My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 Page #2

PARIS:

Outstanding.

Paris turns to the high school.

Suddenly, Toula leaps from the car, grabs Paris.

(CONTINUED)

8

CONTINUED:

TOULA:

(blurts, loud and fast)

Paris, Pappou didn’t mean to say

anything hurtful, you’re beautiful,

so beautiful, of course you don’t

look old, he just says stuff like

that, to, well, to me too, you

don’t need a boyfriend, you don’t

have to get married or have babies-

Paris side-eyes the ever-present school loudmouth TOMMY, and

the COOL STUDENTS, including TIAHN, CLIFFORD, all 17.

And, BENNETT, 17. Bennett.

Toula doesn’t see the effect he has on Paris.

Paris turns to glare at Toula.

PARIS:

(teeth gritted, sotto)

Mother.

Toula stops talking, stares at her daughter.

TOULA (V.O.)

When did my name change from--

CUT TO:

EXT. MILLER DRIVEWAY - SUMMER DAY (FLASHBACK)

PARIS, 4, runs TO CAMERA:

PARIS (AT FOUR)

Mommy!!!

CUT TO:

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY (THE PRESENT)

TOULA (V.O.)

... to-

PARIS:

(furious)

Mother!!

Toula realizes she is holding Paris’s face. She drops her

hands.

(CONTINUED)

9

CONTINUED:

Paris turns, walks past GROUPS OF TEENS. She is alone.

TOMMY:

Ooh, drama.

Toula blinks, looks up at:

A banner hangs:
COLLEGE FAIR TONIGHT.

CUT TO:

EXT. CHICAGO STREETS - DAY

The downtown Loop in the distance, the Cadillac drives

through Greek Town.

CUT TO:

I/E. GUS’S CADILLAC/CHICAGO STREETS (THE PRESENT)

Gus drives, as Toula thinks.

TOULA (V.O.)

I guess when my daughter started to

pull away, I should have stepped

back.

CUT TO:

INT. SCHOOL GYM - DAY (FLASHBACK)

PACKED volleyball game. Paris is a Line Judge. Wearing a

PARENT VOLUNTEER sticker, Toula works the SNACKS TABLE on the

side.

TOULA (V.O.)

But I stayed too close. I kept

volunteering at her school. I

wanted her to think I was cool

again.

Toula keeps waving to Paris, who wishes she would go away.

Then, a volleyball smacks Toula in the head. She drops. The

GYM of PEOPLE sucks in air. Paris cringes at the attention.

Toula is on the ground.

(CONTINUED)

10

CONTINUED:

TOULA (V.O.)

Then I remembered I’ve never been

cool.

MARGE and EDIE, 40’s, the overbearing Volunteer Moms, smirk

into their hands. STUDENTS, including Tommy, are quietly

giggling. Then-

TOMMY (O.C.)

Here comes the principal.

The principal is backlit. It’s IAN MILLER, 40’s, and even

though he looks worn down by the teen years, he is handsome.

TOULA (V.O.)

My husband has always been cool.

He just has it. And he always knows

what to say.

Ian leans in.

IAN:

You okay, babe?

Toula sits up, nods, sees: Paris looks at her with disdain.

DISSOLVE TO:

I/E. GUS’S CADILLAC/CHICAGO STREETS - DAY (THE PRESENT)

Remembering this, Toula winces.

TOULA (V.O.)

Just when my daughter doesn’t want

me around anymore, my parents need

me more than ever.

Gus, driving, nods off. Toula nudges his chin, he wakes up.

Toula sees they pass the SENIORS’ REHAB CENTER.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. REHAB CENTER WAITING ROOM - ANOTHER DAY (FLASHBACK)

TOULA (V.O.)

So I take them to get groceries, to

their doctors, and to Physical

Therapy.

Toula waits:
through the glass, Gus does hip therapy.

(CONTINUED)

11

CONTINUED:

Toula blows off dust from a peanuts bowl. Eats some.

The receptionist, DOMINIQUE, looks up.

DOMINIQUE:

The old guys suck the chocolate off

those nuts.

Toula spits nuts.

CUT TO:

I/E. GUS’S CADILLAC/OLYMPIC TRAVEL - DAY (THE PRESENT)

Gus drives past closed-down buildings, one with two tattered

signs:
OLYMPIC DRY CLEANING, and OLYMPIC TRAVEL AGENCY.

Toula sees the sign.

TOULA (V.O.)

I used to love being a travel

agent. But in a tight economy the

first things to go are luxuries

like travel and dry cleaning.

CUT TO:

I/E. GUS’S CADILLAC/DANCING ZORBA’S - DAY

The car pulls up to the family restaurant, DANCING ZORBA’S.

TOULA (V.O.)

Luckily, people still eat.

Toula gets out, then helps her dad as he slowly gets himself

out. Toula pulls a walking cane from the car. Gus looks

around to be sure no one sees this, reluctantly takes it.

Toula holds his arm as they walk. Gus slips, bumps into

Toula, knocking off her glasses. Gus steps, accidentally

crunching them to bits.

CUT TO:

INT. DANCING ZORBA’S - DAY

Toula now squints, flips on the lights, hangs up their coats.

Gus, exhausted already, limps to the corner booth.

Toula hangs a worn sign in the window: WE NOW CATER, TOO!

(CONTINUED)

12

CONTINUED:

TOULA (V.O.)

My sister and brother have small

children, so I help at the

restaurant. It’s what nice Greek

girls do.

Toula puts on a mud-brown Seating Hostess jacket.

Toula walks past a pie case filled with mini-bundt cakes,

each with a Fall-colored orange or cranberry gerbera in its

center.

TOULA (V.O.)

Families that are close like mine,

we make it through bad economies,

wars and sickness because we stick

together...

Toula goes to a drawer, finds a strip of empty disposable

contact lenses. She remembers something, and rummages to

find a pair of glasses. They’re ugly and they were once

hers. She puts them on.

Toula looks as downcast and frumpy as she once did.

TOULA (V.O.)

... but some of us just get stuck.

Toula looks out the window. Cars and PEOPLE pass her by. The

day is as bleak as her mood.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

In the exact same stance as her mother Toula, Paris stands,

looking out the window.

SMALL GROUPS OF STUDENTS huddle at lockers.

She turns and heads into:

Paris is alone.

CUT TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY - DAY

Paris takes a book from a bookshelf -- Ian walks up.

IAN:

Hey Paris -

(CONTINUED)

13

CONTINUED:

PARIS:

Do not talk to me. People think

I’m a narc.

IAN:

I -- shouldn’t you be in class?

PARIS:

You track me all day! Mom is

needy, Pappou wants to marry me

off, Yiayia constantly tells me to

never, ever let a boy touch my

poulaki because once he feels it,

he wants it. Ugh, this family!

STUDENTS look over at the voices from the bookshelf.

TOMMY:

Save it for the therapist’s couch.

Riiiiiight?

He goes for a high five which no one returns.

IAN:

Paris, your mom once felt the same

way about being Greek-

PARIS:

Dad, that’s obtuse, why would I

have an issue being Greek?

Paris points behind her to 5 cheerful posters declaring

upcoming meetings: Syrian Club!, Korean Club, Greek Club!,

Gay & Lesbian Club!, Handi-Capable Club!

PARIS (CONT’D)

I can’t take that everyone is

always in my business! Give me

some air. I’m not a kid, I can be

late to a class, there won’t be a

spasmodic catastrophic ripple in

the space-time continuum. And yes,

four of those words are Greek.

Paris storms away, Ian looks worn out.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - NIGHT

BANNER:
COLLEGE FAIR TONIGHT

(CONTINUED)

14

CONTINUED:

PARENTS and STUDENTS enter the gym.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYM - NIGHT

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