OPENING CREDITS
Begin Title song: Run Devil Run by Jenny Lewis and the Watson
Twins
INT.
The TRISTUM home Day
It is a tacky, lower-income home. Stepfather ROY sits in a
recliner, watching tv and drinking beer. On the television
is a religious program featuring SUMNER GRAFT.
SUMNER:
Give God the first portion of your
income. Give it first. This
lifetime is but a second in the
eyes of God. And if you give just
a little of what's left, that's
what God will give you.
ROY drinks. VAN enters. VAN is a small 10 year old boy with
beaten up clothing and short hair.
ROY:
You drop that package off?
VAN:
Yes.
ROY drinks.
ROY:
Then where's the money?
VAN reaches into his pocket and pulls out a wad of cash. He
gives it to ROY. ROY counts it quickly.
ROY:
It's a dollar short.
VAN:
I bought some candy.
ROY nods, sips more of his beer.
ROY:
Why don't you come over here and
rub my feet?
VAN obediently does so. ROY is unbuckling his belt. He
pulls it free of his pants and begins to wrap one end around
his fist.
VAN:
No.
ROY:
What did you just say to me?
VAN starts to cry.
ROY:
I'll give you something to cry
about.
ROY starts swinging the belt wildly, raining blows down on
the terrified VAN. DORA enters.
DORA:
What the hell-?
ROY kicks VAN out of the way and leaps to his feet. He
closes in on DORA. She merely braces herself for the attack.
ROY stops.
ROY:
God damn it. You made me spill my
beer. You and that idiot son of
yours.
He lifts the belt over his head, poised to strike a blow when
there comes a knock from the front door. ROY takes out a
comb and sweeps back his greasy hair. He walks to the door
and opens it. DORA stares at VAN. VAN is curled into a
ball, hovering a couple of inches off the floor. DORA
doesn't quite believe what she's seeing, thinks it must be an
optical illusion. She goes back to the kitchen. We hear
only ROY'S side of the conversation at the door.
VAN:
(v.o.)
I call this part of my life "Roy
and His Big Plan."
ROY:
Because I don't have it yet.
(beat)
When I get it.
(beat)
Because I said so. And if he
doesn't like that, tell him to come
down here and kiss my white ass.
Throughout this time, VAN begins to rise higher. His eyes
are squeezed tight. He gets to maybe a foot off the ground.
Then his eyes snap open and he falls back to the floor. ROY
closes the door and turns back to VAN.
ROY:
I got my eye on you, boy. You
don't take my money. You hear me?
You never take my money.
He sits back down in his chair and focuses on the tv again.
It is now broadcasting a Christian reading group's discussion
of an inspirational book.
ROY:
God damn it. Now I missed my damn
show.
CUT TO:
INT.
The studio
SUMNER GRAFT storms off the set. The audience is applauding
the show. As soon as he steps behind the curtains on the
side, his minions fall in line with him.
TRUDY:
We're still looking.
SUMNER:
What's my rating?
TRUDY:
Six point five.
SUMNER:
That puts me at half what Donahue
is doing.
JERRY:
Yes, well, with the diverse cable
market and-
SUMNER:
Damn it, just find me a miracle.
TRUDY:
We have a boy in Guatemala that was
born with two hearts. They beat in
separate patterns. He's been in a
coma for two years. What if we
were to get a faith healer or-
SUMNER:
Are you insane? We want the
spotlight on me. Find me a
miracle. An honest miracle.
SUMNER enters his dressing room.
JERRY:
Well, at least he wants it honest.
TRUDY:
What's that supposed to mean?
JERRY:
It's just, you know, with his-
TRUDY:
Don't even start. He's handling it
in his own way.
JERRY:
Why don't we have a higher audience
share? Someone in the family dies
and-
TRUDY:
Just leave it. I don't think he's
handling it well but we just have
faith in him.
JERRY:
Handling it well? He's in complete
denial. He won't acknowledge the
loss.
TRUDY:
Well, that's his business. Let him
find his own way. Just keep
looking for a miracle.
JERRY:
You notice this miracle talk never
started until-
TRUDY:
Do I need to tell you how to do
your job, Jerry?
CUT TO:
SUMNER'S DRESSING ROOM
SUMNER is inhaling a line of cocaine off a mirror on the make
up table. He looks up to see his reflection in the mirror.
He notices an imperfection on his neck. He pokes it softly
and winces.
CUT TO:
INT.
The TRISTUM home Night
We move through the house slowly. No one appears to be
stirring. Close up on the fire alarm. A finger presses the
button and the siren begins. DORA rushes out of the bedroom
in her nightgown. VAN rushes out clutching a book. They
both stop when they realize there is no fire, just Roy
standing with a can of beer in his hand.
ROY:
Dora, you can go back to bed. I
need a little talk with my man
here.
DORA does as she's told. ROY crouches down to talk to VAN
softly.
ROY:
What have you got there?
VAN:
Nothing.
ROY:
It's not nothing.
VAN:
Just a book.
ROY:
Uh huh.
VAN:
Can I go back to bed.
