She's late. She'll be here.
She'd better be. It's not good to be late for something like this.
She'll be here.
Ruth is not gonna cut her a bit of slack.
Who's Ruth? The judge.
We go back a long way.
We waded through the Great Flood together.
(CHUCKLING)
No kidding? So you're old friends, huh?
I didn't say that.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGING)
Kathleen. Monica, long time no see.
You're looking very angelic, as always.
I wish I could say it was nice to see you.
But you cannot tell a lie.
I remember the rules.
I always hated the rules.
I have an appointment, and I'm late.
Don't wanna be late for your evaluation.
I have mine, too.
Few floors down, of course.
(SCOFFS)
These performance evaluations are so draining, but I'm not worried.
I was a very bad girl this year.
You have an evaluation, too?
See, we're not that different, you and I.
Yes, we are, Kathleen. I love God.
You turned your back on him.
(CLICKING TONGUE) Aw, is he still mad about that?
If you'll excuse me, I have to find suite 2425.
2425?
It's right there.
Thank you.
My pleasure.
(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGING)
Hello.
Hi.
Is that clock right, Angel Boy?
This is not good. Where is she?
I wish I knew. I wish I knew.
(SIGHING)
♫ When you walk down the road
♫ Heavy burden, heavy load
♫ I will rise and I will walk with you
♫ I'll walk with you till the sun don't even shine
♫ Walk with you, every time
♫ I'll tell you I'll walk with you
♫ Walk with you
♫ Believe me I'll walk with you ♫
Monica?
Ah, hello, baby. I'm Tess.
Hello, baby. I called for Monica.
Well, Monica is not here yet, but, um...
(STUTTERING) The glass.
I beg your pardon?
You're touching on the glass. I hate it when anyone touches the glass.
Do I go around touching your things? I think not.
Well, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything...
Well, that went well.
So, uh, speaking of Ruth...
I wasn't. The case is closed.
Are you gonna read this?
Excuse me?
Are you all right?
Oh, yes. I'm... I'm sorry.
I just ran into someone that I used to know,
and I didn't expect to see her.
An old friend?
Once, a long time ago,
but we went our separate ways.
MONICA: Tess, that's my friend. That's Kathleen.
She's not your friend anymore.
(SIGHS) But...
And no buts, Miss Wings.
She's gonna walk all over you.
Kathleen, get off of my horse.
Oh, possessive, aren't we?
And we used to share everything.
Why did you do it, Kathleen? Why did you leave us?
I got an offer I couldn't refuse.
There was no better offer than the one you already had.
Oh, the old party line.
Haven't you ever once wondered what it's like on this side?
No.
Well, we're winning, Monica.
Your job has finally pushed you over the edge.
Kathleen?
I am an angel.
I care about you, Frank,
and you can't take the pressure of this job anymore.
You've done enough good deeds for one lifetime.
It's time to take care of yourself.
What a perfect plan.
To destroy a man who repairs broken families.
I'll never forget who you were, who I loved,
but I can't say I'm sorry to see you go.
You turned out to be a hell of an angel, Monica.
Next time I won't underestimate you.
JODI: That's hard, when you lose old friends.
Yes. Yes, it is.
Hello, I'm Monica.
I'm Jodi.
Hello, Jodi.
I don't remember seeing you before.
I'm a caseworker.
File clerk.
Ah.
I didn't know they had file clerks.
Well, somebody has to do the filing, I guess.
I suppose so.
I... I didn't expect to come in here so soon, you know.
I've only been on Earth for 50 cases,
and I understand you don't usually come here until you've had 100.
Do you think that means something?
Maybe they're gonna give me a new human form
or transfer me to Acts of God, huh?
I think it means you've come to the right place.
Good.
It took me a while to get used to me job, you know,
but they'll be understanding of that, won't they?
I'll bet you change jobs a lot.
Ah, yes, actually.
I've had some really interesting ones, too.
(SHOUTING) Run on anything!
(CROWD APPLAUDING)
Let's go. Spread your legs.
All right.
DOCTOR: It's a girl.
Oh, I know.
Oh, I've never seen it from this side before.
