Original subtitles

Tell Curtis it's time to go.

Thank you.

Hey, Ma, Hey, Jazzy.

Hi, Calvin.

You guys ready to go?

Yes.

Baby, where is Miranda and the kids?

Calvin Junior got a haircut, so she went

to take him to get a new hat.

Huh?

What?

Who cut his hair?

I did.

Why did you do that?

Why did you do that today?

We're trying to take pictures with my mother

and the grandkids.

How can we take pictures with no grandkids?

Photoshop.

She'll be here soon.

You know what?

Sometimes, you just don't get it, do you, baby?

What's up family?

Hey, CJ.

Hey, baby.

Wait a minute, don't tell me Janine is

still at home getting dressed.

- No, she's in the car. - Good.

Good.

Good.

On her way to pick up Malik.

Wait, wait, wait.

I thought he was catching the bus home.

He got on the wrong bus.

Did he?

You know what?

He's going to meet us there.

CJ!

What else could go wrong?

Miranda is not here.

Janine is not here.

OK!

Jazzy, [inaudible].

All right, come on.

Let's get this over with.

Curtis, what are you doing?

What?

Going to take pictures with your Mama.

Then I'm going fishing!

You know, they got the best lakes up there, CJ.

No, you're not.

No, you're not.

Yes, I am.

Baby, Jazmine had her heart set on it.

Uncle Curtis, I never said anything about going fishing.

You know I love her so much.

I used to be his excuse to fish when I was your age.

Go change, baby.

Please.

Just go.

Please.

Go change.

Hello.

Hi, Evey.

Yes, baby, we are running a little late,

but we're on our way.

We're actually-- You're on your way here?

Why?

What?

What's wrong?

Mama is gone.

Again?

Ella, y'all need to buy a Lojack for your Mama.

No, Curtis.

My mother just died.

[theme music]

OK.

We just need to keep her strength up.

That's all.

Good.

Because I got her some leftovers.

No, no, CJ.

No, get her the-- she'll eat the granola and the yogurt.

That's what she likes. - No, wait.

Wait, wait. She probably wants some fruit.

Strawberries and raspberries.

Oh, no.

No, Dad.

Get her some hot tea.

It'll help her relax.

OK.

Maybe we need to ask her what she wants

before I take any more orders.

I'm fine.

The last thing I need, really, is people

coming over here talking about, "Ella, you

gotta keep your strength.

Ella, you got to eat something.

And you know you like granola."

[laughs] Yes, but god is good.

You know, she was looking through this photo album

earlier.

Maybe I could show her some pictures!

Help cheer her up.

Here she comes.

Here she comes.

I'll show her this one of her and her Mama.

You know, if I so much as see a picture of her,

I'll just lose it!

Yes?

So what can we do now?

I know what she's doing.

She trying to act strong.

She trying to act like she got it all together.

I know your mama.

She going to come in here.

She going to break down.

And then we going to have to comfort here.

Then she's going to pull it all together.

And then she's going to want some rest.

Trust me.

Auntie.

Yeah, baby.

I'm so sorry.

Thank you CJ.

It's OK. - Yeah, Mama.

What can we do? We just want to--

Calvin, I can tell you.

We're going to have a lot of company over here.

So Curtis, I would really appreciate if you would

clean off their back porch.

Calvin, could you please clean out the back room

and clean it up for my sister?

CJ, when they bring the food over,

could you please just serve it for me?

Thank you.

But, Aunt Ella, what do I do?

Stay out of the kitchen.

You know you can't cook.

[laughter]

I can cook.

No, you can't.

Hi!

Hi girl.

That traffic was a tough fight.

Aw, well driving on that interstate can be rough.

No girl.

I'm talking about a real fight.

This truck driver cut off this woman,

and she got out of her car and let him have it.

Evie, that was you wasn't it?

It was not the day.

Oh that's--

[laughter]

Ella.

How you doing, girl?

I'm good.

You know Mama would have wanted us to be all right.

That's not all she wanted.

What do you mean?

She had been working on her last wishes

for quite some time.

OK.

In a two page letter.

Dearest girls, if you are reading this,

I've gone to Glory.

And the yams were delicious.

[laughter]

What yams?

Glory is a restaurant near the home.

[laughter]

While there, I realized what I wanted for my home going.

A horse drawn carriage.

That's classy.

Doves a piece, to be released at the cemetery.

That's interesting.

Everyone should wear a touch of pink, my favorite color.

That's Mama.

An air conditioned coffin.

[laughter]

Just in case it wasn't my time to go,

please bury me with a telephone.

Evie!

A rotary phone with a cord, cause I don't want to be down

there and run out of minutes.

You are joking!

Mom!

I wish I was.

Well you know better than mean.

She was not in her right mind.

Be that as it may, this is what she wanted.

OK, but that's ridiculous.

An air conditioner in a coffin?

What else in there?

I don't know.

I didn't read it all.

Well let's just read it now.

I-- I can't.

Evie, we are going to get through this, OK?

I can't do this right now.

Evelyn, wait.

Please.

What's wrong? Evelyn!

Just give me a minute!

Why Marlow, why?

[laughter]

Marlow, why?

Ah, OK.

Ah.

You're grieving?

Of course, Cousin Curtis.

Cousin?

Just so sorry for our loss.

OK.

Thank you.

Look here.

I also want to offer my services as a part time pallbearer

at a freelance casket jumper.

What?

A part time pallbearer and a freelance casket jumper.

What is that?

What?

You don't know?

Man, I will jump in the casket before anybody

else get a chance to.

See?

Mama, don't go!

[laughter]

Take me with you, take me with you, take me with you!

[laughter]

How much it cost for you to jump in the lake?

Flip the card over.

[laughter]

I can't stand you.

Look, there's nobody jumping in no casket,

it's not take kind of funeral, OK?

Ella wants to be simple, elegant, and classy.

This is how it's going to be. - Really?

How much are tickets?

We're not selling tickets for it?

Two drink minimum?

- No. - Cool.

[inaudible]

[laughter]

Ella?

In here!

You want some tea?

No, thank you.

I just spoke to the funeral home.

Good.

And the total cost is going to be $11,000.

OK.

Well then that settles it.

We will not do everything on Mama's list.

You ain't got to worry about that.

I did not order everything she wanted.

Well, will her insurance policy cover it?

I should be asking you that?

Because she didn't leave me a dime.

But she left you $100,000.

OK.

There must be some type of mistake.

Well she had this big insurance

policy, and one beneficiary.

You!

That can't be right.

Ella.

That's how she was.

That's the mama you never knew.

Why would she do that?

Because she hated my father.

She did not hate Daddy.

Mama loved him until the day he died.

I said she hated my father.

What are you talking about?

Ella, you weren't just coming home to take a family portrait.

I told Mama it was time you knew.

Knew what?

Mama had me before she got married.

And my daddy never came around.

And then she met the man who would be your father.

Evie, no, no.

I do not receive that.

Ella, it's true.

Listen, my mother dies, and you come here to tell me this?

Ella!

It's not as bad as it sounds.

Evie!

Who else knew that my mother had a child out of wedlock?

Well, everybody.

Everybody?

Everybody but me?

She didn't know how you were going to take it.

How am I'm supposed to take it?

Ella, calm down.

Calm down.

Evie, who was it?

Who is he?

Is he still alive?

Who is he?

Well, let's just say that Uncle Bernard

ain't really your uncle.

The man with the moonshine still in the woods

with the wooden leg?

That is your father?

He was a war hero!

A war hero who has children all over town!

That's not the point.

Well why didn't you tell me before?

Because it wasn't my place while she was alive.

And I just thought-- - You know what?

I don't want to hear any more. I don't want to--

enough. OK?

This is way too much for me to have to deal with right now.

I just need to go lay down, unless, of course,

you have something else that you would like to spring on me.

Besides me losing my job and being in foreclosure?

No, nothing at all.

God, this is not funny.

This is a mess.

What do you think?

Oh!

Oh, Jazzy.

You look beautiful.

Well thank you.

A splash of pink, just like Mama wanted.

So, Auntie Ella, you going to be OK?

Baby, I'm going to be fine.

Thank you for asking.

If you need someone to talk to during your stages of grief,

I'm here.

Thank you.

And it is also very important that--

that the subject--

I mean, I mean you, you--

that you move through depression and all

that you move on to acceptance.

Oh really?

And then what should we do, Doctor?

Well, Auntie Ella, we should just--

We should just--

We should--

Auntie Ella, look, we--

We should what?

We should-- we should make sure I

charge up my phone before I try and diagnose

you on the internet.

