Being an addict, helping other addicts come out the other side,
surviving in this game has taught me one thing:
Eight times out of ten, the person standing in your way,
look in the mirror.
For the last time, I'm not interested in your wife.
Now, when I say standing in your way, I'm talking more than just recovery,
and I'm talking more than just using.
Angie. Angie.
No, no, no.
I'm talking about the hard-wiring that makes us all tick.
That place between our ears that makes it all seem wrong
when actually it's all right.
Of course, there are times in this gig and in life
when other people get in your way.
And that would be the other two out of ten you gotta factor in.
Let's sit over here.
Oh, man, you...
You got a moist towelette, or anything?
Not on me.
Just thought with your line of work, with the puke and fluids and the mess,
you'd have that kind of stuff handy.
- Yeah, sorry. - I'll just let the sugar crystallize.
- Take it to my shoe guy. - Hey, whatever works.
Hey, that's not cool.
Not cool.
You gotta be fluid in this world, what with the problems, big and little.
- Yeah, fluidity is, you know... - It's key to success in all areas.
- So, Ron... - Adaptability.
You can't let expectations rule one's emotions.
- Why did you call me down here? - Bobby Carmichael.
Expectation was, 12 days from now, Bobby Carmichael
was gonna be in Vegas defending his heavyweight title.
Yeah, I already bought it on pay-per-view.
But now we are all adapting to a new situation.
What has Bobby got himself twisted into this time?
Well, he can't seem to climb out of the bottle,
among other things.
- What are the charges? - DUI, late last night.
- Anybody call the press? - No.
Under the radar, so far.
And he was only influenced by alcohol?
So sayeth the Breathalyzer.
Good news is, I got Judge David...
Yeah, you know Judge David.
- To appoint him into your custody.
- My custody? - Oh, yeah.
- My custody? - Right.
Ron, you're moving a little fast here.
No, no. It's the only way we can move here, William.
The world spins fast, so you gotta hang on or it'll throw you off.
So here's the deal.
Bobby Carmichael is looking at this shot as his comeback, okay?
Shit, nobody knows more about grabbing a shot than you do, right?
The only way the court is gonna punch his card out of here
is if he's handed off to you or another one of your sober compadres.
You want this? I'm not gonna eat it.
Come on, he needs you.
Look at it this way. You got all the power.
If he doesn't do what you say, he goes to jail, serves his ten days,
he scratches the fight, the world looks and laughs.
He's just another stinking drunk that wants to stay drunk.
Hey.
Hey, handsome. How you doing, brother?
You're looking good. Treating you all right?
Yeah, it's all good. Slept it off in the captain's office.
What's up with narrow eyes over here?
You got Charles Bronson in here with you today?
Hey, Bobby, come on, this is William Banks.
He's the guy you stick with to please the court.
He doesn't like what you say or do, you're back here.
How you doing?
What, you're gonna turn your back on me?
Because that worked out real well for you against Hampton in '99.
Oh, that's right. He cleaned your clock in the sixth.
What did you say?
It was a good night for me, actually.
I won 500 bucks.
So you wanna do this over again? Be polite.
Nice to meet you.
You got that tough love, huh?
Ain't about love, man. I can assure you of that.
All right, Billy Boy, bring it.
It's William.
Let's keep it formal.
- This will be fun. - Yeah, it will be fun.
These two will be with you at all times, especially when I'm not.
We're gonna need full access to the house.
- We're gonna wanna do a sweep... - Hold it, a sweep for what?
Make sure we don't find anything
that's gonna make you fail that piss test in front of David.
A little mistake last night, but it's all good.
- What's going on? - I'm leaving.
- After last night... - Look, you ain't going anywhere.
- Last night was a misunderstanding. - Well, it's always a misunderstanding.
Listen. Listen, sweetheart, let Mommy and Daddy talk, all right?
- Baby... - No, don't you baby me.
Baby...
I've never, ever misunderstood how much I love you.
Now, that's always been clear.
Okay?
Excuse me, Mrs. Carmichael?
Mrs. Carmichael.
My name is William. This is Akani and Swenton.
We're sorry to be so intrusive in your house,
but we're gonna have to look everywhere.
I understand how it works.
This can only work if Bobby wants it to work.
That's what I've been telling him.
I'm standing here. Y'all wanna include me in the conversation?
Sorry, baby, we just wanna get you good this time.
Was there something wrong with me last time?
Suzanna's ready at camp.
I have to pick up my other daughter at day camp.
Come on, baby.
Why don't you put your eyeballs back in your head, son.
I'm gonna start upstairs.
Akani, he's got a home gym in the garage. Check out the trainer.
Swenton, talk to the nanny when she gets back.
Come on, give me what you got. All right.
Good, Bobby. Good, Bobby, good.
Quicker, quicker, quicker. Low as you can.
- All right. - We'll work it out.
What's up? You shorten the ropes or something?
Yeah, I used the rest of it to hang myself with.
Hold on. Hold on a second.
- What, is gin part of your training? - You shitting me?
Which one of you did this?
All right, you, out of here. Let's go, take off.
You better back up off of me, dawg.
Hold up, man. You just can't tell Deuce to leave.
Oh, yes, I can. Let's go, take off.
You, Bobby, man, tell this clown I ain't the one.
No drugs, no alcohol, zero tolerance.
- He stays. - He stays?
Then I go.
Look, if you wanna bullshit these guys, it's up to you, all right?
Get into that ring twisted up, that's on me.
We had an agreement.
If you don't wanna hold up your end of the bargain,
I got no problem having County serve you your meals for ten days.
How about that?
You're gonna blow your chance for a championship fight over a drink?
Look at my boy. Working that tough love, huh?
Have a nice life. Pleasure.
- Bobby. - All right, all right, all right.
Deuce, you're gone, man.
Come on, go.
Go, now.
- Go, Deuce. Now. - This is bullshit.
Man, Billy Boy, you always this kind of killjoy?
- Hey, you've got a second? - What's up?
Something inside.
He pissed clean for narcotics.
You sure he's not taking all of this shit too?
It's not him.
Yeah, most of this stuff would stay in his system too long.
All right, then who's got the pharmacy?
It's Angie. It's gotta be Bobby's wife.
So, what do we do?
Let's take her drugs away. See what happens.
Look, we found 14 different kinds of pills in the house.
Well, it's a big house. A lot of people live here.
Look, Ron, she needs a program.
- Even if she did, he won't go for that. - What are you talking about?
- Bobby won't allow it. - Won't allow what?
He won't allow her to go to meetings anymore.
It may not be normal, but it's their own thing.
May not be normal? Ron, the woman is a walking pharmacy.
You're here to fix him, not her.
Hi, guys.
Hello.
- What's going on, Sookie? - Damn.
- He ain't here. - Where is he?
In the steam room.
God, are you just gonna hover over Bobby all day?
Yep.
You got nothing better to do, huh?
I can't help it. I love the smell in here.
- Besides, you don't leave his side. - That's my job, girlie.
Well, now it's mine too.
What?
What the hell is this all about? What are you doing?
Hold that.
My dad was a partner in a small gym in Osaka.
Mostly fly and lightweights.
Which was great for my skinny ass
because I thought I could have been pretty great.
There you go.
He didn't think it was ladylike to wanna fight,
so he only allowed me to clean the gym.
So that's my story. What's yours?
I've been working this goddamn kid since he was 14 years old.
- Is he a natural fighter? - No.
Didn't know his ass from his elbow.
But he could smack the white off your teeth with one punch.
He went on to become champion of the world.
- He became... - An addict.
That's the label you goddamn people put on him.
It's one he put on himself, Sookie.
Yeah.
Whatever.
Hi.
Need some help?
You know how to do laundry or braid hair?
Actually, herringbone, French, Dutch and cascade.
If you can believe that.
I had two sisters, three nieces and a little twist of my own
from '97 to '99,
which is a bit more Pippi Longstocking than I feel comfortable talking about.
- Okay. - I'm Arnie.
Liz. I'm the nanny.
Judging by your lack of visible tattoos and piercings,
I'm gonna say you're not from Los Angeles.
Sandusky, Ohio.
And you moved because...
The only way of getting into the movies in Sandusky is buying a ticket.
