MYSTIK SPIRAL

"Pilot Episode"
by Glenn Eichler

MTV Animation

Third Draft
8/15

ACT ONE
INT. GRUNGY GLUB -- NIGHT
A low-ceilinged, down and dirty rock club. MYSTIK SPIRAL -singer/guitarist TRENT, lead guitarist JESSE, bassist NICK
and drummer MAX -- are playing their special brand of music,
post-alterna-grunge, before a whopping crowd of seven people
at tables.
TRENT, laid back, spiky-haired Jakob-Dylan-like singersongwriter and heartthrob, sings.
TRENT
Now you say that maybe
We'd be better off as friends
Our love's become a soggy thing
That needs to wear Depends!
Incontinent love!
Incontinent love!
Draining the dragon of our dreams!
As the guys perform, we notice something peculiar about
abrasive, shaved-head, born-with-a-chip-on-his-shoulder
MAX: he's playing the drums with only one arm. His other
arm is tucked inside his sweatshirt so he has one empty sleeve
dangling.
The guys finish with a big flourish and look out into the
audience.
ON AUDIENCE. No one pays any attention -- except MARK, Max's
30ish brother, alone at a table in "casual" clothes that are
way too tightass for this place. He claps enthusiastically.
ON STAGE. Trent turns to rock-god-haired, super-chick-magnet,
easygoing, borderline moron JESSE.
TRENT (CONT'D)
I don't believe it. Seven people.
JESSE
Hey, there'll be more at the next
set.
TRENT
The next set's at two a.m.
JESSE
Yeah, we'll get the after-dinner
crowd.
Ticked off as usual, Max gets up from behind his kit and
moves toward the front of the stage.

2.
MAX
I've only got one arm, I'm playing
my ass off, and they don't even know
we're up here!
TRENT
Max. Your hand is sticking out of
your shirt.
Max looks down. Sure enough, his "missing" hand is sticking
out the bottom of his sweatshirt. He quickly pulls it back
in. Sweet, insecure, more-talented-than-he-realizes NICK
tries to put a positive spin on things.
NICK
That guy clapped.
(looking closer)
Hey, isn't that your brother?
ON MARK, with an encouraging "thumbs up" move.

Max frowns.

MAX
What is he doing here?
Trent moves to his microphone.
TRENT
(into mike)
Hey. We're Mystik Spiral. Stick
around, we'll be back at two.
As Trent, Jesse and Nick unplug and leave the stage, Max
moves to the mike, oblivious...
MAX
(into mike, to audience)
You people realize I only have one
arm, right?
Max pulls out a lighter and walks out into the audience. He
flicks the lighter on and holds it over his head, moving
from table to table to challenge the few audience members.
MAX (CONT'D)
Yo, lighters, hello?... How about
some lighters for the one-armed
drummer?!... Can I see some lighters
here, people?...
INT. BACKSTAGE AREA -- MOMENTS LATER
Not really a dressing room because there's no place to
dress... just a graffiti-ed over little room with holes in
the plaster and some folding chairs. The band sits around.
Nick's girlfriend, Cher-haired, weepy-confessional-ballad
singer CHARLOTTE, shares a chair with him.

3.
Max has his sweatshirt off, and in a tee shirt we can see he
has two perfectly healthy arms.
TRENT
Max, I told you the one-armed thing
wouldn't work. We're not gonna make
it as a freak show.
JESSE
Wait. I just thought of something.
(beat)
Anybody know any bearded ladies?
MAX
They're not listening out there!
I'm just trying to get them to pay
attention!
CHARLOTTE
You know why they're not listening?
You guys aren't putting enough of
yourselves into your songs.
NICK
Yeah!
CHARLOTTE
The raw nerve endings of your pain.
MAX
So you're saying it's stupid to think
an empty sleeve's gonna get their
sympathy.
(nodding)
They want to see a stump.
NICK
No, she means a psychological stump.
JESSE
Decapitation. Cool.
TRENT
Guys. If they're not into the music
there's no point in trying to fool
them with gimmicks.
MAX
What if like each of us was missing
a limb? We could call ourselves the
Limbos. The Limb-O's, you get it?
JESSE
(after puzzling)
No.

4.
NICK
Trent's right. Maybe we're kidding
ourselves. Maybe post-alterna-grunge
really is over.
MAX
Alright, so we'll change our sound!
We'll do something more commercial!
JESSE
(near tears)
But I don't wanna be in a boy band.
CHARLOTTE
Max, you're scaring him!
TRENT
Nobody's joining any boy bands. I
hate to say it, but it might be better
if Mystik Spiral just broke up.
MAX
No way!
TRENT
We've been sounding like crap lately
anyway.
JESSE
We did suck just now.
NICK
We blew.
Max's brother Mark appears in the doorway with a big smile.
Hey guys!

MARK
Hey bro!

Great show!

Max frowns at the "bro." The rest of the band looks at Mark
glumly. His smile dims a little.
MARK (CONT'D)
Um, buy you a cup of coffee?
Sorry.

TRENT
We've got another set.

A bearded WAITER appears in the door.

WAITER
Dudes. Tony said not to bother with
your last set. There's only one guy
left in the audience.
NICK
Well, he deserves a show.

5.
WAITER
Yeah, but by the time they pump his
stomach and he wakes up, it'll be
last call.
TRENT
(to Mark)
Coffee, you said?
INT. ALL-NIGHT DINER -- NIGHT
Mark sits in a long booth with Trent, Max, Nick and Jesse.
A WAITRESS is unloading a tray full of coffees.
MARK
Unbelievable show tonight. You guys
rocked the house! And speaking of
houses -MAX
Glad you liked it.
our farewell gig.

Too bad it was

MARK
No way!
MAX
These guys want to break up. So I
for one am gonna forget the death of
my dream like a true rock and
roller...
(signaling to waitress)
...in the arms of a beautiful woman.
TRENT
(to Mark)
No one's coming to see us.
doesn't seem much point.

There

The Waitress comes over.

WAITRESS
Get you something else?
Yeah.

MAX
Are you on the menu?

WAITRESS
Sure. Look under "Sexual Harassment
Suit Specials."
JESSE
Whoa.
The Waitress smiles at Jesse, and then exits.

6.
MARK
Guys, it's not you, it's this burb!
MAX
That's what I keep telling them!
(to Nick)
She was playing hard to get, right?
NICK
Um, I don't think so.
MARK
Lawndale's just not hip enough! You
need to be someplace like... Mirage!
TRENT
Mirage?
NICK
It's supposed to be a cool town.
MARK
It's a big bubbling crock pot of
creativity! Artists, writers, theater
groups... and a huge music scene. I
just bought a house there!
TRENT
Cool. Maybe we'll come visit you
and check it out.
MAX
(to Jesse)
You're good with chicks. Should I
have called her "sweetheart?"
JESSE
Who?
MARK
No, Trent, see, I'm not moving to
Mirage. It's way too, um, artistic
for me.
MAX
I should have ordered something else
to build up her tip. Chili. No.
Bigger. Three-way chili, yeah!
MARK
I figured I'd fix the place up and
sell it in a couple of years when
the rest of the world discovers the
town.

7.
TRENT
Um, Mark... what are we talking about
here?
MARK
Mirage has dozens of clubs, and record
companies are always checking out
the bands there... you need the
exposure, and I need someone to watch
over my investment. What would you
guys think about moving into the
house?
NICK
Are you kidding?
MARK
It's not the Taj Mahal or anything,
but on the other hand -- how's a
dollar a year rent sound?
JESSE
All together, or each?
TRENT
Mark, that is really cool of you.
NICK
Yeah, thanks!
Trent sees that Max, looking offscreen at the Waitress, hasn't
heard any of this.
TRENT
Max. We're not breaking up.
moving to Mirage.

We're

MAX
What?
(refocusing)
Oh. Alright! I knew I could make
you guys see the light!
NICK
You?
But Max is already back to more pressing concerns.
MAX
(calling to waitress)
Can I get a big bubbling crock pot
of five-way chili here?
(beat)
Sweetheart?
CUT TO:

8.
MONTAGE OF MOVING SCENES
INT. TRENT'S ROOM
Trent has a big suitcase open on his bed. He opens a bureau
drawer to fill it. The drawer has exactly one tee shirt in
it, just like the one he's wearing. He shrugs, pulls it out
and drops it into the suitcase.
EXT. BROWNSTONE ROOFTOP - DOWNTOWN LAWNDALE
Max opens the doors to a pigeon coop and lets his five pigeons
go. One of the pigeons circles and he waves to it sadly.
The pigeon drops a load into Max's eye.
EXT. JESSE'S FRONT DOOR -- DAY
The front door of a big suburban house. The door opens to
reveal Jesse and the Waitress from the diner. She gives him
a happy little wave as she leaves, and he waves back.
INT. JESSE'S KITCHEN -- MOMENTS LATER
CU on a box of big green leaf bags as Jesse takes a couple
out.
INT. JESSE'S ROOM -- MOMENTS LATER
Jesse's room is an absolute wreck. Tall piles of clothing
everywhere, pizza boxes, empty soda bottles.
The door opens and Jesse enters holding the garbage bags.
He looks around his room, then frowns, overwhelmed. He backs
out of the room, closing the door behind him.
The door reopens and the two garbage bags come sailing into
the room, thrown by Jesse. They land atop two of the piles
of crap, making the piles even bigger. The door closes again.
INT. BURGER 'N' BREW RESTAURANT -- NIGHT
Nick and Charlotte sit next to each other in a corner booth.
They hold hands, but it's clearly NOT a happy moment. As
they speak they practically finish each other's sentences,
because they've got such a strong bond, man.
CHARLOTTE
So tomorrow you go. And that's it
for us. I just can't believe it.
NICK
You said it yourself, babe.
haven't grown together --

We

9.
CHARLOTTE
(nodding)
-- because we haven't grown
separately.
Yeah.

NICK
So maybe this'll be our chance.

CHARLOTTE
I know it's for the best. But I
feel like, like we're closing
something...
NICK
...a chapter in the book of our lives?
CHARLOTTE
Yeah!
(pauses, inspired,
and then sings:)
"We're closing a chapter
In the book of our lives..."
She takes out a notebook and writes the lyrics down.
NICK
Hey, that's right! Think of what
all this misery will mean for your
songwriting!
Oh, Nick!

CHARLOTTE
Are we putting our music...

NICK
...before our bliss? I don't know,
babe, I just don't know!
They embrace each other tearfully.
a little...

As they hug, WHIMPERING

CHARLOTTE
(singing again)
"Are we putting our music
Before our bliss..."
She pulls away from him and starts scribbling again.
EXT./INT. "THE TANK" -- DAY
We're looking into the windshield of The Tank, the band's
ancient, decrepit van. Trent's behind the wheel; Jesse rides
shotgun; Nick's in the back. Max gets in next to Nick
(passenger's side rear), his door still open.
TRENT
Everybody ready?

10.
JESSE, MAX, NICK
(ad lib YESES)
Max SLAMS the door shut, then a beat, and then SFX: CLANK OF
METAL THING HITTING GROUND. Jesse and Max, on the passenger
side, look out the window.
TRENT
Was that anything?
MAX
Can't really tell.
JESSE
Think we need it?
TRENT
Hmm.
Trent turns the key.

SFX: VAN STARTING UP.

TRENT (CONT'D)

Nope!
EXT. LAWNDALE STREET -- CONTINUOUS
We're behind The Tank as it pulls away, getting smaller as
it moves off. MUSIC UP.
JESSE (O.S.)
Bye bye Lawndale!
MAX (O.S.)
If I didn't leave you, I'd have to
kill you dead!
Whoa.

TRENT (O.S.)
You tell 'em.
MAX (O.S.)

Dylan.
NICK (O.S.)
What's it mean?
I dunno.

MAX (O.S.)
Sounds cool, though.

The almost-out-of-sight van loses another engine part, hitting

the street with a CLANK.
TRENT (O.S.)
Was that anything?
END OF ACT ONE

11.
ACT TWO
SERIES OF SHOTS - MIRAGE EXTERIORS
Shots of storefronts establish Mirage as an artsy-cool little
city like Seattle, Austin, the East Village: a falafel house,
tattoo parlor, art supply store, record store named "Vinyl
Lives," etc.
EXT. MIRAGE STREET -- MORNING
The sun is coming up as the Tank drives down a hill of
brownstones and pulls up to the shabbiest, most beat-up
looking one of the bunch.
INT. "THE TANK"
Everyone in the van is asleep but the driver, Trent.
looks at the brownstone.

He

TRENT'S POV: Broken windows, a tattered awning, a dangling

railing... it's not quite an abandoned building, but close.
Trent looks at the address he's got written down.
Whoa.

Guys.

TRENT
We're here.

The guys wake up and look at the house, drinking in its

disastrous condition.
NICK
Wow.
MAX
Huh.
TRENT
Mm.
After a long beat...
JESSE
This place is nice!
TRENT, MAX, NICK
Yeah!/Cool!/This place rocks!/[etc.]
INT. KITCHEN -- DAY
The guys walk into a kitchen that looks like a bomb hit it.
As Trent examines a wall phone that's been left dangling and
Jesse looks at the hole where the refrigerator should be,
Nick and Max check out an angry red splotch on the wall.

12.
NICK
(re splotch)
What do you think that is?
MAX
Any pieces of bone in it?
NICK
Um, no.
MAX
Ketchup then.
TRENT
This phone's got buttons for three
emergency numbers.
JESSE
So pizza place, Moviephone, psychic
hot line.
TRENT
Come on, Jess. Emergency numbers.
Okay!
mart.

JESSE
Pizza place, Moviephone, beer

TRENT
That's more like it.
INT. BIG BEDROOM -- DAY
Max and Nick walk into a fairly spacious bedroom.
Okay.

MAX
This is my room.

NICK
This is the biggest room in the house.
MAX
Yeah, and it's my brother's house,
so I get it. You don't need a nice
room. It's not like you have a
girlfriend any more.
NICK
Max, did you ever think that maybe
if you were less confrontational you
might get along better with people?
MAX
I'm not confrontational, you jerk!
Stop calling me names! I'm just
saying I'm sleeping here.

13.
Suddenly a BIG RAT comes running out from under the bed and
runs across the room, disappearing into a hole in the wall
and scaring the crap out of Max and Nick.
MAX (CONT'D)
Yahhhhhh!!!!
NICK
Enjoy your room!
Nick exits quickly.
INT. BASEMENT -- DAY
Nick is under the hot water heater, his face hidden, as Jesse
crouches next to him and watches.
NICK
...and I know it was the right thing
for me and Charlotte to break up,
but now it's like I can't focus any
more. Jess, you ever had the feeling
that you just couldn't think?
JESSE
Oh, yeah.
NICK
Well, how do you get rid of it?
JESSE
(never occurred to
him)
Get rid of it?
Under the water heater, Nick bangs a knuckle.
NICK
Ow!
JESSE
Hey, you need some light?
matches.

I've got

Jesse strikes a match and moves it down by the heater near

Nick's head.
NICK
No, you can't use matches when you're
working with -WHOOMP! There's a mini-explosion as flames lick out for a
split second from the bottom of the heater. Nick doesn't
move.

14.
NICK (CONT'D)
(funny, shellshocked
voice)
-- gas.
INT. SECOND FLOOR BATHROOM -- LATER
Trent and Max are in a dilapidated bathroom, looking at a
toilet, which sits on the floor three feet away from the
pipes it should be connected to.
MAX
I've figured out the problem. The
toilet's over here. The pipes are
over here. We need to figure out a
way to get the toilet from here to
here.
TRENT
That's good thinking, Max.
They stand there pondering for a moment.

Then, reluctantly...

TRENT (CONT'D)
I suppose we could lift it.
MAX
That occurred to me too.
They lift up the toilet together and stagger with it back
over to the pipes. As they jockey into position...
MAX (CONT'D)
(strained)
What do you think all these stains
are on the floor?
TRENT
(strained)
I dunno. Water. I hope.
Finally they lay the toilet down in position.
MAX
Alright, mission accomplished!
go watch TV.

Let's

TRENT
Wait a minute, Max. we can't just
walk away. The job's not finished.
See all these pipes that aren't hooked
up yet?
MAX
Uh huh...?

15.
TRENT
We gotta get Nick to do that.
MAX
Oh yeah!
And they exit happily.
INT. JESSE'S ROOM -- DAY
Trent walks into Jesse's room.
Hey, Jesse.

TRENT
You seen Nick? --

He stops short in disbelief: somehow Jesse has managed to

replicate instantly the giant piles of clothing, sheets,
etc. that we saw in his old room. Jesse himself is nowhere
to be found.
TRENT (CONT'D)
Whoa.
(looking around)
Guess he went out.
Suddenly the pile of clothes on Jesse's bed moves and Jesse's
head pokes up from the middle of it.
JESSE
Hey, Trent. I fell asleep. Um,
Nick went for a walk to cool off.
TRENT
What's he mad about?
JESSE
He's not mad. He was just on fire a
little.
TRENT
Oh. Um, how'd you get your room
all... unpacked? We've only been
here an hour.
JESSE
I have a system. You want me to
help you?
TRENT
No thanks. Listen. I checked out
the paper and there's like hundreds
of clubs in this town. You up for
some auditions?
JESSE
Sure!

16.
More rustling under the pile of clothes. At Jesse's side a
GIRL emerges, in a guy's flannel shirt, and looks at Trent.
GIRL
Um, hi.
She exits.

Trent looks at Jesse.

JESSE
She was collecting for Save the
Manatees. I thought that was really
cool.
Yeah.

TRENT
That's socially conscious.

JESSE
Yeah.
(beat)
What's a manatee?
AUDITIONS MONTAGE
INT. VARIOUS CLUBS -- DAY
Spiral is onstage, auditioning by playing the same song at
four different empty clubs, shown in matching cuts. Trent
sings.
FIRST CLUB:
TRENT
I should have seen it coming
When Fido humped your leg
SECOND CLUB:
TRENT (CONT'D)
You gave him bits 'n' kibbles
Me, I had to beg
THIRD CLUB:
TRENT (CONT'D)
Now he's up on the blanket
While I'm down on the floor
FOURTH CLUB:
TRENT (CONT'D)
I ain't gettin' nothin' -TRENT & JESSE
The dog is getting more!
The dog is getting more!
The dog is getting more, more, more!

17.
With a CYMBAL CRASH the song ends and everyone stops playing -except Nick, who was daydreaming and doesn't realize the
song's over. He keeps playing bass for a couple of extra
beats before he catches on. The other guys look at him as
he cringes, embarrassed.
The guys look out into the audience at the club owner.
CLUB OWNER
Let's face it. You guys aren't the
tightest band I've ever heard. I
can give you one night a week, fifty
bucks for three sets.
MAX
(grumbling to the
other guys)
Cheap bastard.
NICK
(to the other guys)
Fifty's what the guy at the last
club said.
JESSE
(to the other guys)
And the guy before that.
TRENT
(to club owner)
Fifty dollars for four guys for three
sets is, like, four bucks each a
set.
JESSE
Good one, Trent!
TRENT
We can't really survive on that.
have to think about, you know.
Eating.

We

CLUB OWNER
There's a lot of bands in this town.
Bands that start and finish at the
same time. You're lucky I happen to
have an opening and I don't feel
like looking for someone good. Fifty
bucks, take it or leave it.
TRENT
We'll leave it.
MAX
Wait!
(MORE)

18.
MAX (CONT'D)
(beat)
Would the price go up if I only had
one arm?
The club owner looks at him, confused.
INT. SECOND FLOOR BATHROOM -- LATER
Trent and Max sit on the edge of the bathtub. Nick's under
the toilet, hooking up pipes. Jesse stands by the toilet,
ready to flush at Nick's command.
TRENT
The thing is, we never really faced
any competition in Lawndale.
NICK
I don't know why they disconnected
the toilet and moved it. These pipes
all work fine.
JESSE
Maybe the view's better over there?
TRENT
We have to get a lot tighter if we're
gonna get any decent gigs.
We gotta
remember our changes and our cues
and our parts.
MAX
Yeah.
(pointedly)
Nick.
Nick pulls his head out from under the toilet.
NICK
Hey! I remember my parts! I've
just been a little distracted lately.
TRENT
Come on, Max. We all need to
rehearse.
NICK
Go ahead, Jesse. Try it.
(standing up)
Look, I know I made some mistakes at
the auditions. But don't worry, I'm
done screwing up.
Jesse pushes the toilet handle. Instead of flushing, the
toilet shoots a fountain of water from the bowl straight up
in the air. It's quite lovely, actually. Nick cringes,
embarrassed; Max's look says, "I told you so."

19.
TRENT
Um, let's go practice.
INT. SPIRAL LIVING ROOM -- LATER
The band has their stuff set up right in the living room.
Hey, it's their house.
TRENT
Okay. "Take Me With You, Martians."
Ready? One. Two. One-twoBefore he can say "three," Nick jumps in and plays.
stops. Everyone's staring at him.
MAX
You did it again!
NICK
Sorry!
MAX
Man, how many auditions are you gonna
screw up?
JESSE
Hey, Max, leave him alone.
TRENT
Everybody has a bad day.
NICK
He's right. My playing sucks.
(getting teary)
I just can't concentrate since
Charlotte and I broke up!
No.

TRENT
But you said it was mutual.
NICK
I know, but you can't simply end a
relationship and move on like it
never happened!
JESSE
Sure you can. You just have another
relationship the next day.
NICK
I mean a relationship of mine, Jesse,
not one of yours!
Jesse looks confused.

Trent tries to help.

TRENT
More than one night.

Nick

20.
JESSE
Ohhh!
MAX
Nick. Every time you had a fight,
the next night she'd be onstage
singing about it to the whole world!
NICK
Yeah, but at least that way I always
knew what I was doing wrong!
MAX
She was bad news, man! You're better
off! You don't see me with a woman
telling me what to do!
JESSE
We don't see you with a woman at
all.
(excited at his
cleverness)
Hey, good one, right?
Trent smiles with approval. Max gets up from his kit, pissed,
and takes a step toward Jesse.
MAX
I don't have to take this!
bullying me!

Stop

TRENT
Whoa. Easy, everybody. Max, it was
a joke. Nick, all Max means is -Huh.
way.

NICK
I never thought of it that

(having a realization)
Maybe you're right. Maybe I've been
spared a lifetime of heartache.
It's not the end of something. It's
the beginning of something. The
beginning of Nick Campbell, selfreliant guy!
MAX
There you go! I'm not trying to
hurt you, man, I'm trying to help
you!
NICK
I love you, man!
MAX
I love you too, bandmate!

21.
They hug, Nick's bass slung behind his back. Then he breaks
the clinch and starts thumping out a laughably simple little
beat -- BOMP BOMP BOMP BOMP....
NICK
I can play again!
EXT. COWBANE - ESTABLISHING -- LATER
Another downtown club.

The sign over the door reads, COWBANE.

INT. COWBANE MAIN ROOM -- CONTINUOUS

Cowbane is decorated a little more eclectically and
imaginatively than the three dives we were just in. As Spiral
plays onstage, CUBBY, Cowbane's well-worn hippie owner, and
TULIP, his pretty twentyish daughter, nod happily to the
music. Same song as before.
TRENT
You brush him and you bathe him
You're trimming back his claws
But you don't even see he's got you
Wrapped around his paws!
He's curled up by the fire
I'm scratching at the door!
I ain't gettin' nothin' -TRENT & JESSE
The dog is getting more!
The dog is getting more!
The dog is getting more, more, more!
The song ends with a CYMBAL CRASH, and this time everyone
finishes together. Spiral sounds good.
The guys look out at Cubby and Tulip, who haven't reacted
yet.
Max gets nervous and, trying to be cool about it, stretches
out his tee shirt and slips his arm through the sleeve and
inside it. He's the one-armed drummer again.
And then, as one, Cubby and Tulip APPLAUD enthusiastically.
TULIP
Great!!!
CUBBY
That was incredible! You guys are
like, tapped into the psychic stream
of the great ones.
TULIP
My dad can always tell whether
someone's genuine or a poser.
(MORE)

22.
TULIP (CONT'D)
(looking at Trent)
You're genuine. You're very genuine.
TRENT
Um, thanks. You know.
for counterfeiters.

Faking it's

She keeps staring at him with her big smile, making him think
she wants him to go on.
TRENT (CONT'D)
And, um, art forgers.
CUBBY
Listen, you guys rock and I want you
rocking my club! I don't care what
it takes!
NICK
Cool!
MAX
Excellent!
JESSE
Thanks!
CUBBY
How's fifty bucks for three sets
sound?
The band stares at him, miserable.

SFX: CRICKET SOUND.

TRENT
Um, that's the same rate that the
guys who said we sucked wanted to
pay us.
CUBBY
Of course! That's what everybody in
town pays! Saying you suck was just
a negotiating tool.
NICK
So then why didn't you say we suck?
CUBBY
Because you don't! You're great!
But I can still only pay you fifty
bucks.
JESSE
Now wait just a minute. Fifty dollars
for four guys for three sets, that's
like... I forgot the rest.

23.
MAX
You're missing out on a place in
rock and roll history, man! You can
be the guy who discovered Mystik
Spiral! We're gonna be huge!
TRENT
You gotta understand. We're totally
committed to our music. Whether
there's a thousand people in the
audience or just a couple.
Yeah!

JESSE
Usually just a couple!

Nick looks at Jesse.

Wrong thing to say.

CUBBY
Listen. I really like you guys.
I'll throw in one percent of the
door.
MAX
(sneeringly negative)
How much'll that be? Another ten
dollars?
TRENT
I gotta say, that's an insult.
CUBBY
Make it one and a half.
TRENT AND MAX
We'll take it.
As Cubby and Tulip beam, we FADE OUT...
END OF ACT TWO

24.
ACT THREE
INT. "THE TANK" -- LATER
The guys drive back to the house, happy and triumphant.
Trent and Jesse are in the front seat; Max and Nick are in
the back.
NICK
Alright, a gig!
MAX
The money still sucks.
TRENT
Yeah, but that guy likes us.
start.
JESSE
You were in the pocket, Nick.
got us the job.

It's a

You

NICK
I owe it to my man Mad Max. He set
me straight on the woman front.
MAX
Hey. My pleasure. I've said it
before, I'll say it again. That
chick Charlotte was bad news.
TRENT
I don't know -NICK
You are so right. I was blind not
to see the way she was dragging me
down.
MAX
(incredulous)
Dragging you down? She had you
wrapped up in chains like Bob Marley's
ghost!
C'mon, Max.

TRENT
She wasn't that bad.

MAX
(even more incredulous)
Dragging you down? Her twisted claws
were reaching up from the bowels of
hell trying to pull you into the
inferno with her!
GUYS' POV: They're pulling up in front of their new house...
and Charlotte's waiting on the porch. Trent spots her first.

25.
TRENT
Um, Max -JESSE
(shuddering)
Yeah, Max. "Bowels."
(spotting Charlotte)
Huh. That's funny.
NICK
No, he's right. I was lucky to escape
with my life!
MAX
(on a roll)
If I had to choose between being
locked in a room with your exgirlfriend or a rabid, starving
grizzly bear -NICK AND MAX'S POV: Charlotte!
NICK
-- Oh thank God!
He jumps out of the van even before it's fully stopped moving,
runs toward Charlotte and catches her up in an enormous hug.
Jesse looks anxiously at Max.
JESSE
Which one were you gonna pick?
Charlotte or the bear?
INT. KITCHEN -- LATER
Trent, Max and Jesse are hanging out at the kitchen table.
Trent and Max drink sodas; Jesse's eating a hunk of cake.
MAX
How long have they been out there?
TRENT
About half an hour, I guess.
MAX
You don't think he's gonna be mad
about what I said before, do you?
TRENT
Not necessarily. He might slip and
hit his head and lose his memory.
JESSE
That happened to me once.
Really?

MAX
When?

26.
JESSE
I can't remember.
TRENT
(noticing Jesse eating)
Hey. What are you eating?
JESSE
Chocolate lime cake.
TRENT
Where'd you find it?
JESSE
In the cabinet. Which one of you
guys bought it? 'Cause I gotta tell
you, it's pretty stale.
ON THE CAKE: It's brown on the outside, green on the inside.
TRENT
I didn't buy any cake.

Jesse.

MAX
Neither did I.
TRENT
And that doesn't really look like
lime.
MAX
Or chocolate.
Jesse looks at them both.

His eyes widen.

EXT. SPIRAL FRONT STOOP -- CONTINUOUS

Nick and Charlotte are standing on the stoop, still hugging,
finishing each other's sentences again.
CHARLOTTE
I missed you so much! -NICK
I must have reached for the phone a
hundred times!-CHARLOTTE
Then I told myself, you have to let
him go! Mirage'll be great for his
career!
NICK
But what about your career?!
Exactly!

CHARLOTTE
So here I am!

27.
They break the clinch and look dreamily into each other's
eyes.
CHARLOTTE (CONT'D)
I found a place a few blocks away
over a vegetarian restaurant -- it's
got this great broccoli smell -NICK
Oh babe, I'm so glad we're back
together!
CHARLOTTE
I'm gonna run right home and write a
song about this! I'll see you later!
She heads down the steps and out of frame.

Nick waves.

NICK
Goodbye, Angelface!
He turns back toward the door.
INT. KITCHEN -- MOMENTS LATER
Trent and Max and Jesse are still at the table.
panicky as Nick enters.
Nick!

JESSE
You bought the cake, right?

What?

NICK
What cake?

Jesse's

Jesse looks at him for a moment, then jumps up and runs from
the room. Nick watches him go, then turns back to Trent and
Max. Max smiles uncertainly.
Hey!

MAX
How's Charlotte?
NICK

You bastard.
Bastard?
man!

MAX
I thought you loved me,

NICK
How could you say those things about
my girlfriend?
MAX
How was I supposed to know she was
gonna show up?

28.
TRENT
(disapproving groan)
MAX
That is, um, I didn't mean them the
way they sounded! I was trying to
get you to see the bright side of
not being whipped any more.
NICK
Whipped?
MAX
C'mon, Trent, help me out!
TRENT
Max, you were kinda harsh.
MAX
I what?! -- That's it! I can't take
you guys ganging up on me any more!
NICK
Us ganging up on you? Ever since
I've known you you've been picking
on people, pushing them around like
a complete jerk! Now you're causing
all this tension in the house and
it's not right! We're supposed to
be a band, not a family!
MAX
(shocked)
Trent...? Do you think I'm a complete
jerk?
After a beat...
TRENT
Not complete.
MAX
Alright. I didn't realize I was
causing all these problems.
(beat)
I'll quit the band.
NICK
No. No, Max. You and Trent have
been buddies since grade school.
I'm the one you've got a problem
with. I'll quit the band.
No.

MAX
I'm out.

29.
NICK
Well, so am I.
Whoa. Max.
yourselves.
They do.

TRENT
Nick. Look at
Look at each other.

Then they look at him.

Finally...

NICK
Yeah...?
TRENT
Come on. We moved all the way here
from Lawndale because we have a dream.
A vision.
NICK
(grudgingly)
That's true...
MAX
We had a vision.
TRENT
Max. Think of the music. Think of
the passion. Think of the free rent.
This is our shot, guys, we've gotta
stay together. What do you say?
A beat.

Then Nick nods.

NICK
Okay.
Cool.

TRENT
What about you, Max?

MAX
(shaking his head)
Can't do it, Trent. There's been
too much pain.
NICK
C'mon, Max.
TRENT
It has to be all four of us. Just
the way we've always dreamed it.
(suddenly somber)
Or I'm just not sure I want to play
any more.
MAX
Sorry. My mind's made up. It would
take a sign from Heaven to change
it.

30.
Trent nods solemnly.
TRENT
Okay. I guess I understand.
(instantly turning to
Nick)
We gotta start auditioning drummers.
Nick nods.

Suddenly Max is panicky.

MAX
Hey, wait!

SFX:

LOUD CREAKING.
TRENT
What's that...?

As the three of them look upward, with a CRASH SFX the toilet
from before comes crashing through the ceiling down onto the
floor -- with Jesse on it.
JESSE
Auugggghhh!
JESSE'S POV FROM THE FLOOR: Trent, Max and Nick, in a semicircle, peer down at us.
MAX
A sign from Heaven.
(nervous relief)
Guess I'm back in the band!
Huh.

NICK
The floorboards were rotten.
why they moved the toilet.

That's

TRENT
Heaven works in mysterious ways.
Guys.

JESSE (O.S.)
My ass hurts.

EXT. COWBANE -- NIGHT

A sign by the door reads, "TONIGHT -- MYSTIK SPIRAL."
walk by the club but we don't see anyone enter.

People

INT. COWBANE MAIN ROOM -- CONTINUOUS

There are a handful of people (eight) at tables, including
Charlotte, but basically the place is empty.
TIGHT ON CUBBY, at the microphone.

31.
CUBBY
People, get ready! Every so often
the cosmos smiles, the clouds part
and the music gods favor us with a
blessing in the form of a great new
sound. Brothers and sisters, the
clouds are about to part right now...
check it out, here's Mystik Spiral!
PULL BACK to reveal Mystik Spiral.

Trent counts off.

TRENT
One, two, three, four -MUSIC KICKS IN.
TRENT (CONT'D)
Every time I call you
You don't have time to speak
When I ask you why you say
Our love has sprung a leak!
Incontinent love!
Incontinent love!
Watering the turnip of our dreams!
Jesse launches into a solo as Nick counts the crowd, mouthing
the numbers. He turns to Trent and holds up eight fingers.
Trent doesn't get it; he walks over to Nick so Nick can shout
in his ear.
NICK
(shouting)
Eight people!
TRENT
How many at the last gig?
NICK
Seven!
Alright!

TRENT
We're on our way!

They high five then keep playing, as we...

FADE OUT:
END OF ACT THREE