美国丽人2

  
 
EXT. BURNHAM HOUSE - CONTINUOS
A bright blue GARBAGE TRUCK fills the screen, as itsMECHANICAL ARM lifts a matching blue city GARBAGE CONTAINER from the curb, emptying its contents into the truck. On the side of the truck:
CITY OF ROCKWELLDEPARTMENT OF SANITATIONLet's Recycle!
In the Burnham's driveway: Carolyn1 now dressed for work in a completely different but equally well-coordinated outfit, stands next to a platinum-colored MERCEDES-BENZ ML320, reaching in through the drivers' window to blow the HORN again.
Her POV: LESTER comes out the front door, dressed IN abusiness suit and carrying a briefcase, fumbling with his tie. Jane is close behind him, buttoning her flannel shirt, her knapsack slung over her shoulder.
Carolyn frowns at both OF them.
CAROLYNJane. Honey. Are you trying to look unattractive?
JANEYes.
CAROLYNWell, congratulations. You've succeeded admirably.
Lester's briefcase suddenly springs open, his papers and files spilling onto the driveway. As he drops to his knees to gather everything, Jane sidesteps around him.
JANENice going, Dad.
LESTER looks UP her sheepishly, then at Carolyn.
His POV: she looks down at us, slightly contemptuous But alsobored, as if she gave up expecting anything more long ago.
LESTERI keep meaning to get this thing fixed...
He smiles, trying to lighten the moment, but Carolyn's expression doesn't change. She opens the door and gets into the drivers seat. Jane takes the passenger seat, and Lester climbs into the back. The Mercedes-Benz ML320 starts to slowly back out of the driveway.
LESTER (V.O.) (cont'd)So that's my family... and this is my life.(laughs)You'd think I wouldn't miss it so much...
INT. MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 - a SHORT TIME LATER
Carolyn is driving; Jane stares out the window. Lester is asleep in the back seat. Clint Black sings "DESPERADO" on the STEREO.
JANEWhy are we listening to this whiny-ass music?
CAROLYNIt's just what was on.
JANE fiddles the tuner, searching FOR ANOTHER station.Something suddenly catches Carolyn's eye:
Her POV: An ADVERTISEMENT on a BUS STOP BENCH shows a slick-looking, silver- ~ MAN smiling a toothy smile. It reads: Leonard Kane - The Real Estate King - Rockwell's Highest Sales Record Three Years Straight. We recognize him as the man seated next to Carolyn in court during Jane's trial.
Carolyn glare at the ADVERTISEMENT as she drives past. itobviously bothers her.
JANEI don't see how you people can listen to that hillbilly crap. It makes me want to buy a gun and shoot up a Burger King.
CAROLYNWell, your father was the last one to drive this car. You know I don't like country music myself. It's so... common and twangy. I much prefer the old ~b)V standards. Sinatra, Bobby Darin Doris Day...
JANE Finally finds a STATION she likes: MOODY ALTERNATIVEROCK. They drive along without speaking for a moment, then:
JANEWake up, Dad, we're here.
No response from Lester.
JANE (cont'd)Dad, look. It's Garth Brooks, and he's wearing that groovy cowboy hat. Maybe you can get his autograph.
CAROLYN(chuckling)Jane. Hush.
INT. COMMUTER TRAIN - a SHORT TIME LATER
LESTER sits IN the crowded TRAIN, his head UP against thewindow. He's fast asleep.
LESTER (V.O.)Both my wife and my daughter think I'm this gigantic loser.
He has a paper CUP OF COFFEE IN one hand, haphazardly holdingit against his knee. Slowly, it tips over, spilling onto his pants leg. He remains asleep.
LESTER (V.O.) (cont'd)And they're right. I've lost something very important. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I know I didn't always fell this... sedated.
Finally, LESTER opens one eye.
POV: from the front of the PATH train: We're ZOOMING along aboveground, unnaturally FAST heading toward a TUNNEL.
LESTER (V.O.) (cont'd)But you know what? It's never too late to get it back.
And we accelerate into the tunnel, and BLACKNESS.
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAYCLOSE on a COMPUTER MONITOR, SCROLLING COPY. It's MOVING by too quickly for us to read, but we can make out WORDS here and there: marketing... profits... strategy... etc.
Lester sits at his workstation, in a BEIGE CUBICLE, surrounded by several IDENTICAL BEIGE CUBICLES. He's staring at the monitor and talking on a HEADSET PHONE. The light, friendly tone of his voice is at odds with the beleaguered expression on his face.LESTERHello, this is Lester Burnham from Media Monthly magazine calling for Mr.Keene... actually, I've already left a message, about four messages to be exact... I understand, but I have questions about the new product launch that your press release didn't quite cover...
BRAD, an affable MAN IN his EARLY thirties, appears behindLester. Lester is immediately aware of his presence.
LESTER (cont'd)I've already given you my number...(sighs)555-5419. Yes. Lester Burnham. Thank you.
He punches a button on his keyboard, then turns to Brad, smiling perfunctorily.
BRADLes. Got a minute?
LESTERFor you, Brad? I've got five.
BRADGood. Why don't we talk in my office?He smiles and crosses off. LESTER watches him go, frowning.
INT. BRAD'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
BRAD is seated behind his desk.
BRAD...so I'm sure you can understand the need to cut corners around here.
Lester sits across from him, scowling like a teenager who's been sent to the principal's office.
LESTERSure. Times are tight, and you need to free up cash. Gotta spend money to make money.
BRADExactly.
BRAD stands, ready to usher LESTER out, But LESTER remainsseated.
LESTER(blurts)Like when our editorial director used the company MasterCard to pay for a hooker, and then she used the card number to stay at the St. Regis for, what was it, three months?
BRAD(startled)That's unsubstantiated gossip.
LESTERThat's fifty thousand dollars. That's somebody's salary. Somebody who's probably gonna get fired because Craig has to pay women to fuck him!
BRADJesus. Calm down. Nobody's getting fired yet. That's why we're having everyone write a job description, mapping out in detail how they contribute. That way, management can assess who's valuable and who's
LESTERExpendable.
BRADIt's just business.
LESTER(angry)I've been writing for this magazine for fourteen years, Brad. You've been here how long, a month?
BRAD(frank)I'm, one of the good guys, Les. I trying to level with you. This is your one chance to save your job.
LESTER leans BACK IN his chair, incredulous.
INT. COMMUTER TRAIN - a SHORT TIME LATER
Once again, LESTER sits IN the crowded TRAIN, his head UPagainst the window. But this time, he's not asleep; he glares darkly out at the tunnel walls as they fly by.
EXT. BURNHAM HOUSE - THAT NIGHT
The MERCEDES-BENZ ML320 pulls into the driveway, driven ByCarolyn. A MOVING VAN is parked in front of the pale blue COLONIAL HOUSE next door. A couple of Movers carry a couch down the driveway toward the house.
As LESTER and Carolyn get out OF the ML320 and head towardtheir front door:
CAROLYNThere is no decision. Just write the damn thing!
LESTERYou don't think it's weird and kinda fascist?
CAROLYNpossibly. But you don't want to be unemployed.
LESTER
Oh, okay. Let's all sell our sols to Satan, because it's more convenient that way.
CAROLYN(sighs)Could you be just a little bit more dramatic, please?
Carolyn scopes out the MOVING VAN next door.
CAROLYN (cont'd)Well. We've finally got new neighbors. It's about time. If the Lomans had let me represent them, instead of...(heavy disdain)The Real Estate King, that house would have sold within a week, instead of sitting on the market for six months.
LESTERThey were still mad at you for cutting down their sycamore.
CAROLYNTheir sycamore? It was on our property!
INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - DINING ROOM - LATER THAT NIGHT
We HEAR John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman's rendition of "YOU ARE TOO BEAUTIFUL" on the STEREO.
LESTER, Carolyn and JANE are seated at dinner IN the formaldining room. They eat by CANDLELIGHT, and a profusion of RED ROSES spills from a vase at the center of the table. We CIRCLE them slowly, as they eat. Nobody makes eye contact, or even seems aware of anybody else's presence, until...
JANEMom, do we always have to listen to this elevator music?
CAROLYN(considers)No. No, we don't. As soon as you've prepared a nutritious yet flavorful meal that I'm about to eat, you can listen to whatever you like.
A long beat. LESTER Suddenly turns to Jane.
LESTERSo Janie, how was school?
JANE(suspicious)It was okay.
LESTERJust okay?
JANENo, Dad. It was spec-tac-ular.a beat.
LESTERWant to know how things went at my job?
Now she looks at him as if he's lost his mind.
LESTER (cont'd)They've hired this efficiency expert. He's really friendly, and I really hate his guts. See, they're going to lay somebody off, but in the interest of being democratic, everybody gets to write a "job description" for him, in the hopes the assholes in management will read it and say, "Whoa, we can'tdo without this guy..."
He trails off, obviously waiting FOR a response from Jane.
LESTER (cont'd)(finally)You couldn't possibly care any less, could you?
Carolyn is watching This closely.
JANE(uncomfortable)Dad, what do you expect? You can't all of a sudden be my best friend, just because you've got a problem.
She gets UP and heads toward the kitchen.
JANE (cont'd)I mean, hello. You've barely even spoken to me for months.
She's gone. Lester notices Carolyn looking at him critically.
LESTEROh, what, you're mother-of-the-year? You treat her like a employee.
CAROLYN(shocked)what?!
He gets UP and starts after Jane.
LESTERYou treat us both like employees.
Carolyn looks after him, slack-jawed.
INT. BURNHAM HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
A huge faux industrial KITCHEN, with floor-to-ceiling WHITECERAMIC TILE, brushed steel appliances and antique hardware and lighting. This is one of those "back-to-a-simpler-time" designer kitchens that cost a fortune. Jane stands at the sink, rinsing off her plate. Lester enters.
LESTERHoney, I'm sorry I...
JANE turns and stares at him, waiting FOR him to finish.
LESTER (cont'd)I'm sorry I haven't been more available, I just... I'm...
He's looking to her for a little help here, but she's too uncomfortable with this sudden intimacy to give him any.
LESTER (cont'd)You know, you don't always have to wait for me to come to you...
JANE0h, great. So now it's my fault.
EXT. BURNHAM HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
ON VIDEO: We're looking at Lester and Jane through GREENHOUSE WINDOWS into the kitchen. We can't hear what they're saying, but it's obvious it's not going well. Jane puts her plate in the dishwasher and leaves. We follow her out the door, then the camera JERKS back to Lester calling after her.
CLOSE on the LENS OF a high-tech portable VIDEO CAMERA. as wePULL BACK, the camera drops down to reveal RICKY FITTS, whom we recognize as the young man in jail at the beginning. His short hair and starched clothes give him a hyper-conservative appearance. We linger on his placid face for a moment, then...
INT. BURNHAM - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
LESTER stands at the sink, rinsing off his plate, his facedark. His head suddenly jerks up and he looks out the window, as if he realizes he 's being watched.
His POV: We're looking at the pint where Ricky was just standing, but he's no longer there.
LESTER frowns, then turns off the faucet, grabs a towel anddries his hands. He tosses the towel on the snack bar on his way out, where it lands next to a FRAMED PHOTOGRAPH.
We ZOOM slowly toward the PHOTOGRAPH: It's of Lester, Carolyn, and a much-younger Jane, taken several years earlier at an amusement park. It's starling how happy they look. 
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