.

You're sidney the safety seal!

Arf! Arf! Arf! [ giggles ]

He's been asked to be

The safety seal for atlanta.

Really?

I can't wait to tell all my

Friends.

I've loved sidney since first

Grade.

[ chuckles ]

Seriously, jazzy, what does

A seal know about fire safety?

Have you ever seen

A seal's house on fire?

Uh, no.

Then I rest my case.

So, um, are you gonna come to my

School?

No.

No, I'm not going to no school.

No, no, no, little girl.

But, uncle curtis, you taught

Us that firefighters will do

Anything to save a life.

Yeah, I know.

I know that, and we will.

Uncle curtis, that's what

Sidney does.

He saves lives.

Not every kid is as lucky

As me to have real firefighters

In their family.

They only have sidney.

Can you even imagine what would

Happen if they didn't?

She's right...Sidney.

Come on, jazzy.

Let's leave sidney alone

And let him have his moment.

* if you think you smell a

Fire, and you don't know what to

Do *

Just follow good ol' sidney.

Both: arf! Arf! Arf!

Okay, I'll...Try it.

[ giggles ] Yes!

Oh, thanks for meeting me.

Man, my mom is over at our house

Tripping, saying she doesn't

Want me to be a soldier.

What's on your mind?

Well, I come from a family

Of heroes.

Am I wrong to want to be one,

Too?

There's nothing wrong wanting

To be a hero, malik.

It's just a bad reason to join

The military.

Not every hero comes home.

Well, you came home, and with

A medal.

Yeah. That's not the only

Thing I came home with.

I mean, I haven't had a good

Night's sleep since I stepped

Stateside.

I've been fighting depression

Every day.

I mean, every time I hear a loud

Noise, I get this feeling over

Me like if I'm back on patrol.

Well, uh, what was it like?

All I remember is that ping

Sound.

Then you look over, and the

Buddy that's on point with you

Is lying on the ground with a

Bullet in his head.

Uh..

You know what? I don't --

I don't want to talk about it,

Malik.

Wow.

That's why my mom's really

Tripping.

Look, I'm not gonna lie

To you.

War is the worst experience I've

Ever had.

But being in the military, it

Taught me loyalty, courage,

Honor.

I mean, the friendships I

Made -- those are the things I

Brought back with me.

There's no medal that can amount

To that.

Wait, wait, wait.

I'm confused.

What are you saying?

You know what?

At the end of the day, no one

Can tell you what to do, right?

So...Try it out.

Join the junior rotc.

Test the waters.

See if the military is even

Something you want to be a part

Of.

[ door opens ]

Uh...

I'm gonna get out of here.

All right, thanks, diego.

Yeah, man.

Talk to your mom about it.

Mom, I --

Malik, I know you think

That it would be easier for me

Being married to a firefighter

For me to understand this,

But I -- baby, it's harder.

Every day your dad goes

To that station, I sit at home

And I wonder what kind of danger

Is he gonna be up for next.

And now I have to sit and think

About the same thing with you.

Well, mom, I'm -- I'm not

Really counting down the days

Until I'm away from you.

I know.

And you would have to count to

Infinity to get away from me,

'cause you are always, always

Going to be my little boy.

Mom, I'm not your little boy.

You're not too old for a

Whooping.

Well, I just want to do

Something with my life.

You know, be a hero.

You are. You will. You --

[ sighs ]

Okay.

Let's say you try this thing

For now.

But you have to promise that

When the time comes...

You will sit down and discuss

Your decision with your father

And me before you make the

Decision.

I promise. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Okay. Let's go.

Come on, let's go in.

I'm gonna need some help with

This, all right?

* if you think you smell a

Fire and don't know what to

Do *

* follow good ol' sidney seal so

He'll give you a clue *

* first, get on your hands and

Knees *

* crawl across the floor

And make sure that you check

For heat!

Or else don't open that door!

* these are some of those sidney

Tips that you can't live

Without *

* now, tell old sidney

"Thank you" by throwing me a

Trout *

Ow! Ow!

Ouch! Ouch!

[ grunts ]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!

Ow, ow, ow, ow.

Arf! Arf! Arf!

Arf! Arf!

You're stepping on my fin.

Ow! Whoo.