Captain Fantastic Page #16

Rellian reads the display.

RELLIAN:

Looks like I was slow maybe?

JACK:

Correct, it's timing, but see there?

Says your swing path was off. Nexttime...

Jack adjusts Rellian's barrel.

JACK (CONT’D)

Next time come in on a path more likethat. Okay. Ready?

Rellian smiles and nods as Jack hits a button on the console.

(CONTINUED)

GREEN (9.2.2014) 97.

118 CONTINUED:
118

RELLIAN:

When are we going to move my mom'sbody?

JACK:

Move it where?

RELLIAN:

I mean, so she can be cremated.

JACK:

Oh. We're not doing that.

This confuses Rell.

RELLIAN:

No. But it was in her Will.

JACK:

I understand. But we're not burningher body. Pay attention now.

Rell drops his barrel, suddenly so agitated that the volume

of his voice betrays him.

RELLIAN:

Grandpa? We have to cremate her! Shehad really specific instructions.

About what she wanted.

JACK:

Your mother had no idea what she

wanted. Watch the screen. You justmissed the first round.

Rellian's face flushes red.

RELLIAN:

No! It was super important to her!

She wanted music and

JACK:

Do not raise your voice to me, young

man.

Rell stares at his grandfather.

RELLIAN:

Can we please have a discourse?

Jack smiles.

(CONTINUED)

GREEN (9.2.2014) 98.

118 CONTINUED:
118

JACK:

This is not up for discussion.

RELLIAN:

Don't I at least get my chance to

argue my

JACK:

I'm a grown-up. You're a child. Imake decisions that you won'tunderstand. One day you will. No onesaid it's fair. That is life. It's a

vital lesson, worth learning rightnow. It's waste a time to fight it.

You will not win. Is that understood?

Rell continues to stare at Jack. Then he nods.

Jack musses up Rellian's hair.

JACK (CONT’D)

Good boy. I'm getting some ice cream,

you want some ice cream? We haveCherry Garcia and coffee, if Nanadidn't polish it off.

Jack flips the light on and ambles toward the kitchen

119 OMITTED 119

120 EXT. GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE. MORNING. 120

Ben is unpacking Steve, piling some of the kid's things ontothe gravel driveway.

121 INT. GAME ROOM. GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE. MORNING. 121

Bo closes the door to the game room.

BODEVAN:

Okay. We're safe.

He nods at Zaja.

(CONTINUED)

GREEN (9.2.2014) 99.

121 CONTINUED:
121

ZAJA:

The "Widowhood Effect." And here,

from an article I read in The

Economist or The Lancet, I can’t

remember which, but I'm quoting a

recent study by The Harvard School of

Public Health:
in a long-term

relationship or marriage, after the

death of a partner, men are 18% more

likely to die. Additionally, more

recent studies indicate that there's

a 66% increased chance of dying

during the first 3 months and in men

under 59, standardized mortality

rates were about 90 times the average

in the FIRST WEEK.

RELLIAN:

I'm leaving.

Rell marches toward the door.

VESPYR:

"Mission:
Rescue Dad and Mom." First

objective. We provide Dad with a

clear goal and legitimate closure.

Secondary objective. We rescue Mom's

body.

Rell turns to look at his brothers and sisters.

ZAJA:

F*** Nana and Grandpa.

122 INT. JACK'S OFFICE. GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE. DAY. 122

Ben stacks a pile of the kid's clothes in Jack's office.

JACK:

You know where you headed?

Ben shakes his head no.

JACK (CONT’D)

How will I contact you?

BEN:

I'll call you in a couple of days. I

still need to ship you all their

stuff.

(CONTINUED)

GREEN (9.2.2014) 99A.

122 CONTINUED:
122

On Jack’s desk is a framed picture of Leslie. The same onethat Ben keeps above the dashboard on Steve.

It catches Ben’s eye. He stares at it.

Jack follows his gaze.

Both men stare at the photo for a moment.

They look at each other. Leslie’s father, Leslie’s husband.

Neither sure how to acknowledge their profound mutual lovefor her.

They just nod.

Finally, Jack extends his hand and they shake.

BEN (CONT’D)

Zaja likes to collect things. Deadthings. She's kind of an amateurtaxidermist.

JACK:

Okay.

BEN:

Nai doesn't like to wear clothes.

Jack nods.

BEN (CONT’D)

Vespyr and Kielyr like to speak inEsperanto.

JACK:

I understand.

BEN:

Bo wants to go to college. He got ineverywhere. I don't know how we canafford it exactly, but

JACK:

Ben. I'll take of it. We'll take

good care of them. There's nothingto worry about. I promise. You'redoing the right thing.

Ben nods his head.

GREEN (9.2.2014) 100.

123 EXT. GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE. DAY.

Ben walks across the gravel to Steve.

123

124 EXT./INT. STEVE - STOPPED. DAY.

He climbs up and closes the doors.

He looks around. Without the kids, the bus is so empty.

124

125 EXT. GRANDPARENT'S HOUSE. DAY.

He pulls Steve out of the gravel parking lot.

125

GREEN (9.2.2014) 101.

126 INT. STEVE - MOVING. DAY. 126

Now on the highway, far from civilization, Ben bursts intotears. All the pain, the grief, the intense sadness ofLeslie's death and from leaving his children - it all finallyjust pours out.

127 INT. GAS STATION. NEW MEXICO. DAY. 127

In a roadside gas station convenience store, Ben stacks

bottles of water on the counter.

Behind the ATTENDANT, something on the wall of items for sale

catches his eye.

128 INT. BATHROOM. GAS STATION. NEW MEXICO. DAY. 128

In the dingy gas station bathroom, Ben stands in front of a

broken mirror, a newly bought hair clipper in his hand.

He slowly, methodically, buzzes off his beard.

129 EXT. HIGHWAY. DUSK. 129

As the sun sets, Steve is now but a small dot moving slowly

through the desert.

130 EXT. CAMP. NIGHT. 130

Off the highway, in front of the parked bus, Ben stares into

a small fire, shadows flitting across this face.

RELLIAN (O.S.)

You shaved your face.

Ben looks up to see Rellian standing not 5 feet away.

RELLIAN (CONT’D)

I don't hate you.

For a second, Ben's not sure whether or not he's

hallucinating.

RELLIAN (CONT’D)

I just wish you'd helped Mom.

Then Ben sees the rest of his kids. Bo, Vespyr, Kielyr, Zaja,

and a completely naked Nai walk down off the bus.

(CONTINUED)

GREEN (9.2.2014) 102.

130 CONTINUED:
130

Rellian hugs his dad.

BEN:

Me too.

RELLIAN:

We want to complete the mission.

KIELYR:

We want to save Mom.

BEN:

There is no mission.

ZAJA:

"Mission:
Rescue Mommy."

VESPYR:

Mom wanted to be cremated.

RELLIAN:

We want to honor her wishes.

NAI:

And flush her down the toilet.

Ben looks up at his kids.

BEN:

I'm not ever going to put you indanger again.

RELLIAN:

"If you assume that there is nohope, you guarantee that there willbe no hope. If you assume that thereis an instinct for freedom, that

there are opportunities to changethings, then there is a possibilitythat you can contribute to making abetter world."

Ben smiles.

BEN:

Noam Chomsky.

BODEVAN:

Please.

GREEN (9.2.2014) 103.

131 EXT. CEMETERY. NIGHT. 131

Steve pulls into a dark cemetery.

132 OMITTED 132

133 EXT. CEMETERY. NIGHT. 133

The family exits Steve and searches, silently, through the

dark cemetery. They all carry flashlights and lanterns,

casting long shadows, creeping across a moon-lit landscape.

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