KILLING ZOE
Executive Summary
Overview
Genres: Drama, Crime, Thriller, Comedy, Romance, Friendship, Drug, Action
Setting: Contemporary, Paris, France
Overview: An American man, Zed, arrives in Paris and gets entangled with a group of eccentric criminals led by the enigmatic Eric. As they plan and execute a daring bank robbery, they navigate moral dilemmas, betrayals, and explosive confrontations amidst the vibrant streets and diverse culture of Paris.
Themes: Chaos and Violence, Love and Relationships, Identity and Belonging, Power and Corruption, Art and Culture
Conflict and Stakes: Zed and Eric's conflict over Zoey's loyalties, as well as the increasing danger of their heist and the potential consequences for their lives.
Overall Mood: Dark and suspenseful, with moments of violence and humor
Mood/Tone at Key Scenes:
- Scene 6: The scene in which Zed and Zoey have a heart-to-heart conversation about love and loss.
Standout Features:
- Unique Hook: A bank heist movie set in Paris with a diverse cast of characters and a unique blend of violence and romance.
- Major Twist: The revelation that Eric is HIV-positive and has been taking unnecessary risks.
- Distinctive Setting: The film's depiction of Paris as a dangerous and unforgiving city.
- Genre Blend: The film's unique blend of crime thriller and romance.
- Unique Character: The character of Eric, a complex and contradictory figure who is both charming and ruthless.
Comparable Scripts:
- Reservoir Dogs
- The Killing
- Heat
- Le Cercle Rouge
- The Town
- The French Connection
- The Departed
- The Wire
- Zero Dark Thirty
- The Wire
Writing Style:
The screenplay exhibits a distinctive blend of gritty realism, sharp dialogue, and complex character interactions, creating a captivating and intense cinematic experience. The writing style effectively conveys the characters' inner conflicts and moral dilemmas through authentic and nuanced conversations, while the fast-paced action sequences and unpredictable plot twists maintain a high level of suspense and engagement.
Style Similarities:
- Quentin Tarantino
- Christopher Nolan
Pass/Consider/Recommend
Consider
Explanation: Killing Zoe is a crime thriller that follows Zed, a skilled safecracker, who is recruited by his old friend Eric to participate in a bank heist in Paris. The screenplay explores the complex dynamics between the characters, particularly the relationship between Zed and Zoey, a young artist and escort who becomes entangled in the heist. While the screenplay has strong technical elements and compelling character arcs, it could benefit from a more nuanced approach to the depiction of violence and drug use. Overall, the screenplay offers a solid foundation for a taut, suspenseful crime drama with well-developed characters and an intriguing twist on the heist genre.
USP: Delve into a gripping and action-packed crime thriller that transcends boundaries. "Last Tango in Paris" is a cinematic masterpiece that blends high-stakes heists, complex characters, and an immersive multicultural experience. Immerse yourself in the vibrant streets of Paris as American Zed gets entangled with the enigmatic Eric and his crew of eccentric criminals. Follow their treacherous journey as they plan and execute a daring bank robbery, navigating moral dilemmas, betrayals, and explosive confrontations. Prepare for a sensory overload as the screenplay masterfully weaves together cultural nuances, from Senegalese taxi drivers to vibrant jazz clubs, creating a backdrop that pulsates with life and authenticity. Each character is meticulously crafted, their unique perspectives and motivations driving the narrative forward like a relentless force. Experience a fresh and captivating storytelling style that defies conventions. Prepare for rapid-fire dialogue, gritty realism, and unpredictable plot twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This is not just a heist movie; it's a thrilling exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the human condition. "Last Tango in Paris" is a cinematic experience that will linger in your thoughts long after the credits roll. Its unique tapestry of crime, culture, and compelling characters will leave you yearning for more. Prepare for a cinematic journey that will redefine your expectations of the genre, showcasing an unparalleled storytelling voice that captivates and resonates.
Market Analysis
Budget Estimate:$15-20 million
Target Audience Demographics: Adults aged 18-35, fans of crime thrillers and action movies
Marketability: It has a strong cast, a compelling story, and a unique setting, but the violence and drug use may limit its appeal to a wider audience.
The story is well-written and suspenseful, but the lack of a clear protagonist and the nihilistic tone may make it difficult to market to a mainstream audience.
The film's exploration of complex moral themes and its strong performances could generate critical acclaim and word-of-mouth, leading to a successful limited release.
Profit Potential: Moderate, due to its limited appeal but potential for critical acclaim and cult status
Analysis Criteria Percentiles
Writer's Voice
Summary:The writer's voice in this screenplay is characterized by its unique blend of languages, cultural references, and subtle humor in dialogue. This voice is further enhanced by the writer's ability to create vivid descriptions of setting and atmosphere, as well as their use of fast-paced action and suspenseful plotlines.
Best representation: Scene 3 - Unexpected Visitor. This scene best represents the writer's voice because it showcases their ability to create complex and introspective dialogue, as well as their skill in developing nuanced and believable characters. The scene also highlights the writer's use of subtle humor and cultural references, which are key elements of their unique voice.
Memorable Lines:
- Oliver: Freeze motherfucker! (Scene 24)
- Eric: You think we're fucking amateurs? You think we're stupid? I've got news for you...we planned ahead my friend! (Scene 25)
- Eric: You want to fuck with me!? I'll show you what happens to people who fuck with me! (Scene 34)
- Eric: The fucking police won't budge. I kill a man and they don't care. They say they don't make deals with terrorists. It really fucks up my plan. (Scene 35)
- Eric: Oh fuck it doesn't matter! Here you get the death penalty just for robbing a federal bank. (Scene 26)
Characters
Zed:A young American man traveling in Paris who gets caught up in a dangerous heist.
Eric:A charismatic and ruthless French criminal who leads the heist.
Zoey:A French prostitute who becomes involved with Zed and Eric.
Oliver:A member of Eric's gang who is addicted to heroin.
Story Shape
Screenplay Story Analysis
Note: This is the overall critique. For scene by scene critique click here
Story Content | Character Development | Scene Elements | Audience Engagement | Technical Aspects | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Click for Full Analysis | Tone | Overall Grade | Concept | Plot | Originality Score | Characters | Character Changes | Internal Goal | External Goal | Conflict | Opposition | High stakes | Story forward | Twist | Emotional Impact | Dialogue | Engagement | Pacing | Formatting | Structure | |
1 - Arrival in Paris | Light-hearted, Conversational, Playful | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
2 - Zed Checks into His Hotel Room | Confused, Tired, Neutral | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |
3 - A Moment of Understanding | Intimate, Reflective, Emotional | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
4 - Unexpected Visitor | Intimate, Confrontational, Casual | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
5 - Disrespectful Encounter | Intense, Confrontational, Emotional | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
6 - Midnight Drive Through Paris | Reflective, Casual, Nostalgic | 7 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
7 - Eric's Flat | Dark, Intense, Mysterious | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
8 - Shenanigans at Eric's Flat | Dark, Humorous, Surreal | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
9 - The Heist Plan | Suspenseful, Intense, Exciting, Dark | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
10 - Heroin Preparation | Dark, Intense, Cynical | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
11 - Temptation in Eric's Flat | Dark, Intense, Addictive | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
12 - Midnight Race Through Paris | Intense, Fast-paced, Dark | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
13 - Midnight Race | Intense, Dark, Edgy, Suspenseful | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7.5 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
14 - Eric Performs at the Toy Jazz Club | Lighthearted, Quirky, Chaotic | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
15 - Midnight Conversations in Paris | Tense, Exciting, Rebellious, Nostalgic | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
16 - Eric's Flat | Dark, Intense, Mysterious | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
17 - The Uncle Sam Spider Monkey | Dark, Humorous, Surreal | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |
18 - Planning the Banque Internationale de Paris Heist | Intense, Suspenseful, Dark, Exciting | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
19 - Heroin Preparation in Eric's Bathroom | Dark, Intense, Surreal | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
20 - Temptation in the Living Room | Dark, Intense, Addictive | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
21 - Whirlwind Tour of Paris | Excitement, Recklessness, Humor | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
22 - Parisian Car Chase | Intense, Reckless, Delirious, Dark | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
23 - Jazz Night Out | Excitement, Quirkiness, Camaraderie, Musical | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
24 - Bank Heist Takes Control | Tense, Exciting, Intense, Suspenseful | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | |
25 - Vault Standoff | Intense, Violent, Tense, Dramatic | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
26 - Bank Robbery Setup | Tense, Dark, Intense, Suspenseful | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | |
27 - Hostage Massacre | Tense, Violent, Dark, Suspenseful | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
28 - Bank Heist Chaos | Intense, Tense, Chaotic, Dark | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
29 - Vault Access | Intense, Suspenseful, Tense, Serious | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
30 - Preparations for the Heist | Tense, Exciting, Suspenseful, Determined | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
31 - Assault on the Poseidon Vault | Tense, Suspenseful, Action-packed | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | |
32 - The Vault Breached | Tense, Dark, Suspenseful | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
33 - The Gold Discovery | Intense, Tense, Dramatic, Violent, Dark | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
34 - Bank Robbery Chaos | Intense, Suspenseful, Confrontational, Dark | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
35 - Vault Breakthrough and Lobby Rampage | Intense, Dark, Violent, Tense, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
36 - Gold Theft and Hostage Crisis Escalate | Intense, Violent, Tense, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
37 - Elevator Shootout | Intense, Chaotic, Violent, Suspenseful, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7.5 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | |
38 - Bank Heist: Deadly Confrontation | Intense, Violent, Chaotic, Tense, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
39 - Reunion in the Sub-Lobby | Intense, Violent, Chaotic, Suspenseful, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | |
40 - Violent Confrontation in the Bank | Intense, Violent, Tense, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7.5 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | |
41 - Violent Confrontation in the Bank Vault | Intense, Violent, Emotional, Suspenseful | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7.5 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 | |
42 - Aftermath of the Bank Robbery | Intense, Dark, Suspenseful, Emotional | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
Scene 1 - Arrival in Paris
Rain falls on the rear window of a taxi parked in the taxi
zone of the Charles de Gualle Airport.
Aside from the incessant tapping of rain on the roof of the
cab we hear the sounds of the airport: the almost monotonic
loudspeaker declaring in French that loitering is not
permissible and that should any bags be left unattended that
they will be destroyed; the honking of the horns from other
automobiles; the unintelligible chatter of people as they get
their bearings. Inside the cab, playing on the radio, is
Angelique Kidjo's funky song "Batonga".
Then, the rear door to the cab opens and in an EXTREME CLOSE
UP we see ZED, a young man with wild, almost mesmerizing eyes
shielded by small round glasses, and with a head of nappy red
hair. His face has drops on it from the flurry outside.
He settles himself, then looks to the CAB DRIVER, an easy
going Senegalese/Frenchman, in the front seat.
ZED
Hotel Mondial.
CAB DRIVER
Le Mondial. Tres bien.
He starts driving.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
Avec cette pluie ca risque de
prendre un moment. L'autoroute est
ferme. A cause du 14 Juillet.
He drives for a while.
2.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
[Do you mind the radio?]
Zed looks at the meter, francs are clicking away. He also
looks at the cab driver's license, his name is Moises Du
Bois.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
[Do you want me to turn the radio
off?]
ZED
(realizing he's being
asked a question)
I don't speak French.
The driver turns around.
CAB DRIVER
(in broken English)
Ah. American?
ZED
That's right.
CAB DRIVER
That's good because I speak a
little English.
Zed nods.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
I asked if you mind the radio.
Music. You know.
Zed shakes his head "no".
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
(with a smile)
Super cool.
Zed adjusts his watch.
ZED
What time is it?
CAB DRIVER
Time, time, time. I don't know.
Daytime.
Zed forgets the adjustment for now.
3.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
Are you in town for business?
ZED
Yes.
CAB DRIVER
It's a nice hotel. Your hotel.
Very big rooms.
He looks at Zed in the rear view mirror.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
Do you know Paris?
ZED
I've been here once before. When I
was younger.
The cab driver smiles.
CAB DRIVER
Those were the days.
They drive for a while.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
Married?
ZED
I beg your pardon?
CAB DRIVER
Do you have a wife?
ZED
No.
(then after thinking about
it for a while)
Why?
CAB DRIVER
Well, if you need a wife for the
night...
(searching for the right
words in French)
Une escorte. Pour vous faire
visiter.
(then back to his broken
English)
For business. I give you my
number. Very nice girl. French.
Like when you were young.
4.
He lifts his hand and shows his index and middle finger
tightly extended together, then he crosses them.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
Know what I mean?
Zed smiles at this and nods.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
Speaks the language of love. Take
you to heaven and back. You just
tell me and I set it up.
Zed shakes his head and laughs.
CAB DRIVER (CONT'D)
What you laughing at? You let
Moises set it up. She treat you
right. She treat you fine.
Zed can do nothing but smile at the thought of it.
DISSOLVE TO:
Ratings
Scene 2 - Zed Checks into His Hotel Room
A long, empty hallway of a moderately priced hotel. From
around a corner comes a BELLBOY carrying Zed's one bag.
Zed is right behind him.
They come up to room 6A and the bellboy unlocks the door.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
The door to the room opens and the bellboy, followed by Zed,
walks into the room.
He puts Zed's bag onto one of those luggage holders and
proceeds to show him the room.
Sitting on the bed is a large air freight package.
BELLBOY
(in broken English)
Your package...It arrived in the
last night of before last night.
5.
He points to the telephone.
BELLBOY (CONT'D)
Ah...telephone, for the room
service.
He motions toward the bathroom.
BELLBOY (CONT'D)
The toilet.
He opens the closet door.
BELLBOY (CONT'D)
To hang the clothes.
He points to a control console next to the bed.
BELLBOY (CONT'D)
From here you can operate the
television.
Then he pauses at the door before he goes out.
Zed reaches into his pocket and takes out some French money,
he starts fingering through it.
Then, the bellboy takes the liberty of showing Zed which
bills to give him.
BELLBOY (CONT'D)
(after getting what he
wanted)
Merci.
He starts to leave.
ZED
Oh, wait.
The bellboy turns around.
ZED (CONT'D)
What time is it?
BELLBOY
(confused)
What time is it?
ZED
(pointing at his watch)
Time.
6.
BELLBOY
Ah. Yes. Il est presque huit
heures moins dix.
The bellboy clicks his heels and walks out the door.
Zed looks around the room, still wondering what time it is,
and takes a seat on the bed.
Obviously tired from the flight Zed unbuttons his shirt a bit
and lays back on the bed next to the package. Before he
dozes off to sleep he takes his watch off and places it on
the bedside table.
He is asleep.
FADE TO BLACK:
Ratings
Scene 3 - A Moment of Understanding
Zed's bed, while still made, looks like it's been slept in.
Sitting on it is the ripped open air freight package. Inside
of it is a black steel briefcase.
The shower is on and from the look of things Zed is in it.
On the bedside table we see Zed's watch. It reads 12:10 P.M.
Next to it is the phone. Next to the phone is a piece of
folded paper with Moises' name and a phone number that reads:
45.63.53.37.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - SHOWER - DAY
Zed is in the shower letting the water run directly into his
face and cascade down his body.
He opens his mouth and freely drinks the water, then he spits
some out with a spurt.
Then he stops, attentive, listening for something.
7.
He turns the shower off.
Then he hears it again, the knocking on the door.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - DAY
Zed grabs a towel and climbs out of the shower. He makes his
way toward the knocking.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Zed walks to the door to his room with the towel wrapped
around his waist. He opens it.
In the hall is ZOEY, a cute French girl of not more than
twenty. She's chewing on gum the way a schoolgirl might, but
she looks like no girl Zed ever went to school with.
ZOEY
Bonjour.
ZED
(a little awkwardly)
Bonjour.
Zed opens up the door and lets her in. She checks out the
room and places her bag on the bed. Then she makes her way
to the window for a view of the city.
ZOEY
Wow. Vous avez une belle chambre.
Je ne suis jamais venue dans cet
hotel.
She turns to him, but in the process takes the time to
examine every detail of the room.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
Ca sera 150 francs de l'heure.
Toute la nuit pour 700. D'avance.
Et faudra porter un--
ZED
I...don't speak French.
8.
She blows a bubble.
ZOEY
It's okay.
She takes a seat on the bed.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
It will be one thousand francs for
all night. In advance.
Zed takes the money out of his wallet and gives it to her.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
We can do it now if you want.
ZED
Well, let me just dry up.
ZOEY
Okay, but it's not necessary.
He goes into the bathroom and starts drying himself.
She puts the money in her bag and then turns on the
television from the remote console. A French talk show comes
on. She changes the channel until she comes to a station
playing F.W. Murnau's silent classic, "Nosferatu". She
smiles and sits back to watch.
ZED(O.S.)
(from the bathroom)
What's your name?
ZOEY
Zoe or Zoey. Which ever you like.
ZED(O.S.)
My name's Zed.
ZOEY
(smiling at this)
That's funny. We both have Z
names.
Zed comes walking out of the bathroom drying his hair. His
pants are on.
9.
ZED
What was that?
She notices his pants.
ZOEY
You can take those off. The pants.
ZED
I'd rather watch you get undressed
first.
ZOEY
(matter-of-factly)
Alright.
She stands up and starts to lift her top off. He stops her.
ZED
Slower.
He lays down on the bed.
She stands there looking at him and then smiles.
ZOEY
Alright Mister America. Zed.
Then, with Zed laying on the bed and watching her, she
slowly, seductively strips in front of him, never taking her
eyes from his eyes, until she is totally naked.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
Slow enough for you?
Then, like a cat prowling for it's prey, she crawls over the
bed to him and begins to unbuckle his pants.
She removes the pants and climbs on top of him. They begin
to make love.
On the television, "Nosferatu" silently plays.
Zoey and Zed quicken their pace with an urgency one can't
resist during a moment of passion.
She cries out and lowers herself to his grasp. An IMAGE
overcomes her mind.
10.
They quicken to an almost violent speed and then expire, both
satisfied.
She begins to kiss him multiple times over the face.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
C'etait formidable.
She rolls over, still hugging him, purring like a kitten.
They rest there for a while...holding each other.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
I'm cold.
She takes the covers and crawls under them, so does Zed.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
Zed?
ZED
Yes?
ZOEY
Moises told me you were in town for
business.
ZED
Yes.
ZOEY
What kind of business?
ZED
Why?
ZOEY
I don't know. I'm just curious.
ZED
Do you ask all your clients
questions?
ZOEY
No. Just the ones I like.
ZED
So you like me?
ZOEY
Yes.
11.
ZED
Why?
ZOEY
Because you're...a good person. I
run into some real creeps. You
know.
ZED
How do you know I'm a good person?
ZOEY
Body language. We fit together.
ZED
All men and women fit together.
Hell, even some men fit together.
ZOEY
No, but you know, we clicked. You
made me orgasm. Do you know how
often I orgasm with a man Moises
sets me up with?
ZED
No I don't.
ZOEY
Usually never. They're almost
always fat like pigs.
Zed laughs at this.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
And you make me feel safe. That's
something more important than the
orgasm. An integral part maybe of
the orgasm.
ZED
I never really thought of it like
that.
ZOEY
Well, it's true.
Zed nods at this.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
Turn off the television.
Zed reaches over and turns it off from the console.
12.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
So I mean it when I tell you Zed, I
like you very much.
ZED
Well, I like you too Zoe.
ZOEY
Honest?
He nods.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
Why? For the same reason? Any man
can orgasm. Even with his own
hand.
Zed stares ahead as he thinks of an answer.
ZED
Well, I like your honesty. You're
open. Unlike most prostitutes I've
been with.
She doesn't like the sound of this. She slaps him.
ZOEY
I am not a prostitute!
Zed is a little surprised at this.
ZED
Really? Can I have my francs back
then?
ZOEY
I'm a student. And to pay for the
classes I became an escort. It's
my choice to sleep with you.
ZED
I see.
ZOEY
What? You don't understand.
ZED
No, I do.
ZOEY
Hey, it's not easy.
ZED
I didn't say it was.
13.
ZOEY
I'm here because I want to.
ZED
Okay, okay relax. What school do
you go to?
ZOEY
The Centre du Art, Paris.
ZED
That's really interesting. What
kind of art do you study?
ZOEY
Not any of the old shit.
ZED
Oh.
ZOEY
I have a day job too. Three times
a week.
She rolls onto her back and stares into an imaginary world as
she talks to Zed.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
But someday there will be only my
art.
ZED
What kind of things do you paint?
ZOEY
I don't paint. I make things.
Objects. Not like sculpture. Like
life...but with no narrative. I
want when someone looks at one of
my objects for there to be no
reference to the world. Void of
feeling, emotion...void of destiny.
Those are left for me. They belong
only to me. If someone else can
see into it...then it is no longer
mine. I have failed. And I would
destroy it. I don't care how much
cash they would offer me. It would
be shit. I can't tell you how many
objects of mine have been
destroyed. They told too much
about me.
(MORE)
14.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
And if someone wants to know
something about me...I'll tell them
myself. The way I'm telling you.
She looks back at him.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
What I do I do only for the
objects.
ZED
I'd like to see one of these.
ZOEY
What? So you could see the work of
a whore?
He decides to put a stop to this once and for all.
ZED
Zoey. I'm sorry for calling you a
prostitute. I didn't understand
the difference.
ZOEY
The difference is a prostitute
would have lied to you about her
orgasm.
He gives her a kiss.
ZED
If these things you make are as
true as you are...I'm sure they're
as indescribable. Perhaps,
someday, you'll make one...about
me.
ZOEY
If I do...you'll never know which
one it is. Because I'll be the
only one who understands. I'll be
the only one who can look into it
and see where in my life it came
from.
Zed is unable to speak. They look into each others eyes for
a long moment, hearing the sounds of the city drift in
through the window. Then she leans forward and gives him a
15.
soft understanding kiss.
DISSOLVE TO:
Ratings
Scene 4 - Unexpected Visitor
Zed is asleep. Zoey is asleep in his arms.
There is a knocking at the door.
Zed opens his eyes.
The knock becomes a pound.
Zed gets up and puts on his pants. Zoey gets up and looks
around.
ZOEY
(groggily)
What time is it?
ZED
I have no idea. Night time.
There is more pounding on the door.
ZOEY
I'm going to take a shower.
She trots off naked to the bathroom and starts the shower.
Zed walks over to the door and opens it up.
Standing in the hall is Eric, a Frenchman of Zed's age
wearing baggy French-style clothes.
ERIC
(with a thick accent)
Hey you madman!
Zed's happy to see him.
ZED
Eric. Come in.
They hug.
ERIC
What happened to you? I thought
you were going to call.
16.
Eric walks in and starts to notice the traces of wild love
making around the room.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(smiling)
Oh I see. You have been busy.
ZED
Sorry, I asked the hotel to give me
a wake up call.
ERIC
That's good, but now I am here. So
let's go. We have a lot to talk
about.
ZED
What about the girl?
ERIC
Is she your girlfriend?
ZED
No.
ERIC
Fuck her.
He peeks into the bathroom.
ERIC (CONT'D)
She's a dishrag whore. Kick her
out.
ZED
I'll let her stay here tonight.
ERIC
Don't be silly. It's dangerous.
Eric walks into the bathroom.
Ratings
Scene 5 - Disrespectful Encounter
Eric walks up to the shower and knocks on the door. Zoey is
obviously surprised to see him.
ERIC
(in French with English
subtitles)
(MORE)
17.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Okay. Get out of the shower.
It's time for you to leave.]
ZOEY
[Fuck you.]
Eric opens up the door and yanks her out of the shower.
ERIC
[No. Come on you fucking slut!]
She shrieks.
ZOEY
[Let go of me you shit!!]
He drags her out into the room, she is dripping wet.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Zed can't believe this.
ZED
Eric.
ERIC
(to Zed)
Don't worry about her.
(to Zoey in French)
[Why don't you just go back to your
pimp and suck his black dick!]
She bites his hand. He yells in pain.
ERIC (CONT'D)
God damn it!
He kicks her in the butt and sends her toward the door.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Get the fuck out of here you
fucking whore!]
He opens the door and throws her into the hall.
INT. HOTEL - HALL - NIGHT
Naked, Zoey falls into the hall.
Eric slams the door shut.
She is instantly back on her feet and screaming as she pounds
18.
on the door.
ZOEY
[Give me my clothes you asshole!]
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
She is pounding on the door.
ERIC
(looking at his hand
wound)
God damn it. Look at my hand.
ZED
(shocked at the whole
incident)
Jesus Eric.
ZOEY(O.S.)
Ouvres! Je veux mes habits!
Eric listens.
ERIC
Oh shit. Her clothes.
He picks up her clothes and her bag, opens the door, and
throws it into the hall just long enough for her to yell at
him.
ZOEY
(almost too quick to
understand)
Tu te prends pour qui espece de
connard!?
ERIC
La ferme!
He slams the door shut.
Then he turns to Zed.
ERIC (CONT'D)
So tell me, what have you been up
to?
Zed sits down on the bed.
19.
ZOEY(O.S.)
Allez vous faire enculer tous le
deux!
ZED
Eric, I liked that girl.
ERIC
Oh. Well, then why didn't you stop
me.
ZED
Because you were on a rampage.
ERIC
Look, your whole life you've done
nothing but fuck whores. A girl
like that will give you AIDS. Why
don't you find a nice girl in the
suburbs?
ZED
Because when you need to get off
you don't want to have to date for
months to do it.
ERIC
Just use your hand like me.
ZED
Sometimes you just need
honesty...and security.
ERIC
I don't understand. Anyway, it's
too late. Get dressed, let's go
out and meet the boys.
ZED
Okay, let me take a shower.
ERIC
No, in Paris it's good to smell
like you've been fucking. It will
make them respect you.
ZED
Oh.
ERIC
Just put on a shirt and a sport
coat.
Zed starts to get dressed
20.
Ratings
Scene 6 - Midnight Drive Through Paris
The McDonalds on the corner of Boulevard Saint Michel and Rue
Soufflot is bustling.
Eric's Citroen screeches around the corner on it's way past
the Pantheon and into the heart of the fifth Arrondissment.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Eric and Zed are driving through the streets of Paris in
Eric's car. The grooving Ryuichi Sakamoto song "Triste" is
playing on the radio.
ERIC
I'm glad you came. How long has it
been?
ZED
Years.
ERIC
It's amazing, you know? Here you
are. One day in America. Now here.
ZED
Well, to be honest there really
wasn't much happening for me in the
states.
ERIC
But in Paris your old friend Eric
has a job for you, so you came.
That's good.
ZED
How could I resist your invitation?
ERIC
You would have been stupid to.
ZED
So what have you been doing here?
ERIC
After school I spent some time in
Algeria studying African
philosophy. And then I bummed
around. You know. For fun.
(MORE)
21.
ERIC (CONT'D)
For a while I worked at Le Figaro.
The newspaper.
ZED
Really?
ERIC
Yes. With an assumed Masters
degree. And lately we have just
been bombing fascists here in
Paris. You know, like terrorists.
Zed looks over at him.
ERIC (CONT'D)
It's fun.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 7 - Eric's Flat
Eric and Zed walk up the stairs to the fifth floor where
Eric's flat is. On the top landing there is a dead cat
laying. Zed and Eric notice the cat as Eric is opening the
door.
There is also a telephone coming out of the neighbors door.
ERIC
The people next door are on
holiday. We took their phone. If
you want to make a long distance
call, go ahead.
ZED
Is that cat dead?
ERIC
I don't know. I think it's asleep
but it's been there for days.
Eric gives it a kick. No response.
ERIC (CONT'D)
I guess it is dead.
They walk into the flat.
22.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Eric's flat consists of a good sized living room area with a
connected kitchen and a small bedroom in the back. In the
front of the living room there is a small balcony where the
sounds of the city pour in. The room itself is a general
mess. A bunch of guns are piled in one corner of the floor.
Hung up on the wall is a huge, French "Dressed To Kill"
poster.
Some Brazilian Gilberto/Getz music is playing.
Sitting at the table playing cards are three men: FRANCOIS,
RICARDO, and JEAN.
Sitting on the couch rolling a cigarette with hash is CLAUDE
and OLIVER.
They all turn as Zed and Eric walk in.
ERIC
Hello.
They all return the greeting.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(to Zed)
Okay. This is Francois, Ricardo,
Jean, Oliver, and Claude. Got it?
ZED
I will.
ERIC
They all know who you are.
(to the rest of them)
Ne soyez pa salauds. Offrez une
biere au plus grand perceur de
coffres.
Oliver stands up and walks to the kitchen.
OLIVER
(with an English accent)
Zed, would you like a beer?
23.
ZED
Thanks.
OLIVER
Don't think of it.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Come. Sit down.
Ratings
Scene 8 - Shenanigans at Eric's Flat
The kitchen is an absolute pig stye. Dishes are piled up in
the sink and on the counter.
Oliver grabs a glass that has some old beer in it and empties
it. He scratches some filth off of it and pours some beer
into the glass.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Zed takes a seat on the couch next to Claude.
Suddenly, a SPIDER MONKEY dressed in a little Uncle Sam
costume comes screeching up onto Zed's lap and then up onto
his head, the whole time clawing at his eyes.
Eric, amused, turns from the men playing cards and smiles.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Easy. Don't scare him. He just
wants to claim you.
Zed is frozen as the monkey climbs around him and then onto
Claude's shoulder.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
Let me introduce you properly.
This is Enrique.
The monkey screeches.
24.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
He likes to be called Chim Chim,
but we don't always get what we
like...do we?
Again, the hideous creature screeches.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
(to Enrique)
Tais-toi!
(then to Zed)
Do you like hash?
Then Eric interrupts.
ERIC
(jokingly)
Don't sit next to that junkie.
CLAUDE
Ahhhhhh!
Claude throws a lit cigarette at him which explodes into a
mass of sparks. They laugh.
ERIC
(to Claude)
That little shit monkey of yours
pissed on my Billy Holiday albums.
Next time he's out the door.
(to Zed)
Zed, come here.
Zed gets up and goes with Eric to the bedroom. On the way
Oliver hands him the glass of beer.
OLIVER
Here you go mate.
ZED
Thanks.
Oliver sits down next to Claude.
Ratings
Scene 9 - The Heist Plan
Eric's bed has probably never been made. In fact, this room
looks a lot like Quentin Tarantino's old apartment. But,
there is a certain order to all this chaos. Eric pulls out a
25.
blueprint and spreads it out over the bed.
ERIC
Don't ask me where we got this.
ZED
Okay.
ERIC
On Bastille Day, all the banks are
closed.
He places his hand on the blueprint.
ERIC (CONT'D)
But this one. BIP. The Banque
Internationale de Paris. And for
being greedy capitalists perhaps
they will remain closed next
Bastille day. Yes?
Zed smiles.
ERIC (CONT'D)
We will go in and shut the bank
down. Now, look at this.
Eric pulls out a complex electronic schematic.
ERIC (CONT'D)
As you can see, only one person can
start the alarm.
(he hands it to Zed)
The concierge, at this desk.
(he points it out on the
blueprint)
We will take care of him. Then we
can close the bank. No one will
know the difference since every
other bank will be closed.
ZED
(turning the schematic
around)
Are you sure he won't push the
alarm?
ERIC
Ahhh! He's right next to the door.
We'd have to be totally incompetent
not to stop him. Don't worry about
that.
He points to the main floor vault.
26.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Here. This is where they keep the
days reserve cash. Okay fuck that.
He flips the page to the lower level blueprint.
ERIC (CONT'D)
There are many vaults downstairs,
but this is the vault we must get
into. This is where the real prize
is.
ZED
What kind of vault is that?
He checks the blueprint.
ERIC
Ah...Swiss made. A Caliber.
ZED
Caliber?
(he thinks about it)
It'll take three hours.
ERIC
No, that's too long.
ZED
That's how long it'll take.
ERIC
Well shit. It's too long. We have
to be in and out.
(he snaps his fingers)
Like that. Or there will be
suspicion. A little time is
okay...but too long and...
He shrugs his shoulders in an "I don't know gesture."
ZED
Well hold on a second.
(pointing to the
blueprint)
What's this?
Eric looks down at the blueprint. There is a small passage
connecting the main vault to an adjacent vault.
ERIC
Another vault.
27.
ZED
No this.
Eric looks closely at the blueprint.
ERIC
I don't know...it connects the two
vaults.
ZED
Well, what kind of vault is this
other one?
ERIC
(reading the blueprint)
Also Swiss, but this one is a
Poseidon.
ZED
Why would those two vaults be
connected?
ERIC
I don't know.
ZED
Because I can get into this vault
in half an hour. Maybe less.
ERIC
But this entry way is too small to
get the platen out. We have a lot
of merchandise in there.
ZED
No, don't you see? We get in
through this secondary vault and
take this passage to the other main
vault. From the inside I could
open the Caliber vault in five
minutes.
ERIC
You could open it in five minutes?
ZED
From the inside it's easy.
ERIC
(excited)
Hot damn. That is our answer.
ZED
Okay. When is Bastille day?
28.
ERIC
Tomorrow.
ZED
Tomorrow!? We're doing this
tomorrow?
ERIC
But of course.
ZED
It's impossible.
ERIC
It's not impossible. Everyone
knows what to do.
ZED
I don't know what to do.
ERIC
You don't need to know shit. Just
get into the vault and we'll do the
rest.
ZED
I haven't even seen the bank.
ERIC
Fuck the bank. Before we do a job
we live life. It's better that
way. Okay?
ZED
(unsure)
Okay.
ERIC
Good. Now we do heroin!
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 10 - Heroin Preparation
EXTREME CLOSE ON: Eric making heroin.
The heroin powder is put into a spoon with some lemon
squeezed into it, then a little bit of tap water. Huddled
around Eric are Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver.
29.
OLIVER
(so high he's wobbling)
You have to look at the Starship
Enterprise as a metaphor for the
human brain.
No one is really listening to Oliver. Eric takes out a
lighter and cooks it to a boil.
OLIVER (CONT'D)
(continuing)
Spock is the right hemisphere of
the brain, all logic and intellect.
Mc Coy is the left hemisphere,
stricktly emotional. And Kirk is
the unseen observer. He drifts
between the two. Back and forth,
as it might be, caught between the
two thought processes.
ERIC
[Cotton.]
Ricardo hands him a cotton ball.
OLIVER
(continuing)
It's really quite brilliant you
know. That's why Star Trek is and
always will be a hit show.
Eric places the cotton ball in the spoon with the mixture.
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Here, shut up and hold this.]
He hands Oliver the spoon and takes out a needle. Using the
cotton as a filter he draws the heroin into the syringe.
Then, he holds the syringe up and starts tapping it.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Don't want to get air bubbles in
my veins.]
They all laugh at this.
Ratings
Scene 11 - Temptation in Eric's Flat
In the meantime, Zed is sitting on the couch with Claude and
30.
Jean. Claude is rolling a hash and tobacco cigarette. Jean
is chopping up some powder heroin on the glass of a small
picture.
JEAN
Do you want heroin?
ZED
No, I want to be sharp for
tomorrow.
Jean and Claude laugh at this.
JEAN
No. A little bit of heroin, some
hash, a beer...and you're just
right.
Jean snorts a line.
Claude offers Zed the spliff. Zed shakes his head "no".
CLAUDE
Okay.
JEAN
(recovering from the
snort)
That's good.
Eric, Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver come out of the kitchen
laughing.
Eric, Ricardo, and Oliver take a seat on the couch opposite
Zed. Francois sits on the floor.
Eric rolls up his sleeve.
ERIC
(to Ricardo in French)
[Hold my arm.]
(then to Zed)
My vein is like a rock.
Ricardo takes hold of his arm and squeezes. Eric inserts the
needle into his vein and draws out a little blood. It mixes
with the heroin, then he pumps it in...then back into the
31.
syringe, then all the way back in.
He withdraws the needle.
Ricardo lets go of his arm.
Eric is in bliss. His eyes roll back into his head. He
looks like he's on the verge of falling asleep.
Then Jean takes another snort.
Pretty soon everyone is smoking and getting high, shooting
up, and drinking more beer.
Then Jean holds out a piece of folded aluminum foil with some
heroin in it.
JEAN
(to Zed)
Try some. It's called chasing the
dragon. The Chinese have been
doing it for centuries.
ZED
I don't think so.
JEAN
Oh, but you must. It will make you
feel as though the rest of the
world is in a bubble of glass and
that you're rubbing up against it
like a bad windshield wiper.
They stick the aluminum foil with the heroin in it up next to
his face. They then light the bottom of the foil with a
lighter. Before Zed knows it, he's inhaling a silky ribbon
of smoke.
Suddenly our plane of focus wildly shifts and we...
FOCUS DISSOLVE
TO:
Ratings
Scene 12 - Midnight Race Through Paris
Ricardo is racing Eric's car through the streets of Paris
32.
weaving in and out of traffic. Next to him is Oliver, and in
the back seat is Zed and Eric. They're giving the very
stoned Zed a whirlwind tour of the sights.
A car speeds up next to them. In it is Francois, and Claude,
with Jean driving. They are racing with Ricardo through the
streets.
The Patrick Hernandez song "Born To Be Alive" is blasting
away on the radio.
ERIC
There. That's Notre Dame.
But before Zed can even look it has past by.
RICARDO
Do you like French cars?
All Zed can notice is that the speedometer is at 160
kilometers per hour. He tries to calculate what that is in
miles per hour.
ZED
(answering Enrique's
question)
Yes.
RICARDO
I like the Cadillac. Fifty-two to
seventy-five. Very nice.
ERIC
Up here you can see the Eiffel
tower.
Zed is in too much of a blur. He leans over to Eric.
ZED
Is tomorrow really Bastille day?
ERIC
Yes, tomorrow we pull the biggest
job in French history. And spend
the rest of our lives in Monte
Carlo.
33.
The drunken Englishman, Oliver, belches and then cheers.
Ratings
Scene 13 - Midnight Race
The two cars are franticly racing through traffic.
INT. JEAN'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Jean is very intent on beating them to whatever location it
is they're going to.
Claude, in the seat next to him, gives him some advice.
CLAUDE
[Faster, faster...go faster. Let's
beat them!]
Francois laughs and coughs out a cloud of smoke.
EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT
Jean's car makes a dangerous lane change across traffic and
cuts off Ricardo.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Ricardo swerves as he passes a joint to Eric.
RICARDO
[Shit! That bastard.]
ERIC
(to Ricardo)
Watch it! Don't crash my car.
Eric takes a big hit.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Over here is where the male
prostitutes sell themselves. Do
you see?
No, Zed doesn't see.
Suddenly, everyone in the car is shouting out the windows.
34.
OLIVER
(out the window)
Fucking fags!
ERIC
(also out the window)
Suce ma bite?!
RICARDO
Perverts d'homosexuels!
Eric laughs.
ERIC
(into Zed's ear)
This is good to have you here. We
could not do this without you.
Zed nods.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Everyone has agreed to give you
double shares. That's good.
Zed nods, delirious.
ERIC (CONT'D)
You know I have AIDS. From the
needle.
Zed can't believe this. He's not sure if what he heard was
what he thought he heard.
ZED
Really?
Then Eric sees something.
ERIC
Okay, up here is the Arc de
Triomphe.
They take a sharp turn.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 14 - Eric Performs at the Toy Jazz Club
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver are
all walking down some dank stone steps into a cellar.
35.
Somewhere crazy Raymond Scott Toy Jazz music is playing.
An old wine cellar has been converted into a Toy Jazz club.
Nothing fancy...dirt floors, chairs and small tables
scattered about...but the arched brick ceilings make for
great acoustics.
ON STAGE
a BAND is playing away. In the
audience sit about TWELVE FRENCH
PEOPLE, all enjoying the music.
AT THE BUFFET
In the back of the club near the doors some tables have been
set up with a buffet of local cuisine on it. Behind the
tables are two rotund but happy French women MIRELLE and
JOSEPHINE.
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver walk
in and immediately start blabbing away in French to Mirelle
and Josephine.
Eric hands them some money.
ZED'S TABLE
Everyone enters and takes seats at
various parts of the club. Oliver
sits next to Zed.
OLIVER
So, how long have you known Eric?
ZED
Well, Eric's mother is American.
OLIVER
Yeah, and his dad's French.
ZED
They're divorced. And she and his
father had some kind of six month
split plan set up.
(MORE)
36.
ZED (CONT'D)
So every six months he would come
back to the states. We were best
friends. Eventually he and his
mother had a falling out and he
stayed here. It's been...years.
OLIVER
Well, it's good to have you here.
Eric speaks fairly highly of you.
Say, he says you're a big fan of
Viking films.
ZED
Well...I suppose. I used to be,
when I was young.
OLIVER
Oh they're the best. Helmets with
horns on them. Shit. That's
fucking genius.
He starts laughing.
OLIVER (CONT'D)
How 'bout Toy Jazz? You like it?
Zed watches the players on stage and then nods.
ZED
Yeah...I guess.
OLIVER
I love it. It's really good, you
know? Like real music. It has a
heart and culture all it's own.
It's, like, jazz for dwarves...or
guys in Leiderhosen. Total purity
of essence.
ZED
Yeah.
OLIVER
Hungry cannibals'd like it.
Then Claude comes up to them with some glasses and a bottle
of red wine.
CLAUDE
Here, you must drink some of this
wine, it's good.
He pours Zed a glass.
37.
Oliver passes on the wine.
OLIVER
(to Claude)
Non merci, c'est de la merde.
CLAUDE
(to Oliver)
La ferme. C'est du bon vin.
(to Zed)
The fucking English.
Zed sips some. He's in no real shape to tell if the wine's
good or not.
ON STAGE
Suddenly, it seems as though the
bands music gets louder. The horns
really start to scream and the room
becomes a delirium of music. The
band stands up.
IN THE AUDIENCE
The people watching start to dance, if not in their seats
then right in front of everything.
ZED'S TABLE
Suddenly, Zed notices something...
ON STAGE
Eric is up on stage playing a
trombone right alongside the band.
ZED'S TABLE
Zed blinks but it's true. Oliver
and Claude start laughing.
OLIVER
Look at him. He's crazy.
ON STAGE
And surely he must be, yet, in a
strange way, he's keeping up with
the other musicians and sounding
pretty good. Eric is all smile as
he plays with them. Sweat is
running down his face but he's
caught up in the moment.
(MORE)
38.
ON STAGE (CONT'D)
ELISE, a woman from the audience
has jumped up onto the stage,
caught up in Eric's frenzy, and is
dancing about like James Brown.
Then, the music crescendos and Eric
hands the trombone back to a
musician. The set is over. Eric
skips off the stage and walks over
to where Oliver, Claude, and Zed
are sitting.
Ratings
Scene 15 - Midnight Conversations in Paris
The McDonalds on the corner of Boulevard Saint Michel and Rue
Soufflot is bustling.
Eric's Citroen screeches around the corner on it's way past
the Pantheon and into the heart of the fifth Arrondissment.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Eric and Zed are driving through the streets of Paris in
Eric's car. The grooving Ryuichi Sakamoto song "Triste" is
playing on the radio.
ERIC
I'm glad you came. How long has it
been?
ZED
Years.
ERIC
It's amazing, you know? Here you
are. One day in America. Now here.
ZED
Well, to be honest there really
wasn't much happening for me in the
states.
ERIC
But in Paris your old friend Eric
has a job for you, so you came.
That's good.
ZED
How could I resist your invitation?
39.
ERIC
You would have been stupid to.
ZED
So what have you been doing here?
ERIC
After school I spent some time in
Algeria studying African
philosophy. And then I bummed
around. You know. For fun. For a
while I worked at Le Figaro. The
newspaper.
ZED
Really?
ERIC
Yes. With an assumed Masters
degree. And lately we have just
been bombing fascists here in
Paris. You know, like terrorists.
Zed looks over at him.
ERIC (CONT'D)
It's fun.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 16 - Eric's Flat
Eric and Zed walk up the stairs to the fifth floor where
Eric's flat is. On the top landing there is a dead cat
laying. Zed and Eric notice the cat as Eric is opening the
door.
There is also a telephone coming out of the neighbors door.
ERIC
The people next door are on
holiday. We took their phone. If
you want to make a long distance
call, go ahead.
ZED
Is that cat dead?
40.
ERIC
I don't know. I think it's asleep
but it's been there for days.
Eric gives it a kick. No response.
ERIC (CONT'D)
I guess it is dead.
They walk into the flat.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Eric's flat consists of a good sized living room area with a
connected kitchen and a small bedroom in the back. In the
front of the living room there is a small balcony where the
sounds of the city pour in. The room itself is a general
mess. A bunch of guns are piled in one corner of the floor.
Hung up on the wall is a huge, French "Dressed To Kill"
poster.
Some Brazilian Gilberto/Getz music is playing.
Sitting at the table playing cards are three men: FRANCOIS,
RICARDO, and JEAN.
Sitting on the couch rolling a cigarette with hash is CLAUDE
and OLIVER.
They all turn as Zed and Eric walk in.
ERIC
Hello.
They all return the greeting.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(to Zed)
Okay. This is Francois, Ricardo,
Jean, Oliver, and Claude. Got it?
ZED
I will.
41.
ERIC
They all know who you are.
(to the rest of them)
Ne soyez pa salauds. Offrez une
biere au plus grand perceur de
coffres.
Oliver stands up and walks to the kitchen.
OLIVER
(with an English accent)
Zed, would you like a beer?
ZED
Thanks.
OLIVER
Don't think of it.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Come. Sit down.
Ratings
Scene 17 - The Uncle Sam Spider Monkey
The kitchen is an absolute pig stye. Dishes are piled up in
the sink and on the counter.
Oliver grabs a glass that has some old beer in it and empties
it. He scratches some filth off of it and pours some beer
into the glass.
INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Zed takes a seat on the couch next to Claude.
Suddenly, a SPIDER MONKEY dressed in a little Uncle Sam
costume comes screeching up onto Zed's lap and then up onto
his head, the whole time clawing at his eyes.
Eric, amused, turns from the men playing cards and smiles.
CLAUDE
(to Zed)
Easy. Don't scare him. He just
wants to claim you.
42.
Zed is frozen as the monkey climbs around him and then onto
Claude's shoulder.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
Let me introduce you properly.
This is Enrique.
The monkey screeches.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
He likes to be called Chim Chim,
but we don't always get what we
like...do we?
Again, the hideous creature screeches.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
(to Enrique)
Tais-toi!
(then to Zed)
Do you like hash?
Then Eric interrupts.
ERIC
(jokingly)
Don't sit next to that junkie.
CLAUDE
Ahhhhhh!
Claude throws a lit cigarette at him which explodes into a
mass of sparks. They laugh.
ERIC
(to Claude)
That little shit monkey of yours
pissed on my Billy Holiday albums.
Next time he's out the door.
(to Zed)
Zed, come here.
Zed gets up and goes with Eric to the bedroom. On the way
Oliver hands him the glass of beer.
OLIVER
Here you go mate.
ZED
Thanks.
43.
Oliver sits down next to Claude.
Ratings
Scene 18 - Planning the Banque Internationale de Paris Heist
Eric's bed has probably never been made. In fact, this room
looks a lot like Quentin Tarantino's old apartment. But,
there is a certain order to all this chaos. Eric pulls out a
blueprint and spreads it out over the bed.
ERIC
Don't ask me where we got this.
ZED
Okay.
ERIC
On Bastille Day, all the banks are
closed.
He places his hand on the blueprint.
ERIC (CONT'D)
But this one. BIP. The Banque
Internationale de Paris. And for
being greedy capitalists perhaps
they will remain closed next
Bastille day. Yes?
Zed smiles.
ERIC (CONT'D)
We will go in and shut the bank
down. Now, look at this.
Eric pulls out a complex electronic schematic.
ERIC (CONT'D)
As you can see, only one person can
start the alarm.
(he hands it to Zed)
The concierge, at this desk.
(he points it out on the
blueprint)
We will take care of him. Then we
can close the bank. No one will
know the difference since every
other bank will be closed.
44.
ZED
(turning the schematic
around)
Are you sure he won't push the
alarm?
ERIC
Ahhh! He's right next to the door.
We'd have to be totally incompetent
not to stop him. Don't worry about
that.
He points to the main floor vault.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Here. This is where they keep the
days reserve cash. Okay fuck that.
He flips the page to the lower level blueprint.
ERIC (CONT'D)
There are many vaults downstairs,
but this is the vault we must get
into. This is where the real prize
is.
ZED
What kind of vault is that?
He checks the blueprint.
ERIC
Ah...Swiss made. A Caliber.
ZED
Caliber?
(he thinks about it)
It'll take three hours.
ERIC
No, that's too long.
ZED
That's how long it'll take.
ERIC
Well shit. It's too long. We have
to be in and out.
(he snaps his fingers)
Like that. Or there will be
suspicion. A little time is
okay...but too long and...
He shrugs his shoulders in an "I don't know gesture."
45.
ZED
Well hold on a second.
(pointing to the
blueprint)
What's this?
Eric looks down at the blueprint. There is a small passage
connecting the main vault to an adjacent vault.
ERIC
Another vault.
ZED
No this.
Eric looks closely at the blueprint.
ERIC
I don't know...it connects the two
vaults.
ZED
Well, what kind of vault is this
other one?
ERIC
(reading the blueprint)
Also Swiss, but this one is a
Poseidon.
ZED
Why would those two vaults be
connected?
ERIC
I don't know.
ZED
Because I can get into this vault
in half an hour. Maybe less.
ERIC
But this entry way is too small to
get the platen out. We have a lot
of merchandise in there.
ZED
No, don't you see? We get in
through this secondary vault and
take this passage to the other main
vault. From the inside I could
open the Caliber vault in five
minutes.
46.
ERIC
You could open it in five minutes?
ZED
From the inside it's easy.
ERIC
(excited)
Hot damn. That is our answer.
ZED
Okay. When is Bastille day?
ERIC
Tomorrow.
ZED
Tomorrow!? We're doing this
tomorrow?
ERIC
But of course.
ZED
It's impossible.
ERIC
It's not impossible. Everyone
knows what to do.
ZED
I don't know what to do.
ERIC
You don't need to know shit. Just
get into the vault and we'll do the
rest.
ZED
I haven't even seen the bank.
ERIC
Fuck the bank. Before we do a job
we live life. It's better that
way. Okay?
ZED
(unsure)
Okay.
ERIC
Good. Now we do heroin!
CUT TO:
47.
Ratings
Scene 19 - Heroin Preparation in Eric's Bathroom
EXTREME CLOSE ON: Eric making heroin.
The heroin powder is put into a spoon with some lemon
squeezed into it, then a little bit of tap water. Huddled
around Eric are Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver.
OLIVER
(so high he's wobbling)
You have to look at the Starship
Enterprise as a metaphor for the
human brain.
No one is really listening to Oliver. Eric takes out a
lighter and cooks it to a boil.
OLIVER (CONT'D)
(continuing)
Spock is the right hemisphere of
the brain, all logic and intellect.
Mc Coy is the left hemisphere,
stricktly emotional. And Kirk is
the unseen observer. He drifts
between the two. Back and forth,
as it might be, caught between the
two thought processes.
ERIC
[Cotton.]
Ricardo hands him a cotton ball.
OLIVER
(continuing)
It's really quite brilliant you
know. That's why Star Trek is and
always will be a hit show.
Eric places the cotton ball in the spoon with the mixture.
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Here, shut up and hold this.]
He hands Oliver the spoon and takes out a needle. Using the
cotton as a filter he draws the heroin into the syringe.
Then, he holds the syringe up and starts tapping it.
48.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Don't want to get air bubbles in
my veins.]
They all laugh at this.
Ratings
Scene 20 - Temptation in the Living Room
In the meantime, Zed is sitting on the couch with Claude and
Jean. Claude is rolling a hash and tobacco cigarette. Jean
is chopping up some powder heroin on the glass of a small
picture.
JEAN
Do you want heroin?
ZED
No, I want to be sharp for
tomorrow.
Jean and Claude laugh at this.
JEAN
No. A little bit of heroin, some
hash, a beer...and you're just
right.
Jean snorts a line.
Claude offers Zed the spliff. Zed shakes his head "no".
CLAUDE
Okay.
JEAN
(recovering from the
snort)
That's good.
Eric, Francois, Ricardo, and Oliver come out of the kitchen
laughing.
Eric, Ricardo, and Oliver take a seat on the couch opposite
Zed. Francois sits on the floor.
Eric rolls up his sleeve.
49.
ERIC
(to Ricardo in French)
[Hold my arm.]
(then to Zed)
My vein is like a rock.
Ricardo takes hold of his arm and squeezes. Eric inserts the
needle into his vein and draws out a little blood. It mixes
with the heroin, then he pumps it in...then back into the
syringe, then all the way back in.
He withdraws the needle.
Ricardo lets go of his arm.
Eric is in bliss. His eyes roll back into his head. He
looks like he's on the verge of falling asleep.
Then Jean takes another snort.
Pretty soon everyone is smoking and getting high, shooting
up, and drinking more beer.
Then Jean holds out a piece of folded aluminum foil with some
heroin in it.
JEAN
(to Zed)
Try some. It's called chasing the
dragon. The Chinese have been
doing it for centuries.
ZED
I don't think so.
JEAN
Oh, but you must. It will make you
feel as though the rest of the
world is in a bubble of glass and
that you're rubbing up against it
like a bad windshield wiper.
They stick the aluminum foil with the heroin in it up next to
his face. They then light the bottom of the foil with a
lighter. Before Zed knows it, he's inhaling a silky ribbon
50.
of smoke.
Suddenly our plane of focus wildly shifts and we...
FOCUS DISSOLVE
TO:
Ratings
Scene 21 - Whirlwind Tour of Paris
Ricardo is racing Eric's car through the streets of Paris
weaving in and out of traffic. Next to him is Oliver, and in
the back seat is Zed and Eric. They're giving the very
stoned Zed a whirlwind tour of the sights.
A car speeds up next to them. In it is Francois, and Claude,
with Jean driving. They are racing with Ricardo through the
streets.
The Patrick Hernandez song "Born To Be Alive" is blasting
away on the radio.
ERIC
There. That's Notre Dame.
But before Zed can even look it has past by.
RICARDO
Do you like French cars?
All Zed can notice is that the speedometer is at 160
kilometers per hour. He tries to calculate what that is in
miles per hour.
ZED
(answering Enrique's
question)
Yes.
RICARDO
I like the Cadillac. Fifty-two to
seventy-five. Very nice.
ERIC
Up here you can see the Eiffel
tower.
51.
Zed is in too much of a blur. He leans over to Eric.
ZED
Is tomorrow really Bastille day?
ERIC
Yes, tomorrow we pull the biggest
job in French history. And spend
the rest of our lives in Monte
Carlo.
The drunken Englishman, Oliver, belches and then cheers.
Ratings
Scene 22 - Parisian Car Chase
The two cars are franticly racing through traffic.
INT. JEAN'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Jean is very intent on beating them to whatever location it
is they're going to.
Claude, in the seat next to him, gives him some advice.
CLAUDE
[Faster, faster...go faster. Let's
beat them!]
Francois laughs and coughs out a cloud of smoke.
EXT. PARIS STREET - NIGHT
Jean's car makes a dangerous lane change across traffic and
cuts off Ricardo.
INT. ERIC'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Ricardo swerves as he passes a joint to Eric.
RICARDO
[Shit! That bastard.]
ERIC
(to Ricardo)
Watch it! Don't crash my car.
Eric takes a big hit.
52.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Over here is where the male
prostitutes sell themselves. Do
you see?
No, Zed doesn't see.
Suddenly, everyone in the car is shouting out the windows.
OLIVER
(out the window)
Fucking fags!
ERIC
(also out the window)
Suce ma bite?!
RICARDO
Perverts d'homosexuels!
Eric laughs.
ERIC
(into Zed's ear)
This is good to have you here. We
could not do this without you.
Zed nods.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Everyone has agreed to give you
double shares. That's good.
Zed nods, delirious.
ERIC (CONT'D)
You know I have AIDS. From the
needle.
Zed can't believe this. He's not sure if what he heard was
what he thought he heard.
ZED
Really?
Then Eric sees something.
ERIC
Okay, up here is the Arc de
Triomphe.
53.
They take a sharp turn.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 23 - Jazz Night Out
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver are
all walking down some dank stone steps into a cellar.
Somewhere crazy Raymond Scott Toy Jazz music is playing.
An old wine cellar has been converted into a Toy Jazz club.
Nothing fancy...dirt floors, chairs and small tables
scattered about...but the arched brick ceilings make for
great acoustics.
ON STAGE
a BAND is playing away. In the
audience sit about TWELVE FRENCH
PEOPLE, all enjoying the music.
AT THE BUFFET
In the back of the club near the doors some tables have been
set up with a buffet of local cuisine on it. Behind the
tables are two rotund but happy French women MIRELLE and
JOSEPHINE.
Eric, Zed, Francois, Ricardo, Jean, Claude, and Oliver walk
in and immediately start blabbing away in French to Mirelle
and Josephine.
Eric hands them some money.
ZED'S TABLE
Everyone enters and takes seats at
various parts of the club. Oliver
sits next to Zed.
OLIVER
So, how long have you known Eric?
54.
ZED
Well, Eric's mother is American.
OLIVER
Yeah, and his dad's French.
ZED
They're divorced. And she and his
father had some kind of six month
split plan set up. So every six
months he would come back to the
states. We were best friends.
Eventually he and his mother had a
falling out and he stayed here.
It's been...years.
OLIVER
Well, it's good to have you here.
Eric speaks fairly highly of you.
Say, he says you're a big fan of
Viking films.
ZED
Well...I suppose. I used to be,
when I was young.
OLIVER
Oh they're the best. Helmets with
horns on them. Shit. That's
fucking genius.
He starts laughing.
OLIVER (CONT'D)
How 'bout Toy Jazz? You like it?
Zed watches the players on stage and then nods.
ZED
Yeah...I guess.
OLIVER
I love it. It's really good, you
know? Like real music. It has a
heart and culture all it's own.
It's, like, jazz for dwarves...or
guys in Leiderhosen. Total purity
of essence.
ZED
Yeah.
OLIVER
Hungry cannibals'd like it.
55.
Then Claude comes up to them with some glasses and a bottle
of red wine.
CLAUDE
Here, you must drink some of this
wine, it's good.
He pours Zed a glass.
Oliver passes on the wine.
OLIVER
(to Claude)
Non merci, c'est de la merde.
CLAUDE
(to Oliver)
La ferme. C'est du bon vin.
(to Zed)
The fucking English.
Zed sips some. He's in no real shape to tell if the wine's
good or not.
ON STAGE
Suddenly, it seems as though the
bands music gets louder. The horns
really start to scream and the room
becomes a delirium of music. The
band stands up.
IN THE AUDIENCE
The people watching start to dance, if not in their seats
then right in front of everything.
ZED'S TABLE
Suddenly, Zed notices something...
ON STAGE
Eric is up on stage playing a
trombone right alongside the band.
ZED'S TABLE
Zed blinks but it's true. Oliver
and Claude start laughing.
OLIVER
Look at him. He's crazy.
56.
ON STAGE
And surely he must be, yet, in a
strange way, he's keeping up with
the other musicians and sounding
pretty good. Eric is all smile as
he plays with them. Sweat is
running down his face but he's
caught up in the moment. ELISE, a
woman from the audience has jumped
up onto the stage, caught up in
Eric's frenzy, and is dancing about
like James Brown. Then, the music
crescendos and Eric hands the
trombone back to a musician. The
set is over. Eric skips off the
stage and walks over to where
Oliver, Claude, and Zed are
sitting.
Ratings
Scene 24 - Bank Heist Takes Control
EXTREME CLOSE ON: The door to the bank.
Francois puts a sign on the door that reads: [Closed for
Bastille Day].
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY HALL - DAY
The sub lobby teller and the sub lobby guard #2 rendezvous
with the sub lobby assistant.
SUB LOBBY TELLER
(to assistant)
[Do the phones work?]
SUB LOBBY ASSISTANT
[They went dead.]
SUB LOBBY TELLER
Merde!
They walk out into the sub lobby.
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
The sub level teller and the sub lobby assistant walk into
57.
the sub lobby just as Eric, Zed, Oliver, and the bank manager
start coming down the stairs.
At the sight of Eric and his men the sub lobby guard #2 aims
his weapon but does not fire because of the bank manager.
Eric presses his Uzi against the bank manager's neck.
ERIC
(to the guard)
[Drop the gun!]
He doesn't.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Drop your gun now and nobody
dies!]
After a moments thought about this, and the fact that Oliver
has a sawed-off aimed at him, he slowly puts his gun on the
floor.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Good boy.]
They descend down the stairs into the sub lobby.
Oliver takes his gun.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois, Ricardo, and Jean have finished herding everyone
behind the teller windows. Claude is on his way downstairs.
CLAUDE
[I'm going to check things out
downstairs.]
RICARDO
(to the people)
[Now! On the ground! Face down!]
Then, for effect, he kicks a man.
CUT TO:
58.
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
Claude comes downstairs with his gun raised.
CLAUDE
[All clear down here?]
Everyone turns.
ERIC
[Take these two upstairs. And
chain the gate to the sub lobby
shut.]
Oliver pushes the sub lobby guard #2 and the sub lobby
assistant toward Claude. Then he hands him a chain.
Claude can barely maintain his enthusiasm.
CLAUDE
[The phones and video are down!
We're locked up tight!]
(then in English)
We fucking did it!
He takes the two upstairs.
Eric smiles through his teeth at the bank manager.
ERIC
[Any others I should worry about?]
BANK MANAGER
[No.]
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Well, just to be sure--]
Then, from one of the safety deposit booths a sound is heard.
All eyes turn to it.
Oliver walks up to it and kicks the door in. The stodgy
customer is kneeling in it. He instantly holds his hands
high.
OLIVER
[Freeze motherfucker!]
Eric walks up, gun in hand.
59.
ERIC
[Who the fuck are you?]
STODGY CUSTOMER
[Please don't shoot me!]
OLIVER
[On the ground!]
He does.
ERIC
(to the bank manager)
[Making a deposit I hope.]
(he smiles to Oliver)
[Bring him with us.]
They all make their way down through the sub lobby hall.
Ratings
Scene 25 - Vault Standoff
They're herding the men through the hall.
BANK MANAGER
(to the sub lobby teller)
[Vault locked?]
SUB LOBBY TELLER
[Yes.]
ERIC
[Shut your fucking mouths!]
BANK MANAGER
(to Eric)
[The vault doors are shut and time
locked. You won't be able to open
them.]
They walk through a doorway into the storage/elevator area.
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
Eric pushes the manager and the others through the doorway.
ERIC
(to the bank manager)
[You think we're fucking amateurs?
You think we're stupid? I've got
news for you...we planned ahead my
friend!]
60.
Eric pushes them infront of the Calibre vault door.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Now save us a lot of time and just
open the vault.]
BANK MANAGER
[No.]
ERIC
[Okay.]
He releases the bank manager and stuffs the barrel of his
handgun into the sub level tellers mouth.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Open the vault.]
The teller's eyes widen.
BANK MANAGER
[I cannot.]
ERIC
[Oh.]
(to the teller)
[Can you?]
BANK MANAGER
[No. Once closed only I can open
it.]
ERIC
[Then open it.]
BANK MANAGER
[I cannot.]
The sub lobby teller's eyes plead with the bank manager.
Zed is watching the whole affair nervously.
ERIC
[Do you understand that I'll kill
her if you don't open this fucking
vault?]
BANK MANAGER
[Do you understand that this is an
international reserve bank?
Robbing it is punishable by life
imprisonment.]
61.
Eric fires. The back of the sub lobby teller's head paints
the wall red.
ZED
Jesus fucking Christ!
The bank manager, shocked as he is, looks at Zed. He knows
he's an American.
The sub lobby teller's body slumps to the ground.
Eric grabs the stodgy customer and puts the gun to his
temple.
ERIC
[Open the vault door or I'll kill
this man next.]
The bank manager is freaking out, but after what was probably
the most horribly agonizing internal debate, he holds his
ground.
BANK MANAGER
[I still cannot open the vault.]
ERIC
[Come on. It's only things in
there. This man is flesh and
blood.]
BANK MANAGER
[I will not open the vault.]
ZED
Eric no! I can open the vault!
ERIC
Shut the fuck up!
(then to the stodgy
customer)
[You're a customer in this bank and
this is how they treat you. Do you
have a family?]
He nods his head "yes".
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Would you like to see them again?]
62.
He nods his head again.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(to the manager)
[This man has a family he would
like to have Bastille day dinner
with tonight. So save us some time
and open the vault.]
After losing about a pound of sweat...
BANK MANAGER
[No.]
Eric quickly removes the gun from the customers temple and
fires two shots into the bank manager's face.
The bank manager falls against the vault door and onto the
floor.
ERIC
Fucking idiot.
(then to the stodgy
customer)
[You seem like a nice man. Tonight
at dinner think about how lucky you
are and how much you love your
family.]
He starts nodding his head.
STODGY CUSTOMER
Oui.
ERIC
(to Oliver)
[Take him upstairs.]
Oliver takes the customer upstairs to the rest of the people.
Eric rips off his mask.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Don't you ever conflict with me
during work again! Do you hear!?
Zed off his clown mask.
ZED
You didn't have to shoot any of
them!
63.
ERIC
(patronizing)
Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize
you were in charge now. Nobody
told me.
(his temper flares)
If he had opened the vault it would
have saved us a fucking hour.
He charges into the reserve vault area.
Ratings
Scene 26 - Bank Robbery Setup
They enter and Eric walks up to a bathroom door.
ZED
Eric. It's just that we've gone
from being thieves to murderers.
ERIC
Oh fuck it doesn't matter! Here
you get the death penalty just for
robbing a federal bank.
ZED
I thought the death penalty was
abolished in 1980?
ERIC
Ohhhh! That's what they tell you!
But who cares? I need to take a
piss.
Eric enters the bathroom.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(on his way into the
bathroom)
Why don't you open the vault?
Zed looks at the bathroom door close. After a fuming pause
he turns and walks back toward the Poseidon vault door.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois peeks through the venetian blinds of the windows to
the outside.
64.
FRANCOIS
[Looks clear.]
In the meantime, behind the teller windows guarding the
people who are laying on the floor, Jean and Ricardo are in
the middle of a conversation. Oliver is sitting on the
counter, having just brought the stodgy customer upstairs.
Also here now are the sub lobby assistant and the sub lobby
guard #2.
JEAN
[What do you mean you're not sure
if the alarm went off or not?]
RICARDO
[I mean I'm not sure.]
JEAN
[Well, either it did or it didn't.]
RICARDO
[And I'm not sure.]
JEAN
[Well, do you think it did?]
RICARDO
[I just fucking told you, I don't
know.]
JEAN
[Take a guess.]
RICARDO
[It didn't.]
JEAN
[You're sure?]
RICARDO
[No. It's just a guess.]
JEAN
[Well what kind of a fucking guess
is that? You're saying it could
have.]
RICARDO
[Yes.]
65.
JEAN
[Well that's fucking great. Why
didn't you just kill that asshole
to begin with. I knew I should have
been the one to kill him. You're
always so damn slow.]
RICARDO
[Shit these masks are really hot.]
CLAUDE
[I know, I've got fucking sweat
stinging my eyes.]
In the meantime Zoey is on the floor, unsure of what is going
on.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 27 - Hostage Massacre
Zed opens up his steel briefcase. Inside of it are all sorts
of electronic gear and tools.
He takes out a tape measure and some callipers and measures
out a point on the vault door. He marks the point with a
piece of chalk.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY
In one of the stalls Eric is preparing a syringe. He has
just cooked the heroin and is now tapping on it to get the
bubbles out.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed takes a power drill out from the briefcase and attaches a
special diamond tipped bit. He measures the depth he wants
to drill to and then marks the bit with a yellow pencil.
66.
He places his ear to the vault and taps the spot.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY
Eric readies the needle and slaps his vein. He is shaking
but trying to remain as still as possible.
He places the needle at the end of a track on his arm and
inserts it.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed starts drilling into the point he marked with the chalk
on the vault door.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - MEN'S BATHROOM - DAY
Eric's eyes roll back into his head as the heroin fills his
vein.
He drops the needle to the floor and sits back to enjoy the
rush.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zoey is sitting on the floor next to the other bank hostages.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
EXTREME CLOSE ON: Zed's drill bit. It burrows into the
steel wall of the safe spewing out spiral shavings.
CUT TO:
67.
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zoey looks at all the people sitting around her. They're all
scared. Jean, Ricardo, and Francois are talking amongst
themselves.
JEAN
(in French to Ricardo)
[Do you know one?]
RICARDO
[Let's see. Okay. An unfortunate
fellow was locked up in prison
doing five to ten for armed
robbery. All he could think of the
whole time was eating pussy.]
Zoey looks up at them telling the joke.
RICARDO (CONT'D)
[The day finally came for his
release. He walked out of the
prison with a new suit and fifty
francs the officials had given him,
and made a bee-line for the
whorehouse in the nearest town.
Slamming his fifty francs on the
front desk, he said, "I wanna eat
some pussy."]
Jean is already laughing.
RICARDO (CONT'D)
[I'm not done. Listen. "Where've
you been," said the greasy fellow
behind the desk, "fifty francs
won't get you a close look these
days."]
Zoey glances at all of the people. Then her eyes lock with
the concierge security guard.
RICARDO (CONT'D)
["Listen buddy," said the ex-
convict, pulling him out of his
chair by the shirt collar, "I wanna
eat some pussy, and I want it
now!"]
The concierge security guard lifts his pant leg slowly.
68.
RICARDO (CONT'D)
["Okay, okay," gasped the
proprietor, "I'll see what I can
do." So the ex-con followed him
through to the very back of the
warehouse through some stained,
tattered red curtains, and into a
grimy little room where a
bedraggled looking whore lay
spreadeagled on a filthy bed.
"She's yours for fifty francs,"
said the proprietor, and the fellow
went at it.]
Zoey notices that on the concierge security guard's leg is an
ankle holster with a small .38 pistol on it. His fingers
begin to unsnap the safety harness on it.
Her eyes widen.
RICARDO (CONT'D)
[After a little while, he came
across a piece of egg. "That's
funny," he thought to himself, "I
don't think I had egg for
breakfast." But he spat it out and
kept eating away. Next he found a
piece of chipped beef wedged
between his front teeth. "I'm sure
I haven't eaten chipped beef this
week," he thought, but kept on.
Then he came across the corn.
"What is this?" he said, "I think
I'm going to be sick."]
The concierge security guard unsnaps the safety. Zoey knows
he's going to make his move.
RICARDO (CONT'D)
["Ya know," says the whore, "that's
what the last guy said."]
Before they can even laugh the concierge security guard whips
out the .38 and fires three shots.
Two of them hit Ricardo in the chest. He falls to the
ground.
The other hits Francois in the arm.
69.
In an instant Jean is firing his machine gun into the group
of people huddled on the floor.
Everyone is screaming and trying to get away.
Machine gun fire cuts through the concierge security guard
killing him dead.
Unfortunately, the wild spray of bullets also rips into three
of the tellers, four of the customers, and the loan officer,
killing them all.
People are trying to flee but Claude fires his gun into the
ceiling.
CLAUDE
[No one fucking moves!]
Jean has jumped up on the table and is aiming at the people.
JEAN
[Shit! What happened!?]
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 28 - Bank Heist Chaos
Zed looks up hearing the commotion.
Eric comes running out of the bathroom and into the
storage/elevator area.
ERIC
What is it? What's going on?
Zed gets up to go upstairs.
ZED
I don't know.
ERIC
No! You stay here.
Eric runs upstairs.
CUT TO:
70.
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Francois is on the ground holding his arm. He keeps rolling
back and forth in pain.
Ricardo is dead.
Jean, Claude, and Oliver are waving their guns around ready
to kill someone any second.
JEAN
[Nobody fucking moves! Nobody
fucking moves!]
Claude motions to the dead security guard.
CLAUDE
[The gun! Somebody get it!]
Oliver goes over to the dead security guard, the whole time
waving his gun at people.
OLIVER
[Don't fuck with me! Don't fuck
with me!]
He grabs the gun from the dead security guards limp grip.
Eric storms in. He isn't wearing his mask.
ERIC
[What the fuck is going on!?]
Zoey notices Eric, she remembers him.
OLIVER
(pointing at the dead man)
[This crazy fuck shot Ricardo!]
Eric looks over at Ricardo and then at the carnage.
Then everybody notices he isn't wearing a mask.
JEAN
(quietly)
[Eric, your mask.]
ERIC
Oh shit.
Then Oliver yanks his off.
71.
OLIVER
Who gives a damn if they see us or
not anyway! I can't see a fucking
think in this!
Everyone takes their masks off.
ERIC
[Is this what happens? Is this
what happens when I walk away for
five minutes?]
CLAUDE
[He had a hidden gun.]
ERIC
(mimicking a little child)
[He had a hidden gun.]
(then back to normal)
[I don't care!]
Then, one of the bank customers, a MALE TOURIST, speaks up.
MALE TOURIST
(holding up his passport)
This is insane! I am a U.S.
citizen! You must let me go!
Eric looks at him.
MALE TOURIST (CONT'D)
I'm an American! American! I'm
just here exchanging dollars. If
it wasn't for my country you'd all
be speaking German!
Eric is tired of this outburst, he shoots him.
Everyone screams.
ERIC
(to the people)
[I have had enough of this
nonsense! The next person that
speaks will die!]
Everyone is quiet.
Francois is sitting on the floor bleeding from his arm.
JEAN
[Eric, I'm sorry. Things got out
of hand. But we're in control
now.]
72.
ERIC
[Good. Let's try to keep it that
way. God what a mess.]
CLAUDE
Eric
ERIC
[What the fuck is it now!? You
want me to hold your hand as you
take a piss?]
CLAUDE
[I have a question.]
ERIC
[What?]
CLAUDE
[Do we know if the alarm went off
or not?]
ERIC
[Yes.]
CLAUDE
[We do?]
ERIC
[Yes. It didn't go off. If it had
the police would be here and our
whole plan would be fucked. But
they're not here, and our plan
isn't fucked. So if there aren't
any more fucking stupid questions
I'll go downstairs and see if we're
in yet. Is that okay with you?]
Claude nods.
Then, the phone rings.
Everyone looks at it.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[I thought the phones were dead.]
It rings again.
OLIVER
The phones are dead.
Eric grabs a WOMAN TELLER who is crying hysterically and
73.
lifts her to her feet.
He drags her to the ringing phone.
ERIC
[Answer it!]
She is crying too hard.
Eric puts his gun to her head.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Answer it or you will die.]
She slowly picks up the phone.
WOMAN TELLER
(answering phone through
tears)
Banque Internationale de Paris.
She pauses, then hands the phone to Eric.
WOMAN TELLER (CONT'D)
[It's for you.]
Eric takes the phone and pushes her to the floor.
He puts the receiver to his ear.
ERIC
(into phone)
[Hello.]
(pause)
[Who is this?]
Eric motions to Oliver to check the windows.
Oliver runs over and peeks out the blinds.
OLIVER
Oh my God! The police!
ERIC
(into phone)
[What do you want?]
Eric looks around at the dead bodies.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(into phone)
[We're all fine in here.]
Oliver is pacing back and forth wildly. He starts loading
74.
extra ammo into his weapon.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(into phone)
[No. I'll tell you what, you go
fuck yourself you fucking pig. You
send anyone near this building and
I'll kill the first person I lay my
hands on. I've got plenty hostages
here to kill so don't even think of
coming in.]
(pause)
[Just stay put. We'll call you
when we're ready. In the mean
time, have a nice day.]
Eric hangs up the phone, and then leaves it off the hook.
CLAUDE
[The silent alarm must have gone
off after all!]
ERIC
[Shut the fuck up! The alarm
didn't do shit. For all we know
your idiot shooting brought them
here. Anyhow it doesn't matter.
Nothing has changed.]
JEAN
[My God! The police! What are we
going to do?]
ERIC
[Nothing. We don't have to do
anything. The plan stays the same,
just slightly different.]
Then Eric catches sight of Zoey, their eyes lock. Eric
smiles and winks. Then he turns to Jean with a whisper.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[If the police decide to come
in...kill them. And if you don't
mind, stack those bodies somewhere
else. This place is a fucking mess
and it's bad for morale.]
Then he takes off downstairs, smiling. Jean is a little
stumped.
75.
Ratings
Scene 29 - Vault Access
As Eric walks down the stairs and through the reserve vault
area a look of intense concentration washes over his face.
You can see that a trillion calculations are being made in
his brain...the question is: are there any answers?
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed is drilling now with a hand drill. He removes it and
blows into the hole. Shavings come out.
Eric comes trotting into the antechamber whistling.
ZED
(turning to Eric)
What's going on?
ERIC
Nothing. They were just scaring
them.
ZED
Well, did you tell them to stay
quiet?
ERIC
Yes. They're assholes. Just
having fun.
Zed looks into the hole.
He has drilled into the vault door, revealing some wiring.
ZED
Fucked up my drill bit.
ERIC
It's okay. You can buy another
one.
Zed takes out a volt meter from his briefcase and inserts the
two prongs into the hole.
ZED
Cross your fingers.
76.
Eric does.
The volt meter's needle jumps.
ZED (CONT'D)
Perfect.
ERIC
Excellent. What next?
ZED
We find the fuse box. It'll
probably be upstairs.
Zed gets up.
ERIC
It's okay. I'll find it for you.
ZED
No. I need to see it myself.
Zed jumps up and into the storage/elevator area with Eric
close behind him.
ERIC
I think it would be better if I
looked for you. I could--
Ratings
Scene 30 - Preparations for the Heist
Instead of walking upstairs, Zed finds the fuse box right in
the next room.
ZED
Hold on. Here she is.
Eric is a bit relieved.
Zed opens it up.
ZED (CONT'D)
Let's see.
He looks through the fuses and then finds the one he wants.
ZED (CONT'D)
Okay, you throw this fuse switch
off and then back on when I call to
you. Any other switch may set off
the alarm.
77.
Eric smirks.
ERIC
Oh, I wouldn't want to do that.
ZED
(serious)
Got it?
ERIC
(nodding)
Got it.
Zed goes back to the vaults.
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Zed trots back to the Poseidon vault door and quickly grabs a
little gizmo from out of his briefcase. It is a little home-
made black box with a series of LED's on it and two wires
coming out of one side with alligator clips on the end.
Three other wires are also coming out of it.
He slips the alligator clips into the hole and latches them.
He then tapes one of the wires to the vault itself.
The two remaining wires he hooks up to a large twelve volt
battery.
ZED
Come on sweetie don't fail me now.
He looks toward the door leading to the reserve vault area.
ZED (CONT'D)
(calling to Eric)
Ready?!
ERIC(O.S.)
(calling back)
Ready!
Zed turns on his little box, the LED's start flickering.
ZED
Now!
78.
The lights go out and then back on.
There is a whirring sound from the vault door.
The LED's quickly go from red to green.
There is a loud, heavy clicking as the vault door unlocks.
ZED (CONT'D)
Open seasame.
Zed smiles and swings the door open revealing the interior of
the Poseidon vault.
Eric comes running in like a kid on Christmas morning.
ERIC
It worked!
He and Zed hug.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Oh my God it worked!
Zed looks into the Poseidon vault at the passage connecting
it to the main vault. It is covered by a small locked cage.
ZED
I can get through that lock in a
minute.
ERIC
Then do it. We don't have all day.
Zed enters the Poseidon vault.
Ratings
Scene 31 - Assault on the Poseidon Vault
Zed goes to the gated passage which isn't much more than a
window in one upper side of the vault, but it's enough to get
him into the main vault.
Eric is right behind him.
Zed takes a twirl at the combination lock.
ZED
Dime store brand. Three minutes
max.
79.
ERIC
Good.
Then, there's a gunshot. The bullet comes from the Calibre
vault through the window and almost hits Zed.
Zed falls backwards onto the floor.
ZED
Fuck!
ERIC
Merde!
Then there's another gunshot.
The bullet ricochets through the vault.
ZED
Jesus Christ!
Scrambling on their hands and knees Zed and Eric crawl out of
the Poseidon vault.
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
They take cover.
Another shot is fired into the vault.
Zed and Eric look into the vault.
ZED
Another security guard?
ERIC
Must be.
ZED
I think I stained my pants.
ERIC
Me too.
Oliver comes running in with his gun ready for action.
OLIVER
What is it?! I came down to see
how things were going and heard
shots!
80.
ERIC
Some asshole in the vault.
Oliver takes cover and cocks his gun.
OLIVER
We've got guns. Why don't we just
storm in and blast his fucking ass!
It's three against one! Let's give
it the old--
ERIC
Quiet!
OLIVER
I'm just trying to be helpful.
ERIC
Just let me think.
OLIVER
You don't have to snap at me.
Eric peeks into the vault.
ERIC
(calling into the vault)
[Hey you. Nice shooting. Play
time's over. Why don't you throw
out your gun?]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
(calling from main vault)
No!
Oliver and Eric look at each other and smile.
ERIC
[Come on. We don't want to kill
you.]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[You'll have to!]
ERIC
(quietly to Zed)
What is this guys problem?
(then to the guard)
[Come on! You're making me
impatient. I don't have all day.]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[Look, don't take it personally.
This is my job.]
81.
Oliver and Eric look at each other and shrug. Then Eric sees
something in Zed's briefcase. It looks like grey clay.
ERIC
[Then take a paid vacation. We
won't tell if you won't.]
There is a pause. During this time Eric takes the clay and
pushes a detonator into it.
ZED
(quietly)
What the Hell are you doing? Have
you gone mad?
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[Sorry. I can't.]
ERIC
[Well, look, we're going to give
you fifteen minutes to change your
mind. Okay?]
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[Okay.]
Zed starts to grab the plastique away from Eric. Eric
resists.
ZED
(holding his voice down)
That's too much. It's dangerous.
ERIC
I like danger.
(then to the guard)
[Changed your mind yet?]
Eric creeps into the room and activates the detonator.
Zed and Oliver run for cover.
VAULT GUARD #1(O.S.)
[No. And I'm not going to. Why
don't you just take the money from
the other vaults?--]
Eric tosses the bar of plastique through the caged window and
makes a break for it.
82.
There is a huge explosion in the adjoining main vault. The
walls quake and a fireball bellows out of the caged window,
blowing it open.
The vault guard #1 screams and then goes silent.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 32 - The Vault Breached
Francois, Claude, and Jean are forcing customers to drag dead
bodies into a cube. The room shakes and everyone looks
toward the hall that leads to the stairs.
The hostages, whose nerves are already shot, start crying.
FRANCOIS
[Should we see if they're okay?]
JEAN
[No. They're just blasting the
vault open.]
CLAUDE
[What does it matter now? We're
fucking surrounded by police.]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY
Dust has blown out of the vault and is settling on Oliver,
Zed, and Eric, who is laughing like a madman.
Zed is looking at him like he's crazy.
ZED
You asshole! You could have killed
us all.
ERIC
But I didn't! Let's go check out
the damage.
Eric gets up and walks into the Poseidon vault.
Before Zed follows him he looks at Oliver who doesn't know
83.
what to think.
INT. BANK - POSEIDON VAULT - DAY
Eric laughs.
ERIC
Zed look!
He points to the caged window. It's been blown off it's
hinges.
ERIC (CONT'D)
I beat you! I opened it in under
three minutes.
He starts laughing and then crawls through the connecting
passage into the Caliber vault.
Zed, with his briefcase, follows.
ZED
(to Oliver)
Go around and wait at the main
vault door. When I tell you, open
it up.
OLIVER
Right. When you tell me, I'll open
it up.
ZED
Right.
OLIVER
Right.
Zed crawls through the opening.
OLIVER (CONT'D)
I'll be at the other vault waiting
for you to call to me.
Ratings
Scene 33 - The Gold Discovery
The main vault looks like what a vault would look like if it
were blown up from the inside. On the floor is the still
smoldering body of the security guard. The room is
84.
incredibly smokey.
Zed squeezes through the opening.
Then, Eric, grinning like a schoolboy, emerges from the smoke
with a brick sized bar of pure gold.
ERIC
Look at it! We're all rich!
The smoke clears and we see that on the far side of the vault
there is a huge platen on wheels with bricks of gold stacked
onto it.
Eric starts laughing.
ERIC (CONT'D)
We're rich!
Zed looks at him like he's crazy.
ERIC (CONT'D)
We're rich!
ZED
We're not out of here yet.
ERIC
Yes but we're rich!
Zed takes a seat at the vault door. The backside of a vault
door looks like an incredibly intricate clock. Zed removes
the Plexiglass shielding.
ERIC (CONT'D)
I'm going to show the others.
He squirms out of the entry with the brick of gold.
Zed shakes his head and goes to work setting dials and using
his voltmeter to test electrical points.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Claude is talking to Jean.
85.
CLAUDE
[What? You think we may actually
get out of this? You're fooling
yourself.]
JEAN
[Why are you such a pessimist?]
CLAUDE
[Are you kidding me? Look at this
mess.]
Jean surveys the mess, the crying people.
CLAUDE (CONT'D)
[This is nothing. Imagine the
police outside. We're dead men.]
Eric walks in from the rear stairs. In his hand is a brick
of gold.
ERIC
[Jean, Francois, Claude...look at
this.]
They see the gold.
JEAN
[You did it! You got in!]
ERIC
[Zed is opening the vault now.
This is a taste.]
Eric holds the bar of gold up for all the people to see.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Look at this and tell me I'm not
brilliant.]
WOMAN CUSTOMER
(crying)
[You're a monster! And you'll
never leave this place alive!]
Eric shoots her with his Uzi.
ERIC
(to the hostages)
[None of you are worth half of this
single bar. Remember that.]
Francois, Jean, and Claude look at each other.
86.
CLAUDE
[Eric...can I speak with you?]
ERIC
[Of course.]
CLAUDE
[In private.]
ERIC
[There's no need. I have nothing
to hide. What is it Claude?]
CLAUDE
[Well...we're surrounded by the
police and we have no way out.
What are we going to do?]
Eric slaps him across the face.
ERIC
[What are you doing Claude?
Talking of all this false doubt.
What do you think we're going to
do?]
Claude is hurt, not physically but emotionally.
CLAUDE
[I don't know...not the original
plan.]
ERIC
[Obviously, since Ricardo fucked us
up and didn't kill the concierge
fast enough. And killing all these
assholes-- ]
(motioning to all the
customers)
[--isn't going to do us a damn bit
of good now, is it?]
CLAUDE
No.
ERIC
[No. Because we'll need them as
hostages when we get on the plane.]
CLAUDE
[We're going on a plane?]
Eric pats his shoulder.
87.
ERIC
[Claude, you are a mental giant.
Leave the plans up to me and just
kill people if they get out of
line, okay?]
CLAUDE
[Okay.]
Eric turns and starts to walk toward the downstairs.
ERIC
[I'm going to see how things are
going.]
Ratings
Scene 34 - Bank Robbery Chaos
Eric is whistling while he walks, he pauses to perform a
quick magic trick, then he continues.
INT. RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
Eric walks into the reserve vault area.
He stops. He hears something. A scratching sound.
He looks at it's source, TWO POLICEMEN, decked out in black
flak jackets and gas masks are starting to come out of a
sewer manhole.
Eric's eyes widen. He takes his silencer out of his coat and
fixes it to his handgun. Then, like a man with intent to
kill, he rapidly approaches them.
The one who came out of the manhole turns just in time to see
Eric fire into his chest. Then, Eric aims the gun into the
tight crawlspace and fires into the other man. For safe
measure he empties his gun into the tiny causeway.
He drops the gun into the hole and then shoves the other
policeman into it. He then pushes a large utility wagon over
the manhole cover to stop anyone else from coming in.
88.
INT. BANK - REAR STAIRS TO LOBBY - DAY
Eric comes running out from the reserve vault area and up the
stairs to the lobby.
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric rushes into the lobby.
ERIC
[They want to fuck with me!? They
want to fuck with me!?]
He puts the phone on the hook.
It instantly rings.
He answers the phone.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[You want to fuck with me!? I'll
show you what happens to people who
fuck with me!]
He throws the phone to the ground and looks at Zoey.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[The moment of truth my love. You
knew it would come.]
He grabs Zoey and lifts her to her feet.
ZOEY
(screeching)
No!
Then, the assistant manager stops him.
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[No! What ever it is you're going
to do have mercy!]
Eric suddenly calms down.
ERIC
[Have mercy?]
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[Yes.]
ERIC
[With her.]
89.
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[Yes.]
ERIC
[That's sweet.]
(to Zoey)
[You have quite a reach my lovely.
Is he one of your clients?]
He pushes Zoey to the ground.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[It's a deal.]
ASSISTANT MANAGER
[Thank you.]
ERIC
[Don't mention it.]
He grabs the assistant manager and at gunpoint forces him to
the main entrance.
CLAUDE
[Eric! What are you doing?]
ERIC
[Clearing up the "how full of shit
am I" question the cops are asking
themselves right now.]
The assistant manager is putting up a bit of a struggle but
Eric simply forces him along.
Everyone waits until suddenly they hear a burst of gunfire
from outside. They all scream.
Eric walks back into the bank, he picks up the phone.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(into phone)
[Hello.]
(pause)
[Yes. I'll hold.]
(then to Claude)
[I'm holding.]
After a little bit of a wait someone comes on the other end
of the line.
90.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(into phone)
[Hello.]
(pause)
[You don't know the fucking half of
it. So just shut the fuck up and
listen. Try any more stunts and
I'll fucking really go crazy.]
(pause)
[Well that's good because if you
faggot cops even think of it I'll
kill some more people. Hear?]
(pause)
[No. None of that. We won't
trade. That never works. Not in
the movies, not in real life.
Understand? We're going to get
into our van, with a couple of
people, go to the airport, and fly
out of this shit hole city. And
you're not going to follow us.]
(pause)
[Who do you fucking think is going
to supply the plane? Us? No, you
fucking imbecile, the French
taxpayers would be a good second
guess for you. You're really
pissing me off. You think I'm a
fucking amature?]
He covers the mouth piece.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(to Claude)
[I fucking hate cops.]
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 35 - Vault Breakthrough and Lobby Rampage
Zed is sweating as he works away at the back of the door. He
glances over what he's done and makes a calculation on a
calculator.
Then, there is a groaning sound.
Zed, terrified, spins around.
Another groaning sound. The vault security guard isn't dead.
His body is charred and he's not moving but he's very much
91.
alive.
VAULT GUARD #1
[I'm going to die...]
Zed can't believe what he's seeing.
He moves over to the body, leaving his work behind.
VAULT GUARD #1 (CONT'D)
[I'm going to die...please hold
my...hand. I don't...want to
die...alone.]
Zed hovers over the body, afraid to touch it. He gives it a
nudge with his foot.
The body groans and then exhales the longest exhale ever.
Zed kneels down next to the body.
ZED
Are you still there?
Nothing.
Zed puts his hand to the neck of the vault guard #1 and
checks for a pulse.
Nothing.
Zed sits there for a moment looking at the corpse, then, like
he wants to get out of there as soon as possible, he
scrambles to the door and starts adjusting several switches.
He has wired a battery to two leads. He takes out a wire
cutter and snips a wire.
There is a sudden barrage of whirring and clicking sounds as
the vault unlocks.
Zed calls to Oliver from the passage.
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
Oliver is staring at the dead bodies of the manager and sub
92.
lobby teller.
ZED(O.S.)
(distant, calling from the
vault)
Oliver, now! Open the vault!
Oliver turns the large wheel and opens the Caliber vault
door.
With some amount of energy the door opens. Standing inside
is Zed.
ZED (CONT'D)
Open seasame.
He steps out of the vault.
ZED (CONT'D)
Do you want to give me a hand?
OLIVER
Sure.
Oliver puts his gun down and they go into the Calibre vault.
INT. BANK - CALIBER VAULT - DAY
Oliver sees the huge platen of gold bricks. Zed puts his
steel briefcase on top of it.
OLIVER
Holy mother.
ZED
Here, help me with this.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric slams the phone down and then in a fit of rage tears the
phone from the wall.
ERIC
Merde!
He grabs his machine gun and aims it at the sub lobby guard
93.
#2.
The sub lobby guard #2 braces himself for gunfire.
Eric fires into him. He is dead instantly.
Everybody screams.
Eric fires into his dead corpse until his gun runs out of
bullets.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[That's what you get!]
Claude puts his hand on Eric's shoulder.
CLAUDE
Eric.
Eric looks at him.
ERIC
[The fucking police won't budge. I
kill a man and they don't care.
They say they don't make deals with
terrorists. It really fucks up my
plan.]
CLAUDE
[And what if we gave up?]
Eric can't believe this.
ERIC
(laughing)
[Claude, look around you. We're
not talking prison here. You know.
The cops will give in. You start
killing women...they give in.
They're all so fucking much in love
with women!]
Then he looks at Zoey.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[What are you looking at you
fucking whore?]
She doesn't want to say a thing that'll upset him.
94.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Are you afraid I'll tell these
people that this is only a day job
for you?]
She shakes her head "no".
ERIC (CONT'D)
[What? So they know that you're a--
]
The sub lobby assistant speaks up.
SUB LOBBY ASSISTANT
[Leave her alone.]
Eric cracks the butt of his gun into the man's face.
ERIC
[Shut up!]
He clicks another clip into the Uzi and grabs Zoey by the
collar and lifts her to her feet.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[My only mistake was not to make an
example of a woman to begin with.]
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 36 - Gold Theft and Hostage Crisis Escalate
Zed takes the dolly and starts wheeling the platen of gold
out. Oliver helps him.
OLIVER
This is unbelievable. Look at all
of this. It's wonderful to touch.
ZED
Just help me steer this out.
They maneuver out of the Calibre vault.
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
They come out of the Calibre vault with the huge platen.
95.
OLIVER
Do you think we should get some
cash also?
ZED
What for?
OLIVER
Well, you never know.
They start maneuvering the platen toward an elevator.
ZED
Money is too easily traceable.
You'd never be able to spend it.
And forget about exchanging it.
OLIVER
That's true.
ZED
No sir. Your best bet is to get
these bars melted down in Tunisia
or Korea.
OLIVER
Eric knows someone in Portugal.
ZED
Or Portugal.
They get into the banks private freight elevator.
INT. BANK - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - DAY
Zed closes the door and pushes the button to go up to the
ground floor.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric is dragging Zoey by the hair toward the door when she
grabs his groin and starts squeezing.
Eric lets out a shrill scream and whacks the butt of the Uzi
into her face.
But she won't let go. Her years as a prostitute have taught
96.
her to ignore pain.
She grabs hold of the gun hand.
ERIC
(groaning)
[You fucking bitch!]
A few bursts of the Uzi go off and one shell stitches Eric's
foot red.
Eric lets go and falls to the ground.
Claude, Jean, and Francois suddenly become attentive to
what's going on.
Zoey starts firing the Uzi but can't control it. She showers
the room with bullets. She starts to run toward the back
office blindly firing the gun in the direction of Claude,
Eric, Francois, Jean, and the other hostages.
Then, a tear gas cannister break through the top windows and
start clouding the place up.
Eric whips out his switch blade and hops on his bloody red
foot.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Bitch!]
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 37 - Elevator Shootout
Zed is waiting for the elevator to arrive.
ZED
Do we have a covering of some kind?
OLIVER
A what?
ZED
You know. Something to cover this
with.
(MORE)
97.
ZED (CONT'D)
It'll look kind of conspicuous
leaving the bank with a platten of
gold.
OLIVER
Oh, it won't matter. The police
know what we're up too.
ZED
Police?! What do you mean they
know what we're up too?
OLIVER
You don't know? We've been
discovered. But Eric has them under
control.
Zed is frantic.
ZED
No I didn't know! How many police?
OLIVER
The building is surrounded.
The elevator doors open onto the ground floor to the sound of
automatic gunfire. Zed walks out into the back office.
INT. BANK - BACK OFFICE - DAY
Suddenly, from the back office, Zed sees Zoey blasting away
an Uzi and running toward the rear stairwell. Eric is in the
lobby limping around. The other gang members are ducking
from her fire.
Then, her clip runs out.
She sees Zed, their eyes lock. An IMAGE overcomes Zed. She
runs down the stairs to the back.
ERIC
Kill her! Kill her!
Oliver aims his gun to fire and Zed pushes it up. Oliver's
gun discharges into the ceiling. Oliver and Zed begin to
struggle.
98.
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Zed and Oliver collapse out of the back office and into the
lobby. They tumble onto the floor. Eric hobbles over to
them, his gun aimed at Zed.
ERIC
What the fuck are you doing!?
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
Zoe is near tears. She drops the empty machine gun to the
floor and starts walking toward the sub lobby.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Eric leans down to talk to Zed. Oliver and Jean are
watching. Francois and Claude are more worried about the
tear gas.
CLAUDE
[They're trying to smoke us out
Eric!]
FRANCOIS
[What do we do!?]
Eric waves them off with a brush of his hand. He's
concentrating on Zed.
ERIC
Do you really love your bitch whore
girlfriend that much? She's really
fucked with your mind.
ZED
Eric...what are you talking about?
Eric lifts him to his feet and holds him up against the
knife. He turns him toward the smoke and whispers into his
99.
ear.
ERIC
Look at it. It's all for us. The
smoke. The attention. They have no
idea of who they're dealing with.
They have no idea what kind of men
we are.
ZED
(thinking Eric is a
madman)
What kind of men are we?
Eric looks at him and gives him a soft kiss on the cheek.
ERIC
You can no longer be in our club.
You forfeit your cut of the pie.
Zed laughs, there's not gonna be much of a pie to eat.
ZED
What about our friendship?
ERIC
Shit Zed. I haven't seen you in
years. You hardly know me.
He slashes Zed across the face with the switchblade. Zed
falls backwards and tumbles down the stairs like a rag doll.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Never let a girl come between two
men.
He walks down the hall toward the gold.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Now let's try to get out of here.
Eric walks into the back office. The others look at each
other.
Suddenly a black figure runs across the bank behind the
shadows, Francois sees it and nervously fires.
In the background the distinctive sound of European police
sirens wail as more cars pull up to the outside of the bank.
100.
Also, an UNINTELLIGIBLE VOICE is blaring orders over a
bullhorn.
FRANCOIS
[The police! They're entering the
building!]
Suddenly all of them start firing like blindly into the
smoke.
Francois runs back to Eric who has walked up to the elevator
via the back office.
Ratings
Scene 38 - Bank Heist: Deadly Confrontation
Eric caresses his hand across the bars of gold.
ERIC
(to himself)
[Smoother and more giving than the
most selfless human being. You're
beautiful.]
Francois runs in.
FRANCOIS
[Eric!]
ERIC
[Jesus, what now?]
FRANCOIS
[The police are coming in! We're
doomed!]
ERIC
[Get a hostage.]
FRANCOIS
(frantic)
[They don't give a fuck about the
hostages!]
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
Jean becomes a berzerker and runs out into a cloud of smoke
101.
and throws the tear gas container into the thick cloud.
Then he turns to the police and holds his own gun to his
head.
JEAN
[Don't make me!]
A single bullet passes through his torso. As Jean falls to
the ground he lets loose a round of gunfire into the ceiling.
Oliver is still firing, his face is red like a crazed man.
From behind the counter the sub lobby assistant grabs a hold
of Claude and wrestles him to the ground.
The other customers start to flee for cover.
Oliver sees the fracas between the sub lobby assistant and
Claude. It looks like the sub lobby assistant is getting the
upper hand. Oliver swings his gun around and sprays machine
gun fire at them...killing them both.
CUT TO:
Ratings
Scene 39 - Reunion in the Sub-Lobby
Zoe walks up the stairs out, not only are they locked but a
cloud of tear gas is pouring into the downstairs sub lobby.
Suddenly, Zed stumbles in.
Zed is like a zombie. Then he notices Zoe in the stairwell.
They lock eyes.
ZED
(almost delerious)
Zoe...
She steps down into the sub lobby, machine guns crackle in
the background. She runs up to him just as he slumps to the
ground.
102.
ZOE
(holding him)
My Zed. They've hurt you.
She dabs a cloth to his cut face. He holds it on.
ZOE (CONT'D)
(trying to comfort him)
You're going to be okay. In many
countries scars on the face are a
symbol of heroism. To proudly
display a flaw like a badge...is to
wear a badge of truth.
He takes her hand.
ZED
Be serious Zoe...I can stick my
tongue through my cheek.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - LOBBY - DAY
The police are now laying it on heavy. Francois comes out of
the office.
FRANCOIS
Oliver! Let's get a hostage!
OLIVER
This is the end!
Francois is ripped into by machine gun fire.
Oliver races past him.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY
Tear gas is starting to fill the room.
Zoe stands Zed up.
ZOE
Listen to me. We're going to lock
ourselves into one of the air tight
vaults...if any of them are still
open.
103.
They start walking toward the reserve vault area.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - FREIGHT ELEVATOR - DAY
Eric hops into the elevator and closes the door, just as
Oliver runs up, firing toward the police.
Eric is laughing manically as he leaves them behind.
OLIVER
Bastard!
Oliver turns to where the police will surely be coming in.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY
Zoey and Zed rush into the reserve vault area. Zoey notices
that the downstairs reserve vault is closed.
ZOE
Merde! The vault has been closed.
ZED
What about the others?
The gunfire upstairs has subsided and has been replaced by
unintelligible POLICE VOICES.
ZOE
Listen...there's no gunfire.
Zoey quietly opens the door opposite the vault that leads to
the rear stairs to the lobby level.
Ratings
Scene 40 - Violent Confrontation in the Bank
Zoey peeks up the stairs just in time to see Oliver bolt for
the stairs.
OLIVER
(to police)
Motherfuckers!
104.
A volly of gunfire rips into Oliver but he stands his ground
and fires into the police.
OLIVER (CONT'D)
You wanna fuck with me? You wanna
fuck with me? I'll show you who
you're fucking with!
He starts blasting away.
Terrified, Zoey leads Zed to the storage/elevator area.
ZOEY
C'mon, we'll be safer in here.
CUT TO:
INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY
The elevator door opens, Eric steps out and looks around like
a caged animal.
ERIC
[Think!]
Then, Zed and Zoey appear from the hall to the reserve vault
area.
Eric turns to them with his gun raised, when he sees them he
lowers it.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Zed.
They all stand there for a moment, the gunfire cracking away
upstairs. Eric is more casual than he should be.
ERIC (CONT'D)
(matter-of-factly)
What's your girlfriends name?
ZED
Zoe.
ERIC
Zoe.
(to Zoey in French)
[Zoe, come here to me.]
105.
Zoey spits at him.
Eric laughs and aims the gun at her.
ERIC (CONT'D)
[Killing you would just be gravy,
so don't fuck with me.]
ZOEY
[Go ahead you slob. Shave my ass!]
Eric smashes the side of her face with the gun and then grabs
a hold of her arm.
Zed tries to stop Eric but Eric aims the gun at him.
ERIC
Zed no. I'll kill you. It means
nothing to me, our friendship.
ZED
(starting out calm and
then building to a
scream)
Eric...there's no fucking way out
of here!
ERIC
Oh but you're wrong. This is my
way out. This dime store couge with
her motor driven ass. You find
your own.
Zed rushes Eric and Zoey starts scratching. Eric drops the
gun but quickly whips out his knife.
She tries to get away from Eric but he has a hold on her
shirt.
Eric swipes at her with the knife and grazes he back.
Then Eric slashes toward Zed who jumps back.
Zoey falls to the floor.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Come Zed...I'm going to cut you
like a sausage.
Zed is standing between Zoey and Eric.
106.
ZED
Zoey, get out of here!
She scrambles away.
He swipes at Zed.
Zed jumps back down the hall toward the reserve vault area.
Ratings
Scene 41 - Violent Confrontation in the Bank Vault
They rush out toward the stairs.
ERIC
Did you see how she ran? Did you
see how she ran? She doesn't care
about you. Fucking pussy only cares
about pussy. Look out for number
one. What do you say Zed?
He swipes again.
ERIC (CONT'D)
I will kill you. And once I kill
you Zed, I'll get out of here.
I'll fuck your bitch up the ass and
give her AIDS...if she doesn't
already have it. What do you say to
that Zed?
He swipes and Zed grabs a hold of the knife by the blade.
Eric pulls it free and the knife falls to the floor.
Zed takes this opportunity and kicks Eric in the face.
Eric reaches for the knife.
Zed, his hand bloody, dives onto Eric.
Zoey also jumps onto them and starts yanking on Eric's hair.
She plunges her nails into his face.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Fucking bitch!
Zed is rabbit punching Eric from underneath.
Then, Eric grabs a hold of Zed's balls and squeezes.
Zed lets out a shrill scream.
107.
Eric starts elbowing Zoey in the face.
The three of them lay there on the floor wriggling like
worms, unable to move because each is putting the other
through such agony.
Then, Oliver, shot up and bloody haplessly stumbles into the
room. His body is a mass of bullet wounds.
OLIVER
Ox! Where is thy yoke!?
He clumsily falls dead to the ground, his shotgun slides near
Zoey, Zed, and Eric.
The sight of the gun gives Eric the strength only a madman
could posses. He rolls over and throws Zoey off him.
Then, he smashes his forehead into Zed's nose, bursting it.
Eric, deftly, rolls over and grabs the gun.
He gets to his feet and cocks the pump action.
ERIC
Fuck both of you.
Then he notices the lack of gunfire upstairs.
Eric turns back to them.
ERIC (CONT'D)
Au revoir.
He aims to kill Zed.
ZOEY
No!
Then, all of the French policemen, decked out in their
assault gear and wearing gas masks, storm down the stairs.
At the sight of Eric about to execute Zed they raise their
guns.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #1
[Stop!]
108.
Eric stops.
It becomes quiet.
Then, Eric looks back down at Zed and braces for the shotgun
kick.
ERIC
I give you little kiss. Ciao.
He squeezes the trigger and...
CLICK
The police open fire with their
French made assault machine guns
and fill Eric with bullets.
Instead of falling he does a
scarecrow dance as his body is
painted red. The wall behind them
explodes as plaster sprays all over
Zed. An IMAGE overcomes Eric.
Eric's dead body slumps to it's
knees and flops on top of Zed. Zed
pushes the body off and tries to
drag himself to Zoey. Zoey runs up
to him and holds him. The police
all charge into the secondary vault
area and secure the downstairs.
Zoey is crying as she holds Zed.
The police have their guns aimed at
the two of them. Zoey looks up.
ZOEY
(to the policemen)
[I work here. This man is a
customer...he needs medical help.]
They take their guns away and kneel next to him, seeing if
he's okay.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #2
[How bad do you think his wounds
are?]
The other policeman, unable to tell because of Eric's blood,
simply shakes his head.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #1
(to Zoey)
[Are you alright?]
109.
Zoey starts to cry.
DISSOLVE TO:
Ratings
Scene 42 - Aftermath of the Bank Robbery
Zoey and Zed, bandaged up, are being aided by all of the
French policemen as they walk through the bank.
Smoke is still clearing, but the bodies of customers and bank
robbers alike litter the area.
PARAMEDIC's, wearing all white, try to help the injured, they
assist Zed and Zoey.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #1
(to Zoey and Zed)
[There's an ambulance outside.]
(he looks around)
[My God. What a Bastille Day.]
Zed's attention is caught by two OTHER POLICEMEN carrying a
body bag.
FRENCH POLICEMAN #3
(to French policeman #1)
[This one's the ringmaster. We
need an
I.D.]
No longer interested in Zoey or
Zed, he goes to check out the body.
ZOEY
The hospital?
ZED
No.
ZOEY
Come on. I have a car.
Zoey puts her arm around Zed and helps him out of the
bank...never to return.
DISSOLVE TO:
110.
INT. ZOEY'S CAR - MOVING - DAY
Zoey is driving. Zed looks like he's been in a burning
building.
ZED
I'm so tired.
ZOEY
We'll go to my flat. You can rest
there. Do you feel pain?
ZED
No...it was mostly his blood.
ZOEY
I have a shower. You can clean up
there.
ZED
Thank you Zoe.
He looks at her.
ZOEY
My name is not Zoe. Not any more.
He looks forward at the streets of Paris.
ZOEY (CONT'D)
You'll get well. Then I'll show
you the real Paris.
They drive away.
THE END
Ratings
Characters in the screenplay, and their arcs:
Character | Arc | Critique | Suggestions |
---|---|---|---|
zed | Zed's character arc in the screenplay follows his journey from a curious and naive young man to a conflicted and resilient individual. Initially drawn into the criminal world by his friends, Zed experiences moral dilemmas, internal struggles, and moments of fear and uncertainty. As the story progresses, he undergoes significant growth, showing resilience, determination, and a willingness to survive. Zed's interactions with Zoey and the challenges he faces lead to a transformation in his character, ultimately finding a sense of gratitude and hope for the future. | The character arc for Zed is well-developed, showcasing his evolution from a curious bystander to a conflicted and resilient individual. However, there could be more emphasis on his internal struggles and moral dilemmas throughout the screenplay to further highlight his growth and development. Additionally, Zed's interactions with other characters could be more nuanced to deepen his relationships and add complexity to his journey. | To improve the character arc for Zed, consider incorporating more scenes that delve into his internal conflicts and moral dilemmas, showcasing his transformation more prominently. Develop his relationships with other characters, particularly Zoey and Eric, to add depth and complexity to his interactions. Provide moments of introspection and vulnerability for Zed to allow the audience to connect with his emotional journey on a deeper level. |
zoey | Zoey starts as a young woman balancing her roles as a student and an escort, using her art as a form of personal exploration. Throughout the feature, she faces escalating danger and chaos, leading to a transformation where she becomes more resilient, courageous, and determined to protect those she cares about. Zoey's journey culminates in her showing compassion, loyalty, and a sense of survival in the aftermath of a robbery, ultimately revealing her strong-willed nature and quick thinking. | The character arc for Zoey is well-developed, showcasing her growth and transformation in the face of danger. However, there could be more consistency in her emotional state and speaking style throughout the feature. Additionally, more exploration of Zoey's backstory and motivations could add depth to her character. | To improve the character arc, consider establishing a clearer emotional throughline for Zoey, showing her gradual evolution from a vulnerable young woman to a resilient and courageous survivor. Delve deeper into Zoey's past experiences and motivations to provide a more nuanced understanding of her actions and decisions. Ensure that her speaking style remains consistent and reflective of her emotional journey, adding layers to her character development. |
eric | Eric starts off as a charismatic and daring leader, driven by a desire for power and control. As the story progresses, his ruthless and manipulative nature becomes more apparent, leading to tragic consequences. Ultimately, Eric's greed and impulsiveness result in his downfall, as his actions catch up to him and he faces the consequences of his dark deeds. | The character arc for Eric is well-developed, showcasing his transformation from a charismatic leader to a ruthless and manipulative individual. However, the arc could benefit from more depth and exploration of Eric's motivations and inner conflict. Additionally, the resolution of his arc could be more impactful and satisfying for the audience. | To improve the character arc for Eric, consider delving deeper into his backstory and motivations, providing more insight into what drives his actions and decisions. Show more internal conflict and moral ambiguity within Eric, highlighting the internal struggle between his desire for power and the consequences of his ruthless behavior. Additionally, consider a more nuanced and emotionally resonant resolution for Eric's arc, allowing for a more satisfying and thought-provoking conclusion to his character journey. |
claude | Claude starts off as a quirky and eccentric member of the group, adding a playful and unpredictable element to the heist. As the situation escalates, he becomes more reckless and impulsive, indulging in criminal behavior without hesitation. However, as the tension rises, Claude's pragmatic and resourceful nature comes to the forefront, and he takes on a more authoritative and strategic role in the group. Ultimately, Claude is faced with a moral dilemma, torn between loyalty to Eric and doubts about their criminal activities, leading to a moment of internal conflict and growth. | The character arc for Claude is well-developed and provides a good balance between his different traits and roles within the group. However, there could be more clarity in his internal struggles and the resolution of his moral dilemma. Additionally, the transition between his impulsive and authoritative phases could be smoother to enhance the believability of his character development. | To improve the character arc for Claude, consider adding more scenes that delve into his internal struggles and showcase the evolution of his moral dilemma. Provide clearer moments of conflict and resolution to highlight his growth throughout the heist. Additionally, work on creating a smoother transition between his impulsive and authoritative phases by showing the gradual shift in his behavior and decision-making process. |
oliver | Oliver starts off as the laid-back comic relief of the group, providing humor and light-heartedness. However, as the heist progresses, his impulsive and volatile nature leads to escalating conflicts and moral dilemmas. Oliver's loyalty is tested, and he must confront his own inner turmoil and conflicting loyalties. Ultimately, he must make a difficult decision that will define his character and the outcome of the heist. | The character arc for Oliver is well-developed, showcasing his evolution from a quirky comic relief to a conflicted and morally complex character. However, there could be more consistency in his character traits throughout the screenplay to make his transformation more impactful. Additionally, more exploration of Oliver's backstory and motivations could add depth to his character and enhance the emotional resonance of his arc. | To improve the character arc for Oliver, consider establishing clearer motivations and internal conflicts early on in the screenplay. Develop his relationships with other characters to highlight his loyalty and inner turmoil. Provide moments of vulnerability and introspection to show his growth and transformation. Additionally, consider incorporating flashbacks or dialogue that reveal Oliver's past experiences and how they have shaped his current behavior and decisions. |
francois | Francois starts off as a loyal but nervous member of the crew, easily overwhelmed by the chaos of the heist. As the story progresses, he becomes more confident and assertive, stepping up to take on a larger role in the criminal activities. However, his loyalty to Eric is tested as he begins to question his motives and ultimately makes a difficult decision that puts him at odds with the group. | The character arc for Francois is well-developed and provides a clear progression for his character throughout the feature. However, there could be more depth added to his backstory and motives to further enhance his complexity and make his decision to go against the group more impactful. | To improve the character arc, consider delving deeper into Francois' past experiences that have shaped his behavior and motivations. Explore his relationship with Eric and the rest of the crew to add more layers to his loyalty and eventual betrayal. Additionally, give Francois more agency in his decision-making process and show the internal struggle he faces when going against the group. |
ricardo | Ricardo starts off as a thrill-seeking and impulsive criminal who is loyal to Eric. As the story progresses, he begins to question the morality of their criminal activities and starts to feel conflicted about their actions. This internal struggle leads him to reassess his priorities and ultimately make a decision that goes against Eric's plans, showing growth and development in his character. | The character arc for Ricardo is well-developed, but it could benefit from more specific moments or scenes that highlight his internal conflict and growth. Additionally, his transition from a loyal follower to someone who goes against Eric's plans could be more clearly motivated and explored throughout the screenplay. | To improve the character arc for Ricardo, consider adding scenes that delve deeper into his internal struggles and moral dilemmas. Show moments where he questions his loyalty to Eric and the consequences of their criminal activities. Develop his relationships with other characters to further emphasize his growth and transformation. Additionally, ensure that his decision to go against Eric's plans is well-supported and justified within the context of the story. |
jean | Jean starts off as a mentor figure, introducing Zed to heroin and the criminal underworld. As the story progresses, his dark past and hidden motives are revealed, leading to escalating violence and chaos. Jean struggles with his inner demons and ultimately sacrifices himself for the cause, showcasing his loyalty and dedication to his comrades. | The character arc for Jean is well-developed, showcasing his complexity and inner turmoil. However, the transition from mentor figure to volatile member of the crew could be more clearly defined to enhance the impact of his sacrifice. Additionally, more insight into Jean's motivations and backstory could add depth to his character. | To improve the character arc, consider adding flashback scenes or dialogue that provide insight into Jean's past and motivations. This will help the audience understand his actions and decisions throughout the story. Additionally, focus on the emotional journey of Jean as he grapples with his inner demons and the consequences of his actions, leading to a more impactful and satisfying resolution. |
Top Correlations and patterns found in the scenes:
Pattern | Explanation |
---|---|
Emotional Intensity and High Stakes | |
Character Changes and Emotional Impact | |
High Stakes and Moving the Story Forward | |
Action and Emotional Impact | |
Tone and Dialogue | |
Comedy and Emotional Impact | |
Plot and Stakes |
Writer's Craft Overall Analysis
Overall, the provided scenes demonstrate the writer's skill in creating engaging and immersive narratives, showcasing a natural ability for crafting compelling dialogue, building tension, and developing complex characters. However, refining certain writing techniques can further elevate the writer's storytelling abilities.
Key Improvement Areas
Suggestions
Type | Suggestion | Rationale |
---|---|---|
Book | Read 'Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting' by Syd Field | This classic guide provides a comprehensive foundation in screenwriting principles, including structure, character development, and scene writing. |
Screenplay | Study screenplays by acclaimed writers such as Quentin Tarantino, Aaron Sorkin, and Paddy Chayefsky | Analyzing the work of masters can provide valuable insights into effective storytelling, characterization, and dialogue. |
Video | Watch analysis videos on film and television scenes to study pacing, editing, and cinematography | Visual examples can enhance understanding of scene construction and the impact of technical elements on storytelling. |
Stories Similar to this one
Story | Explanation |
---|---|
Reservoir Dogs | A group of criminals plan and execute a bank robbery, but things go wrong and they turn on each other. The film has a similar tone and structure to the screenplay, with its focus on violence, betrayal, and the dynamics of a group of criminals. |
The Killing | A group of criminals plan a bank robbery, but the heist goes awry and they must deal with the consequences. The film has a similar premise and tone to the screenplay, with its focus on the aftermath of a botched robbery and the moral dilemmas faced by the criminals. |
Heat | A group of professional criminals plan a bank robbery, but their plans are thwarted by a skilled detective. The film has a similar level of suspense and action to the screenplay, with its focus on the cat-and-mouse game between the criminals and the police. |
Le Cercle Rouge | A group of criminals plan a jewelry heist, but they are double-crossed by one of their own. The film has a similar focus on the planning and execution of a heist, as well as the moral dilemmas faced by the criminals. |
The Town | A group of criminals plan a bank robbery in Boston, but their plans are complicated by their own relationships and the arrival of an FBI agent. The film has a similar focus on the personal lives of the criminals and the impact of their crimes on their families and loved ones. |
The French Connection | Two New York City detectives investigate a drug smuggling ring and must navigate the city's criminal underworld. The film has a similar focus on the investigation of a crime and the moral dilemmas faced by the detectives. |
The Departed | A police officer goes undercover to infiltrate an Irish mob, but his loyalties are tested when he becomes close to the mob boss. The film has a similar focus on the moral dilemmas faced by the protagonist and the dangers of living a double life. |
The Wire | A television series that follows the lives of police officers and criminals in Baltimore. The series has a similar focus on the gritty realities of crime and the impact of the drug trade on communities. |
Zero Dark Thirty | A film that follows the CIA's search for Osama bin Laden. The film has a similar focus on the planning and execution of a complex mission and the moral dilemmas faced by the characters. |
The Wire | A television series that follows the lives of police officers and criminals in Baltimore. The series has a similar focus on the gritty realities of crime and the impact of the drug trade on communities. |
Here are different Tropes found in the screenplay
Trope | Trope Details | Trope Explanation |
---|---|---|
Heroic Bloodshed | The violence and gore is depicted in a glorified and stylized manner, making it appear heroic and thrilling. | This trope is often used in action movies to make the violence seem more exciting and less disturbing. A common example of this trope is when a character kills an enemy with a single, clean shot, and the blood splatters in slow motion. |
Damsel in Distress | Zoey is presented as a damsel in distress, being rescued by Zed from her attacker and then being protected by him throughout the movie. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a situation where the male character can be the hero and save the female character. A common example of this trope is when a woman is kidnapped and the man has to rescue her. |
Action Hero | Zed is portrayed as an action hero, with his fighting skills, bravery, and willingness to put himself in danger to save others. | This trope is often used in action movies and TV shows to create a character who is strong, brave, and always ready to fight for what's right. A common example of this trope is James Bond. |
Revenge | Eric seeks revenge on those who wronged him, including Zed, whom he believes betrayed him. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a character who is motivated by a desire for revenge. A common example of this trope is The Count of Monte Cristo. |
Heist Movie | The movie follows the planning and execution of a bank robbery by a group of criminals. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a thrilling and suspenseful story about a group of criminals who plan and execute a heist. A common example of this trope is Ocean's Eleven. |
Drug Use and Addiction | Drugs are used by multiple characters in the movie as a means of coping with stress, escaping reality, or enhancing their performance. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a sense of realism or to explore the darker side of human nature. A common example of this trope is Requiem for a Dream. |
Strong Female Character | Zoey is portrayed as a strong and independent woman, who is able to take care of herself and fight for what she believes in. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a character who is not defined by her relationship to a male character and who is able to stand on her own two feet. A common example of this trope is Ripley from the Alien franchise. |
Dark and Gritty | The movie is set in a dark and gritty world, where violence, crime, and corruption are commonplace. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a sense of realism and to explore the darker side of human nature. A common example of this trope is The Dark Knight. |
Violence and Gore | The movie contains graphic violence and gore, including scenes of characters being killed, dismembered, and tortured. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a sense of shock and awe, or to explore the darker side of human nature. A common example of this trope is Saw. |
Redemption | Zed is given a chance to redeem himself for his past actions by helping to stop Eric and his gang. | This trope is often used in movies and TV shows to create a character who has made mistakes in the past but is given a chance to make things right. A common example of this trope is The Shawshank Redemption. |
Theme | Theme Details | Themee Explanation | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chaos and Violence | The film is filled with violence, including shootings, explosions, and beatings. The characters are often in danger, and the world around them is often chaotic. The film explores the effects of violence on individuals and society. | The film suggests that violence is a destructive force that can lead to death, injury, and trauma. It also suggests that violence is often a symptom of underlying social problems, such as poverty, inequality, and injustice. | ||||||||||||
Strengthening Chaos and Violence:
| ||||||||||||||
Love and Relationships | The film explores a variety of relationships, including romantic relationships, friendships, and family relationships. The characters are often struggling to find love and connection in a world that is often chaotic and violent. | The film suggests that love is a powerful force that can help people to overcome adversity. It also suggests that love is often difficult to find and maintain, but it is worth fighting for. | ||||||||||||
Identity and Belonging | The film explores the theme of identity and belonging. The characters are often struggling to find their place in the world. They are often outsiders, and they are often trying to find a sense of belonging. | The film suggests that identity is a complex and fluid concept. It also suggests that belonging is important for people's well-being. | ||||||||||||
Power and Corruption | The film explores the theme of power and corruption. The characters are often struggling to gain or maintain power. They are often willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals, even if it means hurting others. | The film suggests that power can corrupt people. It also suggests that corruption can lead to violence and destruction. | ||||||||||||
Art and Culture | The film explores the theme of art and culture. The characters are often involved in the arts, and they often use art to express themselves. The film also explores the role of art in society. | The film suggests that art is a powerful force that can help people to understand themselves and the world around them. It also suggests that art can be a source of beauty and inspiration. |
Screenwriting Resources on Themes
Articles
Site | Description |
---|---|
Studio Binder | Movie Themes: Examples of Common Themes for Screenwriters |
Coverfly | Improving your Screenplay's theme |
John August | Writing from Theme |
YouTube Videos
Title | Description |
---|---|
Story, Plot, Genre, Theme - Screenwriting Basics | Screenwriting basics - beginner video |
What is theme | Discussion on ways to layer theme into a screenplay. |
Thematic Mistakes You're Making in Your Script | Common Theme mistakes and Philosophical Conflicts |
Voice Analysis | |
---|---|
Summary: | The writer's voice in this screenplay is characterized by its unique blend of languages, cultural references, and subtle humor in dialogue. This voice is further enhanced by the writer's ability to create vivid descriptions of setting and atmosphere, as well as their use of fast-paced action and suspenseful plotlines. |
Voice Contribution | The writer's voice contributes to the script by adding depth and complexity to the characters, creating a sense of immersion in the story world, and keeping the reader engaged throughout the screenplay. |
Best Representation Scene | 3 - A Moment of Understanding |
Best Scene Explanation | This scene best represents the writer's voice because it showcases their ability to create complex and introspective dialogue, as well as their skill in developing nuanced and believable characters. The scene also highlights the writer's use of subtle humor and cultural references, which are key elements of their unique voice. |
- Overall originality score: 8.5
- Overall originality explanation: The screenplay exhibits notable originality in its exploration of various elements. It presents fresh perspectives on character dynamics, cultural exchange, and the heist genre, offering a unique blend of drama, suspense, and dark humor. The unpredictable nature of the plot, combined with the distinct character interactions and motivations, contributes to the overall originality of the screenplay.
- Most unique situations: Some of the most unique situations in the screenplay include: - A cab driver and a foreign passenger engage in a conversation about cultural differences and personal connections. - A hotel bellboy provides a detailed tour of a hotel room, highlighting its amenities and creating an intimate atmosphere. - A character named Eric nonchalantly discusses terrorism with his friend, adding a layer of moral ambiguity to the narrative. - A dead cat and a telephone hanging out of a neighbor's door create a sense of mystery and intrigue, hinting at potential danger or secrets. - A spider monkey dressed in an Uncle Sam costume adds an absurd and unpredictable element to a tense situation. - The depiction of drug use and addiction is handled with a unique blend of realism and emotional depth, showcasing the characters' motivations and inner struggles. - The use of tear gas, machine guns, and hostages in a bank robbery scenario adds an intense and chaotic layer to the heist genre. - The introduction of a character who is a member of a Toy Jazz club in a wine cellar creates a distinctive and unexpected setting for a musical interlude.
- Overall unpredictability score: 9
- Overall unpredictability explanation: The screenplay maintains a high level of unpredictability throughout. The plot takes unexpected turns and subverts expectations, keeping the audience engaged and unable to anticipate the next move. The characters' motivations and actions are often complex and surprising, adding to the overall unpredictability of the story. The combination of unexpected events, moral ambiguities, and psychological twists creates a sense of uncertainty and suspense that drives the screenplay forward.
Goals and Philosophical Conflict | |
---|---|
internal Goals | The protagonist's internal goals revolve around his desire for connection, loyalty to friends, and resistance to destructive habits. |
External Goals | The protagonist's external goals include successfully executing a heist, navigating complex social dynamics, and surviving dangerous situations. |
Philosophical Conflict | The overarching philosophical conflict in the screenplay revolves around morality, criminal activities, and the value of human life in high-stakes situations. |
Character Development Contribution: The protagonist's goals and conflicts push him to make difficult decisions, confront personal demons, and ultimately grow as a character throughout the screenplay.
Narrative Structure Contribution: The protagonist's goals and conflicts drive the narrative forward by creating tension, action, and dramatic moments that propel the story towards its climax.
Thematic Depth Contribution: The goals and conflicts in the screenplay explore themes of loyalty, friendship, power dynamics, moral ambiguity, and the consequences of one's actions, adding layers of complexity and depth to the overall theme.
Screenwriting Resources on Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Articles
Site | Description |
---|---|
Creative Screenwriting | How Important Is A Character’s Goal? |
Studio Binder | What is Conflict in a Story? A Quick Reminder of the Purpose of Conflict |
YouTube Videos
Title | Description |
---|---|
How I Build a Story's Philosophical Conflict | How do you build philosophical conflict into your story? Where do you start? And how do you develop it into your characters and their external actions. Today I’m going to break this all down and make it fully clear in this episode. |
Endings: The Good, the Bad, and the Insanely Great | By Michael Arndt: I put this lecture together in 2006, when I started work at Pixar on Toy Story 3. It looks at how to write an "insanely great" ending, using Star Wars, The Graduate, and Little Miss Sunshine as examples. 90 minutes |
Tips for Writing Effective Character Goals | By Jessica Brody (Save the Cat!): Writing character goals is one of the most important jobs of any novelist. But are your character's goals...mushy? |
- Physical environment: Steeped in the vibrant and distinctive atmosphere of Paris, this screenplay features a diverse array of locations that capture the city's unique character. From the bustling streets and iconic landmarks to the intimate interiors of hotel rooms, apartments, and a converted wine cellar, each setting plays a crucial role in shaping the story's events and characters.
- Culture: The screenplay is rich in cultural elements that reflect the vibrant tapestry of Paris. The mix of French and English dialogue adds authenticity to the setting, with characters embodying the cultural nuances of both worlds. The inclusion of Toy Jazz music, references to French cinema, and the celebration of Bastille Day further immerse the reader in the cultural fabric of the city.
- Society: The screenplay portrays a complex societal structure, exploring themes of violence, crime, and the consequences of one's actions. The characters' involvement in a high-stakes heist and their reckless behavior highlight the dangers and moral dilemmas faced in such situations.
- Technology: Technology plays a vital role in the screenplay, particularly in the context of the heist. The characters' use of blueprints, schematics, electronic devices, and detonators showcases the crucial role technology can play in criminal activities and their pursuit of wealth.
- Characters influence: The world's atmosphere and cultural elements significantly influence the characters' experiences and actions. The chaotic and dangerous nature of the world forces the characters to make difficult choices and confront their own moral boundaries. The cultural nuances and societal pressures shape their interactions and motivations.
- Narrative contribution: The world's elements contribute to the narrative by providing a realistic backdrop for the characters' actions and motivations. The physical environment, such as the labyrinthine bank and narrow streets, adds tension and suspense to the heist sequences. The cultural elements enhance the characters' depth and authenticity, while the societal setting provides a framework for their conflicts and choices.
- Thematic depth contribution: The physical environment, cultural elements, and societal structure in the screenplay collectively contribute to its thematic depth. The claustrophobic and dangerous settings reflect the characters' inner struggles and the consequences of their actions. The cultural nuances explore themes of identity, loyalty, and betrayal, while the societal setting raises questions about morality, justice, and the pursuit of wealth.
central conflict
A group of criminals led by Eric plan and execute a daring bank heist on Bastille Day, but their plan goes awry when a hostage, Zoey, fights back, leading to a violent confrontation with the police.
primary motivations
- The criminals' desire for wealth and freedom
- Zoey's determination to survive and fight for justice
- Eric's complex and volatile personality
catalysts
- Zed's arrival in Paris and his involvement with Eric's gang
- The discovery of the dead cat and phone outside Eric's flat
- Zoey's encounter with Eric and her subsequent resistance
barriers
- The police presence and their efforts to stop the heist
- The internal conflicts within the gang
- Zed's growing disillusionment with Eric's methods
themes
- The destructive nature of greed and violence
- The power of human resilience
- The importance of standing up for what is right
stakes
- The lives of the hostages and the criminals
- The success or failure of the heist
- The future of Zed and Zoey's relationship
uniqueness factor
The film's gritty and realistic portrayal of a bank heist gone wrong, coupled with its exploration of complex characters and moral dilemmas
audience hook
The intense action sequences, the suspenseful plot, and the well-developed characters
paradoxical engine or bisociation
The contrast between the criminals' desire for wealth and their ultimate demise, highlighting the destructive nature of greed
paradoxical engine or bisociation 2
The juxtaposition of Zoey's vulnerability as a hostage with her strength and determination to fight back, showcasing the power of human resilience
Engine: Claude
Consider
Executive Summary
Killing Zoe is a crime thriller that follows Zed, a skilled safecracker, who is recruited by his old friend Eric to participate in a bank heist in Paris. The screenplay explores the complex dynamics between the characters, particularly the relationship between Zed and Zoey, a young artist and escort who becomes entangled in the heist. While the screenplay has strong technical elements and compelling character arcs, it could benefit from a more nuanced approach to the depiction of violence and drug use. Overall, the screenplay offers a solid foundation for a taut, suspenseful crime drama with well-developed characters and an intriguing twist on the heist genre.
- The introduction of the character Zoey and her dynamic with Zed is well-executed, revealing Zoey's complexity and artistic aspirations beyond just being a prostitute. high ( Scene 3 (INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER - DAY) )
- The scene at the Toy Jazz club provides a compelling backdrop and insight into the characters, particularly Eric's musical talents and the group's camaraderie. medium ( Scene 14 (INT. CELLAR - NIGHT) )
- The technical details of Zed's vault-cracking expertise add authenticity and intrigue to the heist storyline. high ( Scene 25 (INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA - DAY) Scene 26 (INT. BANK - VAULT ANTECHAMBER - DAY) )
- The extensive drug use and related content could be toned down or presented with more nuance to avoid feeling gratuitous. medium ( Scene 19 (INT. ERIC'S FLAT - BATHROOM - NIGHT) Scene 20 (INT. ERIC'S FLAT - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT) )
- The violence, particularly the graphic depictions of deaths, could be scaled back to maintain tension without feeling exploitative. high ( Scene 24 (INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY HALL - DAY) Scene 25 (INT. BANK - SUB LOBBY - DAY) )
- More backstory and character development for Zed could be provided earlier in the screenplay to better establish his motivations and connection to Eric. medium ( Scene 1 (INT. TAXI CAB - MOVING - DAY) Scene 2 (INT. HOTEL - HALL - DAY) )
- The relationship between Zed and Zoey could be further explored and developed to strengthen their emotional connection and the impact of their separation. high ( Scene 3 (INT. HOTEL ROOM - LATER - DAY) )
- The revelation that the two vaults are connected adds an intriguing twist to the heist plan and highlights Zed's technical expertise. high ( Scene 33 (INT. CALIBER VAULT - DAY) )
- The confrontation and final showdown between Zed, Zoey, and Eric provides a dramatic and tense climax to the story. high ( Scene 40 (INT. BANK - STORAGE/ELEVATOR AREA - DAY) Scene 41 (INT. BANK - RESERVE VAULT AREA- DAY) )
Engine: Gemini
Consider
Executive Summary
KILLING ZOE is a crime thriller with a strong opening sequence, intense action, and a complex dynamic between the two lead characters. However, the screenplay suffers from uneven pacing, underdeveloped characters, and excessive violence. The ending feels abrupt and leaves some plot threads unresolved. With some revisions and a clearer thematic focus, the screenplay has the potential to be a compelling and engaging story.
- Strong opening sequence introduces Zed and establishes his outsider status in Paris. The encounter with Zoey is well-written and creates a complex dynamic between them. high ( Scene 1 Scene 3 )
- Eric's arrival and the subsequent conflict with Zoey adds tension and reveals the darker side of Eric's personality. medium ( Scene 4 Scene 5 )
- The drug-fueled night in Paris effectively conveys the hedonistic and reckless lifestyle of Eric and his crew. medium ( Scene 10 Scene 11 Scene 12 )
- The bank heist sequence is intense and suspenseful, with the escalating violence highlighting the stakes and the characters' desperation. high ( Scene 25 Scene 26 )
- Zed's encounter with the dying vault guard adds a layer of emotional complexity and raises questions about morality and mortality. medium ( Scene 33 Scene 35 )
- The pacing of the screenplay is uneven, with some scenes feeling rushed while others drag. high
- Some of the characters, particularly Eric's crew, lack depth and development. medium
- The portrayal of drug use and violence is excessive and at times gratuitous. medium ( Scene 13 Scene 22 )
- The motivations of some characters, particularly Eric, are unclear and inconsistent. medium ( Scene 28 Scene 30 )
- The ending feels abrupt and leaves some plot threads unresolved. medium ( Scene 37 Scene 38 )
- A deeper exploration of Zed's background and motivations would enhance his character arc. medium
- More context and development of the relationship between Eric and Zed would strengthen the emotional impact of their conflict. medium
- The screenplay could benefit from a clearer thematic focus. medium
- The screenplay effectively captures the atmosphere of Paris and the seedy underbelly of the city. medium
- The dialogue is often sharp and witty, with a distinct Tarantino-esque flavor. medium
- The use of the film "Nosferatu" as a visual motif adds a layer of symbolism and foreshadowing. low ( Scene 3 )
Memorable lines in the script:
Scene Number | Line |
---|---|
24 | Oliver: Freeze motherfucker! |
25 | Eric: You think we're fucking amateurs? You think we're stupid? I've got news for you...we planned ahead my friend! |
34 | Eric: You want to fuck with me!? I'll show you what happens to people who fuck with me! |
35 | Eric: The fucking police won't budge. I kill a man and they don't care. They say they don't make deals with terrorists. It really fucks up my plan. |
26 | Eric: Oh fuck it doesn't matter! Here you get the death penalty just for robbing a federal bank. |