Get on Up

1 EXT. ROAD. AUGUSTA. 1988. 1 EXT. ROAD. AUGUSTA. 1988. 1

A hot muggy Georgia morning. A pickup truck comes around acorner and moves towards us. Inside, music plays on theradio. We can’t quite see who’s driving.

2 INT/EXT. PICKUP TRUCK/AUGUSTA STREETS. MOMENTS LATER 2

The driver heads down the road. He beats his hand on the

steering wheel to the rhythm of the music. The driver turns

up the music. As the rhythm speeds, so does the truck.

3 INT. BATHROOM - SAME TIME 3

A WOMAN, 40, sits on toilet within a stall using thebathroom. She’s smoking a cigarette.

4 EXT. PARKING LOT. MOMENTS LATER. 4

Cars parked in rows. The pickup pulls into the lot andscreech-stops.

5 INT. ADJACENT OFFICE. INSURANCE SEMINAR. DAY. 5

About 30 people are attending a seminar. Behind a SEMINAR

PRESENTER, The truck can be seen outside a window, stereothumping.

SEMINAR PRESENTER

Which brings us on to Dental

Insurance. Generally speaking, when

you receive care from a

participating PDP dentist, your out

of-pocket expenses will typically

be lower than if your were to

accept care from a dentist outside

the group. The law deems it illegal

for dentists to charge any more

than the network approves... But

listen, in my three and a half

years of experience in this

business people mainly care about

keeping their premiums low. So,

each of you must be prepared to

sell the network to your clients

and always cater to their specific

condition.

Annoyed, the presenter turns momentarily to the truck.

6 INT/EXT. PICKUP TRUCK / PARKING LOT 6 INT/EXT. PICKUP TRUCK / PARKING LOT 6

A fifty-five year, out of shape black man in mirror shadesand a shell-suit. He’s breathing heavily. Patting thedashboard, as the song ends. The man sits there a moment and

exits.

JAMES BROWN hitches up his pants, and walks across the lot.

7 INT. NONDESCRIPT OFFICE 7

There’s no one around. He’s jumpy. His movements odd.

Twitchy.

JAMES:

(To himself)

Where’s everybody?

Around a corner he comes face to face with a cleaner, MAVIS,

who is wearing headphones as she vacuums.

Mavis screams and removes her headphones.

MAVIS:

Mr. Brown. You scared me!

JAMES:

Mavis. Where’s everybody at? I gota meetin’ this mornin’.

MAVIS:

It’s Sunday, Mr. Brown.

JAMES:

No, it’s Tuesday, Mavis.

James is caught flat-footed. SOMEWHERE OFF a toilet flushes.

He rounds the corner. No-one. Opens the bathroom door. Looksinside. Sniffs. Slams it and storms off down the corridor

passing a sign outside his office that reads: GET ON UP.

8 INT./EXT. ADJACENT OFFICE/ PARKING LOT. DAY. 8

As the INSURANCE SEMINAR presenter continues, the woman whowas on the toilet takes her seat.

SEMINAR PRESENTER

Now, understand that not all peoplehave the same type of needs. Whenit comes to an insurance planeveryone is different.

(MORE)

SEMINAR PRESENTER (CONT'D)

You can’t possibly sell the same

monthly premium to just anyone who

strolls through your door. If you

learn one lesson this weekend, let

it be this:
We must accommodate the

specific condition of the client.

Bottom line! Their needs are-

The adjoining door flies opens as James enters, pissed.

JAMES:

OK Stop. Sir. Stop. Who been in

there?

SEMINAR PRESENTER

Excuse me?

JAMES:

I own this building, someone has

been in there used my commode. Now

who was it?

SEMINAR PRESENTER

Sorry. We’re actually renting this

part of the building today, and

we’re in the middle of a seminar.

JAMES:

I don’t care if you’re in the

middle of a heart attack son.

Someone been in there, I hear the

chain flush, I can smell it. Now

who it was?

INSURANCE SALESMAN

It is. It’s f***in’ him.

BACK AT THE FRONT someone sniggers.

James spins round. SILENCE. Someone sniggers behind him.

James spins back round and approaches the salesman.

JAMES:

Something funny?

INSURANCE SALESMAN

No, sir.

JAMES:

Then why you cats laughing?

INSURANCE SALESMAN

I wasn’t laughing. It wasn’t me.

James stares at the man. Turns on his heel.

He storms out of the building and across the lot to hispickup truck

THE PAYBACK starts: insanely tight, deep funk.

INSURANCE SALESMAN (CONT’D)

I’m telling you that was James

Brown.

Outside a window behind the seminar presenter, James can beseen rifling through the back of his pickup truck.

The woman who used his bathroom watches James’ every move.

SEMINAR PRESENTER

Look, I suggest we just continue...

OK. So. How does the program work?

Initially, participating dentists

undergo an extensive credentialing

process which, if approved, allows

customers to pay the minimum

deductible allowed and the

remainder is insured. But with non

participating dentists the cost per

visit is much higher and comes

completely out of pocket. So some

people may want a high deductible

because they have more to cover,

but most common folks simply want

the lowest possible plan... and

remember our key takeaway!?

Entire seminar in UNISON.

We must accommodate the specific condition of-

The office door flies open. James comes back in with aSHOTGUN.

JAMES:

OK listen up people.

The room goes still and completely silent.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Being it’s Sunday and all I’m gone

ask each of you to imagine you’re

sittin’ in church right now. While

today’s sermon may be good they’s

something else on your mind. You

realize you gotta take a sh*t.

(MORE)

JAMES (CONT’D)

Real bad. And you don’t want toshit at the church house, naw sir.

So you just sit there and thinkabout getting home to your owntoilet in your own master bath onBeech Island, South Carolina. I

gotta a bidet in my master bath.

Love my bidet. And a big prettyoval tub too.

James spins around to man.

JAMES (CONT’D)

You got a bidet, Sir?

He shakes his head. James looks to a woman.

JAMES (CONT’D)

You?

She shakes her head.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Well you gotta get you one. You allgotta get you a bidet. Are y’allsure its really Sunday today?

A woman nods.

JAMES (CONT’D)

What was just saying... Oh, that’s

right. Yes! You gotta take sh*t.

So, after church, you speed back

home and you run like hell to the

house scared you ain’t gonna make

it. But you do. Now imagine

unhitching your pants as your open

your bathroom door. And then you

see me. James Brown. Sittin’ on

your master toilet taking a break.

What would you do?

More sniggers from all over the room. James raises his gunand KABLOOM!!!

James accidentally blasts an enormous hole in the ceiling.

SCREAMS AS EVERYONE HITS THE DECK. James looks up the thehole in the ceiling.

JAMES (CONT’D)

(sotto)

Good God. Tear up the devil. I’m

gone have to get that fixed.

James looks to the gun unsure of how it went off.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Now I’m a busy man, and I’mguessin’ you cats are too. Butsomeone has abused a personalconvenience. Now I ask you nicely.

I’m gone ask you again. Which oneof you gentlefolk hung a number twoin my commode?

James approaches the salesman.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Was it you, Sir? Was it you?!

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