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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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INT. BEDROOM - DAY
C/U of a hand. It lays limp, running unnaturally across the
screen, almost suspended in air, the world tilts, and the
hand is now draped down, a empty can lays next to it.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
A young man lays face down on his bed, he is PAUL. We can
only see his back, his arm is draped down one side of the
bed, the can still lies there. We hold there, waiting.
After a few seconds, the alarm clock sounds. He stirs, then
moves, trying to turn it off.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
C/U on a shelf, there are several crushed cans of rum and
coke lined up on the shelf. A hand reaches out and takes
them down, one by one.
CUT TO:
EXT. APARTMENT EXIT - DAY
C/U of the recycling bin as a hand full of cans and a
bottle crash into it. We hear footsteps move back into the
apartment and the door close.
PAUL (V.O.)
New day, same start.
(beat)
Clean up the old mess, lie to
myself, and then prepare to make
a new mess all over again.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
We see over the top of a typewriter. Paul sits down in
front of it and looks down.
PAUL (V.O.)
Everyday I wake up and kid myself
that this'll be the day I write
that paragraph. That today I'll
break the block, tear down the
wall.
Paul looks across the desk.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
C/U shot of a vodka bottle laying next to three shot
glasses.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Paul turns back to the typewriter.
PAUL (V.O.)
But everyday I'm wrong.
CUT TO:
EXT. BOTTLESHOP - DAY
The shot is perfectly still, the bright lights of the
bottleshop are almost blinding. Paul walks inside. He
emerges a few seconds later, carrying a brown paper bag. He
turns and walks along the sidewalk. Suddenly a young boy
runs past and trips, skinning his knee. The young boy
begins to cry and looks up at Paul. Paul looks back, then
turns and walks away.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Paul is sitting at his desk. Drinking and staring at his
typewriter.
PAUL (V.O.)
It had been 11 months since I
last wrote anything decent. 11
months since I had moved away
from my painful memories and
began creating new ones.
(beat)
It always begins the same. Just
one. Then one more. By then I'm
in.
(beat)
One small drink, One small drink
is all the devil needs.
FADE TO:
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Paul sits in front of a typewriter. He is swaying back and
forth, too drunk to sit. Slowly and unsurely he stands up
and stumbles to the bed. We ignore him, pushing in on the
page loaded up into his typewriter. There is a single line
of writing typed up. We get closer and closer, until we can
see what he has written. The image becomes clearer.
Suddenly we see it, "Have you seen my deadlights?"
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
C/U of Paul's face. He has passed out.
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
We are once again in the top corner of the room. Looking
down and Paul, who is this time on his back. An old 1930's
movie plays on the TV. He stirs, wakes and slowly pulls
himself of the bed. He walks up to his writing table and
picks up an empty bottle.
C/U of the vodka bottle. It has a post-it note stuck on it.
It reads, "Paul, Cut down on your drinking, Love, Paul"
ANGLE ON:
Paul's face as he reads the note.
PAUL
(to himself)
Son of a bitch.
He screws up the note and turns back. Stopping briefly to
look in the mirror. He moves once again into the bedroom.
He looks up at the TV.
ANGLE ON:
The TV. Two men talk over a bar.
ANGLE ON:
Paul, who now has the remote in his hands, turns off the
TV.
FADE OUT.
UNKNOWN MALE (V.O.)
Goddammit Paul. What the fuck
have you done with yourself?
FADE IN:
INT. BATHROOM - DAY
Paul is sitting in his bathtub. Empty beer cans float
around him. He is holding mobile phone to his ear. Paul is
drunk and speaks with a slight slur.
PAUL
What'd ya mean, Tom? I'm, doing
fine.
TOM (V.O.)
You know what I mean, Paul. For
Christ's sakes, you were the most
talented kid that ever strode
into my office. I knew the minute
you walked through my door that
they would give you the grant. I
knew it straight off, and when I
read your work. I was certain,
and I was right. What have you
done with it? Huh? You get in
that accident and you take off
all the way up there and drink
yourself stupid. I believed in
you, man.
PAUL
I know you did, Tom, I know, but
I...
TOM (V.O.)
And what have you given me for
it? Huh? I've got the bosses on
my back asking what you've
written, and I got nothing to
show them! I recommended you,
Paul! I stuck my neck out. Have
you even written anything? Or
have you just pissed away the
money?
PAUL
I write, I write when I can, and
I, write all sorts of stuff, you
know...
TOM (V.O.)
No, Paul. I don't know. You've
got two weeks to give me at least
100 solid pages of work, or they
are going to take action. You
signed a fucking contract, Paul!
They're going to hold you legally
responsible! You know what they
are going to do to me if you
don't come through? When you
needed more time, I backed you,
when you needed more time, I
backed you. I told them that you
were making great progress, and
that your research was costing
more than they thought. I knew I
was lieing to them, but I did it
anyway. What were you
researching, huh? How to be a
useless drunk?
PAUL
(yelling)
I had issues, Tom. I can't just
jump through your, your...
fucking hoops whenever, you,
say... jump.
TOM (V.O.)
It's not my hoops your jumping
through Paul, it's the big guys,
and they are sick and tire...
Paul loses his grip on his mobile and it splashes into the
bath.
PAUL
Shit, fuck.
He scrounges around and pulls the mobile back out, putting
in against his ear.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Tom? Tom. Tom? You there?
He pauses. There is no response, the phone is dead. Paul
throws the phone back in the water.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Shit.
He buries his head into his hands.
CUT TO:
INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY
Paul sits at his desk, drunk. Looking at the typewriter.
Suddenly the phone rings. He picks it up, still slurring.
PAUL
Hello?
LINDA (V.O.)
Paul? It's Linda.
PAUL
Sis! How you going? Long time no
see.
LINDA (V.O.)
Not too bad.
PAUL
Listen, I appreciate the call and
all, but it's kind of a bad time
for me, see I gotta finish this
chapter or I'm gunna get...
Linda cuts in.
LINDA (V.O.)
Paul, It's Dad. He's dead.
Paul's expression wipes. He sits blankly for awhile.
LINDA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
You there?
Paul snaps out of it and chokes out
PAUL
Uh, When's the funeral?
LINDA (V.O.)
It's been and gone, Paul. I
thought it was better if you
weren't there, I didn't want you
to upset mum.
Paul sits there. Silent. He slowly lowers the phone and
places it on the cradle. We here Linda's voice over the
phone grow faint until the handset hits the base.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY
There is a grainy video shot from a hand held camera. Paul
sits in a chair, looking very nervous.
WORKER (O.S.)
Now I'm going to ask you a
serious of questions. I need you
to answer as truthfully as you
can. Are you ready?
PAUL
Yeah.
WORKER (O.S.)
OK, for these questions, I need
you to answer out of, Never, Less
than monthly, Monthly, Weekly or
Daily/Almost daily. Do you
understand?
PAUL
Yeah...
WORKER (O.S.)
How often do you have six or more
drinks on one occasion?
PAUL
(beat)
Daily.
WORKER (O.S.)
or almost Daily?
PAUL
(pausing again)
Yeah.
WORKER (O.S.)
How often during the last year
have you found that you were
unable to stop drinking once you
had started?
PAUL
Daily/Almost daily
WORKER (O.S.)
How often during the last year
have you failed to do what was
normally expected from you
because of drinking?
PAUL
Daily.
WORKER (O.S.)
How often during the last year
have you needed a first drink in
the morning to get yourself going
after a heavy drinking session?
PAUL
Daily or Almost Daily.
WORKER (O.S.)
How often during the last year
have you had a feeling of guilt
or remorse after drinking?
PAUL
Once or twice a week, so...
Weekly.
WORKER (O.S.)
How often during the last year
have you been unable to remember
what happened the night before
because you had been drinking?
PAUL
Weekly.
WORKER (O.S.)
OK, I just need a yes or no for
this one. Has a relative, friend,
or a doctor or other health
worker been concerned about your
drinking or suggested you cut
down?
PAUL
Yes.
WORKER (O.S.)
Within the last year?
PAUL
Yes.
WORKER (O.S.)
OK, same deal for this one. Have you or someone else been
injured as the result of your drinking?
JUMP CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - DAY
Paul is screaming at someone inside a house. He dives into
his car.
QUICK CUT TO:
A young boy bounces a ball onto the street. Tires screech
as a car begins to speed off. The camera pushes quickly
into the kid.
He has enough time to look up in fright and shock. The is a
screech of tires braking and the video cuts right before we
hear a loud, 'thud' sound.
QUICK CUT TO:
C/U of Paul's face. Still swinging from the break. He is
scared, shocked and frozen in fear all at the same time. We
hear him whisper.
PAUL
Cody...
CUT TO:
Paul is frozen in place. There is a long pause.
WORKER (O.S.)
I'll repeat the question. Have
you or someone else been injured
as the result of your drinking?
There is a long pause before Paul speaks.
PAUL
(shaking)
Yes.
WORKER (O.S.)
Was it in the last year?
PAUL
(breaking down)
No.
WORKER (O.S.)
Just give me a few seconds to add
these up and I'll let...
The workers voice fades into nothing. Slowly the video does
too.
INT. MOTEL BATHROOM - MORNING
C/U of a sink. Suddenly there is an explosion of vomit. We
pull back to show Paul hunched over the sink. Some vomit
still around his mouth, he dry retches and slumps.
PAUL (V.O.)
Shit. How much did I drink last
night? Must of been a lot. I
can't even remember the last time
I puked. Shit. So sick. Feel so
sick. But all I can think about
is drinking some more.
Making everything disappear, make
the pain go away.
Paul turns and leans against the sink. He glances up at the
telephone sitting on the counter.
PAUL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
No matter how fast you run.
You can never escape your demons.
No matter where you hide, they
know where you are. Perhaps the
only thing you can do, is turn
around and face them. Maybe then
they will leave you be. I wasn't
sure, but I had to find out.
CUT TO BLACK
There is a dial tone. Then a sound of the phone being
picked up. A number is dialed, beeping with each digit
pressed.
FEMALE OPERATOR
Silver Top Taxis, how can I help
you?
PAUL (V.O.)
I need a taxi.
FEMALE OPERATOR
Then you've called the right
number, sir. Congratulations.
INT. BACK SEAT OF TAXI - DAY
Paul is slumped in the corner of the taxi. He stares
aimlessly out the window while the taxi continues on it's
way, he rocks with the motion of the cab.
PAUL (V.O.)
I was sober, I was scared. I was
about to face everyone I had
turned my back on. I didn't know
how to feel. It had been awhile
since I had felt emotions, let
alone one's as strong as these.
Paul looks down at his hands, which are shaking.
PAUL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I was going home. After 11 months
I was going home. I had tried to
escape my problems but had
created new ones. It seemed like
there was no happy medium, no
fairy tale ending.
However this was going to end, it
was going to end bad That much I
knew.
FADE OUT.
EXT. PHONEBOOTH - DAY
Paul walks into a phone booth. He picks up the receiver and
places his coins in the phone.
PAUL
(into phone)
Hi, I need the number for
Westview Plains Motel.
(beat)
Connection, please.
He looks around, almost from force of habit.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Hey. I'm Paul Sh... uh, sure I'll
hold.
(beat)
Yeah, I, uh, had a reservation
under... Yeah, that's the one.
Uh, do you guys have a minibar in
the rooms? You do? Could you do
me a favour? Yeah. Could you
remove them from the room?
Thanks.
He quickly hangs up. Breathing slowly.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - DAY
Paul stands over his father's grave. The wind blows his
open shirt. He stands there for a few seconds.
LINDA
What you thinking about?
Paul turns around looks at Linda.
PAUL
Nothing.
There is a pause.
LINDA
Why are you here Paul?
PAUL
I don't know, I don't.
LINDA
Why are you back?
PAUL
I'm not.
LINDA
Why did you isolate yourself like
that, Paul? Why did you turn your
back on us.
PAUL
After Cody's accident, I...
LINDA
(pushing Paul)
Mum never blamed you!
PAUL
(screaming back)
I BLAMED MY SELF! Me! Everywhere
I went people were looking at me,
looking at me like I was some
kind of monster. How could I live
like that? Around people who
hated me?
LINDA
So you just took off? Left me
holding together the family?
Looking after Cody? You know Mum
barely looks at him? She acts
like he's dead. She can't even
deal with his problem let alone
take care of him. Dad was sick, I
needed you Paul, I needed your
help. Instead you took off like a
selfish fuck!
PAUL
(whispered)
I'm sorry.
LINDA
Sorry?
(beat)
I missed out on the school.
PAUL
What school?
LINDA
That arts school? The one I'd had
my eyes on since I took up
acting? I flunked my performance.
I had absolute no energy from
looking after Cody.
No one else could. Mum wouldn't
have looked after him properly.
Dad was too sick by that stage.
Nan and Pop were off Caravaning
somewhere and we couldn't afford
a special school. That left me.
PAUL
I'm sorry, Linda, I really am.
LINDA
No your not. You say you are but
we both know you'll end up back
in your shitty little apartment,
as far away from here as
possible, still drinking yourself
a grave.
Paul has nothing to say.
LINDA (CONT'D)
Do you even know what you did to
Katie? Your girlfriend for 14
months and you just dump her and
leave? Out of the blue? I bet you
didn't even know about the baby,
did you?
Paul looks up, absolute shock registers in his face.
PAUL
What baby?
LINDA
Katie was pregnant Paul, right
before you took off. She had only
just found out.
PAUL
Did she have it?
LINDA
(pause)
I don't know. She moved away
shortly after you left. She only
came back a month ago.
PAUL
So I could be, a father?
Linda shrugs.
PAUL (CONT'D)
Why didn't anyone tell me? For
Christ's sake!
LINDA
You never cared about anything
when you were up there. I tried
to tell you, so many times. You
wouldn't have cared, you couldn't
have cared. If you want to know,
you'll have to go see Katie. Ask
her. Even if you don't do that.
You'll go see her anyway, and
you'll apologize to her. Make her
feel like it wasn't her fault.
Because I know that you can make
it at least a little bit easier
on her. For once in your life,
you have the chance to do
something good. Don't screw this
up.
Linda turns and walks away. Paul stands there, looking at
the ground.
EXT. CAFE - DAY
Katie sits across from Paul, who is smoking, hunched over,
away from the table. There is a silence.
KATIE
It's been awhile.
PAUL
It has.
There is another long pause.
KATIE
I'm dating someone.
PAUL
OK
KATIE
Yeah.
PAUL
What's his name?
KATIE
(pausing)
uh, John?
Paul looks up at her, she almost cringes. He turns around,
leaving it accepted, without question.
PAUL
OK
KATIE
(nervously)
Yeah.
Katie shifts uncomfortably.
KATIE (CONT'D)
Why'd you have to leave, Paul?
Paul's demeanor changes, he becomes angry. He spins around
and faces Katie.
PAUL
Why do you have to ask me that
question? Huh? You know why I
goddamn left! Why the fuck did
you have to ask me that?
KATIE
(tearful)
I'm sorry, Paul, I shouldn't have
said it, I know, I'm sorry.
Paul back around. He goes to take a drag of his cigarette
but changes his mind and throws it on the ground.
PAUL
(stuttering)
Jesus, I, ah, fuck, ah, I'm
going.
KATIE
(worried)
What's wrong, Paul? Was it me,
I'm sorry, you don't have to
leave.
PAUL
I gotta go, I have places to be.
He turns and walks off. Leaving Katie confused and tearful.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAFE ROAD - DAY
Paul is walking away, in the background Katie is sitting
tearful, having watched Paul take off on her for the second
time. Voice's echo around his head.
PAUL (V.O.)
So I could be, a father?
LINDA (V.O.)
If you want to know, you'll have
to go see Katie. Ask her.
Paul stops. We are close enough to make out his tearful
eyes.
LINDA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Apologize to her. Make her feel
like it wasn't her fault.
He turns around. Katie is openly sobbing into her hands.
LINDA (V.O.) (CONT'D)
For once in your life, you have
the chance to do something good.
Don't screw this up.
Paul turns back around. Sighs, and keeps walking.
FADE TO BLACK.
PAUL (V.O.)
Silver Top Taxis? I need a taxi.
FEMALE OPERATOR (V.O.)
Certainly, sir. Where to?
PAUL (V.O.)
(pausing)
As far away from here as
possible.
INT. DOORWAY - INT
Paul stumbles through his door, carrying a brown bag full
of bottles. He rushes over and dumps them on the desk,
removing a bottle of vodka. He take a glass and goes to
pour it in but slips and knocks the glass off the table. He
goes to pick it up but changes his mind and takes it out of
the bottle. He staggers back and falls onto his bed, he
goes to take another drink but bursts out crying half way
through. Paul sits there
CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - INT
Paul is sitting in front of his typewriter.
TOM (V.O.)
What were you researching, huh?
How to be a useless drunk?
Paul looks up. Something in his face has changed. He looks
down and his typewriter, and begins typing. Time begins
moving faster and faster. We hear his voice as he types.
PAUL (V.O.)
This world is becoming more and
more confusing, more surreal. I
look around and I'm not sure what
I'm seeing. Memories have become
blurs, like smudges on an easel
and I can't pick up the brush and
make things right. I don't know
what I ever hoped to achieve. I
no longer know if my world is
real, or just a side effect. A
running gag, for someone else's
amusement. I know what I have
done. To myself, to others, and
the worst part is, I don't know
how to change it. I can't make it
better. But my mind is made up.
After 11 months I am finally able
to write, everything starts
flowing back. My pain, my hurt,
my life. I'll show them all.
Every last one.
Time slows back down to normal. Paul stops typing, and
pulls the last page from the typewriter, laying it down on
top of a neatly stacked pile.
He moves over to his desk, and picks up a glass bottle. He
picks up a towel and wraps in up, then smashes it with his
hand, he reaches under the cloth and picks up a shard of
glass. "Bad Days" by 'The Flaming Lips' begins to play. He
lowers the shard of glass off screen to where his hands
sit. He pauses before looking down and slowing moving his
hand in a cutting motion. He brings up the glass, which is
now covered in blood. He looks at it for a second, with a
tear in his eye. Then he lowers it, fumbles and repeats in
again. He sways slowly back and forth. We slowly pull away
and a soft montage comes in.
Linda, looking down at another rejection letter.
Paul's desk, which contains a manuscript neatly typed up.
On the front page, there is the title, "The Inevitable
Decline of the Western Civilization as seen through the
eyes of a 19 year old Alcoholic Writer", followed by "100
Pages".
Back to Paul as he stares blankly off into the distance.
Katie, as she cries on her bed, looking at a photo of a
happy Paul.
Paul again, as the camera pulls further away. We see the
blood on his pants and wrists.
Linda as she screws up the letter.
The manuscript, as the front page blows open, there is a
handwritten note on it. "Dedicated to Tom, a man who
believed in me more than any other person ever did,
including myself. I'm Sorry, Tom, I wish there was another
way."
Paul as the camera slows to a stop.
Katie, as she wipes her tears, and looks over to the corner
of the room, where a cradle sits neatly, their son inside.
Paul, as he slumps on to his side. Dead.
FADE OUT.
FIN.
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.