So, you're going up there, huh?
I can't wait to get a look at the rest of you.
(EXCLAIMS) What the... Oh, I'm so sorry...
What...
(MICROPHONE FEEDBACK)
What would you like me to do now?
Tell a joke.
A joke? Just one.
I can tell from just one joke.
Knock, knock. Who's there?
Oh, you heard it already.
(LAUGHING)
Sit.
Sit, sit.
Miss Manners, could you help me out here?
Ah, good girl.
Thank you very much, Leonard.
It's very nice.
You're not doing anything abstract, are you?
Oh, no. It's, um... It's more impressionist.
Pot stickers it is,
and when I get back, I'll help you out with the envelopes.
Oh, thanks, but I've... I've finished.
How did you do that?
I'm ambidexterous.
Now, this is Monica. She's your physical therapist.
Okay. Thanks.
Yes, I'll be, um, physically therapizing you.
Ladies and gentlemen,
will you please welcome the Elder Statesman of the Blues, Mr. B.B. King.
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
My favourite one was delivering the baby.
You're very versatile.
Thank you. How many jobs have you had?
One. File clerk.
Tess, this Ruth thing is eating you up inside.
Now, you gotta let it out.
All right.
You know, you're bucking for the Angel of Annoyance Award.
Ruth wasn't always on the high court.
She used to be a supervisor like me.
As a matter of fact, she was my supervisor when I was a caseworker.
Oh.
So you two never got along?
Oh, we got along. We got along just fine.
Then she changed.
Now, she does everything by the book, cut and dried, no excuses.
Whoa. Monica's got trouble.
We've got to make sure that she remembers to tell Ruth
about all the good work she's done.
Cut it, man.
That doesn't belong to you.
David, pick up your backpack.
There are meadows out there waiting for you,
and bright skies and loving friends,
and... and a life so full you can't even begin to imagine.
MONICA: Oh, Matthew, God loves you so much.
Now, fight. Fight for yourself.
Get outta here. Me and her, we're gonna negotiate this ourselves.
Look, I think I changed my mind.
Hey, don't worry about it. He's waiting right outside.
He'll make sure you get home okay and everything.
Really, never mind.
Hey, hold on.
I wouldn't waste any energy trying to figure out what just happened,
because you're gonna need all of it to find your way home...
And he wrote something on the back of his donor card.
"Take what you need and carry on."
"I know I plan to."
They, uh... They say he was a wonderful person.
Do you ever wonder why some people must die so that others can live,
or why enemies live and innocent die?
All the time.
Perhaps it's because we're not supposed to know.
Never a good reason for death.
You don't know that until you die.
All I'm saying is, how can you judge something fairly
when you don't even know what the rules are?
You can't play God, Joe,
because you aren't God.
(FIRE CRACKLING)
You know, I think Monica is a terrific caseworker.
Do you really think that Ruth's gonna give her a hard time?
Ruth gives everybody a hard time since...
Since?
Tess, come on. Since when?
Well, it happened a long time ago.
Ruth had her own special kind of pet angel,
like I have with Monica. And you, too, baby.
Well, she taught this little angel everything she knew.
It happened a few centuries ago,
and one day she just...
The Judge will see you now.
Um, Monica's not here.
I know that. I've done this before.
Well, let's go.
And whatever you do,
do not mention the words "free will."
The High Court is now in session. Hello, Tess.
Ruth.
And you must be Andrew.
Yes, yes, I am.
Sit down, Junior.
Tess, you are Monica's supervisor, are you not?
You know I am.
I only go by the book.
Make a note that Monica is not present.
Ah, yes, well, um, she should be here,
but, um, she's not here yet.
(NERVOUS LAUGHING)
She is going to rip us a new halo.
When I get nervous, I drink coffee,
and when I drink coffee, I get nervous.
Would you like a cup?
Oh, yes, please.
I love coffee, especially double mocha lattes.
Really? Me, too.
That's another thing we have in common.
I must say, sometimes I don't know how
I'd get through the day without a cup.
What's espresso? I always hear about espresso.
Strong and bitter.
Some people like it like that.
Straight ahead, rich, undiluted,
but there's another side to an espresso kind of life.
Heartburn.
(CHUCKLING)
Columbian Supremo at 422.
French Roast, 416.
Ooh, something freeze-dried at 401.
Do you make your lattes with two percent?
Our whats?
You know, I'll have a non-fat steamer with hazelnut.
Cappuccino?
L-let's just narrow this down.
We're talking food or beverage?
Give the lady a cup of coffee and some boiled milk.
Thank you.
Wow, you... you take your coffee pretty seriously.
I take everything quite seriously.
It's my best and worst quality, I suppose.
So, Jodi, what brings you here today?
It's a long story.
Those are my favourite kind.
Um, I'm... I'm sure that Monica
is gonna be here very soon.
We'll be starting without her.
In addition to this tardiness,
Monica's work has contained certain irregularities
which violate Statute Alpha, Bravo, Delta,
specifically Section Two, backslash Six.
There's a right way to be an angel
and a wrong way to be an angel.
Monica's a great angel.
Yeah.
Did somebody say something?
Monica has her successes, I'll grant you that,
but sometimes her work leaves something, shall we say, to be desired.
Who says so?
You do.
Those files are your reports of Monica's cases.
You're harder on Monica than anyone.
Pick a file. Any file.
Did I tell you to think north?
No. I distinctly remember telling you to get on the bus
and go north.
Go north.
Now, you get your little angel butt back to the city
and take care of business.
What David needs is his mother,
and all of a sudden my instincts were kicking in and..
Wait, wait, wait. Wait just a minute.
Let me see if I understand you correctly.
You want me to go back to the Creator of the Universe,
the Alpha, the Omega, the Great I Am,
and explain that the words of the Almighty were disobeyed
because Monica's instincts kicked in?
TESS: You blew it, Miss Wings.
Blew it?
Oh, Tess, I had to try.
Uh-uh, not that way.
That man had a free will of his own and you took it away from him.
He was not ready to go into that apartment,
so why are you surprised that things worked out the way they did?
I was just trying to help.
But you didn't. You're worse off now than you were before.
I'm sorry. Well, you should be.
You know better. You've got to remember, there are no shortcuts.
Tess, hello.
Don't you hello me. Your assignment just walked away.
Oh, no, he's... He's going to be fine.
He's got a job, he's got a good head on his shoulders,
he's got a plan to move on. I think he's going to make it.
Is that Monica the angel saying that,
or is that Monica I'm-cold- I'm-hungry-give-me-back-my-coat saying that?
What did I do wrong?
You took the easy way out,
just like everybody takes the easy way out.
You found a reason not to get involved.
He doesn't need me. Wrong.
He doesn't want to need you or anybody else.
His self-esteem may be shot, but he's still got his pride.
And what am I supposed to do about that?
Don't you raise your voice to me, Miss Wings.
You got a little pride thing going on yourself.
Who are you, and what do you think you're doing?
I'm an angel sent by God.
Don't tell me God sent you.
You're from Search and Rescue, aren't you?
Aren't you?
Yes, but I'm on loan to annunciations.
Have you ever heard the expression
fools rush in where angels fear to tread?
No, ma'am.
Well, add it to your repertoire
before you rush in next time
and upset the whole celestial applecart.
Maybe I exaggerated on these reports.
I get caught up sometimes.
Maybe I've been too hard on her.
That's right, she has been.
Please, don't help.
Banter. How clever.
Unfortunately,
I'm afraid you don't appreciate the gravity of the situation.
As Monica has not appeared in her own defence,
as of this moment she is officially suspended.
All angel privileges have been revoked.
She is stripped of her credentials and her access to power.
Wherever she is, she is on her own.
I've, um... I've been having a hard time lately,
in a lot of ways.
Would you like to talk about it?
Oh, um...
Well, I...
I'm not sure.
I do this all time.
Helping people with their problems, I mean.
That's what I do.
Is this what you're looking for?
(SIGHS)
Don't be afraid, Elizabeth.
I'm an angel.
I was sent to you, and I've been with you all this time.
Didn't I say, don't be afraid?
You carry this to remind yourself how close you were to death,
but you're closer now than when this bullet was three inches from your spine.
Am I hallucinating?
No. I'm very real.
There's something that I need to do. I want to do.
It's what I need to do to remember who I am.
Please.
Please forgive me.
It matters.
I forgive you.
Oh, my God.
(SIGHS) God loves you, Peter Jacob Taylor.
Helping people through their dark times is my favourite thing.
And if I do say so myself, I'm pretty good at it.
It's my greatest joy.
You cannot suspend Monica.
Let me say this about that.
Watch me.
Before you even know the reason for her absence?
Let's ask her, shall we?
Oh, we can't.
She's not here.
This is not acceptable.
You will address this court with more respect, Tess.
I will address this court any way I please, Ruth.
I think you need to cool off.
What I need is some respect.
I should be able to speak in Monica's behalf.
The record speaks for itself.
Monica has completed 50 assignments.
In 28 of those, I see judgment errors.
Clear violations of Code Seven.
All the rules in the world will not legislate judgment.
Experience changes judgment, and nothing else.
Monica's errors have jeopardized her assignments.
The rules are quite clear.
A ten percent ratio of judgment errors represents a failing grade.
Let's do the math, shall we?
I'm gonna get Jesse some ice cream.
It's not every day you fall off a roof
and get caught by a lady in a white hat.
MONICA: (SIGHS) I was selfish, curious, undisciplined.
I took those keys and three lives were ruined. How could I do that?
That was five years ago, and you've learned a lot since then.
(SIGHING) Please, Tess, just fire me.
Oh, now you stop this right now, Miss Wings.
This is where you're supposed to be. Trust me.
I do trust you.
It's myself I don't trust.
I don't know what I'm doing, and I don't know what to do about it.
I've made a mess that I can't clean up.
What's wrong with this picture?
The human's inside and the angel's outside.
I know. I feel terrible.
I've never been fired before.
Well, if it was gonna happen, this was the time for it, 'cause you are moving up.
Do you know where you are?
Well, yes.
801 Cedar Street, Jacksonville.
Terry Hayman.
Though he doesn't much look like a kindergarten teacher to me.
For heaven sakes,
801 Cedar Street, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Not Jacksonville, Florida.
Honestly, am I my angel's keeper?
Police, freeze! Don't move or we shoot.
I said, we'll shoot! Drop it!
Drop...
You can't ask me to...
Excuse me.
Whoa, I'm... I'm sorry. I'm sorry to interrupt.
I... I had a thought about, about Jacksonville, Illinois and Jacksonville, Florida.
This better be good.
You know how Monica sometimes,
although a fabulous celestial representative,
she does sometimes get her directions mixed up,
so I thought maybe that's why she isn't here.
Go. Start looking. Yeah.
Do it now. Okay. Excuse me.
We're gonna put our cards on the table here.
God gave Monica a heart.
She's only been a caseworker for two and a half years,
and she's just starting to learn how to use that precious heart of hers.
Well, time's up.
And I'm so unhappy in my work,
but I don't know what else to do.
Well, God must've had a reason for starting you out in the filing department.
Surely he has something else planned for you down the line, if you want it.
Jodi, tell me, have you prayed about it?
Prayed?
ANDREW: Monica.
Andrew?
You're in the wrong place. This is a psychiatrist's office.
It is?
It is.
You mean, she's not...
No, no. So, uh, just come on. We're in a hurry.
Oh, Jodi, I'm so sorry. I have to run.
Now? Oh, no, please.
I mean, the doctor's fine and all,
but I... I really feel like you understand me a lot better.
Please?
Monica, this is important.
Andrew, I can't leave her. She needs me.
Thank you.
You're an angel.
Okay, just hurry, all right?
Now, we're in the last office at the end of the hall.
What... what did he mean you're in the wrong place?
Jodi, I am an angel.
It's too late. Time is up.
But... Have a nice day.
But, but, but...
It's too late, baby.
We tried, but we hit the end of the line.
And it doesn't even matter that you believe I'm an angel.
Sometimes I look like one,
but, well, I guess things have changed for me now.
But the truth never changes, so listen to that, Jodi.
Listen to God, and ask him to help you,
because he will.
Because he loves you so much.
He loves me?
Yes.
He loves me?
God loves me.
That's a laugh.
Kathleen.
Oh, sorry you had to miss your evaluation,
but at least I'll be getting a good one.
I don't understand.
You see, my evaluation was based upon ruining your evaluation.
You should thank me anyway. You're not cut out for this angel thing.
Oh, and thanks for the revelation, baby.
It's too late for you, Monica.
They're gonna bust you down to the Angel of Scraping Gum Off the Theater Seats.
You may have won our battles,
but I would have to say that I won the war.
Wouldn't you?
Hello, I'm Monica.
Oh, yes, yes.
Buy a watch, and don't touch the glass.
I know I'm late, but it wasn't my fault.
Please, if I don't get inside,
I don't know what I'm going to do.
I'm sorry. I really am.
Tess, Andrew.
Where were you, baby?
Oh, Tess, I feel so foolish.
It was Kathleen who kept me there all this time.
I knew it. I knew there was something up with that woman.
Forgive me for saying this, Lord,
but I'd love to have five minutes alone with that evil thing.
Her evaluation was based on keeping me from mine.
(SIGHS) I guess she won, after all.
She did not win.
She will never win, and don't you ever think otherwise.
I'm sorry. I'm not sure what to think anymore.
God has a plan,
and just because you don't know what it is and I don't know what it is,
doesn't mean that he doesn't know what it is, and you know that.
You've been in tougher places than this
and you always got out okay.
I never got myself out of trouble before, God did.
If I could at least just get in there,
and find out how he's gonna get me out this time.
You do not have to go into that room to speak to God,
and you know that, too.
I've been so afraid about letting God down
that I forgot about his mercy.
Well, his mercy lasts a lot longer than any trouble that you're in.
Now, you know what to do, and so do I.
That, um... That office down the hall,
it had a cappuccino machine, didn't it?
Two sugars?
We're going to talk about what happened to you a long time ago
that changed you from my good friend
and a glorious angel,
to a pencil-pushing, rule-spouting bureaucrat,
that's forgotten what she was put here for.
Tess, this is my job.
You know I have to do things by the book.
There is only one book, Ruth,
and yours isn't it.
I want to appeal to the Angel of Angels.
On what grounds?
Monica was tricked by Kathleen.
Kathleen?
Yes, Kathleen.
Oh.
Well, that's... That's unfortunate,
but even Kathleen can't be blamed
for all the mistakes Monica made.
And the fact that, on this important day,
she allowed herself to be duped.
Allowed herself?
Who are you, Ruth?
You've changed, and not for the better.
That's not true.
You want truth?
I'll give you truth, baby.
You were the best angel I ever knew,
but you were done in by free will.
Did you say "free will"?
You were Kathleen's supervisor when she chose to go over to the other side.
Yes,
Kathleen chose to go over to the other side.
Now, maybe you were her supervisor,
but she made the decision.
It wasn't your fault.
It wasn't my fault.
I... I did my best.
(SIGHS)
And so did Monica, but you can't accept that.
The day that Kathleen made her choice,
you made a choice, too.
You couldn't trust your heart, so you shut it off,
and you replaced it with rules and regulations,
something black and white,
so you never have to feel anything ever again.
And now you're making
every good-hearted angel that comes through that door
pay for the one that got away.
I've failed.
I tried so hard,
and I loved Kathleen so much.
And she just walked away,
like I didn't mean anything.
I lost her.
I lost her forever.
It was my fault.
No, no, it wasn't your fault.
She chose her own way.
But I'll tell you this,
if you don't call the Angel of Angels,
Monica will be her latest victim.
Are you still here?
No one in there is gonna listen to you, you know.
There's no one in there that I need to speak to.
It's God.
Go ahead, beg him for your job.
Dear God, you know that I'm not in the habit of asking you for favors,
but today I really need to ask you for one.
Please, can you find it in your heart
to forgive Kathleen for what she has done?
What?
She's lost, and she has walked away from your grace,
but the dark side is always the cold side,
and she has seen you and been with you,
and no matter what, she cannot forget your grace,
your love, your mercy.
Stop it! Stop it!
So please, God, do what you will with me,
but forgive Kathleen for what she's done to me
and for what she has done to you.
No! No! No! No!
You okay?
He wants to see you.
Who?
The Angel of Angels.
Hello?
Hello, I'm Monica.
Yes, I know.
Monica, I have some things to say to you.
The first thing is, posture.
Excuse me?
Posture.
Nothing straight is made from crooked wood.
Sorry.
And you're drinking too much coffee.
Well, I do like a good mocha latte, it's true,
but I'll try to cut down.
Try a water-process decaf.
Water-process. Okay.
The Swiss invented the water-process,
and you know how calm they are.
Yes, well, I'll try to be calm.
That was my first assignment.
Comestibles.
I was the Angel of Comestibles.
And those would be?
Comestibles? Food.
Quality food.
Ah, food.
So, Monica.
Yes?
You've been a caseworker for two years now?
Yes, and I know why I'm here.
I was late, and I ruined my exam,
and I'm so sorry, but you wanted to see me, so here I am.
Yes, you are, standing up nice and straight.
Thank you.
I... I just want to tell you that I don't care what happens to me.
I mean, you can demote me, you can do with me what you will,
you... you could make me the Angel of Combustibles.
Comestibles.
You could make me the angel that scrapes chewing gum off theatre seats.
That job's already filled.
I don't care what it is. Just let me stay, please.
I would rather be a door keeper in the house of my God,
than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Please, just let me stay.
Monica, even if you failed every assignment,
you could still stay in God's kingdom, unless you choose to leave.
I would never do that.
I... I don't know how people can shut God out of their hearts,
but I would never do that.
That's because your heart is a good one, Monica.
You have a kind spirit.
You love your assignments and you love human beings.
You've lifted them up, you've washed their feet, you've blessed their lives.
The Almighty God has given you the gift of speaking the truth,
but sometimes your heart gets in the way of the truth.
You let what you feel confuse what you know.
Yes, I... I know. I know.
Today, I've heard many reasons
why you shouldn't pass this evaluation.
There's a lot of evidence.
It's all here.
But then you presented me with the evidence of your heart.
You put someone before yourself.
That showed me that you know God and who he is.
"Greater love hath no man than this,"
"that a man lay down his life for his friends."
You did that. You did it twice.
To help a friend and then to help an enemy,
because you see no enemies.
Evil is not your friend,
but those who are drawn to evil are to be pitied,
not hated, and you know the difference.
You made a good choice, Monica.
Love is always a good choice.
Therefore, you have passed your evaluation.
In fact, we are expanding your duties.
You're worthy of leadership.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
I still get to work with Tess, though?
Things don't change that much.
And, Monica, remember,
one cup in the morning is plenty.
(LAUGHS)
I owe you one. Oh, no. We're even.
I thank you for what you did.
Monica deserves it.
I... I see now
the only thing I didn't do for Kathleen was pray for her.
That's the best part of being an angel.
Well, when are you gonna get up from behind that desk
and get back in the trenches?
(EXCLAIMS) You think I could do it again?
Why not? You used to be the best angel I ever saw.
Oh, well, see you around.
Maybe even in the trenches.
I hope so, Ruth.
So you actually saw the Angel of Angels?
Well, I... I suppose so.
He was very concerned about my posture.
We'll meet you at the elevator.
I failed. It's over.
I know, but you never could've won.
Where will you go now?
This was my chance to move up to caseworker, but I've been denied.
I'm out.
So, where do you go when there's nowhere to go?
That's not difficult.
If it's mercy you're looking for,
there's only one place you can go.
Oh, please.
God could never love me after what I've done.
Give God a chance, Kathleen.
He surprises people every day.
I guess that's true.
Thanks for the revelation, baby.
This calls for a celebration. Uh-huh.
Mocha lattes for everyone.
Ah, make mine a double.
Better make mine a decaf.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGING)