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Goodwill.txt
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GOOD WILL HUNTING
by
Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
FADE IN:
EXT. SOUTH BOSTON ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE -- DAY CUT TO:
INT. L STREET BAR & GRILLE, SOUTH BOSTON -- EVENING
The bar is dirty, more than a little run down. If there is ever a cook on duty, he's not here now. As we pan across several empty tables, we can almost smell the odor of last nights beer and crushed pretzels on the floor.
CHUCKIE
Oh my God, I got the most fucked up
thing I been meanin' to tell you.
As the camera rises, we find FOUR YOUNG MEN seated around a table near the back of the bar.
ALL Oh Jesus. Here we go.
The guy holding court is CHUCKIE SULLIVAN, 20, and the largest of the bunch. He is loud, boisterous, a born entertainer. Next to him is WILL HUNTING, 20, handsome and confident, a soft- spoken leader. On Will's right sits BILLY MCBRIDE, 22, heavy, quiet, someone you definitely wouldn't want to tangle with. Finally there is MORGAN O'MALLY, 19, smaller than the other
guys. Wiry and anxious, Morgan listens to Chuckie's stories with eager disgust.
All four boys speak with thick Boston accents. This working class Irish neighborhood and these boys are
CHUCKIE
You guys know my cousin Mikey Sullivan?
ALL
Yeah.
CHUCKIE
Well you know how he loves animals
right? Anyway, last week he's drivin' home... (laughs)
ALL
What? Come on!
CHUCKIE
(trying not to laugh)
I'm sorry, 'cause you know Mikey, the fuckin guy loves animals, and this is the last person you'd want this to happen to.
horror
is a rough, its product.
WILL
Chuckie, what the fuck happened?
CHUCKIE
Okay. He's driving along and this
fuckin' cat jumps in front of his car, and so he hits this cat--
Chuckie is really laughing now.
MORGAN --That isn't funny--
CHUCKIE
--and he's like "shit! Motherfucker!"
And he looks in his rearview and sees this cat-- I'm sorry--
BILLY
Fuckin' Chuckie!
CHUCKIE
So he sees this cat tryin to make it
across the street and it's not lookin' so good.
WILL
It's walkin' pretty slow at this point.
MORGAN You guys are fuckin' sick.
CHUCKIE
So Mikey's like "Fuck, I gotta put this
thing out of its misery"--So he gets a hammer--
WILL/MORGAN/BILLY
OH!
CHUCKIE
--out of his tool box, and starts
chasin' the cat and starts whackin' it with the hammer. You know, tryin' to put the thing out of its misery.
MORGAN
Jesus.
CHUCKIE
And all the time he's apologizin' to the
cat, goin' "I'm sorry." BANG, "I'm sorry." BANG!
BILLY Like it can understand.
CHUCKIE
And this Samoan guy comes runnin' out of
his house and he's like "What the fuck are you doing to my cat?!" Mikey's like "I'm sorry"--BANG--" I hit your cat with my truck, and I'm just trying to put it out of it's misery"-- BANG! And the cat dies. So Mikey's like "Why don't you come look at the front of the truck." 'Cause the other guy's all fuckin flipped out about--
WILL Watching his cat get brained.
Morgan gives Will a look, but Will only smiles.
BLACKOUT:
CHUCKIE
Yeah, so he's like "Check the front of
my truck, I can prove I hit it 'cause there's probably some blood or something"--
--or a tail-- WILL!
WILL
MORGAN
CHUCKIE
And so they go around to the front of his truck...and there's another cat on the grille.
WILL/MORGAN/BILLY
No! Ugh!
CHUCKIE
Is that unbelievable? He brained an
innocent cat!
The opening credits roll over a series of shots of the city and the real people who live and work there, going about their daily lives.
We see a panoramic view of South Boston.
Will sits in his apartment, walls completely bare. A bed, a small night table and an empty basket adorn the room. A stack of twenty or so LIBRARY BOOKS sit by his bed. He is flipping through a book at about a page a second.
Chuckie stands on the porch to Will's house. His Caddilac idles by the curb. Will comes out and they get in the car.
We travel across crowded public housing and onto downtown. Finally, we gaze across the river and onto the great cement- domed buildings that make up the M.I.T. campus.
CUT TO:
INT. M.I.T. CLASSROOM -- DAY
The classroom is packed with graduate students and TOM. PROFESSOR LAMBEAU (52) is at the lectern. The chalkboard behind him is covered with theorems.
LAMBEAU
Please finish McKinley by next month.
Many of you probably had this as undergraduates in real analysis. It won't hurt to brush up. I am also putting an advanced fourier system on the main hallway chalkboard--
Everyone groans.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
I'm hoping that one of you might prove
it by the end of the semester. The first person to do so will not only be in my good graces, but go on to fame and fortune by having their accomplishment recorded and their name printed in the auspicious "M.I.T. Tech."
Prof. Lambeau holds up a thin publication entitled "M.I.T. Tech." Everyone laughs.
More laughs.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Former winners include Nobel Laureates,
world renowned astro-physicists, Field's Medal winners and lowly M.I.T. professors.
LAMBEAU (cont'd) Okay. That is all.
