Off the Docks (2020) Movie Script

1
Why the long face, sweetheart?
I'm so tired of this frigid weather.
You still think about him?
Sometimes.
You know, Johnny used to fuck me and then
make me a French martini.
I miss that crazy bastard.
That sounds just like Johnny.
You certainly wear that little dress to
perfection though.
Nobody could take Johnny's place, but...
you're about all a girl could
ask for at a time like this
I can't do this anymore. Maybe if you
knew the truth about Johnny-
What truth?
- His death. It was no accident, sweetheart.
- What?
- Johnny killed himself.
- No. No, not my Johnny.
- He loved his life why would he take it?
- Johnny got in way too deep with the meds.
And the only way out of his pain was to
end it permanently. That selfish prick...
- I don't want to hear it. Not my Johnny.
- Yeah, I knew him better than you did, baby.
You need to know the truth.
Johnny died in an accident on the docks.
That's it.
That's not true, sweetheart. One minute
he's on his lunch break,
next his limp body's hanging 10 stories up.
Cut!
Hey, Molly, you looked right in the
camera after the kiss.
- No, oh I don't think I did.
- Can I get a playback?
- Right there. Yeah, you definitely did.
- Oh, sorry.
That's all right. We'll just take it from Cruise's "I knew him better than you." Alright?
- Camera ready?
- Hold for battery.
- Can we get some touch up for the talent please, Julie?
- Last looks?
- Tim, are you ready to go when we're up and running?
Wait, I'm picking up a fire truck.
- How long for battery?
- 30 seconds.
20 seconds, you guys.
- So, uh, you said you're originally from Bakersfield?
- Mm-hmm.
Gross. Loved ya in the
vagisil commercial by the way.
- How long did that run?
- Six months. Plus residuals.
Liked you in, uh, Sock Buddies.
I used to watch with my niece, so cute.
Camera ready? We really
gotta go on this, you guys.
Focusing now. Cruise, can I get you
on your mark?
- Making me look good, Blake?
- Yeah, dude. Camera ready.
- Great. Tim?
- Fire truck's gone.
Great! All right, Julie, you can wrap that
up and get that slated.
All done.
Off the Docks, Scene 36, A, take
six
And action!
That's not true, sweetheart.
One minute he's on his lunch break and the
next is limp body's hanging ten stories up
I'm sorry you had to hear it like this but
- you need to know the truth
- I knew all along, I just didn't want to
believe it.
And that's when I knew I loved her. She
was incredible, her long legs, beautiful-
- Cruise!
- What the fuck, Adam?
- What the hell are you doing?
- Saying my lines.
Saying your lines? Why are
you talking to the camera?
It's more powerful if I speak directly to the
audience during my monologue instead of voiceover.
- I actually think that plays.
- Thank you.
- Did you even read the script?
- Yes, I read the script.
But just the scenes with my character.
I'm a method actor and I only like to
know what my character knows in the film.
So you didn't read the script.
That's what method acting is, Adam. I do
the same thing.
Listen, can we just please do the scene the way
it's intended? Without looking into the camera.
Fine. No big deal, I mean this is the
way they did movies back then anyway.
- No, it's not.
- Of course they did.
- Yeah? And name one movie.
- Adam...
Well, obviously I can't name one right now
but I know it's true.
God damn, just... don't talk to the camera.
Please.
- Okay.
- I liked it
All right, let's take it from
"Johnny got in way too deep"
- All right everyone settle!
- Camera rolling. -Sound rolling.
Shit, Molly, your hair. Just...
- Hey, Molly. Come here a second?
- Uh, okay.
Um... Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go
Hey. Yeah, I didn't want to say anything
earlier. I overheard Cruise tell the gaffer
he didn't think you had the chops to
play Tina.
Really.
Yeah. Prove him wrong.
All right everybody, settle. Julie, go
ahead.
On the docks.
Shit, hold for plane.
- What's her deal, by the way?
- Oh, Julie? I think she's funding the project.
Got a big divorce settlement or
something.
- She's like a little tornado. I like it.
- I'm used to tornadoes where I'm from.
The house get dropped on
your sister or something?
What?
Tim?
Yeah plane's gone, we're good.
Sound speeds.
Focused. Camera rolling.
Good? All right, Julie, go ahead.
Off the docks,
Scene 36 A, take seven.
