‘Killer’

By James Ravehill
Script

Scene 1:

Int: kitchen

The camera pans around the room revealing all of the dead,
bloody bodies lying across the floor. Italian Jazz music is
playing softly. It then cuts to black and the sound of a
ringing phone can be heard.

Mob Boss:

I want him dead. I want him fuckin dead you hear me! You find
Dante’s killer and put a whole in his fuckin head, you
understand?

Cuts to shot of Dante lying dead on the floor. It then cuts

back to black.

Cos if you don’t find them, a war is going to break out, you
hear me? Dante’s father will blame me and start a fucking war!
I don’t care who it is, could be your fuckin mother, I don’t
care, I want their brains on the floor. Otherwise I’ll have
every last one of you wacked. I’m not starting a war over some
cocksucker killing one of my soldiers, so you find him
Antonio, or you’re dead. You hear me?
Shot cuts from black to a close up of a revolver’s barrel
spinning, then cuts back to black.

Antonio:

Yes boss, don’t worry, I’ll get it done. *Puts phone down*

Scene 2:

Int: Kitchen

The camera zooms in slowly on the revolver spinning on the

table, cutting between shots of each character’s face as they
look nervously at the gun.

Alfredo:

*Slams hand on the gun to stop it from spinning*

Ayy come on man, this is stupid, aint gonna solve shit.

Luciano:

Well you got any better suggestions? *Looks round table with
hands raised* Huh? No? Just a bitch who don’t want to-

Alfredo:

*raises voice and slides gun towards Luciano*

Go on then, you go first. If it’s such-

Luciano:
 *picks up gun and cocks it, waving it around*

Fine! Clearly I’m the only one here who’s willing -

Antonio:

*shouting* Put it down!

Luciano:

We’re not getting anywhere, any of you got any ideas, I’m
listening, but one of us isn’t leaving here today and I bet
the cocksucker that done it aint saying shit, so might as well
get this done. *Looks around* No?

Roberto:

*Starts laughing*

Luciano:

*Laughs back, then stops suddenly*

Is this funny to you? You think this is fucking funny? You

fuckin shmuck I’ll-

Antonio:

*Stands up*

Everyone just calm down. Okay? Luciano put it down.

Luciano:

Why? Might as well-

 Antonio:

*Shouting* Put the fucking gun down!

*Goes back to being calm* Please, just put it down.

Luciano:

*slides the gun back to the middle of the table*

Fine. If you’re gonna bust my fuckin balls when I’m the only
one getting shit done

*talking over each other*

Antonio:

No you’re not getting shit done, what’s waving that around

doing? Huh?

Luciano:

Fine. I’ll shut up then.

Antonio:

Nah we need-

Luciano:

Nah it’s fine, you don’t want my help, I’ll shut up. Quit
bustin my balls.

Antonio:

Let’s just hear where everyone was earlier.

Alfredo:

We already know where everyone was.

 Antonio:

But we don’t know what they were doing. *looks at everyone

round the table* Let's all explain our day and our lead up to
this situation. This fucked mess. Huh? Try and figure out who
could’ve done this.

Luciano:

Fine, but we aint gonna find out shit.

Antonio:

It’s our best option, no?

Alfredo:

*sighs* Yeah fine.

Roberto:

*leans forwards and smiles* I don’t care how we find this guy,
but to make it clear, whoever it is, I’m gonna enjoy slitting
their throat.

Luciano:

Yeah, and who’s to say it’s not you? You fuckin creep.

Roberto:

Maybe it is me. *laughs* But if it was you’d all be dead right

now.

Alfredo:

Wow, really helping your case there Roberto.

 Roberto:

Hey, I’m just saying, the killer’s shit at his job.

Roberto, Alfredo and Luciano continue to debate as the camera

zooms in on Antonio. Their voices begin to muffle as Antonio’s
narration begins. Each character he talks about, the camera
focuses on them.

Antonio (Voice Over):

Who the hell is it? No one in here would kill Dante. No fuckin
way. Or maybe I don’t know them as well I thought. Fuck.
Alfredo aint got the balls to do this. If it was him he would
be long gone by now. He’s a good friend, but he’s weak, only
cares about money, wouldn’t do something like this, would fuck
his life up.

Roberto, crazy guy, loves killing, itches for it. He’ll jump
at the chance to kill a cop, but kill Dante? No way. They were
way too close. I know he’s cold, but this, no. Plus, like he
said, we’d all be dead if was him, best shot in the mob.

And there’s Luciano. Good friend, but nasty guy. Cocky as

hell, snap at anyone who disrespects him. Wouldn’t be
surprised if Dante said some shit so he wacked him. But
there’s no way he’d pull some shit like this with his
initiation coming up in a couple weeks. He’s been waiting
years for that.

And then there’s Dante. Dante Russo. Son of rival mob Capo
Matteo Russo, the reason why we’ll be dead if we don’t solve
this. Dante was a good friend, with everyone actually.
Everyone loved Dante, nicest guy I knew, in the mob at least.
Who the fuck would want him dead? I swear, when I find out who
done this, I’m gonna-

Cuts back to everyone staring at Antonio.

Luciano:

Ay Tony man, come on, what were you doin earlier then.
 Antonio:

Oh right, um hold on. I was with Dante before he left to

retrieve the cash. We were in my living room just havin a
chat.

Scene 3:

Int: Living room

Cuts to a flash back of Antonio and Dante talking inside

Antonio’s living room. They are stood up drinking whiskey.

Dante:

Yeah then the shmuck said that he’d knock my teeth out if he
ever saw me down that street again. So, obviously I did the
moral thing, you know as I always do, and put the car in
reverse to drive off. But, unfortunately, you know terrible
accident, complete accident, I ran over this guy’s foot.
*laughs* completely snapped his ankle, like his foot was
backwards, absolutely terrible accident. In fact, I was so
devastated, so upset by what I’d done, that I put the car in
first and ran back over the same foot *laughs* and then
obviously told him to fuck his mother. *laughs loudly*

Antonio:

*laughing loudly* Jesus Dante. You’re a funny guy you know.

Dante:

Yeah, I try my best. Anyway, I’ve been meaning to ask you

something Tony. About becoming a made guy. Look, I know you
said that there’s nothing you can do, with my French mother
and all, but you know, you’re fairly close with the big man,
and I feel that I’ve been pullin my weight around here for a
while now, just thought maybe you could put a word in for me
or somethin.

Antonio:

Ay man, I don’t know.

 Dante:

Even if it’s just a quick discussion or something, I-

Antonio:

Look, Dante, I love you, like a brother *putting hand on his

shoulder* you know this, and you deserve to be made more than
anyone else, but I’ve already tried. You’re not pure Italian,
even if you killed every last pig in the city, there’s still
no way you’d be made. I’m sorry man, it’s just how it is.

Dante:

I know, but just one more try for me Tony, please, you know
how much it means to me to become a member. Properly become
part of the family you know.

Antonio:

I know man, I know, but there’s nothing I can do. I’m sorry.

Dante:

Ay, no worries man, I understand.

Antonio:

Sorry Dante, you know how it is.

Dante:

Ay no, don’t worry about it man, it’s fine.

Antonio:

Okay. *checks watch* Anyway, I’ve got to go now, the package

is waiting for me. I’ll see you at the location later.

Dante:

Hey no, don’t worry, I’ve got this one. I know you were meant
to be going for lunch with your girl today. I’ll get it.

Antonio:

No, I can’t let you do that man.

Dante:
 No don’t worry Tony honestly, I’ve got this.

Antonio:

You sure?

Dante:

Yeeaah. Go and enjoy your date.

Antonio:

*hugging Dante* Grazie, grazie.

Dante:

No worries. See you later.

Scene 4:

Int: Kitchen

Cuts back to the gang in the kitchen.

Antonio:

And then I went on my date with Isabella, before driving here

to this shit.

Alfredo:

Adds up. What reason would you have to kill Dante anyway?

Antonio:

None. *starts getting emotional* I love Dante, I would never

hurt my brother, yet alone this. Who the fuck would do this
man. *pointing around the table* None of us would do this
shit.

Alfredo:

Hey maybe it weren’t actually any of us, someone else could’ve

come in and whacked him.
 Roberto:

Nah, no one knows about this location, and we’re the only ones
with keys.

Alfredo:

What you sayin then, that you think it’s one of us.

Roberto:

*shrugs his shoulders* Maybe.

Luciano:

I’m gonna be honest fellas, if it was any of us it would be

you Roberto.

Roberto:

Woah. You think I’d do some shit like this? To Dante?

Luciano:

I don’t know, you’re fucked in the head.

*stares at Roberto who gives him a puzzled look*

No, no, no, don’t give me that look. What happened the other
week then ay? With that Jewish prick?

Roberto:

Ay come on. That’s different.

Luciano:

*looking round the table with a smile on his face* This guy,
this guy.*points at Roberto* Some Jew, I don’t know, some like
Hotel owner or something, can’t remember, he was refusing to
pay up right. He had a big debt, right, like five digits, and
he thought he was some tough guy, could refuse to pay up. To
us? Refuse to pay US? *laughs* Obviously he hadn’t heard
stories of the mighty Roberto. So, after a bit of shoving and
such, I was expecting the usual you know, like pulling teeth,
shit like that. But this guy thought he’d switch it up today,
you know, bit of variety in his torture methods. And out of no
where, you won’t believe this, shoots the jew right in the
dick, 3 fucking times. *Laughs* I don’t know, maybe the second
2 shots were for both this guys' balls, which were pretty big
targets if you ask me, cocky prick.*Laughs* And then this sick
fuck *points back at Roberto* is just stood there crying with
laughter, and I’m just thinking-

Antonio:

Ay Luciano this aint time for no funny stories.

Luciano:

I’m just saying, this guys got a screw loose. Prime suspect if
you ask me. And anyway, it couldn’t be you Afredo, cos if it
was you’d be halfway to fuckin Sicily already, with a
margarita in one hand and a whore in the other. *laughs*. You
know the other week, this prick *points at Alfredo* threw up
all over my new suit after whacking some guy in the head.
Pussy. No way he’d pull something sick like this.

Alfredo:

Well that leaves just you then Luciano.

Luciano:

Me? Why would I do this when I’m getting made in 2 weeks. No

way.

Roberto:

*Sarcastically* Oh really, I didn’t know that, you’ve never

mentioned it.

Luciano:

Ay shut up, you’re just jealous you ain’t getting initiated.

Roberto:

Nah nah nah, just you think you’re the shit.

Luciano:

Oh here we fucking go.

Alfredo:

*Sarcastically* Wait, Luciano, you’re getting made?

 Luciano:

Okay. Okay.

Roberto:

*Laughing*

Luciano:

In a couple weeks you two won’t be laughing when you’re

kissing my fuckin boots.

Roberto:

The only thing I’ll be kissing is your fuckin mother.

Luciano:

*Stands up, glaring at Roberto, reaches under his jacket

towards his gun*

Alfredo:

Ay ay Luciano, he’s joking, it’s a joke man, come on, it’s-

he’s jokin. Right Roberto, you’re sorry right?

Roberto:

*Smiling*

Luciano:

Who the fuck do you think you are?

Antonio:

*Stands up, puts hand on Luciano’s shoulder* Ay Luciano,

relax, relax man. Come on. Roberto take that back. Now.

Roberto:

*slowly leans forwards* I’m sorry, I take it back, Mr made

man.

Luciano:

*sits down putting his hands in the air and looking at

Antonio*
 You see, you see this shit? And people wander why I snap. I
swear, if we weren’t in this situation right now-

Antonio:

Ay come one man, we’re in a tense place right now, everyones

on edge, okay? Sayin dumb shit, shit they don’t mean.

Luciano:

You’re gonna pay for disrespecting me tough guy. Mark my

words.

Antonio:

Let’s continue with our stories. This shit aint doin any good,
both of you. You want to solve this or no? *waits for
response* Alfredo, tell us what was going on with you guys.

Alfredo:

Yeah sure. So me and Roberto here were hustling some guy for
his money, was late with his payments second week, you know.
Chef Lucca, or something, anyway.

Scene 5

Ext: House, Garden

Cuts to Alfredo’s flashback, where he is talking to Lucca

whilst Roberto is sitting on a bench smoking a cigarette. The
camera is close up to Lucca’s face, creating tension, and
slowly zooms in on Alfredo as he tells his story with Roberto
in the background.

Alfredo:

Look man, Lorenzo was it?

Lucca:

*stuttering* Lucca

Alfredo:

Look, Lucca, I’m sure you’re a nice, honest guy. But I

couldn’t give a shit about your restaurant or family problems
right now. Okay? All I care about is that money.
 Lucca:

But sir, I cannot afford this.

Alfredo:

Hey we both know that you can scrape up that amount from
somewhere. So cut the shit and we’ll be on our way.

Lucca:

Sir, I need this money, I can’t-

Alfredo:

Like I said, I don’t give 2 fucks whether you need it or not.

You owe the boss money, so you’re gonna pay up. Or your
mothers gonna be payin with that money that you so desperatley
need for your fuckin burial. You understand.

*Pauses for a while, then leans in closer*

Look, man, if it was me, I’d give you another couple days,
heck maybe even a week to pay. But see my friend over there.
*points towards Roberto* He’s a very, shall we say, impatient
person, doesn’t like to be messed around. You know who that
is?

Lucca:

*shakes head*

Alfredo:

That’s fuckin Roberto Moretti. Now, I don’t know if you know,

but he has a reputation for, let's say, violent tendencies.
You know what he did to the last guy that didn’t pay up? He
cut his fuckin arms off and mailed them to his wife. Beautiful
lady, by the way, big, brown eyes and long, silky dark hair.
But unfortunately this beautiful lady didn’t have a husband to
go home to anymore because some idiot refused to pay my friend
a couple hundred bucks. You see where I’m getting at? So if I
was you, I’d agree to pay by tomorrow morning or I’ll have to
ask Mr Roberto over there to come over for a friendly chat. Is
that what you want Lucca?

Lucca:
 No, no I’ll pay. I’ll get it to you tomorrow.

Alfredo:

*pats Lucca on the shoulder* Good man. Ay Roberto, come on,

let’s head to the meetin.

Scene 6

Int: Kitchen

Cuts back to the gang sitting around the table. The camera
pans between them all.

Alfredo:

And then we drove straight here.

Antonio:

Makes sense.

Luciano:

Woah, hang on a minute Tony. So, let me get this straight,

you’re only alibis are that nutter over there and some pussy
that you could just bribe or threaten. I don’t know man, seems
suspicious no?

Alfredo:

Wait, hold on, this ain’t fair, we got loads of witnesses.

Luciano:

Yeah and you got loads of money-

Antonio:
Luciano, let's discuss this, don’t start pointing fingers.

Luciano:

Hey I’m just throwing ideas around man. Cos at this rate we
aint gettin shit solved.

Alfredo:
Ay come on guys, why don’t we say it was some random guy, find
some prick off the streets and pin it on him. No one’s gunna
know, then we can all walk from this-

Luciano:

Woah woah woah. *starts laughing* your fuckin serious aren’t

you.

Alfredo:

Yeah

Luciano:

So when you’re dead cos some cocksucker shoots you in the back
of the head, we’ll just blame it on some random civilian, no
avenging you, no nothin.

Alfredo:

Yeah, if it means saving you, then yeah.

Luciano:

Oh well that’s very fuckin considerate of you Alfredo. I’ll

remember this when you get whacked then. In fact, if Dante
could hear this, I reckon he’d stand up and whack you himself.
Prick.

Roberto:

No one knows of this place, the boss will know if you just
whack someone random.

Antonio:

Alfredo, the fuck is wrong with you? I don’t care if it gets

us out alive, I want to avenge my brother.

Luciano:

Exactly.

Roberto:

Like I said, whoever it is, I will enjoy killing you slowly.

 Alfredo:

Alright, alright. I hear you. Luciano, what were you doing

then.

Luciano:

I was with Dante before he went to get the case.

Scene 7

Ext:House, Alley Way

Cuts to a flashback where Luciano and Dante are talking in an

alleyway, smoking and laughing.

Luciano:

*Laughing with Dante* So anyway, this guy, Michael I think,

something like that, this guy left cos he said he had some
errands to run. Said he’d be a couple hours max and told me to
make myself at home, you know grab a couple drinks, put on the
TV, shit like that. So when he left I thought I’d thought I’d
look around the house, you know cos it’s some big, fancy ass
house right. So anyway, I was looking round, had a games room
and it’s own bar.

Dante:

It’s own fuckin bar?

Luciano:

Yeah a fuckin bar, tust me it gets better. So obviously I

thought I’d put it in use, grab a couple drinks, some for the
Mrs too, you know, slip a couple in my coat. So after
exploring a bit more, I went into this bedroom, and there,
lying on this bed, was this gorgeous Italian women, completely
naked, just lying there reading a fucking book, ironically I
think it was a fuckin bible or somethin. Or the jewish one, I
don’t know. And obviously, being me, I did the right thing,
apologised sincerely, shut the door and left, minding my own
business.

Dante:
 Yeeaah, fuck off you did. *laughs*

Luciano:

No, of course I fucked her, she was practically waiting for

me. Anyway, we did our thing, you know, and then we were just
having a friendly chat, but she kept calling me Mateo or
something, so I said to her, you know, hey I’m Luciano sweety.
And then, this is funny right, she gave me this weird fuckin
look, like shocked. And then, I kid you not, literally as she
looked at me this way, some random guy bursts into the room,
just in his pants, arms wide open. And then I realised-

Dante:

He was Mateo.

Luciano:

He was fuckin Mateo. And obviously she thought I was this guy
Mateo, and he was meant to be coming over to sleep with her,
not me. So he’s stood there just staring at me, same shocked
look. And, this is the worst bit, fuckin Michael comes home
early. And he just sees 2 guys in the bedroom with his wife,
so he’s obviously ready to fucken kill me, and, you won't
believe what I said to him.

Dante:

What?

Luciano:

I said ‘ay look Michael, man, it’s not what it looks like. It
was dark in here, pitch black, what can I say I thought it was
my own wife’.

Dante:

*laughs, then looks at his watch* Ay, anyway man I’ve got to
go, the package is waiting for me.

Luciano:

Ay you okay man? You seem down.

Dante:
 Yeah I’m fine. Just had a word with Tony about puttin a word
in for my initiation be he said he can’t do anything.

Luciano:

Ay don’t worry about that man, it’s just some title. If I

could swap with you I would.

Dante:

Really?

Luciano:

No, course not, but hey it don’t mean shit man.

Dante:

Okay man. I’ll see you later.

Scene 8:

Int: Kitchen

Cuts back to the group in the kitchen.

Luciano:

And then I went for a nap for a couple hours before coming
here.

Roberto:

*laughs* So, what your sayin is, that your only alibi is dead.
The only person who could prove that you’re innocent is dead.

Luciano:

What are you tryin to say Roberto.

Roberto:

That you’re fucked.

Antonio:

Nah we still have other things to consider-

ALfredo:
 You were the last one to see him, Luciano.

Luciano:

Yeah, and like I said, I went for a fuckin nap.

Roberto:

A nap? Is that the best thing you could come up with?

Luciano:

What do you want me to fuckin say? You think I’m makin this
shit up?

Roberto:

Maybe.

Luciano:

What you think I’m lying?

Antonio:

Hey Luciano he’s-

Luciano:

So what, Roberto. Are you calling me a liar?

Roberto:

All I’m saying is-

Luciano:

*stands up* Are you calling me a fucking Liar. Cos that’s what
it fucken seems like.

Roberto:

*laughs*

Luciano:

*Looks round the table* Am I a fucken liar? Am I? *laughs*

Alfredo:
 Come on man-

Luciano:

*shouting* Am I a fucken liar? Cos if that’s what you’re

saying- *reaches down towards his gun* If that’s what you’re
sayin, I won’t hesitate, you know I could take any of you out.

Roberto:

*stand up, reaching down towards his gun, laughing* You

wouldn’t do shit.

Luciano:

You think I won’t.

Alfredo:

Ay come on guys, calm down, there’s no need-

Luciano:

Huh? You think I can’t take out all 3 of you?

Roberto:

I’ll hit you in the head before you can even draw.

Alfredo:

Ay, guys, chill out, no need-

Luciano:

Cos if you tryna blame me for this shit, I’ll stand my fucken
ground. You hear me, ANY of you come for me, I’m putting a
bullet in your fucken head-

Alfredo:

Luciano, please man-

Roberto:

*laughs*

Luciano:
 You laughin at me tough guy? I won’t fuckin hesitate-

Alfredo:

Luciano-

Luciano:

What, you think I won’t whack you too, bitch? Any of you-

Roberto:

Come on then, fuckin shoot me pussy.

Luciano:

You’re all fucked-

Alfredo:

*ALfredo picks up the pistol from the middle of the table,

points it at Luciano and pulls the trigger. The gun is empty
though so nothing happens*

Luciano then quickly whips out his gun, shooting ALfredo in

the head. He then turns to shoot Roberto, who has already
drawn his gun, and the two exchange shots to the body. Roberto
falls to the floor dead, and Luciano falls back into his
chair, bleeding from the stomach. As he falls back, he drops
his gun to the middle of the table. Antonio then stands up,
gun in hand.

As Antonio walks around the table with his gun pointed ahead
of him, both him and Luciano stare at each other intently
waiting for the other to make a move. Luciano is clutching his
bleeding stomach, and then tries reaching to his gun in the
middle of the table, but is unable to get it as he winces from
his wound. Antonio then cocks his gun.

Luciano:

Ay, Tony man, it’s not like that man. I was just tryna- come
on Tony, I was just-

Antonio shoots Luciano in the head. He then walks around the

table, head in hands, trying to comprehend the chaos that just
ensued. He then goes towards the phone, but as he goes to pick
it up, he gets shot. As he falls back against the door, the
camera pans round to reveal Dante standing there with a gun,
revealing that he was never actually dead.

Antonio:

*coughing up blood* Dante? No, no, you- why?

Dante:

*laughs* Ahhh, sorry Tony, it had to be done.

Antonio;

You were dead!

Dante:

No, just a little trick. *holds up a pill* Ay, you know what,
it’s like fucken Romeo and Juliet. *laughs*

Antonio:

Why? Why would you do this. You were my fucking brother!

Dante:

No, you were never my brother Tony. You never cared about me
or my needs. If I was your brother, I’d be a made man.

Antonio:

You did this so you could get fucking made?

Dante:

I mean, yeah, figured if I stopped a group of traitors the

boss might reconsider. Especially because one of his best
Capos *points at Antonio* plotted to kill Mateo Russo’s son.
Maybe he’ll rethink my initiation considering I could come out
and start a war between the families.

Antonio:

*laughs* You’re going to fucking bribe him?

 Dante:
Something like that. Anyway, I’ve got other business to attend
to, so I’ll see you around.

Antonio:

Fuck you.

Dante:

Oh, and don’t worry about your girl, I’ll take good care of
her. *taps Antonio on the face* Say hi to Roberto and Luciano
for me, and tell Alfredo to go fuck his mother. See you Tony.

Antonio:

Traitor!

Dante shoots Antonio in the head and he slumps down the

window. Dante then walks around all of the bloody corpses with
the camera following him as it slowly fades into the credits.

END.