Mercy Rule

My family is always on the lookout

for a great new movie that we can watch together

as a family on movie night.

You know, something fun, something exciting.

Something that builds our faith in God

and our strength as a family.

Well, instead of waiting for another great new movie,

we decided to make one.

You're about to see it.

It's called "Mercy Rule" and it's about a family

who learns the Kingdom lessons of patience, courage, sacrifice,

mercy, legacy and trusting God.

So get your popcorn out,

get your home movie theater all dialed in.

Kids, grab the remote, turn the volume up,

this is going to be lots and lots of fun.

Here it is, "Mercy Rule."

This is a scrap yard.

Recycling begins here when you bring in

that old milk carton or broken toaster.

Everything you use every day,

cans, bottles, cardboard, wire, steel,

we'll crush it, bale it and load it on to trucks

and trains and send it all over the world.

My grandpa started it, we call him, Pops.

My dad and my uncle run it.

We're scrappers, it's what we do.

We've been running this yard for 50 years.

We can shred, crush, bale just about anything.

And that's my dad, John Miller.

Most people think it's just trash.

Let me guess, you think it's treasure, right?

No, not the creepy tall guy in the suit.

It's a little cliché, but quaint, I guess.

My dad hasn't worn a suit since Pops' funeral.

No, we don't think it's treasure.

I was going to say, most people think it's just trash

and there's nothing to do but bury it.

My dad has been on this yard

six days a week since he turned 18.

Apply enough pressure, send it off to the fire mills

and suddenly someone gets to sell you a new shiny hybrid.

He's the hardest worker I know.

It's a good angle.

You know what I see?

I see a lot of liability around here.

Actually, since my father started this business,

we've done more than a billion dollars in this place.

Only been to court twice, won both times.

Come on, let's get you inside.

I can tell this heat is melting your suit.

Ah, come on back.

My brother Ben's going to join us.

He runs the company with me.

All right, is this a, is this a good place, right here?

Perfect.

Yeah, I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Trufant.

-Okay? -Good?

We're ready, we're ready.

First interview with John Miller,

CEO of Dante's Scrapyard, Inc.

How many accidents have there been in your junkyards

in the past year, Mr. Miller?

Junkyards?

You mean scrap yards? Why?

Would you be willing to release the medical records

of your long-term employees?

Absolutely not.

Why would you even ask that?

I thought you were interested in the scrap/recycling business.

Oh, we are, in every aspect of it.

And the long-term health of the people engaged in this work

is relevant to all future discussions

of the booming waste recycling industry.

Ah, if you could just make one correction.

Waste is that which has no further use.

Excuse me?

That which has no further use.

That's the definition.

At Dante, I don't buy waste.

We buy things with worth.

At least they do, once they go through our machines.

How much of your operating budget comes from subsidies?

That's state, local, federal.

Uh, zero, zip, zippidy, nada, phftt.

We make our own way,

like God and George Washington intended, sir.

Mmhmm, right.

How did your father die?

I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I am going to have to get going.

My brother Ben here will see you out.

Well Mr. Miller, just one more question.

Best of luck with your project.

Uncle Ben, he's a little crazy,

but you have to be a little crazy to do what we do,

working this hard just to make old stuff worth something again.

A little crazy and a lot tough.

And that's my Pops up on the wall, young, strong,

not the way I remember him.

My sister says he was recycled from bark,

old leather and Walt Disney.

And his voice sounded like Uncle Ben's truck

chewing on cigarettes.

So uh, you want to watch me go bale some cans or bottles?

Because that's what we do here...recycle.

Wheeee...

I think we're good. Let's cut that.

Cody Miller has been doing battle tonight, folks.

Yep, that's me and that's my sister,

the one making fun of me.

Pittsburgh is gambling here,

betting that his arm still has juice.

But it won't matter if he can just get the batter.

I don't really mind, but only because she's good at it.

The pitch... Crack!

Cody Miller gets taken for a ride,

upper deck, right there, three-run homer.

Game over.

No way.

You know, Bob, Cody's curveball hangs when he's tired.

Just sits out there like a cupcake.

Seriously, a cupcake?

How is a hanging curveball like a cupcake?

Like a cupcake piñata.

And every fan in this place just caught some candy.

It didn't hang and it wasn't even a curveball.

It didn't curve, it didn't slide, it wasn't fast.

Grandma could have hit that.

You need to work on your insults because Grandma's dead.

I know, but she still could have hit that pitch.

-Hey, guys! -Hey, Dad!

How's it going? Come here, give me a hug.

Are you excited about your game?

I'll be more excited if Coach lets me pitch.

But only if he pitches really well

and gets recruited by the Pirates

and wins a million dollars in free hats.

Drafted not recruited.

Nice!

You know what, I'll show you a good arm.

Uh, oh, oh, oh!

Watch out, incoming! Grapefruit ball!

Watch out, watch out, you got a good arm.

Ooohh!

All right, settle down!

My tree.

Guys, you have the whole yard, you mess with that tree.

I eat those!

Code, toss the mitt. Come on, wash up.

All right, go inside, guys.

Oh, and that's my mom.

My dad said Mom's the reason Pops held on so long at the end.

And when she finally said goodbye,

it was like he had her permission to go.

He was gone in an hour.

This is my family and I know I'm lucky, but hey,

it isn't all grapefruit fights and laughing at the table.

I mean, well, just wait and see.

Do you ever feel like we're cheating?

What did we do to deserve perfect?

Mmm.

Why do we get to be happy when so many people aren't?

You know what would make this night even more perfect?

A cigarette.

Jonathan Miller!

If they didn't stink.

If they didn't kill you.

I'll see you later, Captain Killjoy.

Love you.

And your breath better be fresh.

What, you've never been nervous?

Cody Miller in the hole!

Coach, Coach!

Will I get to pitch too?

Get out there and hit the ball, Miller.

Come on, Cody!

Whoo!

Way to go, Code!