Name: Speak
Genre: Drama
Released: 2005-09-05
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 7.1
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Perkins, Steve Zahn, Michael Angarano, D. B. Sweeney

Speak

Lessons from Nature's Resilience

Melinda Sordino Here's what I learned in bio. If the seed is planted too deep it doesn't warm up in time. Once the plant surfaces it sprouts leaves so it can absorb more sun. If someone picks the flower the plant grows another bloom to produce more seeds.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Historical Perspectives on Employment and Discrimination

Melinda We're studying American history for the ninth time in nine years. Every year they say we're gonna get right up to the present but we always get stuck in the industrial revolution.

[voiceover]

Mr. Neck My family has been in this country for over 200 years. We built this place. We fought in every war, from the first one to the last one, paid our taxes and voted. So tell me why my son can't get a job?

Mr. Neck Reverse discrimination. He wanted to be a firefighter. Went up for the job but he didn't get it. What I'm suggesting here is maybe if we had closed our borders in 1900 then real americans would get the jobs they deserved.

Mr. Neck Young lady.

Heather Um, I think that we're all foreigners and should just give the country back to the Native Americans.

Mr. Neck Now we have a debate, don't we? "Native Americans"?

[scoffs]

Black student Maybe your son didn't get the job because he wasn't good enough. Or maybe he's lazy. Or maybe the other guy was just better than him.

Mr. Neck Watch your mouth, mister. That's my son you're talking about. You know what? That's enough debate. Everybody take out your book.

Mr. Neck Mr. Petrakis, please take your seat.

David If the class is debating, then each student has the right to say what's on his mind.

Mr. Neck I decide who talks in here, Mr. Petrakis.

David You opened a debate, you can't close it just because it's not going your way.

Mr. Neck Watch me! Take your seat, Mr. Petrakis!

David The constitution does not recognize different levels of citizenship based upon the time spent in the country. As a citizen and a student, I'm protesting the tone of this lesson as racist, intolerant, and xenophobic.

Mr. Neck Sit your butt in that chair, Mr Petrakis, and watch your mouth! I try to get this debate going and you people turn it into a "race" thing. Sit down, Mr. Petrakis, or you're gonna go down to the principal's office.

Melinda Dave Petrakis is my new hero.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Questioning Melinda's Awareness and Response

David Melinda! Hello? Can you count backwards from 10? Who is the president of the United States? Come on, open your eyes.

Ms. Keen Dave, don't hit her!

David That's what you're supposed to do! My dad's a doctor. Melinda, who's the governor of Texas?

[still slapping her]

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Speak

Identifying Personal Aspirations on Career Day

Melinda Sordino Today is career day. Am I A: a helper B: a doer C: a planner or D: a dreamer?

[voiceover]

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Speak

Discontent with Winter in the Midwest

Melinda Sordino I hate winter. I've lived in the midwest my whole life and I hate winter. It starts too early and it ends too late. Why doesn't everyone just move to Florida?

[voiceover]

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Speak

Struggling to Speak Amidst Pain

Melinda Sordino Ivy's being nice. Say something. My throat is dry. It hurts.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Understanding Your Values and Vision for Change

Melinda Sordino I think you should know what you stand for, not just what you're against. You should be able to show how things can be better.

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Speak

The Urge to Share a Burden

Melinda Sordino I should probably tell someone. Just... anyone. Get it over with. Blurt it out.

[voiceover]

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Speak

First Day High School Anxiety

Melinda Sordino It's my first day of high school. I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomach ache.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Exploring Fear Through Artistic Expression

Mr. Freeman In here is a piece of paper and on that piece of paper is a word. You are gonna spend the rest of the year turning that object into art.

Ivy Uh, Mr Freeman? When I was little I was really scared of clowns and I don't wanna relapse and have to go back into therapy.

Mr. Freeman Oh yeah, well, fear is a great place to begin art.

Melinda I learned how to draw a tree in like the 2nd grade.

Mr. Freeman Oh really? Um. Well, do you wanna show me? It's OK. I won't grade you.

Mr. Freeman That's a pretty good start. Yeah, let's see what it looks like at the end of the year.

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Speak

The Importance of Creativity and Imagination

Mr. Freeman Can anybody tell me what this is?

[holds up a smashed globe]

Ivy A globe?

Mr. Freeman A Globe? Gosh... What're you guys? 13? 14? You already let them beat the creativity outta you?... It's ok. I used to let my daughters kick this around my studio when it was too wet to play outside. And one day Jenny put her foot right through Texas and the entire United States crumbled into the sea. I mean, you could, you could paint a wet muzzled dog... chewing Alaska! The possibilities are endless. It's almost too much but you all are important enough to give it too.

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Speak

The Struggle of Communication and Connection

Melinda All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. No one really cares what you have to say.

[voiceover]

Heather So here's the plan. We join 5 clubs. One for every day of the week. Not like Latin club, but cool stuff. What do you wanna join? Hey, maybe we can tutor kids at the elementary school. What about your friends from last year? Don't you know Nicole?

Melinda I wonder how long it would take for anyone to notice if I just stopped talking.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Emphasizing the Importance of Mental Health Days

Melinda Sordino It's time for a mental health day. So conjugate this: I cut class. You cut class. He/she/it cuts class.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Feeling Clanless and Isolated

Melinda Sordino There is no point talking to my ex-friends. Our clan, the Plain Janes, has been absorbed by rival groups. Nicole hangs out with the jocks. Rachel went all Euro. Ivy straddles two crowds: the goths and the Marthas. And then there's me. I'm clanless.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Frustration with Ms. Kane's Teaching Style

Melinda Sordino It's impossible to listen to Ms. Kane. Her voice sounds like an engine that won't turn over. Plus she laughs at her own jokes.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Struggling for Help in the Classroom

Melinda Excuse me, sir? Um, I was wondering if... uh, I was j...

