Punch-Drunk Love

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LOGO:

Presentation cards with white, red, blue, blue-green

backgrounds, then:

CUT TO:

INT. WAREHOUSE - EARLY MORNING

CAMERA (STEADICAM) holds on a man in a suit, sitting behind

a desk, on the phone: BARRY EGAN (Adam Sandler)

BARRY:

...yes I'm still on hold...

OPERATOR:

And what was this?

BARRY:

I'm looking at your advertisement

for the airline promotion and

giveaway?

OPERATOR:

This is "Fly With Us?"

BARRY:

It's hard to understand because it

says in addition to but I can't

exactly understand in addition to

what because there's actually

nothing to add it too...

OPERATOR:

I think that's a type-o then, that

would be a mistake.

BARRY:

So, just to clarify, I'm sorry: Ten

purchases of any of your Healthy

Choice products equals five hundred

miles and then with the coupon the

same purchases would value one

thousand miles --

OPERATOR:

That's it.

BARRY:

Do you realize that the monetary

value of this promotion and the

prize is potentially worth more

than the purchases?

OPERATOR:

I don't know...I mean: I don't know.

OC DISTANT SOUND OF A CAR SKIDDING TO A STOP, SOME VAGUE,

DISTANT SCREAMING IS HEARD...THEN SILENCE. Barry hears this,

gets distracted, then back to the phone call;

BARRY:

Can I call you back if I have any

further questions...? Can I get

your extension?

OPERATOR:

It's extension 215 if you want to

try me back.

BARRY:

Ok. Thank you.

He hangs up the phone and walks through his warehouse. It's

fairly non-descript place, boxing materials, etc. Products

seem to be mainly silly novelties (pens that light up, key

chains, novelty toilet plungers, etc)

He lifts a LOADING DOOR and LIGHT POURS INSIDE, WASHES OUT

THE FRAME....he's silhouette....CAMERA follows him

out...stays overexposed and over his shoulder as he looks

down towards the street.....

...his business is situated at the end of a common driveway,

shared with a few other nondescript places and an Auto

mechanic....distant SOUND of a car SPEEDING and SKIDDING....

....hold, then:

....a JEEP CHEROKEE comes FLIPPING into FRAME, far off at

the mouth of the alley, on the street. The JEEP ends up

landing RIGHT SIDE UP....HOLD....

.....Barry flinches a little, stares.....the JEEP sits idle

for a moment....then it drives off....then:

A speeding, small TOYOTA comes into view at the mouth of the

alley, screeching to a halt. The passenger side door opens

and a small, wooden HARMONIUM (like a portable organ) is

placed on the ground. The TOYOTA speeds away.....

....a moment or two later another NON-DESCRIPT CAR flies

past very fast....

BEAT. Barry squints, looks at the small HARMONIUM sitting

alone in the middle of the street.

He hesitates, looks around, holds, then walks back inside

his warehouse.

CUT TO:

INT. BARRY'S WAREHOUSE - THAT MOMENT

Barry on the phone again;

BARRY:

....I'm not exactly sure what that

means...

VOICE:

If they break or something. What is

it, plastic?

BARRY:

It's a plastic, yeah.

VOICE:

Right. Alright, lemme call you

first thing tomorrow, I'm gonna run

the numbers, see what's what and

I'll give you a call back --

BARRY:

Did you have my home phone number?

VOICE:

For what?

BARRY:

If you wanted to call me back I

could...

VOICE:

I'm fine, I have your work number.

BARRY:

Ok...because of the time difference

if you needed to call me early?

VOICE:

It's fine. I can just get you at

your office.

BARRY:

Ok.

VOICE:

Ok, bye, bye.

BARRY:

Bye.

He hangs up the phone and walks outside, CAMERA follows him

again, out to the alley, over his shoulder......he looks

down the length of the alley at the Harmonium. HOLD, THEN:

A small FORD ESCORT pulls into the driveway, around the

Harmonium, parks......a young woman named LENA LEONARD

(Emily Watson) exits the car and starts to walk down the

length of the alley towards him.....CAMERA stays over his

shoulder and turns into a profile 2-shot;

LENA:

Hi. Do you work at the mechanic?

BARRY:

No.

LENA:

They're not open yet?

BARRY:

They don't get opened until eight.

BEAT. Barry gently steps back and out of the FRAME.

LENA:

Is it ok if I leave my car you think?

BARRY:

I don't know.

LENA:

I thought they opened at seven.

(beat)

If I left my car would it be ok?

BARRY:

I don't know.

LENA:

Do you know them.

BARRY:

Not very well.

LENA:

Can I ask you, can I trust to leave

my keys with you and give them to

you so that when they get here you

could give them to them?

BARRY:

Ok.

LENA:

You think it's ok where I left it,

right there?

BARRY:

I think that'll be fine.

Lena hands him her keys, he steps back into FRAME, THEN:

LENA:

There's a piano in the street.

BARRY:

Yeah.

BEAT.

LENA:

Ok. Maybe I'll see you later. Thank

you for your help.

BARRY:

Thank you.

LENA:

Maybe I'll see you later, when I

pick up my car?

BARRY:

Ok.

She walks away....he starts back inside the warehouse,

hesitates, watches her go.....right before she reaches the

end of the alley, she glances back quickly, over her

shoulder....he dodges inside real quick.....

HOLD THE EMPTY FRAME......then he steps back out.....looks

off at the Harmonium.....and the empty street.....he looks

around some more....then he makes the long walk down the

street.

ON THE STREET.

Barry stares at the Harmonium a little bit, looks around,

both ways, then casually picks it up and walks back towards

his business.....

He brings it into his office and places it on his desk. He

tries a few keys....pressing down...there's no sound.

He presses his hand on the foot pedal and presses a key and

a small note is made.....BEAT....he does it again....and

holds the note.....

CUT TO BLACK.

INT. WAREHOUSE - OFFICE - EARLY MORNING

Barry enters the warehouse with harmonium and runs into his

office. He places it on the desk and hits a key: no sound.

Barry goes to his knees and unlatched the bellows. He pumps

the bellow, reaches up, presses a note, and another...then

stands up into CU. and presses the 5 note

melody......SUDDENLY: THE SOUND OF THE POD BAY DOOR SLIDING....

....Barry spins around, scared shitless, sees: LANCE, who

enters the warehouse, Barry rushes out to greet him;

LANCE:

Hey, good morning, Barry.

BARRY:

Hey...Lance....can I.....

LANCE:

You ok?

BARRY:

Yes I'm fine.

LANCE:

Why you wearin' a suit?

BARRY:

Um....I bought one. I thought maybe

it would be nice to get dressed for

work, can I show you something?

LANCE:

Yeah.....you got here early huh?

BARRY:

....yes.....

They enter into the office, Lance sees the harmonium;

LANCE:

What is this?

BARRY:

I don't know. I think it's a

piano....a small piano.

LANCE:

That's not a piano.....I have a

piano at home.....where'd you get it?

Lance walks around behind the harmonium....leaving Barry

alone....towards the warehouse......he starts to back up a

little.....

BARRY:

Well.....it was dropped on the

street.....

Sal, Ernesto and Rico all start to come into work behind

Barry.....he sees them: CAMERA pushes in on Barry....

LANCE (OC)

Why is it here? Barry....Barry?

BARRY:

...it just....I don't know....I

don't know.

LAND IN CU. ON BARRY. CUT TO BLACK.

TITLE CARD Punch-drunk Love Movie

(maybe color blooms/overture here)

Rate this script:3.8 / 4 votes