Jennifer Falls

ACT ONE:

SCENE A:

FADE IN:

INT. CEO’S OFFICE - BLAIR CAPITAL - MORNING

DON HIRSH, (50) AN EMPTY SUIT, ALL TAN, TEETH, AND A

HAIRPIECE, CONFERS WITH CLAY (35) HIS UNDERLING.

DON:

She’s going to yell.

CLAY:

We have to let her go, Don. Half of

Jennifer’s clients won’t work with her.

DON:

I hate it when she yells.

JENNIFER DANTE, (40S) ENTERS. SHE HAS A LOT OF STRENGTHS.

SHE’S BEAUTIFUL, SMART, SUCCESSFUL--BUT ONE WEAKNESS: SHE

HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A SICILIAN TEMPER. WHICH CAN BE CHARMING

AND AMUSING. AS LONG AS IT’S NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.

JENNIFER:

You wanted to see me, Don?

DON:

There she is! You look fantastic!

JENNIFER:

Thanks. I’m having a good day.

DON:

Well, it’s early.

JENNIFER:

What?

"Epidode Title" 2. 2.

DON:

Jennifer, I respect you too much to

pussyfoot around so I’m just going to

say it straight out. Clay?

CLAY:

We’re letting you go.

DON:

That was hard for me.

JENNIFER:

I don’t understand. Why?

CLAY:

You have anger issues. Frankly, it’s

something that’s followed you your whole

career.

JENNIFER:

I don’t have anger issues! Who says I

have anger issues!

DON:

(TO CLAY) She’s yelling.

JENNIFER:

(COMPOSING HERSELF) Okay, I’ve been told,

in the past, that I sometimes speak my

mind too freely. But I’ve been working

on that and I really have a handle on it.

CLAY:

You called Ed Rasky a dick.

"Epidode Title" 3. 3.

JENNIFER:

He is a dick!

CLAY:

Ted Dawson at Litwel complained about

your attitude.

JENNIFER:

Yeah, my attitude is I don’t do business

meetings in Ted Dawson’s hotel room.

CLAY:

Carter Sims at Dynaflow won’t deal with

you because you treat him like an idiot.

JENNIFER:

Tell him not to act like one. Are you

guys serious?

CLAY:

The point is, you intimidate-JENNIFER

Men?

DON:

You’re a good investment banker,

Jennifer but you have a personality

problem. You’re aggressive, you’re

cocky, you take no prisoners-

JENNIFER:

All qualities that get male VP’s

promotions.

"Epidode Title" 4.

DON:

And you say stuff like that. I’m

sorry but we have to let you go.

JENNIFER:

Unbelievable.

DON:

Hey, take the rest of the day off. Go

to the zoo. They’ve got these new

baby pandas that will melt your heart.

CLAY:

(LEANS OVER TO DON) You’re doing a

great job.

DON:

Thank you, Clay.

JENNIFER:

I made so much money for this company.

DON:

And I think I speak for all of us when

I say how much we appreciate that.

CLAY:

You speak for me, Don.

A WOMAN AND A SECURITY GUARD ENTER.

DON:

Come on in, Guys. Jennifer, you know

Connie from HR and, of course, Larry from

security.

(MORE)

"Epidode Title" 5.

DON (CONT'D)

(TRYING TO BE FUNNY) They’re here to make

sure you don’t shoot the place up. Right

guys? But seriously, you should go now.

CONNIE AND LARRY START TO WALK JENNIFER OUT.

CONNIE:

Sorry, Jennifer. This is hard on all

of us.

JENNIFER:

Little harder on me, Connie.

CONNIE:

You’re probably right.

DON:

(TO JENNIFER, AS SHE GOES) I know it

hurts now but you’re going to learn from

this. You’ll thank me someday. (NOT

SOTTO ENOUGH) Gonna miss that ass.

JENNIFER’S HAD ENOUGH. SHE TURNS AND WALKS BACK IN.

JENNIFER:

Okay, if you’re going to fire me for my

“anger issues” I might as well get my

money’s worth. No one give’s a rat’s ass

about what you shot at Pebble Beach or

anywhere ever! The assistants are all

creeped out by your rape-y back rubs. And

that thing on your head isn’t fooling

anyone. It looks like road kill!

"Epidode Title" 6. 6.

DON:

What? Clay?

CLAY SHAKES HIS HEAD BUT DON’S STILL RATTLED.

JENNIFER:

Sorry. I know it hurts now, but you’ll

thank me someday.

CUT TO:

"Epidode Title" 7. 7.

SCENE B:

EXT. MAGGIE’S HOUSE - CHATSWORTH - DAY

JENNIFER, ONE HER CELL PHONE AND HER DAUGHTER GRETCHEN (16,

ENTITLED BUT REACHABLE) UNLOAD BOXES FROM A SMALL U-HAUL VAN.

JENNIFER:

(ON CELL) Mom... Mom... I don’t want

a party.

GRETCHEN:

I don’t want to live at Grandma’s. How

can we be broke? You made so much money.

JENNIFER:

(TO GRETCHEN) We spent so much more.

Remember all those Christmases in

Aspen and summers in Tuscany? So does

the bank. (ON PHONE) Mom, you’re not

listening.

GRETCHEN:

So we have nothing?

JENNIFER:

No, no. We still have mountains of debt.

(ON CELL) Mom, this is just temporary.

I don’t want you to make a fuss.

THEY ENTER THE HOUSE, CARRYING BOXES.

RESET TO:

INT. MAGGIE’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

THERE’S A “WELCOME HOME” BANNER OVER THE MANTLE AND A ROOM

FULL OF PEOPLE. JENNIFER’S MOTHER, MAGGIE (60S, NARCISSIST,

BOUNDARY ISSUES), GREETS THEM WITH OPEN ARMS, BEAMING.

"Epidode Title" 8. 8.

MAGGIE:

You’re back!

JENNIFER:

I thought we agreed, no party.

MAGGIE:

It’s just close family and friends.

Very low key.

JENNIFER:

Is that a mariachi band?

WE HEAR MARIACHI MUSIC DRIFT IN FROM OUTSIDE.

MAGGIE:

Yes! Aren’t they wonderful? This close

to Cinco de Mayo I was so lucky to get

them.

JENNIFER LOOKS TO HER DAUGHTER.

GRETCHEN:

You’re on your own.

SHE PUTS HER IPHONE EARBUDS IN AND PLOPS DOWN IN A CHAIR.

THE MARIACHI MUSIC GETS LOUDER THROUGH THE FOLLOWING.

JENNIFER:

Coward. (THEN) Mom, I so appreciate

you taking us in but this is not

really a party day for me. I can’t

find a job, I’m upside down on my

house, I burned through all my savings

and--Seriously, if they don’t stop

playing La Cucaracha they won’t live

to see Seis de Mayo.

"Epidode Title" 9. 9.

MAGGIE:

I understand, sweetie. I’ll have them

play La Bamba.

MAGGIE CROSSES OFF.

JENNIFER:

Mom, no. That’s not the--(BUT SHE’S

GONE) Aaaaand, I’m home.

JENNIFER AD LIBS “THANKS FOR COMING” AND “NICE TO SEE YOU” AS

SHE MAKES HER WAY THROUGH THE GUESTS. SHE STARTS TO EXIT

TOWARDS THE HALL BUT RUNS INTO HER SISTER-IN LAW, STEPHANIE

(23, BEAUTIFUL, SHALLOW, PASSIVE/AGGRESSIVE AND OPINIONATED).

STEPHANIE:

(WAY TOO CONCERNED) Jennifer.

(WHISPERS) How’s your anger?

JENNIFER:

(WHISPERS BACK) Great, Stephanie.

How’s your passive aggression?

STEPHANIE:

What? (THEN) You’re so funny.

JENNIFER:

Where’s Wayne?

STEPHANIE:

Who knows? You know your brother. We

were both sick about what happened to

you. You lost everything?

JENNIFER:

Yep.

STEPHANIE:

Your beautiful house in Santa Monica?

"Epidode Title" 10. 10.

JENNIFER:

Yep.

STEPHANIE:

Your gorgeous condo in Maui?

JENNIFER:

Yep.

STEPHANIE:

Your incredible-

JENNIFER:

You know “everything” pretty much

covers it, Stephanie.

STEPHANIE:

I admire your courage.

JENNIFER:

It’s mostly Xanex. Excuse me. I have

to put this stuff in my room.

STEPHANIE:

Of course. (GRABS HER BY THE

SHOULDERS) You are not a failure,

Jennifer Doyle.

JENNIFER:

(BRIGHTLY) Bite my ass, Stephanie.

STEPHANIE:

You’re hilarious.

CUT TO:

"Epidode Title" 11. 11.

SCENE C:

INT. JENNIFER’S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

JENNIFER ENTERS. THE ROOM LOOKS JUST THE WAY IT DID THE DAY

SHE LEFT. HER BROTHER WAYNE (40S, BOYISH, BASICALLY GOODNATURED BUT MALLEABLE) IS SITTING ON HER BED, DRINKING A BEERAND WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME ON JENNIFER’S OLD TV.

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