Original subtitles

Someone singing Lord Kumbaya.

Someone singing Lord Kumbaya.

Someone singing Lord Kumbaya.

Oh, Lord Kumbaya.

What a messy.

How'd that old song get into my head?

That's Henry Baldwin, one of the best blues musicians that ever picked up a

guitar.

And 40 years ago, he was one of the biggest.

Is Henry my assignment?

No, baby, but your assignment's on the way.

I told you that old man would be gone by now.

You sure you're cool with this?

No doubt.

I owe you one.

What about the alarm?

There's no alarm.

That stupid sticker's just for show.

There's a crowbar in the back.

Crowbar?

Rookie. It ain't lighted up.

Who is it? Who's there?

Hey, hey, hey, hey! No, no, no!

Don't shoot me! Don't shoot me!

Don't shoot me! Don't shoot me! It's me!

It's me!

Alex? Yeah?

After all I tried to do?

Look, man, what are you going to do?

Call the police.

Hey, hey!

Man, Henry, you fool! What's the go and do that for?

Kumbaya When you walk

down the road Heavy burden,

heavy load

Every time I tell you I'll walk with you.

Walk with you. Believe me, I'll walk with you.

All rise, Judge Harrison presiding.

Be seated.

Bring in the jury, please.

What do you think they decided?

Whatever this jury has to say, this is just the beginning for Alex.

He has no idea what he lost that night.

But he's about to find out.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

In the case of the state of Pennsylvania versus Alec Lamont Wilson, we the jury

find the following.

Alec? Yeah, Mr. Baldwin, I'm over here.

I just talked to that counselor at your school.

Miss Shelby, what did you do that for? She hates me.

No, she don't.

Yes, she does. She hates me because I don't want to do her stupid career

aptitude test.

Maybe she doesn't want to see you waste your time.

My music ain't no waste of time.

Music's a hard life.

You got to be smart or you're not going to make it.

You made it.

I worked hard.

I work hard.

Sometimes I went hungry.

I've been hungry before.

Takes guts.

You got to reach down inside, pull out your soul every day.

Every note, every word, every song.

I'm going to do it.

I'm going to make it bigger than you even.

I told her you would.

We find the defendant guilty.

The verdict has been read and accepted.

This court will reconvene in one week to hear arguments and statements prior to

sentencing. Until then, the defendant is remanded to the Thuffield Juvenile

Center for evaluation.

All rise.

Hey, don't worry about it, kid. I can probably get you seven years.

You're bound in three with good behavior.

Don't sweat it. You've already spent, like, what, 15 minutes on my case?

I'd hate for you to waste another 15 minutes.

It's not going to matter anyway.

He'd lost hope.

He didn't have any hope in the first place, baby.

He didn't have a father and not much of a mother.

The only hope he had was Henry.

And he killed him.

Is it my assignment then to give him enough hope to try again?

Your assignment is to finish what Henry started.

My work detail hours will be posted.

Burgundy shirts to be worn for all group activities.

T -shirts any other time.

Hey, hey, hey. That's enough.

That's enough. Knock it off. Knock it off. Pick up your things. Pick up your

things.

All right, everybody. Stand to the side.

Clear the halls.

Hands in front.

At pod three, pass by.

Is this your new group?

Yes, sir.

All right, listen up.

I don't care if you're here two weeks or two years.

The less you see of me, the better.

Thank you, sir.

Let's go.

They're angry and scared and confused and so angry.

Baby, these boys are not so different.

from any other teenager, whether they're in school or in jail. They're all

trying to find out who they are.

What are you doing?

These boys have enough to deal with besides burning their insides out.

They're scared, baby. They're trying to find something to hold on to. But you

remember, Alex is the assignment here.

He's the key to the whole thing.

Yes, but Alex is the angriest of them all.

There are going to be a handful.

Well, we're going to get some help.

I thought Andrew had another assignment.

Well, it's not Andrew.

It's Ronald.

Ronald?

You don't mean Ronald from records and permanent files?

Oh, Teth, he's so... They're so... They'll kill him.

I know.

Hello? Oh, Ronald!

I'm sorry.

Is this a good time?

Yes, here, come on in.

Ronald, it's great to see you again.

Oh, my goodness. I can't think of when I've ever been so nervous.

But I've studied every case file involving teenagers.

And, oh, my goodness, there are so many of them. But I got through them all.

And I'm here, thoroughly prepared for...

Anything. You see? There you go. He's thoroughly prepared.

For example, did you know that statistically 30 %... Ronald, I don't

boys will be too interested in statistics.

You're right.

I'm sorry.

I just don't know what else I have to offer.

Oh, you have other hidden gifts, baby.

Well, if you believe that, Tess, here I am.

Glob of clay ready to be molded. Where do I start?

Well, why don't you start on those dirty dishes there?

Oh, okay.

And maybe, listen, you go ahead and remember what Henry Baldwin was trying

do.

I like this. You take your seat, please.

What for?

I don't know what to say.

Sit down.

What are we supposed to do with these?

I'd like you to keep a journal of your experience here.

Write down how you're feeling, what got you here, your hopes for the future.

Anything can be fair game, but just keep it clean.

Do we have to write in them?

It would help if you did. Help with what?

Help to uncover the real reason why you're here.

I know why I'm here.

They caught me with a bunch of crack.

Were you planning on selling it?

Nick.

I'm a drunk.

We got something for you to say about that?

Oh, man, drunks are hilarious.

Come from a long line of them.

And I'm here because I got busted stealing from a liquor store.

Thank you, Nick.

Alex?

What?

A bunch of wimps doing times because they can't handle their pathetic

addictions? Oh, I stole a beer.

I had some drugs.

That ain't nothing.

What are you, a gangbanger?

I'm in for murder.

Yeah, that's right.

I was taking down this store and some old guy tried to shoot me, so I shot him

first. So they gonna fry you?

Nah, self -defense.

The worst thing that happens is I do a few years and then I'm back out on the

street.

Unless somebody gets in my face.

I might just have to take them out too.

Hey, it's not so bad here.

Shut up.

No, for real.

A lot better than living at my house.

No, for real. Shut up! Why are you picking on him?

All of you, shut up!

Hey, so did you really kill a guy?

Are you deaf or just stupid?

Well, they're, you know, talking. I think that's a very good sign.

Yeah, but they're talking at each other, not to each other.

Well, they haven't found a common ground yet.

That was the key in case number 47566, backslash 37544.

I have no idea what that case is. Oh, I'm sorry. Of course you don't.

No, but there was this group of ten strangers on a tour bus

in Italy.

Not terribly friendly, I might add.

But when one of the passengers suddenly, you know, went into labor... A common

goal. Yes.

That's exactly what we need.

That's what I said.

This is Ronald.

And this is Tess. Welcome to kitchen duty.

Do you have a problem with kitchens?

I'm not wearing no apron.

I'm just trying to wash the dishes.

It's very easy.

You take a towel, you take a sponge, you take a dish.

You scrub, you rinse, you smile. Now, the smile is optional, but highly

recommended.

Well, Alex has a lot to smile about today, don't you, Alex?

Oh, come on, it's your birthday.

Oh, strawberry pancake.

Oh, how did you know I like strawberry pancake?

I have my sources. Happy birthday, baby.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you. Oh, come on, come on. Wait a minute. You know this song.

Come on and sing it. Don't worry about it, Ted. I don't hear these guys

screeching anyway.

Do you want to wash dishes or eat strawberry pancakes?

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday, dear Alice.

Happy birthday to you.

You know, that sounded really good.

Sounded like a bunch of sick cats.

Listen, let's do it just one more time. And let's put something into it like, a

happy birthday to you.

A happy birthday to you. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Happy birthday, dear

Alice.

A happy birthday to you.

Well, how about that? The Juvenile Attention Tabernacle Choir.

But, uh, I've heard worse.

Excuse me.

So, whose lawyer are you?

I'm looking for Alex Wilson.

Oh, yeah? Who are you?

