Brad’s Status Page #12

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Close on Ananya, listening, with an attitude.

Then on Brad, talking a mile-a-minute, gesticulating.

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - WHITE VERSION - Sept 13, 2016 -Page 72

98 CONTINUED:
98

Brad’s voice fades under the VOICE of the NARRATOR.

NARRATOR:

Brad could tell he had lost Ananya -

lost her respect - and he

desperately wanted it back. He

thought if he could summarize the

trajectory of his life - she would

understand him - maybe even respect

him - as someone who had lost the

good fight - but had fought it

nonetheless.

99 INT. THE DRUID - LATER 99

Brad and Ananya are now seated at the bar with new drinks.

Brad continues talking. Ananya just listens, a blank

expression on her face.

NARRATOR:

He told her about his career

mistakes - his years in journalism

just as the newspaper business was

folding. His attempt to start a

digital muckraking magazine in San

Francisco but how no one wanted to

read long-form pieces anymore - and

how he had won a few prestigious

prizes, which he rattled off - but

his magazine still had gone bust.

As Brad spews, Ananya takes a big GULP from her drink.

100 INT. THE DRUID - NIGHT 100

Ananya and Brad sit at the booth with her friends. As Maya

and the other STUDENTS laugh and chat, Brad continues to

monologue his life story for Ananya.

NARRATOR:

He talked about Craig Fisher and

his other college friends and how

they had sold out and gotten rich

and how they didn’t even invite him

to their milestone events anymore

even though he had been the heart

and soul of their group. Brad may

have failed in their eyes, but at

least he still had his integrity

and could sleep at night.

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - WHITE VERSION - Sept 13, 2016 -Page 73

100 CONTINUED:
100

Ananya just listens - but we sense she is judging him.

101 INT. THE DRUID - LATER

The bar has almost emptied. Maya and the other Students are

gone. Brad and Ananya are the only ones left at their booth.

Brad has not stopped talking.

NARRATOR:

And even though his consulting nonprofit

had been struggling lately -

he still felt he had done some real

good with it. *

BRAD:

Maybe if I were more in the field -

and really meeting more of the

people that we’re helping - but I

just feel kind of disconnected...

On Ananya - she is silent, but there’s visible contempt in

her eyes.

NARRATOR:

Ananya just listened, saying

nothing, taking him in. Finally,

Brad became so self-conscious, he

couldn’t stand it anymore.

Brad, suddenly embarrassed, blurts...

BRAD:

What is that look?

ANANYA:

What?

BRAD:

What are you thinking? Please tell

me.

ANANYA:

I’m thinking... you’re lucky.

You’re fifty years old and you

still think the world was made for

you.

BRAD:

I’m forty-seven.

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - WHITE VERSION - Sept 13, 2016 -Page 74

101 CONTINUED:
101

ANANYA:

It’s like you’re mad because you

don’t like your position in the

ruling class. Most people don’t

even have a position. Most people

can’t even get in the door to see

what’s inside. Do you even know

poor people?

BRAD:

Of course.

ANANYA:

When I visit my mother’s family in

Delhi, a lot of people there live

on two dollars a day. *

BRAD:

Right, I get that...

ANANYA:

They don’t complain about being

ignored at dinner parties. They’re

happy they get dinner.

BRAD:

Right - but I’m not competing with

those people. You compete with the

people who are your markers in *

life. *

ANANYA:

Why are you competing at all?

BRAD:

It’s the way this world is. *

ANANYA:

From my point of view - you

competing with your friends from *

college? That competition is the

history of colonialism, okay? And

the oppression of women - and the

f***ing up of the environment...

BRAD:

Look, don’t go there, okay?

ANANYA:

Stop competing already. The future *

of the world depends on it...

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - Blue Revision - Sept 26, 2016 -Page 75

101 CONTINUED:
101

BRAD:

(talking over her)

I’m not the problem, all right? I

work for a non-profit for f***’s

sake.

ANANYA:

Sounds like you just kinda backed

into it ‘cause nothing else worked

out.

Brad is momentarily silent, stung.

BRAD:

That’s not nice.

ANANYA:

(softens)

Sorry. It’s just - from where I

sit, it kinda sounds like white

privilege, male privilege, first-

class problems. *

BRAD:

Maybe I seem like a cliche to you

but this is my life, you know?

ANANYA:

(nods)

Just don’t ask me to feel bad for

you. You’re doing fine. Trust me.

I promise you. You have enough.

I’m going to use the rest room.

She rises and walks off. Brad takes out his wallet.

102 EXT. CAMBRIDGE STREET - NIGHT 102

Ananya walks across the street and disappears into the

darkness.

A forlorn Brad stands on the corner, watching her go.

103 INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT 103

Brad, now in his underwear, quietly crawls into bed.

MOONLIGHT illuminates the room.

Troy is still asleep in the other bed. He doesn’t stir.

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - Blue Revision - Sept 26, 2016 -Page 75A

103 CONTINUED:
103

Brad lies in bed and stares up at the balcony doors. A draft *

of wind pushes the curtains and creates a whistling noise. *

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - Blue Revision - Sept 26, 2016 -Page 76

103 CONTINUED:
103

NARRATOR:

Brad knew he had blown it. He

could have gotten the validation heneeded from this girl, but had goneabout it the wrong way. He was too

honest, too open. Nobody wantedthat. That was never attractive.

The story of his life.

Brad rolls over in bed. He sees...

...Ananya, lying in the next bed, smiling, warmly at him. *

ANANYA:

You’re amazing.

They share a warm smile. She waves him toward her. *

Suddenly, Maya appears, popping up on the other side of him.

Totally.

MAYA:

Maya leans in and kisses Brad on the lips.

Alone in bed, Brad’s eyes are closed - he kisses the air,

fantasizing.

104 INT. HOTEL ROOM - MORNING 104

CLOSE on BRAD - even though he is asleep, there is a yearningexpression on his face.

Troy, in a towel, stands over him.

Dad!

TROY:

Dad!

Brad rouses - rubbing his eyes.

TROY:

We gotta go. I have my meeting.

Ugh.

BRAD:

I’m hung-over.

Why?

wine.

TROY:

You only had one glass of

Brad says nothing. Troy heads into the bathroom.

BRAD'S STATUS - WHITE VERSION - Sept 13, 2016 -Page 77

105 EXT. HARVARD BRIDGE - MORNING 105

Brad and Troy cross the Harvard Bridge toward Cambridge.

106 EXT. HARVARD QUAD - MORNING 106

Brad waits on a bench for Troy to get out of his meeting.

Brad is deep in thought.

NARRATOR:

The next morning, Brad turned on

Ananya. He kept replaying in his

mind things she had said.

107 INT. DRUID - FLASHBACK 107

Ananya, at the booth...

ANANYA:

Sounds like you just kinda backed

into it ‘cause nothing else worked

out.

108 EXT. HARVARD QUAD - DAY 108

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