The Open Road

Synopsis: Carlton Garrett, son of Hall of Famer Kyle Garrett, plays minor league ball in Corpus Christi. He's in a slump when his grandfather calls to say that his mother, in Houston, is refusing a heart operation she needs to prolong her life. She says she won't have the operation until Kyle, her ex-husband, comes to see her. So Carlton, with his close friend Lucy, who used to be his girlfriend, goes to Columbus, Ohio, where Kyle is signing autographs. They haven't spoken in four years. Will Kyle go to Texas or will he find a way to duck out, as he's done for years? In addition to the father and son relationship, what about Lucy, and what about the slump?
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Director(s): Michael Meredith
Production: Anchor Bay Entertainment
 
IMDB:
5.5
Metacritic:
47
Rotten Tomatoes:
29%
PG-13
Year:
2009
90 min
Website
155 Views


Last season,

a lot of people thought he was playing

even better than his dad did

when he first came into the minors,

but lately, you know,

Garrett's been in a bit of a slump.

Carlton's father, of course,

retired Hall-of-Famer Kyle Garrett.

And now he's back at the plate.

Halliday sets.

And the 1-2.

High fly ball,

right centerfield.

This should do it.

Jackie Liston drifts back.

And, well, the Hooks

lose this one 6-0.

Corpus has now lost the series,

but it's the first series

the Hooks have lost

since May 26th.

Son of a b*tch.

Hey, Garrett,

come talk to me for a minute.

What's going on with you?

I'm just trying to

figure some things out.

Figure things out?

Yeah, you know,

whatever it is that's eluding me.

No, nothing's

eluding you, Garrett.

You're just stuck in your head,

that's all.

And baseball players

don't say things like "eluding."

So pull it out of your ass

and play some ball for me,

- will you, please?!

- Okay, Coach.

I got to level with you.

If things don't go well this weekend,

I'm thinking of making some changes.

Hey.

She had some

trouble breathing after lunch,

- drove herself over.

- What did they say?

They've recommended

a procedure.

It's a catheterization

of some kind.

I don't know.

They've had a lot of success with it,

but there's always a risk.

Now, listen,

they've got her on antibiotics

and they have to wait a few days,

but she won't agree to sign

the surgery waiver.

Right.

If she falls unconscious,

they can do it without her consent.

Otherwise we'll need

a court order

and I don't know

if we can get one.

Okay, Grandad,

I'll talk to her.

Hey.

Hey, I was listening.

What happened to you

out there tonight?

I thought you were

gonna pull that off.

Yeah, me too.

Were you wearing your thing?

Oh.

We've been buds a long time,

haven't we?

Yes we have.

And have I asked you for much

during that time?

Have I asked you

for many favors?

No, not really.

Okay, I need to ask you

for one now.

Anything, Mom.

You know that.

I need to see your father.

Mom.

If he's not here

when I go into surgery,

I'm gonna die

on that table.

- Come on.

- You tell him I'm crazy.

You tell him... I don't care...

whatever you want to tell him,

but I'm not signing that waiver

till he gets here.

I won't.

Okay, wait a second.

Let's just calm down here.

No, I need to see him, Carlton.

And don't tell me to calm down

when I'm laying here

with a f***ing hole in my heart!

Mom!

Sh*t, I'm scared.

Sh*t.

I'm scared!

Okay, this time I am really scared

and I don't know why.

So please tell me you'll do it.

- If that's what you want.

- That is what I want.

Okay, I'll do it.

I promise.

Thanks.

Hey.

- Hey.

Look, I'm sorry

to just call like this, but...

Wow.

Why don't you

just try calling him?

You don't know him, Lucy.

I mean, he's not exactly

easy to talk to.

Ah.

If you were to ask this guy

how he was doing,

instead of saying "fine,"

he would say

something like

"Better than a chigger

on the back of a hound dog."

I don't get it either.

Well, I guess

you are in a pickle.

I don't know what to tell you.

I mean, I'm sorry

about your mom.

I am.

This whole thing is just...

Yeah yeah, I know.

Well, I'm subbing for

two classes in the morning.

You gonna be okay?

- Yeah.

- You call me if you need anything,

or if Katherine needs anything.

Okay.

Thanks for coming over.

Love you.

Love you too.

Did I wake you?

No, I was just baking

a fruitcake.

You want some?

Good one.

Um, I wanted to say thanks

for coming by earlier.

- Did you call him?

- I got his agent.

He's at an autograph show

in Ohio.

Can you believe the guy

still doesn't have a cell phone?

So anyway, um...

I'll go.

- You will?

- But, look, I gotta be back by Wednesday,

- no later.

- Wednesday. Done.

- Hey.

- Hey.

Yeah, so I'm thinking

for this first thing or whatever,

um, maybe I'll just

do it on my own.

Okay.

Maybe we can have a nice dinner

or something after.

Go.

Go, young man.

Face your demon.

It all boils down to this.

It's all on the shoulders

of Garrett.

Oh!

- Oh my goodness.

- Oh, it looks to be good!

Are you kidding me?

It's out of here!

- Absolutely unbelievable!

- This is amazing.

Garrett has done it. Kyle Garrett has just

won the National League pennant

for the Houston Astros!

Thanks.

He's got me swinging

so damn hard

I was spinning around in the dirt

and I strike out.

Then I got to walk

back to the bench

with my teammates

laughing their asses off.

I lose my 100 bucks,

but I learned

an important lesson...

you never trust a rookie.

Ever!

Okay, well, we have time

for one or two more questions.

- Right there.

- What happened to Palmer?

I thought he was

supposed to be here.

Bob needed to be

at home with his wife.

They're expecting their second child,

so unfortunately he had to cancel.

What do you think

about that, Lonestar?

Well, I guess

maybe Viagra does work.

Believe it or not,

Kegs is even older than I am.

So when his wife got

pregnant the first time,

I told him not to worry.

I'd find the bastard that did it.

And then last month when he told me

she was pregnant again,

well, that was quite a blow.

I realized I'd killed

the wrong guy.

All right. Well, there's the pitching contest

tomorrow at 9:
00 AM.

So I hope you can all make it.

And we'll be selling tickets outside.

All right now,

who do we got next?

What you got there for me,

little pardner?

A baseball card.

Well, put it on up here.

I ain't gonna bite.

Only two things you've got to

worry about as far as that goes:

rattlesnakes

and redheads, okay?

You're too young for one,

too far north for the other,

- you know what I'm saying?

- He's growing up quick.

Okay, here's your card.

Let's take our picture.

I think you're the best, Mr. Garrett.

Nobody since Ted Williams

- can swing a bat like you, sir.

- I appreciate that.

All right. All right, you take care

of this little slugger now.

- Oh, yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

- All right. See you.

I got about 15 more

in me, sweetie.

All right.

Come on up now.

Hello.

What can I do for you?

I tried to call you in Arizona.

Mike said you were here

and that you still didn't have a phone,

so I just flew up.

I don't know if that

answers my question,

but it sure is good

to see you.

I need to talk to you

in private.

It's important.

Sweetie, can you put some

more ice in that for me?

If I would have been able

to reach you by phone,

- I just...

- Kyle, they changed the thing

over at the pavilion.

They're gonna do it at 6:00.

Okay, I'll see you over there.

Oh hey,

this is a fan of mine.

He come all the way

up here from Texas.

Oh, all right.

Welcome to Ohio.

- Jack Masterson.

- Carlton Garrett.

Well, see you over there then?

All right, I'll see you there.

- Thank you, darlin'

- Sure thing.

- You're holding up the line.

- Dad.

- What?

- Please.

Look, I'm staying

at the same hotel you are.

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote

Michael Meredith

Michael Shane Meredith (born September 22, 1967; Dallas, Texas) is an American independent film director, screenwriter and producer. He frequently collaborates with German director Wim Wenders. Meredith is the son of the late former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and football commentator Don Meredith. He was the oldest of two children from Don Meredith's second marriage to the artist Cheryl King. more…

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