I Smile Back

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1 INT. UNCLE WONG’S CHINESE RESTAURANT - DAY INT. UNCLE WONG’S CHINESE RESTAURANT - DAY 1

LANEY BROOKS(mid-30’s) is having a drink at the bar while she

fiddles with a pair of chopsticks. She’s pretty, but not in

the way that inspires envy; she’s pretty in a way that makes

you want to be her friend. Two large bags of takeout are on

the counter.

Laney leans over the bar looking for something but comes up

short. She pulls the elastic hair tie out of her pony tail

and ties up the chopsticks with a folded piece of paper in

the middle. She stands, drains her drink and glances over to

a MOM and DAD arguing. Their young SON has a chopstick in

each hand. He’s trying to eat his noodles but they keep

sliding off the chopsticks. The Mom and Dad don’t seem to

notice.

Laney grabs the takeout bags and starts heading for the door

but stops short at the boy’s table. She puts down her bags

and we see what she’s been making: a set of trainer

chopsticks.

LANEY:

Here you go Buddy.

She quickly shows the little boy how to work them. The Mom

and Dad stop arguing and look at her. Laney’s friendly.

LANEY (CONT’D)

I still use these.

Laney heads to the door. But she doesn’t leave. Instead she

waits until the little boy captures a mess of noodles and

brings it to his mouth. Success! He looks up, locks eyes

with Laney and smiles at her. Laney smiles back, then exits.

2 EXT. UNCLE WONG’S PARKING LOT - DAY - SAME 2

A perfect winter day, not a cloud in the sky. DONNY (mid30s),

tan and good looking is leaning against his Maserati

and smoking a joint. Laney approaches, take-out bags in

hand.

LANEY:

Sorry that took so long. They were

swamped.

DONNY:

No sweat.

Laney attempts to put the bags in the back seat but Donny

wraps his arm around her waist from behind, spins her around

and pins her against the side of the car, kisses her neck.

Pink (03/02/2014) 22.

LANEY:

Quick:
three reasons you love me.

Donny takes another hit off the joint and passes it to her.

DONNY:

One--

Laney makes a game show buzzer sound.

LANEY:

--Too slow.

DONNY:

--Because you’re beautiful.

He exhales. She takes a hit off the joint.

DONNY (CONT’D)

Two- fun.

LANEY:

Really fun.

DONNY:

Three- smart.

Laney laughs. Donny reclaims the joint and takes another hit.

He leans in for another kiss but she dodges him.

LANEY:

We’ve got hungry kids. Come on.

Donny takes one last hit before putting the joint out with

his shoe.

3 EXT. SUBURBAN ROAD - DAY - SAME 3

Tall trees line the road. Stables. Painted fences. Donny

turns by the clock tower and then comes to a stop sign on the

corner. Laney is sucking on a Red Charms Lollipop. This is

something she does throughout the movie.

4 EXT. LANEY BROOKS’ DRIVEWAY - DAY - SAME 4

Donny pulls slightly erratically into the driveway, swerving

to avoid hitting a bicycle carelessly left laying on its

side. The home is a modest center hall colonial, black

shutters, red door.

Pink (03/02/2014) 33.

LANEY:

I’ve told Eli a hundred times not

to leave his bike in the middle of

the driveway.

Donny pushes the gears into neutral, pulls on the emergency

break. Laney gets out of the car and grabs a bag of take-out

from the back seat. She’s still working on her lollipop.

LANEY (CONT’D)

The kids must be starving.

She walks toward the front door, turns around and tosses her

hair over her shoulder, tucks a piece behind her ear. She’s

undeniably sexy. She motions for Donny to get moving but he

doesn’t. Instead he sinks back into his seat, c*cks his head

to the side lustily and grins at her. Laney walks back to

the car, grabs the second bag of take-out.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Come on Donny. Everyone’s waiting

for us.

He turns off the engine.

LANEY (CONT’D)

Do I look high?

Laney fumbles around in her purse. She finds the Visine and

puts a couple of drops in each eye. She’s a pro.

DONNY:

You look beautiful.

Donny tries to pin Laney against the wall next to the front

door to kiss her but she wiggles out of it. Flashes a smile.

Tosses what’s left of the lollipop into the bushes.

5 OMITTED 5

6 INT. KITCHEN - DAY - CONTINUOUS 6

LANEY:

We’re back! Who’s hungry?

Through the french doors we see BRUCE and SUSAN (both mid-

30’s). Three kids, ELI (8), JANEY (6) and HENRY (8) are

playing happily on the trampoline. Donny starts removing food

from the bags. Laney heads outside.

Pink (03/02/2014) 44.

7 EXT. BACKYARD - DAY - CONTINUOUS 7

Bruce and Susan are bundled up and watching the KIDS play.

Hearing the door open, Bruce turns around to see Laney. He

has a vaguely suspicious look on his face - is that always

there?

BRUCE:

What took you so long?

Laney wraps her arms around Bruce’s neck and gives him a

kiss.

LANEY:

They forgot the Moo-Shu Pork and I

know it’s your favorite.

She is well versed in identifying a suspicious look. Even

more so in knowing how to dismiss it with a kiss.

BRUCE:

Food’s here! Everybody inside!

Susan, you hungry?

8 INT. KITCHEN TABLE - DAY - SAME 8

Bruce, Laney, Donny and Susan are sitting around the kitchen

table eating. There are open boxes of Chinese food and a few

open beer bottles on the table. The KIDS are milling around

the kitchen. Eli, in head-to-toe Nike sweats looks like a

mini version of his father. He’s dribbling a basketball.

Susan passes Donny a manuscript.

SUSAN:

Bruce’s book.

Donny rests his chopsticks on his plate and takes a look at

the book.

DONNY:

“Life Insurance: Hedging Your Bet

Against God”, by Bruce Brooks!

That’s a great f***ing title.

SUSAN:

And he just won a big insurance

award. Right Bruce?

BRUCE (TO ELI)

Not in the house E.

ELI:

I know.

Pink (03/02/2014) 55.

Eli dribbles it one last time then hugs it with one arm,

grabs a plate.

BRUCE:

Man Of The Year. Highest producer

in the company.

Bruce’s tone is playful.

BRUCE (CONT’D)

They’re honoring me at the annual

convention. An all expenses paid

weekend in... Lake George. (a beat)

In March.

Everyone laughs.

DONNY (FOOD IN MOUTH)

So what’s the book about?

BRUCE:

The way I see it, there’s a bible

for the afterlife. I wrote the

bible for the here and now.

More laughs.

BRUCE (CONT’D)

I’m not kidding. People can say

what they want about insurance and

guys like me but you know what? At

the end of the day, having good

insurance is the most important

thing you can do while you’re

alive. And every time you up it

you’re just hedging your bet

against God. Am I right?

Laney, bored, brings her plate into the kitchen, dumps it,

grabs a lollipop.

BRUCE (CONT’D)

(mouthful of food)

What are you doing?

LANEY:

Just cleaning up, kids have school

tomorrow. I have to do laundry,

make their lunches.

BRUCE:

Sit back down Laney. Everyone here

is enjoying the food.

Pink (03/02/2014) 66.

LANEY:

The ribs are sour.

BRUCE:

You don’t eat.

DONNY:

Come on Lane. Sit back down.

Bruce’s vaguely suspicious looks returns when Donny calls her

“Lane”. Janey enters the kitchen holding BINGO, the cutest

little dog in the entire world. Janey is Laney’s clone.

Brown hair, chocolate eyes, big smile.

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