Original subtitles

Cumulonimbus heading east.

Yeah, we're in for some weather.

They look so different from this side.

The clouds or the people?

Both, I suppose.

The slightest breeze can turn either one into something different.

Well, that's nature, baby. That's the way the Father made it.

The wind can pick up itty -bitty seeds and spread them over the whole

countryside. Or it can rip a field so badly it'll never grow anything at all.

You just never know which way the wind's going to blow.

Newt.

It's going to be worse than I thought.

Yes.

We'd better get going.

I thought my assignment was here with him.

Well, Calvin is the storm chaser.

And if we find a storm, he'll find us.

Last night, the tractor was right side up.

And two miles away.

I think it was just sitting in a field somewhere, minding its own business, and

then a tornado comes along and swish, picks it up, carries it through the sky,

and then, poof, lands down here.

Must have been very confusing for you, huh?

Monica, you've never been in a tornado, have you?

No. They're very scary things. They can tear through some open field.

They can also rip through a crowded classroom. They don't know the

Darby's Field.

Do you see it?

The one with the beautiful tree.

That's where it's going to happen.

Just remember, the only thing that's more frightening than living through a

tornado is living through one alone.

That's why you have to make it to that tree.

Where's Calvin?

Whatever it takes.

Just be there, okay?

So I don't have to be.

I will rise and I will walk with you.

I'll walk with you till the sun don't even shine.

Walk with you every time I tell you I'll walk

with you.

Believe me, I'll walk with you.

God, you up there?

This would be a real good time to show up.

You're a woman, JJ.

You think?

That's why you're the chef.

What would you get for a 25th wedding anniversary?

Well, it depends.

Whom I'm married to.

In that case, what you'd probably want most is a break.

Well, let me think. You could take her on a trip or something.

Where'd you go, honey?

Stock car races.

Daytona.

You've got to be kidding me.

Hey, we had great seats.

Morning. Morning.

Coffee? Tea, please. And one of those sticky buns.

Some car you got out there.

Yeah, that's my baby. We've been through a lot together.

Hey, Calvin.

Calvin?

Still got that morning after special?

I never thought of you as a drinking man, Calvin.

Yeah, well, I just started.

You out with that twister last night?

Story of my life.

Where'd it touch down?

Just outside of Shawnee.

Made a little skid mark, crossed Tim Wilson's back for it.

First twister to actually land here in two years, and you missed it?

Um, excuse me?

Excuse me, are you Calvin Chilcutt, the tornado man?

Technical term, storm chaser.

Well, I found something that belongs to you. It's a little sticky, but...

How the heck did this get here?

This must have blown five miles.

Well, there's quite a breeze blowing out there.

Did you read it?

I read it. Bad enough to know why you got a hangover.

And if you want to feel better, there are two things that you need.

The right breakfast.

Could we have a glass of orange juice, a raw egg, and a bottle of hot sauce over

here, please?

If you're trying to cure a hangover, I got a better one than that.

I'm sure you do.

Now, this will fix the hangover in your head, and then you've got to fix the

hangover in your soul.

Because I know drinking didn't make you feel this way.

It's this left.

Did I hear someone mention the soul?

Yes, you did.

Let me guess.

You must be working for that big revival meeting coming to town.

I got your people all figured out.

See, that's how they're working.

They send in advanced people to get your soul all shook up on Monday.

Just so they can come in and fix it on Saturday.

Am I right?

You one of those God people.

That would not be inaccurate.

Howdy, Joe.

Hey, J .J.

A little early to be knocking off, don't you think?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Can't keep my men up on the scaffolding with the wind that bad.

Wind for more weather, Calvin?

I don't know. I didn't check Doppler today.

I don't think you'll need the radar. Just look up at that sky.

Yeah. There's a storm coming in.

And you're just going to sit there?

My time is up.

I have to cease and desist, so I'm ceasing.

They told you you have to turn in your tornado equipment tomorrow, not today.

It's too late now.

I'm out.

That's right.

I lost my grant.

No more research money.

No more fellowships.

The guys in Washington finally realized that I've been wasting my time here

waiting for the big one to hit.

But it never did, so... I'm out.

But you'll get something else, right? I mean, they'll send you to study

hurricanes or volcanoes or something, won't they?

I study tornadoes, J .J.

That's what I do. That's all I've ever done.

Two pointless years here.

Six months in Dallas, a couple seasons in Kansas, and I got nothing to show for

any of it, so I'm finished.

There are other jobs, Calvin.

Yeah. What am I going to do now?

Sell shoes in some strip mall in Oklahoma City?

No.

It's over for me.

Well, I guess so if you've given up.

But I've got news for you. The wind is blowing out there.

Which means there's a chance for something interesting to happen.

Something to make your little Doppler wing or anything sit up and take notice.

It's something you don't know.

But God knows.

You don't know what you're going to find.

But God does.

And if that's not enough for you, try this.

You're not going to find anything at all if you sit here wallowing in this great

pool of self -pity.

Amen on that

Maybe

you're right Anything could happen out there

anything

She's with that big revival thingy that's coming to town on Saturday.

Drink this up.

at about six miles per hour.

1 .17 p .m.

Doppler indicating a series of storms lining up all in the same north

-northeasterly track.

Starting to pick up some rotation in the first cell.

Where are you headed?

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I'm definitely going in your direction.

Okay.

But I can't guarantee how far I can take you. Because if the storm comes up,

I've got to follow it.

Oh, that's okay. I'm not in any hurry.

Excuse me?

I'm sorry, but I've never actually hitchhiked before.

Am I supposed to drive?

No, I just want to check something first.

So how does this work?

When you follow a storm, do you sort of sneak up on it?

It's my job.

I track tornadoes.

At least I try to.

Caught me on my last day.

Far and a miracle.

I believe in miracles.

Hitchhikers usually do.

Never saw a miracle myself, but...

As long as the wind is blowing, anything can happen.

Lone Ranger to base. You out there, Lucy?

Calvin, where are you? I'm in the field.

Calvin, you're not authorized anymore. You've got to turn your equipment. The

letter said tomorrow.

Yeah, we've got rotation increasing in a storm cell about 20 miles south

-southwest of Bowley.

Shears approaching 70 knots, and the sky is going green.

We got a rope on the ground.

Copy that, Lone Ranger.

NWS and Norman, initial warning.

Woo!

Massage your seatbelt.

What is it?

It's my miracle.

I'm here, Gordon.

What's going on?

Tornado.

We can go a whole year without a single one and get two or three or four in a

day. It's really weird.

What kind of word is that?

You don't spell choir with a Q. That's how you spell it when it means a sheaf

paper. Now, that's what I mean.

Shouldn't we be doing something?

Oh, yeah. Everybody's going to their shelters.

Okay.

Where's yours?

We don't have one.

We don't need one.

You'll see.

Come on.

Ten -four.

We got another twister out by the highway.

It's bigger than the one that hit last night.

It ought to pass right by us, but you ought to take cover.

Well, just to be safe.

I have never closed this place down on account of some dumb wind.

And I'm not about to start now, Ernie. Well, now, I know that, but I had to say

it anyway, JJ.

Looks like Calvin finally got his tornado.

Sheriff.

My wife and little girl were driving in today from Atlanta for my birthday.

Now, I don't know, they might be out there on the highway right now.

Where are they driving?

It's 79 Monte Carlo.

Okay, I'll put a word out on the radio.

Are they picking you up at the construction site?

We were going to meet right here for lunch.

Well, then you better wait right here.

You'll probably be safe.

I mean, after all, this is a lucky place, right, J .J.? You better believe

Excuse me.

What did the sheriff mean by this is a lucky place?

If there's a tornado within 50 miles of here, there's no place you run.

Because tornadoes go right by it.

They go over it. They've even split in half and gone around it.

We've never been actually hit by one.

The whole town could get wiped out.

We'd never feel a thing.

That's why we don't need a shelter.

This diner right here is the luckiest place on earth.

Hmm.

I see.

Sweetie, it's okay.

We're almost there for Daddy's birthday.

You've

got

to be careful in this kind of weather.

One minute it's clear, the next second it's raining cats and dogs.

You can see a funnel a mile away, think you're safe, and then all of a sudden it

turns, and boom, it's on top of you in a second. Hey, Cal, are you there?

I really love your work to do something so dangerous.

Hey, Ernie, you see what I see?

Yeah, well, the Bureau says it's going to pass right by.

Look, I thought I'd get your professional opinion.

I agree.

As long as it keeps up steam, it looks to stay a couple miles east of the main

road. Still gonna get some garbage dumped on you, though.

I'd wear a hard hat if I were you. According to my wife, that's what my

for.

Hey, if you're following that thing out by the highway, keep an eye out for

Joe's wife. She's in a 79 Monte Carlo.

She's driving down alone with the baby. She's probably a little spooked.

Will do.

You bung that place up now.

Roger, will do.

Here comes rain. Hop in.

Who's Joe?

Joe's one of those decent guys who works hard, raises a family, goes to

church on Sunday, has a beer every Friday night with the guys, and dies in

when he's 92.

Shoot.

Where'd it go?

There.

Joe's best chance for an exciting life is to fall off one of those construction

girls he walks around on.

At least he'd have a few moments of something thrilling before it was all

A terribly cynical outlook.

Will you tell me if you'd rather live a long, boring life or a short, exciting

one? Let me guess.

You're living the short, exciting one.

No, I'm living the long, depressing one, punctuated by the occasionally exciting

moments of really, really bad luck.

I don't believe in luck.

I thought you believed in miracles.

Same difference?

Not at all.

hard being separated from your family isn't it baby i miss him like crazy

but the job came up and it was only

going to be six months the pay was too good to pass up

oh can you hear it it's gonna be close

excuse me Am I the only one that believes God had a reason for

inventing the storm cellar?

Don't get your rumors in an uproar, Tess.

In all the tornadoes, in all the years, J .J.'s never even had a broken window.

Mm -mm.

Old man strattin' through his teeth through that window right there when

potato cellar went bad. You remember that?

We're talking about storm damage, you idiot.

Well, it wasn't luck that protected this place, you know. And I would appreciate

it if you would keep my bloomers out of this.

So if it wasn't luck, what is it?

I would call it the grace of God.

Then tell me one thing. Why God let bad things like tornadoes happen?

Ask any gardener. You have to prune the trees to get the best fruit.

And nature has a way of pruning, too. And it's only bad when it's inconvenient

for us.

I believe that.

When we plant ourselves right in the way of nature, then we want to blame God

for not making exceptions for us. That's right. So, Tess.

If a tornado comes by and smashes your beautiful red convertible into a little

itty -bitty bit, you're okay with that? Yes, because I know that God can take

anything that happens in this world and turn it into something good.

Now, it may not be exactly clear right away how he's going to do that, but I

believe one day I will understand.

And that's why I'll take luck instead of God.

Luck doesn't keep you waiting.

You either have it or you don't.

We're in here and we're going to be fine.

From those poor schmoes out there, forget it.

Oh, Joe, man, I'm sorry.

I know they're going to be fine. I'm sure of it. I'm sure of it. They'll be

any minute.

Help Calvin. First cell just passed Darby's field. Still headed east towards

Bowling. Serious debris.

First cell?

We've got a rotation in the second cell. We insisted waiting to drop in.

Invite the whole family. We've got plenty of gas and nothing left to lose.

Did she say there was a tornado in Darby's field?

Yeah. I can't explain this right now, but it's really, really important that

get there. That we get there right now to Darby's field.

Hold on!

Number one. Ernie, you there?

What?

I'm eight miles out on the country road. I got one headed your way and another

one picking up steam.

Well, I hope you're getting everything you need over this thing to save you a

miserable job.

But something's got to come off of this mess.

Oh, my God.

What is it?

Ernie? I think I just found the Monte Carlo thing.

Holy cow, Ernie. Another couple of feet and that car would have landed right on

top of you. Yeah, another 20 feet and it would have landed on us right smack in

the middle of that downer.

That's my car.

Oh, Laura.

Where's my baby?

There's nobody in it.

I can't believe Joe.

It's empty.

You see?

The car dismissed us.

And I tell you, this downer was lucky.

And didn't I tell you God was protecting us?

Listen to me, baby. It's a good thing that it's empty.

She's right.

All the people up there inside.

Laura must have unhooked the baby car, Pete.

Ran for cover before. That's right. Probably saw the tornado come in and ran

shelter. Until it passed.

She must be scared half to death.

I'm going to get the state police on this.

She's got to be somewhere near the main highway.

Sheriff Guthrie, come in.

You're needed at the shelter at the high school right away.

I got you.

10 -4.

You guys, stay inside.

Calvin says that there's another one on its way.

Sounds like it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Don't worry, Joe.

We're going to find Laura.

Everything's going to be just fine.

Can't sit here and go look for him.

Joe, you shouldn't be driving right now.

God will protect me. I know that he will, baby. But I also know it's going

awfully hard for one man trying to find his family while he's trying to

concentrate on driving through a storm.

Why don't you be your brother's keeper?

Come on, Joe. I'll drive.

Are you saving this up with a revival on Saturday?

Absolutely not.

Maybe we should turn around and start looking for Jewel's family.

No, cops will do that. I gotta stick with this tornado.

She's either dead or alive and there's nothing I can do about that.

But I can save my job.

Imagine what Joel must be going through right now.

He won't be the first guy that ever lost his family.

How did you lose your family, Calvin?

I was 14.

We had a farm about 60 miles the other side of Oklahoma City.

One of the Guernseys was about to drop the cab.

I had aspirations of being a doctor back in those days, so I sat with her in the

barn.

There were no warning sirens, no plots of thunder, nothing. Just this big old

twister came out of nowhere.

Parents started yelling for me.

Ran to the barn door, looked out, there it was.

Over there on top of us.

I couldn't move.

My mom was standing by the storm cellar with the trap door open.

My dad was running towards me.

That's the last thing I saw before it hit.

I made this screeching sound.

Some kind of demonic laugh.

Then it was over.

And I was all alone.

He laughed at me, Monica.

And I swore from that day on that the last laugh would be mine.

That wind is kicking up again.

Yep.

But we are snug as a bug in a rug in here, don't you worry.

It's a little insurance.

I look like a little man.

You really like what you do, don't you, Dad?

The whole God business.

There's nothing more satisfying than working for God.

It must be a real night.

Hi. Hi.

What can I get you?

Uh, yeah, just a coffee to go.

I can't remember when we've had so many new faces in here.

Yeah, it's definitely a day to remember.

It's a great jukebox.

It's an antique.

My mama got it in one of those little shops on the way down to Shawnee.

What did you say the shop's for?

Well, you have to get off the main highway. Take rural route 22.

It's the back road.

Oh.

Thank you.

Oh, my gosh.

What?

They're not going to find Laura by the highway, Tess.

Really?

She really loves antiques.

I remember when she was up here last Easter. She liked to get off the main

highway and take the back road so she can stop at all those little shops.

Well, then, come on. Let's go.

Where? And find her. We can't leave her out there in the storm with a little

baby.

But it's not safe out there, Tess.

I know it's not.

Can't we just call Ernie?

He's on the other side of the county.

Now, you listen to me. This is where you're going to see the difference

putting your faith in luck and putting your faith in God.

This is your chance, J .J.

God is asking you to believe in him, to put your life

in his hands.

Now, come on, let's go.

I'm scared.

I know you're scared.

Come on.

Oh, man.

Lucy, you there?

I'm tracking the distance. 20 miles due south of Bowling. This storm is breaking

through the cap.

That funnel is huge.

Looks like a piece of the sky coming down.

It's tracking east, northeast, about two miles.

We've got to count it.

It's all right, baby. We're going to be fine.

Just keep your eyes open.