A smattering of applause. Students pack their bags. CUT TO:
INT. FUNLAND – LATER
The place is a monster indoor funpark. Will, Chuckie, Morgan, and Billy are in adjoining batting cages. Will has disabled the pitching machine in his and pitches to Chuckie. The boys have been drinking. Will throws one to Chuckie, high and tight. Several empty beer cans sit by the cage.
CUT TO:
kids.
You'd prob'ly fit right in.
CHUCKIE
Will! Another pitch, inside.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
You're gonna get charged!
WILL
You think I'm afraid of you, you big
fuck? You're crowdin' the plate. Will guns another one, way inside.
CHUCKIE
Stop brushin' me back!
WILL
Stop crowdin the plate!
Chuckie laughs and steps back.
CHUCKIE
Casey's bouncin' at a bar up Harvard. We
should go there sometime.
WILL
What are we gonna do up there?
CHUCKIE
I don't know, we'll fuck up some smart
Fuck you.
Will fires a pitch at Chuckie's head. Chuckie dives to avoid being hit. He gets up and whips his batting helmet at Will.
CUT TO:
EXT. SOUTH BOSTON ROOFTOP -- EARLY AFTERNOON
SEAN McGUIRE (52) sits, FORMALLY DRESSED, on the roof of his apartment building in a beat-up lawn chair. Well-built and fairly muscular, he stares blankly out over the city.
On his lap rests an open invitation that reads "M.I.T. CLASS OF '67 REUNION."
While the morning is quiet and Sean sits serenely, there is a look about his that tells us he has faced hard times. This is a man who fought his way through life. On his lonely stare we:
(stepping back in)
WILL
EXT. M.I.T. CAMPUS LAWN -- DAY
A thirty year REUNION PARTY has taken over the lawn. A well dressed throng mill about underneath a large banner that reads "WELCOME BACK CLASS OF '72." We find Professor Lambeau standing with a drink in his hand, surveying the crowd. He is interrupted by an approaching STUDENT.
STUDENT
Excuse me, Professor Lambeau?
LAMBEAU
Yes.
STUDENT
I'm in your applied theories class.
We're all down at the Math and Science building.
LAMBEAU
It's Saturday.
STUDENT
I know. We just couldn't wait 'till
Monday to find out. LAMBEAU
Find out what?
STUDENT Who proved the theorem.
EXT. TOM FOLEY PARK, S. BOSTON -- AFTERNOON
In the bleachers of the visiting section we find our boys, drinking and smoking cigarettes. Will pops open a beer. The boys have been here a while and it shows.
Billy sees something that catches his interest.
BILLY
Who's that? She's got a nice ass.
Their P.O.V. reveals a girl in stretch pants talking to a beefy looking ITALIAN GUY (BOBBY CHAMPA)
MORGAN Yah, that is a nice ass.
CHUCKIE
You could put a pool in that backyard.
BILLY
Who's she talking to?
MORGAN
That fuckin' guinea, Will knows him.
WILL
Yah, Bobby Champa. He used to beat the
shit outta' me in Kindergarten.
BILLY He's a pretty big kid.
WILL
Yah, he's the same size now as he was in
Kindergarten.
MORGAN
Fuck this, let's get something to eat...
CHUCKIE
What Morgan, you're not gonna go talk to
her?
MORGAN
Fuck her.
The boys get up and walk down the bleachers.
WILL I could go for a Whopper.
MORGAN
(nonchalant)
Let's hit "Kelly's."
CHUCKIE
Morgan, I'm not goin' to "Kelly's Roast
Beef" just cause you like the take-out girl. It's fifteen minutes out of our way.
MORGAN
What else we gonna do we can't spare
fifteen minutes?
CHUCKIE
All right Morgan, fine. I'll tell you
why we're not going to "Kelly's." It's because the take-out bitch is a fuckin' idiot. I'm sorry you like her but she's dumb as a post and she has never got our order right, never once.
MORGAN
She's not stupid.
WILL She's sharp as a marble.
CHUCKIE
We're not goin'.
(beat)
I don't even like "Kelly's."
CUT TO:
INT. M.I.T. HALLWAY -- LATER
Lambeau, still in his reunion formal-wear, strides down the hallway, carrying some papers. A group of students have gathered by the chalkboard. They part like the red sea as he approaches the board. Using the papers in hand, he checks the proof. Satisfied, he turns to the class.
LAMBEAU
This is correct? Who did this?
Dead silence. Lambeau turns to an INDIAN STUDENT. LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Nemesh?
Nemesh shakes his head in awe.
NEMESH
No way.
Lambeau erases the proof and starts putting up a new one.
LAMBEAU
Well, whoever You are, I'm sure you'll
find this one challenging enough to merit coming forward with your identity. That is, if you can do it.
INT. CHUCKIE'S CAR, DRIVING IN SOUTH BOSTON -- CONTINUOUS
The street is crowded as our boys drive down Broadway. They move slowly through heavy traffic, windows down. Chuckie sorts through a large "KELLY'S ROAST BEEF" BAG as he drives.
MORGAN
Double Burger.
Will holds the wheel for Chuckie as he looks through the bag.
MORGAN (cont'd)
(same tone)
Double Burger.
Chuckie gets out fries for himself, hands Will his fries.
MORGAN (cont'd)
I, I had a Kelly's Double Burger.
CHUCKIE
Would you shut the fuck up! I know what
you ordered, I was there!
