Ice Princess

Casey?

- Something wrong, Mr. Bast? - No, not at all.

I was curious if you'd started weighing your college options.

Options? Uh...

Heard of the Helen Stoller Physics Scholarship?

- No. - It's given to a student in this part of the state

who shows the most promise in the sciences.

Wouldn't that be Ann or... Wyatt?

No, it's you.

You have a calling, Casey.

I do?

- What is it? - Physics.

Toast?

- Uh... sure. - You're very lucky.

Most people search their whole lives for their calling.

How do you know if you have a calling?

Your brilliant teacher tells you so.

And of course your 11 straight A-pluses on exams is a hint.

You'll need a letter from me for the scholarship

and think about a special physics project over the summer.

Something unusual but personal.

Let them know you a little.

- He says it's my calling. - QED.

How is this "quite easily demonstrated"? You're as good in physics as I am.

Not even close. I grind, you glide.

Event horizon.

One day that guy is gonna wake up and realize he needs a math tutor.

And that tutor will be me.

Figure out how to get us invited to even one party and you win the Nobel.

Hey, you're Casey, right?

Uh-huh.

Here's an invite to my boyfriend's party.

Wow.

You're in chem lab with Julian Wilson, right?

- Mm-hm. - Can you give that to him?

Thanks.

That was way inconsiderate.

I love Mr. Bast.

If he uncovered a scholarship I didn't know about, he's a genius.

And to think they pay him almost nothing.

The devaluation of teachers in our society, it just...

- It blows my mind. - Mom.

I'm back. Sorry.

I have to figure out what he wants from me.

I mean, what is a personal science project?

Isn't the nature of science supposed to be completely unbiased and factual?

Now he wants the inner me, too?

The whole secret of the study of nature

lies in learning how to use one's eyes.

- You know who said that? - I'm guessing it was a woman.

That was written by George Sand,

a woman forced to use a man's name

because she couldn't get published.

- Mom. - Okay.

Anyway, I always tell my students,

"You'll know your topic when you learn how to use your eyes."

Oh! Oh, no...

She had it locked up.

I need to eat ice cream and all your mother has is leftover tofu.

- Can we go? - Sh! Sh!

Look at that recovery! Amazing.

She'll still place.

She's so precise. I mean, down to the last...

You know...

I bet there is an exact aerodynamic formula.

- What do you think you're doing? - I-I'm...

- Why are you filming my skaters? - For my physics project.

You're scoping her triple loop. Why?

No, I'm analyzing her movement.

- Who are you working for? - Nobody.

Teddy, will you come over here?

I'm gonna call the cops.

No, I didn't think it would be a problem.

I thought this was a public rink...

Private practice only from six to ten.

These girls are training for the regional championships,

which I think you perfectly well know.

No, I'm a student.

I have an ID.

I have a notebook.

Whoa, yeah.

Definitely spy code.

- What are you doing here? - You know her?

She's a science geek.

Look, I'm sorry, but when the CIA wants to learn new dirty tricks,

they observe figure skaters and their moms.

- Tina, can I have a word? - Frank, not now.

I want to digitize some images into my computer

to see if any kind of unified theory emerges.

Okay, if Gen knows you and you wanna

press your nose up against the glass and take a few notes,

I don't really care.

But you're gonna have a hard sell with the parents.

Absolutely not.

But no one outside of the scholarship committee

will ever see this program.

Here's the letter from my teacher explaining the assignment.

And my driver's license.

Um... I've also got some letters of references from people I babysat for.

Let's keep it moving, girls.

It's possible. We'll have the Team Nikki legal team check this out.

- Beautiful, sweetie. - Thanks, Mom!

No talking to my daughter. She's training.

No distraction.

Not a word. No.

Look, I don't care if you're here.

If you post me on the school website falling on my butt,

you'd better transfer to another school.

Okay, Nikki. Let's try that again.

Keep it moving.

A little wider, that's it.

Hey! No street shoes on the ice!

I'm sorry... Sorry.

Gen!

Hello, hon.

Gen!

Gen! Brian, she's training. You know the rules.

- I brought a burger, Mrs. H. - Gen can't eat that.

- Come on, Mom, I'm burning tons of calories. - Not enough.

- A half-hour break? - Not if you wanna win.

You should coach our basketball team. We could use a kick in the butt.

If you don't leave this instant, that's exactly what you'll get.

Bye.

I do not want him coming here during practice.

But I never get to see him. Every other girl I know...

You're not like the other girls.

Winners make sacrifices.

Maybe they just cheat.

- Turn that off! - Sorry.

Take it from the layback.

The conclusion's too simplistic.

The kinetic energy in a jump

equals half the skater's mass times velocity squared, minus...

No, I could barely understand it.

But...?

I don't know if they'll care

but it's just a little bit...

dry.

Mr. Bast said I have to make it personal.

- How do I do that? - I don't know.

Put more you in it.

Oh, excuse me, Tina.

Is there any way that I could take a few lessons?

I think I might be able to write better about the physics principles

if I'm the one actually applying them.

- If there's any way I could... - Fine.

We're starting a novice class for the summer.

Three afternoons a week.

$800.

$800?

- Popcorn! I want popcorn! - Where are my Gummi Bears?

- I gave them to you. - Four hot dogs!

- Oh, I'm sorry... - You touched that with your fingers.

Oh, fine. You don't want any more? I'll eat it.

Oh, you breathed on it!

You shouldn't work here.

You're here again?

Um... I'm working. It's for my science project.

Aren't you going a little overboard with this project?

No, I'm totally committed to it,

like you're committed to skating.

Whatever. I'm starving.

BLT here. Hold the B, heavy on the L.

Um... sure.

Beef patty. Squish it till it's dry. No bun.

- Salad for me. - Coming up.

Just iceberg lettuce, half a cup of garbanzos and a lemon wedge.

Oh, and a quarter cup of cheese.

Ooh, cheese!

It's Saturday. I can pig out if I want to.

I don't know what's wrong. I'm popping my Lutz.

It's all that cheese.