There's a moment of orderly silence before a football play begins.
Players are in position, linemen are frozen,
and anything is possible.
Then, like a traffic accident, stuff begins to randomly collide.
From the snap of the ball to the snap of the first bone
is closer to four seconds than five.
One Mississippi.
Joe Theismann, the Redskins quarterback
takes the snap and hands off to his running back.
Two Mississippi.
It's a trick play, a flea-flicker,
and the running back tosses the ball back to the quarterback.
Three Mississippi.
Up to now the play's been defined by the what the quarterback sees.
It's about to be defined by what he doesn't.
Four Mississippi.
Lawrence Taylor is the best defensive player in the NFL
and has been from the time he stepped onto the field as a rookie.
He will also change the game of football as we know it.
...And we'll look at it with the reverse angle one more time.
And I suggest if your stomach is weak you just don't watch...
Legendary quarterback Joe Theismann never played another down of football.
Now, y'all would guess that more often than not
the highest paid player on an NFL team is the quarterback.
And you'd be right.
What you probably don't know is that more often than not
the second highest paid player is, thanks to Lawrence Taylor,
a left tackle.
Because, as every housewife knows,
the first check you write is for the mortgage
but the second is for the insurence.
And the left tackle's job is to protect the quarterback
form what he can't see coming. To protect his blind side.
The ideal left tackle is big, but a lot of people are big.
He is wide in the butt and massive in the thighs.
He has long arms, giant hands and feet as quick as a hiccup.
This is a rare and expensive combination
the need for which can be traced to that Monday night game
and Lawrence Taylor.
For on that day he not only altered Joe Theismann's life,
but mine as well.
Mr. Oher?
Do you understand..? Do you know why I'm here?
To... investigate?
Yes. To investigate.
I'm here to investigate your odd... predicament.
Do you find it odd? Your predicament?
Michael?...
I dunno.
Can I... can I leave now?
No. You can't.
# Strange face, with your eyes #
# So pale and sincere #
# Underneath, you know well #
# You have nothing to fear #
# For the dreams that came to you #
# when you were young #
# Told of a life where #
# Spring has crawled #
# You would seem so frail #
# In the cold of the night #
# When the armies of emotion #
# Go out to fight #
# But while the earth #
# sinks to its grave #
# You sail to the sky #
# On the crest of a wave #
They said you were the coach.
Burt Cotton.
Tony Hamilton, but everybody just calls me big Tony.
Hey, Big Mike! Check it out.
Not even locked!
White people are crazy.
I promised my mama Boo, on her deathbed
that I'd get my son Steven outta public school and into a church school.
I appreciate that, Tony. But I'm not involved with admissions.
I just figured maybe I'd come to talk to you,
seeing as you might need some players.
What kind of sport is he playing?
Anything with a ball. Boy's good, too.
Classes start in a week. It would have to be for the next semester.
I know, what you're thinking, Coach. But, look here, I got money, all right?
See I'm a mechanic at Wilson's Auto the other side of town.
Look, what if somebody drops out or moves?
Could they get in then?
"They?" You only mentioned one son.
That's right, Steven. But there's another boy.
- Another boy? - Yeah.
Big Mike.
Sleeps on my couch from time to time.
It's a bad deal. You know, his mama's on the crack pipe.
He ain't got nobody else.
He just wanted to come along for the ride.
- They're here? - Yeah.
The little one, that's Steven
and the big one...
Big Mike.
Swish!
Mike!
Come on!
Mother of God...
Steven Hamilton's paperwork looks acceptable to me.
And I believe he would do fine.
- But this other kid... - Big Mike.
Michael Oher gives us no reason to believe that,
based on his record, that he would be successful here.
How bad could it be?
We're not exactly sure how old he is due to his lack of records.
He has a measured IQ of 80. Which is 6th percentile.
His grade point average begins with zero.
Zero-point-six.
Everyone passed him along
they gave him D's so they could hand their problem off to the next school.
He's a brave kid.
For wanting to come here.
For wanting a quality education.
An education denied him by the poor quality of the schools he's attended.
I tell you most kids with his background
wouldn't come within two hundred miles of this place.
Coach Cotton, we understand your interest in this young man's athletic abilities.
Now, he wouldn't be able to play sports until he got his grades up anyway.
Forget sports!
Look at the wall.
Christian.
We either take that seriously or we paint over it.
You don't admit Michael Oher because of sports,
you admit him because it's the right thing to do.
Class, this is Mike Oher and he's new here
so I expect you all to make him feel welcome.
Mike, just take any empty seat.
This is a quiz based on the information you learned last year
in your science curriculum.
Don't worry. It's not gonna be graded.
I just want to see how much information we need to hit again.
Just answer whatever you know.
Thank you.
- Can I leave now? - Yeah.
Take your book.
Why should he always stay in our home?
- He's gonna eat all our food. - This is not true.
I try to be Christian about the son. All right?
Let somebody else be Christian about this kid.
You want me to throw him out on the street like some dog?
Let somebody else take over the responsibility!
Should I throw him out on the street?
He's here all the time. I just want to be with you!
All right. All right. Whatever
You win. I'll take care of it.
I don't care if Patrick Ramsey approved the chair.
He's the NFL quarterback not Martha frickin' Stewart.
Because there's a difference between Bunny Williams and a La-Z-boy.
No. See, when MTV Cribs comes to his house
he's gonna be showing off his home theatre
all I'm gonna see is a brown Barcalounger.
No. No, listen to me. I'm the designer, my name is on it.
Deliver what I ordered! All right? Thank you.
- What'd I miss? - Collins has just got a dig.
It's a girl's volleyball, Mom. You didn't miss anything.
- Come on Collins! Move your feet! Come on! - Good job, Collins!
Go!
Collins, we're gonna wait for you outside.
But don't double condition in the shower, you have homework!
I'm going over to Cannon's to study.
SJ! SJ, do not go to the girl's locker room again.
Come here! SJ, come here!
Well, the big kid's been here for a month
he's still not cutting in my class.
Why does Admissions do this?
I mean, it's not fair to us or the boy.
Just setting him up to fail.
I don't think, he has any idea what I'm teaching.
And how would you know if he did? He won't even talk.
- He writes. - His name. Barely.
He thew this in the trash can.
"I look and I see white everywhere:
white walls, white floors, and a lot of white people.
The teachers do not know I have no idea of anything they are talking about.
I do not want to listen to anyone, especially the teachers.
They are giving homework and expecting me
to do the problems on my own.
I have never done homework in my life.
I go to the bathroom, look in the mirror and say,
"This is not Michael Oher. "
He entitled it "White Walls. "
How's the spelling?
Hi.
Smile at 'em.
It lets them know you're their friend.
You're Big Mike, right?
I'm Sean. But everyone calls me SJ.
It's for Sean junior,
my Father's name is Sean. Sean Tuohy.
He was a basketball star at Ole Miss, point guard,
now he owns like a million Taco Bells.
Manana.
- Who is that SJ? - Big Mike.
Get you feet off my dash.
Thank you. Put on your seatbelt!
Big Mike?
Mike, I got a call from someone at the police department.
Do you remember the story in the papers awhile back about...
a man who fell off an overpass?
No one knew who he was and or if he jumped, or...
Umm... anyway he... he passed away.
Mike, that man was your father.
They've been looking for somebody to notify and they...
They found your name on our registry.
I'm really sorry, son.
Were you close to him?
When's the last time you saw him?
I dunno.
www.frendz4m.com
- He knows it! - Who knows it and what does he know?
The material. Michael Oher. I gave him this test verbally.
Is that even allowed? A "C."
On how big a curve? He's been listening all along.
It's amazing what he's absorbed. And trust me. He's listening to you, too.
Now, his reading level is low
and he's got no idea how to learn in the classroom.
I'm not saying he's going to pass but Big Mike is not stupid.
- Hey. - What, Mom?
- Good job. - Yes?
Good job. Hey, I got a question for you.
Go.
There was a little girl about two rows back.
What was her name?
- Oh, that was Kinsey. - Kinsey. Yeah.
I saw your little indian feathers get all ruffled up.
Yeah. She's nice.
SJ, don't let this go to your head but I thought you were
very convincing in the role of...
- Indian Number Three. - Yes.
I tried out for the Chief but they gave it to Andy Sung.
I can't be sure, but I think there was some multicultural bias thing working.
Or maybe they just thought he'd make a better chief.
Dad, he's like Chinese.
Yeah and you're Irish.
And if you weren't the Chief, how did you get that headdress?
Dad, I'm gonna need a few more of those free Quesadilla tickets.
And where does the acorn fall?
Hey, don't laugh too hard. The Quesadilla saved our ass.
Don't use the a-word.
What is he wearin'?
It's freezing.
What is his name again?
Big Mike.
Where is he going?
Hey, Big Mike! Where you headin'?
Gym...
Go ahead.
Turn around.
Big Mike... Stop the car.
Big Mike.
Hey, my name is Leigh Anne Tuohy. My kids go to Wingate.
You said you're going to the gym?
The school gym's closed.
Why were you going to the gym?
Big Mike?! Why were you going to the gym?
Because... it's warm.
Do you have any place to stay tonight?
Don't you dare lie to me.
I've seen that look many times.
She's about to get her way.
Come on.
SJ, make room.
Get inside.
Come on.
- Where are we going? - Home.
Oh no! That's my favourite part.
So cute.
How'd the dork do in the school play?
Umm... Okay.
Collins, you know Big Mike from school?
I'd give you the guest bedroom but it's full of sample boxes.
And the sectional in the family room slides apart when you sleep on it.
At least that's what Sean says.
Mr. Tuohy sleeps on the coach?
Only when he's bad. All right.
The powder room's right there and we will be upstairs if you need us.
All right? Right.
Sleep tight, honey.
- Was this a bad idea? - What?
Don't lie there and pretend like you're not thinking the same thing as me.
Fine, tell me what you're thinking
so I know what's supposed to be on my mind.
How well do you know Big Mike?
In case you haven't noticed he doesn't have much to say.
What's the big deal? It's just for one night, right?
It is just one night, right? Leigh Anne?
You don't think he'll steal anything, do you?
I guess we'll know in the morning.
Well if you hear a scream call the insurence adjustor.
Mike?
Big Mike?!
Mike?
Big Mike!
You gonna make me walk all the way?
All right then.
Where are you going?
I dunno.
Well, are you spending Thanksgiving with your family?
- Come and get it, childs! - Yeah, baby!
Let's eat
Come on!
We have a rebel turkey.
Everyone thank your mother for driving to the store and getting this.
- Thank you, mama. - Thank you, mama.
Food and football.
Eat all you want.
Come on.
Hustle, hustle! We got to get back to the game.
Oh yeah!
- Don't take my spot. - You rushin' us, dad.?
- SJ, slow down. - Come on.
- No. - That's just fantastic.
Oh, y'all forgot the potato salad!
- How's Ole Miss doing? - kick-in butt.
Sean, salad.
- All right, Mom. - Oh, good. Thanks, Mama.
Yeah, Mama.
- Come on! - Come on!
He wants to be back.
- Hey! Mom! - Whoa.
But it's Thanksgiving.
Wow.
- Why are we in here? - Shhh!
Shall we say grace?
Heavenly Father. We thank you for all the many blessings on this family.
We thank you for bringing us a new friend.
And we ask that you look after us on this holiday season
that we may never forget how very fortunate we are.
- Amen. - Amen.
- SJ, the score? - Up by ten.
Collins, can you pass me the green beans, please?
Don't pick it with your fingers just take a spoon. Okay.
- SJ! Elbows! - Sorry.
So, Big Mike. You like to shop?
Because tomorrow I think I'll have to show you how it's done.
I got clothes.
You "have" clothes.
And an extra T-shirt in a plastic bag does not a wardrobe make.
I have clothes.
Fine, let's go get 'em. Just tell me where I'm going.
All right. Tell me everything I need to know about you.
Who takes care of you? A mother?
Do you have a mother? A grandmother maybe?
Tell you what, Big Mike.
We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way.
You take your pick.
Fine.
Tell me just one thing I should know about you. Just... just one.
I don't like to be called Big Mike.
Okay.
Tell you what, from now on, to me, you're Michael. Okay?
So,... Michael, where we headed?
everything, right?
Savi. Savi, give it to me.
She's just the...
- Hey, B.J. - Hey.
- That's nice - Yo. Check it.
- Yay. - S7.
For real. Yeah.
You like that?
Do you know them?
Man, I got no idea.
Is this where your mother lives?
- Let's go get 'em. - No. Don't get out.
Who's going to help you carrying your clothes, Michael?
Don't get out of the car.
No way.
Oh, that's Big Mike, man.
Oh, Big Mike is in the house!
Big Mike! Where you been, baby?!
And who's that fine thing that driving you around like Ms. Daisy?
Hey, Dave.
You need to let me buy you new snickers, man.
I'm gonna take care, you know.
I run this over here and the whole Village, baby. Got it?
Look at that.
Hey. Hey, D. Watch this.
They always go for the wing. Watch this. Big.
Dear snowflake.
You like that? Yeah.
She wasn't home.
Well, we can come back.
She probably moved to a nicer place.
I've lived in Memphis my whole life and never been anywhere near here.
You're going to take care of me, right?
I got your back.
Here we go.
Oh, we also got apparel for the ladies.
But everything we got that'd fit him is right here.
This is it?
If this is all you got, why's it say "Big and Tall" on the sign?
Big and Tall. You need "Bigger and Taller. "
- Holler if you need me. - Thank you.
You see anything, you like?
Hey. I got a just what you're looking for.
Well, one thing I know about shopping is
that if you don't absolutely love it in the store, you won't wear it.
The store is where you like it best.
So before you choose something think of yourself wearing it
and say to yourself: Is this me?
Hmm.
What about this one?
This is not atrocious.
All right, well, you go look over there and I'll go look over here.
Who would make this many clothes out of plastic?
Good Lord... What is this made of?
That's the one? That's the one you like?
All right then.
Have a great day. Learn something!
Don't get your panties in a wad.
The best part about Paris was the food. They use sauce like we use gravy.
I had to join a gym the day I got back.
Any of y'all spent much time on the other side of town?
- Where exactly are you talking about? - Alabama Street... Hurt Village.
Hurt Village - that sounds like a threat.
You're not far off.
- I think it might "hurt" me to go there. - It'd hurt your reputation to go there.
Well actually I'm from there but didn't mind hard work
and look where I am now.
Eating an eighteen dollar salad.
And it's a little soggy to be honest.
Leigh Anne? What is this sudden interest in the projects?
Is this another one of your charities?
Wait. A project for the projects.
Oh, that's catchy. Money would raise itself.
Okay. Count me in, Leigh Anne.
Break out your checkbooks.
SJ, you have two more minutes on that playbox thing, all right?
Oh, Mom!
Michael, do you want to stay here?
I mean... if you want to stay here... for awhile longer...
I can find some time to figure out a bedroom for you.
Because look at this, you've practically ruined a ten thousand dollar couch.
You want to stay here, Michael?
I don't want to go anyplace else.
Well all right then.
- SJ, you'd better be off that playbox. - That wasn't two minutes.
Good night Mrs. Tuohy.
I see on the admission that we're Michael's contact
for medical emergencies?
Sean wrote that in last week.
We needed contact number and the ones listed weren't in service.
Sean loves that man.
What's this?
The state makes schools measure for career aptitude in the eighth grade.
and this just came with his file.
What does it say about Michael?
Spatial relations - third percentile. Ability to learn - fifth percentile.
It's funny though. He tested in the 98th percentile in one category.
- Which one? - "Protective instincts. "
So over here we have a desk. Chest o'drawers.
Over here a night stand, a light, alarm.
Sean says all the pro athletes use futons if they can't find a bed big enough.
So I got you one of those 'course the frame was heinous.
Not about to let that in my house. But I got you someyhing nicer.
- It's mine? - Yes, sir.
What?
Never had one before.
What? A room to yourself?
A bed.
Well, you have one now.
Okay. Define osmosis.
I think I know what.
It's when water passes through a barrier.
That's basically right. Michael we'll get it.
Name the combatants in the battle of Waterloo.
I know that one. Umm...
The little guy, Napoleon... He was on one side and...
- ... and a duke was on the other. - Duke of Wellington.
Yeah. And the Duke of Wellington and Russia or something.
Prussia.
Enough with the rugby shirts. You look like a giant bumble bee.
That Taco Bell, KFC catty corner. The Long John Silvers on the next block.
- You owe all of 'em? - Yeah. We've got like hundreds.
Eighty-five.
Is that why Mr. Tuohy don't have to go to work?
Ho! Ho! Hey! I'm working even when I'm not working.
What?
And you eat at all those places for free?
All you want. It's awesome.
What do y'all do with the leftover food? From the restaurant?
Well, we have to throw some of it out. What's already been cooked.
- That's too bed. - Yeah. I'd rather sell it.
Seems like you could give it away or something?
- You should check into that, Daddy. - All right, I will, SJ.
How come we're not eatin' at one of your restaurants tonight?
Because tonight is a special occasion.
What?
I talked to Coach Cotton and he said that Michael's grades have improved enough
that he can go out for spring football in March.
Isn't that great?
Oh, man! You are gonna crush some people!
- Hey, guys. How we doin'? - Great. Thank you.
I've got a design book I need to get. Sean, go check on our reservation.
They're gonna seat us right away. Can't it wait until after dinner?
Might be closed by then! Come on, SJ.
- Please. - I need some new magazines.
Michael, come on. Come on.
Collins! Collins!
Collins. Come on! Your dad's already PO'ed.
- Lets' go. Come on. - Over here.
Mike.
You remember this one, Mom?
You read it to us like a thousand times.
"And he gnashed his terrible teeth and he roared his terrible roar. "
I always liked this one.
Oh, Ferdinand... Me too.
Michael, your mama ever read either one of those books to you?
Huh?
How cute.
It was a good steak.
- Thank you, Daddy. - Thank you for a lovely dinner, Papa.
Here we go.
Michael?...
Who was that boy you were talking to at the restaurant?
Marcus.
Marcus. And he works there?
Yeah.
How do you know him?
He's my brother.
Well, we'd really like to meet him someday.
Would that be okay with you?
I don't know where he stays.
When was the last time you saw him?
When I was little maybe.
"Once upon a time in Spain, there was a little bull and his name was Ferdinand.
All the other little bulls he lived with would run and jump
and butt their heads together,
but not Ferdinand.
He liked to sit just quietly and smell the flowers.
He had a favorite spot out in the pasture under a cork tree.
It was his favorite tree
and he would sit in its shade all day and smell the flowers. "
- Good night. - Good night.
What?
Why are you smiling?
I don't know. I'm just happy. Real happy.
Does this happiness have anything to do with Michael?
No.
It has everything to do with Michael.
Happy's good.
You know what I think we should do?
We should start a charity for kids like Michael.
Okay.
- Maybe fund a program at Wingate. - Sure.
Lord knows that school could use a little color.
Michael's like a fly in milk in that place.
Are you listening to me?
I try to concentrate on one... thing... at a time.
You knew I was a multi-tasker when you married me, right?
- I sure did. - All right. Okay. Let's check it.
Okay. Tuohy family. Big smiles everyone!
And, one, two, three...
Michael! Michael come over here and get in the next one.
Come on. Come on. Come on down.
Oh, come on. It's not like I'm gonna put it on the Christmas card.
Okay, let's scootch in a little tighter.
That's good.
Really big smiles.
Okay, one, two three... say Rebels!
"Rebels"
I got it.
- Who's winning? - Tennessee.
- Who are they playing? - Clemson.
Your mom roots against Tennessee no matter who they play?
Oh, yes, I do. With gusto.
She can't stand Tennessee.
Collie-bell, I thought you were going over to your boyfriend's?
I thought I'd hang around here today.
I like that.
Hey, baby. There's a coupla messages on the machine but I didn't check 'em.
All right.
Hey, Sean, hey, Leigh Anne, It's cousin Bobby. Happy New Years!
Listen, I've had about five cold ones...
- Of course you heve - So I'm... I'm just gonna go ahead and ask...
Ya'll know there's a colored boy in your Christmas Card?
What?
You just looked teeny-tiny next to him. Right? Like Jessica Lange and King Kong.
Hey, does Michael get the family discount at Taco Bell?