So...
is Angie always like this?
Like what?
You know what I'm talking about. As a mom?
No.
Well, when I first got the job,
they actually hired me to look after the kids while she got clean.
You know that.
She was actually really great for a while.
And then...
Then it...
Didn't work out, because she's an addict.
I'm taking you away from here to detox.
What about Angie? Your wife's got a problem with pills.
You don't talk about my wife.
You don't think about my wife.
And you sure as hell don't look at my wife.
Well, with all the drugs we found in your bathroom,
it's hard for me to look away.
She don't have a problem. She don't do drugs, she don't...
If she's mixing three or more pills with whatever else she's taking,
she's gonna suffer renal failure.
- I already told you, man, she ain't... - Right, she doesn't have a problem.
Look, I can't let you stay here if she's using.
I'll get you clean, Bobby, but I need to treat Angie as well.
She ain't using, so leave her out of this.
- Cool. - Very.
Wait, where are you taking him? Where are you taking him?
Listen to me. Listen to me, please! Please.
Baby, baby, wait. I can stop. Please, don't go.
- Angie, he can't be around drugs. - No, baby, no.
Baby, listen, it's just training.
It's just training camp, all right? Calm down. Come on, listen.
Look, I'm not going anywhere, all right?
Let's go, Bobby.
Let go.
Had very little to do with the decorating.
Way to steal my thunder.
It's amazing how you got the perfect odor balance
of disinfectant and ass working up in here.
What, he nailed the bouquet perfectly. I thought that was genius.
So we're gonna be setting you up in here, all right?
- Chances of me grabbing a bottle? - Slim to none.
You got balls, Billy Boy, I give you that.
It's William.
So people pay you to bring them in here, then what?
Scotch, right?
- Thought we weren't grabbing a drink. - No, it's coming out of your pores.
Okay.
All right, smartass.
- Single malt or blended? - You're not a single-malt man.
For your blood pressure.
What else can you tell?
By looking at you, you started hitting the bottle about a month ago.
- Three weeks. - You haven't touched anything else?
Well, I smoked weed last week.
Well, two out of three ain't bad.
So you're gonna feel like shit for the next few days.
But my guess is, nothing you haven't experienced already.
- His BP is 140/80. - I can handle the hangover.
Yeah, I know. I've seen all your fights.
- I know you can deal with a lot worse. - You're a fan?
- I was. - And?
And then I got to know you.
You always mix your personal shit in with your business?
Well, William...
No, not always.
- Good. - Let me ask you something.
What do you hope to gain by denying your own wife's recovery?
Oh, nothing comes to mind?
Yeah.
Tell me something.
How's a guy like you end up with a gig like this?
Experience.
Like school or something?
Yeah, school of life.
I seriously need a drink, man.
Give him a 100 milligrams of doxepin right now to take the edge off.
Another hundred in four hours.
No, I need a drink.
Don't we all?
You know what I love best about this gig?
Helping people through transitions, from one way of life to another.
And I thought you just sat by for a living.
That was when I was using.
You think Bobby is in a transition,
or you're just getting him through the fight?
I was hoping it's more than that.
- What if it's not? - Well, I think it can be, for both of you.
When did you start mixing pills with alcohol?
Angie.
Mr. Banks, I'm not the one you've been hired to help.
I heard you tried to stop.
I did.
My sister took me to a meeting a few years ago.
Well, if you didn't really like it,
I know plenty of sober alternatives I could take you to.
I loved it, actually.
But Bobby wasn't too keen on me opening up,
being intimate with strangers.
That's the point of going to a meeting, isn't it?
I know.
But Bobby just...
See?
I don't even need it.
Look, there are some very simple things
that you can do, you know.
Very simple things you can do to improve your life.
- Things that will... - No, Mr. Banks.
You change my husband and you change my world.
You change,
and you change your world and your husband's.
Oh, wait, Angie.
The kids are ready for bed, Mrs. Carmichael.
Liz, can you show Mr. Banks the way out?
- What's going on? - I'm leaving.
- After last night, I'm... - No, listen to me.
You're not going anywhere. Last night was a misunderstanding.
Well, it's always a misunderstanding.
No drugs, no alcohol, zero tolerance.
I got no problem, how about that?
Tough love, huh?
Ain't about love, man. I can assure you of that.
Hey, Bobby, it's Liz.
I saw William with Angie at the house.
Why don't you put your eyeballs back in your head, son.
I need you to drink this.
Where did you go last night?
I said where you go last night?
- I was doing my job. - With my wife?
You sneak out to see my wife behind my back?
Come on, Bobby.
Well, you think I pay my nanny just to watch my kids?
- Listen to me, man. - Listen to what?
Your wife is a good woman, man.
And you are standing in the way of the thing that will give her life back.
Don't turn your back on me. I'm talking to you, asshole.
Have you said anything? Because all I'm hearing is:
- Did she come on to you? - This is getting boring, man.
- I said did she come on to you? - I'm not interested in your wife.
But you got a dick, right?
Look, whatever straws you're grabbing at,
they're bullshit, all right?
She needs help.
Your wife needs to get clean. Do you get that?
Look here.
I don't know what kind of angle you're working here, doc.
But you might want to consider changing directions.
Are we clear?
I said are we clear?
- She's gone. - Where is she?
She went through every inch of this house looking for her pills.
She couldn't find them, so she left.
Why are you still here?
Oh, because she will be back.
When she does come back,
I have to make sure that she doesn't bring anything back with her.
Pretty big job taking care of somebody else's family.
You're impressed?
It's not every day I get to meet somebody
who spends their life dedicated...
Don't be impressed with me.
Did I say something?
All I wanna do is leave.
All I wanna do is go.
Did Bobby do something?
L...
I did something.
I'm sorry?
I did something.
Liz...
She was such a good mom when I first came here.
Such a good person.
And then she just started to disappear, you know.
So...
I started to make all the meals.
And I would sit with Bobby while he ate.
We would take the girls to movies together.
Go on trips.
So I just started to feel like he was mine, you know.
And I know that sounds like really weird.
It doesn't sound weird.
It just sounds like the lines got blurred.
That's an understatement.
The lines got severely blurred.
How blurred, Liz?
I skipped my last period.
God.
When I first found him, he was fighting on the streets for $20 a pop.
Six months later, we won the Los Angeles Golden Gloves.
And now he's looking down the barrel of this fight.
And for the first time in his career, I ain't even sure he's got it.
For the first time in my life, I'm thinking about calling off a fight.
- What's that? - Hey.
Oh, you're looking good. How are you feeling?
Why didn't Angie come to pick me up?
Why ain't she here to see me?
She ain't happy with you, Bobby. She ain't happy.
You got a fight in six days. Let's hit the gym, huh?
Come on, let's go.
See you later, Sook.
Any hits on the credit card from the wife?
No.
Hey, if she doesn't wanna be part of this, I'm...
- Both of you head back to the house. - Bro, that's not a house.
I lived in a house. Actually, a trailer. That's 20,000 square feet.
Let's not insult the place.
Both of you get back to the house. I'm gonna look for Angie.
It's actually 23.
I mean, the 3,000 really opens it up. You know, kind of lets it breathe.
I called him last night.
I don't know what I thought I was gonna gain by doing that.
I'm stupid.
No, you're not.
I don't know why I did that.
I just...
You know, I thought for a second that...
I saw your boss with her.
And I guess I...
I still think he's gonna do what he said.
Be with you?
Yeah, because that's what he said was gonna happen, so...
Listen, I don't usually talk about body fluids
unless I really know somebody or the client pukes on me.
But we have pregnancy tests.
If you want to take one, I'd be happy to wait for you.
And we can talk about whatever comes up.
Come on, kid. Come on, work the combo.
That's it. Move around, come on.
Come on, Bobby, you look like you're dancing in quicksand.
- Come on. - Give me a minute to get my legs.
Good. It's clean.
Sweetheart, I'm sucking so much wind.
The last thing I'm thinking about is having a drink.
Really?
No, not really.
Come on, back to work.
- Let's go. - Okay.
Come on, go on.
Let's go.
- He's gonna get his ass beat. - Yeah, maybe.
- That doesn't bother you? - Might be the best thing for his career.
I believe that when a champ gets knocked down,
he only comes back twice as hard.
You okay?
I'm not.
- Not okay or not... - No, I mean, I'm okay.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Anything I can help you find, besides that drink?
My wife.
I screwed up so much shit in my life.
Okay, go straight to the hotel for the press meeting
and then come straight back to the house.
All right, you'll get no argument from me.
Hey, paid pretty well doing this babysitting?
Keeps the lights on.
Sometimes the darkness ain't always a curse.
That's deep, Sook.
- Yeah? - I found her, William.
She's under an assumed name.
- When did she get...? - Crown Prince Hotel on Wilshire.
I need you to go to the press conference.
- Where you going? - Akani found Angie, all right?
- I'll catch up. - You got it.
Where is she?
- What's she doing? - She's been pacing for about an hour.
- You try and make contact with her? - Called six times, no answer.
I'll get a hold of the manager, see if I can get in.
- What the? - What the hell is she doing?
- What's the room number? - 1532.
Call 911.
Angie. Angie, can you come down from there, please?
No, no, no. Don't you touch me.
He's screwing the nanny.
I'm gonna walk towards you now, okay?
No.
He's screwing the nanny in my own house.
Angie, please, just do me a favor.
Put your hand on the balcony above to secure yourself.
Can you do that?
And you know what?
It's my fault.
Listen, you're making me nervous, okay?
Can you at least reach down and hold on to the railing for me?
My kids love her because I'm always loaded,
and it's my fault.
- No. - Yes, it is.
Angie, please, just...
Why are you here?
I wanna help you.
I'm afraid it's too late.
No, I don't think so. I don't think so.
Angie.
You don't get it.
Oh, but I do, okay? I do get it.
Can I tell you about my own addiction?
How my addiction... It took me away from everything I loved.
Everything.
I mean, it got to the point where...
I mean, it got to the point where I didn't even...
I didn't even recognize who I was.
I lost everything I loved, all right? Everything.
All right? But listen. Listen, Angie. I saw that picture of you, okay?
I saw that picture of you with your children before you got lost.
You're still that same person, okay? You're still that same person.
No.
You hear that? Now, listen to me, Angie.
They see you up here on this railing, you're going away.
No.
You're going away, you're not gonna be able to see those kids.
Angie, please, just...
I don't know how I got here. I don't know.
It doesn't matter how you got here, it doesn't.
Listen, if you let me help you down, I'll take you away from all this.
- No, no. - Angie, please, just...
- Angie. - No, no, no!
No, no, no!
All right, I got you.
You're all right. Okay, you're okay.
Akani, let's get her to the back. Make sure she's comfortable.
- No, this woman needs a hospital. - Look, she's staying here, all right?
She needs our help. What the hell are you doing here?
I came to pick up some supplements for Bobby to keep him sober.
But that's not a good idea.
- Shit. - What are we gonna do?
- Is that Bobby? - No, hold on.
- Angie, stay here. - No.
Angie, you can't. Stay right here.
- It's him. - What?
No, no, don't pick it up. Don't pick it up.
It's just gonna set him off.
Okay.
Wait.
Wait, anything you wanna do to me later, I totally absolve you.
- What are you guys doing here? - Why is she here?
I got the supplements, so we can go now.
- Hey, what's the hell going on? - I've been here with William.
Look, Bobby, she needs to be here, all right?
She needs to be here.
You found her? Why didn't you call me?
Where you find her, man? Was she here all along?
- I went to the hotel. - He was with me in a room.
- Holding me. - What? No, no, no.
Do you like it? You like the feeling, huh?
You like someone touching me?
Because that's the way I feel.
That's the way I feel knowing you're sleeping with her.
I feel like this all the time knowing your hands are touching her.
Come on, Bobby, let's get out of here. Come on. T, get him back in the car.
Back in the car. Come on, let's go.
- How long he gonna keep her there? - This ain't about Angie.
Left, right, left, left. Snap it.
Come on, get the weight off the back foot.
- What's he treating her with? - He's gonna get his ass kicked.
I don't wanna hear about Angie. Get the lead out now.
What the hell is going on?
Come on, Sookie, take the gloves off.
Take them off. Take them off, take them off.
What did you have to drink?
- What are you talking about? - Can't find the itch, can you?
- It's like poison oak all over, right? - Times a million.
Was it vodka? Because I didn't smell anything.
Gosh, I didn't smell anything either. Must have been vodka.
- What the...? - Oh, we gave you some disulfiram.
Yeah, it causes an allergic reaction to alcohol.
You've been drinking, huh? You've been drinking?
Everybody around here propping you up,
and you've been drinking?
I waited all my life for a champ like you.
- My whole life! - I'm sorry, Sook. I'm sorry.
Oh, shit, man.
Bobby. Bobby, stop it!
Bobby!
For the last time, I'm not interested in your wife.
Bobby!
Bobby, stop it.
Just stop it.
Hey, we'll cover the medical costs.
We'll cut you a check, and we'll clear up this little matter.
What little matter is that?
Come on, you know what you signed up for. You knew.
What did you know, Ron, huh?
That seems to be the missing component here.
Well, what do you want?
To talk to Bobby.
Your last conversation didn't go so well.
- That's the price. I sit down with Bobby. - William...
- I wanna pick up Angie on the way. - No.
How many of your people have I picked up off the ground, huh?
How many times have you come to me?
How many checks have you cashed?
It's not about the money, man. It never is.
It's about money, whether I'm making it or you're taking it. You know that.
Well, I don't want that kind of money.
Oh, come on, we're all swimming in the same dirty water.
Not anymore, we're not.
So we wanna help get Angie clean.
And while we're doing that, these children need to be safe.
They need to feel safe, Liz, and you provide that for them.
She doesn't want me around her children.
I don't think she really knows what she wants.
Most of the fight tonight has taken place in the center of the ring.
But here in the fifth round, the tide is beginning to turn.
Connelly versus Maiorca.
Good fight.
I mean, Connelly should have lead more with his right
when Maiorca was open,
at least half a dozen times in the first three rounds.
You pressing charges?
No.
I started it, didn't I?
No, not really.
You and me got a deal.
Sayres says you don't break contracts.
My deal is with the judge. I keep you sober, you stay out of jail.
My contract is with you.
And with your wife.
I don't follow.
And that's your problem, see.
Because I don't really care about the judge or jail.
I've been there, didn't do me any good.
But I do care about you getting well.
As far as I see, you ain't broken any law.
There you go.
But you are breaking your wife.
And you are breaking your kids.
And your chance to win...
another fight.
I wanna help you. I wanna help your wife.
I wanna see you keep on fighting.
Will you let me help you?
Don't baby me.
In 2005, Koren Villosovich.
What?
- Bobby... - No, no, no.
It's the first time we ever fought loaded, Sook.
It was the first time I realized that getting high was a bigger feeling
than stepping through the ropes.
It was bigger than landing the perfect combination.
It was bigger than...
winning.
Bigger than anything in your life?
Baby, what did you use to say to me?
Real champions don't get by on points.
- Baby... - Baby.
I need to be a part of this choice.
And I need to be able to get clean.
And I need you to support me in this if you wanna stay with me.
If I wanna what?
If you wanna stay with me.
Bobby, I never wanted any of this.
All I ever wanted was you.
All I ever needed was us.
Let me help you, Bobby.
Please.
Please, let me help you.
You can't help me.
Bobby, please.
Come with me.
Come on, come with me. Angie, let's go.
You see all that hope in her eyes, Bobby?
You see it?
Because I still see it in yours, man.
It's too bad you don't.
Put down the bottle, kid, huh?
You got a fight in 24 hours, Bobby, huh?
The fight has only gone six rounds so far.
By the looks of it, Carmichael has already gone the distance.
Gotta keep the arms up. He's getting into to your rib cage.
Everybody knows that Carmichael packs a wallop.
But the way it's gone tonight,
it's gonna take a very long shot for Carmichael
to make it all the way back.
- Come on, kid! - But who knows what could happen?
- Come on, Bobby! - Carmichael!
Bobby, don't let him take the shot. Bobby, you better cover up.
Oh, a solid right hand!
Carmichael is down.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
The fight is over.
He's down. That's it. That's it, that's it.
It's over.