Read What Just Happened? Online
Authors: Art Linson
At that moment, Lou realizes that her door is ajar and slams it shut
.
Jeremy looks at Ben. Ben nods. He knows the terrain
.
J
EREMY
: (
whispering
) Bloody hell. Was this some sort of a setup, mate?
B
EN
: I'm not that clever.
Jeremy, with a sardonic glance to Ben, decides to wipe off his lipstick. At that moment, the secretary walks back in. She sees the light on the phone is still on
.
S
ECRETARY
: My goodness. She's still talking.
Cut to:
INT. LOU'S OFFICEâMORNING
The meeting is in progress. Ben, Dawn, Jeremy, Lou, and three of Lou's assistants are circled around a meeting area away from Lou's desk. In the corner is a complete nursery set up for preschool kids: toys, plastic swing set, giant Lego pieces, etc
.
After an awkward silence in the room, Lou stands up and points to Ben
.
L
OU
: You're good, you're really good. My god, kill the dog. Of course. What a brilliant tactical move.
B
EN
: Well, we wanted to do the unexpected.
L
OU
: You know, Ben, I always sensed you were blessed with good instinctive negotiating skills, but killing the dog! Oh boy.
J
EREMY
: (
misunderstanding Lou
) Well sometimes you just gotta surprise them, huh? Muss up their hair and kick them in the balls. Make sure they're still breathing.
Ben pats Jeremy on the knee
.
B
EN
: (
whispering
) Easy big fella.
L
OU
: (
chuckling ironically
)
A bargaining chip!
You guys figured, leave the dead dog in the movie now, knowing it wasn't in the script and we would cut it out later and say âOkay Lou, the dog stuff is gone, how about we keep the rest as it is and call it a day?' ⦠I'm too old for this.
B
EN
: Lou, I think there's another way to look at it.
J
EREMY
: What are you saying?
L
OU
: We've got a problem.
J
EREMY
: (
getting a bit wild-eyed and sweaty
) Hold on. You're not talking about touching my ending are you? That's not what I'm hearing is it? Has anyone seen
Amores Perros
?
L
OU
: What?
Lou eyes Ben. Ben shrugs
.
J
EREMY
:
Amores Perros
. Was that about cruelty? No. It's about loss and reality. It's the difference between doing something a bit more profound, something that people will actually remember or you can go on making the same old rubbish. We're trying to be great here. Aren't we? Right?
Jeremy looks around the room
.
B
EN
: Yeah.
J
EREMY
: I actually toned it down. Way down. Didn't I?
B
EN
: Yes. He did.
L
OU
: A serious problem.
J
EREMY
: The dog has to
DIE
.
B
EN
: (
quietly to Jeremy
) Trust me, kemo sabe, you gotta back up.
L
OU
: Maybe I'm not being clear here â¦
D
AWN
: (
interrupting Lou
) I'm sorry. Excuse me, but I don't think Sean would've done the movie if it weren't hard hitting and didn't take some real risks.
J
EREMY
: Absolutely.
L
OU
: (
points to Dawn and then to the door
) Would you excuse us?
The room goes dead. Dawn looks to Ben for help. He nods at the door. Dawn, humiliated, leaves. Lou finally addresses Jeremy
.
L
OU
: Look here, I've lost twenty five million dollars before, and I'll lose twenty five million dollars again. We've managed to put together extensive notes for you.
Very extensive
. If you do the kind of work that
needs
to be done here, I'll lose a little less. Maybe fifteen million dollars less.
J
EREMY
: So you want me to eviscerate my film so you can lose a little less money?
L
OU
: I would be very appreciative.
J
EREMY
: I can't do that.
B
EN
: Let us chew on this, Lou.
J
EREMY
: No, no, no. Look, THE DOG DIES!
B
EN
: (
to Jeremy
) I don't think so.
J
EREMY
: Are you having a fucking laugh now?
B
EN
: No, not really.
L
OU
: Let's not make this even more awkward than it already is. We respect you. Fix it.
J
EREMY
: It's not broken, darling. My guts are in that cut.
L
OU
: Do the right thing, the
right thing
â¦
J
EREMY
: The right thing? I've done the right thing. I made the bloody film!
L
OU
: (
turning to Ben rhetorically
) I'm sorry, does he have final cut?
Ben shakes his head âno
.'
L
OU
: The right thing ⦠or your big evening in Cannes will be cancelled and I'll take the film away from you and recut it myself.
A beat, then Jeremy unexpectedly puts his head in his hands and then smashes his fist three times on Lou's coffee table, knocking a large bowl of M&M's across the floor. His eyes are moist with tears. Lou and the others in the room are stunned
.
L
OU
: (
cont'd
) (
to Ben
) I ⦠what do you suggest?
B
EN
: He'll come around. He'll be fine. It's jet lag. I'll take care of it ⦠C'mon.
Ben helps him to his feet
.
B
EN
: (
whispers in Jeremy's ear
) C'mon let's get a grip. You can do it. You can do it.
He leads Jeremy to the door
.
L
OU
: We don't have much time.
Lou walks back to her desk shoving bits of M&M's aside with the toe of her shoe. Lou picks up the cover of
Variety,
glances at the large photo of Jack, the dead agent
.
L
OU
: Can you believe this?
B
EN
: (
after an awkward beat
) He had ten percent of the brass ring ⦠didn't he?
L
OU
: (
as if offering a big compliment
) I'd fuck him.
She folds the
Variety
under her arm and strolls into her private bathroom
.
Cut to:
INT. KELLY'S HOUSE/BEDROOM AND HALLWAY
A CLOSE ANGLE ON A WOMAN SITTING ON THE EDGE OF A BED. Her blouse is unbuttoned. She is leaning forward to slip off her shoes
.
SUPER
: 1:00
PM
The woman sits up revealing that it's Kelly, Ben's ex-wife. A noon-day sun filters through the window shutters
.
B
EN
(
O.S
.): My old bed. God, I love this bed. Are these new sheets?
Kelly turns. Ben is trying to stop himself from caressing the bed
.
K
ELLY
: This is a
huge
mistake.
B
EN
: Don't say that.
Kelly starts to button her blouse
.
K
ELLY
: I can't do it. I just can't. This is as much my fault as yours. This is why we are seeing Dr. Randall.
To
not
do this.
B
EN
: Let's not tell her.
He sits up and pats the duvet
.
K
ELLY
: It's been almost a year, and you're already too comfortable. And I'm nervous. Why is that?
B
EN
: You still look fantastic.
K
ELLY
: Well, I appreciate that.
B
EN
: Do you want me to go?
K
ELLY
: Yes. No.
B
EN
: I won't talk.
K
ELLY
: No, I'd like to talk.
B
EN
: (
a long beat
) Good, let's talk. I'll start.
I admit I do love this bed (
pause
) but only with you in it. Even if just for a moment I'm so grateful to be back here.
He sits up, puts his arm around her and finishes unbuttoning her blouse
.
K
ELLY
: Really.
B
EN
: Truly.
K
ELLY
: (
softens
) After all the lawyers, it's just so awkward â¦
B
EN
: ⦠and all the money.
K
ELLY
: Yes ⦠I don't know, it's been so long ⦠if I could do this ⦠I feel so vulnerable â¦
B
EN
: I know how you feel.
K
ELLY
: But it's complicated. I don't feel just one way.
B
EN
: I understand. I never feel just one way.
K
ELLY
: Really?
B
EN
: Truly.
They kiss
.
K
ELLY
: I can't â¦
B
EN
: You can. We can â¦
A cell phone rings
.
Kelly and Ben both hesitate. He doesn't want to spoil the moment but he doesn't want to miss the call
.
Ben points to where the ring is coming from
.
B
EN
: This could be important.
K
ELLY
: If you could only focus â¦
Ben can't take it anymore. He jumps up and shakes the sheets until the hidden phone leaps from the bed. Kelly watches the dance. He flips it on
.
B
EN
: (
to Kelly
) Please, let's both hold on to that thought. (
into the phone
) Hello?
A
SSISTANT
: I have him.
B
EN
: Who?
A
SSISTANT
: HIM.
B
EN
: Oh. Okay ⦠Hey,
mi amigo
.
He holds up one finger beseeching Kelly to understand
.
A
CTOR
: I heard something.
B
EN
: What?
A
CTOR
: Concern about my beard. I don't know. Or is it buyer's remorse?
B
EN
: (
clears his throat
) Not from me.
A
CTOR
: Wait a second could you ⦠I'll be right back (
click
) â¦
B
EN
: (
covering the phone to Kelly
) It's business. He's a fucking movie star. We've got issues we've got to solve.
K
ELLY
: Like what?
B
EN
: Like shaving a beard. Sounds crazy but it's becoming a big fucking deal. What am I supposed to do?
K
ELLY
: You can
be a man
and tell him you'll call him back.
B
EN
: You're right. You're right.
A
CTOR
: Hello?
B
EN
: (
into the phone
) There you are. Listen â¦
A
CTOR
: I'm all ears.
He turns away from Kelly
.
B
EN
: Uh ⦠uh. Did I tell you how truly happy I am that you are doing this movie. A lot of actors were circling this but â¦
A
CTOR
: Get to the point.
Kelly gathers the rest of her clothes. She's had enough
.
B
EN
: Would you mind holding on for five seconds? I've got to deal with something ⦠okay.
Ben reaches for Kelly's arm. She pulls away
.
K
ELLY
: You're kidding, right?
Kelly walks down the hallway
.
B
EN
: Kelly! Wait! (
into the phone
) I'm back ⦠Sure. We do need to talk about this ⦠face-to-face is always better. You know me, I'm one hundred percent at your disposal â¦
A
CTOR
: Save the producer one hundred percent speech.
B
EN
: Could I just have another five seconds? (
the actor hangs up
) Hello. Hello. Kelly! Kelly! C'mon! I had to take that call. Kelly!?
Ben walks down the hallway undressed. No response
.
B
EN
: (
back to the phone
) Hello?
It's too late. Kelly's gone. And so is the Actor. Ben walks back into the bedroom. As he starts to dress he sees something under the bed. He leans down and recovers another man's sock, a bright
multicolored argyle sock.
He holds it up. He measures it against his own foot. He shoves it in his pocket
.
For the first time since we've seen Ben, his face cannot cover up his true disappointment
.
Cut to:
INT. BEN'S OFFICE RECEPTION AREA
SUPER
: 2:15
PM
Ben enters. His impenetrable facade has returned. Carl is going through a stack of the dreaded preview cards that are in several high piles on his reception desk
.
B
EN
: Did you get our star?
C
ARL
: No, but I left voicemails at every number we have.
B
EN
: You can't reach Bruce anywhere?
C
ARL
: No.
B
EN
: (
pointing to the cards
) What are you doing?