American Sniper Page #2

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(03.18.14) 7.

WAYNE KYLE:

(turns to Chris)

And did you finish it?

Chris shows the swollen knuckles of his hand, and nods.

WAYNE:

Then you know who you are...

13 EXT. BARN 13

A GROWN MAN(CHRIS) exits the barn into the light of day.

Behind him, horns of dozens of bucks cover the wall.

WAYNE (VO)

You know your purpose.

The barn door closes leaving us in brindled darkness.

“AMERICAN SNIPER”

14 EXT. RODEO ARENA 14

A hand grips the tie on a bronc. CHRIS sits bareback atop

the horse, its nostrils steaming, eyes shock wide. (ECU)-a

hair-line crack along its right front hoof.

BUZZER SOUNDS. GATE OPENS. The bronco leaps out. Empty

stands blur past. The Bronc and Chris united in a futile

struggle. He leans right, the bronc circles right,

staying off that bad hoof. Chris makes the buzzer but--

He gets tossed on dismount. The bronco stomps his hand.

He scrambles out of the ring as RODEO CLOWNS distract it.

FIND JEFF(19) ringside, with tight lips and severe eyes.

He looks over the empty arena, laughing.

15 INT. FORD TRUCK 15

Headlights rattle over a dirt road. JEFF drives. CHRIS

rides, BAG OF ICE on hand, BELT BUCKLE prize on the dash.

He stares into the field where A WILD HORSE, races

alongside them, a spectral image in the darkness.

JEFF:

Wasn’t nobody there and you come away

with a belt buckle too damn big to wear.

What you supposed to do with it?

(03.18.14) 8.

CHRIS:

(grabs belt buckle)

You’re supposed to get laid with it. I’m

gonna wear it in and see if it puts Sarah

in the mood.

JEFF:

A strong wind’d put Sarah in the mood.

CHRIS:

Is that what they say?

JEFF:

You know what they called her in high

school--

CHRIS:

Don’t say it.

JEFF:

Sarah suck-a-

Chris swings his bag of ice, smacks Jeff in the face.

JEFF:

Sh*t man-

He swerves off the road. The truck almost coming apart

before he ramps back up, coming to a dusty halt outside-

16 EXT. BUNKHOUSE 16

Spanish moss hangs over a shackle-board residence. Chris

tumbles out the truck, clips on the belt buckle and--

17 INT. BUNKHOUSE 17

CHRIS swaggers into the narrow bunkhouse. A sheet hangs

in back, separating sleeping area from living area.

CHRIS:

Who wants to hump a rodeo star?

Movement back there. A MAN ASS suddenly protrudes from

the curtain as a BURLY COWBOY-TYPE climbs into jeans.

CHRIS:

What the f***-

SARAH steps out, his high school sweetheart all grown up.

(03.18.14) 9.

SARAH:

You said you wasn’t coming home until

tomorrow.

CHRIS:

(wounded)

Why would you do this?

Cowboy leaves his shirt open flaunting a big hairy chest.

SARAH:

Just let him out. He didn’t know...

CHRIS:

(shamed, steps aside)

You didn’t know?

Cowboy doesn’t answer. Chris SLAMS HIS HEAD into the

refrigerator and ramps him out the front door.

SARAH:

What the f*** is wrong with you! What’d

you expect? You drag me out here then run

off with your damn brother every weekend!

CHRIS:

Get out.

She jumps at the chance-- ripping clothes out of closets.

SARAH:

You think you’re a cowboy cause you

rodeo? You’re no cowboy. You’re just a

lousy ranch-hand and a shitty f***in lay!

The door slams behind her. Chris stares at the dent in

the fridge, wounded. He opens it and pulls out a beer.

18 LATER 18

TV plays across Chris’ drunken face. He lays on the sofa,

a beer on his chest. JEFF is sprawled in a chair.

JEFF:

Some people ain’t worth fighting for.

CHRIS:

But she was right...

JEFF:

(closing his eyes)

A job is a job. At least we’re outside.

(03.18.14) 10.

Chris is bleary, lost and drifting to sleep. The imageson the TV don’t immediately register but--

NEWS FOOTAGE of the WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING (1993)

plays on TV. An explosion has demolished the garage.

NEWS ANCHOR (OS)

--group of radical militants called Al-

Qaeda are taking credit for a bombingthat left six dead and hundreds injured-American

flags at half mast. His chest rises and falls--

CHRIS:

Jeff, wake up. Look at this--

The faces of INNOCENT VICTIMS play across the screen.

Chris’ injured hand slowly curls into a fist.

CHRIS:

Look what they did...

19 INT. NAVY RECRUITING OFFICE 19

Posters of destroyers on walls. The NAVY RECRUITER islean and shrewd.

CHRIS:

I saw what they did, on our soil, and--

NAVY RECRUITER:

And you’re from Texas and you’re a

patriot so it pissed you off.

CHRIS:

Yes, sir. But I can’t see myself on a

ship. I’d wanna be in the fight-NAVY

RECRUITER:

You wanna fight? Meet the warrior elite.

He slides him a brochure-- “NAVY SEALS” emerge from the

water, armed and bound for glory.

SEALs?

CHRIS KYLE:

NAVY RECRUITER:

Sea, Air and Land.

CHRIS:

I ain’t much of a swimmer--

(03.18.14) 11.

NAVY RECRUITER:

(taking brochure back)

This isn’t for the faint of heart. Most

men wash-out. They quit-

CHRIS:

(cutting him off)

I’m not most men, sir. I don’t quit.

20 OMITTED 20

21 OMITTED 21

22 EXT. NAVAL SPECIAL WARFARE CENTER / “THE GRINDER” - DAY 22

CHRIS and 50 OTHER CANDIDATES lay on their backs doing

flutter-kicks on a patch of blacktop surrounded by beige

buildings. INSTRUCTORS wield hoses.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

(sprays Chris in the face)

You a quitter, boy?

CHRIS KYLE:

No, sir!

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

Bullshit, you are fleet-meat. Don’t turn

away. Look up and take it. You’re old as

f***. Did you join the Navy cause you had

such a good time on Noah’s Arc? How old

are you?

CHRIS:

30, sir.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

30! You fart dust and could’ve fathered

half these boys. You think cause you had

a pop-gun back in Texas you’re cut out to

be a SEAL?

CHRIS:

No, sir.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

No, you’re not cut out to be one?

Chris is twisted in agony and clearly dislikes the water.

(03.18.14) 12.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

What kind of a**hole joins the Navy but

hates the water.

CHRIS:

I love water, hooyah.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

My ass you do.

A CANDIDATE chokes a giggle. Rolle wheels around on-

RYAN JOB(24), a goofy, overweight Oregon kid who looks

like he should be taking orders at a drive-thru window.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

Is that you giggling you fat f***? Look

at you. You’re so fat they had to baptize

you at Sea World. Your momma fat too?

RYAN:

No sir, she’s not.

INSTRUCTOR ROLLE

Don’t lie to me! I bet we could use her

panties as a parachute. What the f*** are

you doing here fatboy? Do your feet get

wet when you shower? When’s the last time

you saw your pecker? You’re not a Seal,

you’re a f***in Walrus. A big giggling

Walrus. “Biggles” that’s your new name--

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