Pi Page #12

RAV COHEN:

It's killing you.

Because you are impure.

LENNY MEYER:

It will kill you!

MAX:

And what will it do to

you?

LENNY MEYER:

We're pure. Give

us the number!

MAX:

The number is nothing.

You know that!

RAV COHEN:

We can use it. We

can wield it.

MAX:

It's just a number. I'm

sure you've written down

every two hundred sixteen number.

You've translated all of

them. You've intoned them

all. Haven't you? But what's

it gotten you? It's not the

number! It's the meaning.

It's the syntax. It's what's

between the numbers. If you

could understand you would.

But it's not for you! I've

got it. I understand it. I'm

going to see it!

(Whispers to Rav Cohen)

Rabbi...I was chosen.

EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY

Max races through the streets of New York. He is wide-eyed.

MAX (V.0.)

Suddenly, it's all there.

It all makes sense. I

can crack it. I can know it.

I know what it is. Sol knows,

too. I need to tell him. I

need to show him. I need to

bring him with me.

People fly by. Max in a spiraling whirlwind.

EXT. SOL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

A pumped and excited Max paces the hall as he rings the bell.

The door opens. But it isn't Sol. It's a young, beautiful

woman wearing a simple black dress. Her name is JENNY ROBESON

and she is Sol's niece.

JENNY ROBESON:

Can I help you?

MAX:

(Confused)

Sol?

JENNY ROBESON:

Were you a friend?

MAX:

What do you mean?

JENNY ROBESON:

He had a second stroke.

MAX:

Where is he?

Jenny's eyes drop.

MAX:

No.

Max rushes into Sol s study. The room is covered with Sol's P,

research books. It seems Sol had recently come out of

retirement. Max looks at a few of Sol's books. Then he finds a

piece of paper with Sol's handwriting on it. On the paper is

THE number. Max slides it into his pocket.

Max looks at the Go board. The pieces are arranged in a giant

spiral across the board.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY

Max sits on his bed staring at Sol's handwritten number.

Then he notices that his thumb is twitching. He drops Sol's

note.

MAX:

Stop it, please!

He dumps the contents of the bottle of pills into his hand.

Max stops as he prepares to shove the pills down his throat.

He looks at the pills. Then he looks at Euclid around him. He

throws the pills and the bottle to the floor. They fall to

earth in SLOW MOTION.

The room rushes in on Max and so does the pain. It throws him

to the ground and he bashes his head against the floor.

MAX:

(Courageously)

No. No. I'm ready. I'm

ready! Show me!

Max recites THE number and uses it to get to his feet. The

pain rips apart his voice.

Max's pain and anger transform into violence. He attacks

Euclid furiously. He recites the number with rage in his

voice.

MAX:

Three, seven, two...

He smashes the old computer apart. He tosses his step stool

through the mainframe.

Then he goes to the window and tries to rip off the cardboard

covering the glass panes. Nothing doing, so he yanks the

entire window wide open.

Sunlight floods the room and throws Max into the

BLINDING WHITE VOID

where Max looks around starry-eyed. The pain is gone.

Everything is new to Max - even his hands. The stress leases

from his brow and his shoulders sag.

Max continues to recite the number His voice becomes tender

and peaceful. As he starts to become part of the void, his

voice turns into a whisper and his eyes start to close.

Then he hears Devi.

DEVI (O.S.)

Max. Max! Are you

okay!? Oh my God, Max!

Her voice reaches into the void.

DEVI (O.S)

Max! Breathe, Max. Breathe!

Max looks toward her voice.

DEVI (O.S.)

Yes, Max. Listen to me...

We cut back to

...THE MAIN ROOM

where Devi leans over Max. Max's eyes are open while he

continues to recite the number.

DEVI:

Breathe, Max! Breathe.

Focus.

Max turns away from Devi and we return to the

BLINDING WHITE VOID

where Max continues to recite the number.

DEVI (O.S.)

No, Max. No.

Stay with me Max. Stay with

me.

And then we cut back to

THE MAIN ROOM:

where Devi grabs Max's palm. Max's fingers wrap around her

hand. We return to

THE BLINDING WHITE VOID

where Max stops reciting the number. He suddenly opens his

fear filled eyes.

MAX:

Where am I? What is

this? This is wrong, Sol.

Sol!

Max lets out a 'SOL!, and reaches out into the void. We match

cut back to

THE MAIN ROOM:

where Max grabs Devi and hugs her. He gasps for air as

he collapses into her arms, sobbing.

MAX:

Sol! You were right Sol!

He was right.

DEVI:

That's right Max. That's

Right. Breathe. Breathe.

MAX:

He was right. I want to

breathe. Breathe.

DEVI:

Yes, breathe, Max.

Breathe...

Max sobs. He holds onto her for dear life

And then be realizes that Devi is not in his arms. He is

holding onto himself.

Then Max notices Sol's note on the ground. He looks at the

number. He collects himself and catches his breath.

INT. MAX'S BATHROOM – DAY

Max looks at Sol's note. He lights a match and burns it.

Next, he prepares something in the sink.

We hear the WHINE of a motor. Then it stops, Max looks at

himself in the mirror, He smiles. Then he gets solemn.

He takes a deep breath. Then we hear the motor again. Max

lifts up his arm. He's holding a drill. He places the bit

against the math section of his scalp.

He applies pressure and drills into his brain.

Max collapses as we quickly

CUT TO:

EXT. CITY PLAYGROUND - DAY

TIGHT ON:

a tree branch gently blowing in the wind.

Max watches it with peaceful, understanding eyes. He wears a

hat on his head.

He listens to the wind in the trees.

Just then, Jenna surprises him with her Fisher Price

calculator on hand.

JEHNA:

Max, Max!

Max smiles at Jenna. He's glad to see her.

JENNA:

Can we do one, Max, can

we?

Max shrugs, not able to say no.

JENNA:

How about two hundred

and fifty-five times a

hundred and eighty-three.

Jenna types m the number.

Max is about to say "no" to Jenna, but then be decides to give

it a shot.

Max thinks, he really thinks.

Jenna presses the EQUALS button.

JENNA:

I got it! I got it!

What's the answer?

MAX:

(Smiling and then laughing)

I don't know. I really don't

know. What is it, Jenna?

JENNA:

Forty-six thousand six

hundred and sixty-five.

MAX:

Oh.

The trees blow gently in the wind as we slowly

FADE TO WHITE which brings us to

THE END:

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes