My Best Friend's Wedding Page #3

MICHAEL (V.O.)

If you can't come. And hold my

hand. I'll never get through this.

Oh.

MICHAEL (V.O.)

Please come, please.

JULIANNE:

W...

MICHAEL (V.O.)

I can't wait for you to meet her!

HOLD ON Julianne. Staring in the mirror. Like watching the end of

her life.

INT. BEDROOM - LATER

The closet, the armoire, all the drawers are wide open. Two huge

suitcases open on the bed, into which Julianne is flinging clothes,

as she fumbles to smoke and dial at the same time. Over the phone,

now...

DIGGER (V.O., machine)

You've reached Digger and George.

Brevity will be appreciated.

BEEP.

JULIANNE (in a rage)

IT'S ME AGAIN, WHY AREN'T YOU GUYS

UP HAVING SAFE SEX??

SNATCHES up a tiny, clingy, sexy dress. Pouts at it.

JULIANNE:

OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, WHY AREN'T

YOU INTERRUPTING IT TO ANSWER

THE PHONE??

She holds the dress against her body. It's hot.

JULIANNE:

YOU, YOU, YOU! IT'S ALL ABOUT

YOU, ISN'T IT??

She clicks OFF. Checks the dress in the mirror. Raises the short

skirt a little higher.

INT. DIGGER'S CHEROKEE, JFK AIRPORT - EARLY MORNING

Digger driving the open-air Cherokee up the ramp to United Airlines

departures. Julianne, wind-whipped, trying to light a fresh

cigarette from the butt of the last one. He glances over. Hates

to see this...

DIGGER:

You can't get lung cancer and

die in four days. Go to Plan B.

She sucks deep. Really deep.

JULIANNE:

You have no appropriate sense

of emergency. My best friend

is ruining his life.

DIGGER:

No, he's ruining yours.

JULIANNE:

Same difference. If you love

someone, it's your duty to save

them from themselves.

DIGGER:

You have a real philosophy of

life.

JULIANNE:

It's called the Law of Love,

a**hole.

She is tight enough to snap. And at the edge of tears. Staring

out at the skycaps, clinging to her cigarette, as he eases to the

curb.

DIGGER (gently)

Why don't we have a drink? You

could catch a later fl...

JULIANNE:

I'm a busy girl. I've got four

days to break up a wedding, and

steal the bride's fella.

She finally looks at him. He doesn't say anything.

JULIANNE:

He's adored me for nine goddamn

years.

DIGGER:

I can see why.

JULIANNE:

She knows him maybe five seconds,

plus she has billions of dollars,

plus she's perfect, so don't go

feeling sorry for Miss Pre-Teen Illinois!

He's not. So her voice softens. Which shows the hurt.

JULIANNE:

And don't go feeling sorry for

me, you don't know me that well.

We're only friends.

DIGGER (softly)

I stand corrected.

Tears now. Stand in her eyes.

JULIANNE:

I'm making a big mistake, huh?

DIGGER (shrugs)

Maybe you'll learn something.

He wraps his hand over hers. She looks down at it.

JULIANNE:

I'm gonna bring him back, man.

Against all odds, y'know. Cos

if I don't...

She wraps her fingers around his.

JULIANNE:

... I gotta live with it forever.

Looks in his eyes.

JULIANNE:

And at my wedding. I'll be the

only bride with her own best man.

And she kisses his cheek.

Jumps out of his car. Before she cries. Yanks her bags from the

back. Brave smile.

They trade small salutes. And then she's gone.

INT. O'HARA AIRPORT, CHICAGO - MORNING

The jetway disgorging passengers into the swarming ant colony

called O'Hare. Julianne lugging multiple carry-ons, trying to pull

fly-away strands of hair into place, nervous as a schoolgirl,

looking all around, and...

... there he is. MICHAEL is tall and square-shouldered, a boyish

grin, an unruly shock of hair. He looks gorgeous, sweet, and just

dangerous enough to be irresistible. Worthwhile stakes. His face

lights to see her, and she...

... RUNS to his arms, shedding bags along the way, slamming off

heedless civilians, to be...

... SWEPT OFF the earth in strong arms, spun around, laughing like

crazy, their cheeks tight together. When he sets her down...

... he kisses her nose. His arms are still around her.

MICHAEL (murmurs)

Can you believe it? Can you believe

I'm actually gonna do this?

JULIANNE (lost in his eyes)

Not hardly.

He beams. Turns. She follows his gaze, and...

... there she is. KIMBERLY WALLACE is 20, small and slender, but it

is a body to die for. The face is striking, not at all perky and

vapid, but lovely and interesting. Worst of all, intelligent.

She walks toward them purposefully, her eyes locked to the woman in

her fiancee's arms. At the last moment, Michael releases Julianne

and Kimmy...

... THROWS her arms around the startled visitor. HOLDS her tight,

with such genuine warmth that Julianne can only, slowly, hug back.

As Michael beams.

KIMMY:

This just makes everything so

perfect.

Her arms stay around the slightly dazed Julianne. The younger

girl leans close, confides...

KIMMY:

All I've heard, from the day I

met Michael, is Julianne this,

and Julianne that...

JULIANNE:

Well, we're...

KIMMY:

I think the best part of marrying

this guy is finding you.

Pale gray eyes. Alive with joy and intimacy.

KIMMY:

I've never had a sister.

INT. KIMMY'S CONVERTIBLE - DAY

Kimmy TEARING down the throughway in her Mercedes 500 SL, a

dashing, confident driver. Julianne riding shotgun, hair flying, a

total wreck, in the open convertible. Michael is happily crouched

on the little platform behind their seats, hugging his knees. The

roar of the wind makes it impossible for him to hear them.

KIMMY:

My heart's in my throat, here.

Right off, I have to ask this

monstrous favor...

JULIANNE:

You need a few dollars.

Kim glances over. At eighty miles an hour. A bittersweet look.

KIMMY:

Dry. Just like he said.

Her eyes at once admiring and regretful.

JULIANNE:

Excuse me?

KIMMY:

I can be quick. I can even

be funny.

Shakes her head. An endearing youngster.

KIMMY:

But I can't be dry.

JULIANNE:

Can you watch the road?

KIMMY:

See. Dry. It's in the delivery.

She looks back to the highway.

KIMMY:

This is a very presumptuous

and burdensome fav...

JULIANNE:

... you want a menage on your

wedding night.

KIMMY (straight back)

No, that wouldn't be burdensome.

Julianne studying the delicate, angular profile. Hard not to like

this kid.

KIMMY:

My classmate Angelique shattered

her pelvis line dancing in

Abeline on Spring Break.

Looks over. The sweetest smile.

KIMMY:

Be my maid of honor.

Julianne just blinks.

KIMMY:

You can't believe what it'd

cost to bring in a temp.

JULIANNE:

Uh. How about promoting a

bridesmaid? Someone you know

for at least forty-five minutes.

We CUT OFF a huge SEMI who BLASTS his horn. Kimmy fearless,

oblivious, and analytical...

KIMMY:

The bridesmaids are my only two

female relatives under forty.

Identical twin debutantes from

Nashville, who are basically

vengeful sluts. With amazing

bodies!

JULIANNE:

Which was the disqualifying

factor?

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes