"I'm better than you now." "I am Riley, the artist, and you are Maya, the artist's best friend." "Thank you for working on light and shadow, Maya." "Yeah, I look around outside now." "I watch the light move during the day." "Thanks for teaching me that, Ms. Kossal." "Hey." "Are you okay?" "I get emotional when I'm around talent." "And now I'm fine." "Come on!" "What did I tell you about only using purple?" " Are we gonna do this again?" " Why is everything purple?" "Because you hide the purple from me and I find it!" "Are you finger painting?" "I believe you favor Maya over me." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, let's explore that." "Let's see if I have unfairly judged you." " Today's assignment..." " Uh-huh." " ...was the doorways of New York." " Yep." "Yep." "You were asked to specifically focus on..." "Unique doorknobs." "Uh-huh." "Yeah." " ...and paint it from memory." " I did." "You painted a cat." " It's a door." " It's a cat." "The whole thing's a door." "Anybody home?" "Okay, I'll come back later." "Don't let the cat out." "Maya has something very special, Riley." "She paints from a place that few of us are able to reach." "That's because she has an awful life." "I love it when I'm reminded." "Take a look at Maya's work." "I want to know what's behind that door." "So does the artist..." "Because I think it's been closed to her up until now." "I'm gonna get you in that door, Maya." "Oh, I know you are, Riley." "Good." "Because it's Maya's last painting." "W-wait, why is it my last painting?" "Well, it's your last one for me, you beautiful girl." "What's going on?" "Our school is running out of money." "They're cutting art and music classes, effective after the next school board meeting." "What?" "How will Maya learn?" "What comes after light and shadow?" "What about you, Riley?" "Who cares about me?" "I stink." "What about Maya?" "And what about drama?" "My one-year suspension from not being able to audition for any of the plays ends on Tuesday." " I'm gonna be pippin!" " They're not putting on pippin." "I'm gonna be pippin in whatever they're doing." "Nobody better cut my ballet." "Yeah, that's right... ballet." "That's why I'm so sinewy." "Sinewy?" "Hey, you spend your time hitting baseballs," "I spend my time lifting beautiful girls." "Ms. hart?" "Shall we dance?" "We shall not." "Ballet..." "gone." "Art, music..." "Drama, dance, all of it... gone." "Maya?" "It's okay, riles." "Just another door closed." "The dark ages..." "They're cutting art class and you want to talk about the dark ages?" "The dark ages was a time of cultural deterioration." "What does that have to do with me?" "The dark ages was the decline of the creative spirit of an entire continent." "What about me?" "The dark ages is when they cut the art class at this middle school right now." "And you, Maya hart..." "yes, you, Maya hart, the one I'm looking at right here... can't paint anymore." "You know, a good teacher lets the students get there on their own." "Daddy?" "Riley, if you put another purple cat on our fridge, I swear I'm moving to Brooklyn." "Scratch my nose." "I won't be dry until math, and Mrs. Kravitz scratches my nose like she doesn't want to." "That's like a daddy would." "So..." "Why were the dark ages dark, pippin?" "People lost interest in art and music because it was taken away from them." "Well, I don't want that for Maya." "I want Maya to be happy." "Hey, Maya, it looks like Lucas here's gettin' all fired up on your behalf." "Thank you, Lucas." "But it's just an art class." "I feel bad." "They're taking away something you're very good at." " You've never said that to me before." " I've said it." "Yeah, but not, like straight to my face when you were looking at me." " I can't remember you actually I..." " You're a great artist, Maya." "Well, he lookin' at you now." "You have a real talent." "And want you to be able to get better and share it with people." "Now they're just lookin' at each other and not sayin' nothin'." "Are they saying anything?" "No?" "Well, I wonder that they're thinkin'." "I don't want them to take away your art class, Maya." "Bay window!" "Bay window right in five hours." "Okay." "Who's gonna do something about art class?" " I'm sure that'll be Riley." " Nope." "Well, I know you guys would like me to step in here... nope." "This is bigger than you, dad." "You're right." "This is." "In fact, this decision comes directly from the New York City school board." "That's not what I'm talking about." "If they're gonna put us in the dark ages, then who's gonna get us out?" "Ah." "Funny thing about that." "You know who did get us out?" " Artists." " Ah." "Michaelangelo, Da Vinci..." "There was an explosion of creativity called the renaissance." "Maya, I would think you'd have something to say about that." "Cut the art classes, don't cut the art classes." "What have I ever been able to do about my life?" "And now my little purple friend will go crazy." "Not this time, Maya." "You're the artist, and I'm just the artist's best friend." "You think you're gonna outlast me?" "You think I'm gonna do something?" "You think I'd actually care about something?" "I don't care what you care about." "You're gonna break first, and you're gonna fix this whole thing somehow because you can't help yourself!" "You know, for somebody who doesn't care, you are most certainly talking to me in all caps." "I will never be a great artist." "You're probably right." "You don't believe in me?" "Not if you won't." "Well, I can't, Riley." "You know?" "It's just 'cause don't believe, don't get hurt." "Yeah." "Yeah, you're probably right." "Be safe." "You're right, I'm wrong." "Be safe." "Let's just go to a movie or read a book or maybe listen to some music." "You mean let's just go to art, or read some art, or listen to some art, because movies and books and music are art?" "I do go outside, Riley." "I watch the light move during the day." "And you know what happens at 5:30?" "You turn gold." "Everything is more beautiful at the beginning and the end of the day, and I want people to see that." "I want to capture that." "I didn't mean to believe in something." "I know you didn't, peaches." "But I do." "And you knew it." "You knew this was in me." " Mm-hmm." " You did it." "You broke me." "I broke first." "This is the first time this has ever happened!" "How close were you to breaking?" "I almost died!" "I'm so proud of you." "Me too, you!" "Something is finally important to you." " Yeah." " How come?" "Because I don't want to live in a world of stupid purple cats!" "No, wait." "What?" "We need a plan." "You got a plan?" "Do I have a plan?" "Gee, I only have about nine of them." "And each plan has a little sub-plan and each sub-plan has a little baby plan." "Do I have a plan?" "'Kay." "What's your plan?" "Mommy!" "What's our plan?" "I'm sorry, girls." "I can't wave a magical lawyer wand this time." "The schools only get so much money every year." "It's not a legal issue." "They can spend it on whatever they see fit." "Are you telling us to give up?" "Would I ever tell you to do that?" "No." "So, what are you telling us?" "You have an opponent." "Your opponent is thinking logically." "If you think logically, you're gonna lose the creative arts." "Okay, but are they right?" "Are academics so much more valuable than the arts that we should just let them do this to us?" "Do you guys like it?" "I do, Auggie." "I love it." "No one should take it away from you." "Someone's going to take it away from me?" "No." "Let's get 'em." "Let's get 'em." "Maya, I'm really proud of you for deciding to do something about your future." "You guys left me out there to die." "You brought me here to watch this?" "Enjoying the show, Uncle Jonathan?" "No, I'm not." "Matthews, why am I here?" "It was my idea." "If you're gonna do this, then you should watch it happen." "Cory, why would you tell them I'm doing this?" "Because you're a bad, bad man, and I love it when it's somebody else's fault." "What are they gonna do with the art room that's more important than art?" "This will be a test taking class." "We need to be tested on how to take a test?" "We're testing it out." "Why do you hate art so much?" "Matthews!" "Girls, I am not for this." "What?" "My hands are tied." "I'm the superintendent of schools." "I answer to the panel for educational policy." "I mean, all this, it comes from them." "I'm not the enemy here." "Yes, he is." "Matthews!" "Turner!" "You wouldn't get rid of this?" "Ah, I'd get rid of that forever." "But that's a real loss." "Well, you are harder to watch than usual." "I mean, all broken and pouty and stuff." "Lucas used to call me in Texas and tell me about you guys." "You were legends." "The genius who's loyal and kind..." "The blond beauty..." "Lucas talks about himself like that?" "He was talking about you." "Oh." "He said you were all full of fire." "And the pretty brunette who never gives up on anyone or anything." "And no sacrifice is too big for her friends." "But you've all given up." "Where's the fire?" "Because I don't see any of it." "You know what, Lucas?" "These aren't the people you told me about." "Yeah, except you've been here long enough to know that they are." "Einstein said we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them." "Yeah." "We need a different kind of thinking." "Well, what's another way to think?" "We're trying to save the creative arts." "Why can't we start thinking creatively?" "There's my little artist." "I'm asking you to slow down before this vote becomes final." "Once these cuts are official, then art and music and drama and dance... they're gone." "I mean, is that really acceptable?" "It's not too late to do the right thing here." "Thank you, chairperson Sanchez." "Thank you, superintendent Turner." "That was a lovely, impassioned speech." "Let me just check and see if it changed any of the numbers." "No." "I'm afraid not." "Our next speaker is Mr. Isaiah Babineaux." "Mr. Babineaux?" "Hello, chairperson." "Thank you for seeing me." "You're welcome, Mr. Babineaux." "We are happy to see a young representative of our school community, who is, I trust, going to address us with great respect for our process." "No." "That's not what's gonna happen." "We couldn't reach you with logic, so we decided to think... differently." "Oh." "Super." "Okay." "Wait a second." "What exactly are you gonna do?" "We do this..." "Gentlemen, what are you doing?" "The same thing you're doing to us." "Not as interesting a room anymore." "Get the picture?" "That's a very colorful scarf you're wearing." " Thank you." " May I?" "A dance to the loss of purple." "My name is Maya hart." "This committee relies on charts and graphs." "I have information to add to them." "Please share it with us, Ms. hart." "You want numbers?" "The United States ranking in math, science and reading has done nothing but drop for the past 50 years." " Your proposal?" " Get rid of 'em." "Cut math, science and reading?" "Why not?" "We stink at 'em." "But you know what we're number one at?" "Movies and music!" "People all over the world are inspired by our creativity." "But hey, I don't wanna get rid of anything." "You started it." "My hands are tied." "Yeah, it's so funny." "Everyone keeps saying that, but they're not." "Look at 'em." "Your hands are free." "You just think they're tied." "I'm afraid you're out of time." "We have a long list of speakers on the list today and we need to be getting back to them." "Topanga Matthews." "I yield my time to these children." "Uh..." "Cory Matthews." "Yield." "Gabriella Kossal." "Yield." "Yes." "Super." "Okay." "Wouldn't now be a good time for an adult point-of-view?" " Yield." " Oh, come on!" "The adults have failed them." "Especially superintendent Turner!" "Matthews!" "Although you are a scientist, we are also told that you have great creativity." "Why, yes." "I sing and dance and am the greatest pippin the stage has ever seen." "I love pippin." "May we see some of it, please?" "No, you may not!" "There are no longer plays or concerts in this school." "Instead, I shall perform for you a list of prime numbers." "Oh, that's disappointing." "Two." "Three." "Five." "Seven." "11." "13." "Boo!" "Okay, okay." "I think we get your point, Mr. Farkle." "With all due respect, chairperson Sanchez, I don't think you do." "And like I said, I can also do this." "17." "19." " 23." " Boo!" "I hate 23." "Let's get 'em!" "Boo!" "Creativity feeds science, and science feeds creativity." "That's what you're missing because you're not thinking creatively." "Thank you." "I took all of my art off of the refrigerator." "Do you have kids?" "When you get home, please take their art off of the refrigerator, too." "Otherwise you're hippopotamuses." "Hypocrites?" "Please don't cut reading." "A dance in which a hippopotamus returns home to find his art taken from the refrigerator." "Ahh, ooh, mmm..." "Ms. hart, I am told that you can sing." "I can warble a tune." "Would you do us the great honor?" "Yoink." "Sorry." "No more music." "Chairperson Sanchez, with respect, you seem uncomfortable." "Could that possibly have to do with your background?" "I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." "Oh, let me be more specific." "Where did you do your undergraduate work?" "Princeton." "Oh." "Good school." "Good school." "What'd you study?" "I don't see how these questions are relevant to today's proceedings." "Oh, you were an art major!" "Yes, Mr. Babineaux." "I have a degree in studio art." "A dance in which I graduate with a degree in studio art from Princeton university but then I get my hands tied." "I don't need to see that one." "I lived it." " Does it hurt a little?" " It does." "Especially since one of the paintings you took down was mine." "Chairperson Sanchez, got a favorite book?" " Bridge to Terabithia." " Un-read it." "Favorite movie?" " The Wizard of Oz." " Un-watch it." "Well, you've just kinda taken away my whole childhood, haven't you?" "When does it happen?" "When does what happen?" "When do you stop being able to think creatively?" "When do you get your hands tied?" "We don't want that to happen to us." "You went to a great school." "I'm sure all of you did." "You're very smart." "You know this is the wrong way to think." "You didn't ask me who my favorite artist is." "It's Picasso." "Do you have a favorite artist?" "All of them." "Everyone who ever tried..." "Including you." "You know, Picasso painted a masterpiece called Guernica." "Adults going to war on horses with swords." "Except for one horse who was horrified at what the adults were doing." "He's horrified because he knows it's wrong." "I've always loved that horse." "And when I was as young as you, I made a promise to myself that if I ever go to war," "I would never forget Guernica and the horse that knew better." "Thank you, Ms. hart, for reminding me." "No." "Thank you." "I love learning about art." "Would have never known about Guernica if someone didn't care enough to teach me." "Superintendent Turner..." "You have been requesting all along that we remain patient." "Well, we're all teachers here." "I think we can appreciate the value of a good lesson." "Turner!" "My man!" "Would you tell him to stop?" "I can't promise an immediate solution, but I can promise that we can try and think differently." "To think creatively as these students." "Thank you all for coming." "This meeting is adjourned." "But our next meeting begins right now, and we will stay here until we come up with something that unties our hands and we begin to think differently." "Ms. hart?" "Yes, ma'am?" "Please hang up my painting." "Yes, ma'am." "Very hopeful, Maya." "What do you call it?" "The renaissance." "Oh, my eyes!" "Want to know what I call it?" "I don't care." "50 million purple cats." "Isn't it hopeful?" "It is." "Keep painting, Riley." "Because it makes you happy." "It makes you feel something, which is what art is all about." "I'm happy." "I'm a happy artist." "This is why I stink." "All right." "Remember your homework for the weekend is to visit any art museum in the city." "Find something that inspires you and never forget it for the rest of your rich and creative lives."