Hi.

I'm Andrew.

I'm going to be handling your sentencing hearing.

Okay, now, the store is closed.

You checked out hours earlier.

Why did you come back?

I came back to borrow a guitar.

To borrow?

Yeah, borrow.

Look, I figured Henry would be gone, that I could borrow a guitar and get it

back to him before he even knew it was gone.

So you broke into the shop.

I didn't have to break in. I had a key. You had a key?

He trusted you enough to give you a key? It wasn't about trust.

It was about him getting sleep on the weekend.

Look, I thought he'd be gone by then.

He shouldn't have been there.

He was.

And he had a gun.

Yeah. He had a gun.

Hey, how come I'm the murderer when he's the guy with the gun?

Hello, Alec. Yo.

Hey, did you notice this morning how that singing really helped everyone's

attitude?

No.

Yeah, they're still singing.

And so are you.

Well, I like music and I'm good at it. I can see that.

Now, what are you going to do about it?

When I get out of here, I'm going to have my own band on a big stage with 50

,000 fans screaming at me. A prisoner today, a rock star tomorrow.

You think that's funny?

Happens every day.

I'm going to go to that hearing tomorrow, and I'm going to do my three

I'm going to be big, real big.

You're going to hear my music someday, and it's going to blow you away.

And you're going to remember that you knew me.

I'm not going to remember you at all.

Do you have any other statements to present, Counselor?

Yeah. Yes, Your Honor, we would like to call Miss Deanna Shelby.

You may be seated.

Miss Shelby, you are a counselor at the defendant's former high school.

Is that correct?

That's right.

Tell me, did you ever have occasion to speak to Henry Baldwin about Alex?

Yes. I never had success contacting Alex's mother.

Henry was the only adult who had influence over him.

And what did Henry say to you about Alex?

Henry thought that Alex was one of the most gifted young musicians he'd ever

known. He said he had the potential to be a great songwriter.

Is that a yes?

It's an all right.

Why is it just an all right? What's wrong with it?

Nothing wrong with it.

It rhymes, got verses, got a chorus.

It's just not what it could be.

I don't get it.

Neither do I. That's the point.

Are you saying that it's no good?

Are you getting mad at me?

No.

Maybe just a little bit deep down inside?

No. Yes, you are.

And that's good.

A song's supposed to make you feel something, Alex, and if yours is going

then you've got to feel something.

Don't try to force it or worry about getting famous off of it.

Just write the truth and let the music come to you.

Just not try it again.

Your Honor, the victim's daughter, Ms. Olivia Baldwin, would like to speak.

well.

I grew up listening to this music.

I guess a lot of us did.

Big Henry Baldwin was a great blues artist.

But to me, he was just daddy.

The man with the guitar and the smile on his face.

He loved kids.

He welcomed the whole neighborhood into that store.

If they wanted to hear music, he played music.

If they wanted to learn to play the blues, he taught them.

If they needed money, he gave them a job.

And if they needed somebody to believe in them, he was there.

Finally, he stopped touring so that he could work with the kids all the time.

Kids like Alex Wilson.

He wanted to make a difference in their lives.

He was about to record a new album.

This is one of the songs.

Alex Wilson isn't just some kid that made a dumb mistake.

He went into my father's store to steal, and he wasn't about to let an old man

get in his way.

He's a murderer, and he needs to pay.

My father still had a lot more love and a lot more music to share.

Alex Wilson took it all away.

This court will abide by the decision of the jury.

Alex Wilson, you are hereby ordered to serve 25 years without the possibility

parole in the Suffield State Penitentiary.

Are you all right?

No.

I'm going to prison forever.

Did you talk to Andrew about an appeal?

Appeals take money and lawyers and... Believe me, no one's looking to give a

black kid who shot somebody a break.

It'll be a lot tougher for you in the state penitentiary.

But there are several weeks before you have to go.

There's still time.

We have a lot more flexibility here. Is there anything that you'd like to try to

do before you go that we could help you with?

With Unreason, of course.

You could never do it.

Well, tell me. What is it?

I always wanted to hear somebody sing my music.

In front of an audience who would get it.

Then we'll find a way to make that happen.

Smells wonderful in here.

Thanks. I am so happy Tess asked me to make something for the boys tonight.

So what are you cooking?

Roast tenderloin of beef with a mango

and catawba grape.

Wild rice.

With Catawba grapes and portobello mushrooms.

And as a palate cleanser,

a repressed sorbet of... Let me guess.

Catawba grapes?

Have you ever tasted them?

They're wonderful.

And sweet. And nearly impossible to find this time of year.

Yeah, but you found them.

I did.

I can find almost anything.

I guess Tess would call it my gift.

You know, we still have to find a place for the boys to sing, and it sounds to

me like you could be the one to find it, Ronald.

I don't know what this is or where it came from, but it's not from my kitchen.

So I guess you're hurt.

Hey, we thought you were going straight to prison.

Yeah, not for a couple weeks.

So I was thinking, maybe you guys could help me do something?

Like what?

Well, I've been writing all these songs. I'm going to need somebody to sing them

out there.

You're out of your mind.

No, I'm not.

Look, you guys are gonna need work.

But you got potential.

Come on.

You want us to sing in front of other people?

I don't know, man.

What do you think, Tess? It'll be good.

I'll teach you guys everything you need to know.

All you gotta do is do it.

Please?

Hey, come on, guys.

Come on.

Thank you.

We got one on board.

I'll give you guys a note. All you do is hum it back to me.

Uh -uh.

Good, good. Hold that, hold that, hold that.

Keep it up, keep it up, keep it up.

All right, all right. Now all together, all together.

What everybody's trying to feel.

What everybody's trying to feel.

What everybody's trying to feel.

When the water seems too deep.

When you think there's just no way out. Stop, stop, stop, guys, guys, guys.

You gotta relax, okay? Let the music come to you.

Keep it real. Keep it personal.

What are we rehearsing for anyway?

Don't even break the play.

Not yet, but it's like the music. When it comes, you gotta be ready.

Now do it again.

So when your spirit gets too weak When the water

seems too deep When you think there's just no way I'll

be there for you night and day

When the mountain seems too steep, when your spirit gets too

weak, when you... So what do you think, sir?

Um, Ronald has found the perfect place.

I've researched all the available venues, and oh my goodness, there are a

them, but I know this one, the right one.

They have an open mic night every Saturday.

It's just down the street, so it's not far to go. It's ideal.

I'm running this place for criminals, not the Von Trapp family.

Do you remember what happened to the Von Trapp family, Carl?

They survived.

They get off the bus, they go inside, they sing their little song, and then

get back on the bus.

I'm holding you two.

Personally responsible.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Well,

here we are. I mean, this is it.

Oh, I am so nervous.

Well, you must really be excited.

Yeah, I've waited a long time for this.

Henry was right.

Miracles can happen with the right kind of encouragement.

Hey, man.

I just... I just wanted to say thanks.

What?

No one ever told me I was good at anything.

But you did.

So... Thanks.

Yeah.

Okay. Five guys just trying to get it right.

Let's help them out. Have a good day.

Be brave. Be strong.

God bless you.

And the mountain seems too steep.

And when your spirit gets too weak. When you think there's just no

way. I'll be there for you night and day.

We beg to borrow.

We beg to steal.

Wow, those kids are good.

They've got a real future.

Goodness.

I'm so sorry this is all my fault. No, it's not your mistake. It's Alex's

I just don't get it. I read all my files.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

He's not a statistic.

He's a frightened young man.

You get the boy.

I'll get Alex.

I'm sorry.

Alex is gone.

Everybody back on the bus! Now!

Let's go!

Man, Alex set us up.

We were crazy to trust him. Look, Alex doesn't need your judgment.

Right now he needs your friendship.

Yeah, well, I thought it was like a miracle.

Really?

Well, I just happen to know a little about those.

Dude.

You're glowing.

Well, yeah.

That's because I'm an angel.

No way.

Oh, yeah.

Most definitely way.

I really am an angel.

Sort of a newcomer to this part.

But since there aren't any other angels around, I guess it's up to me to tell

you that God loves you.

And if you ask him, he'll forgive you for everything that brought you to this

place.

You see, God is really good at shining light in dark places.

Even if it's only a little light like me.

But in this case, a little light is all you need.

What does God want?

Well, he wants you to share his love with the world.

How are we supposed to do that?

Good question.

You mean, pray?

Hmm.

That's how it works.

Don't run away Alex come inside

You

haven't

been here for a year did you really expect it to look the same

Stupid bows on the guitar that night.

I don't even know how it got there.

Henry put it there.

The guitar you were going to steal would have been yours the next day.

He was writing this when you came that night.

You never know what the future holds, but I've all the faith in the world.

That yours will be filled with beautiful music.

Happy birthday. Love, Henry.

Why are you dogging me like this?

Because I took responsibility for you and I gave Mr. Bellows my word that I

would bring you back.

That's your fault!

You were stupid for trusting me!

Like Henry was.

Henry was not stupid.

I don't understand.

Because Henry knew that you were an angry young man.

He knew that you had problems with your family, with your school, with the law.

He knew that you were a big risk, probably even a waste of time. And yet

still goes and gives you a job. He gives you his trust. He even gives you the

key to his store. You, you of all people. And you're telling me that he

stupid? No!

Henry was just... Henry was... Henry was just...

He was just... What?

Blind, okay? That old man was blind.

Blind because he couldn't see what a rotten, hopeless cause you were?

He was weak, and he... He... He loved you.

He loved you, Alec.

What a horrible thing to do, huh?

You couldn't let that be. No, you had to steal a guitar so you could set him

straight.

I was just going to borrow it.

No, you weren't.

Shut up, lady!

You don't know what you're talking about.

Yes, I do.

I absolutely do.

What's going on here?

God has sent me here as an answer to a prayer.

I didn't say no prayer or nothing.

I'm not here to answer your prayer.

It's Henry's prayer.

What?

I am an angel, Alex.

A messenger sent from God.

I'm the answer to Henry's prayer.

An angel?

Yes, God sent Henry into your life to help you.

He was perhaps the closest thing that a human being can be to an angel.

And you missed out on all the joy and the gifts that God wanted Henry to give

you.

Because you killed him, Alex.

By your arrogance and your anger and your fear of being loved by another

person.

Well, you can't kill me.

And you cannot stop this prayer from being answered.

Henry's prayer, huh?

Yes.

All Henry wanted more than anything else was that you would know how much God

loved you.

And he does, Alex.

He loves you so much.

You're still his child in spite of everything.

Henry wrote in this card that he didn't know what the future would bring.

But God always knows.

And you still have a future, Alex.

Even if it's behind bars.

If you could just finally trust someone.

If you could just let God love you.

If you could turn your future over to God.

Henry has a message for you.

What is it?

He's still waiting to hear your song.

I messed up.

Got that right.

Look, I know it sounds crazy.

I met an angel out there tonight.

That doesn't sound crazy.

I mean, God gave me a gift and I blew it.

And that's why I ran tonight.

But now I realize that God gave you guys a gift too.

And you still got a chance to make something out of it.

And I know I might not be a free man for a long time now.

I know that.

I'm going to be a free man in here.

And in here.

They can take away my freedom.

But they cannot take away my music.

Not if I get out into the world with you guys.

With you.

And so I'm asking you guys for another favor.

And do it for yourselves.

Not just for me, but for a man named Henry who

really cared about guys like us.

When hope has disappeared and your heart aches,

you might not recognize the touch.

But on the other side of every dying dream,

his love is waiting patiently.

He knows every star in the sky, every single tear that you cry,

his love is dear, faithful and kind.

I know this world can be cold.

Never alone.

That's the promise for you and I.

With every angel there's a love that never leaves a tide. His love is deeper

than the ocean or mountain high. You've got to know there's a hope in

your heart.

Thank you.

I know that this world can be cold.