MORGAN
So why don't you give me my sandwhich?
CHUCKIE
What do you mean "your sandwhich?" I
bought it.
MORGAN
(sarcastic)
Yah, all right...
CHUCKIE
How much money you got?
MORGAN
I told you, I just got change.
CHUCKIE
Well give me your fuckin' change and
we'll put your fuckin' sandwhich on lay- away.
MORGAN
Why you gotta be an asshole Chuckie?
CHUCKIE
I think you should establish a good line
of credit.
Laughter, Chuckie goes back searching through the bag.
CHUCKIE (cont'd) Oh motherfucker...
WILL
She didn't do it again did she?
CHUCKIE Jesus Christ. Not even close.
MORGAN
Did she get my Double Burger?
CHUCKIE
NO SHE DIDN'T GET YOUR DOUBLE BURGER!!
IT'S ALL FUCKIN' FLYIN' FISH FILET!!
Chuckie whips a FISH SANDWHICH back to Morgan, then to Billy.
WILL
Jesus, that's really bad, did anyone
even order a Flyin' Fish?
CHUCKIE No, and we got four of 'em.
BILLY
You gotta' be kiddin' me. Why do we even
go to her?
CHUCKIE
Cause fuckin' Morgan's got a crush on
her, we always go there and when we get
to the window he never says a fuckin'
word to her, he never even gets out of
the car, and she never gets our order
right cause she's the goddamn MISSING
LINK!
WILL
Well, she out did herself today...
MORGAN I don't got a crush on her.
Push in on Will who sees something O.S.
Will's P.O.V. reveals BOBBY CHAMPA and his friends walking down the street. One of them casually lobs a bottle into a wire garbage can. It SHATTERS and some of the glass hits a FEMALE PASSERBY who, although unhurt, is upset.
What do we got?
I don't know yet.
CHUCKIE WILL
Will's P.O.V.: The woman says something to Bobby. He says something back. By the look on her face, it was something unpleasant.
Come on, Will...
Shut up.
MORGAN
CHUCKIE
MORGAN
No, why didn't you fight him at the park if you wanted to? I'm not goin' now, I'm eatin' my snack.
So don't go.
Will is out of the door,
out, following Will with
WILL
(smiles)
jogging toward Bobby Champa. Billy gets a look of casual indifference.
CHUCKIE
Morgan, Let's go.
MORGAN
I'm serious Chuckie, I ain't goin'.
Leaving the car, Chuckie opens his door to follow.
CHUCKIE
(spins in his seat)
You're goin'. And if you're not out there in two fuckin' seconds, when I'm done with them you're next!
And with that, Chuckie is out the door. CUT TO:
EXT. SIDEWALK --CONTINUOUS
Will comes jogging up towards BOBBY CHAMPA, calling out from across the street,
WILL
(smiling, good naturedly)
Hey, Bobby Champa! I went to Kindergarten with you right? Sister Margaret's class...
Bobby is bewildered by this strange interruption and unsure of Will's intentions. Just when it looks as though Bobby might remember him, Will DRILLS HIM with a sucker-punch which begins the
FIGHT SEQUENCE: 40 FRAMES OVER M. GAYE'S "LET'S GET IT ON."
Will's momentum and respectable strength serve to knock the hapless Champa out cold.
As soon as Will hits Bobby, his friends CONVERGE ON WILL. Billy JUMPS IN and wrestles one guy to the ground. The two exchange messy punches on the sidewalk.
Will is in trouble, back pedaling, dodging punches, trying to avoid being overrun.
When Will goes for one guy, another has an open shot and he HAMMERS WILL with a right hand to the head.
Will is staggered and bleary, as a second guy winds up for a shot he is BLIND SIDED by Chuckie who hits the kid like he was a tackling sled, lifting him off the ground.
Chuckie turns to see Will still outnumbered. It's all Will can do to stay standing as Morgan DROP KICKS one of Champa's boys from the hood of a car.
Contrary to what we might think, Morgan is actually quite a fighter. He peppers the kid with a flurry of blows.
The fight is messy, ugly and chaotic. Most punches are thrown wildly and miss, heads are banged against concrete, someone throws a bottle.
In the end, it's our guys who are left standing, while Bobby's friends stagger off. Chuckie and Morgan turn to see Will, standing over the unconscious Bobby Champa, still POUNDING him.
ANGLE ON WILL: SAVAGE, UGLY, VICIOUS, AND VIOLENT
Whatever demons must be raging inside Will, he is taking them out on Bobby Champa. He pummels the helpless, unconscious Champa, fury in his eyes. Chuckie and Billy pull Will away.
The POLICE finally arrive on the scene and having only witnessed Will's vicious attack on Champa, they grab him.
EXT. SIDEWALK (FULL SPEED) -- CONTINUOUS
A crowd of onlookers have gathered. Chuckie addresses them.
CHUCKIE Hey, thanks for comin' out.
WILL
Yeah, you're all invited over to
Morgan's house for a complementary fish sandwhich.
The Police slam Will into the hood of a car.
WILL (cont'd)
(to Police)
Hey, I know it's not a French cruller, but it's free.
The cop holding Will SLAMS his [Will's] face into the hood, another cop uses a baton to press Will's face into the car. The look of rage returns to Will's eye.