Mr. Neck Come on, Sordino. Spit it out. You have to learn to enunciate. Or else no one will listen.

Melinda I was wondering if there was any way I can raise my grade?

Mr. Neck Parents got the report card, huh?

Melinda No, I just wanted to.

Mr. Neck Why should I give you that chance?

Melinda Everyone deserves a second chance. I mean, isn't that what Jesus said?

Mr. Neck Are you being smart with me?

Mr. Neck OK. I'm feeling generous. Just because I don't wanna have to see your face in summer school. Write me a report on a cultural influence at the turn of the century. And it better be good.

Melinda Sordino It will be. I'll write about the suffragettes. Before they came along, women were treated like dogs.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Confronting an Unavoidable Truth

Melinda Sordino It happened. There's no avoiding it. No forgetting.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Finding Your Soul Through Art

Mr. Freeman Hi everybody! Welcome to Art. The only class that will teach you how to survive. This is where you can find your soul, if you dare. Don't ask me to show you how to draw a face. Ask me to help you find the wind.

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Speak

Perception of Authority Through a Distorted Lens

Melinda Sordino My English teacher has no face. I call her Hairwoman.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Observations on Social Dynamics and Wealth

Melinda Sordino Heather has found a clan. The Marthas. Very Connecticut. Very prep. I suspect money changed hands.

[voiceover]

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Speak

Cheerleading for New School Mascot Confusion

Melinda The school board decided that Trojans didn't send a strong message of abstinence. So we'll now be the home of the Merryweather Hornets.

[voiceover]

Cheerleader What are we supposed to cheer? We are the hornets, the horny horny hornets?

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Speak

Transforming Pain into Creative Expression

Mr. Freeman It's night in Venice. This is the color of an accountant's soul - a love rejected. This, I once grew mold on an orange this color when I was living in Boston. And these are various members of the school board. You see, if something's eating at you, you gotta find a way to use it.

[describing a painting]

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Speak

The Struggle for Speaking Out

David The suffragettes fought for their right to speak. They were attacked, arrested and thrown in jail for daring to do what they wanted to do. Like them, Melinda is willing to stand up for what she believes. That no one should be forced to give speeches.

Mr. Neck What is this?

David Melinda has to deliver her report to the class as part of the assignment. She made copies everyone can read.

Mr. Neck Oh, no you don't. When I say oral I mean oral. Now you sit down! And you, read that report. Open your mouth Sordino. Open your damn mouth!

[to David; to Melinda]

Mr. Neck I am so sick of your attitude.

Melinda I forgot: the suffragettes were hauled off to jail. Duh!

[voice over]

Speak

Critique of Gym Culture and Its Impact

Melinda Sordino Gym should be illegal. It's humiliating.

[voiceover]

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Struggling with Belonging and Restlessness

Melinda Sordino It's hard to sleep at home. How long would it take for the nurses to figure out I don't belong here? Would they let me rest for a few days?

[voiceover]

Speak

Hallway Kissing Prohibited by Authority

Mr. Neck There is no kissing in the hallway!

Speak

Interpreting Intentions in Complex Narratives

Hairwoman Every word ] wrote, every comma, every paragraph break, these were done on purpose. It is our job to try and figure out what he's really trying to say.

[[Nathaniel Hawthorne|Hawthorne]

Melinda Why couldn't he just say what he meant? Would they pin a scarlet letter on his chest? "S" for straightforward?

[voiceover]

Hairwoman The house with the chunks of glass in its walls, is a symbol of what? Well, it would reflect, sparkle? Come on people, the house symbolizes...?

Rachel How do you know that's what he meant to say? I mean, you could just make all that up, it's just a story.

Hairwoman This is Hawthorne, one of America's greatest novelists. And not that it makes any difference but I wrote my dissertation on Hawthorne.

Rachel Fine, but, I thought we were all supposed to have opinions here. I mean it's a good story especially when Hester and that guy fall in love. But I don't really believe in symbolism. I mean you can just make all that up.

Hairwoman Alright class, I want you all to write a 500 word essay on symbolism. And then... turn it in!

[about to cry]

Melinda Poor hairwoman. I hope they send her to a conference or something. I'm ready to help pay for a sub.

[voiceover]

Speak

Navigating Differences in Friendship Dynamics

Heather This is really awkward. No matter what... no, I don't wanna say that. I mean, we kinda paired up at the beginning of school when I was new and didn't know anyone and that was really really sweet of you. But I think it's time that we both admit to each other that we're just very different people. I mean, I have my modeling and I like to shop...

Melinda I like to shop.

Heather You don't like anything. You're the most depressed person I've ever met. And excuse me for saying this but I think you need professional help.

Melinda So you're blowing me off because I'm a little depressed?

Heather Once you get through this "life sucks" phase, I'm sure lots of people will wanna be your friend. But for right now, I don't think we should have lunch together.

Speak

The Importance of Understanding Revolutionary Principles

Hairwoman A revolutionary is only as good as his analysis. What does that mean?

Hairwoman Melinda, better late than never. Why is a revolutionary only as good as his or her analysis?

Melinda I think you should know what you stand for, not just what you're against. You should be able to show how things can be better.

Hairwoman That's pretty darn good.

Speak

Exploring the Truth through Artistic Vision

Mr. Freeman You need to visit the mind of the great one. Picasso, who saw the truth. Who painted the truth. Who ripped it from the earth with two angry hands.

Speak

Refusal to Engage in Social Interaction

Melinda Sordino Dave Petrakis invited me over to do lab homework. I said no. No thanks. I just... I can't.

[voiceover]

Speak

Questioning Concern for a Friend

Melinda Why should I worry about Rachel?

Speak Quotes

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