Paper Towns (2015) Movie Script
The way I figure it,
everyone gets a miracle.
Like, maybe you hit
the Powerball jackpot.
Or a last-second jumper
in the NBA Finals.
Maybe you make it
to outer space...
or marry the Queen of England,
or something.
If you consider
all the unlikely things
that happen
in all the world...
you gotta think
at least one of them
will happen to each of us.
Turns out,
my miracle was different.
Of all the houses
in all the subdivisions
in all the state of Florida...
I wound up living
across the street...
from Margo Roth Spiegelman.
Bring your own lampshade,
somewhere there's a party
Here it's never endin',
can't remember when it started
Pass around the lampshade,
There'll be plenty enough
room in jail
From the
moment I saw her...
I was hopelessly,
madly in love.
If bein' wrong's a crime,
I'm serving forever
If bein' strong's your kind
Then I need help here
with this feather
Due to our
close proximity
in both age and location...
and for no other reason
I could ever discern...
we soon became friends.
If bein' afraid is a crime
we hang side by side
At the swingin' party
down the line
Look.
Quentin.
He's dead.
We should get out
of here, Margo.
I thought you closed
your eyes when you died.
The truth is...
at the time,
it didn't feel like
that big a deal to me.
It's not like I knew the guy.
If I had a panic attack
every time someone
I didn't know died...
I'd go insane.
It was a much
bigger deal to Margo.
I figured it out.
His name is Robert Joyner.
He was 36.
Apparently he was
getting divorced
and he was sad about it.
How do you know all this?
I'm doing an investigation.
Are you in?
Sure.
Great. Come on.
Wait, what?
His wife works at SeaWorld.
I bet there's a clue.
Margo...
we can't go to SeaWorld.
It's almost 11:00.
I can get us in.
Come on!
I don't wanna
get in trouble.
It's a shame,
don't you think?
All those strings
inside him broke.
Margo always
loved mysteries.
And in everything
that came after,
I could never stop thinking...
maybe she
loved them so much...
she became one.
But I'm getting
ahead of myself.
A lot changed
in the years that followed.
Margo and I sort of...
drifted apart.
But I never stopped
thinking about her...
I'll get it! I'll get it.
...and hoping
I'd get a second chance.
Trick or treat!
Yeah.
- Happy Halloween, guys.
It wasn't just me.
Pretty much
everyone recognized...
Margo was different.
Margo was...
special.
Her life had become a series
of unbelievably
epic adventures.
Each one
too insane to be true.
Like the time
she spent three weeks
traveling with the circus.
Or the time she toured
with the Mallionaires
up and down the East Coast.
Look, if you ask
the bassist...
he's either gonna say
I'm his girlfriend
or he wants me to be...
Either way
I'm going back there...
so you might as well
make it easier for yourself
and just let me in.
And wherever she went...
she always left clues behind
for her little sister, Ruthie.
Or anyone else
she deemed worthy.
I was never
one of those people.
As senior year
drew to a close,
Margo and I
barely talked at all.
It's your senior prom.
I don't understand
the objection.
I have so many
objections, Mom.
Like slow dancing.
And fast dancing.
Any kind of dancing.
And wearing a rented tux.
You could take Suzie Chung.
No, we're not
a thing anymore.
But she was such a nice girl.
What happened with you two?
I don't know, it just...
Just didn't work out.
Hi, Ben. Hi, Radar.
Hi, Mrs. Jacobsen.
Hey, Mrs. Jacobsen.
I would hit that so hard.
I don't see it.
What? Q!
I'm not saying
I just wanna bang your mom.
She should be respected.
Stop.
Admired. You know,
she's a real lady.
Yeah, she's my mom.
I wanna ride bikes with her.
What?
I'd feed her grapes,
take her to Paris.
Treat her like the princess
she is. What, is that wrong?
It's weird.
It's always weird.
I wanna give her a bath.
That's gonna be so...
Oh! Hold on.
Uh-oh.
Hey, honey bunny.
How's prom looking for you?
Not a chance, Bloody Ben.
No.
No!
Freshmen know that story?
When Ben was 12...
he got a kidney infection
and started literally
pissing blood. Oh, God.
By the time he came
back from the hospital...
a rumor had spread through
the entire school...
that his condition
was the result
of chronic masturbation.
I'm never gonna
get a prom date, am I?
Don't worry about it.
Prom is a waste of time
and a waste of money.
Radar's going to prom.
Radar has a girlfriend,
so he has to go to prom.
Lame.
Radar, has she
been to your house yet?
Oh, yeah. Has your girlfriend
come to your house yet?
Stop. Isn't there a certain reason
why she doesn't
come to your house?
Radar, what up with that?
You know very well
"what up with that".
We just like
to hear you say it.
Could you tell us again?
Because of what?
I cannot hear you.
Can you project?
My parents own
the world's largest collection
of black Santas!
Oh, yeah.
You heard that correctly.
Radar's parents
were trying to get into
The Guinness Book
of World Records...
for the largest collection
of black Santas in one house.
There were over a thousand.
And they were everywhere.
And not just at Christmas.
Even so, Radar was
the first one of us
to get a serious girlfriend.
You need a prom date.
Why don't you ask that girl
you slept with at summer camp?
Oh. She's made up.
No, she's not.
But you can ask the girl
from Saskatchewan.
Oh, yeah, you could ask...
Oh, no, she's also made up.
No, they are both real.
Not made up.
Define "real".
- I don't know.
Gotta go.
Hi.
- Hey.
Hey. Let's go.
We have 10 minutes.
No, we're fine. Let's go.
Hi, Angela.
Bye, Angela.
It was nice
talking to you, Angela.
Oh, God. She's great.
Glad we can
have these chats.
So most of my days
were exactly like this.
I threw myself
into my classes...
SATs, extracurriculars.
By the end of high school...
I barely
thought of her at all.
I just had to graduate,
go off to college,
find someone new.
And forget the miracle
ever happened.
And it almost
worked out that way.
Until this one night.
Margo?
Shh.
Margo, hey.
I need to borrow your car.
What?
Your car.
I don't have a car.
I mean your mom's car.
Why can't you use your car?
My parents locked
the keys in the safe
beneath their bed.
And while I'm sure
I could go in there
and crack the combo...
it just so happens that
Myrna Mountweazel's
in there...
and that goddamn dog
despises me.
Anyway, so like I said,
I need to borrow your car.
Mmm-mmm.
Also, I need you
to drive the car...
because I have nine things
I need to do tonight...
and more than half of them
require a getaway driver.
What, are you
committing felonies?
Ooh. Remind me, is breaking
and entering a felony?
Yes. What?
Well.
Margo!
Okay.
I gotta go,
so are you in or out?
Why can't you just get
one of your underlings
to help you out?
Like Jase,
or Lacey, or Becca?
They're part
of the problem, actually.
What problem?
There are nine problems.
And your boyfriend's
one of them?
Ex-boyfriend.
Hmm.
Do you care to tell me
where we're going?
Uh, first,
we are going to BJ's.
We're going shopping?
No, we're not going shopping.
We are righting wrongs.
Then after that...
we're gonna wrong
some rights.
Basically, this is gonna be
the best night of your life.
Okay.
I really don't wanna
get into trouble.
You're a very anxious person,
aren't you, Q?
I'm not an anxious person.
I just...
I have plans and goals.
None of which
involve jail or dying.
Pull in here.
So, what plans?
Huh?
You said you had plans.
Uh... I just meant I'm going
to Duke in the fall...
then go to med school
and become an oncologist...
and obviously...
get married
and have kids by 30.
And then you'll be happy?
Huh?
When you're 30 in 12 years.
Married, kids, career.
Then you'll be happy.
Is that actually
what you're saying?
Um...
Yeah. I guess. Yeah.
Isn't there something
that could make you happy now?
Like, that's the saddest
thing I've ever heard.
Bingo!
Nair? Wait,
why do you need Nair?
All will be revealed shortly,
my young friend.
Six months older than you.
Remember that?
Oh, really? Are you?
Margo, don't.
Stop, stop! Don't.
It's really loud.
Don't. Stop.
What? Were you trying to say
something?
You can't do that.
Shh.
Stop, stop!
What else do we need?
Interesting capitalization.
I'm a big believer
in random capitalization.
The rules are so unfair
to the letters in the middle.
It's not as weird
as it looks.
Still weird.
So what happened?
With Jase
and Lacey and Becca?
Apparently, my boyfriend
of Io, these many months...
has been cheating on me.
What?
With one of my best friends.
Seriously?
Why would he do that?
Oh, next left.
Wait, this is...
This is Becca's house.
Yeah.
And there is Jase's car.
Margo, this is a bad idea.
No, Quentin.
This is a tremendous idea.
Margo. Margo.
Idiot never locks his car.
Are you sure
we should be doing this?
The Margo Roth Spiegelman
revenge plot begins.
Do you wanna do the honors?
No.
Suit yourself.
I can't believe
you just did that.
We bring the rain down
on our enemies.
"We"?
You'll see.
Hello, is this Mr. Arrington?
Do you know what time it is?
I'm so sorry,
but I just thought
you'd like to know
that your daughter
is having sex
in your basement right now.
Goodbye.
What was that voice?
Let me use your phone.
Quickly.
Here.
Get in position.
What do you mean?
What do I do?
Four...
Three...
Two...
Take the picture, now!
Go!
Watch this.
What?
Well, that was fun.
He totally saw me.
What? So?
So, he could kick my ass.
He won't.
What makes you so sure?
Let me see.
What?
The Rhode Island
of penises.
It may have
an illustrious history...
but it sure isn't big.
Okay. Now we go inside.
No. What? No, no.
This fish is for Becca
and it goes in her house.
No, no. Come on, Margo.
We're gonna get caught.
We can't go inside.
I'll be lookout.
You can do
whatever you want, Q.
Damn it.
What the hell was that?
Dad, I'm sorry, okay?
"I'm sorry"?
That's completely
unacceptable.
I really like him, Dad!
He does not love you!
Yes, he does!
Who's down there?
Go, go, go.
I have a gun!
Shit!
Are you kidding?
Yeah, run!
Couldn't you have just thrown
it through a window or something?
We bring the rain,
not the scattered showers.
That was fun.
That was pretty fun.
Yeah.
You okay?
Yeah.
I don't know.
I just thought
maybe it wasn't true.
Ah.
Anyway, moving on.
Lacey's?
Has Lacey
been naughty or nice?
Lacey has been
distinctly naughty.
We've been best friends
since the 5th grade.
And then?
And then,
she didn't tell me about Jase.
Ready?
Ta-da!
Nice.
Unsentimental
Traveling around
Oh, my God, it's so late.
If you're tired,
we can go home.
I thought so.
In the aisles of the grocery
And the blocks uptown
Who lives here?
Chuck Parson.
Chuck Parson?
You didn't think a scumbag
like Chuck Parson
could emerge
unscathed, did you?
He's Jase's best friend.
He's an accomplice.
Uh...
Don't worry.
He's a heavy sleeper.
Don't, don't, don't.
The 6th-grade dance?
Hmm?
Chuck told all the girls not to dance
with you and we all went along with it.
All of us.
I'm really sorry, Quentin.
No, it's okay.
That was a...
That was a long time ago.
Here.
No, thanks.
There's gonna come a time
in your life...
where you're gonna look back
on this moment...
and you're gonna think...
"What do I regret more?
"Removing Chuck's eyebrow...
"or not removing
Chuck's eyebrow?"
All right, give it to me.
What the...?
Look at us. We're ninjas!
Maybe you're a ninja.
I'm not a ninja.
You're a ninja too.
Just a really awkward one.
I can feel my heart
beating in my chest.
That's how you know
you're having fun.
Okay. So what's this about?
Come on.
Well, at the end
of a grand adventure...
one must pause and reflect
on one's achievements.
And the best place
in Orlando to do that...
is the SunTrust building.
Stop.
What?
Stop it.
What?
You promised me
no breaking and entering.
We're not breaking
and entering.
We're just entering.
Very clever.
I can't get arrested
tonight. Or ever.
You won't!
It's the
SunTrust building.
There's gotta be
a guard or something.
Well, of course there is.
His name's Gus.
- You know the name of the...