And action.
Johnny got in way too deep
with the meds
and the only way out of his pain was to
end it permanently, that selfish prick
I don't want to hear it, not my Johnny.
I knew him better than you did, baby.
- You need to know the truth.
- Johnny died in an accident on the docks.
- That's it!
- That's not true, sweetheart. One minute he's on his lunch break.
The next, his limp body's
hanging 10 stories up.
And cut. Guys, that was great.
We just need one for safety and we're
done for the day.
- That was fucking awesome.
- Yeah, I felt that from here.
I should tell them the camera wasn't
focused, we have to shoot it again.
What? No that'd be just mean.
You're a fucking loser.
You okay?
- Nice hit.
- Can we get Cruise some ice, please?
- On it.
- Okay.
What are you doing? What the hell are you
doing? We're not insured for stunts.
Relax, he's fine. He's a
method actor, remember?
You're being a fucking dick, that's what
you're doing.
- Oh no!
- Here! Uh, all that we had.
Cruise, you good?
Yeah, I'm fine.
- Awesome. See? He's fine.
- You're an asshole.
All right guys, let's just do one
more for safety and
- we're done for the day.
- All right, you guys. Let's reset.
Molly, Cruise, can you get back to your first positions?
- Yeah.
- Tim?
- Sound speeds.
- Blake?
- Fuck. -Blake?
- Um, camera speeds.
- Julie, go ahead.
Off the docks, Scene 36 A take 8.
And action.
Why the long face, sweetheart?
Tim!
- What?
- The hell are you doing?
Oh don't worry, I'm not picking it up on
the mic
We can hear you over here, alright?
Put the Cheetos down.
They're not Cheetos, they're Takis.
I don't give a fuck what they are.
Both of you, shut the fuck up.
You know, Johnny used to fuck me
and then make me a French martini
Guys, stop. You fucking with me?
- What are you talking about?
- The accents. Feels like a telenovella.
I don't feel like it does though.
Look, just...
You're doing great, last shot of the day,
just keep doing what you're doing, just...
Tone down the accent a little bit, okay?
- 20 says they fuck this up.
- I'll take that bet.
All right, guys. We're going from the top.
And everyone's set, we're still rolling,
and action.
- Why the long face, sweetheart?
- I'm so tired-
Guys, stop.
- Keep rolling.
- Accents, tone it down. Authenticity, remember?
Authenticity? Adam, I'm pretty sure they
didn't have stainless steel appliances
and granite countertops in the 40s.
Yeah we fix it in post. Let's go.
- Ah, give me a fucking break.
- Camera still rolling
The accents are fine can we
just keep working, please?
No, they're not. They're too phony.
Are we cutting?
No.
This is how people would talk in
New York during this time period.
Tim, these are disgusting.
- No, they didn't. What are you talking about?
- Camera's still rolling.
- Adam, look, you're not paying me enough for this.
- You're getting paid for this?
- Adam, time.
- I know, I know.
Adam, this is how the characters
are supposed to sound, okay?
Yeah, it's called authenticity.
It's what you asked for.
This is not a fucking debate, guys.
- Adam, we're still rolling.
- Jesus Christ, cut.
- Camera cuts.
- Sound cuts.
Adam. For the love of god, what more
do you want from us? Let's just go.
You two sound like cartoons right now.
No, you're wrong. I'm from New
York, this is how they sound.
You said you were from Bakersfield.
Well, I'm from Bakersfield.
My father and his
whole family are from New York and they
sound like cartoons as you're saying, Adam.
Do the fucking scene the
way I tell you to, okay?
Look, Adam. I'm a trained actor, okay?
Studied under Strasbourg, so I think I
would know how to say these fucking lines.
Yeah, let's not forget about my two
years of Shakespeare at Long Beach Poly.
This is not happening.
- We're pros. -Just do the fucking scene the way I tell you to.
Okay? Or I'll find two
actors who can. Fuck!
Are you kidding me?
- Well that's just insulting.
- That seemed unnecessary.
- I mean...
- What can we do? What can we do?
You just need to cool it.
- I can't believe I've put up with this shit.
- I know, but we're only on day 3.
God, don't remind me.
Keep your head on straight, Adam. Don't
let these prima donnas affect your work.
- It's fine.
- You're trying to play something?
No. No.
We don't have the budget for it. You
already fired
the PA's, the AC's, the
whole rest of the crew.
That's why Julie's running
around doing fucking everything.
You're right.
- I'll figure it out.
- Yeah.
- Where's Julie?
- I don't-
I'm here! Uh...
What do you need?
You take a minute. Okay?
Just... We're gonna get the actors set.
Camera, Sound, where we at?
- I, just... Hold for sound.
- Why, Tim?
I just need to adjust some things.
Cruise, Molly, just hang tight.
For a second.
Shut up.
Look at me, big first AD,
with my hat and my clipboard.
- Jesus.
- Can you believe that guy?
What a baby.
Fucking hack.
Guy think he knows everything about film.
Look, I've seen this before. He'll be
back in his mother's basement in a year.
He has one good short that
makes it to fucking Tribeca
and all of a sudden he
thinks he Scorsese.
Listen, we have a methodly trained actor
and somebody who's proficient in
Shakespeare and we're the ones who are
fucking it up?
- I don't think so.
- Exactly.
Hey, Romeo and Juliet.
The mic is still on, we hear
everything you're saying.
And we're all very close to each other.
And I love my clipboard.
Are you sure we can't replace them?
I could fucking do it.
You SAG?
- Actually, funny enough-
- No. No.
I'll take that.
Let's just get this shit over with, okay?
All right. Is camera ready?
We really got to go on this one
Where's Julie?
I'd like him to fuck me and
make me a French martini.
Julie!
God!
- What?
- What kind of headshot is that?
That's a good shot.
You fucking kidding me?
"That's a good shot?"
Zip it, you guys.
Julie, go ahead.
Off the docks, Scene 36A,
take nine.
And action.
Why the long face, sweetheart?
I'm so tired of this frigid weather.
And cut.
Guys. Come here real quick.
Molly. What's your last name?
Bobby Kay Bluffington.
- That's your real name?
- Stage name.
- What's your real name?
- Molly Martin.
- Molly Martin? That's great.
- Yeah, Molly Martin's terrific.
Why would you ever change that?
Well, I use Bobby Kay Bluffington
to honor my grandparents.
Bobby Bluffington was a stage
actor in the 30s and 40s.
He was my grandfather.
And Kay was my grandmother.
And well, she meant the world to me.
That's really terrific.
I know I'm gonna regret this but
I'm assuming Cruise Thomas
is also a stage name?
You would be correct.
What's your real name?
Anthony Isaiah Duncan Schuster.
AIDS? Your initials literally spell AIDS?
- Yep.
- Yeah, Cruise Thomas is better.
- Good call.
- Thanks.
Well, guys, professionally
I go by Adam S. Stevenson,
so my initials literally spell ass.
Funny, right?
Okay, look, guys. I'm sorry for blowing up
on you just now.
Okay? The whole hack thing, I totally
deserved it.
Okay, this project has been a nightmare
from the start.
Everything that could have gone wrong
has gone wrong
and we just lost our location so now
we're doing the scene in Julie's house.
I took my frustrations out
on you guys and...
That's my bad. Okay?
I know you guys are great actors, right?
That's why I hired you.
Okay, so I just...
I just wanted to say I'm sorry and
I was hoping that we could
start over again.
WOO!
Yes! Yes! Covered by a half point.
Fuck you, Tom Brady! Yes!
Uh, um. No, Adam, I
just really liked your speech man, I'm...
I"m with you all the way.
Can I say something?
Sure.
I just wanted to thank all of you for
being here.
It means a lot to me.
My late husband's dream
was to make a film.
He loved movies so much.
And that's why I'm using the last
of his insurance money
To make this film.
For him.
- Wow.
- So, thank you guys.
Late husband? You said this was a
divorce settlement.
I didn't know it was dead guy money.
Julie, thank you so much
for sharing that.
I mean that's
what we all want, right?
- Yes?
- To make a great movie.
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. That's why we're here. I'm ready.
- This is what we do.
- Yeah. -Let"s go.
- Alright, this is the last shot you guys.
- Come on.
Let's fucking do this, okay?
Alright. Tim?
- Sound speeds!
- Blake.
- Camera speeds.
- Julie, you take it away, sister.
Off the Docks
Scene 36A, take uh
All right.
Here we go again. Everyone's set.
Three,
Two, one...
Action.