WILL (cont'd)
Get the fuck off me!
Will resists. Another cop comes over. Will KICKS HIM IN THE KNEE, dropping the cop. Momentarily freed, Will engages in a fracas with three cops. More converge on Will, who -- though he struggles -- takes a beating.
CUT TO:
EXT. SEAN'S ROOF -- NIGHT
Sean sits, exactly as we first saw him, except his tie is now loose and an empty bottle of BUSHMILLS is at his side. He stares out over the City. A MATRONLY LANDLADY comes out of a doorway on the roof.
Sean? Sean doesn't answer.
A beat.
LANDLADY (cont'd)
Sean? You okay?
SEAN
Yeah.
LANDLADY It's getting cold.
LANDLADY
After a moment, she retreats back down the stairs. Sean doesn't move.
DISSOLVE:
EXT. CHARLES RIVER, ESTABLISHING SHOT -- MORNING The morning sun reflects brilliantly off the river. CUT TO:
EXT. COURTHOUSE -- NEXT MORNING
Will emerges from the courthouse. Chuckie is waiting for him in the Cadillac with two cups of DUNKIN' DOUGHNUTS coffee. He hands one of them to Will. This feels routine.
CHUCKIE
When's the arraignment?
Next week. Chuckie pulls away.
CUT TO:
EXT. M.I.T. CAMPUS, ESTABLISHING SHOT -- MORNING
Students walk to class, carrying bags. More than any other, students seem to be heading into one PARTICULAR CLASSROOM.
INT. M.I.T. CLASSROOM -- MORNING
The classroom is even more crowded than last we saw it. Tom takes notes as Lambeau plays along with the excited environment with mock pomposity and good humor.
WILL
Laughter.
LAMBEAU
Is it my imagination, or has my class
grown considerably?
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
I look around and see young people who
are my students, young people who are not my students as well as some of my colleagues. And by no stretch of my imagination do I think you've all come to hear me lecture.
More laughter.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
But rather to ascertain the identity of
who our esteemed "The Tech" has come to
call "The Mystery Math Magician."
He holds up the M.I.T. Tech featuring a silhouetted figure, emblazoned with a large, white question mark. The headline reads "Mystery Math Magician strikes again."
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Whoever you are, you've solved four of
the most difficult theorems I've ever given a class. So without further ado, come forward silent rogue, and receive thy prize.
The class waits in breathless anticipation. A STUDENT shifts his weight in his chair, making a noise.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint my
spectators, but it appears there will be no unmasking here today. I'm going to have to ask those of you not enrolled in the class to make your escape now or, for the next three hours be subjected to the mundities of eigenvectors.
People start to gather their things and go. Lambeau picks up a piece of chalk and starts writing on the board.
CUT TO:
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
However, my colleagues and I have
conferred. There is a problem on the board, right now, that took us two years to prove. So let this be said; the gauntlet has been thrown down. But the faculty have answered the challenge and answered with vigor.
19 OMITTED
INT. M.I.T. HALLWAY -- NIGHT
Lambeau comes out of his office with Tom and locks the door. As he turns to walk down the hallway, he stops. A faint TICKING SOUND can be heard. He turns and walks down the hall.
Lambeau and Tom come around a corner. His P.O.V. reveals a figure in silhouette blazing through the proof on the chalkboard. There is a mop and a bucket beside him. As Lambeau draws closer, reveal that the figure is Will, in his janitor's uniform. There is a look of intense concentration in his eyes.
LAMBEAU
Excuse me!
Will looks up, immediately starts to shuffle off.
WILL
Oh, I'm sorry.
LAMBEAU
What're you doing?
WILL
(walking away)
I'm sorry.
Lambeau follows Will down the hall.
LAMBEAU
What's your name?
(beat)
Don't you walk away from me. This is people's work, you can't graffiti here.
Hey fuck you.
WILL
LAMBEAU
(flustered)
Well... I'll be speaking to your supervisor.
Will walks out. Lambeau goes to "fix" the proof, scanning the blackboard for whatever damage Will caused. He stops, scans the board again. Amazement registers on his face.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
My God.
Down the hall, we hear the DOOR CLOSE. He turns to look for Will, who is gone.
CUT TO:
EXT. BOW AND ARROW PUB, CAMBRIDGE -- THAT NIGHT
A crowded Harvard Bar. Will and our gang walk by a line of several Harvard students, waiting to be carded.
MORGAN
WILL Yeah, Morgan. I got fired.
MORGAN
(starts laughing)
How fuckin' retarded do you have to be to get shit-canned from that job? How hard is it to push a fuckin' broom?
CHUCKIE
You got fired from pushing a broom, you
little bitch.
MORGAN
Yah, that was different. Management was
restructurin'--
BILLY
--Yah, restructurin' the amount of
retards they had workin' for them.
MORGAN Fuck you, you fat fuck.
BILLY Least I work for a livin'.
(to Will)
Why'd you get fired?
WILL Management was restructurin'.
CHUCKIE
My uncle can probably get you on my demo
team.
MORGAN
What the fuck? I just asked you for a
job yesterday!
CHUCKIE
I told you "no" yesterday!
After two students flash their ID's to the doorman (CASEY) our boys file past him.
Laughter.
What happened?
You got fired, huh?
(beat)
ALL
(one after another)
What's up Case.
With an imperceptible nod, Casey waves our boys through. A fifth kid, a HARVARD STUDENT, tries to follow. He is stopped by Casey's massive, outstretched arm:
CASEY
ID?
INT. BOW AND ARROW -- CONTINUOUS
Chuckie is collecting money from the guys to buy a pitcher, all but Morgan cough up some crumpled dollars.
CHUCKIE
So, this is a Harvard bar, huh? I
thought there'd be equations and shit on the wall.
INT. BACK SECTION, BOW AND ARROW -- MOMENTS LATER
Chuckie returns to a table where Will, Morgan and Billy have made themselves comfortable. He [Chuckie] spots two ATTRACTIVE YOUNG HARVARD WOMEN sitting together at the end of the bar. Chuckie struts his way toward the women and pulls up a chair. He flashes a smile and tries to submerge his thick Boston accent.
CHUCKIE
Hey, how's it goin'?
LYDIA
LYDIA
SKYLAR
CHUCKIE
Fine.
Okay.
So, you ladies ah, go to school here?
Yes.
CHUCKIE
Yeah, cause I think I had a class with
you.
At this point, several interested parties materialize. Morgan Billy and Will try, as inconspicuously as possible, to situate themselves within listening distance. A rather large student in a HARVARD LACROSSE sweatshirt, CLARK (22) notices Chuckie. He [Clark] walks over to Skylar and Lydia, nobly hovering over them as protector. This gets Will, Morgan, and Billy's attention.
What class?
CHUCKIE Ah, history I think.
SKYLAR
Oh...
CHUCKIE Yah, it's not a bad school...
At this point, Clark can't resist and steps in.
CLARK
What class did you say that was?
CHUCKIE
History.
CLARK
How'd you like that course?
CHUCKIE Good, it was all right.
CLARK
History? Just "history?" It must have
been a survey course then.
Chuckie nods. Clark notices Chuckie's clothes. Will and Billy exchange a look and move subtly closer.
CLARK (cont'd)
Pretty broad. "History of the World?"
CHUCKIE
Hey, come on pal we're in classes all
day. That's one thing about Harvard never seizes to amaze me, everybody's talkin' about school all the time.
CLARK
Hey, I'm the last guy to want to talk
about school at the bar. But as long as you're here I want to "seize" the opportunity to ask you a question.
Billy shifts his beer into his left hand. Will and Morgan see this. Morgan rolls his eyes as if to say "not again..."
CLARK (cont'd)
Oh, I'm sure you covered it in your
history class.
Clark looks to see if the girls are impressed. They are not. When Clark looks back to Chuckie, Skylar turns to Lydia and rolls her [own] eyes. They laugh. Will sees this and smiles.
SKYLAR
CHUCKIE
To tell you the truth, I wasn't there
much. The class was rather elementary.
CLARK
Elementary? Oh, I don't doubt that it
was. I remember the class, it was just between recess and lunch.
Will and Billy come forward, stand behind Chuckie.
CHUCKIE
All right, are we gonna have a problem?
CLARK
There's no problem. I was just hoping
you could give me some insight into the evolution of the market economy in the early colonies. My contention is that prior to the Revolutionary War the economic modalities especially of the southern colonies could most aptly be characterized as agrarian pre- capitalist and...
Will, who at this point has migrated to Chuckie's side and is completely fed-up, includes himself in the conversation.
WILL
Of course that's your contention. You're
a first year grad student. You just finished some Marxian historian, Pete Garrison prob'ly, and so naturally that's what you believe until next month when you get to James Lemon and get convinced that Virginia and Pennsylvania were strongly entrepreneurial and capitalist back in 1740. That'll last until sometime in your second year, then you'll be in here regurgitating Gordon Wood about the Pre-revolutionary utopia and the capital-forming effects of military mobilization.
CLARK
(taken aback)
Well, as a matter of fact, I won't, because Wood drastically underestimates the impact of--
WILL
--"Wood drastically underestimates the
impact of social distinctions predicated upon wealth, especially inheriated wealth..." You got that from "Work in Essex County," Page 421, right? Do you have any thoughts of your own on the subject or were you just gonna plagerize the whole book for me?
Clark is stunned.
WILL(cont'd)
Look, don't try to pass yourself off as
some kind of an intellect at the expense of my friend just to impress these girls.
Clark is lost now, searching for a graceful exit, any exit.
WILL (cont'd)
The sad thing is, in about 50 years you
might start doin' some thinkin' on your own and by then you'll realize there are only two certainties in life.
CLARK
Yeah? What're those?
WILL
One, don't do that. Two-- you dropped a
hundred and fifty grand on an education you coulda' picked up for a dollar fifty in late charges at the Public Library.
Will catches Skylar's eye.
CLARK
But I will have a degree, and you'll be
serving my kids fries at a drive through on our way to a skiing trip.
WILL(smiles)
Maybe. But at least I won't be a prick.
(beat)
And if you got a problem with that, I
guess we can step outside and deal with it that way.
While Will is substantially smaller than Clark, he [Clark] decides not to take Will up on his [Will's] offer.
WILL (cont'd)
If you change your mind, I'll be over by
the bar.
