Good Will Hunting
How scenes compare to the Scripts in our Library
| Percentile | Before | After | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dialogue | 8.4 | 93 | Suits: 8.3 | Good Will Hunting: 8.4 |
| Characters | 8.3 | 63 | Thor: 8.2 | Good Will Hunting: 8.3 |
| Emotional Impact | 7.1 | 36 | Suits: 7.0 | Good Will Hunting: 7.1 |
| Overall | 8.1 | 30 | Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: 8.0 | Good Will Hunting: 8.1 |
| Concept | 7.5 | 21 | The whale: 7.4 | heathers : 7.5 |
| Plot | 7.3 | 6 | Boyz n the hood: 7.2 | Good Will Hunting: 7.3 |
| Conflict Level | 5.9 | 5 | The apartment: 5.6 | Good Will Hunting: 5.9 |
| Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scene Number | Full Analysis | Tone | Overall Grade | Concept | Plot | Characters | Character Changes | Conflict | High stakes | Story forward | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | |
| 1 | The Cat Story | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | ||
| 2 | M.I.T. Class and Rooftop Reunion | 7 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 3 | Boys at the Park and Lambeau at MIT | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 4 | Fast food and a street confrontation | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | ||
| 5 | The Fight | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 6 | Mystery Math Magician Strikes Again | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 7 | Intelligence vs. Education | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 8 | Skylar Gives Will her Number | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | ||
| 9 | Lambeau seeks help from Terry and Will appears in court | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | ||
| 10 | Probation and Psychology | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | ||
| 11 | The Psychologist's Truth | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 12 | Proving the Rectangle | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 13 | Hypnotic Regression | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | ||
| 14 | Sean Maguire's Resignation | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 15 | Reunion and First Date | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 16 | untitled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 17 | Sean and Will's First Meeting | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 9 | ||
| 18 | Meeting Again | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 19 | The Truth Hurts | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 20 | A Night Out with Friends | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | ||
| 21 | Imperfections and Love | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 22 | untitled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 23 | Regret and Love | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 24 | Math Proofs and Pillow Talk | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | ||
| 25 | The Irish Joke | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | ||
| 26 | Career Opportunities | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 27 | The Debate | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 28 | Negotiation for Retainer | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | ||
| 29 | Organic Chemistry Lessons | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 30 | Chuckie and Skylar's Conversation | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | ||
| 31 | Will sets the proof on fire | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 9 | ||
| 32 | The Breakup | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 33 | Job Interviews and Goodbyes | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 9 | ||
| 34 | Unease at the Office | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 35 | A Challenge to Life | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 36 | Will's Battle | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | ||
| 37 | The Confrontation | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | ||
| 38 | The Argument | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 39 | Emotional Breakthrough | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 9 | ||
| 40 | Will's Birthday Present | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 41 | Saying Goodbye | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | ||
| 42 | untitled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 43 | Happiness and Closure | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 7 | ||
Scene 1 - The Cat Story
by
Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
FADE IN:
EXT. SOUTH BOSTON ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE -- DAY
CUT TO:
INT. L STREET BAR & GRILLE, SOUTH BOSTON -- EVENING
The bar is dirty, more than a little run down. If there is ever
a cook on duty, he's not here now. As we pan across several
empty tables, we can almost smell the odor of last nights beer
and crushed pretzels on the floor.
CHUCKIE
Oh my God, I got the most fucked up
thing I been meanin' to tell you.
As the camera rises, we find FOUR YOUNG MEN seated around a
table near the back of the bar.
ALL
Oh Jesus. Here we go.
The guy holding court is CHUCKIE SULLIVAN, 20, and the largest
of the bunch. He is loud, boisterous, a born entertainer. Next
to him is WILL HUNTING, 20, handsome and confident, a soft-
spoken leader. On Will's right sits BILLY MCBRIDE, 22, heavy,
quiet, someone you definitely wouldn't want to tangle with.
Finally there is MORGAN O'MALLY, 19, smaller than the other
guys. Wiry and anxious, Morgan listens to Chuckie's horror
stories with eager disgust.
All four boys speak with thick Boston accents. This is a rough,
working class Irish neighborhood and these boys are its product.
CHUCKIE
You guys know my cousin Mikey Sullivan?
ALL
Yeah.
CHUCKIE
Well you know how he loves animals
right? Anyway, last week he's drivin'
home... (laughs)
ALL
What? Come on!
CHUCKIE
(trying not to laugh)
I'm sorry, 'cause you know Mikey, the
fuckin guy loves animals, and this is
the last person you'd want this to
happen to.
WILL
Chuckie, what the fuck happened?
CHUCKIE
Okay. He's driving along and this
fuckin' cat jumps in front of his car,
and so he hits this cat--
Chuckie is really laughing now.
MORGAN
--That isn't funny--
CHUCKIE
--and he's like "shit! Motherfucker!"
And he looks in his rearview and sees
this cat-- I'm sorry--
BILLY
Fuckin' Chuckie!
CHUCKIE
So he sees this cat tryin to make it
across the street and it's not lookin'
so good.
WILL
It's walkin' pretty slow at this point.
MORGAN
You guys are fuckin' sick.
CHUCKIE
So Mikey's like "Fuck, I gotta put this
thing out of its misery"--So he gets a
hammer--
WILL/MORGAN/BILLY
OH!
CHUCKIE
--out of his tool box, and starts
chasin' the cat and starts whackin' it
with the hammer. You know, tryin' to put
the thing out of its misery.
MORGAN
Jesus.
CHUCKIE
And all the time he's apologizin' to the
cat, goin' "I'm sorry." BANG, "I'm
sorry." BANG!
BILLY
Like it can understand.
CHUCKIE
And this Samoan guy comes runnin' out of
his house and he's like "What the fuck
are you doing to my cat?!" Mikey's like
"I'm sorry"--BANG--" I hit your cat with
my truck, and I'm just trying to put it
out of it's misery"-- BANG! And the cat
dies. So Mikey's like "Why don't you
come look at the front of the truck."
'Cause the other guy's all fuckin
flipped out about--
WILL
Watching his cat get brained.
Morgan gives Will a look, but Will only smiles.
CHUCKIE
Yeah, so he's like "Check the front of
my truck, I can prove I hit it 'cause
there's probably some blood or
something"--
WILL
--or a tail--
MORGAN
WILL!
CHUCKIE
And so they go around to the front of
his truck...and there's another cat on
the grille.
WILL/MORGAN/BILLY
No! Ugh!
CHUCKIE
Is that unbelievable? He brained an
innocent cat!
BLACKOUT:
The opening credits roll over a series of shots of the city and
the real people who live and work there, going about their daily
lives.
We see a panoramic view of South Boston.
Will sits in his apartment, walls completely bare. A bed, a
small night table and an empty basket adorn the room. A stack
of twenty or so LIBRARY BOOKS sit by his bed. He is flipping
through a book at about a page a second.
Chuckie stands on the porch to Will's house. His Caddilac idles
by the curb. Will comes out and they get in the car.
We travel across crowded public housing and onto downtown.
Finally, we gaze across the river and onto the great cement-
domed buildings that make up the M.I.T. campus.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 2 - M.I.T. Class and Rooftop Reunion
The classroom is packed with graduate students and TOM.
PROFESSOR LAMBEAU (52) is at the lectern. The chalkboard behind
him is covered with theorems.
LAMBEAU
Please finish McKinley by next month.
Many of you probably had this as
undergraduates in real analysis. It
won't hurt to brush up. I am also
putting an advanced fourier system on
the main hallway chalkboard--
Everyone groans.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
I'm hoping that one of you might prove
it by the end of the semester. The first
person to do so will not only be in my
good graces, but go on to fame and
fortune by having their accomplishment
recorded and their name printed in the
auspicious "M.I.T. Tech."
Prof. Lambeau holds up a thin publication entitled "M.I.T.
Tech." Everyone laughs.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Former winners include Nobel Laureates,
world renowned astro-physicists, Field's
Medal winners and lowly M.I.T.
professors.
More laughs.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Okay. That is all.
A smattering of applause. Students pack their bags.
CUT TO:
INT. FUNLAND – LATER
The place is a monster indoor funpark. Will, Chuckie, Morgan,
and Billy are in adjoining batting cages. Will has disabled the
pitching machine in his and pitches to Chuckie. The boys have
been drinking. Will throws one to Chuckie, high and tight.
Several empty beer cans sit by the cage.
CHUCKIE
Will!
Another pitch, inside.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
You're gonna get charged!
WILL
You think I'm afraid of you, you big
fuck? You're crowdin' the plate.
Will guns another one, way inside.
CHUCKIE
Stop brushin' me back!
WILL
Stop crowdin the plate!
Chuckie laughs and steps back.
CHUCKIE
Casey's bouncin' at a bar up Harvard. We
should go there sometime.
WILL
What are we gonna do up there?
CHUCKIE
I don't know, we'll fuck up some smart
kids.
(stepping back in)
You'd prob'ly fit right in.
WILL
Fuck you.
Will fires a pitch at Chuckie's head. Chuckie dives to avoid
being hit. He gets up and whips his batting helmet at Will.
CUT TO:
EXT. SOUTH BOSTON ROOFTOP -- EARLY AFTERNOON
SEAN McGUIRE (52) sits, FORMALLY DRESSED, on the roof of his
apartment building in a beat-up lawn chair. Well-built and
fairly muscular, he stares blankly out over the city.
On his lap rests an open invitation that reads "M.I.T. CLASS OF
'67 REUNION."
While the morning is quiet and Sean sits serenely, there is a
look about his that tells us he has faced hard times. This is a
man who fought his way through life. On his lonely stare we:
CUT TO:
EXT. M.I.T. CAMPUS LAWN -- DAY
A thirty year REUNION PARTY has taken over the lawn. A well
dressed throng mill about underneath a large banner that reads
"WELCOME BACK CLASS OF '72." We find Professor Lambeau standing
with a drink in his hand, surveying the crowd. He is interrupted
by an approaching STUDENT.
STUDENT
Excuse me, Professor Lambeau?
LAMBEAU
Yes.
STUDENT
I'm in your applied theories class.
We're all down at the Math and Science
building.
LAMBEAU
It's Saturday.
STUDENT
I know. We just couldn't wait 'till
Monday to find out.
LAMBEAU
Find out what?
STUDENT
Who proved the theorem.
Ratings
Scene 3 - Boys at the Park and Lambeau at MIT
In the bleachers of the visiting section we find our boys,
drinking and smoking cigarettes. Will pops open a beer. The boys
have been here a while and it shows.
Billy sees something that catches his interest.
BILLY
Who's that? She's got a nice ass.
Their P.O.V. reveals a girl in stretch pants talking to a beefy
looking ITALIAN GUY (BOBBY CHAMPA)
MORGAN
Yah, that is a nice ass.
CHUCKIE
You could put a pool in that backyard.
BILLY
Who's she talking to?
MORGAN
That fuckin' guinea, Will knows him.
WILL
Yah, Bobby Champa. He used to beat the
shit outta' me in Kindergarten.
BILLY
He's a pretty big kid.
WILL
Yah, he's the same size now as he was in
Kindergarten.
MORGAN
Fuck this, let's get something to eat...
CHUCKIE
What Morgan, you're not gonna go talk to
her?
MORGAN
Fuck her.
The boys get up and walk down the bleachers.
WILL
I could go for a Whopper.
MORGAN
(nonchalant)
Let's hit "Kelly's."
CHUCKIE
Morgan, I'm not goin' to "Kelly's Roast
Beef" just cause you like the take-out
girl. It's fifteen minutes out of our
way.
MORGAN
What else we gonna do we can't spare
fifteen minutes?
CHUCKIE
All right Morgan, fine. I'll tell you
why we're not going to "Kelly's." It's
because the take-out bitch is a fuckin'
idiot. I'm sorry you like her but she's
dumb as a post and she has never got our
order right, never once.
MORGAN
She's not stupid.
WILL
She's sharp as a marble.
CHUCKIE
We're not goin'.
(beat)
I don't even like "Kelly's."
CUT TO:
INT. M.I.T. HALLWAY -- LATER
Lambeau, still in his reunion formal-wear, strides down the
hallway, carrying some papers. A group of students have gathered
by the chalkboard. They part like the red sea as he approaches
the board. Using the papers in hand, he checks the proof.
Satisfied, he turns to the class.
LAMBEAU
This is correct? Who did this?
Dead silence. Lambeau turns to an INDIAN STUDENT.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Nemesh?
Nemesh shakes his head in awe.
NEMESH
No way.
Lambeau erases the proof and starts putting up a new one.
LAMBEAU
Well, whoever You are, I'm sure you'll
find this one challenging enough to
merit coming forward with your identity.
That is, if you can do it.
Ratings
Scene 4 - Fast food and a street confrontation
The street is crowded as our boys drive down Broadway. They move
slowly through heavy traffic, windows down. Chuckie sorts
through a large "KELLY'S ROAST BEEF" BAG as he drives.
MORGAN
Double Burger.
Will holds the wheel for Chuckie as he looks through the bag.
MORGAN (cont'd)
(same tone)
Double Burger.
Chuckie gets out fries for himself, hands Will his fries.
MORGAN (cont'd)
I, I had a Kelly's Double Burger.
CHUCKIE
Would you shut the fuck up! I know what
you ordered, I was there!
MORGAN
So why don't you give me my sandwhich?
CHUCKIE
What do you mean "your sandwhich?" I
bought it.
MORGAN
(sarcastic)
Yah, all right...
CHUCKIE
How much money you got?
MORGAN
I told you, I just got change.
CHUCKIE
Well give me your fuckin' change and
we'll put your fuckin' sandwhich on lay-
away.
MORGAN
Why you gotta be an asshole Chuckie?
CHUCKIE
I think you should establish a good line
of credit.
Laughter, Chuckie goes back searching through the bag.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
Oh motherfucker...
WILL
She didn't do it again did she?
CHUCKIE
Jesus Christ. Not even close.
MORGAN
Did she get my Double Burger?
CHUCKIE
NO SHE DIDN'T GET YOUR DOUBLE BURGER!!
IT'S ALL FUCKIN' FLYIN' FISH FILET!!
Chuckie whips a FISH SANDWHICH back to Morgan, then to Billy.
WILL
Jesus, that's really bad, did anyone
even order a Flyin' Fish?
CHUCKIE
No, and we got four of 'em.
BILLY
You gotta' be kiddin' me. Why do we even
go to her?
CHUCKIE
Cause fuckin' Morgan's got a crush on
her, we always go there and when we get
to the window he never says a fuckin'
word to her, he never even gets out of
the car, and she never gets our order
right cause she's the goddamn MISSING
LINK!
WILL
Well, she out did herself today...
MORGAN
I don't got a crush on her.
Push in on Will who sees something O.S.
Will's P.O.V. reveals BOBBY CHAMPA and his friends walking down
the street. One of them casually lobs a bottle into a wire
garbage can. It SHATTERS and some of the glass hits a FEMALE
PASSERBY who, although unhurt, is upset.
CHUCKIE
What do we got?
WILL
I don't know yet.
Will's P.O.V.: The woman says something to Bobby. He says
something back. By the look on her face, it was something
unpleasant.
MORGAN
Come on, Will...
CHUCKIE
Shut up.
MORGAN
No, why didn't you fight him at the park
if you wanted to? I'm not goin' now, I'm
eatin' my snack.
WILL
(smiles)
So don't go.
Will is out of the door, jogging toward Bobby Champa. Billy gets
out, following Will with a look of casual indifference.
CHUCKIE
Morgan, Let's go.
MORGAN
I'm serious Chuckie, I ain't goin'.
Leaving the car, Chuckie opens his door to follow.
CHUCKIE
(spins in his seat)
You're goin'. And if you're not out
there in two fuckin' seconds, when I'm
done with them you're next!
And with that, Chuckie is out the door.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 5 - The Fight
Will comes jogging up towards BOBBY CHAMPA, calling out from
across the street,
WILL
(smiling, good naturedly)
Hey, Bobby Champa! I went to
Kindergarten with you right? Sister
Margaret's class...
Bobby is bewildered by this strange interruption and unsure of
Will's intentions. Just when it looks as though Bobby might
remember him, Will DRILLS HIM with a sucker-punch which begins
the
FIGHT SEQUENCE: 40 FRAMES OVER M. GAYE'S "LET'S GET IT ON."
Will's momentum and respectable strength serve to knock the
hapless Champa out cold.
As soon as Will hits Bobby, his friends CONVERGE ON WILL. Billy
JUMPS IN and wrestles one guy to the ground. The two exchange
messy punches on the sidewalk.
Will is in trouble, back pedaling, dodging punches, trying to
avoid being overrun.
When Will goes for one guy, another has an open shot and he
HAMMERS WILL with a right hand to the head.
Will is staggered and bleary, as a second guy winds up for a
shot he is BLIND SIDED by Chuckie who hits the kid like he was a
tackling sled, lifting him off the ground.
Chuckie turns to see Will still outnumbered. It's all Will can
do to stay standing as Morgan DROP KICKS one of Champa's boys
from the hood of a car.
Contrary to what we might think, Morgan is actually quite a
fighter. He peppers the kid with a flurry of blows.
The fight is messy, ugly and chaotic. Most punches are thrown
wildly and miss, heads are banged against concrete, someone
throws a bottle.
In the end, it's our guys who are left standing, while Bobby's
friends stagger off. Chuckie and Morgan turn to see Will,
standing over the unconscious Bobby Champa, still POUNDING him.
ANGLE ON WILL: SAVAGE, UGLY, VICIOUS, AND VIOLENT
Whatever demons must be raging inside Will, he is taking them
out on Bobby Champa. He pummels the helpless, unconscious
Champa, fury in his eyes. Chuckie and Billy pull Will away.
The POLICE finally arrive on the scene and having only witnessed
Will's vicious attack on Champa, they grab him.
EXT. SIDEWALK (FULL SPEED) -- CONTINUOUS
A crowd of onlookers have gathered. Chuckie addresses them.
CHUCKIE
Hey, thanks for comin' out.
WILL
Yeah, you're all invited over to
Morgan's house for a complementary fish
sandwhich.
The Police slam Will into the hood of a car.
WILL (cont'd)
(to Police)
Hey, I know it's not a French cruller,
but it's free.
The cop holding Will SLAMS his [Will's] face into the hood,
another cop uses a baton to press Will's face into the car. The
look of rage returns to Will's eye.
WILL (cont'd)
Get the fuck off me!
Will resists. Another cop comes over. Will KICKS HIM IN THE
KNEE, dropping the cop. Momentarily freed, Will engages in a
fracas with three cops. More converge on Will, who -- though he
struggles -- takes a beating.
CUT TO:
EXT. SEAN'S ROOF -- NIGHT
Sean sits, exactly as we first saw him, except his tie is now
loose and an empty bottle of BUSHMILLS is at his side. He
stares out over the City. A MATRONLY LANDLADY comes out of a
doorway on the roof.
LANDLADY
Sean?
Sean doesn't answer.
LANDLADY (cont'd)
Sean? You okay?
SEAN
Yeah.
A beat.
LANDLADY
It's getting cold.
After a moment, she retreats back down the stairs. Sean doesn't
move.
DISSOLVE:
EXT. CHARLES RIVER, ESTABLISHING SHOT -- MORNING
The morning sun reflects brilliantly off the river.
CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE -- NEXT MORNING
Will emerges from the courthouse. Chuckie is waiting for him in
the Cadillac with two cups of DUNKIN' DOUGHNUTS coffee. He hands
one of them to Will. This feels routine.
CHUCKIE
When's the arraignment?
WILL
Next week.
Chuckie pulls away.
CUT TO:
EXT. M.I.T. CAMPUS, ESTABLISHING SHOT -- MORNING
Students walk to class, carrying bags. More than any other,
students seem to be heading into one PARTICULAR CLASSROOM.
Ratings
Scene 6 - Mystery Math Magician Strikes Again
The classroom is even more crowded than last we saw it. Tom
takes notes as Lambeau plays along with the excited environment
with mock pomposity and good humor.
LAMBEAU
Is it my imagination, or has my class
grown considerably?
Laughter.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
I look around and see young people who
are my students, young people who are
not my students as well as some of my
colleagues. And by no stretch of my
imagination do I think you've all come
to hear me lecture.
More laughter.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
But rather to ascertain the identity of
who our esteemed "The Tech" has come to
call "The Mystery Math Magician."
He holds up the M.I.T. Tech featuring a silhouetted figure,
emblazoned with a large, white question mark. The headline reads
"Mystery Math Magician strikes again."
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Whoever you are, you've solved four of
the most difficult theorems I've ever
given a class. So without further ado,
come forward silent rogue, and receive
thy prize.
The class waits in breathless anticipation. A STUDENT shifts his
weight in his chair, making a noise.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint my
spectators, but it appears there will be
no unmasking here today. I'm going to
have to ask those of you not enrolled in
the class to make your escape now or,
for the next three hours be subjected to
the mundities of eigenvectors.
People start to gather their things and go. Lambeau picks up a
piece of chalk and starts writing on the board.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
However, my colleagues and I have
conferred. There is a problem on the
board, right now, that took us two years
to prove. So let this be said; the
gauntlet has been thrown down. But the
faculty have answered the challenge and
answered with vigor.
CUT TO:
19 OMITTED
INT. M.I.T. HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Lambeau comes out of his office with Tom and locks the door. As
he turns to walk down the hallway, he stops. A faint TICKING
SOUND can be heard. He turns and walks down the hall.
Lambeau and Tom come around a corner. His P.O.V. reveals a
figure in silhouette blazing through the proof on the
chalkboard. There is a mop and a bucket beside him. As Lambeau
draws closer, reveal that the figure is Will, in his janitor's
uniform. There is a look of intense concentration in his eyes.
LAMBEAU
Excuse me!
Will looks up, immediately starts to shuffle off.
WILL
Oh, I'm sorry.
LAMBEAU
What're you doing?
WILL
(walking away)
I'm sorry.
Lambeau follows Will down the hall.
LAMBEAU
What's your name?
(beat)
Don't you walk away from me. This is
people's work, you can't graffiti here.
WILL
Hey fuck you.
LAMBEAU
(flustered)
Well... I'll be speaking to your
supervisor.
Will walks out. Lambeau goes to "fix" the proof, scanning the
blackboard for whatever damage Will caused. He stops, scans the
board again. Amazement registers on his face.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
My God.
Down the hall, we hear the DOOR CLOSE. He turns to look for
Will, who is gone.
CUT TO:
EXT. BOW AND ARROW PUB, CAMBRIDGE -- THAT NIGHT
A crowded Harvard Bar. Will and our gang walk by a line of
several Harvard students, waiting to be carded.
MORGAN
What happened?
(beat)
You got fired, huh?
WILL
Yeah, Morgan. I got fired.
MORGAN
(starts laughing)
How fuckin' retarded do you have to be
to get shit-canned from that job? How
hard is it to push a fuckin' broom?
CHUCKIE
You got fired from pushing a broom, you
little bitch.
MORGAN
Yah, that was different. Management was
restructurin'--
BILLY
--Yah, restructurin' the amount of
retards they had workin' for them.
MORGAN
Fuck you, you fat fuck.
BILLY
Least I work for a livin'.
(to Will)
Why'd you get fired?
WILL
Management was restructurin'.
Laughter.
CHUCKIE
My uncle can probably get you on my demo
team.
MORGAN
What the fuck? I just asked you for a
job yesterday!
CHUCKIE
I told you "no" yesterday!
After two students flash their ID's to the doorman (CASEY) our
boys file past him.
ALL
(one after another)
What's up Case.
With an imperceptible nod, Casey waves our boys through. A fifth
kid, a HARVARD STUDENT, tries to follow. He is stopped by
Casey's massive, outstretched arm:
CASEY
ID?
INT. BOW AND ARROW -- CONTINUOUS
Chuckie is collecting money from the guys to buy a pitcher, all
but Morgan cough up some crumpled dollars.
CHUCKIE
So, this is a Harvard bar, huh? I
thought there'd be equations and shit on
the wall.
Ratings
Scene 7 - Intelligence vs. Education
Chuckie returns to a table where Will, Morgan and Billy have
made themselves comfortable. He [Chuckie] spots two ATTRACTIVE
YOUNG HARVARD WOMEN sitting together at the end of the bar.
Chuckie struts his way toward the women and pulls up a chair. He
flashes a smile and tries to submerge his thick Boston accent.
CHUCKIE
Hey, how's it goin'?
LYDIA
Fine.
SKYLAR
Okay.
CHUCKIE
So, you ladies ah, go to school here?
LYDIA
Yes.
CHUCKIE
Yeah, cause I think I had a class with
you.
At this point, several interested parties materialize. Morgan
Billy and Will try, as inconspicuously as possible, to situate
themselves within listening distance. A rather large student in
a HARVARD LACROSSE sweatshirt, CLARK (22) notices Chuckie. He
[Clark] walks over to Skylar and Lydia, nobly hovering over them
as protector. This gets Will, Morgan, and Billy's attention.
SKYLAR
What class?
CHUCKIE
Ah, history I think.
SKYLAR
Oh...
CHUCKIE
Yah, it's not a bad school...
At this point, Clark can't resist and steps in.
CLARK
What class did you say that was?
CHUCKIE
History.
CLARK
How'd you like that course?
CHUCKIE
Good, it was all right.
CLARK
History? Just "history?" It must have
been a survey course then.
Chuckie nods. Clark notices Chuckie's clothes. Will and Billy
exchange a look and move subtly closer.
CLARK (cont'd)
Pretty broad. "History of the World?"
CHUCKIE
Hey, come on pal we're in classes all
day. That's one thing about Harvard
never seizes to amaze me, everybody's
talkin' about school all the time.
CLARK
Hey, I'm the last guy to want to talk
about school at the bar. But as long as
you're here I want to "seize" the
opportunity to ask you a question.
Billy shifts his beer into his left hand. Will and Morgan see
this. Morgan rolls his eyes as if to say "not again..."
CLARK (cont'd)
Oh, I'm sure you covered it in your
history class.
Clark looks to see if the girls are impressed. They are not.
When Clark looks back to Chuckie, Skylar turns to Lydia and
rolls her [own] eyes. They laugh. Will sees this and smiles.
CHUCKIE
To tell you the truth, I wasn't there
much. The class was rather elementary.
CLARK
Elementary? Oh, I don't doubt that it
was. I remember the class, it was just
between recess and lunch.
Will and Billy come forward, stand behind Chuckie.
CHUCKIE
All right, are we gonna have a problem?
CLARK
There's no problem. I was just hoping
you could give me some insight into the
evolution of the market economy in the
early colonies. My contention is that
prior to the Revolutionary War the
economic modalities especially of the
southern colonies could most aptly be
characterized as agrarian pre-
capitalist and...
Will, who at this point has migrated to Chuckie's side and is
completely fed-up, includes himself in the conversation.
WILL
Of course that's your contention. You're
a first year grad student. You just
finished some Marxian historian, Pete
Garrison prob'ly, and so naturally
that's what you believe until next month
when you get to James Lemon and get
convinced that Virginia and Pennsylvania
were strongly entrepreneurial and
capitalist back in 1740. That'll last
until sometime in your second year, then
you'll be in here regurgitating Gordon
Wood about the Pre-revolutionary utopia
and the capital-forming effects of
military mobilization.
CLARK
(taken aback)
Well, as a matter of fact, I won't,
because Wood drastically underestimates
the impact of--
WILL
--"Wood drastically underestimates the
impact of social distinctions predicated
upon wealth, especially inheriated
wealth..." You got that from "Work in
Essex County," Page 421, right? Do you
have any thoughts of your own on the
subject or were you just gonna plagerize
the whole book for me?
Clark is stunned.
WILL(cont'd)
Look, don't try to pass yourself off as
some kind of an intellect at the expense
of my friend just to impress these
girls.
Clark is lost now, searching for a graceful exit, any exit.
WILL (cont'd)
The sad thing is, in about 50 years you
might start doin' some thinkin' on your
own and by then you'll realize there are
only two certainties in life.
CLARK
Yeah? What're those?
WILL
One, don't do that. Two-- you dropped a
hundred and fifty grand on an education
you coulda' picked up for a dollar fifty
in late charges at the Public Library.
Will catches Skylar's eye.
CLARK
But I will have a degree, and you'll be
serving my kids fries at a drive through
on our way to a skiing trip.
WILL(smiles)
Maybe. But at least I won't be a prick.
(beat)
And if you got a problem with that, I
guess we can step outside and deal with
it that way.
While Will is substantially smaller than Clark, he [Clark]
decides not to take Will up on his [Will's] offer.
WILL (cont'd)
If you change your mind, I'll be over by
the bar.
He turns and walks away. Chuckie follows, throwing Clark a look.
Morgan turns to a nearby girl.
MORGAN
My boy's wicked smart.
Ratings
Scene 8 - Skylar Gives Will her Number
Will sits with Morgan at the bar watching with some amusement as
Chuckie and Billy play bar basketball game where the players
shoot miniature balls at a small basket. In the B.G.
Occasionally we hear Chuckie shouting "Larry!" When he scores.
Skylar emerges from the crowd and approaches Will.
SKYLAR
You suck.
WILL
What?
SKYLAR
I've been sitting over there for forty-
five minutes waiting for you to come
talk to me. But I'm just tired now and I
have to go home and I wasn't going to
keep sitting there waiting for you.
WILL
I'm Will.
SKYLAR
Skylar. And by the way. That guy over
there is a real dick and I just wanted
you to know he didn't come with us.
WILL
I kind of got that impression.
SKYLAR
Well, look, I have to go. Gotta' get up
early and waste some more money on my
overpriced education.
WILL
I didn't mean you. Listen, maybe...
SKYLAR
Here's my number.
Skylar produces a folded piece of paper and offers it to Will.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
Maybe we could go out for coffee
sometime?
WILL
Great, or maybe we could go somewhere
and just eat a bunch of caramels.
SKYLAR
What?
WILL
When you think about it, it's just as
arbitrary as drinking coffee.
SKYLAR
(laughs)
Okay, sounds good.
She turns.
WILL
Five minutes.
SKYLAR
What?
WILL
I was trying to be smooth.
(indicates clock)
But at twelve-fifteen I was gonna come
over there and talk to you.
SKYLAR
See, it's my life story. Five more
minutes and I would have got to hear
your best pick-up line.
WILL
The caramel thing is my pick-up line.
A beat.
SKYLAR
Glad I came over.
CUT TO:
EXT. BOW AND ARROW -- LATER
Our boys are walking out of the bar teasing one another about
their bar-ball exploits. Across the street is another bar with a
glass front. Morgan spots Clark sitting by the window with some
friends.
MORGAN
There goes that fuckin' Barney right
now, with his fuckin' "skiin' trip." We
should'a kicked that dude's ass.
WILL
Hold up.
Will crosses the street and approaches the plate glass window
and stands across from Clark, separated only by the glass. He
POUNDS THE GLASS to get Clark's attention.
WILL (cont'd)
Hey!
Clark turns toward Will.
WILL (cont'd)
DO YOU LIKE APPLES?
Clark doesn't get it.
WILL (cont'd)
DO YOU LIKE APPLES?!
CLARK
Yeah?
Will SLAMS SKYLAR'S PHONE NUMBER against the glass.
WILL
WELL I GOT HER NUMBER! HOW DO YA LIKE
THEM APPLES?!!
Will's boys erupt into laughter. Angle on Clark, deflated.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
The boys make their way home, piled into Chuckie's car, laughing
together.
EXT. CHARLES STREET BRIDGE -- DAWN
Shot of car crossing over the Charles St. Bridge, overtaking a
red-line train.
EXT. CHARLESTON BACKROAD -- DAWN
Travelling through narrow back roads in Charlestown, passing the
Bunker Hill monument.
EXT. WILL'S APARTMENT -- DAY
Arriving at Will's house and dropping him off.
DISSOLVE TO:
Ratings
Scene 9 - Lambeau seeks help from Terry and Will appears in court
Lambeau walks into a small garage facility. The area stores lawn
machinery and various tools. An older man, TERRY (58) sits
behind the desk reading the BOSTON HERALD sports page. Lambeau
has obviously never been here before. He takes in the
surroundings, somewhat uncomfortable. Gets dirty.
LAMBEAU
Excuse me. Is this the buildings and
grounds office?
TERRY
Yeah, can I help you?
LAMBEAU
I'm trying to find the name of a student
who works here.
TERRY
No students work for me.
LAMBEAU
Could you just check, because the young
man who works in my building--
TERRY
Which one's your building?
LAMBEAU
Building two.
Terry checks a list behind his [own] desk. Looks up.
TERRY
Well, if something was stolen, I should
know about it.
LAMBEAU
No, no. Nothing like that. I just need
his name. TERRY I can't give you his
name unless you have a complaint.
LAMBEAU
Please, I'm a professor here and it's
very important.
TERRY
Well, he didn't show up for work
today...
Terry takes a beat. Holding all the cards.
TERRY (cont'd)
Look, he got his job through his P.O. so
you can call him.
Terry goes through a stack of paper on his desk. Takes out a
card and hands it to Lambeau. Lambeau looks blankly at the card
which reads: "PAROLE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM."
INT. COURTROOM -- DAY
Will stands before JUDGE MALONE (40) being arraigned. It is
fairly unceremoniuous, the coutroom nearly empty, save Will and
the PROSECUTOR. Lambeau walks in from the back.
WILL
There is a lengthy legal precedent, Your
Honor, going back to 1789, whereby a
defendent may claim self-defense against
an agent of the government where the act
is shown to be a defense against
tyranny, a defense of liberty--
The Judge interrupts to address the prosecutor.
JUDGE MALONE
Mr. Simmons, Officer McNeely who signed
the complaint isn't in my courtroom. Why
is that?
PROSECUTOR
He's in the hospital with a broken knee,
Your Honor. But I have depositions from
the other officers.
WILL
Henry Ward Beecher proclaimed, in his
Proverbs From Plymouth Pulpit back in
1887, that "Every American citizen is by
birth, a sworn officer of the state.
Every man is a policeman." As for the
other officers, even William Congrave
said; "he that first cries out 'stop
thief' is 'oft he that has stolen the
treasure."
PROSECUTOR
Your Honor--
Will cranks it up.
WILL
(to Prosecutor)
I am afforded the right to speak in my
own defense by our constitution, Sir.
The same document which guarantees my
right to liberty. "Liberty," in case
you've forgotten, is "the soul's right
to breathe, and when it cannot take a
long breath laws are girded too tight.
Without liberty, man is a syncope."
(beat, to Judge)
Ibid. Your Honor.
PROSECUTOR
Man is a what?
WILL
Julius Caesar proclaimed-- Though he be
wounded--"Magna..."
The Judge interrupts.
JUDGE MALONE
Son,
(a beat)
My turn.
The Judge opens Will's CASE HISTORY.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
(reading)
June, '93, assault, Sept. '93
assault...Grand theft auto February '94.
A beat, the Judge takes particular notice.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
Where, appearantly, you defended
yourself and had the case thrown out by
citing "free property rights of horse
and carriage" from 1798...
Lambeau has to smile, impressed. The Judge shakes his head.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
March, '94 public drunkenness, public
nudity, assault. 10/94 mayhem. November
'94, assault. Jan. '95 impersonating a
police officer, mayhem, theft,
resisting-- overturned--
The Judge takes a beat. Gives Will a look.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
You're in my courtroom, now and I am
aware of your priors.
(beat)
I'm also aware that you're an orphan. You've been through
several foster homes. The state removed you from three because
of serious physical abuse.
The Judge holds a look to Will, who looks down.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
Another Judge might care. You hit a cop,
you go in.
(beat)
Motion to dismiss denied.
The Bailiff goes to remove Will from the courtroom.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
Keep workin' on your arguments, son. A
word of advice for trial; speak English.
As Will is removed from the courtroom, Lambeau approaches Judge
Malone who is stepping down from the bench.
LAMBEAU
Excuse me, your Honor.
(offers hand)
Gerald Lambeau.
An awkward beat. Lambeau waits for some sign of recognition.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
I'm a professor at M.I.T.
(beat)
Combunatorial Mathematics.
The Judge offers only a blank look.
JUDGE MALONE
Oh. Pleased to meet you.
LAMBEAU
Do you have a minute?
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 10 - Probation and Psychology
A GUARD walks Will down a hallway toward a group of phones.
GUARD
One call, to an attorney.
(beat)
One.
The Guard gives Will a hard look for a beat. Then leaves.
WILL
How many?
Will picks up the phone, dials.
WILL (cont'd)
Hey, Skylar?
INT. SKYLAR'S DORM -- DAY
SKYLAR
Yeah?
WILL
It's Will, the really funny good looking
guy you met at the bar?
SKYLAR
I'm sorry, I don't recall meeting anyone
who fits that description.
WILL
Okay, you got me. It's the ugly,
obnoxious, toothless loser who got drunk
and wouldn't leave you alone all night.
SKYLAR
Oh Will! I was wondering when you'd
call.
WILL
Yeah, I figured maybe sometime this week
we could go to a cafe and have some
caramels.
SKYLAR
Sounds good, where are you now?
WILL
You aren't, by any chance, Pre-law? Are
you?
CUT TO:
INT. MIDDLESEX COUNTY JAIL, INTERROGATION ROOM -- LATER
Professor Lambeau sits, waiting. Will is brought in, shackled,
by the guard.
LAMBEAU
Hello. Gerald Lambeau, M.I.T.
WILL
Fuck do you want?
LAMBEAU
I've spoken with the judge and he's
agreed to release you under my
supervision.
WILL
(suspicious)
Really?
LAMBEAU
(beat)
Yes. Under two conditions.
WILL
What're those?
LAMBEAU
That you meet with me twice a week—
(a beat)
- and you meet with a therapist.
WILL
If I agree to this, I walk right now?
LAMBEAU
That's right.
WILL
I'll do the work. I'm not going to meet
with a therapist.
LAMBEAU
Now, it won't be as bad as it sounds,
Will.
(beat)
I've already spoken to one therapist,
his name is Henry Lipkin and he's a
friend of mine. He's also published four
books and is widely considered to be one
of the brightest men in his field.
(beat)
I'm sure it'll be better than spending
the next six months in jail.
CUT TO:
INT. FUNLAND -- DAY
Will and Chuckie walk up to an enclosed trampoline. Billy and
Morgan prefer to use it for their own version of "Wrestlemania."
As Will and Chuckie approach, Billy is on top of a bloodied
Morgan and has him in the "Cobra Clutch." Will and Chuckie watch
for a beat. Billy tightens his grip.
BILLY
Submit, bitch! Submit! Submit!
MORGAN
(being strangled)
Suck my cock!
BILLY
Oh, Morgan!
Chuckie turns to Will, conspiratorially as they wait for the
fight to finish.
CHUCKIE
What'd you get? You get leniency?
WILL
Probation, counselin', few days a week.
CHUCKIE
You're fuckin' good.
Will smiles.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
Just submit, Morgan. He's got you in the
Cobra Clutch.
MORGAN
(to Chuckie)
Fuck your mother too!
INT. WILL'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Will sits alone in his one room apartment, reading. A closer
look reveals he is reading a self-help PSYCHOLOGY BOOK. Will is
flipping through the book at about a page per second. He shakes
his head and smiles. Upon finishing the book, he throws it in a
nearby WASTEBASKET. Push in on the back of the book where a
SMILING PSYCHOLOGIST is pictured.
Ratings
Scene 11 - The Psychologist's Truth
Will sits in a well decorated Psychologist's Office. Across from
Will sits the same PSYCHOLOGIST, HENRY LIPKIN (40), from the
book. They are in mid-session.
WILL
That's why I love stock-car racin'. That
Dale Ernhart's real good.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Now you know Will, and I know, what you
need to be doing. You have a gift.
WILL
I could work the pit maybe, but I could
never drive like Dale Ernhart--
PSYCHOLOGIST
--you have a quality-- something you
were born with, that you have no control
over- and you are, in a sense, hiding
that by becoming a janitor. And I'm not
saying that's wrong. I'm friends with
the janitor that works in my building.
He's been to my house for dinner. As a
matter of fact I did some free
consultation for "Mike" -- that's not
his real name. That's in my book.
WILL
Yeah, I read your book. "Mike" had the
same problems as "Chad" the stockbroker.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Yes. The pressures you feel, and again,
I am neither labeling nor judging them,
are keeping you from fulfilling your
potential -- you're in a rut. So stop
the Tom Foolery -- the Shenanigan's,
Will.
WILL
You're right. I know.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Will, your not getting off that easy.
WILL
No, but, I mean you know...I do other
things. That no one knows about.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Like what, Will?
WILL
I go places, I interact.
PSYCHOLOGIST
What places?
WILL
Certain, clubs.
(beat)
Like, Paradise. It's not bad.
Will gives the Psychologist a furtive look.
WILL (cont'd)
It's just that feeling when you can
take your shirt off and really dance.
(beat)
When the music owns you. Do you
understand?
PSYCHOLOGIST
I might understand that.
WILL
Do you find it hard to hide the fact
that you're gay?
PSYCHOLOGIST
What?
WILL
C'mon, I read your book. I talked to
you. It's just something I know to be
true.
PSYCHOLOGIST
That's very presumptuous.
WILL
Buddy, two seconds ago you were ready to
give me a jump.
PSYCHOLOGIST
(a little laugh)
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but
I'm married and I have two children.
WILL
I'm sure you do. You probably got a real
nice house, nice car -- your book's a
best seller.
PSYCHOLOGIST
You're getting defensive, Will.
WILL
Look, man. I don't care if you're
putting from the rough. There are solid
arguments that some of the greatest
people in history were gay; Alexander
the Great, Caeser, Shakespeare, Oscar
Wilde, Napoleon, Gertrude Stein, not to
mention Danny Terrio, not many straight
men can dance like that.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Who is "Danny Terrio?"
WILL
If you wanna hit "Ramrod," take your
shot. Take some pride in it. You go to
church? So fuckin' what, God loves you.
I mean, Christ. A guy as well known as
you? By the time you put your disguise
on and skulk out of the house Sunday
nights you probably look like "Inspector
Cluseau."
The Psychologist calmly packs his things.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Well, I can see this is pointless...
WILL
You're getting defensive...Henry. And
hey, cheif--tell the wife, at least.
Christ, set her free.
The shrink gets up and walks out.
WILL (cont'd)
Fuckin' hypocrite...
INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS
The Psychologist comes walking out, much to the surprise of
Lambeau and Tom who have been waiting in the lobby.
LAMBEAU
Henry?
The Psychologist keeps walking.
PSYCHOLOGIST
No. You know what, Gerry? This is why I
don't do pro-bono anymore. It's not
worth it to me.
LAMBEAU
What happened?
PSYCHOLOGIST
I don't have the time. I'm going on
national television this week.
LAMBEAU
Wait a minute, Henry...
He [Henry] is out the door. Lambeau looks to Tom.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 12 - Proving the Rectangle
Will is in Lambeau's office. Lambeau is at the board, working on
a diagram as Tom takes notes. Will seems disinterested.
LAMBEAU
This rectangle is subdivided into
rectangles. One edge of an inner
rectangle is an integer. Can you prove
that one edge of the larger rectangle is
an integer?
WILL
Of course.
LAMBEAU
Okay. How?
WILL
It's an integer proof.
Lambeau smiles.
WILL (cont'd)
What? Hey, look buddy my time's almost
up. You want me to sit here for an hour
and write it out?
Lambeau says nothing. Will gets up and goes to the board.
WILL (cont'd)
Look, I'll give you the key steps to it
but I'm not gonna do the whole thing.
Lambeau keeps smiling.
LAMBEAU
That would be a monumental waste of
time, wouldn't it, Will?
WILL
I think so.
LAMBEAU
I happen to know so.
Lambeau rises and goes to the board.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
You're thinking too hard. What if I did
this?
He draws a vertical line through the diagram.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Now, what if I do this?
He draws a horizontal line through the diagram. He hands Will
the chalk.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Have you ever played checkers?
Will realizes what Lambeau is getting at. In a flash he starts
drawing lines through the diagram, energized.
WILL
You color-code it. Half-red, half-
black. If that's an integer--
Lambeau steps in, writing with him [Will].
LAMBEAU
What's that?
WILL
Half-red, half-black--
LAMBEAU
--that?--
WILL
--Half-red, half-black--
LAMBEAU
--That edge!
WILL
An integer.
The two stop. They are silent for a moment. Like two gunfighters
after a duel, they put down the chalk.
LAMBEAU
(checks his watch)
It would appear we got that proof in
under the wire after all. It's not how
hard you look at things, young man, it's
the way you look at them. If you take
aim before you fire, you will find the
most difficult problems become, quite
literally, child's play.
Will gets his coat.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Will, you've managed to offend four of
my colleagues so much that they refused
to come back. You're meeting with the
leading hypnotist in the country next
week and Tom and I plan to sit in on the
sessions, so I expect you to behave
appropriately.
CUT TO:
INT. LAMBEAU'S OFFICE -- DAY
Will sits in a chair across from Lambeau and the HYPNOTIST.
Lambeau's assistant, TOM (33) takes notes. The Hypnotist makes
small talk with Lambeau, who checks his watch.
LAMBEAU
Shall we start the, uh...
WILL
Yeah, when do I get my hypnosis? You
guys been talkin' for twenty minutes.
HYPNOTIST
Yes, Will. We'll get to that. But first,
why don't you go to sleep for me.
He SNAPS HIS FINGERS and instantly Will's head goes BACK and his
EYES CLOSE. The Hypnotist gives Lambeau a look.
HYPNOTIST (cont'd)
Would you mind standing on one leg?
Will gets up and stands on one leg. Lambeau is impressed.
TIME CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 13 - Hypnotic Regression
Will is reclining, eyes closed, in a trance-like state. The mood
is more serious now.
HYPNOTIST
Okay, you're in your bed, Will. Now how
old are you?
WILL
Seven.
HYPNOTIST
And what do you see?
WILL
Somethin's in my room.
HYPNOTIST
What is it?
WILL
It's like a small figure, hoverin' over
me. Gettin' closer.
Will flinches.
HYPNOTIST
You're in a safe place, Will.
WILL
It's touching me.
Lambeau makes a sound. The Hypnotist shushes him [Lambeau] with
his [Hypnotist's] finger. Tom returns to his note-taking.
HYPNOTIST
Where is it touching you?
WILL
Down there.
(indicating genitals)
And I'm nervous.
HYPNOTIST
You don't have to be nervous, Will.
Lambeau and the Therapist trade looks. This is working.
WILL
'Cause I'm not ready.
(calming)
But the figure tells me everything's
gonna be all right. 'Cause the figure's
a Libra too. And we start dancin' and
it's beautiful--
Will breaks into song at full volume.
WILL (cont'd)
"SKY ROCKETS IN FLIGHT!"
LAMBEAU
(getting up)
Oh Jesus.
The Hypnotist gets up and starts heading towards the door. Will
is still singing from "Sky Rockets."
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Wait a minute, Barry.
HYPNOTIST
I have better ways to spend my time.
He is gone. Will stops singing, laughs.
LAMBEAU
Oh, for God's sake, Will.
WILL
Oh, come on! You're not pinnin' this one
on me. He left, I wanted to talk to him
for another twenty minutes. I was havin'
fun.
LAMBEAU
I told you to cooperate with these
people.
WILL
C'mon, that guy was a fuckin' piece of
work.
Will gets up and adopts a hypnotic persona in front of Lambeau.
WILL (cont'd)
(spooky voice)
Look into my eyes. I don't need therapy.
LAMBEAU
Get out, Will.
WILL
Okay...don't forget to get another
therapist for next week.
LAMBEAU
That's enough.
Will is out the door. Lambeau turns to Tom.
TOM
I called Mel Weintraub this morning, to
check for availability.
LAMBEAU
What's the point?
TOM
What do you want to do?
LAMBEAU
There is somebody...
TOM
Who is he?
LAMBEAU
He was my roommate in college.
Ratings
Scene 14 - Sean Maguire's Resignation
This is SEAN MAGUIRE'S "Dying and Bereavement" class. Emblazoned
on the door is "room 101." While the lecture hall could hold
sixty students, there are less than fifteen here today.
Sean Maguire lectures to the class in a resigned tone. Tired of
teaching, tired of life, he finds himself resigned to the tedium
of teaching core classes to an indifferent student body.
SEAN
Establishing trust is the most important
component in making breakthroughs with a
patient. Why?
A beat.
SEAN (cont'd)
Maureen?
MAUREEN'S only response is an empty stare.
SEAN (cont'd)
Keep up the good work, Maureen. Vinnie?
VINNIE looks up.
VINNIE
Because trust is an important thing.
SEAN
Don't bullshit me, Vinnie. Didn't your
brother give you the notes? Okay. If a
patient doesn't trust you then they
won't feel safe enough to be honest with
you--then there's no point to them being
in therapy. It's like saying -- "Fine,
come here and don't tell me a thing but
go home feeling like you're doing
something about your problems-- and give
me my fifty bucks before you leave will
ya'!"
He looks around the room for approval. No one is listening.
SEAN (cont'd)
If you don't help them trust you -- then
there's no way you'll ever get them to
sleep with you. And that should be the
goal of any good therapist. Insecure
women, you know...nail 'em when they're
vulnerable, that's always been my motto.
The students look up, somewhat stunned.
SEAN (cont'd)
See, I got Vinnie's attention.
Laughter. Sean starts to resume his lecture, when he notices
LAMBEAU standing in the back of the room. There is an awkward
moment.
SEAN (cont'd)
Gerry.
LAMBEAU
Sean.
SEAN
(to class)
Well, it seems we're in the presence of
greatness. Professor Gerald Lambeau is a
Field's Medal winner. Combunatorial
Mathematics. 1986.
The students stare blankly.
LAMBEAU
Hello.
SEAN
The Field's Medal is the Nobel Prize for
math.
(beat)
But it's only given out every four
years.
A beat.
SEAN (cont'd)
Okay, that's all for today. Try and get
through Fernald by Monday.
The class starts to pack up and file out. Lambeau approaches
Sean who steps down from the lecturn.
LAMBEAU
Good to see you.
SEAN
Good to see you.
LAMBEAU
Is there someplace we can talk?
CUT TO:
EXT. HARVARD SQUARE -- NIGHT
Will and Skylar on their first date. They watch a street
MAGICIAN doing tricks with a rabbit. The guy's tricks are pretty
good, but his on-stage persona could use some work. He is
incessantly repeating the phrase "this is the rabbit, the rabbit
really does the tricks." Will gives Skylar a look and they move
on.
CUT TO:
INT. TOY STORE -- LATER
Will and Skylar walk into the small shop.
SKYLAR
I don't know, it was just kind of the
boring suburban thing. Private school,
Harvard, and now Med. School.
(Beat)
I actually figured out that at the end
of it, my brain will be worth a quarter
of a million dollars. I shouldn't have
told you that...
WILL
I bet your parents were happy to pay.
SKYLAR
I was happy to pay. I inherited the
money.
WILL
Is Harvard gettin' all that money?
SKYLAR
Stanford. I'm leaving in June after I
graduate.
WILL
So you just want to use me and go?
SKYLAR
Well, I'm gonna experiment on you for my
anatomy class, then go.
WILL
In that case, fine.
(beat)
Want to see my magic trick?
SKYLAR
Sure.
Will, pulls out a bulging HANDFUL OF CARAMELS.
WILL
Now, I'm gonna make all these caramels
disappear.
SKYLAR
Okay...
Will goes into all manner of hocus-pocus theatrics. Then shakes
his hand wildly. The trick doesn't pan out and the caramels go
flying all over the store. Skylar laughs.
WILL
It works better when I have my rabbit.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 15 - Reunion and First Date
Lambeau and Sean share a table at this exclusive restaurant.
Sean seems slightly out of place in his wrinkled sport coat.
LAMBEAU
I didn't see you at the reunion.
SEAN
I've been busy.
LAMBEAU
You were missed.
(beat)
How long has it been since we've seen
each other?
SEAN
Since Nancy died.
LAMBEAU
I'm sorry, that damn conference--
SEAN
I got your card.
INT. HARVARD SQ. DINER: "THE TASTY" -- NIGHT
A FRY COOK hands Will and Skylar a pair of CHEESEBURGERS.
SKYLAR
Have you ever seen Annie Hall?
WILL
No.
SKYLAR
Well, there's this part of the movie
that's about how there's always this
tension on a first date where both
people are thinking about what's going
to happen with the whole 'good night
kiss' thing.
Will smiles.
WILL
I really don't 'date' that much.
SKYLAR
(laughs)
You know what I mean. I know you've at
least thought about it.
WILL
No I haven't...
SKYLAR
Yes you have. You were thinking you were
gonna get a good night kiss.
WILL
(mock protest)
No I wasn't...
SKYLAR
Yes you were.
WILL
I was kinda' hopin' to get a "good night
laid" but...I'll take a kiss.
She laughs.
SKYLAR
Oh, you will?
WILL
No...I was hoping to get a kiss.
SKYLAR
Then why don't we just get it out of the
way.
He looks at her.
WILL
Now?
Both of them have cheeseburger in their mouths.
SKYLAR
Yeah.
They kiss, mouths full of burger. It's nice. A beat.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
That had to be the worst good night
kiss...
Will laughs.
WILL
Hey, look lady, I'm just here for the
free food.
She smiles.
SKYLAR
Free?
WILL
Hey, I spent all my money on those
caramels.
She laughs.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 16 -
Lambeau and Sean, having finished their meal. Lambeau has been
pitching Sean.
SEAN
I've been busy, Gerry. I got a full
schedule.
LAMBEAU
This kid's special, Sean. I've never
seen anything like him.
SEAN
Not much free time, Gerry.
LAMBEAU
Have you ever heard of a man named
Ramanujan?
Sean nods his head.
SEAN
Yeah.
LAMBEAU
He was alive over a hundred years ago.
He was Indian. Dots, not feathers...
Sean finishes the joke. Lambeau chuckles.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
So this Ramanujan lived in a tiny hut in
India. No formal education, no access to
other works. But he came across an old
math book and from this basic text he
was able to extrapolate theories that
had baffled mathematicians for years.
SEAN
And he mailed it to Hardy--
LAMBEAU
--That's right, Sean. He mailed it to a
professor at Cambridge who immediately
recognized the brilliance in his work
and brought Ramanujan to England.
SEAN
Where he contracted pneumonia and died
at a young age--
LAMBEAU
They worked together for the remainder
of their lives, producing some of the
most exciting math theory ever done.
Ramanujan's genius was unparalleled,
Sean. This boy is like that. But he's
very defensive and I need someone who
can get through to him.
SEAN
Why me?
LAMBEAU
I need someone with your kind of
background.
SEAN
My kind of background?
LAMBEAU
You're from the same neighborhood. South
Boston.
SEAN
He's from Southie? How many people did
you try before you came to me?
LAMBEAU
(looks squarely at Sean)
Five.
Sean gives a slight, knowing smile.
SEAN
Who? Barry, Henry, Rick...
Lambeau nods.
SEAN
Not Rick? You didn't send him to Rick?
LAMBEAU
Just meet with the boy once a week.
SEAN
Can we do it at my office?
LAMBEAU
That would be fine.
The waiter comes with the CHECK. Each man reaches for it.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Sean, please.
SEAN
I got it.
LAMBEAU
It's on the college.
Sean relents.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUNKER HILL CAMPUS -- MORNING
Establishing shot of the red-brick campus. Planes land at nearby
Logan airport. Will walks up the steps.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 17 - Sean and Will's First Meeting
Sean's office is comfortable. Books are stacked against the
wall. There is a PAINTING on the wall behind Sean. Sean is
seated behind a desk. Lambeau sits in a chair in the back of the
room, next to Tom. A long beat passes, they wait.
LAMBEAU
Any vulnerability he senses, he'll
exploit.
SEAN
I'll be okay.
LAMBEAU
It's a poker game with this young man.
Don't let him see what you've got.
Sean nods. Will walks in. Everyone stands to greet Will.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Hello, Will. Any trouble finding the
place?
WILL
No.
LAMBEAU
Will, this is Sean Maguire. Sean, Will
Hunting.
Sean and Will nod. An awkward moment as the four men stand.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Well, let's get started.
WILL
Yeah, let's let the healing begin.
Lambeau is slightly embarrassed. Sean smiles at Will's joke.
SEAN
Would you excuse us?
LAMBEAU
Tom.
SEAN
You too, Gerry.
Lambeau looks at Sean, surprised. Sean's stare is unwavering.
After an awkward moment, Lambeau goes, leaving Sean and Will
alone. Will doesn't look at Sean for more than a second. He
seems more interested in the room. There is a long silence as
Sean watches Will.
SEAN (cont'd)
Hello, Will. I'm Sean Maguire.
A smile crosses Will's face as he walks to his chair and sits.
He lights a cigarette. Sean continues to watch him. Finally-
SEAN (cont'd)
Where are you from in Southie?
WILL
Did you buy all these books retail, or
do you send away for like a "shrink kit"
that comes with all these volumes
included?
SEAN
Have you read all these books, Will?
WILL
Probably not.
SEAN
(indicating a shelf)
How about the ones on that shelf?
Will's eyes flicker up to the shelf for an instant.
WILL
Yeah, I read those.
SEAN
What did you think?
WILL
I'm not here for a fuckin' book report.
They're your books, why don't you read
'em?
SEAN
I did.
WILL
That must have taken you a long time.
SEAN
Yeah, it did take me a long time.
Sean says this with pride. His determined stare and confident
manner catch Will a bit off guard. Will rises from his chair and
goes to the shelf.
WILL
(looking at book)
"A History of the United States, Volume
I." If you want to read a real history
book, read Howard Zinn's "A People's
History of the United States." That book
will knock you on your ass.
SEAN
How about Noam Chomsky's "Manufacturing
Consent?"
WILL
You people baffle me. You spend all this
money on beautiful, fancy books-- and
they're the wrong fuckin' books.
SEAN
You think so?
WILL
Whatever blows your hair back.
Will returns to his chair. Pause.
SEAN
(indicating cigarette)
Guy your age shouldn't smoke so much.
Stunt your growth.
WILL
You're right. It really gets in the way
of my jazzercizing.
Sean does not seem at all affected by Will's attitude. He
remains behind the big desk with almost half a smile on his
face. Will is aware of Sean's confidence.
WILL (cont'd)
Do you lift?
SEAN
Yes, I do.
WILL
Nautilus?
SEAN
Free weights.
WILL
Oh yeah? Me too. What do you bench?
SEAN
285.
WILL
Oh.
Will gets up again and moves around his chair to Sean's
painting. It is a picture of an old sailboat in a tremendous
storm--by no means a masterpiece. Will studies it.
WILL (cont'd)
You paint this?
SEAN
Yeah. Do you paint?
WILL
No.
SEAN
Crayons?
WILL
This is a real piece of shit.
SEAN
Tell me what you really think.
WILL
Poor color composition, lousy use of
space. But that shit doesn't really
concern me.
SEAN
What does?
WILL
The color here, see how dark it is? It's
interesting.
SEAN
What is?
WILL
I think you're one step away from
cutting your ear off.
SEAN
Oh, "Starry Night" time, huh?
WILL
You ever heard the saying, "any port in
a storm?"
SEAN
Sure, how 'bout "still waters run deep"-
-
WILL
--Well, maybe that means you.
SEAN
Maybe what mea--
WILL
Maybe you were in the middle of a
storm, a big fuckin' storm-- the waves
were crashing over the bow, the
Goddamned mast was about to snap, and
you were crying for the harbor. So you
did what you had to do, to get out.
Maybe you became a psychologist.
SEAN
Maybe you should be a patient and sit
down.
WILL
Maybe you married the wrong woman.
SEAN
Watch your mouth.
WILL
That's it isn't it? You married the
wrong woman. She leave you? Was she
bangin' someone else?
Sean is walking slowly towards Will.
WILL (cont'd)
How are the seas now, D--
In a flash, Sean has Will by the throat. Will is helpless.
SEAN
If you ever disrespect my wife again...I
will end you.
WILL
Time's up.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 18 - Meeting Again
Will walks out of Sean's office past Lambeau and Tom who are
sitting in the hallway.
WILL
At ease, gentlemen.
CUT TO:
INT. SEAN'S OFFICE -- DAY
Sean stands behind his desk in his office, still very much on
edge. Lambeau walks in.
LAMBEAU
Five minutes, Sean. Are you okay?
A pause, Sean is staring at his painting.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
I'll understand if you don't want to
meet with him again.
SEAN
Thursday, four o'clock. Make sure the
kid is here.
CUT TO:
EXT. WONDERLAND RACETRACK -- DAY
Will and Skylar sit in the stands watching the dogs run. They ad
lib teasing one another about England, Ireland, and America.
SKYLAR
You grew up around here?
WILL
Not far from here, South Boston.
SKYLAR
How was that?
WILL
Pretty boring, I guess.
She smiles.
SKYLAR
I bet you have a great family.
WILL
You know, nothing special.
SKYLAR
You have a lot of brothers and sisters?
WILL
Do I have a lot of brothers and sisters?
SKYLAR
Yeah.
WILL
Well, Irish Catholic. What do you think?
SKYLAR
How many?
WILL
You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
SKYLAR
What, five?
Will shakes his head.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
Seven?
Will shakes his head. Smiles.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
Come on.
WILL
I have twelve big brothers.
SKYLAR
Not a chance.
WILL
Yup, you're lookin' at lucky thirteen.
SKYLAR
Bullshit.
WILL
I swear to God.
SKYLAR
Your house must have been a zoo.
WILL
It was great. There was always someone
to play with, give you advice.
SKYLAR
Do you know all their names?
WILL
'Course I do, they're my brothers.
SKYLAR
Well...
WILL
Marky, Ricky, Danny, Terry, Mikey,
Davey, Timmy, Tommy, Joey, Robby,
Johnny, and Brian.
SKYLAR
(laughing)
Do you keep in touch with them?
WILL
All the time. We all live in Southie. I
live with three of them now.
Skylar smiles.
SKYLAR
I want to meet them.
WILL
We'll do that.
CUT TO:
INT. SEAN'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
As we pan across Sean's small apartment, we find it strewn with
dirty clothes and the sink full of dishes. Although, if it
weren't for the clutter, the place would feel pretty bare. A
framed SPORTS ILLUSTRATED cover featuring a screaming Larry Bird
and entitled "CELTIC PRIDE" hangs on the wall. Sean sits at the
table next to another nearly empty bottle of BUSHMILL'S IRISH
WHISKEY. He is deep in thought.
CUT TO:
INT. SEAN'S OFFICE -- DAY
Will strolls into the office. Sean is waiting there behind his
desk. He seems different. More calm. Will and Sean stare at each
other for a long moment.
WILL
You again. How the paintin' coming?
Sean stands up.
SEAN
Come with me.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 19 - The Truth Hurts
Sean and Will sit in the bleachers at the mostly empty park.
They look out over a small pond, in which a group of
schoolchildren on a field trip ride the famous Swan Boats.
WILL
So what's with this place? You have a
swan fetish? Is this something you'd
like to talk about?
SEAN
I was thinking about what you said to me
the other day, about my painting. I
stayed up half the night thinking about
it and then something occured to me and
I fell into a deep peaceful sleep and
haven't thought about you since. You
know what occurred to me?
WILL
No.
SEAN
You're just a boy. You don't have the
faintest idea what you're talking about.
WILL
Why thank you.
SEAN
You've never been out of Boston.
WILL
No.
SEAN
So if I asked you about art you could
give me the skinny on every art book
ever written...Michelangelo? You know a
lot about him I bet. Life's work,
criticisms, political aspirations. But
you couldn't tell me what it smells like
in the Sistine Chapel. You've never
stood there and looked up at that
beautiful ceiling. And if I asked you
about women I'm sure you could give me a
syllabus of your personal favorites, and
maybe you've been laid a few times too.
But you couldn't tell me how it feels to
wake up next to a woman and be truly
happy. If I asked you about war you
could refer me to a bevy of fictional
and non-fictional material, but you've
never been in one. You've never held
your best friend's head in your lap and
watched him draw his last breath,
looking to you for help. And if I asked
you about love I'd get a sonnet, but
you've never looked at a woman and been
truly vulnerable. Known that someone
could kill you with a look. That someone
could rescue you from grief. That God
had put an angel on Earth just for you.
And you wouldn't know how it felt to be
her angel. To have the love be there for
her forever. Through anything, through
cancer. You wouldn't know about sleeping
sitting up in a hospital room for two
months holding her hand and not leaving
because the doctors could see in your
eyes that the term "visiting hours"
didn't apply to you. And you wouldn't
know about real loss, because that only
occurs when you lose something you love
more than yourself, and you've never
dared to love anything that much. I look
at you and I don't see an intelligent
confident man, I don't see a peer, and I
don't see my equal. I see a boy. Nobody
could possibly understand you, right
Will? Yet you presume to know so much
about me because of a painting you saw.
You must know everything about me.
You're an orphan, right?
Will nods quietly.
SEAN (cont'd)
Do you think I would presume to know the
first thing about who you are because I
read "Oliver Twist?" And I don't buy the
argument that you don't want to be here,
because I think you like all the
attention you're getting. Personally, I
don't care. There's nothing you can tell
me that I can't read somewhere else.
Unless we talk about your life. But you
won't do that. Maybe you're afraid of
what you might say.
Sean stands,
SEAN (cont'd)
It's up to you.
And walks away.
CUT TO:
INT. CONSTRUCTION SITE -- DAY
Will and Chuckie doing demo at the site. They throw cinderblocks
out a window into a pile. They are filthy.
CUT TO:
EXT. SOUTH BOSTON STREET -- NIGHT
Rain pounds South Boston. Chuckie sits with the Cadillac
fidling, humming to the radio. Morgan and Billy sit in the back,
sharing a case of beer. Will is at a pay phone.
INT. SKYLAR'S ROOM -- NIGHT
SKYLAR
Hello?
Will hangs up and runs back to the car, soaked.
CHUCKIE
Who'd you call?
WILL
No one. I didn't have the number.
MORGAN
What are you, retarded? You went all the
way out there in the rain and you didn't
have the number?
WILL
No, it was your mother's 900 number. I
just ran out of quarters.
Laughter. Chuckie pulls away from the curb.
MORGAN
Why don't we get off mothers, I just got
off yours.
There is a long moment of silence in response to Morgan's
attempt at levity. Then laughter.
BILLY
You're a pretty funny guy. Here, have a
nickel.
Billy WHIPS his EMPTY BEER CAN off of Morgan's head.
MORGAN
Keep fuckin' with me. Watch what
happens.
BILLY
All right, then.
MORGAN
Watch what happens.
CUT TO:
INT. SEAN'S OFFICE -- DAY
Will sits across from Sean completely silent and takes out a
pack of cigarettes.
SEAN
No smoking.
Will puts the cigarettes away. Sean stares at Will and
occaisionally at the clock. Sean continues to check the clock on
the wall. It is the only clock in the room and it is BEHIND
Will. Their hour is almost up.
CLOSE ON: WILL'S EYES INTERCUT WITH THE CLOCK.
He is counting seconds. As the second hand crosses the twelve,
Will stands up and walks out, leaving Sean alone.
Ratings
Scene 20 - A Night Out with Friends
Lambeau and Sean walk down the hallway after the session.
LAMBEAU
What do you mean "he didn't talk?" You
sat there for an hour?
SEAN
No, he just sat there and counted the
seconds until the session was over. It
was pretty impressive, actually.
LAMBEAU
Why would he do that?
SEAN
To show me he doesn't have to talk to me
if he doesn't want to.
LAMBEAU
Oh, what is this? Some kind of staring
contest between two kids from the "old
neighborhood?"
SEAN
I won't talk first.
EXT. WILL'S APARTMENT -- EVENING
Chuckie drops Will off at his apartment, watches him [Will] walk
up the steps.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WILL'S APARTMENT -- MORNING
Chuckie pulls up to the curb and walks up the steps to Will's
front door. After a beat, Will emerges. They get back in [the
car].
CUT TO:
EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE -- DAY
Will and Chuckie at work. Chuckie shows Will how to be a man.
INT. L STREET BAR & GRILLE, SOUTH BOSTON -- NIGHT
The bar is a bit more crowded than usual. Will and Chuckie walk
back to their table, carrying beers. They pass a table of
GIRLS, local regulars getting just as bombed as the guys. These
girls are a little overdone. Too much make-up, too much
hairspray, and too much body for such tight outfits. One of the
girls, KRYSTYN, smiles at Will who seems subdued.
KRYSTYN
Hi, Will.
WILL
How you doin', Krystyn.
They pass the table of girls. Chuckie looks at one, ruefully.
CHUCKIE
I didn't get on Cathy last night.
WILL
Why not?
CHUCKIE
I don't know.
Chuckie turns back to one of the girls, calling out:
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
Cathy! Why didn't you give me none of
your twat last night?
A girl at the table, CATHY, holds up her PINKY FINGER and
smiles-- revealing a mouthful of MISSING TEETH.
CATHY
Fuck you and your Irish curse, Chuckie!
CHUCKIE
She's missin' teeth, Will.
Will nods, not really into it tonight.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
Plus, it's like, five to two Morgan ends
up marryin' her. There's only so many
times you can bang your friend's future
wife...
They get to the table. Will's heart just isn't in it.
WILL
I'm takin' off.
ALL
We're goin' late night.
WILL
I'm tired.
CUT TO:
INT. LAMBEAU'S OFFICE -- DAY
Will and Lambeau work together at the board. They communicate
non-verbally as they collaborate on a problem. After a
particularly amusing series of numbers, they share a look and
laugh.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 21 - Imperfections and Love
Will and Sean sit in silence. A long moment passes. Sean
casually reclines in his chair, disinterested. Will restlessly
looks around the room and then back to Sean. An odd half smile
crosses Sean's face. After a moment:
WILL
You know, I was on this plane once. And
I'm sittin' there and the captain comes
on and is like "we'll be cruising at
35,000 feet," and does his thing, then
he puts the mike down but forgets to
turn it off. Then he says "man, all I
want right now is a blow-job and a cup
of coffee." So the stewardess goes
runnin' up towards the cock-pit to tell
him the mike's still on, and this guy in
the back of the plane goes "don't forget
the coffee!"
SEAN
(smiles)
You've never been on a plane.
WILL
I know, but the joke's better if I tell
it in the first person.
A beat.
WILL (cont'd)
I have been laid you know.
Sean smiles.
SEAN
Yeah? You got a lady now?
WILL
Yeah, I went on a date last week.
SEAN
How'd it go?
WILL
Fine.
SEAN
Well, are you going out again?
WILL
I don't know.
SEAN
Why not?
WILL
Haven't called her.
SEAN
Jesus Christ, you are an amateur.
WILL
I know what I'm doing. She's different
from the other girls I met. We have a
really good time. She's smart,
beautiful, fun...
SEAN
So Christ, call her up.
WILL
Why? So I can realize she's not so
smart. That she's boring. You don't get
it. Right now she's perfect, I don't
want to ruin that.
SEAN
And right now you're perfect too. Maybe
you don't want to ruin that.
Will says nothing.
SEAN (cont'd)
Well, I think that's a great philosophy
Will, that way you can go through your
entire life without ever having to
really know anybody.
Sean looks directly at Will, who looks away. A beat.
SEAN (cont'd)
My wife used to turn the alarm clock off
in her sleep. I was late for work all
the time because in the middle of the
night she'd roll over and turn the damn
thing off. Eventually I got a second
clock and put it under my side of the
bed, but it got to where she was gettin'
to that one too. She was afraid of the
dark, so the closet light was on all
night. Thing kept me up half the night.
Eventually I'd fall asleep, out of sheer
exhaustion and not wake up when I was
supposed to cause she'd have already
gotten to my alarms.
Will smiles, Sean takes a beat.
SEAN (cont'd)
My wife's been dead two years, Will. And
when I think about her, those are the
things I think about most. Little
idiosyncrasies that only I knew about.
Those made her my wife. And she had the
goods on me too. Little things I do out
of habit. People call these things
imperfections Will. It's just who we
are. And we get to choose who we're
going to let into out weird little
worlds. You're not perfect. And let me
save you the suspense, this girl you met
isn't either. The question is, whether
or not you're perfect for each other.
You can know everything in the world,
but the only way you're findin' that one
out is by giving it a shot. You sure
won't get the answer from an old fucker
like me. And even if I did know, I
wouldn't tell you.
Will smiles. A beat.
WILL
Why not? You told me every other fuckin'
thing. You talk more than any shrink I
ever met.
Sean laughs.
SEAN
I teach this shit, I didn't say I knew
how to do it.
WILL
You ever think about gettin' remarried?
SEAN
My wife's dead.
WILL
Hence, the word remarried.
SEAN
My wife's dead.
WILL
Well I think that's a wonderful
philosophy, Sean. That way you can go
through the rest of your life without
having to really know anyone.
A beat. Sean smiles.
SEAN
Time's up.
CUT TO:
EXT. SKYLAR'S DORM -- AFTERNOON
Will is waiting outside the door for someone to come out -- so
he can go in.
Ratings
Scene 22 -
The door to Skylar's dorm is partially open. Will stands outside
while Skylar remains on the threshold.
SKYLAR
Where have you been?
WILL
I'm sorry, I been real busy.
SKYLAR
You were busy? You know, I really was
waiting for you to call me.
WILL
Sorry. I'm sorry. Give me another crack
at it. Let me take you out.
SKYLAR
You should have called. I have an "O-
chem" lab due tomorrow and it's
impossible.
(beat)
It's not an excuse dummy. I want to go
out with you. But look:
She holds up her Lab. Will glances at it.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
Tomorrow?
WILL
Promise?
SKYLAR
If you bring the caramels.
Will smiles.
CUT TO:
EXT. HARVARD SQUARE -- LATER
Will sits in an outdoor cafe, thinking. After a beat, he leans
over to two students working at a nearby table, borrows a pen
and paper and starts writing.
CUT TO:
EXT. SKYLAR'S DORM -- DAY
Will is a solitary figure strolling across the lawn. He stops at
Skylar's dorm and knocks on the door.
CUT TO:
INT. SKYLAR'S DORM -- DAY
She emarges. He hands her the paper he was working on. It is her
O-chem lab.
WILL
I couldn't wait till tomorrow.
SKYLAR
How the hell did you do that?
WILL
Didn't your mother ever tell you not to
look a gift horse n the mouth?
SKYLAR
I'm supposed to understand this.
WILL
You're not going into surgery tomorrow
are you?
SKYLAR
No.
WILL
Then let's go have some fun.
With a smile, she relents.
Ratings
Scene 23 - Regret and Love
Sean and Will in session.
SEAN
Really? How'd the date go?
WILL
Do you still counsel veterans?
(beat)
I read your book last night.
SEAN
No, I don't.
WILL
Why not?
SEAN
I gave that up when my wife got sick.
WILL
Is that why you didn't write anything
else?
SEAN
(smiles)
I didn't write anything else 'cause
nobody, including most of my colleagues
bothered to read the first one.
WILL
Well, I've read you colleagues. Your
book was good, Sean.
(beat)
All those guys were in your platoon?
SEAN
Yeah.
WILL
What happened to that guy from Kentucky?
SEAN
Lon? He got married. He has a kid. I
kind of lost touch with him after Nancy
got sick.
WILL
Do you ever wonder what your life would
be like if you never met your wife?
SEAN
What? Do I wonder if I'd be better off
if I never met my wife?
Will starts to clarify his question.
SEAN (cont'd)
No, that's okay. It's an important
question. 'Cause you'll have your bad
times, which wake you up to the good
stuff you weren't paying attention to.
And you can fail, as long as you're
trying hard. But there's nothing worse
than regret.
WILL
You don't regret meetin' your wife?
SEAN
Why? Because of the pain I feel now? I
have regrets Will, but I don't regret a
singel day I spent with her.
WILL
When did you know she was the one?
SEAN
October 21, 1975. Game six of the World
Series. Biggest game in Red Sox history,
Me and my friends slept out on the
sidewalk all night to get tickets. We
were sitting in a bar waiting for the
game to start and in walks this girl.
What a game that was. Tie game in the
bottom of the tenth inning, in steps
Carlton Fisk, hit a long fly ball down
the left field line. Thirty-five
thousand fans on their feet, screamin'
at the ball to stay fair. Fisk is
runnin' up the baseline, wavin' at the
ball like a madman. It hits the foul
pole, home run. Thirty-five thousand
people went crazy. And I wasn't one of
them.
WILL
Where were you?
SEAN
I was havin' a drink with my future
wife.
WILL
You missed Pudge Fisk's homerun to have
a drink with a woman you had never met?
SEAN
That's right.
WILL
So wait a minute. The Red Sox haven't
won a World Series since nineteen
eighteen, you slept out for tickets,
games gonna start in twenty minutes, in
walks a girl you never seen before, and
you give your ticket away?
SEAN
You should have seen this girl. She lit
up the room.
WILL
I don't care if Helen of Troy walked
into that bar! That's game six of the
World Series!
Sean smiles.
WILL (cont'd)
And what kind of friends are these? They
let you get away with that?
SEAN
I just slid my ticket across the table
and said "sorry fellas, I gotta go see
about a girl."
WILL
"I gotta go see about a girl"? What did
they say?
SEAN
They could see that I meant it.
WILL
You're kiddin' me.
SEAN
No Will, I'm not kiddin' you. If I had
gone to see that game I'd be in here
talkin' abouta girl I saw at a bar
twenty years ago. And how I always
regretted not goin' over there and
talkin' to her. I don't regret the
eighteen years we were married. I don't
regret givin' up couseling for six years
when she got sick. I don't regret being
by her side for the last two years when
things got real bad. And I sure as Hell
don't regret missing that damn game.
A beat. Will is impressed.
WILL
Would have been nice to catch that game
though.
SEAN
(breaking)
Well hell, I didn't know Pudge was gonna
hit the home run.
They laugh.
TIME DISSOLVE TO:
Ratings
Scene 24 - Math Proofs and Pillow Talk
The office is more crowded than usual. TOM and THREE of
LAMBEAU'S COLLEAGUES including the esteemed ALEXANDER PEKEC are
in the room. Will sits at a work-station which projects a proof
of his [Will's] onto the chalkboard. Lambeau stands beside the
projected image at the board arguing with Pekec, a foreign
mathematician. The image is of a Ramses graph binary tree.
LAMBEAU
Alexander, I know your theory. The boy
is updating, he's strategy stealing...
PEKEC
With a Ramses graph on the binary tree--
LAMBEAU
--But what he's doing, he's attaching an
edge to the adjacent vertex. He can
always failsafe to either side--
PEKEC
Maker can. This is not new, Gerry!
Pekec starts writing lines beside Will's proof on the board.
PEKEC (cont'd)
--but I can always garbage out (writes
frantically) All the way to "N" to the
minus one.
LAMBEAU
No, there's a limit.
PEKEC
The limit is not found!
(turns to Will)
The limit is not found.
WILL
But I can always go to the other side.
PEKEC
There is no proof--
Lambeau can no longer contain himself.
LAMBEAU
--Maker builds "K" to the "N." N is
three to the K times--
PEKEC
--But--
WILL
Look, I wrote it down.
They turn to Will who places his proof on the projector. The
image is cast over their faces. It reads:
As Pekec reads and the realization dawns on him:
WILL (cont'd)
It's just simpler this way.
Lambeau turns with satisfaction to an understanding Pekec.
LAMBEAU
Alexander, your theory is changed.
CUT TO:
INT. SKYLAR'S ROOM -- NIGHT
Will and Skylar in her room, post coital. They are wrapped in a
sheet. Will is absent-mindedly playing the memory game SIMON.
The pattern grows increasingly complex. After a beat:
SKYLAR
Why do we always stay here?
WILL
'Cause it's nicer than my place.
SKYLAR
I've never seen your place.
WILL
Exactly.
SKYLAR
What about your friends? Or your
brothers? When do I get to meet them?
WILL
They don't come over here that much.
SKYLAR
I think I can make it to South Boston.
WILL
Aah, it's kind of a hike.
SKYLAR
Is it me you're hiding from them or the
other way around?
WILL
All right, all right. We'll go.
SKYLAR
When?
WILL
Sometime. I don't know. Next week.
SKYLAR
What if I said I wouldn't sleep with you
again until you let me meet your
friends?
WILL
I'd say...
(reaches for phone)
It's only four in the mornin', they're
prob'ly up.
She laughs. Stops him.
SKYLAR
You men are shameful. If you're not
thinking of your weiner then you're
acting on its behalf.
WILL
Then on behalf of my weiner, I'd like to
ask for an advance.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 25 - The Irish Joke
Skylar and Will sit together along with Will's gang. The boys
are considerably drunk, but it makes for good entertainment.
Everyone here is having fun including Sylar.
MORGAN
Will, I can't believe you brought Skylar
here when we're all wrecked. What's she
gonna think about us?
WILL
Yeah, Morgan. It's a real rarity that
we'd be out drinkin'.
BILLY
I've been shit faced for like two weeks.
MORGAN
Oh great, tell her that! Now she really
thinks we're problem drinkers!
CHUCKIE
Two weeks? That's nothin'. My Uncle
Marty? Will knows him. That guy fuckin'
drinks like you've never seen! One night
he was drivin' back to his house on I-
93-- Statie pulls him over.
ALL
Oh shit.
CHUCKIE
Guy's tryin' to walk the line--but he
can't even fuckin' stand up, and so my
uncle's gonna spend a night in jail.
Just then there's this fuckin' BOOM like
fifty yards down the road. Some guy's
car hit a tree.
MORGAN
Some other guy?
CHUCKIE
Yeah, he was probably drunker than my
Uncle, who fuckin' knows? So the cop
goes "Stay here" And he goes runnin'
down the highway to deal with the other
crash. So, my Uncle Marty's standin' on
the side of the road for a little while,
and he's so fuckin' lit, that he forgets
what he's waitin' for. So he goes, "Fuck
it." He gets in his car and drives home.
MORGAN
Holy shit.
CHUCKIE
So in the morning, there's a knock on
the door it's the Statie. So my Uncle's
like, "Is there a problem?" And the
Statie's like "I pulled you over and you
took off." And my Uncle's like "I never
seen you before in my life, I been home
all night with my kids." And Statie's
like "Let me get in your garage!" So
he's like "All right, fine." He takes
around the garage and opens the door --
and the Statie's cruiser is in my
Uncle's garage.
ALL
No way! You're kiddin'!
CHUCKIE
No, he was so hammered that he drove the
police cruiser home. Fuckin' lights and
everything!
MORGAN
Did your Uncle get arrested?
CHUCKIE
The fuckin' Trooper was so embarrassed
he didn't do anything. The fuckin' guy
had been drivin' around in my Uncle's
car all night lookin' for the house.
Everyone is laughing. Skylar speaks above the din.
SKYLAR
There was this Irish guy, walking down
the beach one day.
She has everyone's attention. Will is nervous.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
And he comes across a bottle, and this
Genie pops out. The genie turns to the
Irishman and says-- "You've released me
from my prison, so I'll grant you three
wishes." The Irish guy thinks for a
minute and says "What I really want is a
pint of Guiness that never empties."
And--POOF! A bottle appears. He slams it
down, and-- lo and behold-- it fills
back up again.
C/U of Will. Hoping the joke pans out.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
Well, the Irish guy can't believe it. He
drinks it again, and again-- BOOM! It
fills back up. So, while the Irish guy
is marveling at his good fortune, The
Genie is getting impatient, because it's
hot and he wants to get on with his
freedom. He says "Let's go, you have two
more wishes." The Irish guy slams his
drink again, it fills back up, he's
still amazed. The Genie can't take it
anymore. He says "Buddy, I'm boiling out
here. What are your other two wishes?"
(beat)
The Irish guy looks at his drink, looks
at the Genie and says... "I guess I'll
have two more of these."
The gang erupts with laughter.
CHUCKIE
It's a good thing no one's Irish here.
MORGAN
I'm Irish.
Chuckie, Will look at Morgan, baffled.
Ratings
Scene 26 - Career Opportunities
Everyone is walking out, saying good-bye. Chuckie goes over to
Will and Skylar.
CHUCKIE
I'm glad you came by, changed my opinion
of Harvard people.
SKYLAR
See ya' Chuckie. I had fun.
Chuckie heads towards Will to say goodnight.
WILL
I don't know what the fuck you're doin'.
You're givin' us a ride.
CHUCKIE
What do I look like, Al Cowlins?
(seriously)
You want to take my car, drop her off?
WILL
I was countin' on it.
MORGAN
Chuck, let's go.
CHUCKIE
You're walkin' bitch, Will's takin' the
car.
Morgan mumbles something and staggers off. Billy follows with an
indifferent shrug.
WILL
Thanks, Chuck.
CHUCKIE
Don't get too slap-happy, you're takin'
me home first.
WILL
I don't know, Chuck. It's kinda outta
the way.
CHUCKIE
Just 'cause you don't have to sleep in
the one room palace, don't start
thinkin' you're bad.
SKYLAR
(to Will)
I thought you said you'd show me your
place.
WILL
Not tonight.
CHUCKIE
Yeah, not tonight. Not any other night.
He knows, once you see that shit-hole
he's gettin' dropped like a bad habit.
SKYLAR
I wanted to meet your brothers...
Chuckie gives Will a curious look.
WILL
They're all sleepin' now.
(a beat, to Chuckie)
Let me get those keys.
CUT TO:
INT. FACULTY CLUB -- NIGHT
A cocktail party is underway. Professors mingle with
representatives from high tech companies. Lambeau stands holding
a drink and surrounded by several RECRUITERS. Apparently he's
the star of the show.
RECRUITER #1
What I want to know, Gerry, is when we
get to meet this wonder-boy.
LAMBEAU
We're still working together, the boy's
a little rough.
RECRUITER #2
We've got our share of eccentric
geniuses at Tri-tech. We know how to
deal with that.
RECRUITER #3
I think we all do.
Laughter.
RECRUITER #1
If you're not exaggerating, Gerry--
LAMBEAU
Was I exaggerating in nineteen eighty-
four when I told you I'd win the Field's
medal within two years?
More laughter.
RECRUITER #1
In that case the boy could run shipping
for us, routing--
RECRUITER #2
You say he doesn't have a diploma, but
we'll—
RECRUITER #1
I don't need to see a driver's license.
I can think of three departments right
now that he could head up for us.
LAMBEAU
At ease, gentlemen. We're looking
carefully at all our options.
RECRUITER #3
All right, Gerry. Close to the vest.
(gives him his card)
Good luck with these vultures.
He walks off.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 27 - The Debate
Timmy's Tap is a local watering hole, not unlike the L Street
Bar. Sean is at the bar, telling a joke to TIMMY (45) the owner
of the place, and several other REGULARS.
SEAN
So she goes runnin' up the aisle and I
figure "fuck it" and I yell out "don't
forget the coffee!
The men erupt in laughter. MARTY, one of the regulars pipe up.
MARTY
Bullshit! You didn't say that!
Timmy and Sean exchange a look.
TIMMY
Jesus Christ, Marty. It's a joke.
Lambeau enters, a bit overdressed in his sport coat and tie.
SEAN
Gerry! Any trouble finding the place?
LAMBEAU
Not at all.
SEAN
Timmy this is Gerry, an old friend of
mine. We went to college together.
TIMMY
Good to meet you.
LAMBEAU
Pleasure to meet you.
SEAN
Could we get a couple of sandwhiches?
(beat, smiles)
Put it on my tab.
Sean heads towards a table.
TIMMY
You ever plan on payin' your tab?
SEAN
(pulls out lottery ticket)
I got the winning numbers right here.
TIMMY
What's the jackpot?
SEAN
Twelve million.
TIMMY
I don't think that'll cover it.
Lambeau follows [Sean]. They sit.
LAMBEAU
You're here quite a bit, then.
SEAN
I live right around the corner.
LAMBEAU
You moved?
SEAN
I been here a couple years.
There is an awkward moment.
SEAN (cont'd)
You wanted to talk about Will?
LAMBEAU
Seems like it's going well.
SEAN
I think so.
LAMBEAU
Well, have you talked to him at all
about his future?
SEAN
We haven't really gotten into it.
LAMBEAU
Maybe you should. My phone's been
ringing off the hook with job offers.
SEAN
Jobs doing what?
LAMBEAU
Cutting edge mathematics. Think tanks.
The kind of place where a mind like
Will's is given free reign.
SEAN
That's great, Gerry, that there's interest-- But I'm not sure he's ready for
that.
LAMBEAU
Sean, I really don't think you
understand--
SEAN
What don't I understand?
Timmy comes over with the sandwhiches.
SEAN (cont'd)
Thanks, Timmy.
LAMBEAU
Excuse me, Timmy. Could you help us?
We're trying to settle a bet.
TIMMY
Uh-oh.
LAMBEAU
Have you heard of Jonas Salk?
TIMMY
Yeah, cured polio.
LAMBEAU
You've heard of Albert Einstein?
Timmy smiles. Gives him a look.
LAMBEAU
How about Gerald Lambeau? Ever heard of
him?
TIMMY
No.
LAMBEAU
Okay thank you, Timmy.
TIMMY
So who won the bet?
LAMBEAU
I did.
A beat. Timmy leaves.
LAMBEAU
This isn't about me. I'm nothing
compared to this young man.
(beat)
Sean, in 1905 there were hundreds of
Professors who were renowned for their
study of the universe. But it was a 26-
year-old Swiss Patent clerk, doing
physics in his spare time, who changed
the world, Sean. Can you imagine if
Einstein had given that up? Or gotten
drunk with his buddies in Vienna every
night? All of us would have lost
something. And I'm quite sure Timmy
never would have heard of him.
SEAN
Isn't that a little dramatic, Gerry?
LAMBEAU
No, Sean. This boy has that gift. He
just hasn't got the direction. We can
give that to him.
A beat.
SEAN
He married his cousin.
LAMBEAU
Who?
SEAN
Einstein. Had two marriages, both train-
wrecks. The guy never saw his kids, one
of whom, I think, ended up in an asylum-
-
--possible Unabomber addition--
LAMBEAU
You see, Sean? That's exactly not the
point. No one remembers that. They--
SEAN
I do.
LAMBEAU
Well, you're the only one.
Beat.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
This boy can make contributions to the
world. We can help him do that.
SEAN
Just...take it easy, Gerry.
LAMBEAU
Look, I don't know what else I can say.
I'm not sitting at home every night,
twisting my mustache and hatching a plan
to ruin the boy's life. But it's
important to start early. I was doing
advanced mathematics at eighteen and it
still took me twenty-three years to do
something worthy of a Field's medal.
SEAN
Maybe he doesn't care about that.
A beat.
LAMBEAU
Sean, this is important. And it's above
personal rivalry--
SEAN
Now wait a minute, Gerry--
LAMBEAU
--No, no you hear me out, Sean. This
young man is a true prodigy--
SEAN
--Personal rivalry? I'm not getting back
at you.
LAMBEAU
Look, you took one road and I took
another. That's fine.
SEAN
Is it Gerry? 'Cause I don't think it's
fine with you. Give him time to figure
out what he wants.
LAMBEAU
That's a wonderful theory, Sean. It
worked wonders for you.
A beat. Lambeau gets up.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Sean, I came here today out of courtesy.
I wanted to keep you in the loop. As we
speak the boy is in a meeting I set up
for him over at Tri-tech.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 28 - Negotiation for Retainer
Three well dressed TRI-TECH EXECUTIVES sit around a conference
table, which is littered with promotional brochures. The
executives exchange a confused look. One of them speaks.
EXECUTIVE
(tentative)
Well, Will, I'm not exactly sure what
you mean, we've already offered you a
position..
Cut to reveal: Chuckie sitting across from the executives, hair
combed down, wearing his Sunday best.
CHUCKIE
Since this is obviously not my first
time in such altercations, let me say
this:
Chuckie rubs the tips of his fingers together, indicating
"cash." The executives are baffled.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
Look, we can do this the easy way or the
hard way.
The executives are completely blank.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
At the current time I am looking at a
number of different fields from which to
disseminate which offer is most pursuant
aid to my benefit.
(a beat)
What do you want? What do I want? What
does anybody want? Leniency.
EXECUTIVE
I'm not sure--
CHUCKIE
--These circumstances are mitigated.
Right now. They're mitigated.
Chuckie puts his hands up, as if getting a vibe from the room.
EXECUTIVE
Okay...
Chuckie points to the third executive.
CHUCKIE
He knows what I'm talking about.
The third executive is baffled.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
A retainer. Nobody in this town works
without a retainer. You think you can
find someone who does, you have my
blessin'. But I think we all know that
person isn't going to represent you as
well as I can.
EXECUTIVE
Will, our offer starts you at eighty-
four thousand a year, plus benefits.
CHUCKIE
Retainer...
EXECUTIVE
You want us to give you cash right now?
CHUCKIE
Allegedly, what I am saying is your
situation will be concurrently improved
if I had two hundred sheets in my pocket
right now.
The executives exchange looks and go for their wallets.
EXECUTIVE
I don't think I...Larry?
EXECUTIVE
I have about seventy-three...
EXECUTIVE
Will you take a check?
CHUCKIE
Come now...what do you think I am, a
juvinile? You don't got any money on you
right now. You think I'm gonna take a
check?
EXECUTIVE
It's fine, John, I can cover the rest.
CHUCKIE
That's right, you know.
(turns to #1)
He knows.
Chuckie stands up and takes the money.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
(to exec #1)
You're suspect. I don't know what your
reputation is, but after the shit you
tried to pull today, you can bet I'll be
looking into it. Any conversations you
want to have with me heretofore, you can
have with my attourney. Gentlemen, keep
your ears to the grindstone.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 29 - Organic Chemistry Lessons
Will and Skylar sit in the open courtyard of this Harvard Square
eatery. Skylar is working on another O-chem lab. Will sits
across from her, slightly bored watching her work.
WILL
How's it goin'?
SKYLAR
Fine.
WILL
Want me to take a look?
SKYLAR
No.
WILL
C'mon, give me a peek and we'll go to
the battin' cages.
SKYLAR
It's important that I learn this.
WILL
Why is it important to you? If I
inherited all that money, the only thing
important to me would be workin' on my
swing.
SKYLAR
Clearly.
WILL
You're rich. What do you have to worry
about?
SKYLAR
Rich? I have an inheritance. It's two
handred and fifty thousand dollars.
That's exactly what it'll cost me, minus
about five hundred bucks, to go all the
way through med school. This is what I'm
doing with that money. I could have done