Speechless

Jimmy, when's the landlord coming to get the new lease?

Landlord.

Uh, I think sometime this morning?

We're not ready for him.

I don't know. We covered all the holes with bad art

and creative furniture placement.

I don't see any major lease violations.

What do you think, jor lease violation?

Well, hide him.

Come here, Pepper.

Come here. Come here!

Is this how people feel when they ask me to do things?

- Yep. - Mm.

Mother of...

We'll be right there!

Fetch!

Lazy millennials.

How...?

Come on, Pepper.

Come on.

Yes!

Oh, so sorry, won't you please come in?

You sign the new lease?

Yes.

Enjoy your year.

How did you get out? Where's Dylan?

He locked me in here!

Well played, darling.

I have some dumb journalism project

for stupid English class

where I have to interview a family member.

Mom, what's Grandpa's number?

Dylan, your mother hasn't talked to her father

in 20 years.

Okay. I'll just interview the dog then.

Wait, how do you not know that?

Has it never crossed your mind

that you've not once met the man?

And don't you want to know

why she hasn't spoken to him in 20 years?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest

that journalism is not in your future.

Dylan...

my father and I were once very close,

but that all changed when

I returned home from America in 1998

with the love of my life, Jimmy DiMeo.

My father didn't approve.

He said that if we were to get married,

he would never speak to me again.

So I looked him in the eye

and I said something that I never thought I'd say...

Cool, I think I have enough for my project now.

Thanks.

Dylan, my heart is breaking over Taylor.

Let a boy listen to his mother's love story.

I said to my father...

"Goodbye forever."

Painful? Yes.

But right and good because, you know,

that is what I strive to be.

If those bloody neighbors don't shut up,

I'm gonna go over there and eat their children!

They're not supposed to start construction for an hour.

Do you know what? Someone's got to go over there and talk to them,

and that somebody has got to be

diplomatic.

Who's it gonna be?

Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.

I left my country for you.

And that beats scissors.

Ladies and gentlemen, to announce the winner

of our annual Weekend Film Challenge...

Mr. Powers and...

Mr. Powers!

Nice tie.

Where'd you get it?

Uh, there.

Class, you've all read each other's scripts and voted.

The winner now gets to direct his or her film

to be screened for the student body

with the unlimited resources

of the entire Lafayette High Film Department!

- AKA, $10. - Oh, you!

That's all we need. Two of this guy.

Hey, can we keep the chatter down?

Whoa. Okay, I'm on board.

And the winner is...

Ahhhh...

JJ DiMeo!

I read for that guy!

"Whoa, I won?"

That's awesome, JJ.

Can I be your assistant director?

Quiet on set!

I guess that's better than you quoting movies all day.

I'm the king of the world!

We will be shooting JJ's short horror film

"The Hall."

Winner, here is our class's director's megaphone.

Oh.

Actually, JJ may not have much use for this.

Just run on up here and grab it.

He can't! Stop it!

- Now, let me hear you yell, "Action"! - Stop it!

Aw, you can yell it louder than that!

I did not think this through.

Oh...

Mom's memory box.

Looks like someone was bitten by the family-history bug.

Please. I just need a visual aid

for my dumb journalism project.

Their wedding video.

Done.

Wait, where's the screen on this sucker?

You put it in the machine and press play.

Journalism is so hard!

There's my handsome groom.

Oh, I love you.

Huh?

That isn't Dad.

Dylan, go and walk Pepper!

- Just a sec! - Now!

Come on, Pepper!

Dylan?

- Where's the tape? - What tape?

I thought it was you and Dad's wedding tape, but it wasn't.

- Did you take it? - Huh?

I thought you were supposed to walk Pepper.

- I-I just did. - Well, do it again.

Look at him, he's bursting with energy.

She knows.

Guess you didn't read my text about JJ asking

we not make this a big deal.

- Not a big deal? - Read you texts?

It's a tremendous deal.

Aren't you so excited?

"Of course, but it's a student film

made by a nonverbal director.

- Let's keep the bar low." - Can I be in it?

"Not that low."

Look, I'm dying for a way to win Taylor back.

If I can be the star of a movie,

say something badass, save the day...

- "Dead body. Face down." - Yes!

Do you have a role for your dad?

More noise from the neighbors!

I thought you said you talked to them.

Are you kidding me?

I went right over there the second we spoke.

Yeah, don't cast me. I can't act.

Eddie, d-do you have a second?

Hey. Sorry.

Guys, can we hold the work, please?

Torbjorn!

This is gonna sound really bad by the way,

but if you're ever hiring workers, don't hire Norwegian.

What's up?

Well, I'm actually here about the construction noise.

It's going on all hours.

Jimmy, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry.

I think these guys are so used to Arctic sun hours

that someone needs to remind them they're working

below the 66th parallel!

- It won't happen again. - Great.

- All right. - Thanks.

Are these, uh, the plans for the addition?

- You mind if I take a look? - Sure.

- You know anything about this stuff? - A little.

I-I went to school for architecture.

And it looks like Torbjorn

is pouring foundational concrete for a wall...

where the skylight's supposed to go.

Really? Dang it, Torbjorn!

That work took you tre timer!

Thanks, Jimbo.

Hey, would you mind taking a look at the rest of these plans?

Ah, that's not really a good idea.

I came here to stop the work.

I'm really out of my element.

I-I could use an architect's eye on this.

Architect's eye?

Well, no one's ever called my eye

an architect's eye before. Uh...

- Okay! - All right! Thank you so much.

Yeah, it turns out neighbors aren't just for stealing cable.

- What's that? - Let's do this!

Silence, everyone.

Our director has arrived.

JJ, I got to thinking about

how we could better adapt to your needs.

So, for starters,

we know how important it is

for a director to be able to express himself,

so we made you

a custom communication board.

Yeah, with phrases like "lights," "camera,"

and "Great take, Mr. Powers!"

No pressure, just if.

"This is so thoughtful.