Captain Fantastic Page #9

HARPER:

Ben!

BEN:

My kids know.

Harper bursts into tears and runs from the room. Dave pauses.

Then he stands.

DAVE:

Excuse me.

Dave follows Harper.

As soon as he's gone, Ben pours wine into each of his kid'sglasses. Then he holds up his wine glass.

BEN:

To Mom.

(CONTINUED)

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All the kids say "to Mom," clink their glasses, and drink.

Ben looks at Justin and Jackson, holding a finger to hislips.

BEN (CONT’D)

Shhhhhh.

61 EXT. YARD. HARPER'S HOUSE. NIGHT. 61

On the back lawn behind Harper's house, Ben drops some duffelbags; he checks and re-checks supplies.

HARPER:

We do the best we can! That's all

everyone's doing. The best they knowhow! I'm sorry it does not meet yourhigh standards!

DAVE:

This is a very hard time right now,

we're all still probably in shock.

Everyone's very... raw.

BEN:

I was simply telling them the truth.

HARPER:

Protecting children from certainconcepts that they're too young tocomprehend is not lying to them!

DAVE:

Guys. Let's keep our voices downhere.

Ben looks at his sister.

BEN:

I apologize. I'm sorry for notrespecting the way you do things inyour home.

HARPER:

Okay. Thank you for saying that.

Harper wipes the tears from her eyes. Her tension decreases,

her voice now tender and sympathetic.

(CONTINUED)

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HARPER (CONT’D)

I know Leslie's been sick for years.

But I can only imagine how difficultthis time must be for you.

Ben's kids come out of the house; they find and climbs intotheir sleeping bags.

DAVE:

No, hey. What're you doing?

BEN:

We're sleeping under the stars.

HARPER:

We made up the rec room downstairs.

DAVE:

Who wants to sleep on Toy Storysheets?

None of the kids have any idea what Harper and Dave aretalking about, but the idea of sleeping inside is obviouslyattractive.

BODEVAN:

Can we?

NAI:

Can we, Dad?

Ben ignores the hopeful faces of his kids.

BEN:

We're fine here.

Harper and Dave look at the kids. They are plainly not finewith this decision.

62 INT. KITCHEN. HARPER'S HOUSE. MORNING. 62

It's the morning chaos in every house with kids and parentswho work. Harper simultaneously clears the breakfast dishesand, at the same time, is packing up lunch for Justin andJackson.

HARPER:

We're going to fly in Sunday morning.

We can only stay until after theceremony because the kids have schoolon Monday.

(CONTINUED)

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Jackson is playing his Nintendo DS under the table.

HARPER (CONT’D)

Jackson.

JACKSON:

Can I be excused?

HARPER:

"May I..." No, you may not. Put thataway or I'm going to break it in halfand throw it in the trash can.

JACKSON:

Alright!

HARPER:

Actually, you may be excused on onecondition. Please show your cousinsyour new hamster.

JUSTIN:

Can we play Xbox after?

Harper looks at Dave.

HARPER:

One game.

JUSTIN JACKSON:

Yes! Yes!

All the kids jump up and follow Justin and Jackson into theadjacent room. VIDEO GAME SOUNDS start almost immediately.

Dave and Harper exchange a look. Dave nods.

DAVE:

How are the kids?

BEN:

They're fine. They're strong.

Ben clears the table and starts washing the dishes.

DAVE:

How long have you been there?

Wherever it is you're living now.

BEN:

We left Boulder when Bo was about 3.

Lived on that farm we had in Oregonuntil he was 7. No, 8.

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

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BEN (CONT'D)

I guess we've only been in the forestfor... about 10 years.

DAVE:

How do you still have money?

Ben smiles.

BEN:

I buy only what I need.

DAVE:

But how do you

HARPER:

You want to live in the trees, fine,

that's entirely up to you. But yourchildren are without a mother now.

What you do will have a lastingimpact on their entire lives.

BEN:

And that. That is precisely WHY I amdoing what I am doing.

DAVE:

We're really - may I?

Harper nods.

DAVE (CONT’D)

Harper and I have been talking... Thekids need stability. Structure. Likenormal kids. They need to go to areal school. So they can get realjobs when they're

HARPER:

Oh, for Christ's sake.

Harper just can't take it anymore. She jumps up.

HARPER (CONT’D)

You're going to get them killed! Youhave any idea what you're doing tothem?

BEN:

Saving their lives is what I'm doing.

HARPER:

Oh, don't be ridiculous.

(CONTINUED)

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BEN:

Is knowing how to set a bone or treata severe burn ridiculous? Is knowinghow to navigate by the stars in totaldarkness ridiculous? How to identifyedible plants, how to make clothesfrom animal skins, how to survive in

the forest with nothing but a knife?

Harper looks ashen.

HARPER:

Jesus.

BEN:

They have the cardiovascular andmuscular endurance levels of elite

athletes.

HARPER:

They're children! They need to go toschool and learn about the world!

BEN:

Jackson! Justin! Come here a second.

After a moment, Jackson and Justin peek in.

JACKSON:

What?

BEN:

How old are you now, Jackson?

JACKSON:

13.

BEN:

Can you tell me, what's the Bill ofRights?

Jackson shrugs.

JACKSON:

What something costs?

BEN:

Justin, you're 15, right? What isthat, ninth grade?

JUSTIN:

Yeah.

(CONTINUED)

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BEN:

That's High School now? You likeyour school?

Justin shrugs.

BEN (CONT’D)

Can you tell me what the Bill ofRights is?

JUSTIN:

A government thing. Like rights thatpeople have and stuff. In America.

BEN:

Could you be more specific?

Justin shrugs again.

BEN (CONT’D)

Zaja! Come here please!

Ben turns to Harper and Dave.

BEN (CONT’D)

Zaja just turned 8, by the way.

Zaja walks in.

BEN (CONT’D)

The Bill of Rights.

ZAJA:

The first ten amendments to the

constitution, limiting the power ofthe government and guaranteeing ourliberties and freedoms.

BEN:

More specific.

ZAJA:

Amendment 1:
Congress shall make nolaw respecting an establishment ofreligion, or prohibiting the freeexercise thereof; or abridging thefreedom of speech, or of the press;

or the right of the people peaceablyto assemble, and to

(CONTINUED)

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BEN:

Stop. Regurgitating memorized

amendments is not what I'm asking. I

think we went over this pretty well.

Zaja bites her lip.

ZAJA:

Without the Bill of Rights, we'd be

more like... China. For instance.

Here at least warrantless searches

are illegal; we have free speech;

citizens are protected from cruel

and unusual punishment, are protected

from

HARPER:

That's enough.

BEN:

How would you characterize the 2010

Supreme Court decision on Citizens

United?

DAVE:

Ben.

ZAJA:

Corporations have the same rights as

people, so there's no spending limit

on candidates. Which means our

country is ruled by Corporations and

their lobbyists who fund candidates

and command their fealty by demanding

that

HARPER:

Enough! Okay? Jesus Christ, Ben! You

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