Hey! Hey!
Whoo!
Put your clothes on, Tarzan. Time to head back to the land of the big P.X.
You got 30 minutes to pack your gear.
Now, get a move on, son.
let’s get out of here.
Obrigado.
Over here!
See what I'm sayin'? For real! Yeah, yeah.
Check it out.
Hey. My man. Hey, you sellin'?
'Cause I got 20.
What do I get... for 20?
Hey, man. What do you think, you're the only pharmacy in town, man?
This information is basic...
to the understanding of 20th-century thought and civilization.
Charles Darwin’s theory, "Natural Selection,"...
A general description? Anybody?
- We went over all of this material yesterday. - Yo, Kerrigan.
I got your natural selection, my man.
How 'bout I naturally select to walk out of this boring-ass classroom.
God help us all.
Whoo! Outta here!
Oh.
Mr. Kerrigan?
Louis?
Maybe it's not such a good time. I- I-I can come back.
Nah. No better or worse than any other time.
No, no. Come on in, Louis.
Excuse me. It's been a rough morning.
So, the last I heard...
you were off on the great South American crusades...
training our stalwart indigenous troops...
how to fight the malignant cartels.
I spent four years fighting a lot of bureaucracy is what it comes down to.
Now I'm back, and, uh...
I'm just trying to find square one all over again.
And you think maybe I can possibly help?
Kid, you're in serious trouble.
Come on. let's go down to the feeding grounds.
What do you think of these?
They installed them a couple of years ago.
Too many kids were getting high, thinking they were Superman.
Either that or they were just throwing each other off the third story.
- Hello. - Hiya. How ya doin'?
Janitors got tired of scrapping 'em off the floor.
I signed on to be a schoolteacher, Louis, not a zookeeper.
I'm tired. I'm tired of trying to lead the horses to water...
and I and everyone else knows they're not gonna drink.
Mr. Kerrigan, people like you do not just up and quit.
They stick around and keep people like me from quitting.
There was a time, young Mr. Stevens...
when there were some students, like yourself, who were worth saving...
but... that's in the past tense.
Take a look around you at our current student body.
Seventy-five percent of them are packing weapons.
Forty-five percent are high. Eighty-one percent are living in one-parent families.
Is it any mystery that 12% of the students...
who come to Lincoln High School go full term and graduate?
Well, what about those 12%?
What about the peasants?
The ones who wanted to plant sweet potatoes and not coca leaves.
I don't see you re-upping for another four years.
No, I guess you don't.
Sorry.
I'm sorry I came here in the first place.
You'll be selling the product, or you'll be sorry.
- Now, pick it up! - Aw, man!
You better pray.
- Shay should just go ahead and... - Shay, get up, man.
Just having a little family problem here, Teach.
little brother here forgot to finish his homework last night, eh?
Why don't you let the kid go?
I just told you.
This is family matters. None of your damn business. Who is this?
First of all, I ain't a teacher.
- Oh. - Second...
I'm in a real shitty mood.
Ooh!
And third, no law says I can't make it my business.
So let the kid go!
Well, me man...
you just made it your damn business.
Get him.
Come to me.
Yes.
Boss, look at me.
Back! Get back!
Aaah!
- Yeah, mon! - Come on!
Do it again! Get him! Good, good, good!
Yeah, yeah! Get him!
Come on! Get up!
Yeah. Yeah! Come on!
- Oh! - Unreal!
He got kicked right back to Jamaica!
Louis, do you know what you just did?
You did something none of us professionals have been able to do for the last five years.
You got their attention! Hey, hey! All right! Hey!
These kids are no strangers to violence.
It's been a part of their lives since the day they were born.
look how they responded to Louis...
when he threw those dealers off campus.
And so by teaching them this, uh, this Brazilian kung fu...
Capoeira. Capoeira.
Yes, thank you... we will be channeling their hyperactive...
hormone-driven energies into something constructive.
- That's the idea. - let me get this straight.
You propose we scrape the bottom of the barrel for 12 of our worst kids.
Students who are without redemption, who are prime dropout material.
And in lieu of their gym classes, young Lawrence here...
- Louis. My name is Louis. - Teaches them this stuff...
and hopefully...
It'll show them some respect.
- Give 'em something to strive for, to work for. - Gentlemen. Gentlemen!
listen to what we're being sold here, people.
Teach violence to violent kids.
We, ve been told that this young man...
has just returned from military service in Latin America.
Doing what, pray tell? Training death squads?
Now, there's a fine role model for our disaffected youth!
Mr. Kerrigan, we tried.
- It's not gonna work. - Louis! - Wait, wait, wait.
- Hang on a second. - I know Louis.
We were both students at Lincoln together.
When he was a freshman and a sophomore...
he was a troublemaker, going nowhere like most of the kids in this school.
But someone turned him around.