He turns and walks away. Chuckie follows, throwing Clark a look. Morgan turns to a nearby girl.
MORGAN My boy's wicked smart.
INT. BOW AND ARROW, AT THE BAR --LATER
Will sits with Morgan at the bar watching with some amusement as Chuckie and Billy play bar basketball game where the players shoot miniature balls at a small basket. In the B.G. Occasionally we hear Chuckie shouting "Larry!" When he scores. Skylar emerges from the crowd and approaches Will.
You suck. What?
SKYLAR
WILL
SKYLAR
I've been sitting over there for forty- five minutes waiting for you to come talk to me. But I'm just tired now and I have to go home and I wasn't going to keep sitting there waiting for you.
WILL
I'm Will.
SKYLAR
Skylar. And by the way. That guy over
there is a real dick and I just wanted you to know he didn't come with us.
WILL
I kind of got that impression.
SKYLAR
Well, look, I have to go. Gotta' get up
early and waste some more money on my overpriced education.
WILL
I didn't mean you. Listen, maybe...
SKYLAR
Here's my number.
Skylar produces a folded piece of paper and offers it to Will.
SKYLAR (cont'd)
Maybe we could go out for coffee
sometime?
WILL
Great, or maybe we could go somewhere
and just eat a bunch of caramels.
She turns.
A beat.
CUT TO:
SKYLAR
What?
WILL
When you think about it, it's just as
arbitrary as drinking coffee.
SKYLAR
(laughs)
Okay, sounds good.
Five minutes.
What?
I was trying to be smooth.
(indicates clock)
But at twelve-fifteen I was gonna come
over there and talk to you.
SKYLAR
See, it's my life story. Five more
minutes and I would have got to hear your best pick-up line.
WILL
The caramel thing is my pick-up line.
Glad I came over.
EXT. BOW AND ARROW -- LATER
SKYLAR
WILL
SKYLAR
WILL
Our boys are walking out of the bar teasing one another about their bar-ball exploits. Across the street is another bar with a glass front. Morgan spots Clark sitting by the window with some friends.
MORGAN
There goes that fuckin' Barney right
now, with his fuckin' "skiin' trip." We should'a kicked that dude's ass.
Hold up.
WILL
Will crosses the street and approaches the plate glass window and stands across from Clark, separated only by the glass. He POUNDS THE GLASS to get Clark's attention.
WILL (cont'd)
Hey!
Clark turns toward Will.
WILL (cont'd)
DO YOU LIKE APPLES?
Clark doesn't get it.
WILL (cont'd)
DO YOU LIKE APPLES?!
CLARK
Yeah?
Will SLAMS SKYLAR'S PHONE NUMBER against the glass.
WILL
WELL I GOT HER NUMBER! HOW DO YA LIKE
THEM APPLES?!!
Will's boys erupt into laughter. Angle on Clark, deflated.
EXT. STREET -- NIGHT
The boys make their way home, piled into Chuckie's car, laughing together.
EXT. CHARLES STREET BRIDGE -- DAWN
Shot of car crossing over the Charles St. Bridge, overtaking a red-line train.
EXT. CHARLESTON BACKROAD -- DAWN
Travelling through narrow back roads in Charlestown, passing the Bunker Hill monument.
EXT. WILL'S APARTMENT -- DAY
Arriving at Will's house and dropping him off. DISSOLVE TO:
INT. M.I.T. BUILDING AND GROUNDS GARAGE -- DAY
Lambeau walks into a small garage facility. The area stores lawn machinery and various tools. An older man, TERRY (58) sits
behind the desk reading the BOSTON HERALD sports page. Lambeau has obviously never been here before. He takes in the surroundings, somewhat uncomfortable. Gets dirty.
LAMBEAU
Excuse me. Is this the buildings and
grounds office?
TERRY
Yeah, can I help you?
LAMBEAU
I'm trying to find the name of a student
who works here.
TERRY No students work for me.
LAMBEAU
Could you just check, because the young
man who works in my building--
TERRY
Which one's your building?
LAMBEAU
Building two.
Terry checks a list behind his [own] desk. Looks up.
TERRY
Well, if something was stolen, I should
know about it.
LAMBEAU
No, no. Nothing like that. I just need
his name. TERRY I can't give you his name unless you have a complaint.
LAMBEAU
Please, I'm a professor here and it's
very important.
TERRY
Well, he didn't show up for work
today...
Terry takes a beat. Holding all the cards.
TERRY (cont'd)
Look, he got his job through his
you can call him.
P.O. so
Terry goes through a stack of paper on his desk. Takes out a card and hands it to Lambeau. Lambeau looks blankly at the card which reads: "PAROLE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM."
INT. COURTROOM -- DAY
Will stands before JUDGE MALONE (40) being arraigned. It is fairly unceremoniuous, the coutroom nearly empty, save Will and the PROSECUTOR. Lambeau walks in from the back.
WILL
There is a lengthy legal precedent, Your
Honor, going back to 1789, whereby a defendent may claim self-defense against an agent of the government where the act is shown to be a defense against tyranny, a defense of liberty--
The Judge interrupts to address the prosecutor.
JUDGE MALONE
Mr. Simmons, Officer McNeely who signed
the complaint isn't in my courtroom. Why is that?
PROSECUTOR
He's in the hospital with a broken knee,
Your Honor. But I have depositions from the other officers.
WILL
Henry Ward Beecher proclaimed, in his
Proverbs From Plymouth Pulpit back in 1887, that "Every American citizen is by birth, a sworn officer of the state. Every man is a policeman." As for the other officers, even William Congrave said; "he that first cries out 'stop thief' is 'oft he that has stolen the treasure."
Your Honor-- Will cranks it up.
PROSECUTOR
WILL
(to Prosecutor)
I am afforded the right to speak in my own defense by our constitution, Sir. The same document which guarantees my right to liberty. "Liberty," in case you've forgotten, is "the soul's right to breathe, and when it cannot take a long breath laws are girded too tight. Without liberty, man is a syncope."
(beat, to Judge) Ibid. Your Honor.
Man is a what?
PROSECUTOR
WILL
Julius Caesar proclaimed-- Though he be
wounded--"Magna..." The Judge interrupts.
Son,
JUDGE MALONE
(a beat)
My turn.
The Judge opens Will's CASE HISTORY.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
(reading)
June, '93, assault, Sept. '93 assault...Grand theft auto February '94.
A beat, the Judge takes particular notice.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
Where, appearantly, you defended
yourself and had the case thrown out by citing "free property rights of horse and carriage" from 1798...
Lambeau has to smile, impressed. The Judge shakes his head.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
March, '94 public drunkenness, public
nudity, assault. 10/94 mayhem. November '94, assault. Jan. '95 impersonating a police officer, mayhem, theft, resisting-- overturned--
The Judge takes a beat. Gives Will a look.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
You're in my courtroom, now and I am
aware of your priors. (beat)
I'm also aware that you're an orphan. You've been through several foster homes. The state removed you from three because of serious physical abuse.
The Judge holds a look to Will, who looks down.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd) Another Judge might care. You hit a cop,
you go in.
(beat) Motion to dismiss denied.
The Bailiff goes to remove Will from the courtroom.
JUDGE MALONE (cont'd)
Keep workin' on your arguments, son. A
word of advice for trial; speak English.
As Will is removed from the courtroom, Lambeau approaches Judge Malone who is stepping down from the bench.
LAMBEAU Excuse me, your Honor.
(offers hand) Gerald Lambeau.
An awkward beat. Lambeau waits for some sign of recognition.
LAMBEAU (cont'd) I'm a professor at M.I.T.
(beat) Combunatorial Mathematics.
The Judge offers only a blank look.
CUT TO:
JUDGE MALONE Oh. Pleased to meet you.
LAMBEAU
Do you have a minute?
INT. MIDDLESEX COUNTY JAIL, HOLDING AREA -- SAME
A GUARD walks Will down a hallway toward a group of phones.
GUARD One call, to an attorney.
(beat)
One.
The Guard gives Will a hard look for a beat. Then leaves.
WILL
WILL (cont'd)
SKYLAR
How many?
Will picks up the phone, dials.
Hey, Skylar? INT. SKYLAR'S DORM -- DAY
Yeah?
WILL
It's Will, the really funny good looking
guy you met at the bar?
SKYLAR
I'm sorry, I don't recall meeting anyone
who fits that description.
CUT TO:
WILL
Okay, you got me. It's the ugly,
obnoxious, toothless loser who got drunk and wouldn't leave you alone all night.
SKYLAR
Oh Will! I was wondering when you'd
call.
WILL
Yeah, I figured maybe sometime this week
we could go to a cafe and have some caramels.
SKYLAR
Sounds good, where are you now?
WILL
You aren't, by any chance, Pre-law? Are
you?
INT. MIDDLESEX COUNTY JAIL, INTERROGATION ROOM -- LATER
Professor Lambeau sits, waiting. Will is brought in, shackled, by the guard.
LAMBEAU Hello. Gerald Lambeau, M.I.T.
WILL
Fuck do you want?
LAMBEAU
I've spoken with the judge and he's
agreed to release you under my supervision.
Really?
WILL
(suspicious)
LAMBEAU
(beat)
Yes. Under two conditions. WILL
What're those?
LAMBEAU
That you meet with me twice a week—
(a beat)
- and you meet with a therapist.
CUT TO:
Will smiles.
WILL
If I agree to this, I walk right now?
LAMBEAU
That's right.
WILL
I'll do the work. I'm not going to meet
with a therapist.
LAMBEAU
Now, it won't be as bad as it sounds,
Will.
(beat)
I've already spoken to one therapist,
his name is Henry Lipkin and he's a friend of mine. He's also published four books and is widely considered to be one of the brightest men in his field.
(beat)
I'm sure it'll be better than spending
the next six months in jail.
INT. FUNLAND -- DAY
Will and Chuckie walk up to an enclosed trampoline. Billy and Morgan prefer to use it for their own version of "Wrestlemania." As Will and Chuckie approach, Billy is on top of a bloodied Morgan and has him in the "Cobra Clutch." Will and Chuckie watch for a beat. Billy tightens his grip.
BILLY
Submit, bitch! Submit! Submit!
MORGAN
(being strangled)
Suck my cock!
Oh, Morgan!
BILLY
Chuckie turns to Will, conspiratorially as they wait for the fight to finish.
CHUCKIE
What'd you get? You get leniency?
WILL
Probation, counselin', few days a week.