Because if he does Sean's gonna lose a few stores.
He's a great kid.
Well, I say make it official and just adopt him.
He's gonna be eighteen in a few months.
Doesn't really make much sense to legally adopt.
Leigh Anne, is this some sort of white guilt thing?
What will your daddy say?
Umm... before or after he turns over in his grave?
Daddy's been gone five years Elaine,
make matters worse you were at the funeral.
Remember? You were Chanel and that awful black hat.
Look, here's the deal.
I don't need y'all to approve my choices, all right?
But I do ask that you respect them.
You've no idea what this boy's been through.
And If this is going to be some running diatribe
I can find an overpriced salad a lot closer to home.
Leigh Anne, I'm so sorry. We didn't intend to-
No. We didn't really.
I think, what you're doing is so great.
To open up your home... to him.
Honey, you're changing that boy's life.
No.
He's changing mine.
That's awesome for you, but what about Collins?
What about Collins?
Aren't you worried, I mean, even just a little?
He's a boy, a large, black boy,
sleeping under the same roof.
Shame on you.
I've got this.
Be honest with me, okay?
Does Michael being here make you uncomfortable?
They're stupid kids, who cares what they say.
What kids?
At school.
They're juvenile.
And what do they juvenile kids say?
It's really not worth repeating.
And don't worry about SJ; he likes all the attention.
He introduces Michael as his big brother.
- What about you? - It's fine.
I mean, you can't just throw him out on the street.
I can make other arrangements.
- Hi, Mike. - Hi.
- Need a push? - Yeah.
Higher, Mike! Higher!
Higher!
Don't look down. Don't look down!
- Where are you going? - Collins?
Quit looking at me like that.
I mean, we study together at home.
You know how much those things weigh? This kid's gonna make us all famous.
Easy, Burt, man. It's only the spring
he hasn't even been through his first practice yet.
No. He's a player.
Ready.
Get down, son. Get down in your stance.
In your stance!
Go!
Mike! Son!
You fought off the block and then you wanna shuck - shuck the blocker.
Right? Shuck him! All right? Let's go!
Papa?
How's he doing?
Doesn't quite get the hang of it yet.
Hey, Mike. Son...
Shuck the blocker. Don't hold him!
No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No! No.
Balloons! There are balloons!
Guys, quit looking at the balloons. Everybody.
Most kids from bad situations can't wait to be violent
and that comes out on the field.
This kid, he acts like he doesn't want to hit anyone.
He's Ferdinand the Bull.
- What? - Nothing.
I thought sure he was gonna be a player.
I can't believe I used up my chits to get him in school.
I thought you said it was your Christian duty?
Look, Burt. He's never even played before.
And he won't this fall if he doesn't improve a lot before then.
Who died and made him Bear Bryant?
Unbelievable!
Oh, God bless me.
This is your summer workout sheet.
Now, first it says to warm up and get loose.
Go ahead, get loose.
Are you loose?
Okay, next it's five one hundred yard runs to stretch out your legs.
Let's go home, play some video games.
Look, everybody at Wingate is expecting you to be a star football player.
You don't want to let them down, do you?
I dunno.
What about Dad and Mom?
'Cause you see, in our family everyone's an athlete.
Dad was a basketball star,
Collins plays volleyball and runs track.
And me, as you know, I do it all.
And Mom... Mom was a cheerleader,
which doesn't exactly count but don't tell her I said that.
- Okay? - Okay.
Okay.
...fifty, fifty-one,
fifty-two, fifty-three...
Come on and get it! Go, go, go, go, go!
Come on. Five seconds left in the game!
Just like! Just like!
High knees, high knees, high knees! baby.
Run like the wind!
Go, Michael, go!
...ninety-eight, nine,
one hundred.
Move your feet! Move your feet! Come on! Come on! Come on!
Go. There you go.
Get on the tackle! Come on! Come on! Come on!
Come on, Michael!
www.frendz4m.com
Mrs. Tuohy?
I hear "Mrs. Tuohy" I look over my shoulder for my mother-in-law.
Call me Leigh Anne or Mama or almost anything else.
- Can you help me get something? - What?
Driver's license.
Why do you need a driver's license when you don't even have a car?
Michael, why do you want a driver's license?
Something to carry. With my name on it.
There's no one by the name of Michael Oher in the system.
Another last name perhaps?
Look, I will sign something that says he lives with us
and we'll pay for all the insurence; whatever it takes, okay?
What's it gonna take?
- You wanna do what?! - You heard me.
- Shouldn't we at least talk about this? - What do you think we're doing?
And don't act like I'm going behind your back.
I know you put us down as Michael's medical contact at school.
There's a huge difference between paying for broken arm
and being legally responsible for someone.
I mean a kid we barely know.
That's another thing. We need to find out more about his past.
He won't talk about it. He's like an onion,
you have to peel him back a layer at a time.
Not if you use a knife.
What if we took him to a child psychologist or something?
- Do you really expect Big Mike- - "Michael"
You really expect Michael to lie down on a coach and talk about his childhood
like he's Woody Allen or something?
I mean, Michael's gift is his ability to forget.
He's mad at no one and he really didn't care what happened in the past.
You're right.
Excuse me?
"You're right?"
How'd those words taste coming out of your mouth?
Like vinegar.
At least promise me you'll think about it.
All right.
"All right" you'll think about it or "all right" we should do it?
Is there a difference?
Just tell Gerald to hold on to the chiffonier and I will be by there after awhile.
You don't... I got to call you back. Bye.
Excuse me.
I'm not cutting, I'm just asking. Let me tell you something, all right?
We've been sitting around here for over an hour
and when i look around and all I see
is people shooting the bull and drinking coffee.
Who runs this place?
Well, I'd have it in shape in two days, I can tell you that.
I'd bet you would. How can I help you?
- Oh, he was first. - No, you go ahead.
- I think I want to hear this - Me too.
I do not appreciate the attitude.
Ma'am, now you can tell me what you want
or I'll make sure you wait all day.
Now how can I help you?
I'd like to become a legal guardian.
Lord help that child.
There's very little on Michael. Most of his files have been lost.
- What is in there? - A few case notes.
This one describes an incident where officers forcibly removed Michael
from Denise Oher's care when Michael was seven.
Quite a scene evidently. They had to split up the kids.
And it's far from the worst.
Where is she? His mother?
I dunno, if you find her we got a hep more files we could add to.
- How many kids does she have? - At least a dozen, probably.
If not more. With her drug arrest record
my guess would be she can't even remember.
May I see that?
So we would need her permission, right?
No. Michael is a ward of the state.
Just apply and get a judge to sign off on it.
So you would just give him away without even telling his mother?
Mrs. Oher?
Hi.
Mrs. Oher?
- You from the state? - No.
My name is Leigh Anne Tuohy and your son Michael lives with me.
And my family.
How is my boy? How's big Mike?
He's fine. He's doing real well.
We might have some wine in the kitchen, if you...
Oh, no, no, no. That's real kind.
When did you last see Michael?
I don't know.
How many foster kids you got living with you?
Oh, I'm not a foster parent to Michael. We were just helping him out.
- State don't pay you nothing? - No.
And you feed him? You buy him clothes, too?
Well, when we can find them in his size.
You a fine Christian lady.
Well I try to be.
This is all real nice what you're doing,
but don't be surprised if one day you wake up and he gone.
- What do you mean? - He's a "runner. "
That's what the state called him after they took him from me.
Every foster home they sent him to,
he'd slip out the window at night and come looking for me.
No matter where I was that boy would come find me, take care of me.
I've had some health problems.
Mrs. Oher, was Michael born under a different name?
Proctor. That was his Daddy's last name.
- Where is he? - I ain't seen him since he left.
And when was that?
Week after was Mike born?
Do you happen to have his birth certificate?
It's all right. I'll figure it out.
Mrs. Oher, you'll always be Michael's Mama.
Would you like to see him?
No. Not this way.
It's Williams.
His last name is Williams.
Couldn't even remember who the boy's father is.
The colors are better, the graphic is bright. It's awesome!
Michael, we have something we'd like to ask you.
What?
Leigh Anne and I, we...
Well...
We'd like to become your legal guardians.
What's that mean?
What it means is, is that we want to know
if you'd like to become a part of this family?