American Sniper Page #4

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CHRIS:

Well in that case... what’s your name?

TAYA:

Taya.

CHRIS:

Nice to meet you, Taya. I’m Chris Kyle.

TAYA:

(liquor softening her)

Pretty egotistical of you to think you

can protect us all, isn’t it Chris?

CHRIS:

Our instructors say our biggest enemies

are ego, liquor, and women.

TAYA:

Sounds like you’re under attack.

She levels a look and downs another shot-

(03.18.14) 19.

30 EXT. MULRONEY’S BAR, PARKING LOT - LATER 30

Mist rolls in. Chris holds Taya’s hair as she pukes. She

takes a deep breath, wipes her mouth-

TAYA:

--I’m not going home with you so don’t

even think about it.

She smiles, then turns to puke again--

31 EXT. RANGE - ”SNIPER SCHOOL” - CAMP BILLY MACHEN - DAY 31

An arid range with human-shaped targets. PETTY OFFICER

TOSH (Irish/Japanese, nasty) walks past prone students.

PO TOSH:

Feel breath filling every cell of your

body. This is our ritual. We master our

breath, we master our mind--

FIND CHRIS on .300 Win-Mag. Both eyes open. Dip packed.

Deep breaths. His finger taking up the trigger-slack.

PO TOSH:

--pulling the trigger will become an

unconscious effort. You will be aware of

it but not directing it. And as you

exhale, find your natural respiratory

pause and the space between heart-beats.

Chris exhales, pauses, strokes-- BAM!

32 INT. DOCTOR’S OFFICE 32

A ZOLOFT BROCHURE shows smiling faces. TAYA wears a suit-

skirt and tries to mimic the esprit of the brochure. She

leaves a box of samples with the RECEPTIONIST but her

smile fades as she pulls her trolley to the door--

33 INT. TAYA’S CONDO - DAY 33

Blades of light leak through closed blinds. Taya hides

under blankets on the sofa. PHONE RINGS, goes to message:

CHRIS (OS)

It’s me again. The guy whose shoes you

puked on? I was thinking maybe you didn’t

get my last message. Or the one before

that. So, I figured-

(03.18.14) 20.

She snatches up the phone--

TAYA:

You figured what?

--looking for a reason not to be alone.

34 EXT. RANGE - CAMP BILLY MACHEN - DAY 34

ON CHRIS, both eyes open looking downrange.

PO TOSH (OC)

Aim small, miss small. If you aim for hisshirt button, you might miss by twoinches. If you aim for his shirt, youmiss by two feet.

(over Chris, raises binocs)

You better close those groupings, Kyle.

Chris chases his breath, trying to focus, but--

35 EXT. OCEANSIDE PIER - DUSK 35

PAN ACROSS a “target shoot” game to a bench overlooking

surf. CHRIS and TAYA sit with a GIANT TEDDY BEAR.

TAYA:

Did you always want to be a soldier?

CHRIS:

I wanted to be a cowboy-- but I did thatand I felt like I was meant for more.

TAYA:

So you started rescuing girls from bars?

CHRIS:

I rescued that bar from you.

She smiles at his sweetness.

CHRIS:

Do you like country music?

TAYA:

Only when I’m depressed.

CHRIS:

You want kids?

(03.18.14) 21.

TAYA:

Someday. My mom says I have a nose for

picking the wrong men.

CHRIS:

That’s a shitty thing to tell a girl.

TAYA:

I’ve proven her right.

CHRIS:

But those wrong picks put you here. They

made you who you are. And I like who you

are.

The Ferris wheel casts its glow on them.

TAYA:

What happens when there’s a real person

on the other end of that gun?

CHRIS:

(uncertain)

I don’t know... I just pray I can do my

job if that day comes.

It weighs on him. And she feels safe.

BACK TO:

35A EXT. RANGE - CAMP BILLY MACHEN 35A

PO TOSH (on spotting scope) stands over CHRIS. Mirage

boils off the horizon at 35 degree angle, pushed by wind.

BAM! Chris’ shot hits the outer edge of target.

PO TOSH:

Mirage is boiling at 35 degree angle.

CHRIS:

Check. I’m dialed for windage.

PO TOSH:

Hold right-four, up-two.

BAM! He misses. It spits dirt. Not even close.

PO TOSH:

Are we looking at the same target?

(03.18.14) 22.

36 INT. TAYA’S CONDO - NIGHT 36

CHRIS sits on the couch, anxious, until TAYA appears in

the hall in lingerie. She slinks closer, straddling him,

determined to blow his mind but-

CHRIS:

You’re trembling...

TAYA:

I know. I don’t...

She finds his eyes. Finds her breath.

CHRIS:

We don’t have to do this...

TAYA:

I want to. I do...

He gently lifts her up and lays her across the couch.

ANOTHER ANGLE:

Soft light on pale bodies. Taya writhes with impatient

longing but Chris’ steady hand forces her into the

present. She’s swept up, eyes filling with tears as he

eases into her-- she gasps and arcs and draws him deeper.

36A EXT. RANGE - CAMP BILLY MACHEN 36A

PO TOSH stands over CHRIS, fed up now.

PO TOSH:

You need to shut your off-eye.

CHRIS:

If I close my off-eye I can’t see what’s

out there.

PO TOSH (OC)

There is nothing out there but a target.

CHRIS:

Negative. There’s something-

CHRIS POV (BOTH EYES VIEW)

The circular scope floats over the target. Left of scope,

a SWATCH OF GRASS doesn’t sway like the rest.

(03.18.14) 23.

PO TOSH:

Give me 50 push-ups. Clear and safe. Push

‘em out.

The scope drifts left of target-- BAM! A RATTLESNAKE is

flung through the air, blown to sh*t, 500 yards out.

CHRIS:

There it is.

He sets the rifle aside and starts cranking out push-ups.

37 OMITTED 37

38 OMITTED 38

39 INT. BEDROOM - MORNING 39

Ethereal white sheets. Two bodies lay like spoons. Chris

WHISPERS SOMETHING. Taya closes her eyes. A beat-

TAYA:

You hardly even know me.

CHRIS:

I know enough. You’re a package deal,

babe.

She stares at the wall.

CHRIS:

What are you afraid of?

TAYA:

Nothing. Everything. I don’t know. What

if it doesn’t work out?

She moves to stand. He holds her put.

CHRIS:

I’m going to marry you, and we’re going

to start a family.

TAYA:

You got it all planned out, don’t you.

CHRIS:

I love you. I’m done.

(03.18.14) 24.

TAYA:

(crushed by his sincerity)

Well... you’re gonna need a ring if you

want to talk all tough like that.

She accepts with a deep kiss and prances off with the

sheet. He smiles and falls back onto the bed. The

curtains dance in the morning light. Then--

TAYA (OS)

Oh my god! No! Chris--

Chris bounds up, running into the next room. Taya stands

in front of the television. They both watch as-

ON TV NEWS:
THE SECOND PLANE hits the World Trade Center.

It steals their breath. Chris hugs her close, trying to

shield her from it. His shock bleeds to rage.

40 OMITTED 40

40A OMITTED 40A

41 OMITTED 41

41 OMITTED 41

42 OMITTED 42

43 INT. DANCE FLOOR, RENT-A-YATCH - LATER 43

The storm closing in. CHRIS two-steps TAYA around the

dance floor to Van Morrison’s romantic “Someone Like

You.” Chris looks boyish and dapper and Taya is flush

with beauty and promise. The moment is quietly sincere

with the entire WEDDING PARTY watching when-

TAYA:

(her hand smudged with paint)

What the hell is on your neck?

She pulls at his collar to reveal GREEN SPRAY-PAINT

upside his neck.

CHRIS:

Would you believe me if I told you I was

painted green and on an IV two hours ago?

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