ROY:
Sure. But now I know.
VAN:
Know what?
ROY:
You thought everything in the house
was going to burn up and you
grabbed one thing to save. One
thing that means more than anything
else. That book. It matters to
you more than anything else in
here. Let me see it.
VAN resists. ROY tears it away.
ROY:
(dubious)
The Life and Times of America's
Only Flying Movie Star.
(to VAN)
Why do you care about this book?
(looking at the front
page)
Copyright 1946? What is this?
VAN refuses to say anything.
ROY tears out the first page. VAN begins to cry, so Roy
tears out the next page. VAN struggles to regain control of
himself.
ROY:
That's good, that you stopped. I'd
tear the whole damn thing apart.
You ain't so smart, Van. I don't
care what your report card says,
you ain't got no common sense. I'm
your father, it's my job to toughen
you up.
VAN:
You're not my father.
ROY laughs.
ROY:
Well, I'm the closest you got. Now
g'on. Get back to bed.
VAN just stands there.
ROY:
What?
VAN:
My book.
ROY:
I'll hang on to it. Make sure it
doesn't get lost.
CUT TO:
INT.
A grow house Day
ROY looks odd. He is dressed in a seersucker suit with a
bolo tie. His long, greasy hair is swept back like a
vampire. He sits in a chair across a desk from a man in a
cowboy hat. This man, DUKE, is older, has a gray mustache,
and hardened features. In a room off to the side, marijuana
is being grown in hydroponic vats.
DUKE:
I thought that the A-rab was going
to pick this up hisself.
ROY:
He's actually a Sikh, which is
Indian, but never mind. No, no, he
wants me to collect it for him.
DUKE:
(leaning forward)
And if I was to call him and ask
about this, he'd just give me the
go ahead?
ROY:
Call him? I'll call him for you.
I do the leg work. He's an
investor, he doesn't handle this
stuff.
DUKE:
Well, I reckon everyone deals with
the stockholders in their own way.
CUT TO:
EXT.
Outside the grow house Moments later
ROY walks out of the house and leans against the driver's
side window of an old pick up truck. The driver is STONE,
his best friend.
STONE:
How much is in there, you think?
ROY:
At least 100 plants. In his safe,
he had about a hundred thou left.
And he had a brick of heroin in
there. Fucking bonds and shit,
too.
STONE:
How much is that worth? 100
plants?
ROY:
Don't be an idiot. You know
anything about male and female pot
plants? You know how to cure them
for maximum THC? We've never
gotten into the pot business
because you need to know that
stuff. Do you even know what a
clone is?
STONE:
Shit yeah, that sheep they made.
ROY:
The way I figure, you get your boys
up here with some shotguns and
we'll take the whole safe. It's
built into an interior wall. He
won't want to give up the
combination, but you just cut off
his thumb and he'll sing a
different tune.
STONE:
How much are you into the Sikh for?
ROY:
Well, I could take him the eight
grand right now and start fresh.
But that's already his money, I'd
just be in for another eight grand.
STONE:
I'm still not sure I understand
this.
You owe him money, so you're going
to rob one of his guys and pay him
back with that money?
ROY:
Let me worry about that. You just
get that safe open.
CUT TO:
EXT.
SUMNER'S palatial estate Day
SUMNER sits by the swimming pool in a bathrobe. He is
popping painkillers. Suddenly, he hears a voice.
VOICE:
Your wife's snatch sure dried up,
didn't it?
SUMNER looks around.
VOICE:
But that piece of ass Trudy could
probably suck-start a leafblower.
SUMNER is still looking around.
VOICE:
Down here, genius.
SUMNER:
Who is this?
VOICE:
God is dead. Nietzsche said that.
God's reply was "Nietzsche is
dead."
SUMNER:
Who the fucking-
VOICE:
Watch the swearing there, Reverend.
Who knows who could be listening?
SUMNER retrieves a knife from his breakfast plate and
inspects the boil on his neck. It now has a small mouth with
a complete set of teeth.
VOICE:
That's right, fuckhead. I'm
growing on you.
SUMNER:
Are you a demon?
The VOICE CHUCKLES.
VOICE:
I'm not going to take you over, if
that's what you're thinking.
SUMNER:
What do you want?
VOICE:
This is a very dangerous time for
Christians. Secularists are trying
to remove God from the public
discourse. Those are your words,
aren't they?
SUMNER:
I need a drink.
VOICE:
Buddy, you need a dozen drinks.
Have another Halcyon. Maybe you'll
wake up and I'll be gone.
SUMNER:
Really?
VOICE:
Sure. Keep dreaming, shit for
brains.
CUT TO:
INT.
The TRISTUM home Night
ROY sits in his recliner, drinking a beer. It is late and
his wife and step-son are in bed. There is a knock at the
door. He opens it slightly and STONE rushes in. He begins
talking louder than he should, very agitated.
STONE:
They got Troy in the leg and shot
out the back window of my truck.
ROY:
Did you get the safe?
STONE:
Are you fucking listening to me,
man?! They shot Troy in the leg!