CHUCKIE You're fuckin' good.
CHUCKIE (cont'd)
Just submit, Morgan. He's got you in the
Cobra Clutch.
MORGAN
(to Chuckie)
Fuck your mother too!
INT. WILL'S APARTMENT -- NIGHT
Will sits alone in his one room apartment, reading. A closer look reveals he is reading a self-help PSYCHOLOGY BOOK. Will is flipping through the book at about a page per second. He shakes his head and smiles. Upon finishing the book, he throws it in a nearby WASTEBASKET. Push in on the back of the book where a SMILING PSYCHOLOGIST is pictured.
INT. PSYCHOLOGIST'S OFFICE -- CONTINUOUS
Will sits in a well decorated Psychologist's Office. Across from Will sits the same PSYCHOLOGIST, HENRY LIPKIN (40), from the book. They are in mid-session.
WILL
That's why I love stock-car racin'. That
Dale Ernhart's real good.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Now you know Will, and I know, what you
need to be doing. You have a gift.
WILL
I could work the pit maybe, but I could
never drive like Dale Ernhart--
PSYCHOLOGIST
--you have a quality-- something you
were born with, that you have no control over- and you are, in a sense, hiding that by becoming a janitor. And I'm not saying that's wrong. I'm friends with the janitor that works in my building. He's been to my house for dinner. As a matter of fact I did some free consultation for "Mike" -- that's not his real name. That's in my book.
WILL
Yeah, I read your book. "Mike" had the
same problems as "Chad" the stockbroker.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Yes. The pressures you feel, and again,
I am neither labeling nor judging them, are keeping you from fulfilling your potential -- you're in a rut. So stop the Tom Foolery -- the Shenanigan's, Will.
WILL You're right. I know.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Will, your not getting off that easy.
WILL
No, but, I mean you know...I do other
things. That no one knows about. PSYCHOLOGIST
Like what, Will?
WILL I go places, I interact.
What places?
Certain, clubs.
Like, Paradise. Will gives the Psychologist
PSYCHOLOGIST
WILL
(beat)
It's not bad.
a furtive look.
WILL (cont'd)
It's just that feeling when you can
take your shirt off and really dance. (beat)
When the music owns you. Do you understand?
PSYCHOLOGIST I might understand that.
WILL
Do you find it hard to hide the fact
that you're gay?
What?
PSYCHOLOGIST
WILL
C'mon, I read your book. I talked to
you. It's just something I know to be true.
PSYCHOLOGIST That's very presumptuous.
WILL
Buddy, two seconds ago you were ready to
give me a jump.
PSYCHOLOGIST
(a little laugh)
Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm married and I have two children.
WILL
I'm sure you do. You probably got a real
nice house, nice car -- your book's a best seller.
PSYCHOLOGIST You're getting defensive, Will.
WILL
Look, man. I don't care if you're
putting from the rough. There are solid arguments that some of the greatest people in history were gay; Alexander the Great, Caeser, Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Napoleon, Gertrude Stein, not to mention Danny Terrio, not many straight men can dance like that.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Who is "Danny Terrio?"
WILL
If you wanna hit "Ramrod," take your
shot. Take some pride in it. You go to church? So fuckin' what, God loves you. I mean, Christ. A guy as well known as you? By the time you put your disguise on and skulk out of the house Sunday nights you probably look like "Inspector Cluseau."
The Psychologist calmly packs his things.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Well, I can see this is pointless...
WILL
You're getting defensive...Henry. And
hey, cheif--tell the wife, at least. Christ, set her free.
The shrink gets up and walks out.
WILL (cont'd) Fuckin' hypocrite...
INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS
The Psychologist comes walking out, much to the surprise of Lambeau and Tom who have been waiting in the lobby.
LAMBEAU
PSYCHOLOGIST
No. You know what, Gerry? This is why I
don't do pro-bono anymore. It's not worth it to me.
LAMBEAU
What happened?
PSYCHOLOGIST
I don't have the time. I'm going on
national television this week.
LAMBEAU Wait a minute, Henry...
He [Henry] is out the door. Lambeau looks to Tom. CUT TO:
INT. LAMBEAU'S OFFICE -- DAY
Will is in Lambeau's office. Lambeau is at the board, working on a diagram as Tom takes notes. Will seems disinterested.
LAMBEAU
This rectangle is subdivided into
rectangles. One edge of an inner rectangle is an integer. Can you prove that one edge of the larger rectangle is an integer?
Henry?
The Psychologist keeps walking.
Of course.
Okay. How?
It's an integer
Lambeau smiles.
WILL
LAMBEAU
WILL
proof.
WILL (cont'd)
What? Hey, look buddy my time's almost
up. You want me to sit here for an hour and write it out?
Lambeau says nothing. Will gets up and goes to the board.
WILL (cont'd)
Look, I'll give you the key steps to it
but I'm not gonna do the whole thing. Lambeau keeps smiling.
LAMBEAU
That would be a monumental waste of
time, wouldn't it, Will?
WILL
I think so.
LAMBEAU I happen to know so.
Lambeau rises and goes to the board.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
You're thinking too hard. What if I did
this?
He draws a vertical line through the diagram.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Now, what if I do this?
He draws a horizontal line through the diagram. He hands Will the chalk.