Trust Me (2013) Movie Script
1
Did you ever think...
in some deep-down place
that you were really something else?
And if you could just strip away
that filthy, dead shell
you'd been walking around in,
you'd be reborn
as something new?
Something more beautiful
than anything you'd ever imagined?
Hey, buddy.
Well, of course you're nervous 'cause...
Sorry, Daryl... it's a really big deal.
Listen to me, no. Phillip, no.
Stop. You stop right there.
Hold on. Hold on one second.
I'm sorry. I got a client freaking out.
- These came for you.
- Oh, thanks. Thanks so much.
You look really, really...
- Hey, Ben. What's up, man?
- Hey.
- Hey, did you get some flowers?
- Oh, God, yes. Howard, thank you so much.
Please. I saw that you had
some tulips in your window once
and then they were on sale
at Trader Joe's.
Oh, you know, I...
I... I didn't get them
into water soon enough.
No, totally, totally, I'm sure...
it's weird, though, they looked still...
You know what it is? Plants hate me.
- They just...
- I doubt that.
They do. You should probably...
there's a bottom button.
- I can see your...
- Okay. Thank you for that.
- Your...
- Thanks. You got my back.
- Yeah.
- You got my back. All right.
Just say it with me.
"Congratulations, Phillip.
You got the part."
Well, it only works if you really do it.
That wasn't really doing it.
No, it wasn't. You know it wasn't.
I know when you really are doing it
and it's only when
you really do it that it works.
This is your time to shine.
Oh, God, you homicidal son of a...
No, not you. I'm here.
I'm parking. Yes, I am.
Picture yourself resting
on a cool, sandy beach.
I'm not lying. I'm here.
Big breath in and exhale out.
Good. Hold that door.
You think I don't know how you feel?
A third callback for "Boatniks," I'm 10.
My mom had to give me
an airplane bottle of schnapps
just to get my hands to stop shaking.
But this is different. You know why?
'Cause I was good, but you're special.
- I am?
- Hell, yes, you are, because...
Come on.
Hell, yes, you are.
And when you go in there
and do what we rehearsed,
they're going to see that.
I heard Lindsay Lohan's
little brother is doing the part.
What? Who told you that?
You know the twins who go
to my school, Rory and Cory?
- Yeah.
- Rory's manager told him.
No, they offered it to him,
but they couldn't make a deal.
So now one of the main roles
in this motion picture is wide open.
And I'm going to tell you something...
it's yours.
- It is?
- I can feel it.
- You can?
- Yes.
Phillip Trilby?
- Yes?
- You're up, honey.
You got this. My man.
Kick some ass, baby.
We really need this one, okay?
It's yours.
Hi, Phillip. I'm Meg Waldron.
Thanks for coming in.
- We all loved your work in "Cooties."
- So good, right?
- Thanks.
- Let's do this thing.
- This is empty.
- Oh, okay. Yeah.
Hey. Courtney, how you been?
Hey, Shawna. You look great.
Are you still working with that guy?
The... what's his name?
- What's going on in here?
- An audition.
Sorry. Just sounded so real.
- Who's your agent?
- Get out.
Okay. Sorry.
She is really good.
Are you saying he got the part?
Well, there's still a few things
to work out, but Nigel loved him.
Yeah!
So, Janice, what are you and Phillip
doing for the next few months?
Well, I mean, we've got school,
but, you know, screw it, right?
There's that one thing
over at Nickelodeon.
But, you know,
it's nothing we couldn't get out of,
you know, for the right situation.
Hey, pal, why don't you get
your game thing for a few minutes
- so Meg and I can talk business?
- Good job, Phillip.
- We'll be there in one second.
- Great job.
Can I ask you,
when would you need him to start?
Can you give us a sec?
And then... so just...
I was just... all right.
- This is so exciting.
- Yeah. He seems like a great kid.
The best. I wish he was mine.
- We done?
- Yup.
Okay, break of a lifetime.
Big, fat role opposite whoever we get.
I'm authorized to go 80 grand.
Take it or leave it.
But if we can close it right now,
I'll throw in 25K when it hits 100.
That's just over scale to do
fifth lead in a $30 million picture.
Listen, Howard, I understand you want
to glue yourself tight to your young Phil
and his tasty little MILF over there,
but he's got no quote. He's nobody.
Oh, haven't you heard?
He just got the new Nigel Skank picture.
- 110 run a show, 30 on the bump.
- 170, 50 on the bump.
170? Are you really
fucking high right now?
Meg, can I talk to you for a moment?
You want to close it or not?
Meg?
- You want to close it?
- Hold that thought.
Okay, fine. 110. We're very excited.
We got a deal.
Hey, where you going? Meg?
- What's happening, Howard?
- Just give me a second.
Okay, fine. He'll do it for scale.
Just throw us something on the back end.
- Hi, Nigel.
- Don't talk to him.
- Look...
- Howard.
Listen, you close this right now
or he's doing the Nickelodeon thing.
- Do what you've got to do.
- We had an offer.
- Go home. I'll call you.
- Talk to me, okay?
- I'm his fucking manager.
- Please, Meg, please, what's going on?
He's back in. The Lohan kid, okay?
- No. No, he passed.
- He's a name.
They pull this shit all the time.
Look, I've got something else, too,
a vampire thing.
- Howard!
- Calm down, take Phillip home,
and I'll try to find him something
in that. But seriously, we're done.
- You lying sack of shit.
- What did you call me?
You never had any intention
of giving Phillip the part.
You just used him to get
the Lohan kid back to the table.
That is bullshit. Nigel loved him.
He wanted to hire him.
Oh, I'm sure he did until
Honey Boo Boo over there...
- Sir, I'm what now?
- ...called Aldo
and told him the role
was walking out the door.
You pathetic bottom feeder.
If you ever want to see one of your
talentless little trolls in this office again,
you will shut your mouth
and walk out that door now.
Delia, call security.
Fine. I'm going.
I'm taking Phillip down to SAG.
We're going to file a grievance.
Right, Janice?
Janice?
Guys? Guys? Phillip. Hey, buddy.
Okay, look, I know you're disappointed,
but you did something
really special in there
and nobody can ever
take that away from you.
- Well, they just did.
- Yeah, and you let it happen.
- No.
- Get in the car.
Don't you... listen to me. Don't you see?
They used Phillip to close Tommy Lohan.
Yeah. And isn't it your job
to protect us from that?
- Aldo said something like this would happen.
- Aldo? You talked to Aldo Stankis?
You know what?
I guess it's a good time to tell you.
- Howard, you're fired.
- No, we have a contract.
Not anymore we don't. Here you go.
"Termination of services"?
Listen, you were great when we first
started out, but Phillip needs more now.
- He needs an Aldo Stankis.
- No.
- Get in the car, Phillip.
- But Aldo's Tommy's agent. Don't you see?
- He did it this way to make you dump me.
- Well, guess what, Howard? It worked.
No, Janice, please,
don't do this. Hey, hey.
- What about us?
- Oh, please.
It was one drunk night
and I wish I'd been drunker.
- Janice.
- Move out of the way, Howard.
- No, don't. Please. Janice!
- I'm trying to close my door!
- Get away from my car!
- Janice!
Buddy, roll down the window.
Roll down the window, buddy.
- Oh, my God.
- Please, roll it down.
Who's going to run lines with you?
You think Aldo's going to know what to do
when you have a panic attack? Do you?
- No.
- Phillip, close that window now.
Get your hands off the button, Phillip.
You don't have to do this, man.
You can come live with me.
No, he can't. Not without that emancipation
thing from the judge he can't.
- Roll up that damn window now.
- Hey, don't you love me anymore?
Hey, look at me, you little bastard!
You're going to sell me out, at least
have the balls to look me in the eye!
- Get away from the car, you freak!
- Janice, no!
No, Janice. Wait.
Wait.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, Howard.
Oh, Howard. That was an accident.
I'm so sorry.
- We can still save this.
- You are an asshole!
- Asshole.
- Get in the damn car, Phillip, now!
I mean it!
No, please? Really?
Come on, seriously. Please.
After four and a half years?
Please, don't do this.
Come on, Janice, please. Don't...!
Hello.
Hello?
Hold on.
Hold on.
Hello?
He... hello?
Hello?
What the...
what the fuck, man?
If you ask me, you're better off.
I did this cable thing
with him last year,
we played siblings who both needed
one of Anne Archer's kidneys,
and he's okay,
but it never goes much deeper
than the audition, you know?
And I met his sister once.
She used to go out for stuff, too,
until she turned 14
and caught a bad case of the uglies.
What do you got?
It's his game thing.
Are you going to smash it
and send the pieces?
Yeah, I probably will.
Oh, my God.
You're going to give it back to him.
- No, I'm not.
- Yes, you are.
He just dumped you and you're going
to give him back his game thing?
It's not his fault. He's a good kid.
- I'm Howard.
- Lydia.
I'm sorry about messing up
your audition before.
Do you want me to talk to somebody?
Maybe I could get you another shot.
Something tells me you may not be
the best person for that job.
So it's no need. I got it.
- You got the part?
- Yeah.
They're all getting off
that you thought it was real.
Meg took the tape in to Nigel
and they offered it to me on the spot.
That's... congratulations.
- It's two scenes.
- Are you kidding me?
Brad Pitt became a superstar
off just two or three scenes
- in Thelma...
- In "Thelma & Louise." Yeah.
My mom used to say that.
- Is she... gone?
- Yeah.
I'm sorry.
It's not like she died or anything.
She just moved to Vegas
with her stoner boyfriend Kai.
Where's your dad?
He's in there trying to get validated
by that skeezy receptionist.
Or maybe he's getting
his parking ticket stamped.
- How old are you?
- 14.
Well, almost. I know, precocious.
Well, it was nice talking to you, Lydia.
Would you say that was up or down?
No idea.
I hope this is a pretty bad day for you.
You know...
- if you don't mind me asking, who's your...
- Agent? His name's Mark.
He's a sketchy coach-agent-
casting guy back in Tulsa.
- Is that where you live?
- It was.
Until Mom and Kai bolted to Vegas.
You know, you're really good.
You oughta be working
with somebody here in town.
What's this?
He's hitting on me.
- Dude!
- I was not... I wasn't hitting on you.
He thinks I need local representation.
Which I do.
You think it's okay to just walk up
and start talking to my daughter
about business behind my back?
No, I... she talked
to me, really. She...
I recognize you.
- You almost cost her the damn job back there.
- He did not. Just ignore him.
Who's talking to you?
Am I talking to you?
- You stay away from her. You understand?
- Yeah, yeah.
Come on.
Later.
I was only saying, sir,
that your daughter's very talented
and... you know, with an agent in town,
one who was a child actor
himself in such...
Hey, bro. Are you deaf?
I said, leave her alone.
- Okay, okay, okay. Sorry.
- Dad, would you stop? Stop! Cut it out!
Ignore him, he's got issues.
I do not have issues. Stop saying that.
What? He is?
Fine, put his ass on the line.
Hello, Aldo, you...
I'll hold.
Hello, Aldo, you skeevy...
Hello? Hell... Hello, Aldo, you...
Hell... hold on.
Hello, Aldo, you skeevy fucking dirtbag.
Oh, that's much better.
Now I can hear you. Hi, Howard.
Listen to me, you Polack poacher,
you're not getting away with this.
- Not this time.
- First of all, I'm Greek-Irish,
and I don't steal your clients as much
as you seem to constantly misplace them.
You used Phillip to push
Tommy Lohan into the picture
and make me look like a douche
at the same time.
Up your meds, Howard,
you're getting paranoid.
Oh, yeah? Then how did he happen
to change his mind the minute my kid
- walked out of the room?
- This town moves fast, my friend.
I only called because I felt really bad.
What if I could nudge a Miss Amber Tuck
back into your capable hands?
No, thanks, pal. I just saw Amber.
She's got weird-looking breast buds
and a Mom-itor from hell.
Nope, I'm taking Phillip back before you
turn him into another Skylar Samms.
You'll never let that go, will you?
Let it go, pal.
Hey, is it true that you ran over
Kaylah Klopper's gerbil?
It was in her backpack. Who keeps
a gerbil in a goddamn backpack?
I hope you weren't thinking
of doing something foolish.
If I file another restraining order,
you're going to lose your license.
- Please. Do you really think I'm that stupid?
- Would you be offended if I said yes?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Rolf's a better bodyguard than a driver.
- How you doing?
- Rolf?
- What happened to Trent? You guys broke up?
- Don't be ridiculous, Howard.
- I'm a happily married man.
- Yeah, so was Mr. Brady.
- Hey, Mr. Stankis?
- Phil, big man.
Hey, Phillip. What's going on?
Remember me?
Hey, look what I got.
I got something you might remember.
What's that? That's your game thing.
Yeah, you mom told me about
your game thing. That's a bummer.
So you know what? I got the new
Nintori Ultra Super Pad.
- Won't be in stores for another month.
- It's freakin' awesome!
Freakin' awesome is right.
You ever been in a Hummer?
You did not just flip me off.
Did you just flip me off? Did you?
'Cause that is not okay, pal.
Hey, right here. Back at you. Yeah.
- Classy. Real classy.
- You know what? Kiss my ass.
You and your boyfriend both!
You goat-fucking mick cocksucker!
Okay.
Use your cell.
She doesn't know that number.
I can't, I'm at the thing. It's closing night
and Pierce Brosnan's kid playing the roach.
I got to go.
Marcy?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Everything okay? Is that...
you have a little blood, I think.
Oh, yeah. There was a...
- What are you doing here?
- Oh, there's a kid I'm looking at.
That's a nice car. Is that new?
No. I mean, it's a demo. I sell them.
But I thought you were a singer.
Well, I was, but, you know...
gigs stop rolling in,
- you got to pay the bills.
- But you've got such a beautiful voice.
You sing in the shower.
You can hear it in the courtyard.
Ask anybody.
Thank you.
So are you guys into this?
Acting and stuff?
- No, but I like the book.
- Oh, yeah, me, too.
We... you know, Ben goes here now.
- Really? Cool.
- Yeah. Can I get a cookie, Mom?
Sure. Hurry up, though,
'cause it's going to start.
You know, I've been thinking,
I really want to take you guys out.
Just to say thanks for all the packages
and the watering of plants and stuff.
- You don't have to do that.
- No, I want to.
In fact, what are you doing Saturday?
Ben is with his dad this weekend.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Well, then, I could just take you.
Come on. How bad can it be?
All you got to do is have a great meal
with a guy who happens to think you're one
of the most beautiful women he's ever met.
- Howard.
- It's true.
Look, I know I'm not your usual
kind of guy or something, but...
I see you out there and the way
you are with him and I just...
I think you're amazing.
Can I say that? Is that weird?
- It's nice. Thank you.
- So what do you say?
It's a terrible idea.
We live in the same complex.
Which means I'm absolutely
going to behave myself.
Or you won't have far to go
when you start stalking me.
I've been stalking you for a year and a half
and so far, you haven't even noticed.
It was a joke.
- What is this? This is not a cookie.
- I think the play's starting.
- Okay. I'm going to get my ticket.
- Yeah.
Hi. I'll take one ticket.
Can I sit with my friends?
I'm sorry. It's closing night,
we're completely sold out.
I'm Howard Holloway
of the Howard Holloway Agency.
Why didn't you say so?
Well, in that case, it's closing night
and we're completely sold out.
I was invited to this performance
by one of the lead actors
for the purposes
of possible representation.
- Brian Brosnan.
- It's Ryan Brosnan.
And I don't care if you were invited
by Franz Kafka himself,
I don't have any more tickets.
- I don't know who that is, but...
- Sandy, it's Marcy.
- Marcy Watkins. Ben's mom.
- Oh, hey. Hey, Marcy.
- How are you?
- Very good.
You know, I just talked to Jeannie Kim and
Georgia has pink eye so they're not coming.
Is there any chance I can just grab
those tickets for my friend here?
- You know I'm not supposed to.
- I know.
- Hey, what the hey? There you go.
- Thank you.
- I got to take this.
- Here. I'll save you a seat.
Okay, thanks.
Yeah, I'm here for the Brosnan kid.
I hear he's amazing.
Howard Hollo... Hello?
Hello? God damn it.
Howard Holloway. Lydia?
How'd you get this number?
Listen, Lydia,
I'm really psyched you called,
but I'm just walking into a screening.
Okay, your dad was very clear
with me before.
"Big deal" how? No, no.
I got to go, okay?
Who said he needed
to hear back from you tonight?
Was it Mr. Ang Lee?
Yeah, that's somebody.
Chelsea Charles dropped out today
and he said 'cause she had mono,
but I heard that she threw up at the Teen
Choice Awards 'cause maybe she's pregnant.
- I heard that, too.
- Isn't she, like, 14 years old?
And Meg's casting this one, too.
And she showed the tape where you
busted in to Mr. Ang Lee and he freaked out.
So he called Daddy's cell,
but he was on the toilet...
- Hey!
- Oh, I'm sorry, you weren't?
So he called and I answered and he said
I was like a young Joni Foster.
Jodie. Yeah?
And he asked who my agent was...
and I told him it was you.
- I hope you're not mad.
- Mad? No, I'm... no. No.
You did the absolutely right thing.
Did Mark get you the... who got you
the appointment for the thing today?
All Mark ever got me was a couple
commercials and that stupid kidney crap.
That guy's a freakin' scumbag.
Hold on, I think this...
okay, yeah, that's good...
That's... that's...
Meg? Hi.
Yes, I have.
In fact, I'm with her right now.
Meg says hi.
And hi to you, too, Ray.
Can't wait to meet you.
- Tell her "whazzup?"
- He says, "What's up," Meg.
Please, Meg, no... it's okay.
It's forgotten.
No, please, yeah. I'd love to hear.
Oh, fuck. I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.
No, go ahead. Yeah?
And the... no, talk about the mon...
- Well, no, that's a nice place to start.
- How much?
But of course,
she's not going to do it for that.
Well, you better go back to them, Meg,
or it's going to be a very long night.
I'm sorry, Meg, our entrees just arrived.
Is that how you like it, sweetie?
- It's perfect, Howard. Thank you.
- Oh, good. So, well, see what you can do.
Okay. Bye-bye.
Excuse me. Excuse me, miss.
Can I have a vodka rocks?
Make it a double, please.
- And my friend Ray...
- I'll have another bourbon.
Oh, make it two.
Save those pretty legs a trip.
So... what'd she say?
They want her at the studio tomorrow
for a "chemistry read" with Sir Ben.
Kingsley.
"Gandhi"?
Why in the hell would a 13-year-old girl need
to have chemistry with some Indian fucker?
He's English, Ray,
and it's not like that.
They just want to see
how they act together.
- Turns out, it's a franchise.
- Like "Harry Potter," right?
Exactly like "Harry Potter."
Agnes Dieter is producing,
Ang's directing the first two himself,
they're announcing it Friday
when they introduce their new "Sophia"
at Grauman's Chinese Theatre,
and since they start in two days
and there are sequels involved,
they want a three-picture deal signed
before she walks in the room tomorrow.
- Well, that doesn't suck.
- No, it doesn't suck.
What was the offer?
75 with a small bump
on the next two pictures.
But like I said, it's nothing.
They know we're going to pass.
Are you telling me that you just
hung up on a lady who offered us
a quarter of a million dollars?
For three movies, Ray... but there's no
guarantee they'll ever make the other two.
You wait your whole life for a set up
like this and still it never happens.
It's a royal flush.
How do you know?
'Cause I've been doing this
since I was six.
Yeah, but this?
You ever done this before?
- Because it sure don't look like it.
- Don't start.
I'm talking business now, baby.
Keep quiet.
Why, because you're Trump
all of a sudden?
He started a topless car wash
with my money.
- Yeah, how much did we lose on that one?
- I said shut up.
- You shut up.
- You shut up.
Thank you.
Thanks.
If this thing is as big as you say it is,
then maybe we oughta get somebody in there
that's been there before.
Like, what's that guy's name?
- "Stinkis"?
- Okay, okay. I get it.
You don't know me, I don't know you.
But nobody can take care of her
like I can. Nobody.
Because I've been where she is
and I know what she needs.
There's a reason we found each other.
I'm just asking for a chance
to prove that to you.
Dad, I...
- How much do you take?
- 10%.
That's an awful lot of money
for two days of work.
When she books this,
my job is just beginning.
- We'll give you seven.
- But that's not fair.
Baby, please.
You need to let me do my thing here.
That's the offer, Howard.
Take it or leave it.
10 is fair, Ray. I deserve 10%.
I understand. Let's go.
Your mama's gone.
We're doing things my way now.
I hope this isn't at Paramount
because he's banned from the lot.
Last chance, Howard. You in or you out?
We're signing with Howard
or I'm not going tomorrow.
Come on.
What's going on here? Are you all right?
I... I think so.
Could you just give us a minute?
All right, but please, take your seats.
Well...
if that's your rate, Howard,
then I guess that's your rate.
I was just trying to make sure
that the man that is representing us
is sitting on a pair.
You understand.
A career will be waiting
when you get back.
Get to know the scene, but make sure
you get some sleep, okay?
- Good night, Howard.
- Shoot me a text when you close it.
I will.
Any questions, any problems, anything
at all, call me anytime. Doesn't matter.
- How's your day now?
- It doesn't suck.
I can't believe what I'm hearing...
that's so comical!
I mean, what... is this the eighth time
you've done this to him?
Well, you can tell her your dick
will still be there in the morning
and you can drop him off then. Hi.
It's none of your goddamn
business who it is.
Fine, it's my new boyfriend.
He's going to give it to me real good.
Hello?
- Hi.
- Everything okay?
Just my jackass ex-husband
acting like a jackass.
How was the play?
I seriously wanted to slit my wrists
with the program.
- How was the roach kid?
- Brilliant. Johnny Depp with peach fuzz.
I heard he got signed
in the dressing room.
Seriously?
No. The kid's voice was like a cat
getting sawed in half.
But, he was kind of cute and he wasn't
half bad, so I got his number for you.
Did you...?
Thanks.
- Where's Ben?
- He's with his dad.
He picked him up a couple hours ago...
for the first time in two months.
Now he wants to bring him back
because his stupid girlfriend
just scored tickets for Coachella.
She's 20... she's 20 years old.
I have panties
that are older than she is.
Sexy.
So when's he's bringing him back?
- No, no, no. I said I had plans.
- Why? What are you doing?
I'm just heading over to this strip club
over in Culver City.
They have an open pole night
so I'm going to give that a whirl.
- Really? Did... no, you're not.
- Not going to do that.
Oh, crap. You know what?
You got to get out of here.
- What?
- That's my ex-husband
- and he's really super jealous.
- That's him?
- Howard Holloway?
- Yes.
Secured currier. I got a package here.
- That's not funny.
- I think it's so funny.
- Hi.
- I.D.
- I was...
- Flashing.
- Okay.
- No excuses.
- Okay.
- Now I need one of you.
Flashing. I need you to sign, sir.
- Can I use that?
- Yeah, that's why it's attached.
Okay.
- This script is watermarked.
- Okay.
You are to make no copies. I don't
want you to think about making a copy.
- Okay.
- You will bring this draft
when you come to the studio tomorrow
or you will not be admitted.
- Do you understand?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
- Awesome.
Awesome.
Jeez, Louise.
What's in there, somebody's liver?
It's the script. "The Becoming."
- Shut up. From the books?
- Yeah, you know them?
I love them.
Ben and I read them together.
- Don't tell me she's reading for Sophia.
- Yeah.
- It's the lead.
- I know.
- Shut up!
- Kiss my ass!
- You should get in there and start...
- Oh, yeah. I probably should.
Okay, I'll see you.
Actually, I was going to have a glass
of wine first. You know, to unwind.
And I can see you need a refill,
so maybe you want to stop by
for a... you know, for a nightcap?
- A nightcap?
- Just came out.
Is Dean Martin going to be there?
- It's... never mind. It was...
- Sure.
You will?
Well, you're a nice guy, right?
- Tell me you're a nice guy.
- I am. I mean, I think I am.
So let's do this...
before I chicken out.
- One glass of wine, no funny stuff.
- No.
What... what am I doing?
No, wait.
No, I'm sorry. No, no... I'm just having
a really tough time right now
and I don't want to do something that's
gonna make me want to kill myself later.
That didn't come out
exactly the way I meant it.
It's okay. The first few years
after my divorce, I was certifiable.
When did you get divorced?
It was a while ago.
You were probably on a play date.
Anyway, I'm going to go inside now.
You're welcome to join me
for a glass of wine,
but after that, I've got to work.
So if you kill yourself later,
it's not going to be on my conscience.
That's funny.
Funny goes a long way with me.
It's going to have to.
Howard?
Lydia? What are you doing here?
Well, my dad went out and I was getting
kind of tweaked about reading with "Gandhi"
and you said you'd help me,
so here I am.
- How did you get my address?
- You know you're listed, right?
- Hi, I'm Lydia.
- I'm Marcy.
She's really pretty.
You're really pretty.
You're pretty and I'm going to go now.
- Okay, can you wait inside?
- Copy that.
Hey, hey.
Can I call you tomorrow?
So are you coming now
or in like, a little bit?
Inside.
Sure.
Oh, my God. Is this you?
Look at all that hair.
Is that your mom?
- Why does she look like that?
- She's disappointed in me.
- Why?
- Depends which picture you're looking at.
- So...?
- Oh, my God.
Yeah?
It's kind of good, though, right?
It's amazing.
But, I mean, come on.
Period vampire movie? How fresh.
They're not really vampires.
They're more like this lonely,
alien species living among us.
Yeah, with fangs who bite people.
And the main vampire guy, "Castaline,"
he's growing wings.
They're not full wings yet.
They've been here for centuries
waiting for the one
who will trigger that final phase
of their metamorphosis.
- Their what?
- Their... it's a change.
- So you really liked it?
- Oh, my God. Oh, my God. It's amazing.
And, Lydia, her mother, she sells her
to them like a piece of meat.
Everybody she loves
betrays her and then it's her.
- She's the one.
- Yeah?
She's the one who becomes
this magnificent new creature.
- Are you going to start crying?
- No. God, no.
It's just I found it
kind of moving is all.
Oh, my God. No wonder Ang freaked out.
It's like they wrote it for you.
Then how come I can't act it
to save my life?
"I am a new thing
and this is my becoming."
- Who talks like that?
- It's a period piece.
They'll teach you
how to handle the language.
Tomorrow, they just want to see you
connect to it. Make it real.
Yeah, no problem. I mean, just the other
day when I was sucking the life force
- out of this kid at school...
- Now, see, don't... don't do that.
Don't distance yourself
from her like that.
She's just a kid. Like you.
She's got nobody.
He's the only person
who's ever been kind to her
and then he shows up all bloody
from fighting that other one. That...
- Terence.
- Terence... to protect her.
He's dying.
And he wants to feed on her
one last time, but she refuses.
So he turns to that other one,
the new girl.
Let's read it.
Stop. You mustn't do this.
Look, I know it's a little scary,
but we've got to...
That was good, you...
that was good. Okay.
"I understand your fear,
but my wounds are deep.
If she does not replenish me, I will die
and then who will be left to protect you?"
- Protect me? Is that what you've done?
- "She opens her lips to reveal long fangs."
- You swore you wouldn't with every breath...
- Okay, okay. I'm going to stop you.
No, no. No, no, no. It's good.
That's a good start.
But it's never really going to feel real
until you make it feel real to you.
You love this person.
You trusted them with your life,
and then they betrayed you
in the worst possible way.
Has anybody done
anything like that to you?
No.
Are you sure?
Okay. That's okay.
Then you got to go there.
No matter how hard it is.
So this person, what if he or she...
He.
Okay. What if he was standing here
right now? What would you...
Shut up! For God's sake,
do you ever shut the fuck up?
Hey, don't touch me!
Don't fucking touch me!
I'm just a little kid for shit's sake!
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Okay, that was good.
Give it to me.
Give me the line.
"If she does not replenish me, I will die
and then who will be left to protect you?"
Protect me? Is that what you've done?
Look at me.
That's right. I've been turned.
You swore you wouldn't with every breath
that came from your foul throat.
Now you've transformed me
into this vile, unholy thing.
And I will die before I let you
do the same to her.
"You say that now, but soon
you will thank me for what I've done."
- Will I?
- Yes. I think you will.
What are you doing?
You'll destroy us both.
Then so be it.
"What kind of creature are you?"
I am a new thing
and this is my becoming.
Was that okay?
Yeah. Yeah, it was.
- Should we do it again?
- No, no, I think we're good.
Do you... is there anything
you want to talk about?
- Like what?
- I don't know. Just...
Actually, I'm getting kind of tired.
Oh, God, yeah. Of course you are.
Here, lie down. Lie down.
Wait, what about your dad?
Isn't he going to wonder where you are?
Yeah, I'm sure he's so worried
he can barely drink. I left him a note.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay, you get some sleep. If you need me,
I'll be right in the next room, okay?
Hey, Howard?
Yeah.
I know I only met you this morning,
but I think anybody who would leave you
is a big-time dumbass.
Thanks.
Hey, what's going on?
Where is she?
She's sleeping, Ray.
It's a quarter of 4:00.
Wake her up.
You sure you're okay to drive?
Hey, man. That's my kid.
If I say wake her up, go get her.
Okay.
Yeah, that's locked now.
Here's the thing, you're loaded.
She's not getting in that truck
unless I'm driving.
That's the deal.
You want to hit me? Go ahead.
Golly.
You're a regular badass.
Fine. I'll do it your way.
Hey, I thought you were going
to text me when you closed the deal.
It's not unusual on a thing like this
to be working out the deals
right until the last moment.
What if the deal isn't closed
and she's got to go in?
They've already doubled
what they came in with, Ray,
but the thing is, she's amazing.
When people see what she can do,
there's going to be a feeding frenzy.
- That's good, right?
- At first.
Then everybody starts pulling on her
until there's nothing left.
There's only one way to get her
home safe when the ride's over
and that's by securing her future
with some meaningful back end.
You let me do my job,
I'll have that for her
on a piece of paper when she walks
into that room tomorrow.
You know, Howard,
I'm almost starting to like you.
Keys.
Yes, sir.
Hey, you don't know me.
Okay.
I've seen that look.
Like you think you have some idea
of who I am...
or what she's been through,
but you don't know shit.
That's my baby in there.
She talks tough, but deep down...
she's just a little kid.
And that's why I'm going to do
whatever I got to do
to make sure she stays that way.
So will I.
I don't know what to tell you, Meg.
The guy's not budging.
Oh, that? Well, I'll be honest with you,
we're at the airport.
He's taking her home.
I tried to talk him out of it, but...
You sure about that?
Okay, hold on.
I'm going to run it by him.
How can I help you?
I'll have two coffees and...
what do kids usually get?
- An "Eggy-Riser."
- "Eggy-Riser," okay.
I'll have one of those
and a chorizo burrito.
- 11.70.
- 11.70. Okay.
Thank you.
Okay, Meg. I'm bringing him down there,
but if you guys get cute,
he is gonna walk out of there so fast
it'll make your head spin.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you. Thanks.
But, I mean...
when did you get it?
This morning, bro.
The other one died and I thought,
"What the hell?" Pretty sweet? Napkin.
But I thought you were broke.
- You're going to close that big deal, right?
- Well, I don't anticipate any problems,
but when there's this much on the line,
anything can happen.
So if it starts to get weird,
just go with whatever I do.
Any division between us, that's going
to cost you lots and lots of money.
Now remember, you're the loose canon.
You're pissed.
If you don't get exactly what you want,
you're going to storm out of there. Right?
- I can do that.
- Okay, good.
You got some ketchup. There we go.
Let me see your teeth. Perfect.
What the hell is going on?
- It's almost noon.
- Have a seat, Ray.
Hey, hey, hey. Who's ready
to sign some autographs?
Come here, my little genius.
Oh, big day.
- Howard, my new phone buddy.
- Yes, I am.
- Okay. Ray, good to see you.
- Hi.
Come on in. Follow me. Hey, let's go.
Let's okay this thing.
- Agnes is very excited to meet you.
- She is?
Yes, she is. I am so sorry
to keep you waiting.
I was on a Skype with Helen Mirren. Hey.
Who will be playing your mother, by the way,
but you didn't hear that from me.
- No way.
- So listen, Ang has got to jet up to ILM
to look at your wings,
so we need to get started.
- How do you feel? Are you ready?
- Yeah, I guess so.
Great. Let's get the paperwork out
of the way and then we can get going.
This looks good. Anybody got a pen?
Just got to...
take a quick look.
Yeah, no, see, that's a problem.
- This says "adjusted gross."
- What's that?
That's how you say
"bend over" in producer.
Howard, listen to me.
Ray, we all want her to do this.
The studio is never going to give her
what you're asking for.
- Never.
- Then, I'm sorry, but...
we have to go.
- Really?
- I'm afraid so, sweetie.
If I could do this for her, I would.
But nobody ever gets this
on their first movie.
Nobody.
Ray?
I thought I was pretty goddamn clear
about where I stood on this, Howard.
- You were, Ray.
- If you had a set of nuts,
you and me would be
stepping outside right about now.
- Now wait a minute. Hey.
- Come on.
Oh, my God. That was amazing.
Wasn't he amazing?
- Yeah.
- You were freakin' amazing, Ray.
Now I need you to hit that button
so they know we're for real.
You got to do it, Ray. Okay, I'll do it.
You hit that button and I am definitely
breaking your hand.
What's going on, Dad?
Howard is trying to blow this
for you, baby.
Nobody's blowing anything. I just need you
to stick with me for a few more minutes.
- It's a lead, Howard.
- I know it is, sweetie.
It's three of them, so we need
to make sure you get paid
more than they make off
your action figure the first weekend.
What if you're wrong?
Did you ever think about that?
We can get this. I know it.
Do it and we're going back in there
without you, Howard.
Fine.
But if they had a star that could do this,
they would've hired her by now.
So if you fold here,
you'll spend the rest of your life
watching T-shirts go by
from the movie you got screwed on.
So I'd say it's worth another 30 seconds
of your time to play this out.
Count, baby.
One, two...
I need you to walk
into the elevator now, Ray.
- Lyd...?
- 27, 28, 29, 30.
- Sorry, Howard.
- Guys?
Guys, guys, this is crazy.
Come on out of there.
This guy, Mr. Clank-Clank...
okay, I'll go your two points.
With the successive one-point bump?
With the bump. Now come inside, please.
We got a movie to make, people.
- Come on.
- Yeah, we do.
Help!
Dieter Films.
Yes, he is. Howard, it's for you.
- Me?
- Yeah.
- Who is it?
- They didn't say.
Okay.
There's an empty office. Second one
on the right. You can take it in there.
Oh, okay.
Wait here. I'll be right back.
- This is Howard.
- Hey, Howard.
- What up, "Stankass"?
- Looks like you finally hooked a big one.
How would you like to come on as junior
partner here at the Stankis group?
Junior partner?
That's tempting.
And it'd be nice to see
all my old clients again.
And I'd truly enjoy watching you
try to steal Lydia all day long.
But all the same, I'm going to have
to say... no, thanks, Stankis,
- you backstabbing ass bandit.
- Reall...
Ray?
- Get out of my way.
- Have a seat, Howard.
Call security.
Oh, you scumbag. You're in on this, too.
- Try to calm down, Howard.
- You think I should calm down?
- Yeah. What are you going to do?
- Do you think I...
Okay, that's enough.
You're right. I'm sorry.
Oh, my God.
He's having a seizure.
Get Agnes!
Howard, no!
Howard, I got the part.
That's so great, honey.
That's such great news.
You just missed Ang and Sir Ben.
What's going on?
Aldo wanted to meet Lydia
and Ray thought it was a good idea, so...
So that's where the truck
came from, Ray?
We had a drink last night.
It was just there this morning
when I woke up.
How 'bout that?
Howard, nothing personal,
but Lydia's a rare talent.
Ray just wants to make sure that
she's represented by somebody
- who can nurture that talent.
- That's your pitch?
"Aldo the Nurturer"?
I wonder how Tess Lipnicki
would feel about that.
I guess we can ask her when she gets
out of jail for stabbing her pimp.
- He's making that up.
- Google it.
Tell them about Skylar Samms.
- We're not talking about me.
- Well, maybe we should be.
I signed her when she was seven.
At 14, she books a movie
so Aldo steals her.
I tried to talk her,
he gets a restraining order.
- Eight months later, she hung herself.
- Tell them the rest.
When the movie tanked,
Skylar couldn't get arrested
so she calls Howard
and begs him to take her back.
But Howard's new girl Amber Tuck,
says she'll walk if he does.
So Howard hangs up on poor Skylar.
A week later she was dead.
I've heard enough. Howard, I'm sorry.
You don't deserve
to be treated like this.
Come on, let's go.
Wait just a goddamn minute.
- Give me the keys.
- Look, baby, I know you like Howard.
Hell, I like him too,
but he can't protect you like Aldo can.
Give me the keys.
I'm sorry, Mr. Aldo.
My daddy means well, but this is
my decision. And I'm happy with Howard.
Honey, don't...
It was really great meeting you
and I'm so excited about the movie.
But you having fittings
and makeup tests all day.
I guess you better talk to my agent.
Honey...?
Aldo, will you excuse us?
You can't be serious.
Meg, you do this and I'm going to pull
the Lohan kid out of "Play Date."
Do what you got to do.
Justin will validate your parking.
For this guy?
He's a fucking punchline.
Okay, dick move. My bad.
But we have 2,000 screaming kids
showing up at Grauman's Chinese
on Friday night to meet
our new "Sophia."
So what do you say, Howard?
We're all grownups here.
What's it going to take
to put this behind us?
Well, for starters...
I'd love an iced macchiato.
- Thanks, Meg.
- Yeah.
"Co-associate producer." It's crazy, right?
I guess Ang really liked my script notes.
Which is...
It's... we got one of those
big blenders. I'm on a juice cleanse.
Don't. Do not...
Put me down!
Are you finished?
Get your hands off of me.
This is all incoming headshots.
That's right.
It's because we're back, baby.
As soon as we get a few checks in,
you're going back on full salary.
With a slight raise, I'm thinking.
We'll talk.
Where you going?
I got a... I got a thing I got to do.
It is, like, a quarter to 4:00
and you got, like, 300 messages.
- I'll see you later.
- Howard, what thing?
Howard?
May I help you?
Hi, yeah. I was looking for Marcy.
Marcy who?
She works here. She's... there she is.
- She's right over there.
- Who are you?
I'm Howard. I'm her friend.
I'm a friend of hers.
She's working right now.
Is that your car?
- No. It's not.
- I saw you get out of it.
Oh, that one? Yeah, that's mine.
You looking to buy?
I am, actually, yeah.
But I really came to talk to Marcy.
- Do you like her?
- Yeah, sure, I like her.
Frankly, you're not really her type.
- Why, what's her type?
- Gangsters, man. Stone-cold killers.
Come on. Really?
Ignore him. He's a child.
I don't know, Marce, I think I saw him
on that "Most Wanted" show.
Thank you, Gary.
How'd it go?
What? She got it? Oh, my God!
Howard, I'm so happy for you.
We have to celebrate.
- Can you get free for dinner?
- No. Yeah, I can.
- I'll pick you up at 7:00?
- Oh, you'll pick me up?
Well, because, is that your car?
Maybe it's time we get you
something that's a little more...
appropriate for a man of your stature.
- Oh, you sell a lot of these, don't you?
- I do pretty well.
Oh, hold on. I just...
This is Lydia's dad. He wants
to go over the contracts with me.
So could I meet you at the place?
- Hop Louie, 7:00?
- Sounds great. Could...
Yes.
Hello?
Lydia? Ray?
- Oh, hey, Howard.
- Hey.
Howard's here. What's up?
I'm... I've got some contract stuff
to go over with your dad.
Oh, Howard, you didn't have to do that.
They need these signed
before she starts tomorrow.
- Well, you drove all the way out here.
- And I got a text.
Come on in.
You want a beer?
Lydia, get Howard a beer.
No, thanks. That's okay. I'm good.
Just the last one.
You need to sign this.
Listen, Howard.
I'm really sorry about today.
That whole thing with Aldo
really got me turned around.
You know what I mean?
We're okay, though, right?
Yeah.
Okay. Cool.
Car's picking you up at 5:00.
Know your words?
- Yep.
- All right.
You can watch a movie on Pay-Per-View.
Lights out at 9:00.
See you in the morning, Howard.
So... you must be pretty excited.
For the first day of the really
big movie that you're starring in.
Yeah, I totally am.
It goes on for months and months.
Sometimes it starts to feel like a...
almost like a new family.
Cool.
Okay, so I'm going to let you
get some rest.
I'll be there in the morning, of course,
just to make sure everything goes smoothly.
I almost forgot.
I know it's tomorrow, but...
happy birthday.
How did you know?
I noticed it earlier when I was
going over your contracts.
Open it.
Oh, Howard. It's beautiful.
I have this friend Doug
and he does family law, so...
What?
I never even saw him do anything.
- What if I imagined the whole thing?
- What if you didn't?
She's 14.
In California, that means she can't
be emancipated without his permission.
And there's no way he's going to give that.
Not with all that money on the table.
So we go to court, she loses the movies
and the money that might buy her a way out.
Do you really think you saw something?
I don't know.
- Yeah, I do.
- Well, you can't just leave her there.
Can you?
- Get dressed. You're coming with me.
- What? Why? Is something wrong?
I won't let you spend
another night here with that creep.
Get your things together,
we're leaving now.
Howard, stop it. You're scaring me.
- I know what he's doing to you.
- He's not doing anything to me.
You look me in the eyes,
you tell me I imagined the whole thing.
You do that, I'll walk out the door,
we'll pretend this never happened.
He never...
Okay, okay, okay. Okay, okay.
- Are you out of your fucking mind?
- Look, I know it's an inconvenience.
- An inconvenience?
- I speak...
You want to shut down my $160 million movie
so you can make some futile attempt
to pull young Lydia out
from under her horny da-da?
- That's not an inconvenience, Harold.
- It's Howard.
That's a goddamn shit storm,
but it's your shit storm,
so you do what you need to do
but you make this go away.
- Or so help me God, you don't want to be you.
- I can't take her back there.
Then let's call the cops.
I got the commissioner on speed dial.
No, she won't do that.
She won't testify against him.
Then take her home.
Just for a minute, okay?
For a few goddamn days. Just long enough
until we get some film in the can
and then we'll hire her an assistant.
Some pissed-off type
with a big can of pepper spray.
You want me to pretend I don't know
what he's doing to her
- so the movie can start on time?
- Under the circumstances, I'm saying, yes.
You want to play kamikaze,
do it on your own time.
You want to keep it down?
I'm trying to sleep.
Sleep in hell, you wrinkly fuck.
Look, you want to help her,
then do what it takes to really help her.
You know as well as I do,
if she walks onto that set tomorrow,
- he becomes 50 times harder to scrape loose.
- But she'll have a shitload of money
and she'll be doing what God
put her on this earth to fucking do
and she's going to need you, Howard.
She's going to need you
watching her back 24/7.
That's why I'm going
to bump you up to EP.
- You're bumping me up to...
- Executive producer of this movie
which comes with half a point,
but, you know, fuck it. A full point.
- Oh, my God.
- 'Cause you need the clout.
So what do you say, Howard?
Don't you think she deserves a shot?
- Yeah, I do.
- So take her home.
- She'll thank you, believe me.
- Okay. Yeah. That's amazing.
It's an amazing town.
But I can't do it.
This movie starts principal
in seven hours.
If your client isn't standing on her mark
when my genius Chinaman yells "Action,"
I will fire her from the movie.
And then I will spend
the rest of my days
turning your life into a torturous sea
of flaming shit.
It's okay, Howard.
Ang said I was his only Sophia. He said
he wouldn't do the movie without me.
I know, honey,
but it's a weird business.
Sometimes people say something
and they mean it, but...
then things happen and it's not something
they can mean anymore.
I just want you to feel sure
you're making the right decision.
Well, do you think
I'm making the right decision?
I do, yeah, but I'm worried about
what could happen if we lose.
- We won't lose.
- I lose a lot.
- Are you trying to get rid of me?
- No. I promise.
- Maybe we should call your mom.
- No.
- Because I bet she really...
- No.
She knew and she left me there.
So she's not really like the first person
I call when I'm in trouble.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
I do.
Okay.
Good night.
Can I...
What?
Can I have a hug?
Yeah, I can do that. Sure.
Is there any chance
you can get us in any earlier?
No, no, no, no. Thank you, Doug.
Okay. Bye.
Doug said the earliest he could get us
a hearing would be Friday.
He basically said you're right.
Without Ray's consent,
you don't stand a chance.
And not only that, but he could
sue you for loss of income.
I'm sorry.
I did 11 movies by the time I was 15.
But never a lead.
And then one day,
I got one.
"Surf Camp" with Jan-Michael Vincent
and Anissa Jones.
- From "Family Affair"?
- Yeah.
She was the first girl I ever kissed.
In a scene, whole crew watching.
I lost my virginity
in her trailer the next night.
Between her and the movie,
I was so happy,
I almost couldn't breathe.
She took me to this party up in the Hills.
Everybody was... coke and 'ludes.
I tried to get her to walk out with me,
but she wouldn't go.
So I left her there.
When I got to work the next day,
they told me she had OD'd.
The studio scrapped the picture
and nothing ever really happened
for me after that.
This is 36 years ago.
And I've spent that time
wandering this place
like some kind of ghost.
Trying to find some way
to get back there...
to feel like that again.
Like I'm somebody.
And just now,
in that room...
I did.
Hello, Ray.
- Ray?
- You are fucked.
You are so fucked.
- Tell him how fucked he is.
- Very, very fucked.
Do you think you're just going to waltz
in here and steal my little girl?
Pat here says you can't do that without
my say-so, and I don't fucking give it.
So I'm going to go in there
and I'm going to get my daughter
and then I'm going to sue you for damages
and lost wages and emotional...
- Duress.
- Yeah, duress.
And then I'm going to file charges
for kidnapping.
And then... and this is
my favorite part...
I'm going to find you in the parking lot
- and I'm going to beat you...
- Ray.
...till you cry
like a little fucking baby!
Fine.
But before we go in there,
I think you might want to hear
what I have to say... in private.
That's not going to happen.
Have it your way. But I think
you'd rather hear it from me out here
than from Lydia in there.
- Go inside.
- It's a mistake, Ray.
I said go inside.
- What are you trying to pull now?
- Save it, you sick bastard.
I know what you've been doing
to her and if it was up to me,
- they'd just cut your balls off in there.
- What the fuck are you talking about?
But instead, you're going to agree
to everything we ask for
or she's going to get up on that stand,
and this is my favorite part...
she's going to break it down for that judge
in her sweet, little voice
until you get the tables
turned on you up in Chino.
Just a goddamn minute.
Did she say that I...
Yes, Ray. She did.
Wha...?
Howard, I don't know what she's trying
to do here, but she is lying.
- I never touched her. I swear.
- Oh, please.
I was there. I saw.
- You saw what? What did you see?
- That's the deal, Ray. Take it or leave it.
Okay, it wasn't me, all right?
I swear to God.
Get your hands off me.
It was Mark. It was her coach.
She told Nicki.
She told her mom,
but he was getting her jobs
so she kept her goddamn mouth shut.
Try that in there.
I bet that goes real well for you.
No, but you've got
to listen to me, Howard.
It's okay.
She called me crying.
Begging me to come and pick her up.
But I was drunk
and I didn't get the call.
I messed up, man.
I messed up bad,
but I am trying to help her.
She has changed. You don't know
what you are dealing with.
Don't you see?
She set this whole thing up.
That's good stuff, Ray,
but it's not going to work this time.
No. No. You said you got a text.
Who sent it? Because it wasn't me.
Howard, it wasn't. No, Howard, no,
please don't do this. She needs me.
Please, don't. Okay, okay.
Okay, okay.
And you're sure about that?
And... but...
and I know that she's absolutely
free and clear.
Okay. Thanks.
What happened?
- It's not absolutely certain yet.
- Tell me.
They recast the part.
What? But Ang said
I was his only Sophia.
They gave it to Sydney Bieber.
I guess she's a cousin or something.
But it's only been three days.
He promised me.
I'm so sorry.
He can't just do that.
I know. It's what I was afraid of.
I guess Ang isn't really even
that happy with her,
but Agnes won't even take my calls.
I know, I know.
I know, I've been there, pal.
I'm so sorry, sweetie.
It's okay, it's okay. But it's all
going to work out. I promise.
Okay.
Okay.
Take a breath.
Can I just have a minute?
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
Okay. I'm going to jump in the shower.
Marcy's coming over. We'll go get
a burger or something, okay?
- Okay.
- Okay.
Hi.
- How's she doing?
- I don't know. How'd she seem?
I don't know. She's not there.
He checked out. Where the hell
could he have taken her?
It's been hours. They could be anywhere.
- Shit. My phone died.
- Here, here.
Where the hell you been? I've been
trying to reach you for over an hour.
- Ray's gone. He checked out.
- Howard, listen.
- We got to call the police.
- She ain't with Ray, okay?
- What?
- I made some calls.
Sydney's off the movie, but that
announcement thing, it's still happening.
I need to go to Grauman's Chinese.
Howard. Hold on. We got all those
great headshots in of those new people...
I need to go there.
Will you take me there, please? Please.
They take the talent around back.
- Just drop me off right there.
- Let's just go home.
No, no, I can't.
I've got to make sure she's all right.
Come on, come on. Give us some room.
Give us some room.
Right here! Right here!
I need to get in there.
I'm meeting my client.
She's playing Sophia. I'm her agent.
Hold on. Veronica.
- Where's the kid?
- We got them waiting a block away.
I'm on with the agent right now. Why?
Hey! Hey...
I only have a few minutes,
so... make it snappy.
What are they going to do?
Start without me?
Lydia.
What's going on?
Seriously?
What are you, a glutton for punishment?
You just don't want to do this
the nice way, do you?
Leave him alone.
We don't have time
for this shit, sweetie.
They're going to be
calling us any minute.
It's fine. He's harmless.
I'll be there in a minute.
It was you. You texted me.
When Ray went nuts at Paramount,
I knew I had to cut him loose
or nobody would touch it.
And then you busted in on my audition
and it gave me the idea.
When I made that phone call, it just seemed
like everything was meant to be.
But why not just jump to Aldo
when you had the chance?
'Cause Aldo would never
have done what you did.
I'm so stupid.
I wanted to stick, Howard,
but, hey, once in a lifetime, right?
So Ray was telling the truth.
It was Mark.
I told my mom what he was doing,
but I was making money.
So she didn't say shit.
So one day, the creep's trying to get
into my pants and finally call Ray...
but he's too wasted
so he just leaves me there.
That's when I knew
I was really on my own.
I don't know what's true anymore.
I know how you feel.
You never learn, do you, pal? So sad.
Yeah, but that's my daughter. Lydia!
- That's my little girl!
- Hey, hey!
- Let it go, Ray.
- Lydia!
- Ray, let it go.
- I will not!
- Lydia...!
- Stop! You're choking him!
Oh, my God.
Oh, it's okay. You're okay.
What did you do?
I'm so sorry, Howard.
- I'm so sorry.
- It's okay.
Don't leave me.
What happened? What happened?
What happened?
Did you ever know
in some deep-down place...
- Somebody get an ambulance!
- ...that you were really something else?
I want to stay with Howard!
I want to stay with Howard!
- Let go of her!
- And then one day,
you stripped away that filthy, dead shell
you'd been walking around in...
and you were reborn
as something new.
Something more beautiful than anything
you'd ever imagined.
Did you ever think...
in some deep-down place
that you were really something else?
And if you could just strip away
that filthy, dead shell
you'd been walking around in,
you'd be reborn
as something new?
Something more beautiful
than anything you'd ever imagined?
Hey, buddy.
Well, of course you're nervous 'cause...
Sorry, Daryl... it's a really big deal.
Listen to me, no. Phillip, no.
Stop. You stop right there.
Hold on. Hold on one second.
I'm sorry. I got a client freaking out.
- These came for you.
- Oh, thanks. Thanks so much.
You look really, really...
- Hey, Ben. What's up, man?
- Hey.
- Hey, did you get some flowers?
- Oh, God, yes. Howard, thank you so much.
Please. I saw that you had
some tulips in your window once
and then they were on sale
at Trader Joe's.
Oh, you know, I...
I... I didn't get them
into water soon enough.
No, totally, totally, I'm sure...
it's weird, though, they looked still...
You know what it is? Plants hate me.
- They just...
- I doubt that.
They do. You should probably...
there's a bottom button.
- I can see your...
- Okay. Thank you for that.
- Your...
- Thanks. You got my back.
- Yeah.
- You got my back. All right.
Just say it with me.
"Congratulations, Phillip.
You got the part."
Well, it only works if you really do it.
That wasn't really doing it.
No, it wasn't. You know it wasn't.
I know when you really are doing it
and it's only when
you really do it that it works.
This is your time to shine.
Oh, God, you homicidal son of a...
No, not you. I'm here.
I'm parking. Yes, I am.
Picture yourself resting
on a cool, sandy beach.
I'm not lying. I'm here.
Big breath in and exhale out.
Good. Hold that door.
You think I don't know how you feel?
A third callback for "Boatniks," I'm 10.
My mom had to give me
an airplane bottle of schnapps
just to get my hands to stop shaking.
But this is different. You know why?
'Cause I was good, but you're special.
- I am?
- Hell, yes, you are, because...
Come on.
Hell, yes, you are.
And when you go in there
and do what we rehearsed,
they're going to see that.
I heard Lindsay Lohan's
little brother is doing the part.
What? Who told you that?
You know the twins who go
to my school, Rory and Cory?
- Yeah.
- Rory's manager told him.
No, they offered it to him,
but they couldn't make a deal.
So now one of the main roles
in this motion picture is wide open.
And I'm going to tell you something...
it's yours.
- It is?
- I can feel it.
- You can?
- Yes.
Phillip Trilby?
- Yes?
- You're up, honey.
You got this. My man.
Kick some ass, baby.
We really need this one, okay?
It's yours.
Hi, Phillip. I'm Meg Waldron.
Thanks for coming in.
- We all loved your work in "Cooties."
- So good, right?
- Thanks.
- Let's do this thing.
- This is empty.
- Oh, okay. Yeah.
Hey. Courtney, how you been?
Hey, Shawna. You look great.
Are you still working with that guy?
The... what's his name?
- What's going on in here?
- An audition.
Sorry. Just sounded so real.
- Who's your agent?
- Get out.
Okay. Sorry.
She is really good.
Are you saying he got the part?
Well, there's still a few things
to work out, but Nigel loved him.
Yeah!
So, Janice, what are you and Phillip
doing for the next few months?
Well, I mean, we've got school,
but, you know, screw it, right?
There's that one thing
over at Nickelodeon.
But, you know,
it's nothing we couldn't get out of,
you know, for the right situation.
Hey, pal, why don't you get
your game thing for a few minutes
- so Meg and I can talk business?
- Good job, Phillip.
- We'll be there in one second.
- Great job.
Can I ask you,
when would you need him to start?
Can you give us a sec?
And then... so just...
I was just... all right.
- This is so exciting.
- Yeah. He seems like a great kid.
The best. I wish he was mine.
- We done?
- Yup.
Okay, break of a lifetime.
Big, fat role opposite whoever we get.
I'm authorized to go 80 grand.
Take it or leave it.
But if we can close it right now,
I'll throw in 25K when it hits 100.
That's just over scale to do
fifth lead in a $30 million picture.
Listen, Howard, I understand you want
to glue yourself tight to your young Phil
and his tasty little MILF over there,
but he's got no quote. He's nobody.
Oh, haven't you heard?
He just got the new Nigel Skank picture.
- 110 run a show, 30 on the bump.
- 170, 50 on the bump.
170? Are you really
fucking high right now?
Meg, can I talk to you for a moment?
You want to close it or not?
Meg?
- You want to close it?
- Hold that thought.
Okay, fine. 110. We're very excited.
We got a deal.
Hey, where you going? Meg?
- What's happening, Howard?
- Just give me a second.
Okay, fine. He'll do it for scale.
Just throw us something on the back end.
- Hi, Nigel.
- Don't talk to him.
- Look...
- Howard.
Listen, you close this right now
or he's doing the Nickelodeon thing.
- Do what you've got to do.
- We had an offer.
- Go home. I'll call you.
- Talk to me, okay?
- I'm his fucking manager.
- Please, Meg, please, what's going on?
He's back in. The Lohan kid, okay?
- No. No, he passed.
- He's a name.
They pull this shit all the time.
Look, I've got something else, too,
a vampire thing.
- Howard!
- Calm down, take Phillip home,
and I'll try to find him something
in that. But seriously, we're done.
- You lying sack of shit.
- What did you call me?
You never had any intention
of giving Phillip the part.
You just used him to get
the Lohan kid back to the table.
That is bullshit. Nigel loved him.
He wanted to hire him.
Oh, I'm sure he did until
Honey Boo Boo over there...
- Sir, I'm what now?
- ...called Aldo
and told him the role
was walking out the door.
You pathetic bottom feeder.
If you ever want to see one of your
talentless little trolls in this office again,
you will shut your mouth
and walk out that door now.
Delia, call security.
Fine. I'm going.
I'm taking Phillip down to SAG.
We're going to file a grievance.
Right, Janice?
Janice?
Guys? Guys? Phillip. Hey, buddy.
Okay, look, I know you're disappointed,
but you did something
really special in there
and nobody can ever
take that away from you.
- Well, they just did.
- Yeah, and you let it happen.
- No.
- Get in the car.
Don't you... listen to me. Don't you see?
They used Phillip to close Tommy Lohan.
Yeah. And isn't it your job
to protect us from that?
- Aldo said something like this would happen.
- Aldo? You talked to Aldo Stankis?
You know what?
I guess it's a good time to tell you.
- Howard, you're fired.
- No, we have a contract.
Not anymore we don't. Here you go.
"Termination of services"?
Listen, you were great when we first
started out, but Phillip needs more now.
- He needs an Aldo Stankis.
- No.
- Get in the car, Phillip.
- But Aldo's Tommy's agent. Don't you see?
- He did it this way to make you dump me.
- Well, guess what, Howard? It worked.
No, Janice, please,
don't do this. Hey, hey.
- What about us?
- Oh, please.
It was one drunk night
and I wish I'd been drunker.
- Janice.
- Move out of the way, Howard.
- No, don't. Please. Janice!
- I'm trying to close my door!
- Get away from my car!
- Janice!
Buddy, roll down the window.
Roll down the window, buddy.
- Oh, my God.
- Please, roll it down.
Who's going to run lines with you?
You think Aldo's going to know what to do
when you have a panic attack? Do you?
- No.
- Phillip, close that window now.
Get your hands off the button, Phillip.
You don't have to do this, man.
You can come live with me.
No, he can't. Not without that emancipation
thing from the judge he can't.
- Roll up that damn window now.
- Hey, don't you love me anymore?
Hey, look at me, you little bastard!
You're going to sell me out, at least
have the balls to look me in the eye!
- Get away from the car, you freak!
- Janice, no!
No, Janice. Wait.
Wait.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Oh, my God, Howard.
Oh, Howard. That was an accident.
I'm so sorry.
- We can still save this.
- You are an asshole!
- Asshole.
- Get in the damn car, Phillip, now!
I mean it!
No, please? Really?
Come on, seriously. Please.
After four and a half years?
Please, don't do this.
Come on, Janice, please. Don't...!
Hello.
Hello?
Hold on.
Hold on.
Hello?
He... hello?
Hello?
What the...
what the fuck, man?
If you ask me, you're better off.
I did this cable thing
with him last year,
we played siblings who both needed
one of Anne Archer's kidneys,
and he's okay,
but it never goes much deeper
than the audition, you know?
And I met his sister once.
She used to go out for stuff, too,
until she turned 14
and caught a bad case of the uglies.
What do you got?
It's his game thing.
Are you going to smash it
and send the pieces?
Yeah, I probably will.
Oh, my God.
You're going to give it back to him.
- No, I'm not.
- Yes, you are.
He just dumped you and you're going
to give him back his game thing?
It's not his fault. He's a good kid.
- I'm Howard.
- Lydia.
I'm sorry about messing up
your audition before.
Do you want me to talk to somebody?
Maybe I could get you another shot.
Something tells me you may not be
the best person for that job.
So it's no need. I got it.
- You got the part?
- Yeah.
They're all getting off
that you thought it was real.
Meg took the tape in to Nigel
and they offered it to me on the spot.
That's... congratulations.
- It's two scenes.
- Are you kidding me?
Brad Pitt became a superstar
off just two or three scenes
- in Thelma...
- In "Thelma & Louise." Yeah.
My mom used to say that.
- Is she... gone?
- Yeah.
I'm sorry.
It's not like she died or anything.
She just moved to Vegas
with her stoner boyfriend Kai.
Where's your dad?
He's in there trying to get validated
by that skeezy receptionist.
Or maybe he's getting
his parking ticket stamped.
- How old are you?
- 14.
Well, almost. I know, precocious.
Well, it was nice talking to you, Lydia.
Would you say that was up or down?
No idea.
I hope this is a pretty bad day for you.
You know...
- if you don't mind me asking, who's your...
- Agent? His name's Mark.
He's a sketchy coach-agent-
casting guy back in Tulsa.
- Is that where you live?
- It was.
Until Mom and Kai bolted to Vegas.
You know, you're really good.
You oughta be working
with somebody here in town.
What's this?
He's hitting on me.
- Dude!
- I was not... I wasn't hitting on you.
He thinks I need local representation.
Which I do.
You think it's okay to just walk up
and start talking to my daughter
about business behind my back?
No, I... she talked
to me, really. She...
I recognize you.
- You almost cost her the damn job back there.
- He did not. Just ignore him.
Who's talking to you?
Am I talking to you?
- You stay away from her. You understand?
- Yeah, yeah.
Come on.
Later.
I was only saying, sir,
that your daughter's very talented
and... you know, with an agent in town,
one who was a child actor
himself in such...
Hey, bro. Are you deaf?
I said, leave her alone.
- Okay, okay, okay. Sorry.
- Dad, would you stop? Stop! Cut it out!
Ignore him, he's got issues.
I do not have issues. Stop saying that.
What? He is?
Fine, put his ass on the line.
Hello, Aldo, you...
I'll hold.
Hello, Aldo, you skeevy...
Hello? Hell... Hello, Aldo, you...
Hell... hold on.
Hello, Aldo, you skeevy fucking dirtbag.
Oh, that's much better.
Now I can hear you. Hi, Howard.
Listen to me, you Polack poacher,
you're not getting away with this.
- Not this time.
- First of all, I'm Greek-Irish,
and I don't steal your clients as much
as you seem to constantly misplace them.
You used Phillip to push
Tommy Lohan into the picture
and make me look like a douche
at the same time.
Up your meds, Howard,
you're getting paranoid.
Oh, yeah? Then how did he happen
to change his mind the minute my kid
- walked out of the room?
- This town moves fast, my friend.
I only called because I felt really bad.
What if I could nudge a Miss Amber Tuck
back into your capable hands?
No, thanks, pal. I just saw Amber.
She's got weird-looking breast buds
and a Mom-itor from hell.
Nope, I'm taking Phillip back before you
turn him into another Skylar Samms.
You'll never let that go, will you?
Let it go, pal.
Hey, is it true that you ran over
Kaylah Klopper's gerbil?
It was in her backpack. Who keeps
a gerbil in a goddamn backpack?
I hope you weren't thinking
of doing something foolish.
If I file another restraining order,
you're going to lose your license.
- Please. Do you really think I'm that stupid?
- Would you be offended if I said yes?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Rolf's a better bodyguard than a driver.
- How you doing?
- Rolf?
- What happened to Trent? You guys broke up?
- Don't be ridiculous, Howard.
- I'm a happily married man.
- Yeah, so was Mr. Brady.
- Hey, Mr. Stankis?
- Phil, big man.
Hey, Phillip. What's going on?
Remember me?
Hey, look what I got.
I got something you might remember.
What's that? That's your game thing.
Yeah, you mom told me about
your game thing. That's a bummer.
So you know what? I got the new
Nintori Ultra Super Pad.
- Won't be in stores for another month.
- It's freakin' awesome!
Freakin' awesome is right.
You ever been in a Hummer?
You did not just flip me off.
Did you just flip me off? Did you?
'Cause that is not okay, pal.
Hey, right here. Back at you. Yeah.
- Classy. Real classy.
- You know what? Kiss my ass.
You and your boyfriend both!
You goat-fucking mick cocksucker!
Okay.
Use your cell.
She doesn't know that number.
I can't, I'm at the thing. It's closing night
and Pierce Brosnan's kid playing the roach.
I got to go.
Marcy?
- Hey.
- Hey.
Everything okay? Is that...
you have a little blood, I think.
Oh, yeah. There was a...
- What are you doing here?
- Oh, there's a kid I'm looking at.
That's a nice car. Is that new?
No. I mean, it's a demo. I sell them.
But I thought you were a singer.
Well, I was, but, you know...
gigs stop rolling in,
- you got to pay the bills.
- But you've got such a beautiful voice.
You sing in the shower.
You can hear it in the courtyard.
Ask anybody.
Thank you.
So are you guys into this?
Acting and stuff?
- No, but I like the book.
- Oh, yeah, me, too.
We... you know, Ben goes here now.
- Really? Cool.
- Yeah. Can I get a cookie, Mom?
Sure. Hurry up, though,
'cause it's going to start.
You know, I've been thinking,
I really want to take you guys out.
Just to say thanks for all the packages
and the watering of plants and stuff.
- You don't have to do that.
- No, I want to.
In fact, what are you doing Saturday?
Ben is with his dad this weekend.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
Well, then, I could just take you.
Come on. How bad can it be?
All you got to do is have a great meal
with a guy who happens to think you're one
of the most beautiful women he's ever met.
- Howard.
- It's true.
Look, I know I'm not your usual
kind of guy or something, but...
I see you out there and the way
you are with him and I just...
I think you're amazing.
Can I say that? Is that weird?
- It's nice. Thank you.
- So what do you say?
It's a terrible idea.
We live in the same complex.
Which means I'm absolutely
going to behave myself.
Or you won't have far to go
when you start stalking me.
I've been stalking you for a year and a half
and so far, you haven't even noticed.
It was a joke.
- What is this? This is not a cookie.
- I think the play's starting.
- Okay. I'm going to get my ticket.
- Yeah.
Hi. I'll take one ticket.
Can I sit with my friends?
I'm sorry. It's closing night,
we're completely sold out.
I'm Howard Holloway
of the Howard Holloway Agency.
Why didn't you say so?
Well, in that case, it's closing night
and we're completely sold out.
I was invited to this performance
by one of the lead actors
for the purposes
of possible representation.
- Brian Brosnan.
- It's Ryan Brosnan.
And I don't care if you were invited
by Franz Kafka himself,
I don't have any more tickets.
- I don't know who that is, but...
- Sandy, it's Marcy.
- Marcy Watkins. Ben's mom.
- Oh, hey. Hey, Marcy.
- How are you?
- Very good.
You know, I just talked to Jeannie Kim and
Georgia has pink eye so they're not coming.
Is there any chance I can just grab
those tickets for my friend here?
- You know I'm not supposed to.
- I know.
- Hey, what the hey? There you go.
- Thank you.
- I got to take this.
- Here. I'll save you a seat.
Okay, thanks.
Yeah, I'm here for the Brosnan kid.
I hear he's amazing.
Howard Hollo... Hello?
Hello? God damn it.
Howard Holloway. Lydia?
How'd you get this number?
Listen, Lydia,
I'm really psyched you called,
but I'm just walking into a screening.
Okay, your dad was very clear
with me before.
"Big deal" how? No, no.
I got to go, okay?
Who said he needed
to hear back from you tonight?
Was it Mr. Ang Lee?
Yeah, that's somebody.
Chelsea Charles dropped out today
and he said 'cause she had mono,
but I heard that she threw up at the Teen
Choice Awards 'cause maybe she's pregnant.
- I heard that, too.
- Isn't she, like, 14 years old?
And Meg's casting this one, too.
And she showed the tape where you
busted in to Mr. Ang Lee and he freaked out.
So he called Daddy's cell,
but he was on the toilet...
- Hey!
- Oh, I'm sorry, you weren't?
So he called and I answered and he said
I was like a young Joni Foster.
Jodie. Yeah?
And he asked who my agent was...
and I told him it was you.
- I hope you're not mad.
- Mad? No, I'm... no. No.
You did the absolutely right thing.
Did Mark get you the... who got you
the appointment for the thing today?
All Mark ever got me was a couple
commercials and that stupid kidney crap.
That guy's a freakin' scumbag.
Hold on, I think this...
okay, yeah, that's good...
That's... that's...
Meg? Hi.
Yes, I have.
In fact, I'm with her right now.
Meg says hi.
And hi to you, too, Ray.
Can't wait to meet you.
- Tell her "whazzup?"
- He says, "What's up," Meg.
Please, Meg, no... it's okay.
It's forgotten.
No, please, yeah. I'd love to hear.
Oh, fuck. I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry. I'm sorry.
No, go ahead. Yeah?
And the... no, talk about the mon...
- Well, no, that's a nice place to start.
- How much?
But of course,
she's not going to do it for that.
Well, you better go back to them, Meg,
or it's going to be a very long night.
I'm sorry, Meg, our entrees just arrived.
Is that how you like it, sweetie?
- It's perfect, Howard. Thank you.
- Oh, good. So, well, see what you can do.
Okay. Bye-bye.
Excuse me. Excuse me, miss.
Can I have a vodka rocks?
Make it a double, please.
- And my friend Ray...
- I'll have another bourbon.
Oh, make it two.
Save those pretty legs a trip.
So... what'd she say?
They want her at the studio tomorrow
for a "chemistry read" with Sir Ben.
Kingsley.
"Gandhi"?
Why in the hell would a 13-year-old girl need
to have chemistry with some Indian fucker?
He's English, Ray,
and it's not like that.
They just want to see
how they act together.
- Turns out, it's a franchise.
- Like "Harry Potter," right?
Exactly like "Harry Potter."
Agnes Dieter is producing,
Ang's directing the first two himself,
they're announcing it Friday
when they introduce their new "Sophia"
at Grauman's Chinese Theatre,
and since they start in two days
and there are sequels involved,
they want a three-picture deal signed
before she walks in the room tomorrow.
- Well, that doesn't suck.
- No, it doesn't suck.
What was the offer?
75 with a small bump
on the next two pictures.
But like I said, it's nothing.
They know we're going to pass.
Are you telling me that you just
hung up on a lady who offered us
a quarter of a million dollars?
For three movies, Ray... but there's no
guarantee they'll ever make the other two.
You wait your whole life for a set up
like this and still it never happens.
It's a royal flush.
How do you know?
'Cause I've been doing this
since I was six.
Yeah, but this?
You ever done this before?
- Because it sure don't look like it.
- Don't start.
I'm talking business now, baby.
Keep quiet.
Why, because you're Trump
all of a sudden?
He started a topless car wash
with my money.
- Yeah, how much did we lose on that one?
- I said shut up.
- You shut up.
- You shut up.
Thank you.
Thanks.
If this thing is as big as you say it is,
then maybe we oughta get somebody in there
that's been there before.
Like, what's that guy's name?
- "Stinkis"?
- Okay, okay. I get it.
You don't know me, I don't know you.
But nobody can take care of her
like I can. Nobody.
Because I've been where she is
and I know what she needs.
There's a reason we found each other.
I'm just asking for a chance
to prove that to you.
Dad, I...
- How much do you take?
- 10%.
That's an awful lot of money
for two days of work.
When she books this,
my job is just beginning.
- We'll give you seven.
- But that's not fair.
Baby, please.
You need to let me do my thing here.
That's the offer, Howard.
Take it or leave it.
10 is fair, Ray. I deserve 10%.
I understand. Let's go.
Your mama's gone.
We're doing things my way now.
I hope this isn't at Paramount
because he's banned from the lot.
Last chance, Howard. You in or you out?
We're signing with Howard
or I'm not going tomorrow.
Come on.
What's going on here? Are you all right?
I... I think so.
Could you just give us a minute?
All right, but please, take your seats.
Well...
if that's your rate, Howard,
then I guess that's your rate.
I was just trying to make sure
that the man that is representing us
is sitting on a pair.
You understand.
A career will be waiting
when you get back.
Get to know the scene, but make sure
you get some sleep, okay?
- Good night, Howard.
- Shoot me a text when you close it.
I will.
Any questions, any problems, anything
at all, call me anytime. Doesn't matter.
- How's your day now?
- It doesn't suck.
I can't believe what I'm hearing...
that's so comical!
I mean, what... is this the eighth time
you've done this to him?
Well, you can tell her your dick
will still be there in the morning
and you can drop him off then. Hi.
It's none of your goddamn
business who it is.
Fine, it's my new boyfriend.
He's going to give it to me real good.
Hello?
- Hi.
- Everything okay?
Just my jackass ex-husband
acting like a jackass.
How was the play?
I seriously wanted to slit my wrists
with the program.
- How was the roach kid?
- Brilliant. Johnny Depp with peach fuzz.
I heard he got signed
in the dressing room.
Seriously?
No. The kid's voice was like a cat
getting sawed in half.
But, he was kind of cute and he wasn't
half bad, so I got his number for you.
Did you...?
Thanks.
- Where's Ben?
- He's with his dad.
He picked him up a couple hours ago...
for the first time in two months.
Now he wants to bring him back
because his stupid girlfriend
just scored tickets for Coachella.
She's 20... she's 20 years old.
I have panties
that are older than she is.
Sexy.
So when's he's bringing him back?
- No, no, no. I said I had plans.
- Why? What are you doing?
I'm just heading over to this strip club
over in Culver City.
They have an open pole night
so I'm going to give that a whirl.
- Really? Did... no, you're not.
- Not going to do that.
Oh, crap. You know what?
You got to get out of here.
- What?
- That's my ex-husband
- and he's really super jealous.
- That's him?
- Howard Holloway?
- Yes.
Secured currier. I got a package here.
- That's not funny.
- I think it's so funny.
- Hi.
- I.D.
- I was...
- Flashing.
- Okay.
- No excuses.
- Okay.
- Now I need one of you.
Flashing. I need you to sign, sir.
- Can I use that?
- Yeah, that's why it's attached.
Okay.
- This script is watermarked.
- Okay.
You are to make no copies. I don't
want you to think about making a copy.
- Okay.
- You will bring this draft
when you come to the studio tomorrow
or you will not be admitted.
- Do you understand?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
- Awesome.
Awesome.
Jeez, Louise.
What's in there, somebody's liver?
It's the script. "The Becoming."
- Shut up. From the books?
- Yeah, you know them?
I love them.
Ben and I read them together.
- Don't tell me she's reading for Sophia.
- Yeah.
- It's the lead.
- I know.
- Shut up!
- Kiss my ass!
- You should get in there and start...
- Oh, yeah. I probably should.
Okay, I'll see you.
Actually, I was going to have a glass
of wine first. You know, to unwind.
And I can see you need a refill,
so maybe you want to stop by
for a... you know, for a nightcap?
- A nightcap?
- Just came out.
Is Dean Martin going to be there?
- It's... never mind. It was...
- Sure.
You will?
Well, you're a nice guy, right?
- Tell me you're a nice guy.
- I am. I mean, I think I am.
So let's do this...
before I chicken out.
- One glass of wine, no funny stuff.
- No.
What... what am I doing?
No, wait.
No, I'm sorry. No, no... I'm just having
a really tough time right now
and I don't want to do something that's
gonna make me want to kill myself later.
That didn't come out
exactly the way I meant it.
It's okay. The first few years
after my divorce, I was certifiable.
When did you get divorced?
It was a while ago.
You were probably on a play date.
Anyway, I'm going to go inside now.
You're welcome to join me
for a glass of wine,
but after that, I've got to work.
So if you kill yourself later,
it's not going to be on my conscience.
That's funny.
Funny goes a long way with me.
It's going to have to.
Howard?
Lydia? What are you doing here?
Well, my dad went out and I was getting
kind of tweaked about reading with "Gandhi"
and you said you'd help me,
so here I am.
- How did you get my address?
- You know you're listed, right?
- Hi, I'm Lydia.
- I'm Marcy.
She's really pretty.
You're really pretty.
You're pretty and I'm going to go now.
- Okay, can you wait inside?
- Copy that.
Hey, hey.
Can I call you tomorrow?
So are you coming now
or in like, a little bit?
Inside.
Sure.
Oh, my God. Is this you?
Look at all that hair.
Is that your mom?
- Why does she look like that?
- She's disappointed in me.
- Why?
- Depends which picture you're looking at.
- So...?
- Oh, my God.
Yeah?
It's kind of good, though, right?
It's amazing.
But, I mean, come on.
Period vampire movie? How fresh.
They're not really vampires.
They're more like this lonely,
alien species living among us.
Yeah, with fangs who bite people.
And the main vampire guy, "Castaline,"
he's growing wings.
They're not full wings yet.
They've been here for centuries
waiting for the one
who will trigger that final phase
of their metamorphosis.
- Their what?
- Their... it's a change.
- So you really liked it?
- Oh, my God. Oh, my God. It's amazing.
And, Lydia, her mother, she sells her
to them like a piece of meat.
Everybody she loves
betrays her and then it's her.
- She's the one.
- Yeah?
She's the one who becomes
this magnificent new creature.
- Are you going to start crying?
- No. God, no.
It's just I found it
kind of moving is all.
Oh, my God. No wonder Ang freaked out.
It's like they wrote it for you.
Then how come I can't act it
to save my life?
"I am a new thing
and this is my becoming."
- Who talks like that?
- It's a period piece.
They'll teach you
how to handle the language.
Tomorrow, they just want to see you
connect to it. Make it real.
Yeah, no problem. I mean, just the other
day when I was sucking the life force
- out of this kid at school...
- Now, see, don't... don't do that.
Don't distance yourself
from her like that.
She's just a kid. Like you.
She's got nobody.
He's the only person
who's ever been kind to her
and then he shows up all bloody
from fighting that other one. That...
- Terence.
- Terence... to protect her.
He's dying.
And he wants to feed on her
one last time, but she refuses.
So he turns to that other one,
the new girl.
Let's read it.
Stop. You mustn't do this.
Look, I know it's a little scary,
but we've got to...
That was good, you...
that was good. Okay.
"I understand your fear,
but my wounds are deep.
If she does not replenish me, I will die
and then who will be left to protect you?"
- Protect me? Is that what you've done?
- "She opens her lips to reveal long fangs."
- You swore you wouldn't with every breath...
- Okay, okay. I'm going to stop you.
No, no. No, no, no. It's good.
That's a good start.
But it's never really going to feel real
until you make it feel real to you.
You love this person.
You trusted them with your life,
and then they betrayed you
in the worst possible way.
Has anybody done
anything like that to you?
No.
Are you sure?
Okay. That's okay.
Then you got to go there.
No matter how hard it is.
So this person, what if he or she...
He.
Okay. What if he was standing here
right now? What would you...
Shut up! For God's sake,
do you ever shut the fuck up?
Hey, don't touch me!
Don't fucking touch me!
I'm just a little kid for shit's sake!
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Okay, that was good.
Give it to me.
Give me the line.
"If she does not replenish me, I will die
and then who will be left to protect you?"
Protect me? Is that what you've done?
Look at me.
That's right. I've been turned.
You swore you wouldn't with every breath
that came from your foul throat.
Now you've transformed me
into this vile, unholy thing.
And I will die before I let you
do the same to her.
"You say that now, but soon
you will thank me for what I've done."
- Will I?
- Yes. I think you will.
What are you doing?
You'll destroy us both.
Then so be it.
"What kind of creature are you?"
I am a new thing
and this is my becoming.
Was that okay?
Yeah. Yeah, it was.
- Should we do it again?
- No, no, I think we're good.
Do you... is there anything
you want to talk about?
- Like what?
- I don't know. Just...
Actually, I'm getting kind of tired.
Oh, God, yeah. Of course you are.
Here, lie down. Lie down.
Wait, what about your dad?
Isn't he going to wonder where you are?
Yeah, I'm sure he's so worried
he can barely drink. I left him a note.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay, you get some sleep. If you need me,
I'll be right in the next room, okay?
Hey, Howard?
Yeah.
I know I only met you this morning,
but I think anybody who would leave you
is a big-time dumbass.
Thanks.
Hey, what's going on?
Where is she?
She's sleeping, Ray.
It's a quarter of 4:00.
Wake her up.
You sure you're okay to drive?
Hey, man. That's my kid.
If I say wake her up, go get her.
Okay.
Yeah, that's locked now.
Here's the thing, you're loaded.
She's not getting in that truck
unless I'm driving.
That's the deal.
You want to hit me? Go ahead.
Golly.
You're a regular badass.
Fine. I'll do it your way.
Hey, I thought you were going
to text me when you closed the deal.
It's not unusual on a thing like this
to be working out the deals
right until the last moment.
What if the deal isn't closed
and she's got to go in?
They've already doubled
what they came in with, Ray,
but the thing is, she's amazing.
When people see what she can do,
there's going to be a feeding frenzy.
- That's good, right?
- At first.
Then everybody starts pulling on her
until there's nothing left.
There's only one way to get her
home safe when the ride's over
and that's by securing her future
with some meaningful back end.
You let me do my job,
I'll have that for her
on a piece of paper when she walks
into that room tomorrow.
You know, Howard,
I'm almost starting to like you.
Keys.
Yes, sir.
Hey, you don't know me.
Okay.
I've seen that look.
Like you think you have some idea
of who I am...
or what she's been through,
but you don't know shit.
That's my baby in there.
She talks tough, but deep down...
she's just a little kid.
And that's why I'm going to do
whatever I got to do
to make sure she stays that way.
So will I.
I don't know what to tell you, Meg.
The guy's not budging.
Oh, that? Well, I'll be honest with you,
we're at the airport.
He's taking her home.
I tried to talk him out of it, but...
You sure about that?
Okay, hold on.
I'm going to run it by him.
How can I help you?
I'll have two coffees and...
what do kids usually get?
- An "Eggy-Riser."
- "Eggy-Riser," okay.
I'll have one of those
and a chorizo burrito.
- 11.70.
- 11.70. Okay.
Thank you.
Okay, Meg. I'm bringing him down there,
but if you guys get cute,
he is gonna walk out of there so fast
it'll make your head spin.
Oh, thank you.
Thank you. Thanks.
But, I mean...
when did you get it?
This morning, bro.
The other one died and I thought,
"What the hell?" Pretty sweet? Napkin.
But I thought you were broke.
- You're going to close that big deal, right?
- Well, I don't anticipate any problems,
but when there's this much on the line,
anything can happen.
So if it starts to get weird,
just go with whatever I do.
Any division between us, that's going
to cost you lots and lots of money.
Now remember, you're the loose canon.
You're pissed.
If you don't get exactly what you want,
you're going to storm out of there. Right?
- I can do that.
- Okay, good.
You got some ketchup. There we go.
Let me see your teeth. Perfect.
What the hell is going on?
- It's almost noon.
- Have a seat, Ray.
Hey, hey, hey. Who's ready
to sign some autographs?
Come here, my little genius.
Oh, big day.
- Howard, my new phone buddy.
- Yes, I am.
- Okay. Ray, good to see you.
- Hi.
Come on in. Follow me. Hey, let's go.
Let's okay this thing.
- Agnes is very excited to meet you.
- She is?
Yes, she is. I am so sorry
to keep you waiting.
I was on a Skype with Helen Mirren. Hey.
Who will be playing your mother, by the way,
but you didn't hear that from me.
- No way.
- So listen, Ang has got to jet up to ILM
to look at your wings,
so we need to get started.
- How do you feel? Are you ready?
- Yeah, I guess so.
Great. Let's get the paperwork out
of the way and then we can get going.
This looks good. Anybody got a pen?
Just got to...
take a quick look.
Yeah, no, see, that's a problem.
- This says "adjusted gross."
- What's that?
That's how you say
"bend over" in producer.
Howard, listen to me.
Ray, we all want her to do this.
The studio is never going to give her
what you're asking for.
- Never.
- Then, I'm sorry, but...
we have to go.
- Really?
- I'm afraid so, sweetie.
If I could do this for her, I would.
But nobody ever gets this
on their first movie.
Nobody.
Ray?
I thought I was pretty goddamn clear
about where I stood on this, Howard.
- You were, Ray.
- If you had a set of nuts,
you and me would be
stepping outside right about now.
- Now wait a minute. Hey.
- Come on.
Oh, my God. That was amazing.
Wasn't he amazing?
- Yeah.
- You were freakin' amazing, Ray.
Now I need you to hit that button
so they know we're for real.
You got to do it, Ray. Okay, I'll do it.
You hit that button and I am definitely
breaking your hand.
What's going on, Dad?
Howard is trying to blow this
for you, baby.
Nobody's blowing anything. I just need you
to stick with me for a few more minutes.
- It's a lead, Howard.
- I know it is, sweetie.
It's three of them, so we need
to make sure you get paid
more than they make off
your action figure the first weekend.
What if you're wrong?
Did you ever think about that?
We can get this. I know it.
Do it and we're going back in there
without you, Howard.
Fine.
But if they had a star that could do this,
they would've hired her by now.
So if you fold here,
you'll spend the rest of your life
watching T-shirts go by
from the movie you got screwed on.
So I'd say it's worth another 30 seconds
of your time to play this out.
Count, baby.
One, two...
I need you to walk
into the elevator now, Ray.
- Lyd...?
- 27, 28, 29, 30.
- Sorry, Howard.
- Guys?
Guys, guys, this is crazy.
Come on out of there.
This guy, Mr. Clank-Clank...
okay, I'll go your two points.
With the successive one-point bump?
With the bump. Now come inside, please.
We got a movie to make, people.
- Come on.
- Yeah, we do.
Help!
Dieter Films.
Yes, he is. Howard, it's for you.
- Me?
- Yeah.
- Who is it?
- They didn't say.
Okay.
There's an empty office. Second one
on the right. You can take it in there.
Oh, okay.
Wait here. I'll be right back.
- This is Howard.
- Hey, Howard.
- What up, "Stankass"?
- Looks like you finally hooked a big one.
How would you like to come on as junior
partner here at the Stankis group?
Junior partner?
That's tempting.
And it'd be nice to see
all my old clients again.
And I'd truly enjoy watching you
try to steal Lydia all day long.
But all the same, I'm going to have
to say... no, thanks, Stankis,
- you backstabbing ass bandit.
- Reall...
Ray?
- Get out of my way.
- Have a seat, Howard.
Call security.
Oh, you scumbag. You're in on this, too.
- Try to calm down, Howard.
- You think I should calm down?
- Yeah. What are you going to do?
- Do you think I...
Okay, that's enough.
You're right. I'm sorry.
Oh, my God.
He's having a seizure.
Get Agnes!
Howard, no!
Howard, I got the part.
That's so great, honey.
That's such great news.
You just missed Ang and Sir Ben.
What's going on?
Aldo wanted to meet Lydia
and Ray thought it was a good idea, so...
So that's where the truck
came from, Ray?
We had a drink last night.
It was just there this morning
when I woke up.
How 'bout that?
Howard, nothing personal,
but Lydia's a rare talent.
Ray just wants to make sure that
she's represented by somebody
- who can nurture that talent.
- That's your pitch?
"Aldo the Nurturer"?
I wonder how Tess Lipnicki
would feel about that.
I guess we can ask her when she gets
out of jail for stabbing her pimp.
- He's making that up.
- Google it.
Tell them about Skylar Samms.
- We're not talking about me.
- Well, maybe we should be.
I signed her when she was seven.
At 14, she books a movie
so Aldo steals her.
I tried to talk her,
he gets a restraining order.
- Eight months later, she hung herself.
- Tell them the rest.
When the movie tanked,
Skylar couldn't get arrested
so she calls Howard
and begs him to take her back.
But Howard's new girl Amber Tuck,
says she'll walk if he does.
So Howard hangs up on poor Skylar.
A week later she was dead.
I've heard enough. Howard, I'm sorry.
You don't deserve
to be treated like this.
Come on, let's go.
Wait just a goddamn minute.
- Give me the keys.
- Look, baby, I know you like Howard.
Hell, I like him too,
but he can't protect you like Aldo can.
Give me the keys.
I'm sorry, Mr. Aldo.
My daddy means well, but this is
my decision. And I'm happy with Howard.
Honey, don't...
It was really great meeting you
and I'm so excited about the movie.
But you having fittings
and makeup tests all day.
I guess you better talk to my agent.
Honey...?
Aldo, will you excuse us?
You can't be serious.
Meg, you do this and I'm going to pull
the Lohan kid out of "Play Date."
Do what you got to do.
Justin will validate your parking.
For this guy?
He's a fucking punchline.
Okay, dick move. My bad.
But we have 2,000 screaming kids
showing up at Grauman's Chinese
on Friday night to meet
our new "Sophia."
So what do you say, Howard?
We're all grownups here.
What's it going to take
to put this behind us?
Well, for starters...
I'd love an iced macchiato.
- Thanks, Meg.
- Yeah.
"Co-associate producer." It's crazy, right?
I guess Ang really liked my script notes.
Which is...
It's... we got one of those
big blenders. I'm on a juice cleanse.
Don't. Do not...
Put me down!
Are you finished?
Get your hands off of me.
This is all incoming headshots.
That's right.
It's because we're back, baby.
As soon as we get a few checks in,
you're going back on full salary.
With a slight raise, I'm thinking.
We'll talk.
Where you going?
I got a... I got a thing I got to do.
It is, like, a quarter to 4:00
and you got, like, 300 messages.
- I'll see you later.
- Howard, what thing?
Howard?
May I help you?
Hi, yeah. I was looking for Marcy.
Marcy who?
She works here. She's... there she is.
- She's right over there.
- Who are you?
I'm Howard. I'm her friend.
I'm a friend of hers.
She's working right now.
Is that your car?
- No. It's not.
- I saw you get out of it.
Oh, that one? Yeah, that's mine.
You looking to buy?
I am, actually, yeah.
But I really came to talk to Marcy.
- Do you like her?
- Yeah, sure, I like her.
Frankly, you're not really her type.
- Why, what's her type?
- Gangsters, man. Stone-cold killers.
Come on. Really?
Ignore him. He's a child.
I don't know, Marce, I think I saw him
on that "Most Wanted" show.
Thank you, Gary.
How'd it go?
What? She got it? Oh, my God!
Howard, I'm so happy for you.
We have to celebrate.
- Can you get free for dinner?
- No. Yeah, I can.
- I'll pick you up at 7:00?
- Oh, you'll pick me up?
Well, because, is that your car?
Maybe it's time we get you
something that's a little more...
appropriate for a man of your stature.
- Oh, you sell a lot of these, don't you?
- I do pretty well.
Oh, hold on. I just...
This is Lydia's dad. He wants
to go over the contracts with me.
So could I meet you at the place?
- Hop Louie, 7:00?
- Sounds great. Could...
Yes.
Hello?
Lydia? Ray?
- Oh, hey, Howard.
- Hey.
Howard's here. What's up?
I'm... I've got some contract stuff
to go over with your dad.
Oh, Howard, you didn't have to do that.
They need these signed
before she starts tomorrow.
- Well, you drove all the way out here.
- And I got a text.
Come on in.
You want a beer?
Lydia, get Howard a beer.
No, thanks. That's okay. I'm good.
Just the last one.
You need to sign this.
Listen, Howard.
I'm really sorry about today.
That whole thing with Aldo
really got me turned around.
You know what I mean?
We're okay, though, right?
Yeah.
Okay. Cool.
Car's picking you up at 5:00.
Know your words?
- Yep.
- All right.
You can watch a movie on Pay-Per-View.
Lights out at 9:00.
See you in the morning, Howard.
So... you must be pretty excited.
For the first day of the really
big movie that you're starring in.
Yeah, I totally am.
It goes on for months and months.
Sometimes it starts to feel like a...
almost like a new family.
Cool.
Okay, so I'm going to let you
get some rest.
I'll be there in the morning, of course,
just to make sure everything goes smoothly.
I almost forgot.
I know it's tomorrow, but...
happy birthday.
How did you know?
I noticed it earlier when I was
going over your contracts.
Open it.
Oh, Howard. It's beautiful.
I have this friend Doug
and he does family law, so...
What?
I never even saw him do anything.
- What if I imagined the whole thing?
- What if you didn't?
She's 14.
In California, that means she can't
be emancipated without his permission.
And there's no way he's going to give that.
Not with all that money on the table.
So we go to court, she loses the movies
and the money that might buy her a way out.
Do you really think you saw something?
I don't know.
- Yeah, I do.
- Well, you can't just leave her there.
Can you?
- Get dressed. You're coming with me.
- What? Why? Is something wrong?
I won't let you spend
another night here with that creep.
Get your things together,
we're leaving now.
Howard, stop it. You're scaring me.
- I know what he's doing to you.
- He's not doing anything to me.
You look me in the eyes,
you tell me I imagined the whole thing.
You do that, I'll walk out the door,
we'll pretend this never happened.
He never...
Okay, okay, okay. Okay, okay.
- Are you out of your fucking mind?
- Look, I know it's an inconvenience.
- An inconvenience?
- I speak...
You want to shut down my $160 million movie
so you can make some futile attempt
to pull young Lydia out
from under her horny da-da?
- That's not an inconvenience, Harold.
- It's Howard.
That's a goddamn shit storm,
but it's your shit storm,
so you do what you need to do
but you make this go away.
- Or so help me God, you don't want to be you.
- I can't take her back there.
Then let's call the cops.
I got the commissioner on speed dial.
No, she won't do that.
She won't testify against him.
Then take her home.
Just for a minute, okay?
For a few goddamn days. Just long enough
until we get some film in the can
and then we'll hire her an assistant.
Some pissed-off type
with a big can of pepper spray.
You want me to pretend I don't know
what he's doing to her
- so the movie can start on time?
- Under the circumstances, I'm saying, yes.
You want to play kamikaze,
do it on your own time.
You want to keep it down?
I'm trying to sleep.
Sleep in hell, you wrinkly fuck.
Look, you want to help her,
then do what it takes to really help her.
You know as well as I do,
if she walks onto that set tomorrow,
- he becomes 50 times harder to scrape loose.
- But she'll have a shitload of money
and she'll be doing what God
put her on this earth to fucking do
and she's going to need you, Howard.
She's going to need you
watching her back 24/7.
That's why I'm going
to bump you up to EP.
- You're bumping me up to...
- Executive producer of this movie
which comes with half a point,
but, you know, fuck it. A full point.
- Oh, my God.
- 'Cause you need the clout.
So what do you say, Howard?
Don't you think she deserves a shot?
- Yeah, I do.
- So take her home.
- She'll thank you, believe me.
- Okay. Yeah. That's amazing.
It's an amazing town.
But I can't do it.
This movie starts principal
in seven hours.
If your client isn't standing on her mark
when my genius Chinaman yells "Action,"
I will fire her from the movie.
And then I will spend
the rest of my days
turning your life into a torturous sea
of flaming shit.
It's okay, Howard.
Ang said I was his only Sophia. He said
he wouldn't do the movie without me.
I know, honey,
but it's a weird business.
Sometimes people say something
and they mean it, but...
then things happen and it's not something
they can mean anymore.
I just want you to feel sure
you're making the right decision.
Well, do you think
I'm making the right decision?
I do, yeah, but I'm worried about
what could happen if we lose.
- We won't lose.
- I lose a lot.
- Are you trying to get rid of me?
- No. I promise.
- Maybe we should call your mom.
- No.
- Because I bet she really...
- No.
She knew and she left me there.
So she's not really like the first person
I call when I'm in trouble.
You know what I mean?
Yeah.
I do.
Okay.
Good night.
Can I...
What?
Can I have a hug?
Yeah, I can do that. Sure.
Is there any chance
you can get us in any earlier?
No, no, no, no. Thank you, Doug.
Okay. Bye.
Doug said the earliest he could get us
a hearing would be Friday.
He basically said you're right.
Without Ray's consent,
you don't stand a chance.
And not only that, but he could
sue you for loss of income.
I'm sorry.
I did 11 movies by the time I was 15.
But never a lead.
And then one day,
I got one.
"Surf Camp" with Jan-Michael Vincent
and Anissa Jones.
- From "Family Affair"?
- Yeah.
She was the first girl I ever kissed.
In a scene, whole crew watching.
I lost my virginity
in her trailer the next night.
Between her and the movie,
I was so happy,
I almost couldn't breathe.
She took me to this party up in the Hills.
Everybody was... coke and 'ludes.
I tried to get her to walk out with me,
but she wouldn't go.
So I left her there.
When I got to work the next day,
they told me she had OD'd.
The studio scrapped the picture
and nothing ever really happened
for me after that.
This is 36 years ago.
And I've spent that time
wandering this place
like some kind of ghost.
Trying to find some way
to get back there...
to feel like that again.
Like I'm somebody.
And just now,
in that room...
I did.
Hello, Ray.
- Ray?
- You are fucked.
You are so fucked.
- Tell him how fucked he is.
- Very, very fucked.
Do you think you're just going to waltz
in here and steal my little girl?
Pat here says you can't do that without
my say-so, and I don't fucking give it.
So I'm going to go in there
and I'm going to get my daughter
and then I'm going to sue you for damages
and lost wages and emotional...
- Duress.
- Yeah, duress.
And then I'm going to file charges
for kidnapping.
And then... and this is
my favorite part...
I'm going to find you in the parking lot
- and I'm going to beat you...
- Ray.
...till you cry
like a little fucking baby!
Fine.
But before we go in there,
I think you might want to hear
what I have to say... in private.
That's not going to happen.
Have it your way. But I think
you'd rather hear it from me out here
than from Lydia in there.
- Go inside.
- It's a mistake, Ray.
I said go inside.
- What are you trying to pull now?
- Save it, you sick bastard.
I know what you've been doing
to her and if it was up to me,
- they'd just cut your balls off in there.
- What the fuck are you talking about?
But instead, you're going to agree
to everything we ask for
or she's going to get up on that stand,
and this is my favorite part...
she's going to break it down for that judge
in her sweet, little voice
until you get the tables
turned on you up in Chino.
Just a goddamn minute.
Did she say that I...
Yes, Ray. She did.
Wha...?
Howard, I don't know what she's trying
to do here, but she is lying.
- I never touched her. I swear.
- Oh, please.
I was there. I saw.
- You saw what? What did you see?
- That's the deal, Ray. Take it or leave it.
Okay, it wasn't me, all right?
I swear to God.
Get your hands off me.
It was Mark. It was her coach.
She told Nicki.
She told her mom,
but he was getting her jobs
so she kept her goddamn mouth shut.
Try that in there.
I bet that goes real well for you.
No, but you've got
to listen to me, Howard.
It's okay.
She called me crying.
Begging me to come and pick her up.
But I was drunk
and I didn't get the call.
I messed up, man.
I messed up bad,
but I am trying to help her.
She has changed. You don't know
what you are dealing with.
Don't you see?
She set this whole thing up.
That's good stuff, Ray,
but it's not going to work this time.
No. No. You said you got a text.
Who sent it? Because it wasn't me.
Howard, it wasn't. No, Howard, no,
please don't do this. She needs me.
Please, don't. Okay, okay.
Okay, okay.
And you're sure about that?
And... but...
and I know that she's absolutely
free and clear.
Okay. Thanks.
What happened?
- It's not absolutely certain yet.
- Tell me.
They recast the part.
What? But Ang said
I was his only Sophia.
They gave it to Sydney Bieber.
I guess she's a cousin or something.
But it's only been three days.
He promised me.
I'm so sorry.
He can't just do that.
I know. It's what I was afraid of.
I guess Ang isn't really even
that happy with her,
but Agnes won't even take my calls.
I know, I know.
I know, I've been there, pal.
I'm so sorry, sweetie.
It's okay, it's okay. But it's all
going to work out. I promise.
Okay.
Okay.
Take a breath.
Can I just have a minute?
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
Okay. I'm going to jump in the shower.
Marcy's coming over. We'll go get
a burger or something, okay?
- Okay.
- Okay.
Hi.
- How's she doing?
- I don't know. How'd she seem?
I don't know. She's not there.
He checked out. Where the hell
could he have taken her?
It's been hours. They could be anywhere.
- Shit. My phone died.
- Here, here.
Where the hell you been? I've been
trying to reach you for over an hour.
- Ray's gone. He checked out.
- Howard, listen.
- We got to call the police.
- She ain't with Ray, okay?
- What?
- I made some calls.
Sydney's off the movie, but that
announcement thing, it's still happening.
I need to go to Grauman's Chinese.
Howard. Hold on. We got all those
great headshots in of those new people...
I need to go there.
Will you take me there, please? Please.
They take the talent around back.
- Just drop me off right there.
- Let's just go home.
No, no, I can't.
I've got to make sure she's all right.
Come on, come on. Give us some room.
Give us some room.
Right here! Right here!
I need to get in there.
I'm meeting my client.
She's playing Sophia. I'm her agent.
Hold on. Veronica.
- Where's the kid?
- We got them waiting a block away.
I'm on with the agent right now. Why?
Hey! Hey...
I only have a few minutes,
so... make it snappy.
What are they going to do?
Start without me?
Lydia.
What's going on?
Seriously?
What are you, a glutton for punishment?
You just don't want to do this
the nice way, do you?
Leave him alone.
We don't have time
for this shit, sweetie.
They're going to be
calling us any minute.
It's fine. He's harmless.
I'll be there in a minute.
It was you. You texted me.
When Ray went nuts at Paramount,
I knew I had to cut him loose
or nobody would touch it.
And then you busted in on my audition
and it gave me the idea.
When I made that phone call, it just seemed
like everything was meant to be.
But why not just jump to Aldo
when you had the chance?
'Cause Aldo would never
have done what you did.
I'm so stupid.
I wanted to stick, Howard,
but, hey, once in a lifetime, right?
So Ray was telling the truth.
It was Mark.
I told my mom what he was doing,
but I was making money.
So she didn't say shit.
So one day, the creep's trying to get
into my pants and finally call Ray...
but he's too wasted
so he just leaves me there.
That's when I knew
I was really on my own.
I don't know what's true anymore.
I know how you feel.
You never learn, do you, pal? So sad.
Yeah, but that's my daughter. Lydia!
- That's my little girl!
- Hey, hey!
- Let it go, Ray.
- Lydia!
- Ray, let it go.
- I will not!
- Lydia...!
- Stop! You're choking him!
Oh, my God.
Oh, it's okay. You're okay.
What did you do?
I'm so sorry, Howard.
- I'm so sorry.
- It's okay.
Don't leave me.
What happened? What happened?
What happened?
Did you ever know
in some deep-down place...
- Somebody get an ambulance!
- ...that you were really something else?
I want to stay with Howard!
I want to stay with Howard!
- Let go of her!
- And then one day,
you stripped away that filthy, dead shell
you'd been walking around in...
and you were reborn
as something new.
Something more beautiful than anything
you'd ever imagined.