Yep.
Of course you do. Yeah,
you know the name
of the guard.
- Hey, Margo.
Hey, Gus.
Do you mind
if we go upstairs for a bit?
- Mi casa es su casa.
Cool.
Who's the kid?
It's Q.
Me?
I'm six months older
than her.
Welcome to my office.
Nice music.
Soothing sounds
of corporate America.
Whoa!
Come here.
Okay, so, over there
is Jefferson Park.
Mmm-hmm.
All the lights
are off, so that's good.
And over here
is Chuck's house.
No lights, no cops.
Seems quiet.
I think we're in the clear.
It's beautiful.
You think so?
Uh...
From a distance, I mean.
Yeah.
Everything's uglier up close.
Not you.
It's a paper town.
Hmm?
Look at it.
All those paper houses
and paper streets and...
And the people, too.
I've lived here 11 years...
and I've never
come across anyone
that cares about
anything that matters.
Okay, I'll try not
to take that personally.
Here's a tip, Quentin.
You're cute
when you're confident.
Less when you're not.
Hey.
May I have this dance?
You owe me one.
Maybe things
would have been different...
if I'd hung out with you
this whole time.
It's not too late.
Whoa!
Hey, Margo.
What happens now?
Will things be different...
tomorrow?
I really hope so.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Me, too.
Okay, you see this?
This is your comfort zone.
It's this big, Quentin.
All the things
that you want in the world...
are way out there.
The way you felt tonight...
that is the way
you should feel
your whole life.
All right.
See you.
Hey.
Hey!
Morning, sleepyhead.
Been trying to wake you
for 20 minutes.
Some dream
you must have been having.
Getting you a date
to prom is so hard
that the hypothetical
idea itself...
is used to cut diamonds.
That's a good one.
Q.
What are you doing?
What?
Nothing.
That was so weird.
I know it was you!
Relax, relax.
Yo, don't tell me to relax!
I know it was you at Becca's!
I'm gonna kick your ass!
Are you sure
you wanna do that?
I mean...
Even if I enlarge it...
Put that away.
Wow.
I'm sorry. This is the part
where I get confused.
You did not hook up
with Margo Roth Spiegelman?
No, we did not hook up.
What?
I'm so confused.
What is wrong with you?
Me? What's wrong
with you, bro?
Margo Roth Spiegelman,
2:00 a.m., she's single...
she's dancing, it's dark.
And you don't make the move.
I don't understand that.
It's not even
like that. It's like...
I don't know.
We were connecting.
We were on a mission.
It was different.
So now what?
I don't know.
I'll let you know
when I see her.
You need aglets.
You need aglets to exist.
I get that you need them.
- But to exist?
But Margo never
made it to school that day.
Or the next day.
Or the day after that.
Guy heard her singing
karaoke in the mall.
Next thing you know,
she's signed to his label.
She's in New York right now,
recording an album.
I know for a fact
she's in Iceland,
saving the whales.
No, it wasn't Iceland.
It was Greenland.
Where did you hear that?
Like everyone else,
I started to wonder...
"Where the hell was she?"
What was she doing?
Who was she with?
Why wasn't it me?
I know this is
a difficult situation for you.
Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Spiegelman.
Hello, Quentin.
This is Detective Warren.
Sounds like Margo's
run away again.
For the fifth time.
Deb.
What?
Hank, I am tired of this.
She's 18.
Let her do what she wants.
What do you know about it?
Hmm? Me?
Yeah.
When was the last time
you saw Margo?
Uh...
It was Wednesday, I think.
Yeah, Wednesday night.
She came to my window
and we talked
for a second
and then she left.
You guys don't think...
something happened to her,
or anything, right?
We know
exactly what's happened.
She's bored.
She wants attention.
She'll come back
when she runs out of money...
or when people
stop talking about her.
So you don't wanna
file a missing persons report?
She's not missing. She's gone.
There's a difference.
Yeah.
Not your top candidates
for parents of the year.
But they weren't wrong
about one thing.
If she was gone...
she wouldn't be found
until she wanted to be.
Yeah, whatever, bro.
She left town.
There's plenty other honey
bunnies in the sea.
What, like Fattina?
Uh... Ha-ha!
- Not "Fattina".
- It's "Bettina".
Doesn't even sound
like a real name. Yeah.
What was
her last name?
I don't know.
Just say her last name.
Three, two, one.
It was a one hit, and a quit.
It was a "hit it and quit it"?
Yeah. I hit that honey bunny.
I've told you guys this
so many times.
I don't wanna
go over this again.
Tell us.
I wanna hear it again.
Cousin's house.
Right, Bettina was
your cousin. I forgot.
No! Bettina was
not my cousin!
You slept with your cousin.
Not my cousin.
It's so hard when
you wanna sleep
with someone
that's not in your family.
No!
"Man, I slept with
someone in my family." No, no, no.
I just feel if we're gonna
validate the story,
could we get a couple details?
All right,
I'll give it to you straight.
So, I'm in Saskatchewan.
My cousin Danny's like,
"Yo, Ben,
I'm throwing a party."
I'm like, "Yo, what's up?
Let's do it."
So, he throws a party. Bettina
comes over, looks at me.
She's like,
"What?" We go upstairs...
So, she's
making strange noises?
No, she's making a call.
Like a bird
makes to another bird.
So you walked in,
and Bettina went...
Mating time, bro.
Mating time.
Just say something true.
What do you mean,
"Say something true"?
Just say anything true.
I'm saying all this is true.
I so don't believe you.
It's true!
What, you don't believe me?
No, no.
That's fine. Go poop.
Shut up! Shut up.
We're not even
talking about me.
We're talking about
you and Angela.
Little honey bunny.
Don't call her "honey bunny".
You gonna tap that ass,
son? Don't call me "son".
When you gonna get up in
it? Don't say "tap that ass".
Do a little dance for her. Stop.
Show her what you're
working with. Come on.
If you must know, we're...
We're waiting till prom.
Why?
Because we want it
to be special.
Radar, that's
so beautiful. I think...
I think I wanna be with you.
Stop.
Hey, guys.
Stop.
Hey, guys.
What?
There's something
in Margo's window.
Has that thing
always been there?
I don't know.
The shade's never drawn.
"Woody Guthrie,
folk singer.
"Born 1912. Died 1967."
Come and sit by my side,
if you love me
It's looking
right at you, Q.
Do not hasten
to bid me adieu
I know.
Hey, Ruthie.
Hey, Quentin.
Your parents
aren't home, are they?
No, they went to the mall.
Would it be cool if we went up
to Margo's room for a sec?
Why?
Just wanted to check
on something.
Margo doesn't like
people in her room.
Okay, but we're her friends.
No, you're not.
And, if you were...
you'd know she doesn't like
people in her room.
She has every album ever
made, except Woody Guthrie.
Up.
Sorry.
Mind if I...
Don't even think about it.
What are you guys
even looking for anyway?
We don't really know.
Clues.
We're detectives.
Hey, look.
Holy shit-stickers.
What do we got?
"Walt Whitman's
Niece," circled.
What do you think it means?
Oh! Wait.
What?
I think she's
sending you a message.
What message?
"Come find me."
Last night or the night
before that
I won't say which night
A seaman friend of mine
I'll not say
which seaman
Walked up
to a big old building
I won't say
which building
And would not have
walked up the stairs
Not to say
which stairs
If there had not
have been two girls
It's a call to arms.
It's a way of her saying...
"Take a risk, asshole.
Stop playing it so safe."
Maybe that's what she's been
trying to tell me the whole time...
like with the
paper towns thing.
She's like...
"I'm making a move, Q.
"I'm going after it.
Come with me."
So, if you crack the code
and find out where she is...
Can I talk to you?
Hi, Lacey.
You were with her
that night, right?
The night with the Saran Wrap?
Yeah.
Was she mad at me?
Nah, she was...
disappointed.
In what? What did I do?
That you knew about
Becca and Jase.
No, see, that...
That's the thing.
I had no idea. If I knew,
I would've said something.
Okay, Margo
seemed to think that...
She's wrong.
Yeah, I believe you.
It's just,
Chuck knew this whole time,
which is awesome.
So, now we're broken up...
and I don't have
a date to prom
the week before prom...
and my best friend is off
doing God knows what...
thinking that
I betrayed her,
which is something
I would never do.
I'm sorry
to tell all of that to you.
No, it's okay.
I'm sorry, what did
you say about prom?
Something about a date?
If you hear from her,
will you tell me?
Why would I hear from her?
You were with her that night.
Her last night.
It has to mean something.
See you, guys.
That was the greatest
30 seconds of my life.
Walt Whitman's
from New York.
Woody Guthrie
lived in New York for a while.
Maybe that's something.
You think she's in New
York? It's possible.
Did she ever
mention New York or...
No, she didn't
mention New York to me...
but I didn't talk to her
for nine years, so that's...
Yeah, that's true.
I'm taking Lacey to prom.
What?
You're what?
You guys didn't see it?
We had a moment back there.
Must've missed that.
"Unscrew the locks
from the doors."
It's a metaphor.
But what if it isn't?
What if it's instructions?
Hmm.
I thought there'd be a...
Just put it back.
Gravity to the second power.
Yep.
Radar, what are you
up to tonight?
I promised Angela
I'd take her shoe shopping.
Shoe shopping?
Yeah, she decided today
that she doesn't like
the prom shoes she bought...
so I'm taking her
to the mall
while their Midnight Madness
sale is still going on.
It's a pretty good sale
they got going on.
Radar, Radar, Radar.
I found something.
What?
An address.
It wasn't in Margo's doorjamb,
it was in mine.
8328...
Bartlesville Avenue.
That's not
a nice neighborhood.
Okay. Still, we have to go.
But not tonight, obviously.
Wait, what? Why not tonight?
Because you're
a rational human being.
And because
you weigh 130 pounds
and don't wanna die.
You can't go
to a strange building
in the Detroit-iest part
of Orlando...
in the middle of the night.
All right, fine.
We'll go tomorrow morning?
But we have school tomorrow.
Not if we don't show up.
Angela's gonna kill me.
No, she won't kill you.
Every day
I walk her to calculus.
She'll survive.
What about Lacey?
What if she's looking for me?
Has Lacey ever been
looking for you?
We might miss
something important.
You're missing gym class.
Guys, seriously,
if you don't wanna go...
It's not that. It's just,
I've never missed
school before.
Neither have I.
Yeah, and it feels
kind of wrong.
I give you that. It does feel
kind of wrong. But it also...
...feels kind of right.
Am I right?
Using that voice
doesn't change anything.
Aw, but doesn't it?
It changes a little.
I think it changes
something a little bit.
Doesn't change it
a little bit?
We got no time to waste!
Yeah, see?
We gotta go right now!
Let's go find Margo!
Start the car, let's go.
Was that Italian?
A full right?
Yeah.
You're
terrible at directions.
Whatever. This is it.
This is it?
Why would she come here?
It's locked.
Now what?
Get a rock?
Margo?
Anyone?
Guys?
I think the last time
I was this scared,
I had to sleep
with the light on.
Last time I was this scared,
I had to sleep
with a stuffed animal.
Last time I was this scared,
I had to sleep
in my mom's bed.
Q, if I were you,
I would get that scared
every single night.
So, we're in
a souvenir store?
No Margo.
For some reason,
she wanted you to come here.
This stuff is old.
Guys?
Did you
find something?
Paper towns.
Bro, can we go?
What if it's Margo?
What if it's literally
anything else?
Goodbye.
In a thousand pages,
they talk about
whale anatomy...
and in the last 50 pages
the dude kills the whale.
So, it's not about
a dude killing a whale.
Maybe it's about a guy
who actually believes...
that if he chases this whale
down and kills this whale...
it's gonna give his life
some meaning. That's Ahab.
It's a common
misconception that...
...a lot of people...
Don't forget, final papers
are due next week.
Also, pick up
your pop quizzes
from yesterday
on your way out.
You're not gonna
be too happy.
No circling
two answers next time.
Like I'm just gonna
let you get the one
that you didn't mean.
Not cool.
There was a quiz yesterday?
Pop quiz. You missed it.
Is there any way that I can
get a makeup test?
It's one quiz, Quentin. Relax.