National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Bowling, Hanford,

all of Ofusky County. A major tornado has been spotted on the ground moving

directly toward Bowling. All persons in the Ofusky County area should take cover

immediately. This is an extremely dangerous situation.

We have to go back, Tess.

Wait, baby. Look.

That's her, Tess. That's Laura.

baby back.

I want her back.

I want her back.

There wasn't supposed to be a third tornado.

Hey, Kyle.

What do you got, Ernie? Yeah, we found Joe's wife.

That's good news.

What about the baby?

Well, Laura said she was carrying the baby to an underpass when the twister

ripped her right out of her hands and we're still looking for her.

Who is this?

Never mind.

Give it up, Bernie. That baby's long gone.

Yeah, well, Joe hasn't given up. You know he's got a lot of faith.

Yeah, well, not going to do him any good out here.

You get those guys to safety, there's another twister on the ground.

We've got to try and find that baby if there's still a chance.

Monica, a tornado ripped an infant out of its mother's arms.

Scott, I don't... knows where it is now but wherever it is i know for sure it's

dead talk about lousy luck that infant sure has at

least it didn't have it for very long like some of us

what are you doing every once

in a while a day comes along when i don't like human beings very much get in

driving

as Emily.

What are you talking about? Joe's baby?

Yes. That baby's going with the wind. Even if you find her, you're not going

find her alive.

You don't know that. I don't know that.

There's hope. Hope?

Oh my God. My one lucky day in my whole life.

The one day my luck might change and I pick up the miracle worker.

Stop this truck now.

No.

me the keys monica hey give me the keys it's sideways and it's turning back give

me the keys we gotta get out of here listen can't you hear it hear what

give me the keys are you crazy

You can't hear because you won't listen.

Hear what?

What's going on?

God is here, Calvin.

With us right now.

I am his angel.

I have brought you here because you have so many storms raging in your soul that

your heart has become hard and you can no longer hear God's voice.

You listen only to words that whisper of good luck and bad luck instead of grace

and blessings.

Words that cry out for revenge against what nature destroys rather than

proclaiming thanksgiving for what God creates.

God?

God is angry with me.

God loves you.

He's not angry with you. He's just saddened.

It didn't have to be this way.

You have spent your whole life being tossed about by every wind that comes

along, not because of bad luck, but because of bad choices.

There's a reason that you haven't succeeded as a storm chaser, you know.

Because it never really was your dream to understand tornadoes, or to respect

them, was it?

God.

Put the desire into your heart to be a doctor.

To use your love of science to heal and save lives.

But when you lost your parents, all you wanted to do was to hate nature, to

defy it, to try to control what you cannot control.

And finally, there was no room in your life for miracles.

There was only science and luck and a life of revenge.

But Calvin, God, the God who created you, the God who loves you, who

understands you, had a better life for you.

But you wouldn't listen.

Will you listen now?

Yes.

Yes, I will.

Good.

Because it's a beautiful sound.

I'm here, Calvin. What do you got?

You want to go near the diner?

We're on our way.

I got a surprise for you.

I got the baby.

What's that, Calvin?

What'd you say? You got a surprise?

I don't believe it.

I'm at my diner.

You all right, baby?

No.

Stupid.

Thank God we could have all been in there.

But you weren't.

And the reason you weren't is that you put your faith in God.

And even though you were afraid.

You stepped out and tried to help somebody else.

Better rely on dumb luck.

Looks like God found a way to cure me of that bad habit.

And save your life in practice.

I guess we're going to have to buy a new game.

You have an uncanny grasp of the obvious, I repeat.

She's okay.

I found her in that old elm tree in Darby's Field.

Oh, my baby.

I can't believe it.

My baby.

It's a miracle, Joe.

An honest -to -God miracle.

That's what we were praying for.

Hi. Honey?

I'm back.

I just wanted to make sure that you were okay.

And I wanted you to know that I wouldn't trade the

last 25 years.

You know, I think on Saturday I might just come by and visit that revival

meeting of yours.

Baby, this was the revival meeting.

Are there any tornadoes left?

Always Not today Not today