ROY:
Quiet, quiet, man. I got people
sleeping in here.
(beat)
Did you get the safe or what?
STONE remains silent.
ROY:
Oh, fucking Jesus Christ! Tell me
you got the safe!
STONE:
It all went wrong from the
beginning. When I pulled up, they
came running out the door. Troy
was in the back of the flatbed so
he hopped out and returned fire.
Then-
ROY:
You never even got inside the
house?
STONE:
It went haywire. They was shooting
at us, what was I supposed to do,
man? What could I do?
ROY:
Get out of here. Leave and don't
come back until I call you. Stay
with your brother up in Weepog.
STONE:
I'm sorry.
STONE tries to give him a hug. ROY pushes him away.
ROY:
What is your fucking problem?
STONE:
I'm just sorry, man.
ROY:
Get out. Get the fuck out. Trade
that truck in. Leave it at a junk
yard. But you have to leave now.
STONE stands for a couple seconds, waiting for something.
ROY is beaming pure anger at him. Eventually, STONE quietly
files out the door. DORA enters from the bedroom.
DORA:
What was that shouting?
ROY:
They're gonna kill me, darling.
They're gonna kill me with shit. I
should have fucking known better.
I should have-
DORA:
What's wrong, Roy?
ROY:
One of us is being played for a
fool. And it ain't the god damn
Sikh.
DORA:
What are you talking about?
ROY:
Disinformation, Dora!
Counterintelligence! Spies in my
midst, god damn it! Spies in my
midst.
DORA:
You're going to wake Van.
ROY:
I'm going to spend the rest of my
life looking over my shoulder if I
don't get this fixed.
DORA:
Tell me what happened.
ROY:
Baby, are you with me or do you
want to split?
She holds up her hand, displaying her cheap wedding ring.
DORA:
Partners, right? For better or
worse.
ROY:
I need to go out to the bar. I
need to get so drunk I can't drive
home and they call me a cab.
DORA:
No you don't.
ROY:
That's about my only god damn
alibi. Spies in my midst.
Informers. They're probably
selling me out right now.
DORA:
Roy, you look like you're coming
apart.
ROY:
All I've got in this world is my
word and my balls.
(beat)
If you're not here when I get back,
I understand.
ROY exits.
INT.
SPIRO WATZKIN'S ornate Hollywood home
DALLAS is wiring a ceiling fan. He is a slim, clean-cut
young man. SPIRO watches him coolly from an antique leather
rocking chair. SPIRO smokes a cigarette through a long
filter.
DALLAS:
I'm not sure the voltage on this
house- When was it built?
SPIRO:
I bought it in 19 and 21.
DALLAS:
Has it been rewired?
SPIRO:
Oh yes, naturally. Every house
needs a good wiring.
DALLAS:
I'm going to flip the switch. I
guess we'll just have to see.
DALLAS climbs down the ladder and flips the switch. For a
second, nothing happens. Then the fan slowly begins turning.
DALLAS:
Okay. Is there anything else you
need me to do today?
SPIRO:
The pool's filter is clogged, I
believe.
DALLAS:
I'll check it out. Probably a dead
bird.
SPIRO:
Very hard to enjoy life when the
system gets clogged.
DALLAS doesn't understand. He exits.
SPIRO:
(to no one)
Yes it is. Very hard.
He inhales his cigarette.
EXT.
The TRISTUM home Day
VAN walks up the sidewalk, past overgrown grass that borders
it on either side, to the modest and somewhat dilapidated
home. He has a backpack on and is apparently just out of
school. He opens the screen door and enters. ROY is sitting
on the fireplace, crying.
VAN:
Roy?
ROY:
I wish you would call me dad.
(beat)
C'mere a minute.
VAN stays where he is.
ROY:
I ain't gonna bite ya. Look.
(He holds up an empty beer
can)
I ain't even drunk. This is the
first one I've had all day. Just
come over here where I can see you.
My neck is sore.
VAN cautiously approaches.
ROY:
Listen, Van. You've gotta be a
better person than I am. You have
to make up for me. Don't break
your mom's heart.
VAN does not respond.
ROY:
I'm trying to tell you, here. I
try so hard and I can't make the
pieces fit. It's hard living up
here.
(He makes a high level
with his hand)
Especially when you can only afford
to live down here.
(He moves his hand down)
I tried, okay? Just remember that.
Whatever you think of me, I tried.
You've always gotta do right.
That's the important thing. Don't
mess with drugs or rob anyone,
don't cheat anyone, be a good
Christian.
(beat)
Okay, go ahead. Go do your
homework or whatever.
VAN:
Can I ride my bike?
ROY opens another beer. His hands are trembling.
ROY:
That's good. You ride your bike.
You need some money?
ROY pulls out a wad of bills.
ROY:
No deliveries anymore. Here, take
ten. You can buy yourself some
candy.
He gives VAN a bill and starts drinking his beer. VAN
leaves. Opens the garage, pulls out his bike. He begins
riding. As VAN is pulling away, ROY appears at the screen
door and shouts:
ROY:
You're riding like a damn girl!
