Speechless – I-N-S–INSPIRATIONS

By starrymag | October 15, 2016

By: Taylor Gates

 

All five family members are forced to share one bathroom with a narrow doorway, causing Maya (Minnie Driver) and JJ (Micah Fowler) to block the exit with the wheelchair. Dylan (Kyla Kenedy) has to jump out the window to leave and Ray (Mason Cook) has to climb through it to enter. But it’s all good—just another day in the life of the Dimeos.

 

Kenneth (Cedric Yarbrough) is taking JJ out for the day in order to do whatever JJ wants, leaving the rest of the family to their own devices. They’re lost without JJ. Jimmy (John Ross Bowie) suggests they all just take naps, but Dylan and Ray finally agree on paintball. Maya persuades them all to quickly help her widen the bathroom door to make it wheelchair accessible first.

 

Kenneth and JJ’s first stop is a hot dog stand where they immediately get special treatment. They get to cut to the front of the line and a couple behind them pays for their meal. Kenneth tells JJ that people see them as inspirations and he wonders if these favors will extend to other venues as well.

 

Dylan and Ray break the sides of the doorway down, asking Jimmy how much work is left on the project. Jimmy realizes that he doesn’t actually know how to do any of this—Maya has used flattery to convince him to agree to the home improvement. Since Maya once made Dylan read a Psychology textbook in order to give her free therapy, Dylan realizes that Maya never wanted to go paintballing, as she would feel too much guilt since it’s an activity JJ wouldn’t be able to do.

 

Kenneth and JJ manipulate the woman working the gate at Dodger Stadium with their inspirational smiles. She lets them in without a ticket. Meanwhile, Maya uses her British charm to manipulate some construction workers into coming over with their tools and helping them widen the doorway.

 

Ray, Dylan and Jimmy attempt to trick Maya into thinking they are finished widening the doorway by changing the settings on the wheelchair to make it narrower. Maya quickly figures out their plan and tells them to go paintballing while she finishes the doorway. Dylan goes all Dr. Phil on Maya, making her realize that she is avoiding paintballing since JJ is missing out. However, since JJ is having fun, the guilt she feels is unhealthy and inappropriate. Maya finally relents and agrees to go paintballing.

 

Kenneth and JJ continue working their magic. They get upgraded seats, the chance to throw out the first pitch and even a player’s ball and glove.

 

At the paintball arena, Dylan and Ray get excited to have “the most wheelchair inaccessible day ever.” Maya does a good job faking her excitement at the “big American gun party” they’re about to experience. Jimmy tells the three to run ahead of him, as he will be covering them in the perfect spot. (The perfect spot turns out to be under a camouflage blanket so he can take a nap.)

 

Kenneth continues playing the inspiration card for more perks (getting on the kiss cam, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”). JJ just wants to watch the game and blend in.

 

Dylan and Ray are having a great time killing people and bonding. They are getting closer than they ever have been. Someone shoots the phone out of Maya’s hand as she is checking on JJ, making her furious. She stumbles across a sleeping Jimmy and drags him with her to get revenge on her assassin.

 

The Dimeos get in a clump and start massacring everyone around them. As a family, they are unstoppable. At the end of the game, Dylan screams that this is the best day ever. However, she quickly backtracks when she realizes JJ isn’t with them, feeling horrible about her words.

 

Kenneth and JJ get ready to head home. Kenneth asks JJ if he has enough energy for one more stop—a Rolling Stones concert. They don’t have tickets, but they’re not going to need them. JJ is tired of milking their act, but Kenneth isn’t listening to him. He also accidentally leaves JJ’s board behind in a backpack on the ground, irritating JJ even more.

 

Dylan tells Maya she didn’t mean what she said about it being the best day ever…except she did, which makes her feel like a horrible person. She and Ray talk about how they wish they would’ve just fixed the door, as JJ deals with so much and never complains. Jimmy tells them it’s okay to have fun without their brother for one day, but Ray points out that Maya never does.

 

Kenneth unloads JJ’s wheelchair and notices his board is missing. JJ angrily tells him he left it in the parking lot, but Kenneth assures him that he will go back and get it, not understanding why JJ is so upset.

 

Jimmy tells Maya that the kids do have a point—she never does anything fun just for herself. So, they need to see her indulge in something selfish for once to set a good example.

 

Once he gets his board back, JJ tells Kenneth that this day was supposed to be about what he wanted. Kenneth took his voice and he doesn’t get to do that. Kenneth apologizes for letting the special treatment go to his head, promising it’ll never happen again. To make it up to JJ, he lets him drive the van in an empty parking lot.

 

Jimmy takes Maya to an ice skating rink, telling Ray and Dylan that since she’s not feeling guilty, they shouldn’t either. It’s all going great until Maya falls while trying to execute a spin and cusses up a storm. Classic Maya.

 

That night, the family reassures JJ that they were all miserable without him. He reveals that Kenneth let him drive a car and they all laugh before realizing he is serious. (Kenneth ducks out the door before they understand JJ is for real, which is a smart move on his part.)

 

Dylan flushes the toilet while Ray is in the shower. She loved when they were a team, but torturing him is more fun. However, they’ll always have paintball.