[laughter]

Thank you baby.

But I am all right.

OK?

I'm all right.

But thank you for asking again and again.

OK.

But Auntie Ella, you haven't cried or anything yet.

Jazzy, my mother's in a better place.

And nothing can bring me down today.

It's for Grandma, Pop,

Look, I don't care.

Look, real men don't wear pink.

Pink is the new black.

And slapping is the new high five.

Come here.

[laughter]

Today, Curtis?

Today?

[laughter]

See.

Thank you.

Real men do wear pink.

Thank you.

[gasps] There's a limit, Ella.

[laughter]

[SINGING] Swing low sweet chariot.

Coming for to carry me home.

Lloyd.

Will you please swing back to whatever candy store you got

that cotton candy suit from?

[laughter]

Look.

Mother Thompson would want all of us

to be very kind to one another today, all right?

To make sure everyone's needs are met.

You ain't getting no money.

It stays in the family.

Cousin Curtis!

I'm offended!

Look, Mother Thompson simply wanted all of us family members

too wear a splash of pink.

Oh, so that's why you went swimming

in a bottle of Pepto Bismol?

[laughter]

I see.

Train a child and away she go, huh?

[laughter]

Excuse me everybody.

Excuse me everybody.

Thank you!

Thank you for coming!

Thank you so much for coming!

We're so glad you're here.

And because everybody did not get

a chance to speak at the funeral,

we wanted to give you an opportunity.

So we're going to start with Calvin, my youngest son.

Hey.

My grandmother was a gentle, strong, bold, and honest woman.

And I'll never forget her.

She was an amazing matriarch.

One day, I called her and I said, Grandma.

This is your favorite grandson.

She said, hey Tony.

I said, no.

This is your other favorite grandson.

And she said, oo, hey Larry.

For a second, I thought you were Calvin.

And I can't stand his daddy.

But she knew it was me all along.

[laughter]

No she didn't.

That was my momma.

She gave the warmest hugs and the sweetest kisses.

And there will never be another woman like her, right Ella?

Never ever.

That woman could check our homework, check our hair,

and check our bad attitudes all while making dinner, right?

And if you didn't have your act together before the bologna

bubbled up in the middle, you were

gonna get your butt bubbled.

[laughter]

No, that's what she would say to us.

Listen, my mother gave me-- you remember the thrift store doll?

Yeah.

My mother gave me this thrift store doll.

It was the ugliest doll I had ever seen in my life, Jazzy.

This doll had one eye and one shoe.

Oh goodness.

And you would pull the little string on the doll,

and you'd hear her say, I love you Mommy.

I love you, Mommy!

I love you Mommy.

I love you.

I love you, Ma.

I love you so--

[cries] Curtis.

So what do you think?

What do you think?

It--

That's too flaky.

Crust is too flaky?

Just like Mama's.

OK.

Are you OK?

You all right now?

Don't say you fine.

I'm in pain.

I really, really am.

But I will be fine.

This is just a whole lot to have to deal with.

Maybe I shouldn't have told you about my father and Mom.

Maybe--

That doesn't even matter.

You live your whole life with the image of somebody

and in an instant, that image changes.

But what never changes is what Mama did for us.

She raised us.

And she made us the women that we are today.

Whatever she did before I got here

and whoever she did it with, doesn't mean a thing to me.

Doesn't matter one bit.

That was my mama.

And I loved her.

Thank you Ella.

You're welcome.

And, I want you to take this.

This is for you.

No, no, no.

She gave that to you.

I shouldn't take it.

No.

What you should have done was read the ending of the letter.

Right here.

Don't order the creamed corn at Glory's.

Below that.

Very bottom.

This insurance money ain't nothing but paper to me.

Ella, look up for you sister.

And make sure you split down the middle.

This is more than half.

Yes.

And it would have been all if I didn't have to give

some to Calvin and Miranda.

You are always looking out for others before yourself.

Just like Mama.

This-- this-- this, we never talk about.

Turn the page.

I don't have a comment.

Do you remember these Easter dresses?

Yes, I remember those dresses.

Mama had band-aids on every finger

after she finished those dresses.

Woo.

Don't Don't do it. Don't do it.

There your prom date.

Don't do that.

That's your prom date.

I wonder where he is now?

Married with 12 children.

Oh god!

Thank you for helping me dodge that bullet!

[laughter]