VAN keeps pedaling. A car pulls alongside him briefly and
then stops at the TRISTUM house.
VAN:
(v.o)
I call this part of my life "Being
a Good Christian."
EXT.
VAN'S neighborhood, an hour or so later
VAN is turning the corner of the block when a fire engine
roars past him, siren WAILING. He pedals faster to see what
is going on. He finds his home on fire. He jumps off his
bike while it is still moving and rushes toward the house. A
POLICE OFFICER grabs him and restrains him.
VAN:
That's my house! That's my house!
POLICE OFFICER:
Easy, kid, easy. Do you know if
anyone was inside?
VAN:
Roy and my mom!
The POLICE OFFICER starts pushing him away from the house.
POLICE OFFICER:
Okay, son, we just need to move you
back a bit so that these men can
work on putting out the fire.
(to the firemen)
We've got two inside!
Firemen rush in while hoses are untangled, a hydrant
unscrewed, etc.
CUT TO:
INT.
The police station Night
VAN sits in the center of a row of empty chairs that line the
wall. He is crying. DORIS KEARNS, a social worker, brings
him a glass of water.
DORIS:
Van, my name is Doris. I work for
the Child Protection Service.
VAN does not respond.
DORIS:
I want you to know how sorry I am
about your family.
She places a hand on his shoulder and he flinches away from
it. This triggers thoughts.
DORIS:
Did Roy ever hit you, Van? Did you
ever see him hit your mother?
VAN does not respond.
DORIS:
It's not your fault, Van. It's not
your fault if he hit you.
VAN slowly starts to rise from the chair. His feet leave the
ground for a second. DORIS reacts with horror and disbelief.
VAN drops the couple inches back into his seat and then water
begins to pour from the legs of his jeans.
DORIS:
That's okay. That's okay, Van.
You're under a lot of stress. A
lot has happened today. Why don't
you come with me and I'll clean you
up?
DORIS leads VAN to a bathroom. We are still in the hall and
it sits for quite some time. Suddenly there's a scream of
surprise. A second later, the door bursts open and DORIS
runs out.
INT.
The police station Moments later
DORIS rushes up to the duty officer and blurts out:
DORIS:
It's a girl! Van is a girl!
CUT TO:
INT.
The studio
SUMNER is filming one of his three daily broadcasts.
SUMNER:
And just as Jesus told us to love
our brother, we also must care for
and nurture those good Christians
who have fallen on hard times. We
must reach out to the alcoholic,
the drug addict, the homosexual.
It is through you, everyone one of
you, that God's work is performed.
God so loved this world and his
children that he gave his only son
as a sacrifice to cleanse us. They
may see this-
(he holds up the Bible)
-as just a book of stories. They
call them parables and fables and
tell us that we should not take the
word of the Lord literally! They
will call on us to-
VOICE:
I know you want to stick your dick
in Trudy.
SUMNER freezes. He sweats. He looks around the studio. The
camera moves in closer to him.
SUMNER:
I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen,
excuse me. I was saying, uh...
TRUDY is pointing madly at the teleprompter.
SUMNER:
I was saying that, uh, we must love
our brother, that we must give
money to save those who need-
Well, it was really a- And I know
I'm blowing it all right here, but,
if you will excuse me for a bit-
VOICE:
You'd like to go to the dressing
room for some cocaine. It's what
keeps you going through your
tragedy.
SUMNER:
It's a very, very- I like to say
that Jesus loves you. I love
Jesus, who had no hatred in his
heart, even for his killers.
(seeming to have recovered
now)
And that is why capital punishment
is wrong. The taking of a life is-
DIRECTOR:
Cut! Cut, cut! Stop it!
The audience is MURMURING now. SUMNER loosens his tie and
takes a step back and falls off the small platform. The
crowd GASPS and his minions run to him.
CLOSE ON:
SUMNER gasping for air. TRUDY is bending over him,
unbuttoning the collar of his shirt. He has a good view of
her cleavage.
VOICE:
Think about holding those. You
want to see if I can move your
hand?
SUMNER:
No!
TRUDY:
I'm sorry? Sumner?
SUMNER reaches out and grabs one of her breasts. She pulls
away from him.
SUMNER:
I'm sorry. I can't help it.
TRUDY:
(to the DIRECTOR)
I think he's in shock.
DIRECTOR:
Can we get a glass of water here?
BACK TO:
THE FRONT OF THE STAGE
The ASSISTANT DIRECTOR is urging the audience to remain calm.
Everything will be alright.
BACK TO:
SUMNER ON THE GROUND
SUMNER:
I'm sorry, Trudy, my hand just got
away from me.
TRUDY:
Can you stand?
SUMNER:
I haven't thrown up in fifteen
years. I think I'm gonna.
She begins to roll him over on his stomach.
TRUDY:
Do you need an ambulance, Sumner?
BACK TO:
FRONT OF THE STAGE
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR:
We're going to get him a good
Baptist doctor. And if we can't
find one, we'll get a good Jewish
lawyer.
The crowd CHUCKLES.
BACK TO:
SUMNER ON THE GROUND
SUMNER:
I think I can walk. My vision is
coming back. There's a, uh, a
ringing, in my ears. It's
distracting, it's driving me nuts.
VOICE:
That's me doing that. I can
control you from in here, Reverend.
I own you.
DIRECTOR:
Does he have a history of heart
problems?
TRUDY:
I don't know.
DIRECTOR:
You don't know?
TRUDY:
I don't know! What did I just say?
I don't know enough!
SUMNER:
Just calm down. I think
I'm...yeah, I'm okay. I just got
hot under these lights. Can you
take me to my dressing room?
VOICE:
Going for the cocaine, Reverend?
SUMNER looks over at a door on the side of the stage. A sign
hangs on it that reads "This is not an exit."
CUT TO:
INT.
Child Protective Services office Day
DORIS walks down a long hall, talking to PASTOR TAYLOR.
DORIS:
It's a very strange case. The
police have a record on this Roy
character.
Small time con man, low-level drug
dealer. Hard drinker, usually got
into fights with smaller guys after
having a few.
PASTOR TAYLOR:
I know the type. Rough customer to
anyone smaller.
DORIS:
You got it. Now, from what we can
gather, the mother was suspicious
of his proclivities. That is to
say...we suspect that the mother
believed Roy might be a child
molester.
PASTOR TAYLOR:
Jesus wept.
DORIS:
Yes. And, to prevent him
from...fiddling with Van, she
raised her as a boy. It's not
Evan, it's Vanessa. The good news
is that Vanessa was still
masquerading as a boy, so we can
assume that Roy thought she was a
boy and did not molest her.
PASTOR TAYLOR:
Do you think she was otherwise
abused?
DORIS:
Vanessa won't come out and say it
but the signs are there. She is
uncommunicative, withdrawn, easily
scared, always on edge. With the
way Roy treated everyone else, I
would be surprised if he didn't
dish out the same on the mother and
Vanessa.
PASTOR TAYLOR:
Sounds like the poor girl needs a
lot of healing.
DORIS:
Yes, pastor. Do you have a spot
for her?
PASTOR TAYLOR:
Not at the home, no. But I do know
a couple in my congregation that is
looking to adopt.
DORIS:
Well, if you don't have a place, my
first instinct is to go for foster
care.
PASTOR TAYLOR:
But that's a stop-gap, at best.
Perhaps this couple could be foster
parents and begin the adoption
process?
DORIS:
We would have to interview them and
check their background.
PASTOR TAYLOR:
They are good, honest Christians.
I don't see any reason why Vanessa
should be kicked around from family
to family. The girl's been through
enough. Mark and Cindy can provide
guidance, compassion, the love of
the Lord. It's really best for
everyone, I think.
DORIS:
Oh, I trust you, pastor Taylor.
I'm sure it's just a formality at
this point. Let me give you my
card and have them call me.
CUT TO:
INT.
XAVIER WHITELAND, a not-so-sauve-despite-trying man in his
late 40s, is in a crawlspace/attic. He is carefully feeding
a wire down through a hole over the mouth of a SLEEPING MAN.
With the wire in place, he drips a solution down the wire and
into the SLEEPING MAN'S open mouth.
CUT TO:
INT.
A hotel in the Bahamas Day
As X-French T-Shirt by Shudder to Think plays, XAVIER marches
resolutely through a lobby full of nonplussed tourists. He
is in an ultra-tight speedo, an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt,
and wears boots with black socks. He is smoking a cigarette
and drinking a beer as he walks. His gut hangs over the
waistband of his speedo.
XAVIER:
(v.o.)
I used to be smart and handsome.
Now I'm just a fat piece of shit.
A SMALL CHILD points his finger at XAVIER like a gun and
pulls the trigger. XAVIER, cigarette dangling from his
mouth, adjusts his crotch.
INT.
DORIS drives VANESSA to the GRISWOLD home.
DORIS:
Are you excited about meeting your
new family, Vanessa?
VANESSA:
My name is Van.
DORIS:
That was what Roy called you.
Roy's gone now.
VANESSA:
I don't miss him.
(beat)
Is that bad?
DORIS:
Of course not, Vanessa. He was a
bad man, wasn't he?
VANESSA stares out the window.
DORIS:
Did he ever hit you, Vanessa?
VANESSA:
He mostly just drank beer.
DORIS:
I'm going to miss talking to you.
You're one of my favorite people
ever.
VANESSA:
I don't like my clothes.
DORIS:
What's wrong with them?
VANESSA:
It's a dress. I want to wear
jeans.
DORIS:
You want to look pretty for your
new family, don't you?
VANESSA:
I want to fly. I want to fly like
a bird.
DORIS:
What would you do if you could?
Where would you go?
VANESSA:
I would just fly and be happy.
They arrive at the GRISWOLD home. It is a spacious suburban
home with a manicured lawn and a large dog sitting on the
front porch.
DORIS:
What do you think? Better house
than you were living in, huh?
VANESSA:
Houses are just made of wood.
The front door opens and MARK and CINDY GRISWOLD step out.
They are an annoyingly coordinated couple in their mid-30s.
MARK waves at the car.
DORIS:
Do you want me to go with you?
VANESSA:
No, that's okay.
DORIS:
Vanessa, if you want to talk about
anything, you can call me, okay?
VANESSA steps out of the car without a word. She begins to
walk up the path to the front door.
The dog jumps up and begins running in circles around her.
DORIS rolls down the window and calls out:
DORIS:
I'll be checking in next week,
Vanessa.
MARK:
She's going to love it here. Don't
worry, Mrs. Kearns, she'll do fine.
CINDY:
Don't you have a bag, sweetie?
VANESSA:
No.
CINDY:
You don't have any clothes or-
VANESSA:
No. I lost everything in the fire.
CINDY:
Well I'll take you shopping
tomorrow. I love your dress.
MARK crouches down to VANESSA'S eye level.
MARK:
Have you heard the good news?
CUT TO:
INT.
The GRISWOLD dining room Night
The family, which also includes a young boy, MATTHEW, are in
prayer.
MARK:
We thank you, Lord, for this
evening's meal and for the
blessings you have bestowed on this
family. We thank you for allowing
us to welcome Vanessa to our family
and for seeing to her safe passage
here. In Jesus' name we pray.
ALL:
Amen.
MARK:
Do you like green beans, Vanessa?
VANESSA pushes the food around her plate.
MARK:
What about the chicken? Do you
like it baked like this?
VANESSA does not answer.
MARK:
Your mother went through a lot of
trouble to cook this meal and-
VANESSA:
She's not my mother.
MARK:
She certainly is your mother now.
I'm your father. And Matthew is
your brother.
VANESSA:
Matthew is a butt.
MARK:
We don't use that kind of language
in this house, Vanessa. I don't
know what your old house was like
but-
VANESSA:
I hate it here.
CINDY:
You're just homesick. It will
pass.
VANESSA:
I'm not homesick. I hated it there
and I hate it here. It's always
freezing and you won't let me touch
anything. There are no toys to
play with except Bible toys.
CUT TO:
INT.
MARK and CINDY'S bedroom Later in the night
They are preparing for bed.
MARK:
She's a hard one to reach. This is
what happens when you raise a child
outside of the church. They build
up a wall of resistance.
CINDY:
Maybe we should listen to what she
said. It's hard to adjust to a new
home, especially at her age. We
should try to make her as
comfortable as possible.
CUT TO:
INT.
VANESSA'S bedroom Same time
VANESSA lays in bed, listening to the conversation from the
other room. It is muffled, but audible.
MARK:
What a sick family, making her
dress up as a boy.
CINDY:
No argument here. It's creepy.
She's never had God in her life.
It breaks my heart.
The door opens and MATTHEW sneaks in. VANESSA pretends to be
sleeping.
MATTHEW:
Hey, wake up. Come on, wake up.
VANESSA:
What do you want?
MATTHEW:
I just want to welcome you to the
family.
VANESSA:
I don't like it here.
MATTHEW:
You will. We get to do all kinds
of fun stuff at the church.
There's a youth group and we have
movie nights and...
CUT TO:
INT.
MARK and CINDY'S bedroom Moments later
MARK:
We're going to have to get through
to her. If she doesn't accept
Jesus-
A SCREAM is heard from the other room. They rush out the
door and into VANESSA'S room. VANESSA has MATTHEW pinned to
the ground, facedown, his arms behind him.
MARK:
Stop that! Get off him right now!
VANESSA reluctantly lets go and climbs back onto her bed.
MATTHEW is in tears.
MARK:
Why did you do that? Why did you
do that, Vanessa?
VANESSA:
Because I hate it here and I hate
him!
CINDY:
What did he do to you?
VANESSA doesn't say anything.
CINDY:
Did he do something?
VANESSA remains defiantly silent, shutting them out.
MARK:
You get him back to bed, I'll deal
with her.
CINDY leads MATTHEW out of the room. MARK takes the chair
from the desk and pulls it up near the bed. He sits on it.
MARK:
Now I don't know what things were
like with your family, but you
can't do that here.
We never raise our fist against
another person, okay? That is not
what Jesus taught.
VANESSA:
Screw Jesus!
MARK grabs her by the arm.
MARK:
That's the last time I'll let you
blasphemy like that. Look, we're
your family now and I plan to raise
you right. You will respect and
love the Lord and you will respect
everyone else. We're going to try
really hard to make you a good
Christian.
VANESSA:
I don't want to be a Christian.
MARK is alarmed by this. He sputters.
MARK:
But but but but but but but- How
can you- But- You will be a
Christian. God is love.
VANESSA:
There's no such thing as love.
MARK:
There is. There is our love and
God's love. I don't know how rough
you had it before, but I'm going to
make sure that you receive both
here. But you will never raise
your fist against your brother
again. Now say that to me.
VANESSA continues staring away. MARK jerks her arm to make
her face him.
MARK:
Say it.
VANESSA:
(through tears)
I will never hurt my brother again.
MARK:
Okay. And you'd better mean that.
There's no such thing as halfway
saved.
He returns the chair to the desk and turns the light off.
INT.
SUMNER'S palatial estate Day
SUMNER is in a bathrobe, searching through the fridge while
idly stroking the growth. His wife, ELLEN, enters.
SUMNER:
Good morning.
ELLEN:
There's blood on your pillow.
SUMNER:
Yeah, I got a nosebleed.
ELLEN:
I'll have to throw it out. I can't
stand the sight of blood.
SUMNER:
That's okay.
ELLEN:
What is that thing on your neck?
SUMNER:
That's just my demon.
ELLEN exits. The phone RINGS.
SUMNER:
You got that?
It continues RINGING.
SUMNER:
Ellen? You got that?
It RINGS once more. SUMNER answers it.
SUMNER:
Hello?
DWIGHT:
Mr. Graft?
SUMNER:
Yes?
DWIGHT:
This is Dwight Boisen from the
Tolavoli Brother's Mortuary.
SUMNER:
Okay.
DWIGHT:
I'm calling in regards to the, hmm,
matter. There is still an
outstanding balance on this
account.
SUMNER:
I know that. Don't you think I
know that?
DWIGHT:
Yes, well, sir, we have to rectify
this-
VOICE:
Tell him to fuck himself.
DWIGHT:
-as our accounts are not pro bono,
if you will, but-
SUMNER:
Go fuck yourself.
DWIGHT:
Pardon me?
SUMNER:
I said fuck yourself. You damn
leech.
DWIGHT:
Sir, we will take this up with our
legal department if-
VOICE:
Tell him to eat shit.
DWIGHT:
-to rectify this account, see? We
have to be paid for our services.
SUMNER:
Eat shit.
ELLEN stands at the kitchen door. SUMNER hangs up.
ELLEN:
That didn't sound pleasant.
SUMNER:
These mortuaries. Fucking con
game. They know that everyone will
die.
ELLEN:
And Sumner Graft will lead them to
the afterlife. Don't put too much
sugar in your cereal.
SUMNER opens the dishwasher and spots a glass cup from
Disneyworld. He picks it up, looks at it.
SUMNER:
(to no one)
This was it. This was the cup.
ELLEN:
Don't start today, okay? I have
too much going on.
SUMNER:
But this was the cup. This was her-
ELLEN:
And get that thing looked at.
SUMNER:
What thing?
ELLEN:
That thing on your neck.
CUT TO:
EXT.
A pleasant park in the suburbs Day
MATTHEW and VAN are playing on some playground equipment.
MATTHEW:
Why did your mom dress you like a
boy?
VANESSA:
Because I am a boy.
MATTHEW:
No you're not. My mom said you
don't have a hoo hoo.
VANESSA:
Your mom likes to lie a lot.
MATTHEW:
Then show it to me.
VANESSA climbs into the spiral, covered slide. MATTHEW edges
up close. She pulls up her dress to reveal white cotton
panties.
MATTHEW:
I don't see anything.
VANESSA suddenly punches him in the mouth. He begins to cry.
VANESSA grabs him and pushes him down into the slide.
CINDY:
Matthew?
VANESSA steps out of the slide and says:
VANESSA:
He tripped.
CINDY climbs the small ladder and begins advancing on
VANESSA. VANESSA backs away from her, falling off the little
balcony. CINDY has turned into the slide now and pays no
notice to VANESSA.
CINDY:
Matthew, are you okay?
She climbs into the slide to go after him. We pull back to
see that VANESSA has not hit the ground. She is floating a
few inches above it, her eyes closed.
CINDY:
(from inside the slide)
You are in big trouble, young lady.
VANESSA'S eyes open and she falls the few inches to the
ground.
INT.
SPIRO'S mansion Day
DALLAS is pulling out the refrigerator from its enclosure.
It is an archaic refrigerator, at least fifty years out of
date.
DALLAS:
I've never seen a fridge this old
before. Did it come with the
house?
SPIRO:
I bought that in 19 and 50. And it
was used. I paid fourteen dollars
for it. An appraiser recently
offered me six hundred.
DALLAS:
You should take it.
SPIRO:
What does a new refrigerator cost?
DALLAS:
(ponders)
I don't know. A thousand?
SPIRO:
So I would be four hundred out of
pocket. Does that strike you as a
good deal?
DALLAS:
I don't know. Newer is always
better, right?
SPIRO:
Only a young man would say that.
DALLAS:
I'm not that young. I'll be thirty
in three years.
SPIRO:
When I was thirty, I made eighteen
movies and appeared on the
vaudeville circuit regularly. They
said the movies would kill them
and, well, they're dead.
DALLAS:
You were in the movies?
SPIRO:
Some of them were even good.
DALLAS:
Anything I've seen?
SPIRO:
I'm afraid you won't find my movies
lying around anymore. Most of them
were lost in the war.
DALLAS:
What war?
SPIRO:
The second World War.
