Still Alice Page #3

ALICE (PRE-LAP)

I’ve started forgetting things.

Little annoying things likes wordsand names. And I got lost -

completely lost - running on

campus. I talked to my doctorabout it and she said it could be

menopause and the last time I had aperiod was in February but then Ihad one in September right beforemy birthday so...

DR. BENJAMIN

Are you taking any pills, anymedication, supplements?

ALICE:

I take a multivitamin, flax seedoil, calcium, iron and occasionallya sleeping pill when I travel.

DR. BENJAMIN

Have you had any head injuries?

ALICE:

No.

DR. BENJAMIN

Would you consider yourselfdepressed, or under undue stress atthe moment?

ALICE:

No. I work a lot but I thrive on

it.

DR. BENJAMIN

How’s your sleeping?

PINK PAGES 15

ALICE:

It’s fine. Like seven hours a

night.

DR. BENJAMIN

Now I’m going to ask you toremember a name and address. I’ll

ask you for it again later, okay?

(she nods)

John Black, 42 Washington Street,

Hoboken. Can you repeat that forme?

ALICE:

John Black, 42 Washington Street,

Hoboken.

DR. BENJAMIN

Good. How old are you?

ALICE:

I’m fifty.

DR. BENJAMIN

What’s today’s date?

ALICE:

November 26th.

DR. BENJAMIN

Where are we?

ALICE:

We are on the third floor of New

York Presbyterian.

DR. BENJAMIN

Can you spell ‘water’ for me?

ALICE:

W-A-T-E-R.

DR. BENJAMIN

Now spell it for me backwards.

ALICE:

R-E-T-A-W.

DR. BENJAMIN

Can you tell me what you see on

these cards?

PINK PAGES 16

ALICE:

Pliers. A ladder. A sea horse. A

screwdriver. An elephant.

It seems absurd for Alice to be answering such childishquestions.

DR. BENJAMIN

Tell me about your parents.

ALICE:

They’re both dead. My mother andsister died in a car accident when

I was eighteen. My father died in1999 of liver failure.

DR. BENJAMIN

Hepatitis?

ALICE:

Cirrhosis. He was an alcoholic.

DR. BENJAMIN

And what was he like towards the

end?

It’s an uncomfortable subject for Alice.

ALICE:

Incoherent. Incontinent. To tell

you the truth we didn’t see a lotof each other. He lived in New

Hampshire and...we weren’t thatclose.

DR. BENJAMIN

Sorry. Do you have any othersiblings?

ALICE:

No. I only had the one.

DR. BENJAMIN

Now can you tell me the name andaddress I asked you to remember?

A wall. Alice tries to recall.

ALICE:

Um...John Black.

DR. BENJAMIN

And the address?

PINK PAGES 17

She takes a moment.

ALICE:

Damn it, I forgot.

DR. BENJAMIN

42 Argyle street, Cole Street,

Washington Street or South Street?

A pause. She shakes her head.

ALICE:

I was distracted, talking about myparents. Can we do that one again?

DR. BENJAMIN

There’s no need to at this time.

ALICE:

Okay.

DR. BENJAMIN

I’d like to do an MRI, just to rulesome things out.

ALICE:

Like what? Because I think I have a

brain tumor.

DR. BENJAMIN

It’s just a precaution. But it

will also allow us to see if there

are any lesions or signs of a

stroke. Find out what’s going on

in there.

Alice nods, absorbing this.

ALICE:

Okay - what should I do in themeantime?

DR. BENJAMIN

You can get plenty of exercise.

It’s always good to get the bloodpumping. And drink lots of water,

hydration is excellent for the

memory.

Alice takes this in.

PINK PAGES 18

DR. BENJAMIN

And the next time that you come and

see me, can you bring in someone

that knows you well? Your husband

or a close relative?

After a brief hesitation, Alice nods.

ALICE:

Okay.

EXT. ALICE’S NEIGBORHOOD -- DAY

Snow has fallen. The busy streets of New York are suddenly,

and magically, quiet.

INT. ALICE’S HOME - KITCHEN - AFTERNOON

We see winter squash chopped; brussel sprouts peeled, a

turkey in the oven being checked.

Alice is busily preparing Christmas dinner. A timer rings.

She goes over to the far wall murmuring...

ALICE:

Stethoscope. Millennium. Hedgehog.

Lifting a dish cloth on a memory board, she checks three

words -Stethoscope. Millennium. Hedgehog.

Erasing the words, she thinks a moment and writes, “Cathode,

Pomegranate, Trellis.”

She places the cloth back over the words and resets the

timer.

MOMENTS LATER:

Alice is peeling carrots. There’s the sound of someone coming

in the front door.

TOM (O.S.)

Hello!

ALICE:

Hi. Come on in.

Tom appears with a new GIRLFRIEND.

TOM:

Hey Mom.

ALICE:

Good to see you.

PINK PAGES 19

TOM:

This is Jenny.

ALICE:

I’m Alice. I’m so happy you couldjoin us.

JENNY:

Thank you for having me.

ALICE:

Of course. Sweetheart, why don’t

you guys go in the and get a drink

and grab the - cheese thing. All

right? I’m so happy you could

join, I really am, Jenny.

JENNY:

Thank you.

Tom and Jenny head to the living room.

INT. LIVING ROOM

JENNY:

It smells so good in here.

TOM:

Beautiful.

Tom admires the table spread.

INT. KITCHEN -- MOMENTS LATER

Alice assembles milk, sugar, white chocolate, challah breadon the counter. She opens a box of eggs and stares blanklyat them.

ALICE:

(to herself)

How many goddam eggs..?

The timer goes off again.

ALICE:

Cathode. Pomegranate...Trellis.

She goes over to the memory board, checks the results. Rightagain! She erases the words as Lydia appears.

LYDIA:

Hey Mom!

PINK PAGES 20

ALICE:

Hey!!

They hug warmly.

LYDIA:

Merry Christmas.

ALICE:

Aw, Merry Christmas.

ALICE:

How was your flight?

LYDIA:

Actually awful. This guy coughedall over me the entire time.

ALICE:

I hope you don’t get sick.

Lydia glances at the ingredients on the counter.

LYDIA:

Does this mean what I think it

means?

ALICE:

Yes.

LYDIA:

Bread pudding!

ALICE:

It’s your favorite.

ANNA (O.S.)

Mom! Merry Christmas!

Anna and Charlie enter the kitchen in expensive casual-wearcontrasting with Lydia’s thrift-store chic. Anna hugs hermother.

ANNA:

Have you seen my latest Words WithFriends?

ALICE:

Oh no. I haven’t had time yet,

sweetheart.

ANNA:

It’s a real zinger.

PINK PAGES 21

CHARLIE:

JEALOUSY on a triple.

ANNA:

Don’t spoil it.

CHARLIE:

It’s already trending on Twitter.

Lydia greets her sister.

Alice is distracted, staring at the bread puddingingredients, as the sisters attempt some friendlyconversation.

ANNA:

How’s California?

LYDIA:

It’s great.

ANNA:

Warmer than here..?

LYDIA:

Yes. Definitely warmer than here.

ALICE:

Okay now, all get outta here. I

have to concentrate or there’ll be

no food.

LYDIA:

Where’s dad?

ALICE:

He’s upstairs.

Lydia goes into the living room.

ANNA:

Can I help you with anything?

ALICE:

No, I’m fine. Just go get a drink

or something.

ANNA:

Okay. It’s going to be delicious.

ALICE:

Oh I hope so.

PINK PAGES 22

ANNA:

It will be. I can’t wait.

Anna and Tom go into the living room. Alice checks her phone

for a bread pudding recipe.

INT. DINING ROOM - AN HOUR LATER

Anna, Charlie, John, Tom and his girlfriend, are seated

drinking wine.

ANNA:

It’s a very big decision. We’re

excited. The place was recommendedby a couple of friends who’d beentrying for years and have just hadtheir first child. So we’ll see...

Rate this script:4.0 / 3 votes