Everything Everywhere All at Once
Executive Summary
Poster

Overview
Genres: Drama, Comedy, Action, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller, Family
Setting: Contemporary, Various universes and the IRS building
Themes: Reality and Perception, Identity and Self-Reflection, Love and Relationships, Choice and Consequence, Perseverance and Resilience
Conflict and Stakes: The conflict arises from the tension between different universes and the threat posed by Jobu. The stakes are high as Jackie tries to save his daughter and navigate the complexities of the multiverse.
Overall Mood: Tense and surreal
Mood/Tone at Key Scenes:
Standout Features:
- Reality Manipulation: The ability to manipulate reality adds a unique twist to the story
- Multiverse Exploration: The exploration of different universes and their interconnectedness is a standout feature
- Surreal Visuals: The visual elements, such as flying pigs and reality transformations, create a visually stunning experience
Comparable Scripts:
- Inception
- The Matrix
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Stranger Things
- Doctor Strange
- The Adjustment Bureau
- The Truman Show
- Cloud Atlas
- Mr. Nobody
- The Butterfly Effect
Writing Style:
The writing style of the entire screenplay is characterized by a blend of humor, philosophical exploration, and unconventional storytelling techniques. It often delves into existential themes, challenges the protagonist's beliefs and worldview, and incorporates elements of fantasy and surrealism.
Style Similarities:
- Charlie Kaufman
- Christopher Nolan
Pass/Consider/Recommend
Consider
Explanation: The screenplay has a unique concept with the exploration of multiple universes and the concept of verse jumping. The scenes effectively set up conflicts and develop character arcs, with notable emotional moments and themes of identity and morality. However, there are areas that require further development and clarification, such as providing more information about the great evil and establishing the stakes of the multiverse. The transitions between universes and the emotional impact of certain events could be smoother. Overall, the screenplay has potential but would benefit from further refinement and exploration of its themes and narrative elements.
USP: This script offers a unique and innovative exploration of quantum physics, multiple universes, and the concept of infinite possibilities. It combines elements of action, comedy, drama, and romance to create a compelling and thought-provoking storytelling experience. The distinctive characters, innovative storytelling techniques, and unexpected twists make this script stand out from others in its genre. It will captivate its target audience with its blend of humor, suspense, and emotional depth. The script's exploration of complex themes and its ability to seamlessly shift between different universes make it a compelling and memorable piece of storytelling.
Market Analysis
Budget Estimate:$30-40 million
Target Audience Demographics: Adults aged 18-45, fans of science fiction, fantasy, and mind-bending narratives
Marketability: The unique blend of genres and exploration of reality manipulation will attract fans of science fiction and fantasy
The diverse cast and compelling storyline will appeal to a wide audience
The mind-bending narrative and exploration of existential themes will generate buzz and critical acclaim
Profit Potential: Moderate to high, with potential for strong box office performance and potential for awards recognition
Analysis Criteria Percentiles
Writer's Voice
Memorable Lines:
- Jobu: Your concept of infinity- is- still- way- too- fucking- small- (Scene 1)
- Jackie: I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! (Scene 9)
- Jackie: I'm killing them... With kindness. (Scene 27)
- JACKIE: Please, remember me like this. As a hero. (Scene 19)
- Jackie: Now that you and I are no longer married and are just two nothing people sitting at a nothing table, what do you want to do? (Scene 28)
Characters
Jackie:A laundromat owner who becomes the central figure in a multiverse-spanning adventure
Winona:Jackie's partner who supports him throughout his journey
Jobu:A mysterious woman with reality-manipulating abilities
Desmond:Jackie's colleague who becomes a threat
Joy:Jackie's daughter who is caught in the chaos of the multiverse
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 - Reality Manipulation and a Mysterious Encounter | Serious, Mysterious, Intense, Humorous | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
2 - Overwhelmed with Taxes | Stressed, Desperate, Frustrated, Hopeless, Resigned | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | |
3 - Divorce Preparations and Confusion | Awkward, Playful, Tense | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
4 - Betrayal and Attack | Suspenseful, Serious, Mysterious | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
5 - Meltdown in the Audit | Tense, Humorous | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
6 - Escape and Betrayal | Tense, Emotional, Confused, Impressed, Love | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
7 - Escape and Verse Jumping | Suspenseful, Humorous, Mysterious | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
8 - Desmond's Chase and Jackie's Leap | Intense, Suspenseful, Dramatic | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
9 - Jackie's Desperate Escape | Terror, Confusion, Determination, Disappointment | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | |
10 - Jackie's Emotional Overwhelm and Reunion with Winona | Intense, Emotional, Suspenseful | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
11 - Jobu's Transformation | Terrified, Panic, Threatening, Enjoying, Overwhelmed | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
12 - Verse Jumping Chaos | Confusion, Desperation, Shock | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
13 - Revelations and Conflicts | Tense, Emotional, Confrontational | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
14 - The Helmet of Universes | Intense, Emotional, Serious | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
15 - Confrontation and Connection | Intense, Serious, Emotional | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
16 - The Battle of the Break Room | Intense, Humorous | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
17 - Confrontation on the Rooftop | Intense, Humorous, Dramatic | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
18 - Jackie's Journey through Universes | Intense, Heartfelt, Humorous | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | |
19 - The Shocking End | Intense, Emotional, Confused, Bittersweet | 9 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
20 - Jackie's Surreal Journey through Universes | Confusion, Shock, Humor | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | |
21 - Jackie Pig's Chaotic Journey to his Daughter's Wedding | Dramatic, Humorous, Surreal | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
22 - The Battle of Morality in Multiple Universes | Emotional, Reflective, Tense | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
23 - Jackie's Chaotic Journey Through Alternate Universes | Overwhelmed, Chaotic, Confused, Hurt, Honest | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | |
24 - Reflections and Peace | Reflective, Melancholic, Regretful, Peaceful | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
25 - Reflections by the Stream | Serene, Emotional, Reflective, Humorous | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
26 - A Sudden Realization and a Tearful Reunion | Emotional, Intense, Reflective | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
27 - Jackie's Kindness Triumphs in Multiple Universes | Intense, Emotional, Whimsical | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | |
28 - A Pacifist Battle and a Fresh Start | Emotional, Whimsical, Reflective | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | |
29 - Reconciliation at the IRS Office | Triumphant, Serene, Nostalgic, Playful | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
Scene 1 - Reality Manipulation and a Mysterious Encounter
typical disinterested class of undergrads. On the board,
Jackie is illustrating the classic double-slit experiment.
He is drawing a wave-like pattern.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
... So when the photons pass
through the two slits without an
active observer we get an
interference pattern suggesting
they are waves. Now, what happens
when we bring an outside observer-
let’s say a camera, Devon?
Devon is sleeping. A classmate smacks him in the back.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
That’s right, Devon. Through the
simple act of observing the
experiment, the photons are now
behaving as if they are distinct
particles...
Prof. Jackie begins drawing random dots all over the board
while looking at his students.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
Not only does this discovery
eventually pave the way for the
entire field of Quantum Physics,
but it also throws into question
everything we believed to be true
about-
His students break out in LAUGHTER. He scans the room for
the distraction. He looks back at the chalkboard and
discovers that his ’random’ particles have formed the
distinct shape of a penis on his chalkboard.
Prof. Jackie frantically erases the photons. He tries again
but despite his best efforts he forms another penis. His
face is stoic.
Instinctively, he looks over his shoulder and finds someone
standing in the doorway- a young Asian woman.
The blood leaves Jackie’s face.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
Class is dismissed.
No one moves.
2.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
I said class is dismissed!
Prof. Jackie throws on a blue-tooth earpiece as a diligent
student approaches his desk with a question.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
Just check the portal for your
homework, Gary! Leave! Go!
(into earpiece)
She’s here.
EARPIECE VOICE (O.S.)
Get out of there! Now.
Everyone leaves the classroom as the Asian woman, JOBU
TUPAKI, slowly takes a seat in the front row, plopping her
book bag on the desk beside her.
Prof. Jackie looks at the door, then at Jobu. He suddenly
doubles over from a severe headache. He gasps and sits down
at his desk. He looks exhausted. Tired of running.
EARPIECE VOICE (O.S.)
No. What are you doing? Run Jackie,
we can’t afford to lose-
He pulls out the earpiece and places it on the desk.
EARPIECE VOICE (O.S.)
Jackie... please...
The room is now empty and completely quiet. They sit across
from each other in silence. Jobu examines him.
JOBU
(deadpan)
I liked your lesson. Totally blew
my mind.
Prof. Jackie whips a handgun out of the desk drawer and
fires directly at her head! Jobu sighs.
click, click, click, click, click- all duds.
Jackie looks at his gun in disbelief.
Amused, Jobu pulls out her phone to search something.
JOBU
Do you know what the chances are of
a factory produced .38 round being
a dud?
3.
(beat)
Woah. 1/100,000.
Jobu walks over and gently takes the gun.
JOBU
That makes 5 misfires in a row...
one in one hundred thousand billion
billion. So what are the chances-
(points gun at Jackie)
-of a 6th misfire-
PROFESSOR JACKIE
I’m not playing your games anymore.
She cocks the gun.
JOBU
What are the chances?
PROFESSOR JACKIE
Joy, I know how scary it can be,
knowing all that you know, but you
are forgetting there is still so
much beauty. So much hope.
Jobu rolls her eyes and drops the gun on the ground.
She grabs the professor by the hair and slams his head on
the desk. Then again. And again. Again!
PROFESSOR JACKIE
Agh! What are you doing?!
JOBU
I’m trying to show you something.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
(between impacts)
What? That up is down, and pigs can
fly? The universe is infinite, I
get it, okay?
With each word, she slams his head into the desk again.
JOBU
No. you don’t. Your concept of
infinity- is- still- way- too-
fucking- small-
Suddenly Prof. Jackie’s head floats through his wooden desk.
With his eyes wide open, he passes through the wood without
harming himself or the desk. How? He crumples to the floor.
4.
A shivering mess, he feels his face and reaches up to touch
the underside of the desk.
JOBU
1 in a million trillion trillion.
PROFESSOR JACKIE
What?
JOBU
That’s the probability of every
atom in your head tunneling through
every atom of your desk, and coming
out the other side whole.
Jobu tosses her book bag on the ground then rubs it’s back.
She flips it around, and suddenly it’s a pot bellied pig.
Prof. Jackie finds the handgun on the ground next to him and
examines it curiously. He places it against his temple.
JOBU
Sorry, you’re not the one.
The pig unfurls beautiful wings and Jobu flies up through
the skylight of the classroom.
BANG. Prof Jackie’s hand falls limp next to the bluetooth
earpiece.
EARPIECE VOICE (O.S.)
No! Shit! She got another one...
We follow Jobu through the skylight and suddenly she is:
INT. MULTIVERSE TRAVEL - VARIOUS
We travel with her from universe to universe.
INT BAR riding on a mechanical bull, her eyes scan the bar,
searching for something, then flies off-
EXT OCEAN flying through the air as a cliff diver passively
observing the divers below- still looking...
EXT STREET a mid air stunt woman on a commercial set-
EXT SUBURBAN HOME a bird smacking against a window
INT TRAMPOLINE PARK a circus clown who lands on the
trampoline and bounces to her feet-
5.
EXT CITY STREET a gutter punk who hops over a puddle and
looks around. She see’s another version of Jackie in a
coffee shop sweeping up some spilled sugar packets. She is
looking for something in Jackie, but she shakes her head and
plops down on a bus stop-
Becoming more versions of herself in more unexpected
places. Flash. Flash. Flash. Until:
INT. JOY’S APARTMENT
Jobu lies in bed with a sleeping woman watching TV on their
laptop. Her phone phone BUZZES on her nightstand with a
call from "DAD." She picks up.
JACKIE OS
Hello? Joy?
(pause)
If someone calls from the IRS, can
you please say you are still
working at the laundromat? I, um,
forgot to change some small
paperwork and now the government is
causing trouble. Hello?
Jobu listens intently.
JACKIE OS
(Chinese)
Joy, I don’t know what you want me
to do. You never call. You don’t
come to see us. Your mother is very
upset. I know you are mad at us,
but we are your parents-
Jobu hangs up. She looks at the phone and shakes her head
no. Suddenly her head drops forward before snapping back up
like she was dosing off. The woman, BECKY turns in bed.
BECKY
Who was that?
Jobu looks at the phone as if she doesn’t remember talking
on the phone.
JOBU
What?
BECKY
Didn’t someone call?
6.
JOBU
No, you must have been dreaming.
She rolls over in bed and puts an arm around Becky.
ON BLACK
TITLE: "PART 1: EVERYTHING"
Ratings
Scene 2 - Overwhelmed with Taxes
JACKIE CHAN, in sweat pants and a over-sized polo
shirt, hangs up the phone. The years have not been kind to
this Jackie. All around him, years of tax documents and old
receipts threaten to drown him in his overpopulated
apartment.
Jackie puts down the phone and simmers. After a beat, he
shoots out of his chair and throws on his jacket.
WINONA
What’s wrong?
WINONA, big perm and an unnecessary amount of make-up for
doing taxes, sits on the other side of the paperwork. When
they speak to one another its in Cantonese with pieces of
broken English thrown in for emphasis.
JACKIE
Everything’s fine. I’m just going
over there to talk to her in
person.
WINONA
You’re just going to lecture and
get into a fight-
Jackie slams his palms onto the table causing a pile of
receipts to topple over. He looks up from his wife to the
crowded wall behind her filled with pictures of their
daughter, framed children’s drawings, and report cards. He
forces a laugh and smiles.
JACKIE
No, there is nothing to fight
about.
WINONA
I know how worried you are about
Joy, but you have to concentrate
right now if we’re going to finish
this today.
7.
Jackie relents. He sits down and picks up a receipt. He
stares right past it for a long beat.
And then a DOORBELL RING. Jackie looks at the security
footage on their TV and sees a laundromat customer
downstairs is pressing their assistance button. He gets up
and rushes out the door.
Winona is left to deal with the taxes. She sighs: typical.
MONTAGE - VARIOUS
INT. LAUNDROMAT - Jackie is holding up a shrunken sweater as
he is berated by an angry customer.
INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM - Winona nods along as Jackie
passionately tells Winona the story, but not actually doing
any tax work of his own.
JACKIE
... You know me, I always mix the
two words. "He", "she", "he",
"she". In Chinese, there is only
one word, so simple. Everything
here is so messy. Boys wearing
make-up, girls with shaved heads...
INT. LAUNDROMAT - Jackie is waving goodbye to some customers
as they leave, when he suddenly remembers something.
JACKIE
Wait! I need you to review us. Give
us 5 stars. Please.
CUSTOMER
Um, okay...
The customer is about to leave. Jackie steps between her and
the door. His smile glows with desperation.
JACKIE
Great. Can you do it right now?
CUSTOMER
Right now?
JACKIE
I have written a sample review in
case you don’t know what to say.
Jackie holds up a sample script.
8.
INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM - Winona is watching a Chinese
Soap Opera on T.V. and tearing up. Jackie sits down about to
start working on the taxes again. Winona smiles up at him,
but all he offers back is a distracted nod. They hear an
elderly voice coming from the other room.
ELDERLY VOICE (O.S.)
Son... son...
INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN - Jackie is feeding his catatonic
father, YIEH YIEH, who is muttering to himself in Cantonese.
YIEH YIEH
What am I doing in this horrible
country? I could be home... I could
be buried next to me father...
INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM - Back in the dining room.
WINONA
What did your father want?
JACKIE
He was hungry.
RING. Jackie and Winona look at each other. What is it now?
EXT. LAUNDROMAT - Jackie approaches a homeless man
panhandling outside of his laundromat in his underwear.
JACKIE
Excuse me, sir. You can’t be
here...
An awful smell causes Jackie to recoil. The man’s soiled
pants sit nearby on the sidewalk. Jackie looks at the man
and sighs.
INT. LAUNDROMAT - The homeless man is wearing a robe while
Jackie is throwing the homeless man’s dirty clothes into the
washing machine.
INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM - Winona watches from upstairs
through the security footage. It breaks her heart a little.
END OF MONTAGE
9.
INT. APARTMENT DINING ROOM - EVENING
Jackie finally sits down across from Winona. The day has
worn him down.
WINONA
I think I’m almost done, I just
have a couple questions about-
JACKIE
What is this?
Winona senses there is going to be trouble. They both try
their best to remain civil as Jackie rifles through stacks.
WINONA
I think some things were in the
wrong group.
JACKIE
No, no, no. I’m going to have to
re-sort everything.
WINONA
Jackie, this is why we are being
audited. You’re trying to deduct
things like- karaoke machines,
kitchen knife sets-
JACKIE
We’re being audited because they
are targeting immigrants, I read
about it just yesterday-
Winona gets up and enters the kitchen to avoid an argument.
Jackie is too focused on the paperwork to notice. Winona
comes back with a pot of tea and some snacks.
WINONA
Look, if we’re going to have to
stay up all night, maybe we can do
it together. It’ll be like college.
Winona puts her hand on Jackie’s shoulder. Jackie doesn’t
even look up from the paperwork.
JACKIE
No. It’s okay. You know I usually
work better alone. I promise it’ll
be sorted out in the morning.
He pulls away from her hand. Winona has had enough. She sets
the tea on the table and walks away to her bedroom.
10.
Jackie takes a deep breath and looks over at the clock:
12:12am. He picks up receipt and holds it over one pile but
hesitates. He holds it over another and does the same.
He looks at the clock again: 3:00AM. He looks down at his
hand and instead of holding a receipt he is now watching a
YouTube video about African Pigs. He slams his head on the
desk. Trying to contain his fury, he mimes flipping the
table.
He pulls out his phone and dials in a number. He’s become
desperate.
JACKIE
(English)
Hi, I need help. I don’t know what
I’m doing. Every time I think I
know what to do, the rules change,
and I’m lost again. My heart. It’s
tired. Two by-pass surgeries. Two
of them. I can’t afford another
one. I could have been a great
writer. Or maybe chef with his own
restaurant. But, no. This is how I
waste away my life. I just need to
know. Is it all worth it?
There is a pause on the other side of the phone.
PHONE OPERATOR
Of course its worth it! For only
69.99, TurboTax is a steal, when
you think of all of the time you
will save. No headache, no hassle!
Would you like to sign up for the
current tax year?
JACKIE
No, I’m being audited. The past 5
years. And I don’t know what to do.
PHONE OPERATOR
Oh, so you’re a returning customer
asking about our Audit Insurance
policy?
JACKIE
No.
PHONE OPERATOR
Oh, I’m sorry. We can’t help you
with that, but if you want to avoid
being put in this situation again
we can get you signed up for a-
11.
Jackie hangs up. Everything hurts. He pulls out his
prescription pills, pops one, swallows without water.
FADE TO:
INT. CHAN APARTMENT BATHROOM - MORNING
Jackie sits on the toilet with the seat cover down. All we
hear is the sound of an empty shower RUNNING. Piles of
paperwork cover the floor and counter of the tiny bathroom.
He picks up a receipt and carefully converts a handwritten
"1" into a "7".
INT. CHAN APARTMENT - SIMULTANEOUS
Meanwhile, in the other room, we see Winona is adding sticky
notes to the only paperwork worse than taxes. Divorce
papers. The notes show her husband where to sign. She stands
up and walks to the door with a sigh.
INT. CHAN APARTMENT BATHROOM - SIMULTANEOUS
Jackie gives up. He piles the paperwork into his briefcase.
He flushes the toilet and stands by the door.
Ratings
Scene 3 - Divorce Preparations and Confusion
Winona approaches the door, silently rehearsing to herself
what she is going to say.
SPLITSCREEN: INT. APARTMENT/INT. BATHROOM - SIMULTANEOUS
Jackie and Winona are standing on opposite sides of the
door, both paralyzed. They take turns reaching for the door.
Winona goes to knock, Jackie reaches for the knob. They both
pull back. They both inhale at the same time.
And then suddenly:
JACKIE WINONA
Winona, I need to tell- Jackie, we need to talk-
12.
Winona reaches for the knob, just as Jackie pushes open the
door. The door slams into Winona’s face. She YELPS in pain,
drops the divorce papers, and slams the door shut which now
smashes into Jackie’s face as well, causing him to drop his
briefcase, sending the tax paperwork everywhere.
Both their noses are bleeding, blood dribbling onto the
paperwork.
INT. CHAN APARTMENT - BATHROOM - SIMULTANEOUS
Jackie turns on the sink quickly and scrambles to throw the
paperwork back into the briefcase before she comes in. He
stuffs toilet paper up his nose.
JACKIE
Sorry! Don’t come in yet.
INT. CHAN APARTMENT - SIMULTANEOUS
Winona is doing the same, scrambling to pick up the divorce
papers. She stuffs a tissue up her nose
WINONA
That’s fine! Take your time!
SPLITSCREEN: INT. APARTMENT/INT. BATHROOM - SIMULTANEOUS
JACKIE
Did I hit you with the door?
WINONA
No, no. It was just... a chair was
in the way.
JACKIE
Okay, good. Good.
They both manage to hide their respective papers and sit on
the floor exhausted, holding their noses.
WINONA
We should go. We’re going to be
late.
JACKIE
Yeah, we’re going to be late.
They both sit there a little longer.
13.
INT. CAR
Jackie and Winona sit in silence as Jackie drives. In their
own worlds. They eat noodles out of tupperware at the
stoplight.
WINONA
Hey. I know I had my doubts about
you preparing all of the paperwork
on your own, but I’m proud of you
for following through this time.
JACKIE
Don’t think of it. Caring for you
and the family is my duty.
They both smolder in the silence.
INT. IRS BUILDING LOBBY - LATER
Jackie and Winona walk in silence.
Winona eyes an elderly couple in front of them. They are
holding hands. Adorable. The couple stops by the restrooms.
She hands him her purse and they kiss before she enters the
restroom. Double Adorable.
Winona looks down at her hand that is only a few inches away
from Jackie’s. Distracted by his own thoughts, Jackie shifts
his briefcase to the hand closest to Winona’s. She crosses
her arms.
They enter the elevator.
INT. IRS ELEVATOR - THAT MOMENT
As the elevator doors close, Winona’s head snaps forward and
she springs into action. She pulls out an umbrella from her
over-sized purse and opens it up. The open umbrella covers
the security camera in the corner of the elevator.
JACKIE
(Chinese)
What are you-
WINONA
(English)
There is no time to explain. You
are in grave danger. Hold this.
14.
She shoves the umbrella into his hands. She rummages in her
purse and pulls out two out-dated blue tooth ear pieces and
places one in each of Jackie’s ears. She opens up a compact
mirror and twists one side, turning on a futuristic looking
interface. The blue tooth devices turn on and emit a
sweeping array of light that scans his head.
WINONA
We need to get you out of here
without attracting any unwanted
attention, so pay close attention:
When we leave this elevator, you
can either take a right towards
your scheduled audit appointment,
or you can take a left and go into
the janitor’s closet. Do not go
into the janitor’s closet.
JACKIE
Why would I go into-
WINONA
Not now.
She shuffles through her purse and pulls out a pen and some
papers with blood stains on them: the divorce papers.
Before Jackie can realize they are divorce papers, Winona
begins rapidly writing on the back.
JACKIE
Wait-
WINONA
Once you are situated in the
meeting, follow these instructions,
but remember: act normal. We can
not risk them finding us here.
She places the divorce papers with newly written
instructions into his hands.
JACKIE
But I-
WINONA
Shhh...
She places a hand gently on his cheek. She takes a moment to
look at him lovingly. Jackie shrivels under the intimacy.
Her mirror BEEPS: "100% SCAN COMPLETE"
15.
She twists the mirror shut. She closes the umbrella and
shoves everything into her purse.
She stands up straight as if nothing has happened.
WINONA
(side of mouth)
Talk to you soon.
Her head goes limp.
DING. The elevator door opens.
Winona’s head lifts up and she looks around disoriented.
WINONA
(Chinese)
Wow... what a fast elevator...
She walks out, leaving Jackie grasping for understanding. As
he leaves, his gaze lingers on the janitor closet to his
left.
INT. CUBICLE 9TH FLOOR - MORNING
The back of the crumpled divorce papers lay in Jackie’s
hands under a desk.
The first line reads: "1. Switch shoes to the wrong feet."
DESMOND (O.S.)
Mr. Chan... did you hear me?
Jackie hides the instructions in his lap and looks up.
DESMOND, a glistening, round IRS Tax Auditor in a cheap
suit, is poking at a calculator with one hand and squeezing
a hand grip strengthener in the other. Desmond stares at
Jackie, waiting for a response. Winona gives Jackie a look.
JACKIE
I’m sorry. Could you repeat the
question?
WINONA
I’m sorry, my husband, he is, how
do you say? Head in clouds? To
answer your question: Yes, that is
clear.
16.
DESMOND
Good.
JACKIE
(Chinese)
What is clear? What was the
question?
WINONA
Shhh...
Desmond scoffs at a receipt and shakes his head in disbelief
before placing a big red sticky note on the receipt and
placing it in a pile of other similarly marked receipts.
JACKIE
What does that pile mean?
DESMOND
We’ll get to them soon enough.
He takes a big swig from a canned protein shake before he
looks at another receipt, and rolls his eyes at it before
throwing it in the same pile.
Winona looks over at Jackie discouraged.
Jackie’s eyes fall on his shoes. He makes sure no one is
paying attention. He unties his shoes, and slowly slips both
feet out. He switches his shoes and reties them.
He sits up straight as his eyes scan the room to make sure
he wasn’t noticed. He reads the next instruction: "2. Close
eyes, imagine you are in the janitor’s closet."
Jackie takes a moment to digest this next instruction. He
shakes his head and laughs at himself. He closes his eyes.
We see an imagined POV of the closet door.
Suddenly the bluetooths in his ears VIBRATE and and a green
light blinks on.
He looks down at the final instruction: "3. Hold that
thought and press the green button. P.S. Don’t forget to
breathe."
Jackie breathes in and presses the button-
Like the sudden sensation of falling, Jackie finds himself
shooting past cubicle after cubicle across the entire floor.
He crosses through the janitor’s closet door and finally
stops abruptly inside the closet.
17.
INT. JANITOR’S CLOSET / CUBICLE SPLIT SCREEN - THAT MOMENT
The small closet is cluttered and dimly lit.
In a split screen we see half of Jackie is in the closet,
the other half is still in the tax audit. He looks all
around him in both worlds. What just happened?
Note: this split-screen continues for the rest of the scene.
INT. CUBICLE:
JACKIE
What is happening?
Desmond looks up, clearly frustrated.
DESMOND
I already told you... <continues to
speak indiscernibly>
Ratings
Scene 4 - Betrayal and Attack
around. It’s Winona.
WINONA
Shhhh... Don’t talk. Act like
everything is normal. Try to go
into autopilot.
INT. CUBICLE: Jackie’s tense body begins to relax as he
tries an innocent smile towards his wife. Desmond continues
to ramble.
INT. JANITOR’S CLOSET:
WINONA
They do not know I’m talking to you
here yet, so hopefully I’ll have
time to explain: I am not your
wife. At least not the one you
know. I am another version of her
from another life path, another
universe. I’m here because we need
your help.
JACKIE
What the hell?
Winona covers Jackie’s mouth.
WINONA
There is a great evil that has
taken root in my world and has
(MORE)
18.
WINONA (cont’d)
begun spreading its chaos
throughout the many verses. I have
spent years searching for the one
who might be able to match this
great evil with an even greater
good and bring order back to the
multiverse. All those years of
searching have brought me here. To
this universe. To you.
Jackie takes a moment to digest this information.
WINONA
I know its a lot to take in right
now but I need you to- <continues
to speak indiscernibly>
DESMOND (O.S.)
Mr. Chan... Hello?
INT. CUBICLE: Winona’s voice slowly fades away and the
split-screen focuses on what is happening in the cubicle.
DESMOND
Mr. Chan... Mr. Chan!
Jackie takes control of his body again in the tax meeting.
JACKIE
Yes! Yes I am here.
DESMOND
Mr. Chan I’m sure you have a lot on
your mind, but I cannot imagine
anything mattering more than this
conversation we are having right
now concerning your tax liability.
JACKIE
I know, I know. I am paying
attention.
DESMOND
Good. Then, can you explain this?
Desmond places a receipt on the table. Jackie looks at it.
JACKIE
Wait, what are we talking about?
19.
WINONA
(Chinese)
God, the building could be burning
and you’d still be stuck in your
own head.
DESMOND
I was just hoping you could
enlighten me on how, as a
laundromat owner, a karaoke machine
would constitute as a business
expense?
Jackie shrinks in embarrassment.
JACKIE
(meekly)
I am a singer.
DESMOND
What?
JACKIE
I. am. a. singer.
Desmond scoffs and shuffles through a pile of forms,
referencing them at random.
DESMOND
I see, and apparently you are also
a novelist, a part-time teacher, a
chef, a motivational speaker...
<continues to speak indiscernibly>
WINONA (O.S.)
Hey!
INT. JANITOR’S CLOSET: Jackie’s attention is back in the
closet.
WINONA
Did you just miss everything I just
told you? I can’t afford to go over
it all again right now!
JACKIE
I’m sorry could we do this some
other time? I need to make sure the
government doesn’t take our
apartment.
(thinking)
Unless, you have a way to help me
fix my tax liability.
20.
Winona grabs him by the shoulders and pulls him in.
WINONA
I know you have a lot of things on
your mind, but nothing matters more
than this conversation we are
having right now concerning the
fate of your universe.
(she leans in)
My dear Jackie, I know you. You’re
reaching your twilight years. You
want to be able to look back and
say you did it right. You made a
difference. And with every passing
year, you fear that possibility is
slipping away. Well, now is your
chance. This is your moment. Don’t
let anything distract you from it.
Jackie turns towards these words like a flower to the sun.
He can’t help but glow.
INT. CUBICLE: Jackie smiles even in the cubicle.
DESMOND
Oh, so you think this is funny?
INT. JANITOR’S CLOSET: A loud BOOM shakes the door. Someone
is trying to get in.
WINONA
(gravely)
They know I’ve made contact.
JACKIE
What are they going to do?
WINONA
They are going to kill us.
JACKIE
What?!
Jackie quickly picks up a broomstick and moves away from the
door. Winona grabs him to calm him down.
WINONA
Do not worry, this is just a burner
universe we are using for
communication. The real you is
still sitting in that cubicle.
Suddenly a fist bursts through the door sending splinters
everywhere. It grabs Winona’s face.
21.
WINONA
(calmly)
One day it will be your time to
fight, but until then, get out of
here. Stay low and out of sight. I
will be in contact soon. Trust no
one.
Another fist bursts through. Both hands grab hold of her
head and SNAP HER NECK. She falls over dead.
The hands open the door. They belong to Desmond. Only he is
different. He is robotic and precise in his movements.
He punches a hole in the wall and pulls out a metal pipe.
JACKIE
No! NO! NO!
Desmond hits Jackie’ across the face with a deadly KLUNK. As
his head snaps to the side, the split screen swings away:
Ratings
Scene 5 - Meltdown in the Audit
Jackie’s head snaps to the side as he SCREAMS.
JACKIE
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
He slowly opens his eyes and realizes he is still in the
audit. Everyone in the office is looking at him.
DESMOND
Good lord.
WINONA
Is everything okay?
Jackie stands up.
JACKIE
Yes, yes of course, everything is
very very okay. But I think I have
to go. I forgot something at home-
DESMOND
Sit down.
Jackie meekly smiles. He looks from Desmond to Winona,
checking to make sure they are really Desmond and Winona.
Jackie sits. Desmond leans in suspiciously.
22.
DESMOND
Is there something you’re not
telling me, Mr. Chan?
JACKIE
Of course not, me? I am a book that
is very open. Nothing to hide.
DESMOND
You think I’m stupid.
JACKIE
No of course not.
Jackie looks to Winona for guidance. She looks just as
scared. Jackie’s body tenses as he clenches his fist below
the desk. Desmond takes his time with his words.
DESMOND
You know, people look at me, and
hear what I do for a living, and
they think "numbers guy, how
boring." But when I look at this
sea of digits and decimals, I see a
story: a dramatic retelling of your
year- no, your life.
He holds up their tax returns and flips through the pages.
Jackie is mostly noticing sharp objects that could be used
as weapons: scissors, a trophy, a letter opener.
DESMOND
So when I start seeing these red
flags pile up, they stop looking
less like mistakes, and start
looking like a man desperate to
hide something- Do you know how
these types of stories end, Mr.
Chan.
JACKIE
I’m sorry, what are you saying?
DESMOND
I’m saying that either you’re
absolutely delusional, or you are
committing fraud to my face.
Jackie quickly pulls out his phone and translates
"delusional". Jackie stands up angrily.
23.
JACKIE
I am not delusional-
Winona grabs his hand and sits him down in his chair. The
divorce papers fall from his pocket onto the ground.
WINONA
Sorry, my husband confuses his
hobbies for businesses. An honest
mistake!
Jackie looks at his wife, hurt. She ignores him.
DESMOND
With this many ’honest mistakes,’
even if you aren’t charged with
fraud, we’ll still have to fine you
for gross negligence.
WINONA
We don’t understand how this all
works, but we are learning. Please
let us go home and fix this. Can we
reschedule?
Desmond crushes his protein shake bottle. Jackie clenches
his fists in anticipation.
DESMOND
Tomorrow morning. 9am. Last chance.
WINONA
Thank you. 9am. Thank you.
As they slowly get up and leave the cubicle, Desmond’s stare
never leaves Jackie.
As Winona grabs her purse, she sees the divorce papers that
fell out of Jackie’s pocket. She picks them up, confused.
Ratings
Scene 6 - Escape and Betrayal
Jackie briskly pulls Winona towards the elevator
periodically looking behind his shoulder.
JACKIE
We have to get out of here.
Meanwhile, Winona looks at the unsigned divorce papers and
stops in her tracks. She puts her hand over her mouth.
Jackie stops and looks past Winona to see Desmond charging
out of his cubicle in their direction. He’s coming for them.
24.
WINONA
(whispered)
I understand why you were acting so
strange. I’m sorry you had to find
out like this.
JACKIE
What are you talking about?
Winona holds up the divorce papers. From Jackie’s
perspective all he sees are the written instructions, from
Winona’s perspective she sees divorce papers.
JACKIE
You know about this?
WINONA
Of course... this came from me.
JACKIE
What do we do now?
WINONA
We cannot avoid having this fight.
JACKIE
Right now?
WINONA
What else is there to do? We can’t
just run away from this. I’m sorry.
Jackie looks behind Winona and sees Desmond is getting
closer. He understands. He stops and turns to Winona.
JACKIE
Winona, I know that I’ve let you
down in so many ways over the years
that you’ve stood by my side. You
must see me as failure, both as a
father and a husband.
Winona leans in close. Her eyes begin to water.
JACKIE
And that’s why I’m going to prove
you wrong.
WINONA
What...?
Jackie pushes past Winona and PUNCHES Desmond in the face.
Desmond’s body crumples on the ground.
25.
WINONA
What are you doing?!!
Jackie sees Desmond is holding Jackie’s briefcase that he
had left behind. The triumphant look on Jackie’s face fades
away as he begins to realize he has made a grave mistake.
Desmond cowers in fear with his hands over his head. People
run over to see what the commotion is about.
DESMOND
Help! Call security!
Jackie looks at Winona hoping for some clarity.
WINONA
Jackie... You can’t just hit
people!
JACKIE
You told me to do it!
WINONA
Are you CRAZY?!
JACKIE
I never want to hurt anyone. You
said its time to fight!
WINONA
I was talking about us.
Winona lifts up the crumpled up divorce papers.
JACKIE
(reading)
"Dissolution of marriage"?
DESMOND
(oh phone)
Yes! I’m on floor 7. I don’t know
what he wants, I don’t know if he’s
armed...
Desmond has a phone pushed to his ear as he pulls tissues
from a box and begins to wipe his bleeding nose.
Jackie grabs Winona’s shoulders and begins moving them away.
Bystanders watch cautiously as they tip-toe by.
JACKIE
Who gave you those?
26.
WINONA
Nobody gave them to me. We’re not
happy, Jackie.
Jackie and Winona walk briskly towards the elevator.
JACKIE
Your sister gets divorced and now
you think divorce is okay!
WINONA
I don’t think it’s okay!
JACKIE
Then what are you doing? We love
each other! Right?
Winona stops, forcing Jackie to turn around.
WINONA (CONT.)
Jackie... I just wish you and I...
She slowly lowers her head as if to hide her tears.
Suddenly Winona’s head shoots up. Her eyes penetrate
straight through Jackie and she switches back to English:
WINONA
(English)
I told you to stay low and out of
sight.
Winona grabs Jackie and they run towards the elevators.
JACKIE
I thought they were after me!
WINONA
You’ll know when they’re after you.
Winona rapidly taps the elevator call button.
The elevator door opens. It’s filled with security guards.
WINONA
They’re after you.
DESMOND (O.S.)
That’s him. The Chinese guy!
Desmond stands with an accusatory finger aimed at Jackie.
One security guard slowly exits the elevator with a hand on
his holster and the other hand cautiously reaching out.
27.
GUARD
Everyone remain calm. I’m going to
need you two to lie down on the
ground with your hands behind your
head.
Jackie obediently begins to lie down.
Winona reaches down and takes Jackie’s blue tooth from his
ears and places them in her own. She does not lie down.
GUARD
Ma’am, please comply. We do not
want any trouble.
Winona reaches into her purse. The security guards all draw
their weapons.
She pulls out her lipstick. The guards all relax.
GUARD
Whatever you are thinking about
doing, don’t do it.
She pops open the lipstick cap, twists it to fully extend
the stick, and then she eats the whole thing.
GUARD
Ma’am...?
She chews and chews. The guards all lower their guns,
confused
The bluetooth VIBRATES and glows GREEN. She presses the
button. Her head snaps back as if kicked back by a shotgun.
She opens her eyes and flashes a devious smile to Jackie.
A security guard walks over and reaches to grab her arm.
GUARD
Okay, that’s enough-
Winona suddenly grips his arm and snaps it behind his back.
He falls to his knees in pain. She axe kicks his head.
Just as the guards are about to fire their pistols. She
swings her leg in a large arc, knocking their guns from
their hands. As they charge in to grapple her and take her
down with their batons, she deftly fights her way out of the
tangle. All of a sudden, she is an incredible fighter.
From the floor Jackie watches in SLOW MOTION, as his wife
fights off every last guard. Confused. Impressed. In love.
28.
Winona knocks the last guard out. Everyone is frozen unsure
of what to do.
Suddenly an ALARM begins to blare across the entire
building. Everyone begins to frantically run for an exit.
Jackie stands up panicked and confused.
JACKIE
Do you really want to divorce me?
Winona slaps him.
WINONA
I’m not the Winona who wants to
divorce you, I’m the Winona who is
saving your life.
She picks him up like a fireman and runs away.
WINONA
But, you should just try to be
nicer to the Winona who wants to
divorce you. She’s going through a
lot right now.
CLOSET UNIVERSE - INT. JANITOR’S CLOSET
Jackie and Winona’s dead bodies lie in a pile on the floor.
A small boot steps into the foreground. Its Jobu. She looks
down at the bodies. She reaches down and pulls the earpiece
from Jackie’s ear and examines it.
Behind her, Desmond stares ominously at the evidence.
JOBU
Not this one.
Jobu tilts her head back. She can hear something: THE
GARBLED SOUND OF A FUZZY RADIO SIGNAL.
Jobu rotates her head and Click! Click! click! We wind
through different universes:
CLICK - She’s stuck in traffic.
CLICK - She’s working as a barista at a cafe.
CLICK - She’s in her apartment with her wife eating lunch.
The FUZZY RADIO SIGNAL suddenly becomes clear:
29.
Ratings
Scene 7 - Escape and Verse Jumping
NEWS ANCHOR (ON TV)
... while there have been reports
of several injuries, there has
still been no word on who was
behind the attack and what their
motives may have been...
Jobu’s head turns sharply in the direction of the TV.
On the TV, we can see a helicopter shot of crowds of people
exiting the IRS Building.
BECKY
Can we turn that off? I’m sick of
all this bad news, every single-
Jobu abruptly stands up and leaves her half eaten sandwich
on the table. She marches towards the door, scooping up
their orange house cat, LINUS, on her way out.
BECKY
Where are you going?
JOBU
(without looking)
Don’t follow me.
She’s out the door.
Becky runs to the window and watches in horror as Jobu steps
onto their cat’s back, and pulls it’s tail up, shape
shifting it into a handlebar shape.
With a rev of Linus’ tail, the cat’s mouth opens, a jet of
fire bursts from his throat, and Jobu rockets off down the
street.
Becky looks on in disbelief.
INT. IRS 9TH FLOOR HALLWAY - LATER
Winona is pulling Jackie along through the hallway. They are
passing small groups of frantic civilians running to safety.
JACKIE
But my wife never learned to fight.
WINONA
Not in this life.
30.
JACKIE
So you know how to fight?
WINONA
Not in my life either.
JACKIE
How many Winonas are there?
WINONA
A lot. I know it gets confusing.
You can call me Alpha Winona, I’m
from the Alphaverse.
JACKIE
Alphaverse? That sounds stupid.
ALPHA WINONA
You were the one who came up with
the name, remember? How much of my
speech in the closet did you
actually hear?
JACKIE
(lying)
Most of it.
Winona suddenly stops at a corner and puts her hand up.
She’s listening to something.
She starts doing a dance. The Y.M.C.A to be exact.
She closes her eyes, presses the greet blue tooth button.
ALPHA WINONA
Two guards coming up the stairs.
Try to blend in.
JACKIE
What-
ALPHA WINONA
(pretend screaming)
Oh my god, oh my god, what is
happening?
Out of nowhere, a group of frantic civilians run past Winona
and Jackie. Winona grabs Jackie, still screaming, and joins
the group.
A door opens and two guards come running up the stairs. They
run right past the group, not noticing Jackie and Winona.
31.
As soon as the guards pass out of sight, Winona stops
screaming and pulls Jackie into a cubicle.
INT. IRS 9TH FLOOR CUBICLE - CONTINUOUS
Winona is frantically searching the desk drawers for
something.
JACKIE
Alpha? I don’t remember naming
something Alphaverse.
ALPHA WINONA
Not you here. My Jackie. From my
universe.
The camera pushes into Winona’s head: We zoom through
countless universes until we reach:
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
In a chair with an array of wires and cables flowing from
every angle, sits Alpha Winona. She pulls out a locket on
her necklace. Inside is a photo of Jackie. He’s got the
Steve Jobs glasses and turtleneck look.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.)
You were a brilliant man in my
world. But most people thought you
were crazy.
OFFICER #1
Setting course for another local
jump. Stand by for trajectory.
We reveal a dimly lit room filled with computer screens and
wires. A handful of people move from console to console,
pulling levers and switching knobs. It looks less like a
sci-fi movie and more like the back of a Radioshack. We see
an ever changing flow of data and graphics on the screens.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.)
In your search to prove the
existence of other universes, you
discovered a way to temporarily
create a link between your
consciousness and that of another
version of you, a counterpart in
another universe. While this
connection was maintained, you had
access to all of their memories,
(MORE)
32.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.) (cont’d)
their skills, even their emotions.
You were in two places at once.
INT. IRS 9TH FLOOR CUBICLE - PRESENT UNIVERSE
JACKIE
Like the Janitor’s closet.
ALPHA WINONA
Exactly. It’s called Verse Jumping.
She finds an egg timer and twists it. It begins ticking as
she sets it down. She reaches under the desk feeling around
for something.
JACKIE
Did I come up with that name too?
ALPHA WINONA
That doesn’t matter right now.
Winona finds a piece of chewed up gum stuck under the desk.
She eyes it for a moment before popping it in her mouth.
Jackie is appalled.
She closes her eyes and presses the blue tooth.
ALPHA WINONA
(spitting out gum)
There is an empty office three
doors to the right, we run when I
say go.
Jackie backs away from her frustrated.
JACKIE
No! This is crazy... Why can’t your
Jackie do this?
ALPHA WINONA
My Jackie is dead.
Winona looks down for a moment. Beat.
ALPHA WINONA
Go.
JACKIE
What?
33.
Winona runs out of the cubicle. Jackie follows behind. They
enter into an office three doors down, just as another group
of security guards sweep past.
INT. IRS 9TH FLOOR OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Jackie and Winona are lying under a desk just inches away
from each other. Winona stares into Jackie’s eyes lovingly.
He quickly looks away.
JACKIE
How did I die?
ALPHA WINONA
I’ve seen you killed a thousand
ways. In a thousand universes.
JACKIE
Why? Who wants me dead?
ALPHA WINONA
An evil interversal being with an
unimaginable power, Jobu Tupaki.
JACKIE
Are you just making up words now?
Winona puts her hand on Jackie’s lips.
BANG. Down the hallway, a door is kicked down.
Jackie and Winona both go quiet.
BANG. Another one. Closer. Winona doesn’t seemed fazed.
Jackie can see boots through the crack of their office door.
They are about to open the door.
Suddenly a RINGING sound. It’s the egg timer. The boots all
leave the door.
Winona gets up and drags Jackie out the door. They run into
a stairwell.
INT. IRS STAIRWELL
They can hear police down the stairwell. They speak in
hushed whispers:
34.
ALPHA WINONA
We’ll have to find another exit.
Winona heads up the stairs. Jackie chases after her.
JACKIE
Wait. I don’t understand- why is
someone hunting me down?
ALPHA WINONA
I’ve been trying to answer that
question for years.
She opens the door to the next floor.
Ratings
Scene 8 - Desmond's Chase and Jackie's Leap
The stairwell door slams shut behind them to reveal:
DESMOND
There you are.
Desmond stands behind them. He is wearing his own modified
bluetooth headset.
JACKIE
Oh, Mr. Desmond, I’m sorry I was
very confused before and-
Desmond picks up a post-it note and staples it to his
forehead. Jackie recoils.
JACKIE
What’s he doing?
ALPHA WINONA
He’s verse jumping. Run!
Desmond closes his eyes, clicks his GREEN blue-tooth. His
head cocks back. He opens his eyes and flips a table with
incredible strength.
Alpha Winona pushes a cabinet down in their way and they
begin to run.
The camera pushes into Winona’s head-
35.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
Everyone is jumping to their battle stations. The energy is
frantic.
OFFICER #1
He jumped somewhere: brute force.
Sumo wrestler? Body Builder?
ALPHA WINONA
Doesn’t matter. Counter with
someone agile.
We see a screen with a cluster of circles each representing
other universes. The interface rapidly scans the circles.
Three or four begin to blink.
OFFICER #2
On your outskirts we’ve got break
dancer, mime, gymnast-
ALPHA WINONA
Give me gymnast! Go!
On the screen, we see rapidly flashing images of gymnasts.
OFFICER #1
Calculating route...
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Meanwhile, Alpha Winona and Jackie search for
cover. Desmond flings cubicle walls and desks aside looking
for them.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
On one of the screens, we see random paths from a central
circle to a highlighted circle that reads "Gymnast". The
various paths flash rapidly like lightning bolts on the
screen. Finally one path solidifies. "ROUTE FOUND"
OFFICER #1
Paper cuts. Four of them between
each finger.
36.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Winona spots some paper hanging from a bulletin board. She
rips some off and continues to run.
She starts trying to slice paper cuts in between her
fingers. But it’s not working.
ALPHA WINONA
Paper cuts only happen when you
aren’t trying. It’s impossible.
OFFICER #1 (O.S.)
Probability of 1 in 8 thousand.
It’s the strongest jumping pad
we’ve got.
Frustrated, Alpha Winona gets down on one knee and begins
concentrating on giving herself a paper cut.
JACKIE
What are you doing??!
SLICE. One down.
Desmond is closing in on them.
SLICE. Two down.
Desmond picks up a computer monitor and throws it. It barely
misses Jackie’s head.
JACKIE
Come on! We have to run.
SLICE. Three down.
Winona is struggling with the last paper cut.
SLICE. That’s four. Winona closes her eyes, the blue tooth
turns GREEN. Winona is about to press the button.
Desmond catches her hand just before she can hit it. He
lifts her tiny body up in the air with one arm.
He slowly plucks each blue-tooth out of Winona’s ears and
they tumble to the ground. Winona struggles to get out but
there’s no use, he has the grip of an arm wrestler.
He opens the door to a nearby staircase and throws her down
the stairwell. He shuts the door and pushes a large filing
cabinet in front of the door.
He turns. Jackie is all alone.
37.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
OFFICER #1
He’s gotta run.
ALPHA WINONA
Maybe he can jump. Somewhere he can
fight.
OFFICER #2
He’s not ready. A jump like that
will fry most people’s brains.
ALPHA WINONA
He’s not most people.
INT. STAIRWELL
Winona is trying to push through the door. It won’t budge.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Jackie is crawling on his hand and knees through the
cubicles. Desmond has lost sight of him for the time being.
Jackie’s phone vibrates. Winona is calling him.
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Jackie! Can you hear me? You’re
going to have to jump. You’re going
to have to fight.
JACKIE
No, no more fighting. Can’t we just
talk?
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Jackie! You are in a war now! You
can’t just kill the bad guys with
kindness!
Jackie lets this sink in. He spots the two blue-tooths on
the floor. He picks them up and places them in his ears.
JACKIE
Okay.
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Concentrate on a universe in which
you stuck with martial arts your
whole life.
38.
JACKIE
I only took three classes when I
was little boy!
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Just do it!
Jackie closes his eyes.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
On one of the screens we see rapidly flashing images: Kung
Fu masters, a baby crying, a deer in the headlights, etc.
OFFICER #2
He’s not concentrating. I’m having
trouble locking in on the verse.
The lightning strike patterns of paths begin blinking across
the screen. "CALCULATING PATH".
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
As Jackie heads for a hallway, a desk crashes into the wall
blocking his path. Jackie turns and runs the other way.
JACKIE
(to Winona)
I’m gunna press the button.
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Wait! You have to profess your love
to Desmond.
JACKIE
What? Why?
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
It’s like eating the lipstick. Or
switching your shoes.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
On the screen we see the highlighted path through the foam
of bubbles. We see the center universe marked Point A
(Current Verse) where Jackie is. Far outside from the
Current Verse is a highlighted universe marked Point C
(Fighter Universe). Along the path, on the outside of the
local cluster, is Point B (A Universe where Jackie professes
his love to his Attacker).
39.
ALPHA WINONA VO
It takes an immense amount of
mental energy to jump to far
universes. But you developed an
algorithm that calculates which
unlikely actions will suddenly put
you in a universe on the edge of
your local cluster, giving you the
momentum needed to reach your
desired counterpart. It’s your
jumping pad.
Ratings
Scene 9 - Jackie's Desperate Escape
Jackie is quietly crawling through the cubicles, as Desmond
stalks through the floor like a minotaur in his maze.
JACKIE
That doesn’t make any sense!
ALPHA WINONA
Exactly. The less sense it makes,
the better. Tell him you love him.
And mean it!
Suddenly Desmond’s foot steps right in front of Jackie’s
face. Jackie looks up at Desmond in terror.
JACKIE
(meekly)
I love you?
The earpiece blinks YELLOW. Jackie goes to press the button.
ALPHA WINONA
Wait! Jackie don’t-
Jackie pushes the button.
Jackie’s mind launches out the building and we land in the
car with Jackie and Winona driving home.
TAXES UNIVERSE - INT. CAR [SPLIT SCREEN]
Jackie and Winona are sitting in a car. Jackie suddenly
realizes he is driving the car and swerves off into the
breakdown lane.
WINONA.TAXES
What are you doing?!
Jackie chokes on his words.
40.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
ALPHA WINONA
Where is he? Did he make it?
ON SCREEN: We see the moment in the Audit where Jackie drops
the divorce papers on the floor, only this time they never
fall and Winona never sees them.
OFFICER #1
He’s in a divergent universe: he
went home after the audit without
an incident.
ALPHA WINONA
(gravely)
He’s going home to finish his
taxes.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR [SPLIT SCREEN]
Jackie panics and tries to punch Desmond. Desmond easily
catches his wrist and twists it. Jackie screams out in pain.
He laughs and slaps Jackie in the face over and over.
TAXES UNIVERSE - INT. CAR [SPLIT SCREEN]
Jackie tries to conceal his pain.
WINONA.TAXES
I didn’t mean to spring it on you
like this. Are you okay?
JACKIE.TAXES
(strained)
Everything is fine.
WINONA.TAXES
I’m sorry, I had to do it like this
because you never tell me whats in
your head... and before we get a
chance to talk about it, you get
pulled away by something else-
An arm grabs Jackie’s collar and pulls him away-
41.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Desmond lifts Jackie over his own head like a professional
wrestler. He throws Jackie through a cubicle wall. He rolls
onto the floor, the wind is knocked out of him. The blue
tooth light goes out: he’s disconnected. The split screen is
gone.
Jackie realizes he is right next to the stairwell that
Winona is trapped in. Jackie rolls over and begins to push
the cabinet out of the way from the door.
ALPHA WINONA
I’m sorry, Jackie. I gotta go.
JACKIE
What?
INT. STAIRWELL
Winona has her hand pressed against the door gently.
ALPHA WINONA
I need to find the right Jackie.
And this one... I don’t think its
the one. Sorry.
Jackie pushes the cabinet away.
JACKIE
Wait, no! Let me try again!
He swings open the door. He sees Winona standing in the
stairwell. She looks utterly confused.
WINONA
(Chinese)
Jackie! What’s going on?
Alpha Winona is gone. Jackie shakes his head. He can hear
Desmond approaching. He quickly pushes Winona back into the
stairwell and shuts the door tight.
WINONA
Jackie! Your face.
Jackie’s nose is bleeding and his face is bruised.
JACKIE
You left me. You just left me.
42.
WINONA
I haven’t left you yet. I just want
to talk about it.
JACKIE
That’s not what I’m talking about.
WINONA
What are you talking about?
There is a loud BANGING on the door.
WINONA
What did you get us into this time?
Her look of pained disappointment stabs Jackie in the heart.
His bluetooth begins to malfunction and flash GREEN:
TAXES UNIVERSE - INT. CAR [SPLIT SCREEN]
Jackie is back in the car.
WINONA.TAXES
I was just really hoping we could
finish this audit without the usual
back and forth. Without all the
pain. But I don’t know why I
expected this time to be different.
Jackie looks down at the folded divorce papers he hides.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Jackie looks up at Winona with a new determination.
JACKIE
I know what you think of me.
WINONA
What are you talking about?
JACKIE
You’re wrong. This time is
different.
He kicks open the door.
Jackie turns to see Desmond leap off a desk and straight
into the air right towards Jackie.
On his knees he finally gives in.
43.
JACKIE
(like a prayer)
I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!
The blue-tooth turns GREEN. He presses the button.
A shock goes through Jackie’s brain. Just as Desmond’s knee
is about to make contact with Jackie’s nose, time slows down
to a crawl.
The camera patiently pushes into Jackie’s head: The camera
moves through countless universes and stops:
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT LIMOUSINE
The Martial Arts Super Star Jackie lounges in his limo with
a handful of handlers.
Jackie rapidly downloads all of the memories that
Jackie.Fighter has had since their significant life branch
occurred.
IN A QUICK SEQUENCE OF SHOTS, THE CAMERA IS PUSHING THROUGH
VIGNETTES AS IF A TRAIN GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL. WE SEE:
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT. HONG KONG AIRPORT - 1970S
Jackie and Winona, in their early 20’s, Winona has her bags
packed and ready to go.
WINONA
Can’t you see it? How wonderful it
would be if you came with me?
The screen fractures like a prism, and we see two options:
one universe where Jackie follows her, and one where he
doesn’t.
We follow the universe in which Jackie.Fighter doesn’t:
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT. HONG KONG BAR - LATER
Jackie.Fighter is in a bar, getting drunk by himself.
Someone knocks their bag into his head as they are walking
by. Jackie.Fighter gets up and drunkenly pushes the man
down. Cut forward in time:
Jackie.Fighter is lying in the dirt outside bleeding.
A foot steps into frame. Jackie looks up to see an old man
with a long beard: classic Kung Fu Master. He beckons.
44.
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - EXT. WOODS - LATER
Jackie.Fighter is going through all of the classic training
montage moments: carrying buckets of water up and down a
mountain, doing push ups, breaking clay pots with his fists,
but its as if a movie is being fast forwarded.
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT. KUNG FU COMPETITION
Jackie.Fighter executes a perfect kick to his opponents
face. SMASH CUT TO:
He is being honored with a medal. He looks at his Master
with a great pride. His Master bows his head. A man with a
cigar and sunglasses seems very impressed.
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - SUPER STAR MONTAGE
A montage of Jackie.Fighter working with the sunglasses man
on a film set. Then another one and another one. We see a
montage of Jackie Chan’s classic Chinese films.
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT. HONG KONG BEDROOM - LATER
Many years have passed and now the Master is on his death
bed. Jackie.Fighter huddles near the bed, holding his hands.
MASTER
... never forget why you fight...
The Master breathes his last breath. We push into
Jackie.Fighter’s head:
Ratings
Scene 10 - Jackie's Emotional Overwhelm and Reunion with Winona
We are back in the original Universe. Not even a second has
passed since Jackie first connected. Time is frozen.
A single tear is suspended from his eye.
Jackie’s fists close tightly, and he inhales.
TIME RESUMES LIKE A SLAP TO THE FACE.
In one fluid motion, Jackie side steps the knee, and calmly
grabs hold of Desmond’s arm mid-air. He slams him to the
ground.
Jackie looks at his hands. It worked.
45.
Desmond attempts to grapple him to the floor, but Jackie
easily dodges the advance and kicks him with such a force
that Desmond is sent sliding across the floor, head first
into a filing cabinet. Desmond’s body lays limp on the
ground.
Jackie disconnects from the other universe and breathes
heavily. Winona cannot process what she just saw her husband
do. She runs over and lifts him up.
WINONA
Why did you... how... are you
crying?
Jackie bursts into tears.
JACKIE
I saw my life... without you... I
wish you could have seen it...
Winona is drawn in.
JACKIE (CONT)
... it was beautiful.
Winona pulls back to look him in the eyes. She begins to say
something, but her head falls forward and snaps back up.
Alpha Winona has returned.
ALPHA WINONA
Stay calm. This is completely
normal. Your brain is under an
incredible about of stress.
JACKIE
Wait... let me finish with my wife-
Alpha Winona pulls him in and rubs his back like a baby.
ALPHA WINONA
Shhh, You’re not thinking straight.
JACKIE
No, I was saying something
important-
Suddenly Jackie hears VOICES. The bluetooth glitches. His
eyes wince in pain-
46.
TAXES UNIVERSE - INT. CAR
Jackie is suddenly sitting in his car parked in front of
their laundromat. Winona sits next to him waiting for an
answer.
WINONA.TAXES
You finally have something to say?
Jackie looks at her confused. Winona waits.
JACKIE.TAXES
Um. Let’s just finish our taxes.
And then we can talk about it with
clearer minds-
Disappointed, Winona opens the door. Flashing lights hit
Jackie’s face. We hear ROARING CROWDS, Jackie feels a fierce
migraine pulse through his head:
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT. STADIUM
Jackie looks and finds himself in front of a massive crowd.
In the center of the stadium is a boxing ring.
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Jackie... Jackie!
A hand grabs him and spins him around-
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR - ORIGINAL UNIVERSE
Alpha Winona grabs him and pulls him closer.
ALPHA WINONA
Are you with me?
JACKIE
I thought I was disconnected... why
am I still there?
ALPHA WINONA
Most people don’t verse jump that
far without months of training.
JACKIE
What?
ALPHA WINONA
Your mind’s like a clay pot. Every
jump opens another crack- something
(MORE)
47.
ALPHA WINONA (cont’d)
will inevitably leak through. With
enough training, you should be able
to block it all out.
JACKIE
But, what if... I need to go back?
Alpha Winona looks him sternly in the eye. And slaps him
repeatedly.
ALPHA WINONA
SHUT IT DOWN. SHUT IT DOWN. ARE YOU
WITH ME? ARE YOU WITH ME?? COME
BACK!!!
JACKIE
I’m with you, I’m with you!
Alpha Winona regains composure. Jackie is terrified.
ALPHA WINONA
You cannot think about those other
lives like that. You are only using
them to acquire special skills. Do
you understand?
As Jackie nods, Desmond begins to stir. Jackie picks up a
potted plant to smash it on his head. Winona stops him.
DESMOND
What is happening... where is
everyone?
JACKIE
He doesn’t remember?
Alpha Winona quickly takes an extension cord and begins
tying Desmond up.
DESMOND
Hey man... I’m sorry about before,
during that meeting, I can get a
little aggressive sometimes...
ALPHA WINONA
The man you were fighting wasn’t
Desmond, your auditor.
JACKIE
Another Desmond from another
universe, like you?
48.
ALPHA WINONA
Another universe, overtaken by Jobu
Tupaki. She has used her great
power to brainwash entire
populations into doing her bidding.
They can be anyone: your neighbor,
the bus driver, your auditor. This
man is just a pawn in their game.
She finishes tying him up.
JACKIE
And so is my wife?
ALPHA WINONA
You have to remember, we are
fighting a war, and sometimes that
requires us to stoop down to their
level and- <continues to ramble>
Jackie hears the CHEERING crowd from the stadium. He looks
past Alpha Winona and sees into the stadium. He shakes his
head and tries focusing on Alpha Winona. But the CHEERING
comes back.
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - INT. STADIUM [SPLIT SCREEN]
He is back in the stadium in the middle of a press
conference. Suddenly everything goes quiet in Jackie’s head.
Someone has just walked in: Winona.
Jackie can’t help but be pulled in: The camera spins around
Jackie’s head. He is completely in this universe now.
Winona is smartly dressed, confident in her stride. Their
eyes lock. Time slows. Romantic Music begins to play.
JACKIE.FIGHTER
Winona...
He hasn’t seen her in 40 years and a hole in his chest has
just been reopened. Jackie walks off the stage towards
Winona. He pushes his way through the crowd.
Everyone is staring at them.
JACKIE.FIGHTER WINONA.FIGHTER
What are you- What are you-
JACKIE.FIGHTER WINONA.FIGHTER
I’m sorry, you go- Wait, you go-
49.
They both shut up and stare at the floor. They laugh.
WINONA.FIGHTER
I didn’t mean to interrupt... its
just, it’s so good to see you,
really... I saw your face on a
billboard and... I’m sorry this is
silly...
JACKIE.FIGHTER
What?
WINONA.FIGHTER
I was just curious to see if you
still remembered me...
A hand grabs Jackie shoulder. It’s his AGENT.
AGENT
What are you doing? Come on! We got
a show to put on.
Jackie waves him away.
JACKIE.FIGHTER
Hold on.
AGENT
(through teeth)
Do you realize how many strings I
had to pull to make tonight happen?
He drags Jackie away. Jackie looks back but Winona is gone.
ALPHA WINONA (O.S.)
Jackie! JACKIE!
He looks behind him:
Ratings
Scene 11 - Jobu's Transformation
Jackie is back in the IRS building. Alpha Winona looks at
him terrified.
ALPHA WINONA
Did you hear what I just said?
JACKIE
Of course.
50.
ALPHA WINONA
Then SHOOT!
Jackie looks down at his hands. He is now holding a giant
futuristic gun made of office products. What?
He looks up and sees an entire SWAT team approaching them
with their guns raised. WHAT?
SWAT LEADER
I said drop your weapon!!
ALPHA WINONA
Don’t listen to them Jackie!
Jackie drops the gun in panic. Alpha Winona dives for the
gun. She fires the gun, but only a flag that says "BANG!"
comes out.
JACKIE
What just happened?
ALPHA WINONA
(petrified)
She’s here.
Two small boots stalk across the hallway. It’s Jobu. She is
carrying her orange cat and calmly walking towards them.
JACKIE
Joy?
Jackie recognizes his daughter, JOY. He can’t turn away.
ALPHA WINONA
She’s found us. We have to go. NOW!
Alpha Winona drops the gun and begins to run away.
SWAT OFFICER
(to Jobu)
Miss, you can’t be up here.
JOY
You have to be more clear: "can’t"
is such a... fluid word. Is it that
I am not able to be here or that I
am not allowed to be here?
Jobu slowly slides her boot across the floor and taps the
ground with her toe.
51.
JOBU TUPAKI
It seems physically possible for me
to be here, so...
The SWAT Officer has no patience for this.
SWAT OFFICER
Okay, that’s enough. You and your
cat gotta go...
He reaches out to grab her arm. She pulls away.
JOBU TUPAKI
Hey, you can’t do that.
SWAT OFFICER
I am able to, and I am allowed to
because it is within my duty to-
JOBU TUPAKI
(threatening)
Believe me, you can’t.
The SWAT Officer reaches for his handcuffs with one arm and
tries to grab her with his other. But before he can touch
her, she throws her cat in the air. The cat catches onto her
forearm, locking its legs around her wrist, with its tail
facing out. Jobu pulls on the tail, unsheathing a long
blade. She plunges the blade into the policeman’s gut.
SWAT OFFICER
Why did you stab me with a cat?
JOBU TUPAKI
Because I can.
He falls to the ground. The cat falls off her arm and starts
licking the guy’s face. Jackie’s brain is broken.
SWAT OFFICER
Fire!!
JACKIE
No!!!
The SWAT team all fire. Bullets fly.
Jobu falls to the ground and moves like a crazy drunk
person. Somehow erratic movements are helping her dodge
every bullet. She swings her cat by the tail, transforming
it into a long medieval chain and ball, that she uses to
knock the guns out of the hands of the SWAT officers. She
lets go of the tail, and the cat becomes a cat again,
clawing at the face of one of the unarmed officers.
52.
Jobu sweep kicks two officers off their feet. While she is
on the ground, two more men approach her from either side,
swinging batons which she catches and turns into large
dildos. She spins the toys around, and shoves them into
their Adam’s apples with a loud crunch, they both fall on
the ground gasping.
Alpha Winona grabs Jackie’s arm but he doesn’t want to
leave.
JACKIE
How... is Joy doing that?
ALPHA WINONA
That’s not your Joy anymore...
she’s a monster now. I was going to
tell you.
Jackie doesn’t want to believe it.
Linus the cat comes sauntering back with a large ammunition
clip in his mouth.
Jobu shoves the ammunition clip into Linus’ butt and
stretch’s the cat’s legs out straight like a gun. She kneels
down beside Desmond and pats him on the head.
JOBU
Oh sweetie, thanks for the help,
but I won’t be needing you here
anymore.
DESMOND
What- what are you?
Jobu cocks her cat gun. She aims it a Desmond. Jackie grabs
her hand at the very last minute. Desmond is shot in the
leg.
DESMOND
Owwww!
JACKIE
Stop! Why do you do this, Joy?
JOBU
Why does anyone do anything?
JACKIE
I raised you better than this.
53.
JOBU
No. No you didn’t.
She raises her gun to shoot Desmond in the head. Jackie
knocks the gun down. Desmond gets shot in the leg again.
DESMOND
Owww!!! The same hole!?
ALPHA WINONA
Jackie, come on!
Jackie plants his feet.
JACKIE
All I ever did was give you the
best I could. You know I love you
even though you are a gay.
Jobu stares down her dad.
JOBU
You’re still hung up on the fact
that I like girls?
(in his face)
The universe is much bigger than
you realize Dad. I’m not really gay
anymore.
(Chinese)
I’ve fucked everything.
JACKIE
You show some respect!
JOBU
You’ve fucked everything too. Men.
Dogs. Cars...
Jobu picks up a picture frame and transforms it into a
picture of Jackie posing lovingly with Chris Tucker, a dog,
a car.
JACKIE
Never.
Jobu smirks. She’s enjoying this. The picture flickers and
becomes a stack of books, a swarm of bees, a baby pig, a
watermelon.
JOBU
In this very moment, there’s a
world where you’re having
intercourse with this watermelon.
54.
Jackie begins to step away from the melon.
JACKIE
That can’t be true.
(to Alpha Winona)
Can it?
Alpha Winona can’t give him an answer.
She rotates it to reveal a 2 inch hole. Jackie shakes his
head, but he can’t look away. He is almost hypnotized.
JOBU
Don’t be ashamed. You’re a hero. In
that universe, fucking this
watermelon is the right thing to
do.
JACKIE
That doesn’t make any sense!
JOBU
You’re starting to get it.
Jackie’s mind is overwhelmed. A fly BUZZES by. Something
leaks through:
TAXES.UNIVERSE - CHAN APARTMENT
Jackie swats a fly. Winona reads aloud at the computer.
WINONA
It says here, an activity is
considered a business only if it
makes a profit during at least 3 of
the last 5 tax years-
JACKIE
Shhhhhhh. Not now!
Ratings
Scene 12 - Verse Jumping Chaos
Jackie shakes the leak and approaches Jobu.
ALPHA WINONA
What are you doing?
JACKIE
I am going to talk some sense into
my daughter.
55.
ALPHA WINONA
Jackie, she can’t be reasoned with.
Jackie has an idea.
JACKIE
Then I’ll verse jump. Somewhere
where I am very very good at
talking. And I will touch my
daughter’s heart. And then maybe
she will no longer be an evil gay.
Alpha Winona is bewildered. Jackie closes his eyes to
concentrate. It doesn’t work-
TAXES.UNIVERSE - CHAN APARTMENT
Jackie glances out the window, avoiding Winona’s glare.
WINONA
Why are you acting like this?
JACKIE
I don’t need extra rules! You’re
complicating things. I have a
simple plan.
Jackie sees a picture on the wall of Joy as a child. Beside
the photo is a child’s drawing of a man with wiggle worm
fingers, autographed "JOY." Jackie reaches for his head like
he has a migraine.
FIGHTER UNIVERSE - STADIUM
Jackie is standing across from another younger fighter. An
announcer holds a microphone in front of his face.
ANNOUNCER
So Jackie, do you truly believe you
can win this fight against a man
half your age, at the prime of his
career?
There are flash bulbs going off all around him. He is
looking through the crowd, searching for Winona. There’s a
guy selling hot dogs.
56.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Jackie looks up. Alpha Winona is now standing between Jackie
and Jobu, concerned.
ALPHA WINONA
Jackie, please. You can’t just jump
without a guided trajectory, you
can end up anywhere-
Jackie pushes her aside. He places his hand over the blue
tooth.
ALPHAVERSE - In the control room, we see flashes of images
on the screen: a clenched fist, hot dogs, Joy’s portrait,
Joy’s childhood drawing, back to a fist, etc.
WINONA
Your mind is already too fragile-
JACKIE
I LOVE YOU.
Jobu is momentarily confused. Winona reaches out.
ALPHA WINONA
No! Jackie that’s not how it works-
Jackie presses the blue tooth. His head cocks back.
Both his hands go limp as if they have been pumped full of
anesthesia. He tries to punch Jobu, but his floppy fingers
just enter the watermelon hole.
JACKIE
EW! EW! EW!
ALPHA.VERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
ALPHA WINONA
Where did he jump?!
OFFICER #1
He’s off the fucking map.
HOTDOG.UNIVERSE - CHAN APARTMENT
Jackie stands in front of a full length mirror in a suit
with an untied tie. He lifts his hands into frame. His
fingers are floppy hot dogs. Jackie cannot comprehend it.
57.
He tries to tie his tie but his boneless fingers just push
it around. His frustration builds.
Winona leans in the doorway. She has hot dog hands as well.
WINONA
Jackie, why are you-
JACKIE
Not now.
WINONA
But you-
JACKIE
I SAID NOT NOW!!
ALPHA.VERSE - CONTROL ROOM
OFFICER #1
Mam. He’s jumped to a universe
where everyone has hot dogs instead
of fingers.
OFFICER #2
An evolutionary branch in the
anatomy of the human race?
EXT. CRAGGY MOUNTAIN TOP (ALA 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY)
TITLE: 20,000 B.C.
A monkey with floppy hot dog fingers murders a full fingered
monkey with a rock. Other monkeys hoop and scream.
OFFICER #2 (VO)
That jump would fry most people.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.)
Like I said, he’s not most people.
The fingered monkey’s outstretched hand falls limp.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Jackie stumbles back into a desk. He tries to catch himself
but his fingers are useless and he crumples onto the floor.
58.
JACKIE
This was just a drawing you did
when you were a kid.
JOBU
It’s like you said. It doesn’t make
sense. None of it does.
Jobu stands over Jackie with her cat gun.
JOBU
If it makes you feel any better. In
another universe. I’m not about to
kill you.
She cocks her cat gun: chk-chk-meow.
A foot flies into frame and kicks the cat into the air. It’s
Alpha Winona.
ALPHA WINONA
Go! Now!
She turns to punch Jobu, but Jobu catches her wrist easily.
JOBU
(looking deeply in her eyes)
Hi mom.
Jobu takes her finger and places it on Winona’s forehead.
Winona is petrified.
JOBU
Which mom are you?
She lifts her head to tune into a unheard frequency. CLICK,
CLICK, CLICK. She’s gone.
Joy lifts her head. It’s normal Joy. She looks around
confused.
JOY
Mom? Dad? What the fuck is
happening? Where am I?
ALPHA WINONA
Oh no...
59.
ALPHA.VERSE - CONTROL ROOM
Alarms are flashing, there is a distant explosion / rumble.
Officer #1 is looking at a monitor of chaos outside.
OFFICER #1
She’s found us. She’s here.
Ratings
Scene 13 - Revelations and Conflicts
Alpha Winona turns to Jackie.
ALPHA WINONA
Get us as far away from her as you
can. I’ll be back.
She hangs her head and snaps back as normal Winona.
WINONA
What just happened?... Joy? What
are you doing here?
Joy is scrolling through her phone: Missed calls and
messages.
JOY
I have no fucking clue!
WINONA
Watch your language!
JOY
(on phone with wife)
Hey, yeah, I’m fine, I just... I
don’t know what’s happening.
Jackie grabs Winona’s arm.
JACKIE
We have to go. Come on.
WINONA
No. What about Joy?
JACKIE
(whispered to Winona)
She’s not who you think she is.
Ignoring Jackie, Winona approaches her daughter.
60.
WINONA
Joy? Who is that you’re talking to?
JOY
Just come pick me up and we’ll
talk. I’m - um - where are we?
WINONA
The IRS building, your dad has got
us all into another huge mess.
JACKIE
This isn’t my fault!
JOY
The IRS building apparently.
WINONA
Who are you talking to joy?
Winona reaches for Joy’s phone. Joy pulls the phone away but
she’s too slow.
WINONA
Who is this?
BECKY (O.S.)
This is Becky.
WINONA (O.S.)
Who? Becky who?
BECKY
Becky. Joy’s wife.
Winona’s jaw drops.
WINONA
You got married? And you didn’t
tell us.
Jackie is also shocked. He forgets his need to run.
WINONA
This is your fault... You are
always too hard on her.
JACKIE
After everything we have sacrificed
to bring you here... Such
disrespect, not to invite your own
parents-
61.
JOY
Invite you!? Would you have
come? No. Every time I’ve tried
to come out to you, you’ve ignored
me. You tell me its a phase.
Winona is pacing the room. Freaking out.
JACKIE
(to Winona)
No, she’s not a gay.
JOY
What are you talking about? Of
course I am.
JACKIE
No, you’re a monster now.
This kills Joy. She is done. She storms off.
WINONA
Joy.
(to Jackie)
Why would you say this!?
Winona tries to follow but Jackie grabs her arm.
JACKIE
We have to go.
WINONA
No, no more of your craziness. It’s
tearing our family apart.
JACKIE
Hah! Everything I do is for our
family. You don’t care about
family. You want to give up.
WINONA
You’re so caught up in your own
head you can’t feel your daughter’s
pain. You can’t feel mine. If you
just let me explain the divorce
papers-
JACKIE
I don’t want to hear about that.
It’s too late.
She starts to say something. Winona’s head falls back.
62.
ALPHA WINONA
Why are we still here?
Before he can answer, Alpha Winona drags him away.
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR HALLWAY
Jackie is chasing Alpha Winona through a doorway.
ALPHA WINONA
She’s broken through our defenses.
I don’t know how much time we have.
Alpha grabs supplies from desks as she runs. Batteries,
tape, thumbtacks.
ALPHA WINONA
You are not strong enough yet to
defeat Jobu. Go into hiding. Train
your mind. Prepare yourself for
your final fight.
JACKIE
But I just talked to her, my Joy.
Alpha Winona picks up a computer tower and smashes it on the
ground she grabs some pieces of the logic board.
ALPHA WINONA
That’s the problem. As long as
there is still a Joy anywhere, then
Jobu still exists. She is
everywhere, in every Joy.
JACKIE
How?
ALPHA WINONA
Remember when I told you not to
fall to the charms of the other
verses?
JACKIE
Is that what happened to Joy?
She drags Jackie into a women’s bathroom and locks the door
behind them. She pulls out a small eyeglasses repair kit
from her purse and begins modifying her bluetooth headset.
ALPHA WINONA
Joy was extremely gifted at verse
jumping. Our little explorer... You
(MORE)
63.
ALPHA WINONA (cont’d)
can’t blame yourself. You were so
excited by the possibilities.
Imagine what we could have done
with the collective knowledge of
all these worlds. Cured diseases,
ended wars. You... you...
JACKIE
(understanding)
I pushed her too hard.
Alpha Winona nods grimly.
ALPHA.VERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM FACILITY
Jobu is walking down a hallway wearing a large hooded cloak.
Smoke and fire are all around.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.)
Her mind was fractured. We
shattered the filter that upholds
the illusion that she exists in one
linear reality. Now her mind exists
in every world. Every possibility.
All at once.
With every step, we see her in a different universe living a
completely different life: a mother walking down a grocery
aisle, a teacher walking past her students, etc.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.)
She’s seen too much. Lost any sense
of morality. Any sense of
objectivity. Now she’s wreaking
havoc in my world, and many others,
by opening their eyes to the
darkness of the multiverse.
We see the officers in the control room arming themselves
and running out to join the fight.
Outside, Jobu is surrounded by dead and wounded. The world
looks like suburban America after a riot. Burned churches,
defaced political billboards.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.)
The multiverse allows everyone
could see whatever they wanted to
see, hold on to whatever version of
the truth they want to. By eroding
any common ground, she destroyed us
(MORE)
64.
ALPHA WINONA (V.O.) (cont’d)
from within. Its too late for our
universe. But yours, might still
have a chance.
Ratings
Scene 14 - The Helmet of Universes
Winona produces a helmet of wires and flashing lights she’s
been building. A collection of thrown together technology.
ALPHA WINONA
When the time comes, you have to
stop her with this.
JACKIE
But, you just built that. Out of
junk.
ALPHA WINONA
Jackie, this helmet will deliver a
powerful shock to every possible
version of Joy, killing her in
every universe.
JACKIE
Killing her...?
ALPHA WINONA
She’s my daughter too Jackie. But
there is no room for compromise. No
time for our own emotions.
JACKIE
No. I’m not the right one.
ALPHA WINONA
Yes you are.
JACKIE
I’ve never been good at anything.
ALPHA WINONA
Exactly.
JACKIE
What?
ALPHA WINONA
I’ve seen thousands of Jackies, but
never a Jackie with a life so full
of... failures. You have so many
things you never finished. Dreams
you never followed.
65.
JACKIE
I’m working on a couple things.
ALPHA WINONA
Can’t you see? Every failure here,
is a success for another Jackie in
another universe. Most people only
have a few significant alternate
life paths so close to them. But
you, here... you’re capable of
anything because you’ve been so bad
at everything.
Jackie soaks this in.
ALPHA.VERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
Jobu steps into the control room where Winona is all alone
connected to her helmet. Winona is calmly waiting for her.
JOBU
There you are.
Winona takes a healthy swig from a bottle of wine.
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR BATHROOM
She grabs Jackie by the collar, choking him.
ALPHA WINONA
Jackie promise me when the time
comes, no matter what she says, no
matter what you see in other
universes- you’ll finish this!
Before Jackie can answer, her furious grasp turns into a
tender embrace. She hold’s Jackie’s head in her hands.
ALPHA WINONA (CONT.)
It’s been so good seeing you again.
Whatever happens, I’m grateful that
random chance was so kind as to
give us these last moments
together.
She grabs each of his hands and places them around her. She
goes into kiss him.
Jackie’s body tenses up.
As they’re about to kiss, her lips quiver, her breath
trembles, and her eyes roll back. Her head goes limp.
66.
Jackie doesn’t know what to do.
JACKIE
Winona? Winona?
He holds her tight. Winona lifts her head in a daze.
WINONA
Jackie? I don’t feel good...
Jackie pulls away. Alpha Winona is gone. Winona looks around
and realizes she is in the bathroom.
JACKIE
(broken)
She killed you.
WINONA
What? I’m not dead. Am I?
JACKIE
I have to stop her.
He picks up the helmet contraption and studies it as he
paces the room with a determined look.
WINONA
Jackie... I feel like I’m going
crazy! I blink, and I’m somewhere
else! What is happening?
JACKIE
You’re not crazy. You don’t
remember because the other Winona
was controlling you.
WINONA
What other Winona?
JACKIE
(distracted)
You’re like... a puppet or like...
Raccocoonie.
WINONA
What?
JACKIE
You know... the cartoon. We watched
it for Joy’s birthday. With the
cook, he makes bad food, but then
the Raccoon sits on his head, and
controls him, and then, he makes
(MORE)
67.
JACKIE (cont’d)
good food. The man doesn’t know how
to do anything without the Raccoon.
That’s you.
WINONA
You are talking about Ratatouille.
JACKIE
(irritated)
No, it’s Raccaccoonie. Like
Raccoon. Ratatouille’s not a word.
WINONA
I think you-
JACKIE
(serious)
Trust me. I know what I’m talking
about.
ALPHAVERSE - INT. CONTROL ROOM
Jobu stands over Alpha Winona’s dead body.
She turns to the console where we see Jackie in the
bathroom.
She clicks to another universe.
JOBU CULT UNIVERSE - CATHEDRAL
Jobu is now in a long cathedral hall.
Jobu stands before rows of people in cloaks with verse
jumping equipment hooked up to them. It’s an eclectic
bunch: young and old, tall and stout, from all walks of
life.
JOBU
Brothers and Sisters, I believe I
have found the one I have been
looking for. Help me destroy him
before he can do the same to us.
An old skinny lady closes her eyes. Her helmet flashes.
68.
EXT. IRS BUILDING
The same skinny old lady is outside the IRS building wearing
a lunch lady’s uniform. Her head goes limp. She turns and
makes her way through the crowd of evacuees. We see a
handful of others suddenly walking towards the building:
auditors, security guards, random civilians.
INT. IRS 10TH FLOOR
Desmond is still tied up and bleeding on the floor.
DESMOND
Hello? Help, is someone there?
Desmond’s head droops and he lifts his head again. He has
been taken over again. He picks up a coffee maker and rips
it in half. He uses the heat to cauterizes his gunshot
wound.
He looks up just as Jobu walks in, followed by several other
Followers. She picks up a business card raffle box and dumps
the cards on the ground. As they fall in the air they turn
to verse jumping devices.
DESMOND
I will not let you down again.
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR BATHROOM
Jackie and Winona stand at opposite ends of the bathroom.
Winona is deep in thought. Jackie waits for her to speak.
WINONA
So, how many universes are there?
JACKIE
As many as you can imagine.
WINONA
That is so stupid. So there’s a
universe where... I’m the President
and I’m riding a pink elephant that
can talk?
69.
PINK ELEPHANT UNIVERSE - EXT. PLAINS
Winona is wearing a nice pants suit riding a pink elephant.
PINK ELEPHANT
I am pink because I only eat
shrimp.
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR BATHROOM - THAT MOMENT
JACKIE
I guess...? I know it sounds crazy
but, I’ve already seen so much.
JOBU (O.S.)
Jaaaackiiiieeee?
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR
Jobu stands in the back surrounded by a rag tag group of
strangers. They stand menacingly as they fashion weapons out
of every day objects.
JOBU
I’m sure you’re just as sick of
wondering whether or not you’re
"the one" as I am. Let’s just get
this over with.
Ratings
Scene 15 - Confrontation and Connection
WINONA
So what now? To save the world,
you want to kill your own daughter
because she’s an evil monster?
JACKIE
We have to do something. She is our
responsibility. I’m going to find a
way to fix this.
WINONA
You say that every time, right
before you make things worse.
Winona turns away in frustration.
WINONA
Why don’t you just jump to a
universe where, for once, you
actually know what to do?
70.
This gives Jackie an idea.
He rushes over to the soap dispenser and throws soap in his
eyes. It stings. He closes his eyes and concentrates, but
the bluetooth turns YELLOW.
WINONA
What are you doing??
He begins pulling paper towels from the dispenser and
stuffing as many as he can down his shirt. Again: YELLOW.
WINONA
You’ve finally lost it.
Jackie turns and looks at Winona up and down.
JACKIE
Hit me.
WINONA
What?
JACKIE
Hit me! Hard! Make it hurt.
WINONA
I’m not like you. I don’t hit
people.
JACKIE
Exactly. I need to do something so
unlikely that it propels me to-
AHHH
Winona knees Jackie in the groin.
Jackie falls to the ground. He closes his eyes. The
bluetooth turns GREEN.
JACKIE
Thank you.
He pushes the button, his head kicks back, he inhales deep
and stares right past Winona. He looks like he is seeing
God.
Winona is stunned. She waves her hands in front of his eyes.
WINONA
Did it work? Hello? Should I do it
harder?
71.
She winds up her fist to punch him in the groin again.
Suddenly Jackie exhales and grabs her hand.
JACKIE
(perfect English)
Winona, give me a moment. I don’t
know how long I can maintain this
connection.
WINONA
You’re English... it’s-
JACKIE
(Perfect English)
Shhh... I know over the years, I’ve
neglected you and taken your love
for granted. I don’t deserve you.
But, right now all I want in the
whole wide world is to save our
family and I need your help. Can
you give me the benefit of the
doubt one last time sweetheart?
Winona can’t help but be convinced. She nods.
Jackie presses the button, his face shudders, and he inhales
again. He has disconnected.
He stands up and approaches the door.
WRITER UNIVERSE - INT. HOME OFFICE
Jackie.Writer is sitting in a nice mid-century office with
lofted ceilings and tall windows. He sits on a bed,
surrounded by medical equipment. His thin, frail face is
white as if one of his fictional characters reached out to
him through his brain. Because that’s what happened.
His editor and partner, CHRIS, a tall sharply dressed man
whose last name is Tucker sits on the couch beside Jackie.
CHRIS
Hey, what’s the hold up?
WRITER.JACKIE
I think... my character just got
into my head.
CHRIS
That’s normal, right? You’ve been
living with them for so long-
72.
WRITER.JACKIE
No... literally. Jackie verse
jumped to me here... I felt him.
CHRIS
Come on, babe, you made up that
silly sci-fi shit.
JACKIE
Maybe I’ve started something I
can’t finish... This book, its
bigger than me...
They both look up at the bulletin board next to them. On it
there are a bunch of note cards and diagrams. There is a
diagram of two minds connected. Chris rubs his back.
CHRIS
All this meta stuff’s getting into
your head. Let’s get through this
draft and you can take a break.
Read that roller coaster part back
to me again, I like that part.
Jackie shakes it off stares at his computer screen.
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR
A SWAT officer with a gas mask on pulls pins from a tear gas
canister. He throws a canister outside of the bathroom.
Another one tosses the canisters into the the ceiling vents.
WRITER.JACKIE (V.O.)
"How odd it felt to know that he
was in the safe confines of a
predetermined path: every turn
decided, every word written."
INT. IRS 11TH FLOOR BATHROOM
Gas begins seeping in through the vents. Jackie pushes
Winona into the back of the bathroom.
He unrolls some toilet paper and begins cutting it randomly
with scissors.
WRITER.JACKIE (V.O.)
"And yet, his heart beat in his
chest like a child wanting off a
roller coaster. In these
(MORE)
73.
WRITER.JACKIE (V.O.) (cont’d)
situations, he remembered takings
his frightened daughter’s hand
years ago and saying ’this is where
the fun is..."
As gas filters in all around them, he looks up at Winona
with a serene smile. He unfolds the toilet paper to reveal a
paper snowflake. His bluetooth device flashes GREEN.
JACKIE
"This is where we scream."
He presses the button:
Jackie rapidly downloads divergent memories:
- Jackie as a child, running with scissors.
- His Mother singing to him as a child with bandages over
his eyes.
- As an older blind man, he is now singing to his elderly
mother.
OPERA UNIVERSE - INT. OPERA HOUSE
Jackie stands on a huge stage alone wearing sunglasses- now
blind. There is a huge audience before hi