DALLAS:
How were they lost? Was the studio
bombed?
SPIRO:
Is that a joke?
DALLAS:
(looking behind the
fridge)
Here's your problem. The
compressor has fallen off. I think
it's the compressor.
SPIRO:
Why don't you have a seat here so
that we can talk?
DALLAS:
I don't know how to fix this.
SPIRO takes a long drag on his cigarette.
DALLAS:
Can I ask you something?
SPIRO:
Always.
DALLAS:
I know you hired me to be your
handyman or whatever, but I'm not
sure why.
SPIRO:
I liked the look of you.
DALLAS:
Okay, but, what you're paying me,
you could get three Mexicans to-
SPIRO:
I don't like Mexicans. Have you
ever spent time in Mexico?
DALLAS:
I've had a few drinking trips down
there but-
SPIRO:
The Mexican is the new gypsy. They
will rob you and cheat you and-
DALLAS:
You shouldn't be saying things like
that. It's not right.
SPIRO:
Forgive me. Old prejudices of an
old man.
DALLAS:
Tell me more about these movies?
Another long drag on the cigarette. SPIRO'S eyes light up.
SPIRO:
I was one of the biggest stars in
Hollywood. Back when Hollywood was
good.
DALLAS:
I like some of today's movies. I
haven't seen too many. I don't
watch movies much to be honest.
SPIRO:
Of course not. Why would you?
DALLAS:
Do you?
SPIRO just smiles.
EXT.
A cemetery Day
SUMNER stands at a grave while TRUDY stands off in the
distance, keeping an eye on him. ELLEN stands by his side.
SUMNER:
I can't believe they got the stone
up so fast.
ELLEN:
Don't be too surprised. It's been
four months. Have you paid the
bill yet?
SUMNER:
What are they going to do, dig her
up?
ELLEN:
You've never welshed in your life.
It would be un-Christian of you to-
TRUDY:
Sumner! You ready?
ELLEN:
Is she in a mood today?
SUMNER:
Be right there, Trudy.
ELLEN:
Why do you let her order you
around? Aren't you her boss?
SUMNER:
Aren't you mine?
ELLEN:
Why didn't you bring any flowers?
It's disrespectful.
TRUDY:
Sumner! You've got that thing!
ELLEN:
Go on. She's not waiting for me.
SUMNER begins walking back.
INT.
TRUDY'S car Minutes later
SUMNER:
Any progress on the miracle?
TRUDY:
Actually, I had a real idea for
that. Why do people watch your
show, Sumner?
SUMNER:
It comforts them.
TRUDY:
No, no it doesn't. People watch
your show for two reasons: To hear
what to be scared of and to know
who to blame for it.
SUMNER:
That's putting it rather bluntly.
TRUDY:
But you know it's true. That's our
market: Fear and blame. If a
hurricane destroys New Orleans,
it's the homosexuals' fault, right?
If a child shoots up his school,
it's because they took prayer out.
If-
SUMNER:
What's your point?
TRUDY:
A miracle isn't going to do it. A
miracle won't inspire fear.
SUMNER:
Then what are you thinking?
TRUDY:
Jerry did find a miracle. Or what
could be one.
SUMNER:
What is it?
TRUDY:
A silent movie star.
VOICE:
What's the miracle? That he's
still alive?
TRUDY notices that SUMNER is staring at her chest.
TRUDY:
Up here, Sumner.
SUMNER:
I'm sorry, it was the boil.
TRUDY:
Listen, we need to frighten them.
SUMNER:
And we haven't been doing that
already?
TRUDY:
If this guy checks out, if it's
legit, then we are halfway there.
But we need to go all the way.
SUMNER:
I'm ready to go all the way.
VOICE:
You and me both, Reverend.
INT.
VANESSA'S bedroom Night
VANESSA is knelt in prayer at the foot of her bed. We pull
back to find MARK staring at her, leaning against the desk.
MARK:
We can do this all night, Vanessa.
If you don't accept Jesus into your
heart-
VANESSA:
I have.
MARK:
I don't believe you. I think
you're claiming faith to get out of
trouble.
(beat)
Didn't I tell you?
Was I not clear? You do not hurt
anyone. That is unforgiveable.
VANESSA:
I'm sorry.
MARK:
Do you want to read the Bible with
me?
VANESSA:
No.
MARK:
Then you're going to stay there,
asking for forgiveness.
VANESSA:
I don't want to.
MARK:
This isn't about what you want.
MARK picks a Bible up off the desk and tosses it on the bed.
MARK:
I want you to read the first ten
pages of the Gospel of Peter. And
I will test you later.
VANESSA:
Can't I just pray?
MARK:
You'll do plenty of that later.
But for now, I want you to read.
MARK opens the door and leaves, shutting it softly behind
him. As soon as he is gone, VANESSA is at the closet,
shoving clothes into a bag.
INT.
The hallway Soon after
VANESSA carefully sneaks out of her room and then stalks down
the hallway. She drags the bag behind her as she sneaks down
the stairs.
VANESSA:
(v.o.)
I call this part of my life
"Running Away".