The Canyons

Synopsis: When Christian, an LA trust-fund kid with casual ties to Hollywood, learns of a secret affair between Tara and the lead of his film project, Ryan, he spirals out of control, and his cruel mind games escalate into an act of bloody violence.
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Director(s): Paul Schrader
Production: IFC Films
  5 wins & 2 nominations.
 
IMDB:
3.8
Metacritic:
36
Rotten Tomatoes:
22%
R
Year:
2013
99 min
$31,317
Website
623 Views


1

Christian just got back

from vegas.

Yeah. It was just for

the weekend. Private thing.

- He knows everyone.

- Cool.

"Knows."

who "knows" anyone these days?

More like you hang out

when you're in vegas.

So where did you guys stay

in vegas?

I like the four seasons,

the mandalay.

I like the end of the strip

So I can watch the planes

fly into mccarran.

Well, it's good

to finally meet you, man.

It's good to finally, you know,

meet the man in person.

Yeah.

No problem.

And hey, I, um,

I really want to thank you

for giving me that role.

I didn't give you that role.

Your girlfriend

and the director did.

Yeah, but I heard I wasn't

exactly gerald's first choice.

Ryan, come on.

Don't say that.

No, he's right.

You weren't.

But I went to him and told him

that I'm paying for this movie,

So if he doesn't put my

assistant's boyfriend in it,

Then I'm pullin' out, and

that's when the panic sets in.

Panic.

Panic set in?

I mean, it's just a low-budget

slasher movie, christian.

I don't think people

were panicked by you.

I think, you know, they could

have found the money somehow,

But you made it easier, right?

Well, I have to admit, actually

I was a little bit panicked.

Fact of the matter is

I'm paying for this thing.

I heard from both of you

that he was right for the part.

Yeah, indirectly I had something

to do with you getting the role,

But if it wasn't for you

helping out with the casting

And convincing me

that this guy was,

You know, the best one

for the role,

Then yeah, you probably

wouldn't have the part.

And we thank you

for the favor.

I think we all made

the right decision.

You know, in the year

that she worked for me,

She never mentioned

having a boyfriend.

That is not true!

I did, too!

You just weren't

paying attention.

Really?

You guys look happy though.

Yeah, we are.

Really happy.

Yeah, really are.

And you guys?

How long have you two

been seeing each other?

I told you, baby, a year.

Just like us.

Yeah.

I like to keep things loose,

though.

I mean, I love her.

God, she's gorgeous.

But it's more fun to keep it

a little complicated.

Complicated?

Christian, what are you doing?

Where are you going with this?

Just being transparent, baby.

Being transparent

about what?

You know that phone app, amore?

It's kinda like

a girlfriend finder.

Yeah-I mean no.

Wh-what does it do?

It makes... Things simple.

Certain... Assignations.

Just really easy.

You know, you get live video,

make sure that people look

Exactly the way they do

in their profiles.

Assignations for...

What is that?

It means meetings, dude.

Oh! Okay.

Meetings for...

Hookups.

You know, girls, couples,

whatever, man.

Couples. Really?

Yes. Couples. Really.

I guess it's just, well,

I don't know, I'm...

I'm just a more

conventional guy.

Which is why you're with gina,

and I'm with tara.

And you don't get jealous?

Jealous?

Yeah. If there are other

people involved, like guys.

Well, it's mostly girls.

And no, I do not get jealous

Watching my girl hook up

with another chick.

Is this guy-

is this guy for real?

Are you for real?

Is he serious?

No, no, man.

I mean, I-

Look, you're the man. I'm-

I- I was just trying

to keep up with you.

Look, man, it's all about trust,

all right?

I trust her,

she trusts me.

Maybe if that trust wasn't

there, I couldn't handle it.

But since it is,

we have a good time.

Christian,

I'm sitting right here.

What do you mean,

you couldn't handle it?

Couldn't handle what?

The fact that I know you love me

makes me trust you.

That makes everything we do

more intense.

I'm sorry. Christian likes

to shock people.

I get it.

Or at least he tries to.

This has nothing to do

with shocking people.

I'm just sick of the old school

sh*t about f***ing propriety,

Etiquette and all that crap.

You've been around me

for a year.

It's just f***in' annoying.

It's like when you're at

your family dinner on Sunday,

- And everyone's just lying-

- Christian, I want to go.

- Can you get the f***ing check?

- I've ordered the check.

It's comin'.

It's on its way.

Really?

How long does it take?

Mm. It's coming though.

Don't worry about it.

Oh, christian,

before I forget,

I'm finalizing all the rooms

for next month.

Are you definitely sure

that you're not gonna come?

Yeah, there's no way

I'm going to new mexico

And watch a bunch of kids

get tortured and killed

By some pissed-off ghost

in a warehouse.

Besides, I'll be busy

making my own little movies.

What do you mean,

you make your own movies?

On this, dude.

Why in the hell did we have

to go to that damn dinner?

Gina insisted.

Plus I was kinda interested

to see who her new dude is.

What a f***in' moron.

Gina's a smart girl.

You'd think she could

get with someone better

Than some loser actor.

What do you know about him?

Nothing.

I never even thought

this movie would get made.

Well, gina worked very hard

to make sure it happened.

I never even read the script.

I told gina if the mexicans or

whoever came up with the cash

That I would just match it.

Why aren't you involved

anymore, baby?

Why were you ever involved?

My father was on my ass about

doing something with my life.

When I told him I was doing

a movie, he got off my back.

Why are you wearing a robe?

Guy's almost over here.

What's with all the dudes

lately?

I don't know.

It's a phase.

I like the idea of someone

looking at something

They can't have.

Guy thing.

Power and control.

But sometimes they do have me.

Just those two times.

You didn't seem to mind.

I can't believe you

at dinner tonight.

All that sh*t that you

were telling them.

Is that why you're being

so distant and bitchy, huh?

Why do you even f***ing care?

It's just my assistant

and some dumb actor.

I don't know.

I guess I'd like to keep

Some parts of my life private.

Some aspects of

my f***ing life private.

Nobody has a private life

anymore, tara.

Okay. What do you talk

to your shrink about?

What do you talk about

when you see dr. Campbell?

I don't tell

dr. Campbell anything

That I wouldn't tell you.

That's a lie. That's not true.

You just lied to me.

What would you like to know?

I want to know what you

talk to dr. Campbell about.

I talk about my family.

I talk about my father trying

to control my f***ing life.

What the f*** do you think

I talk to him about?

I don't know.

Other girls.

I'm more serious about you than

I have been with any other girl.

Hope you feel

the same way about me.

Christian, there's

a f***ing guy coming over.

Really?

He's here.

On his way down the driveway.

And I said I hope you

feel the same way about me.

What was with you tonight, hmm?

At dinner.

You were so tense. Hmm?

You let him in.

Hi. Reed, right?

Come on in.

I'm tara.

This is reed.

What's up, man?

I'm christian.

Hey, man.

I see you've met tara.

Yeah.

You want something to drink?

Shot of tequila.

Sure.

She's hot, right?

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Bret Easton Ellis

Bret Easton Ellis (born March 7, 1964) is an American author, screenwriter, and short story writer. His works have been translated into 27 languages. He was at first regarded as one of the so-called literary Brat Pack, which also included Tama Janowitz and Jay McInerney. He is a self-proclaimed satirist whose trademark technique, as a writer, is the expression of extreme acts and opinions in an affectless style. Ellis employs a technique of linking novels with common, recurring characters. Ellis made his debut at age 21 with the controversial bestseller Less Than Zero (1985), published by Simon & Schuster, a zeitgeist novel about wealthy amoral young people in Los Angeles. His third novel, American Psycho (1991) was his most successful. On its release, the literary establishment widely condemned the novel as overly violent and misogynistic. Though many petitions to ban the book saw Ellis dropped by Simon & Schuster, the resounding controversy convinced Alfred A. Knopf to release it as a paperback later that year. In later years, Ellis' novels have become increasingly metafictional. Lunar Park (2005), a pseudo-memoir and ghost story, received positive reviews. Imperial Bedrooms (2010), marketed as a sequel to Less Than Zero, continues in this vein. Four of Ellis's works have been made into films. Less Than Zero was rapidly adapted for screen, leading to the release of a starkly different film of the same name in 1987. Mary Harron's adaptation of American Psycho was released to generally positive reviews in 2000 and went on to achieve cult status. Roger Avary's 2002 adaptation The Rules of Attraction made modest box office returns but went on to attract a cult following. 2008's The Informers, based on Ellis's collection of short stories, was critically panned. Ellis also wrote the screenplay for the critically derided 2013 film The Canyons, an original work. more…

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    "The Canyons" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Dec. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_canyons_19887>.

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