Grand Opening, Grand Closing

written by
Steven Juuko

5 June 2022
First Draft

Made in Highland
Note:

When there is dual dialogue in the script, there is a SLASH

in the middle of the speaker’s dialogue, representing where
the next actor should begin. The following actor’s line will
be started with a SLASH to indicate that it is interrupting
another line.

Made in Highland
 2.

A front door opens, revealing AUDREY, 39 - dark haired with

freckles - standing outside with a smile on her face.

AUDREY
Hi Dean.

DEAN
Hi Audrey.

AUDREY
Is Ryan ready?

DEAN
No, he’s still at his friends
house...come in.

INT. DEAN’S APARTMENT - DAY

DEAN, 41 - tousled looking - makes way for Audrey to enter

his apartment. It’s small and open plan, with slightly
creased film posters hanging on the walls of the corridor.

DEAN
You didn’t come with John?

AUDREY
No, he had to go see some
patients today, you know how
overdramatic everyone is in this
city.

DEAN
How’s it feel being married
again? I saw pictures of you guys
online, you looked happy.

Audrey stares at a framed picture of Dean and Ryan. A slight

look of curiosity, bordering on a frown, forms on her face.

AUDREY DEAN
It’s been fun, John is a /Ryan likes him?
really good influence on
me... and Ryan likes him
/which is great, yeah it
surprised me how well they
got on.

DEAN
That’s good...thats nice.

AUDREY
Hey, wasn’t I in that picture
with you and Ryan?

DEAN
(a beat)
What picture?

Made in Highland
(MORE)
 3.

DEAN (CONT’D)
The one on the stand back there?
Yeah I had to cut you out.

AUDREY
You had to?

DEAN
Yeah, I would prefer to not have
to explain to any company I have
over why there is a picture of me
and my ex-wife in the house.

AUDREY
Well, it’s you, your ex-wife and
your child. I’m sure they’d
understand.

DEAN AUDREY
Yeah I guess... I mean, I /It’s fine Dean, it’s not a
don’t know /maybe I was big deal I was just curious.
overthinking it.

Dean goes into the kitchen. Audrey continues to look around

the apartment wistfully.

DEAN
You want a drink?

AUDREY
Sure, what you got? No alcohol
though, I’m driving.

Dean places a glass of juice on the counter. Audrey lets out

an audible laugh.

DEAN
Your favourite.

AUDREY
Pomegranate juice? I thought you
hated this stuff?

DEAN
Yeah well I couldn’t get out of
the habit of buying it so...

They share a smile. Audrey picks the glass up and goes to sit
in the chair opposite the kitchen counter.

AUDREY
(jokingly)
Makes you wonder why we ever got
divorced doesn’t it.

DEAN
You weren’t happy.

Made in Highland
 4.

AUDREY
(a beat)
...Wow? Uh, ok where did that
come from?

DEAN
I was just answering your
question. We got a divorce
because you were unhappy with our
relationship. Which you were
entitled to feel of course.

AUDREY DEAN
And you’re still going on? /Not really I was just
You know I was joking answering your question. No
right? Because of the it’s ok.
juice? Now you suddenly
want to unpack our failed
marriage? /In fact, let’s
get into it.

AUDREY
Why not? We’re adults and share a
child... I think it would be
great if we could iron out our
differences.

DEAN
Fine.

Dean takes a seat at the kitchen counter. There’s a long

pause. They blankly stare at each other.

DEAN
I don’t know how to start.

AUDREY
Do you understand why I was
unhappy?

DEAN
I mean, you’re entitled to feel
how you want to feel but I still
don’t really get why you felt
that way.

AUDREY
You made promises that you didn’t
keep.

DEAN
Like what?

AUDREY
Practically everything we
discussed?
(MORE)

Made in Highland
 5.

AUDREY (CONT’D)
You said we could move back to
New York after a few years, you
said we could have another child
whenever I was ready-

DEAN
We were married, Audrey. Married
people have conversations... it
doesn’t mean everything I say we
“could” do we would do? YOU said
“till death do us part” during
your vows and look how that
turned out.

AUDREY
I was in love with you Dean.

DEAN AUDREY
Right and then you weren’t. /Oh my god.
Listen moving back to New
York was never on the
cards...professionally it
wouldn’t have made sense
for my career /and the kid
thing? I didn’t think we
needed another. Ok. Me, you
and Ryan were plenty.

AUDREY DEAN
Do you hear yourself right /That’s a lie.
now? You’ve never cared
about anything but your
career. /No listen, I was
your wife, did you ever
think to maybe, consider
doing something that would
make me happy for a change?
rather than making
everything about you?

DEAN
Make everything about me? Do you
think - FUCK - do you think I
flew out here because I wanted to
be someones husband? Do you think
I dreamed about having kids? Look
around you Audrey I wanted to be
the next fucking Robert De Niro!
fucking Al Pacino. I didn’t come
here to becoming the husband of
the year. I met you and I loved
you- I love you - and things just
happened so fast and we got
married, and we had Ryan and I
asked for time to pursue my
acting career and YOU told me
there’s no rush.

Made in Highland
Audrey stares at him. Incredulous.
 6.

AUDREY
Are you done holding a pity party
for yourself? You told me to give
you 5 years Dean. 5 fucking years
to make a career out here. I
agreed because I loved you and
guess what? It’s been 18 years
since then and you still live in
this shithole, running around the
city looking for casting calls.
You made me feel like a footnote
in your life-

DEAN
What does that even mean?

AUDREY DEAN
It means when I was with (muttering)
you I felt like... like I /Give me fucking break.
was just your wife just
Dean’s wife. I never knew
who I was. Then I met
John /and I learned so much
about myself- WHAT! WHAT IS
YOUR PROBLEM WITH JOHN.

DEAN AUDREY
He is literally your /Fuck you.
therapist. You married your
therapist, Audrey. You
married the one guy in the
world who will sit and
listen to you complain,
moan and talk about
yourself all day /and in
return he gets to fuck you
when he likes. That’s how
I- that’s what it looks
like and that’s how I feel
ok. That’s it.

AUDREY
You have a really good tendency
of seeing an open wound and
throwing an entire can of salt on
it.

Another long pause. Audrey puts her head in her hands. Deans
slumps forward.

PRE-LAP: KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

EXT. DEAN’S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

The front door opens, revealing RYAN, 15 - tousled looking

with freckles - standing outside with a smile on his face.

Made in Highland
 7.

DEAN
Hey kid, your mothers here.

RYAN
Yeah I saw her car out front-

AUDREY
Hey Ry, how are you sweetheart.

Audrey squeezes past Dean and hugs her son a little tighter
than usual.

AUDREY (CONT’D)
Do you need to get your stuff or
are you good to go?

RYAN
Uh no, we can go now. I’ll see
you later Dad.

DEAN
See you later...

With a look of longing in his eyes, Dean watches as Ryan and

Audrey leave him behind. Audrey turns to face Dean one last
time and we CUT QUICKLY between them both just as he closes
the door.

AUDREY
Bye Dean.

DEAN
Bye Audrey.

End.

Made in Highland