His 11 th-grade social studies teacher.
Now I think he's back to try and return the favor...
and if this is a last desperate attempt to help these kids...
because what we're doing is not working...
I think it might be worth a shot.
What have we got to lose?
Hey, Dianna. Dianna, whoa.
I just wanted to say thanks.
- Thanks for talking me into it. - You're welcome, Louis.
Can I help you carry something? Your books?
Thanks. We're not in high school anymore.
No, we're not, and we shouldn't act like it.
So I can take you someplace nice now.
look. You're not getting it, are you?
I liked your proposal. I thought it was fresh and offbeat.
- Thanks. - I doubt it's gonna work, but at this point, I don't care.
I'm willing to try anything.
But just don't think that my support was based on anything other than those kids.
That's all you should expect.
- Hector. - SI’mi amor.
Will you help me with these?
Thanks.
There's the front door. Or maybe that...
Yeah, that's the front door.
- What's with the windows? - Well, we can take those out.
Yeah, that'll help.
Well, at least we got ourselves a dojo.
We got ourselves a disaster, that's what we got ourselves. look at this floor.
Somebody's been using it for a toilet, and I'm supposed to do handstands on this?
Oh, Louis, we're in a firehouse.
There's got to be hoses around in here.
A hosing ain, t gonna do it. This place needs to be nuked.
Fellas, your lease is up.
look out! look out!
Well, let's see what they sent us.
let's go, guys. Come on.
You must be kilng.
Eie. Will you just line up down here, please?
Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Kerrigan. Whatever you say.
Danny, stay in the city limits, would you?
Come on, guys. line up. Down to your left.
That’s it, gentlemen. Down to your left. Your left.
The other left. Shay, move on in here.
Right in here. Just follow him down.
That's it. Hold it. This line down here, please.
All right. let me have your attention, please, guys.
As you all know, were it not for this opportunity...
you, d probably be spending your time in detention or Mr. Casper’s gym class...
and if you, d like, those options are still available.
- looks like Shay’s place. - You get my drift?
Oh, no.
Now what?
Ooh! Mrs. Esposito!
look at that sexy mama!
Boy, did we ever scrape the bottom of that barrel.
Mrs. Esposito.
- School and juvenile records. - Ah, thanks.
Well, the Vienna Boys' Choir it ain't.
But I'm sure in a month's time they'll be saluting and calling you "sir. "
Make us proud, soldier. Ed.
I'm sticking my neck out for you. Do not make me look like a fool.
That's gonna be pretty near impossible.
All right, fellas. let’s go.
Into the firehouse. let’s line up for roll call.
Everybody. Everybody. Come on.
Hey, Shay, looks like your house.
What a shit-hole.
- Place is fallin' apart. - Those are rat holes.
look at this, man.
Hey, Kerrigan, you oughta condemn this place, man.
We could hurt ourselves here.
Okay, guy... Donovan, would you turn that off.
- What? - Turn it off!
- This is a class. - Oh.
All right.
Your instructor today... or mestre...
is Mr. Louis Stevens.
- Ooh. - Oh. The tough guy!
- He's a former graduate of Lincoln High. - He must be a loser then.
He’s also a former Green Beret.
- Ooh. - And he’s not predisposed to tolerating...
any disorder the way some of your teachers are.
He has kindly agreed to show us...
He's that punk that kicked your brother's ragged ass out on the lunch yard, man.
I'll do the same to you, faggot. Any day!
- Hey, listen up. - I think so, man.
- listen up! - Take your best shot.
Aw, I'll kick his ass later, man.
You!
I want you to turn that music up.
I said turn it up!
- Okay. Happy? - All right.
Yeah. I like that.
In capoeira, everything starts out with the ginga.
This is a ginga.
That's a ginga.
- I know that! - Yeah, that's it!
Think you got it, Eie.
- looks pretty funny, doesn't it? - Very funny.
It's the basis for moves like this.
Hey, man!
This doesn't seem to be working now, does it?
You mind?
No.
Mr. Kerrigan, you have that tape?
Now, this is the real capoeira music.
I recorded it in Brazil. It's a little different, so keep your mind open.
Hey, man, turn that voodoo music off!
Give it a chance, guys. Keep an open mind, huh?
I said turn that shit off, man.
- It's giving me a headache. - Go back to the jungle.
Ooh!
You must think I'm playing, punk.
- Ooh. - Cut him up, Orlando.
Do it, Orlando!
Hey, give me that!
Where you going?
let's dance.
He's only human.
Get up!
Will you turn that off, please?
Okay, that's class for today.
Tomorrow I want everybody to show up in baggy clothes, no shoes and ready to ginga.
That’s it, guys. You, re dismissed.
- What's your name? - Eat shit.
You want your blade back, eat shit?
His name's Orlando Oliveiras, and he has no business carrying that knife in the first place.
We're not technically on campus, are we?
- No. - Heads up, tough guy.
- Louis, what are you doing? - Tomorrow baggy clothes, huh?
Louis, that kid has got a disciplinary file as long as my arm.
He's got a cousin named Silverio...
who runs one of the toughest gangs in the city.
Mr. Kerrigan, if we don't start trusting them, why should they start trusting us?
Um, could I borrow this? I mean, just for tonight.
Just don't forget where it came from, huh?
Promise.
- You have a name? - Yeah. Uh, Donovan.
Donovan. See you tomorrow, Donovan.
- Okay. - Okay.
I hope you have another copy of that.
Yeah, I know, I know, I know. Trust them.
Thanks, Mr. Stevens.
What? Oh, this?
Well, you see, I ran your tape through a MI DI setup.
Your percussion and vocals are panned from left to right on eight...
and then I filled in the other 16 tracks with some prefab Brahms samples.
And then I aed some reverb and some delays...
and some custom-made sounds.
It's kind of like a blend of the old and the new.
I hope it's cool with you, 'cause I would not want to offend...
any of the ancient mestres or anything like that, you know.
I think they're gonna like it.
Danny.
Come on, guys.
- Hurry up. - What, are we going on a picnic here?
What, are you nuts? Come on, you big dope! Come on!
Hey, guys.
- Music any better? It's Donovan's mix. - All right.
- Huh? - Aww.
Yea!
Oh...
Okay, let's get started. Um, spread it out.
Drop your bags. Danny, drop your skateboard.
Drop your pants.
Come on, guys. let's start up with the ginga.
Shay, why don't you help me out, man.
Everybody, watch, please. Right leg out.
Then left.
Mr. Stevens.
I thought we was gonna learn how to kick ass.
- Shut up, Shay. - All right, listen up.
You can't ginga, you can't fight.
- That's the basic of it. - But, uh, Mr. Stevens...
I thought we was gonna learn how to kick ass!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Break it up!
Break it up, guys!
All right, class dismissed. Everyone, out.
Yeah! Whoo!
let's go. Except you, Shay. You stay.
- He started it! - I said you stay!
Forget you, man! I'll take detention over this shit!
Whoa, whoa. What? You wanna let your brother keep slapping you around for not selling drugs?
Or do you wanna learn how to kick ass?
Today's your big chance, man, because tomorrow...
tomorrow it's you and Eie in front of the entire class.
Now, we got the rest of the afternoon.
If you want it.
And mark.
Good. Go, Shay. One more.
That’s it. That’s it. Come to me.
Hey, Mr. Kerrigan.
Check this out. All right. Queixada, queixada, bencao.
Now, do it slow one time.
Queixada. And light and slow first one. And bam!
Good. All right. Now this time hard.
let’s do it. Don’t wuss out on me now.
All right. let's do it hard.
Queixada, queixada, and wham!
That was pretty good, man. I knew you had it in you.
- Huh? Huh? - Yeah.
All right. let's do it again.
Queixada, queixada.
let’s go, Shay!
Get up, man!
- You can take him! - Get up!
Teach him a lesson, man!
Come on. What's up? Get up!
Get up, man! You, re weak, man! Get up!
Get him!
Come on! let's go!
Come on. Get up! What’s wrong with you, bro? Get up!
let’s go, Eie. Come on, man.
Come on, Eie.
Oh, man! I felt that one!
He’s messed up.
Oh, Eie, man.
You ready to try this yet?
Mr. Kerrigan, please.
Danny, man. Come on. let's go.
That's it. That's it. loosen up.
Come on in, Donovan. Yeah.
It's easy, man.
You got it. See? There you go.
You got it, guys.
Ooh. Whoa.
Come on, Eie.
Do it, man. Come on.
Break it down, Danny.
- Go, Shay. - Whoa.
Yeah! All right, guys. Not bad.
This instrument is the berimbau.
It sets the pace for the jogo, the game.
All right, Donovan. You try to stay with my beat, huh?
Okay. Here we go.
- What do you think? - Nah, man.
- Come on, man. Just give it a try. - No, man.
I know you got this in your blood. Just try it.
You know I've got this in my blood?
Boy, you don't know caralho about me, man.
Just 'cause you read some files, you think you know about me?
Man, you don't know nothing about anybody here!
You're right. I don't. But I'm trying to learn. That's why we're here.
What are we gonna learn, huh? What are you gonna teach us?
How to play your poja bongo drums and dance around like little viados?
You're a loser, man. A loser!
lando!
Orlando!
What you lookin' at?
Why'd you walk out on the class?
- You gonna hide behind these guys all night, Orlando...
- or you gonna speak up for yourself? - I already told you.
I don't got time to be playing your poja games, man.
What do you got time for? Running little errands for your cousin?
Stealing cars and chopping them up?
Yeah, teacher, I do shit for my cousin. Everybody knows that.
Cops know that, school knows that.
I'm sure you saw it on my files.
Oh, so now what? You got something better for me?
You gonna pay my mama's rent? Are you gonna feed me with that jungle music, man?
Teacher, let me tell you something about my cousin.
He don't play no jungle music, but he takes care of business.
He takes care of his family, and he takes care of his neighborhood.
You better go, man.
We gonna see you in class tomorrow?
Hey, sacana. Now, maybe you Don’t hear so good. He said go.
Now!
look at this.
Oh, man.
So, you must be the guy. Eh, primo?
The one who teaches capoeira, eh?
You must be the cousin. Silverio.
So, tell me, teacher.
How much are they paying you on the high school?
- Enough. - Don't play with me, cu.
How much?
I got a roof over my head.
That's all I need right now.
"A roof over my head. " Ha!
You know, my friend...
it's been a long time since I met a real-life santo.
A saint. Right before my eyes. In the flesh and blood.
Tell you what, santo.
- You see all this useless garbage?
I need someone...
who can take these pieces of shit and make men out of them.
If you can teach them how to fight...
I'll give you a roof over your head like you ain't gonna believe.
And probably all the coke I can snort.
Whatever.
I'm a reasonable man.
Just tell me what you need.
You know what I need?
I need to get out of here before I puke all over your fancy shoes.
- Excuse me. - Hey, santo.
Your interview is not over yet.
I still gotta check your qualifications.
See, you Don’t fool a man...
who was born and raised in the worst barrio of Rio deJaneiro.
We, re gonna find out real quick...
who's the real capoeira mestre in this neighborhood.
You know what? You're okay, santo.
Get up.
I say, "Okay. "
Which means not good enough to train my boys here...
but good enough to train my primo.
Santo’s gonna teach you the simple shit, and when you're ready to graduate...
I'm gonna be your college...
to teach you what they don't teach you in the playgrounds.
He's my blood, santo.
I got big plans for him.
Don't be putting no crazy ideas in his head.
I, d say going there by yourself...
was not the smartest move you ever made.
look who's talkin'...
you waitin' outside the fire station alone on a night like this.
Yeah, I'd say that's pretty levelheaded, huh?
- Aaah. - Sorry.
- So why did you wait for me? - 'Cause I know that neighborhood.
And I know about Orlando's family.
- I tried to warn you. - Hey, you know me.
If someone says it's a lost cause, I'm the first sucker in line.
Uh-huh. Is that what these kids are?
They just another lost cause to you?
This time it's my backyard.
What does that mean?
It means that if I don't do something about it, I've got to live with it.
We've got to live with it.
Is this that same self-absorbed guy I used to date?
What happened to you down there?
It's okay.
- How's your hand? - I don't know.
let's find out, huh?
Oh... God! Louis, you're crazy!
- Guess the hand's better, Doc. - Take two aspirin, and Don’t call me in the morning.
Wait. It's your turn. I bet you can't even do a handstand anymore.
- You're right. - This is a challenge.
You gonna wimp out on a challenge?
Swim, or do a handstand.
- This is my choice? - This is your choice.
- All right, Mr. Show-off. - All right.
Does teacher need a spot or some help?
No, no. Just don't look when I try one.
- So you do need a spot. - All right.
- Just get back. - Drumroll, please.
Oh, my God.
Oh... Grab me!
God...
Well, your handstand needs some help, but your back bend's pretty good.
- Are you happy now? - Could be happier.
How?
Oh, my God. Louis, what are you doing?
- You're crazy. - I know.
Dianna!
Dianna, there's a rumor being circulated...
by my own students, no less...
about you and Mr. Death Squad...
who, guess what, turns out to be a former boyfriend of yours.
Since when did you start teaching current affairs, Hector?
Since you started piling on the fiction, Dianna.
look. What is going on down at that firehouse?
I don't think that's any of your business.
Although it probably wouldn't hurt for you to come down and see for yourself.
I wasn't expecting this. This is very... impressive.
So the techniques are mixed in with the dance?
And the rhythm. Yes.
Great. They've learned a more efficient way to give each other bloody noses.
Apparently, that's not all they've learned, Senor Cervantes! look!
Ordinarily that would have led to a shooting, especially with those two kids.
look at what he's done with them. And these are...
These were the 12 worst kids at Lincoln, the absolute bottom of the heap!
Hell, I'm ready to give him Casper's entire gym class!
- let's do it. - All right.
Granted, he's instilled a small degree of discipline...
but let's not blow this out of proportion.
"Out of proportion"? like taking this proposal directly to the head of the school board?
- Would that be out of proportion for you? - What proposal?
The capoeira program, Kerrigan. Citywide, at every high school in the district.
God knows, if it works at Lincoln, it'll work damn near anywhere. You shut up!