EXT.

SUBURBAN STREET, DAY

Wide shot of a car

CUT TO:

Trunk shot. As the trunk opens, we see ELLIOT, a man in his

early 20s appear, opening the trunk.

Final Draft 8 Demo

Elliot removes a package from the trunk and closes the trunk.
He walks away from the car. He approaches a door and drops
the package. He drives to another house and repeats. Maybe
one or two more times.

Over Elliot’s actions, a deep-voiced narrator begins:

NARRATOR (V.O.)
Elliot Anderson delivered packages
for a living. From 9 to 5 every
day, he would drive from house to
house. He hated his job. He hated
his life.

Final Draft 8 Demo

INT. ELLIOT’S APARTMENT, CONTINUED

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT’D)

So one day, he went home, hung his
coat in the closet, sat down on his
bed, (abrupt) and killed himself.

As the narrator begins to describe the actions, we see Elliot

getting to his house, putting his things away, then shooting
himself in the head. After the gun shot, abruptly cut music
and:

CUT TO:

Final Draft 8 Demo

TITLE CARD

Back to the scene. Elliot lies on the bed, dead, his head in
a pool of blood.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
But in that fraction of a second-
after he pulled the trigger, before
the bullet entered his skull at one
thousand twenty eight miles per
hour, Elliot made a startling
realization.
(MORE)
 2.

NARRATOR (V.O.) (CONT'D)

A realization that, had he been in
literally any other situation,
would have changed his life. Had he
realized it only seconds earlier,
in fact, his life would have been
extended by decades.

The entire previous sequence from gunshot to trunk in

reverse, sped up, ending in a

FADE TO WHITE
Final Draft 8 Demo
INT. ELLIOT’S LIVING ROOM, DAY

We fade back in to Elliot. Two years earlier. On the phone,

he is pacing.

ELLIOT
Yes, my name is Elliot Anderson.
I’m calling in regards to a
position you had available. I saw
the ad in the paper today looking
for an assistant manager?

Beat
Final Draft 8 Demo
ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Really? That’s wonderful.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
I’d love to! When would be a good
time?

Beat

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Today at 3 PM? Perfect. I’ll be
there. Thank you... You too...

Final Draft 8 Demo

He hangs up the phone and sighs a sigh of relief. He sits
down on a chair. He looks exhausted and stressed.

INT. ELLIOT’S CAR, LATER THAT DAY

Elliot is driving, rehearsing for his interview.

ELLIOT
(trying out various
inflections)
(MORE)
 3.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)
Hi, I’m Elliot Anderson. (Repeat,
multiple times.)

EXT. OUTSIDE THE OFFICE BUILDING, MOMENTS LATER

Elliot has just stepped out of his car.

ELLIOT
(extends his hand to an
imaginary interviewer)
Final Draft 8 Demo
Hi, I’m Elliot Anderson. Thank you
so much for your time.

It doesn’t feel right. He knows.

INT. OFFICE LOBBY, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING

Elliot approaches the RECEPTIONIST.

ELLIOT
(excited, nervous,
controlled)
Hi, my name is Elliot Anderson; I’m
here for an interview.
Final Draft 8 Demo
RECEPTIONIST
(without looking up, hands
him a clipboard with
papers)
Fill these out. Bring them back
when you’re ready.

Elliot is a bit off put by her lack of care. Without being

cocky, he thinks he is rather important.

ELLIOT
Thank you.

He takes the papers and sits down. He proceeds to fill out

Final Draft 8 Demo

the forms.

The office is drab, devoid of life.

Elliot remains peppy, but never overly emotional or

expressive of it. He fills out the forms and returns them to
the Receptionist.

RECEPTIONIST
(still not looking up,
emotionless)
Thank you. We’ll call you when
we’re ready.
 4.

Elliot returns to his chair. An old woman is the only other

person in the lobby. She coughs loudly. It bothers Elliot,
but he doesn’t let it show. Time passes, an hour maybe.

Elliot is reading a magazine, constantly checking his watch,

when:

RECEPTIONIST (CONT’D)
(finally looking up from
her desk)
Mr. Anderson? We’ll see you now.
Final Draft 8 Demo
He gets up, carrying a resume, and walks to the door behind
the clerk’s desk with some bounce in his step.

INT BOSS’S OFFICE, MOMENTS AFTER

The BOSS sits behind a big desk. He is a round man in his

40s, dressed to impress. Very slick. Elliot’s chair is a
small one. If Elliot is intimidated, it doesn’t show.

ELLIOT
(extending his hand, like
he practiced)
I’m Elliot Anderson. Thank you for
Final Draft 8 Demo
your time.

The boss hesitates, but is rather welcoming.

BOSS
Sit down, sit down.

Both do.

Cut back to the Lobby; business carries on as usual.

Back to the office, a little while into their interview.

The boss clearly did not write these questions himself, as

even he seems a big aware of how foolish they may seem.

Final Draft 8 DemoBOSS (CONT’D)

Of course. (Clears his throat) Now,
Mr. Anderson, we’re looking for
dedicated, trustworthy employees.
If you had to describe yourself in
three words, what would they be?

Elliot smiles to try to cover his awkward pause.

ELLIOT
(a joke)
Dedicated and trustworthy.
 5.

The boss doesn’t think it’s funny. His deadpan face shows it.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
(trying to recover)
Uhh- (pause) Hardworking,
ambitious, and communicator.

The boss is more pleased.

BOSS
I see here you graduated from
Final Draft 8 Demo
Philadelphia Business School with a
concentration in business
management. What skills could you
bring to the table here in the
office?

Elliot pauses for a moment. He is about to speak, but halts.

We see his uneasiness, then back to the Boss’s hard stare.

Elliot moves his hands and tries to gesture emphatically,

feigning some answer that he hopes the Boss will eat up.

ELLIOT
(controlled, but on the
verge of rambling)
Final Draft 8 Demo
In school, I learned a lot about
textbook management, then with a
few internships in the Philadelphia
area, I got exposure to various
businesses and think I could really
apply a lot of those skills here.
I’d be thrilled to bring new life
to this company.

BOSS
(unimpressed, almost
challenging)
But you’ve never had any managerial
experience in the workforce?

Final Draft 8 Demo

ELLIOT
(playing it off as a joke)
Not yet, but-

BOSS
Listen, uhh Elliot. You seem like a
good kid. I’d love to give you a
job, but we’re just looking for
someone with more background in the
field right now.

Beat
 6.

BOSS (CONT’D)
Listen- do you want a job?

ELLIOT
(puzzled- “didn’t he just
reject me?”)
I thought you said that you were-

BOSS
Not in the office, but delivering
packages on the street. Maybe in a
Final Draft 8 Demo
few months, I hear some good
things, we move you up here.

Beat

BOSS (CONT’D)
How’s it sound?

Elliot thinks a bit. He’s about to respond, when we

JUMP CUT TO:

INT ELLIOT’S APARTMENT, DAYS EARLIER

Final Draft 8 Demo

Elliot and his girlfriend KATELYN are in the middle of a
“talk.”

KATELYN
(angered... nearing the
end of this conversation.
Hell, this relationship)
Of course I know. And it’s been a
really good two years-

ELLIOT
(he knows it doesn’t
matter to her, but he can
try)

Final Draft 8 Demo

Two and a half. We started dating
the week before my birthday.

KATELYN
(Whatever)
Two and a half.

She inhales. This is hard for her, but she has to do it.

KATELYN (CONT’D)
I just feel like we’ve been
drifting apart.
 7.

ELLIOT
(sincere, always sincere)
I don’t know what you’re talking
about, baby. (She’s joking, right?)

KATELYN
We need a break from each other.

ELLIOT
(not attacking, but almost
defensive- of his own
Final Draft 8 Demo
pride)
No we don’t!

KATELYN
I do. I need a break from you,
Elliot. I’ll call you in a few
days, when I figure this out.

ELLIOT
(helpless)
What did I do?

KATELYN
Final Draft 8 Demo
Elliot c’mon- it’s not you. You
know that.

He cuts her off:

ELLIOT
(laughing it off, in
denial)
Of course it is.

Beat

KATELYN
Yeah.

Final Draft 8 Demo

Beat

KATELYN (CONT’D)
(the closest to apologetic
she ever gets)
It is.

Beat

KATELYN (CONT’D)
If I’m gonna be in a relationship,
I need someone to be there for me.
 8.

ELLIOT
I am-

KATELYN
(interrupting)
I need someone to support me. How
can you be there for me if you’re
not even there for yourself?

Beat

Final Draft 8 Demo

ELLIOT
(the last attempt)
Kate, I love you-

Elliot moves in to touch her cheek- she moves her head away.

KATELYN
Elliot- We have so much fun, you
and me. But I’m out of college
three years now. I want my life to
go somewhere. Not just... I can’t
live in this alternate universe
where everything is fun and I don’t
go anywhere. I want a career, I
want to be successful. And I know
Final Draft 8 Demo
you do too. You can be so much
better than this. I don’t even know
what you do all day. You need a
job.

ELLIOT
(on the verge of tears)
You’re breaking up with me after...
after two years because I don’t
have a job?

Beat

KATELYN
(distantly)

Final Draft 8 Demo

Two and a half.

The succinct equivalent of “Yes, in fact. This relationship

is over.” It kills Elliot (figuratively, of course, for now).

JUMP CUT BACK

TO:
 9.

INT. BOSS’S OFFICE, CONT

ELLIOT
(forces a smile)
I’ll take it.

INT. ELLIOT’S CAR, MINUTES LATER

He sits in the driver’s seat, phone to his ear.

Final Draft 8 Demo

We just barely hear a voicemail machine. After a beep:

ELLIOT
Hey- it’s me... Again. Just calling
to see how you’re doing. (Beat) I’m
doing great. I just got a job with
this delivery company. I start on
Monday.

Beat

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Do you want to grab lunch sometime?
Give me a call back... Please.

Final Draft 8 Demo

He struggles- what to say next?

He decides on nothing and reluctantly hangs up.

Elliot exhales deeply and closes his eyes.

FADE TO:

INT. VARIOUS, THE FOLLOWING DAYS

Something of a montage of Elliot living his life in glum. He

shaves, sits on his chair, waits for his phone to ring, and
lives his life in a general haze.

Final Draft 8 Demo

He sits on the couch and stares at his cell phone, waiting
for it to ring. It vibrates and he picks it up immediately,
taking us out of the montage.

ELLIOT
(excitedly)
Hello?

Beat.

It’s not who he thought it was.

 10.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Oh sorry Mr. Orton. I thought it
was... someone else. Yes sir, I’ll
be there.

Beat.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)

7... am?

Final Draft 8 Demo

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Sure- 7 is perfect. Monday it is.
I’ll see you then. Thank you.

Beat

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Yes sir, package delivery- that’s
me. I’ll see you. (etc etc)

He hangs up the phone and is completely out of hope. He leans

back on the couch he was sitting it. He looks as if he’s
given up.

JUMP CUT TO:

Final Draft 8 Demo
INT. STARBUCKS, DAY

Two (and a half) years ago.

Elliot works as a barista. He’s rushing, taking orders,

filling orders, and looking trendy while he does it.

Kate walks in. He’s never seen her before. She’s the most
beautiful girl he’s ever seen.

He doesn’t know now, but the viewer should: this girl will
forever change his life.

Final Draft 8 Demo

She waits in line, eventually getting to the counter.
Throughout the following, although it seems like a trivial,
everyday encounter, it is a moment for Elliot beyond
incredible. Kate, however, feels nothing beyond basic
customer/barista relations.

ELLIOT
(playing it cool, smiling)
Hi what can I get for you today?

KATELYN
Grande coffee, cream and sugar.
 11.

ELLIOT
Sure, that’s $1.80

She pays him and he puts the order in.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
And the name for the order?

KATELYN
Kate.

Final Draft 8 Demo

ELLIOT
Kate. Got it.

He smiles AT her.

This feels just a tad bit awkward.

He realizes.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
We’ll have that right out.

She nods and moves away.

He quickly moves away from the front of the counter, and goes
Final Draft 8 Demo
to the back to fill her order. In a stroke of genius (ha), he
grabs a napkin, writes down his phone number, and calls her
name, order ready.

She comes to the counter, on her phone, in the middle of a

conversation. Without looking at him, she takes her drink and
the napkin. She wipes her mouth with the napkin, throws it
away, and walks out the door, without so much as a second
thought towards Elliot. He looks at her walk out the door
longingly.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
(under his breath)
Shit.

Final Draft 8 Demo

We stay with him for just a moment, before a tall woman
interrupts his longing thoughts:

JANINE, Elliot’s boss, is addressing him.

JANINE
Elliot- you wanna take your break
now?

He doesn’t, but he will.

 12.

ELLIOT
(fake smile)
Sure.

Beat

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
You need anything, Janine?

JANINE
We need to talk.
Final Draft 8 Demo ELLIOT
Is there a problem?

There is.

JANINE
(false smile)
Let’s sit down and talk about it,
yeah?

ELLIOT
Sure- of course.

Beat
Final Draft 8 Demo ELLIOT (CONT’D)
Your office?

JANINE
I need a smoke. Right outside there
in just a minute, yeah?

She gestures to the front of the store, a nice little patio

area.

ELLIOT
(a tad concerned, but he
hides it)
Sure. That sounds great. (He forces

Final Draft 8 Demo

another smile. Sickening.)

EXT. STARBUCKS PATIO, MOMENTS LATER

Janine and Elliot sit at a table opposite each other.

Back and forth between them. Elliot is fiddling with

something, Janine sits confidently, smoking a cigarette.
 13.

JANINE
(breaking the silence)
Elliot, you know why I wanted to
talk to you?

ELLIOT
(a bit taken aback)
No... I was actually kind of
wondering why-

JANINE
Final Draft 8 Demo
Elliot I like you, so I’m going to
be frank with you.

Beat

JANINE (CONT’D)
(frankly)
We’re going to have to let you go.

Elliot did NOT see this coming.

He’s about to say something, when he sees the girl from

inside, Kate, sitting at a table away from him in the patio.

He stares at her, over Janine’s shoulder- momentarily

Final Draft 8 Demo
forgetting the situation at hand.

Janine notices and looks behind her. Elliot immediately looks

back to his conversation, and Janine follows.

JANINE (CONT’D)
I just haven’t seen you put effort
into what you’re doing. You’re
finishing up school, right?

ELLIOT
(still la bit taken aback)
Yeah. I finish this June.

Final Draft 8 Demo

JANINE
(Sincere? If so, barely)
Perfect. With a business major, I’m
sure you’ll find a new job in no
time.

Beat

JANINE (CONT’D)
(awkward)
I’ve got to get back to work. I’ll
uhh.. I’ll see you around Elliot.
I’m sorry about all this.
 14.

She stands up and reaches her hand out to shake.

He doesn’t.

ELLIOT
Should I come in tomorrow?

JANINE
(cutting him off)
Don’t bother. We’ll drop your last
check off in the mail and get that
Final Draft 8 Demo
out to you, yeah?

During that, she drops her cigarette to the ground and grinds
it in with her foot.

When done, she turns around to go back inside, before she

realizes one more thing:

JANINE (CONT’D)
And just leave your hat and apron
here. I’ll take it in. I’ll see you
around, Elliot.

She goes back inside.

Final Draft 8 Demo

Elliot sits down in his chair. He sees the girl again. She’s
just getting up from her table. Elliot has a sense of
motivation; he’s going to talk to her.

He pulls his apron off, throws his hat down on the table, now
wearing street clothes.

He walks over to the girl; she’s still oblivious to him, and

begins to walk to her car

ELLIOT
(he shouts)
Excuse me!

She turns and sees him.

Final Draft 8 Demo

She recognizes him.

KATELYN
Can I help you?

Elliot realizes he has nothing to say here.

KATELYN (CONT’D)
(realizes she sounded a
bit harsh)
You work here, right?
 15.

Elliot laughs casually- something between a smirk and a

chuckle.

ELLIOT
(why not...)
Yeah! (Playing it cool.) I make
coffee for people who don’t like to
make it themselves.

KATELYN
Like me?
Final Draft 8 Demo
Beat

ELLIOT
(smiling)
Yeah. Like you.

She laughs (giggles?).

Beat

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
I would ask if you want to go get
coffee sometime, but we... We
already did that
Final Draft 8 Demo
He points at the coffee cup in her hand and laughs awkwardly.

ELLIOT (CONT’D)
So do you want to maybe...

Cliched, he struggles for words.

KATELYN
Yeah. I’d love to.

She smiles.

He smiles.

Final Draft 8 Demo

Blackout

INT. ELLIOT’S CAR, LATER THAT DAY

Elliot singing along with the radio.

He’s happy.

Audio slowly fades out, then abrupt blackout.

 16.

OVER BLACK

NARRATOR (V.O.)
All too often, we focus on how
events unfold. To Elliot, it did
not matter. He realized, that this
series of events did not matter.
The significance was in the
beginning and the end. He was going
to kill himself because it didn’t
end well. He didn’t care how he had
Final Draft 8 Demo
gotten to that point. But in that
fraction of a second- after he
pulled the trigger, before the
bullet entered his skull at one
thousand twenty eight miles per
hour, Elliot realized that just
maybe he was wrong.

Beat

NARRATOR (CONT’D)
But it was too late.

Gunshot

Final Draft 8 Demo

Roll credits

Final Draft 8 Demo