Jerry Maguire Page #16

LAUREL:

Hey!

As Jerry moves ahead to the car, Dorothy retreats so she can

have privacy with her sister.

LAUREL:

(continuing)

Forgot your keys --

DOROTHY:

(privately)

That's the first time I ever saw

him kiss a man, like a dad, wasn't

that just... thrilling?

(eyes tear up)

I mean, he must have been needing

that.

Women's group laughter in the distance as Laurel attempts to

glue her emotional sister back together. She holds her arm.

LAUREL:

No no. Don't cry at the beginning

of the date.

DOROTHY:

(laughing, wiping

tear)

Oh, knock it off!

_

89.

LAUREL:

(can't help it)

And don't be a shoulder for him to

cry on either.

We stay with Laurel as she watches her sister exit. Music

continues. Lit by streetlight, Dorothy runs like a young

girl, across the lawns of this car-filled neighborhood,

slapping away the leaves of a tree, running to Jerry down the

street.

INT. ANTONIO'S RESTAURANT -- NIGHT

Jerry and Dorothy sit at the table of this Mexican

restaurant. In the background, Mariachis play.

JERRY:

It was laziness1 my whole breakup

with Avery. You know that thing

you say, "it's nobody's fault."

It's one of the great lies, right?

Someone is always to blame -- if

you go for it, go for it like you

do a job, work at it --

DOROTHY:

Maybe love shouldn't be such hard

work. I know, but --

Mariachis approach the table.

HEAD MARIACHI:

A song for the lovers?

JERRY/DOROTHY

(too quickly)

No. No thanks.

DOROTHY:

We work together.

Jerry slips the guy a few bucks to go away. They do so,

reluctantly.

JERRY:

See, you choose. If you fall for

someone, if you make a commitment,

you should make it work. It's

only when "options" entered the

picture that things got bad. I'm

speaking historically now. It's

a modern day concept,

nueroticism -- how do I feeeeeel?

-- I think the only good thing to

(more)

_

90.

JERRY (cont'd)

come from this period in history

is probably the movie "Annie Hall."

DOROTHY:

(evenly)

Maybe you should call her.

JERRY:

No no no. I just underestimated

her...

(touches wound)

her temper, I guess. Why are we

even talking about this?

A FLOWER GIRL approaches the table with an armful of roses.

FLOWER GIRL:

A rose for the lady.

JERRY:

You want a --

DOROTHY:

_(_ (scoffs)

No. No way.

Jerry gives her few bucks, she exits.

DOROTHY:

(continuing)

Yeah. It wasn't like my marriage

to Roger was so great, even

before --

(stops herself)

Jerry?

JERRY:

What?

DOROTHY:

(simply)

Let's not tell our sad stories.

Jerry laughs to himself. He admires her directness.

DOROTHY:

(continuing)

I'll be right back. Quit thinking

those murky thoughts, okay? We're

young, we're semi-successful. Life

is good.

She exits and we hang on him for a moment.

_

91.

INT. BATHROOM -- NIGHT -- MINUTES LATER

Dorothy on the phone outside the bathroom.

DOROTHY:

No, now... come on... let Chad

catch the bee in a glass. He

won't hurt it. Aw, buddy, you got

such a good heart. I love you,

I'll be home soon. Can't wait to

see you.

EXT. BATHROOM

Sbe exits the bathroom and stops at the sight of what is

happening at the table. Jerry, hand on face, is

embarrassingly being serenaded by the Mariachis, who now play

a mournful "Tears in Heaven." She smiles at the image, in

fact the poetry charms her. Dorothy moves forward, grinning,

fishes some bucks out of her pocket, and sends the Mariachis

in another direction.

DOROTHY:

Come on, let's take a walk.

INT. DOROTHY'S PORCH -- NIGHT

Music feathers into sounds of night. A bug buzzing from the

nearby light, Jerry swats it away.

JERRY:

Well -- this would be goodnight.

DOROTHY:

Good night.

They don't kiss. They take great care not to touch too much.

JERRY:

I'll see you tomorrow.

They don't move. On impulse, she grabs him and pulls him

close. Kisses him. It's a good one.

DOROTHY:

Good night.

But they don't move. He pulls her closer by her straps.

They break. She holds them up, nervous now. His lips travel

down. He kisses her upper chest. She sighs deeply, she's

missed this feeling. Jerry rises to kiss her lips again,

tying her straps back on. Her expression says there is a

decision to make. She concentrates on the styrofoam container

she's brought back from the restaurant.

_

92.

DOROTHY:

(continuing; breath)

I think you should not come in, or

come in depending on how you feel.

JERRY:

Same to you.

DOROTHY:

No. I have to go in. I live here.

JERRY:

Right. I'll come in.

DOROTHY:

Okay. Wait here a second.

(beat, then)

Do we really want to do this?

JERRY:

(half-unsure)

Oh hell yes.

She exits, as shot lingers on Jerry. That odd moment when

you've crossed the line. He takes a breath.

INT. LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

Dorothy enters to find Chad watching t.v. The house is now

quiet, the remains of the Divorced Women's group is still in

evidence.

DOROTHY:

He's asleep, right?

CHAD:

Yeah, how'd it go with Sportboy?

DOROTHY:

Still going.

Chad raises his eyebrows.

DOROTHY:

(continuing)

Shhh.

EXT. PORCH -- NIGHT

Jerry on the porch, as Chad exits. Chad now fully plays the

part of friend with seniority. Looks the taller Jerry up and

down.

CHAD:

Treat her right, man. She's...

_

93.

JERRY:

(self-conscious)

Yeah... well...

CHAD:

She's great. And I know this is

a little awkward, but I want you

to use this.

Chad ruumages in bag for a moment. Jerry is somewhat

horrified at what Chad might be giving him. Out comes a

cassette tape.

CHAD:

(continuing; intense)

This... is Miles Davis and John

Coltrane. Stockholm. 1963... two

masters of freedom, playing in a

time before their art was

corrupted by a zillion cocktail

lounge performers who destroyed

the legacy of the only American

artform -- JAZZ.

Jerry takes the tape, as the front door squeaks open.

Dorothy shoos Chad away, quietly leads Jerry inside.

INT. BEDROOM-- NIGHT

Fierce, driving jazz. Dorothy and Jerry making out on bed.

Getting hotter. The music gets wilder. Finally it is

impossible to ignore, and Jerry collapses backwards on the

bed laughing. She is left frozen, her arms open but he is

gone.

DOROTHY:

What is this MUSIC?

They both crack up, and she kisses him as the music plays. He

looks at her. She turns away, then back again, he's still

looking at her. It's a powerful moment for her. Laughter

continues, the music is ridiculous. (Their sex is a big

difference from the let's-be-intense sex with Avery.)

INT. KITCHEN -- NIGHT -- SAME TIME

Laurel just home from work in nurse uniform, has a late-night

joint and carefully blows the smoke out the window. Laughter

from the next room. She pops open the styrofoam appetizers

her sister brought back from dinner.

DISSOLVE TO:

_

94.

INT. DOROTHY'S BEDROOM -- MORNING

Radio clicks on. It's still dark. Only the glow of the

digital lamp. Jerry alone in bed. He gets up, coughs, pulls

on some pants. Manuevers through a strange bedroom, steps on

toys.

INT. KITCHEN -- MORNING

Dorothy and Laurel in the kitchen, waiting far the first

possible drops of coffee.

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