You can still be a doctor.
All right, get out.
Yes.
Okay.
Hey.
Oh, hey.
Anything?
Did she ever say
anything to you about
an abandoned building
on the west side?
Like, an old souvenir shop?
No. You think
she'd be there?
I don't know,
but I think she was once
and it's connected somehow.
See you tonight?
Oh. I don't know. Probably.
Let me know
if you need a ride.
Okay.
Party at Jase's.
I thought you weren't
talking to Jase.
I'm not.
But you can still
go to a party at his house?
Everyone's going.
Not everyone.
We should totally go!
Wait, what? Jase
Worthington's house? Yes!
Are you crazy?
It's just a party.
We've never been
to one of those.
We've been to plenty of parties. No.
If there's a tuba there,
it's not a party.
All right.
I don't believe this, Radar.
What about Angela?
Angela is a mature,
intelligent,
understanding woman...
who never has to know
about this.
I don't wanna go to a party
at Jase Worthington's house.
You guys can go.
Q, are you seriously
gonna spend
the rest of high school pining
for a girl that ran away?
I'm not pining for her, okay?
I'm trying to find her.
Stop being an asshole.
I'm not being an asshole.
I'm trying to be
a regular kid for a change.
Have fun.
What?
Hello, Quentin.
Margo, where have you been?
Everywhere.
Nowhere.
You have to get lost
before you find yourself.
People were worried about you.
No, they weren't.
I was.
You're sweet, Quentin.
You've always been sweet.
I'm glad you're back, Margo.
But I'm not.
Are you gonna answer that?
- Hello?
Q?
Q, yes! Yes!
Quentin Jacobsen is inside
of my phone, everybody!
Ben, give me the phone.
Stop it!
Stop. Go lie down.
Stop it! Gonna go party.
Go, sit down.
Hey, how soon
can you get here?
It's chaos. We need you.
Ben needs you.
No. I told you I'm not going
to Worthington's.
Plus, Ben's, like...
Ben's a dick.
You know what your
problem is, Quentin?
You keep expecting people
to not be themselves.
You are not Ben.
Ben is not you.
We're all different people.
That's why we're best friends.
All right?
Get in your van
and get over here.
Besides, Margo's been in this
house a million times.
You might even find something.
I think we might
be here for a while.
I'm gonna be back.
You're so much
better than her.
Yeah, Jase?
Yeah.
Becca.
Who's there?
Whoa!
Hi. Lacey.
What the hell
are you doing in here?
I'm just peeing.
Well, stop.
I can't just stop like that.
Okay, fine.
Finish and then get out.
Okay.
Sorry about that.
You okay, Lacey?
I've been better.
You wanna get
in the tub with me?
Not like that.
Not like that!
Um...
Yeah, sure.
Look at me.
Huh?
What's the first word
that pops into your head?
I don't know. I can't...
Come on.
Beautiful.
See, no. No.
Okay.
What?
That's the problem.
No one ever looks at me
and thinks that I'm smart...
or clever...
or interesting, you know?
I have a brain.
I'm going to Dartmouth.
So, uh...
Is that what you're
upset about?
Becca and I got in a fight.
She called me a bitch
and a whore.
And then she stood
on a couch
and shushed
the entire party
and told them
I have chlamydia.
Oh, man.
Yeah. Which, I don't.
Yeah.
Anymore.
But, I'm not a slut.
I don't think you're a slut.
Thanks.
Don't even...
Becca's just jealous.
Why would Becca be jealous?
She's dating Jase.
She's gonna be prom queen.
She's basically
the new Margo.
No one will ever be
the new Margo.
You're right.
No one could ever be
the new Margo.
Really?
I hate that guy.
Me, too.
He's the worst.
The worst.
Here, let me help you up.
Thanks.
Hey, if anyone gives you
any trouble...
Thanks.
I can't fight, but...
Thank you.
Hey. I'm gonna
catch up with you.
Okay.
Okay.
Valar morghulis!
Dude,
put your shirt on. Get down.
Valar morghulis!
How much did he drink?
I think it's
stuck to my hand.
Hey, Ben?
Yes, Quentin, approach.
I pronounce thee a knight
of the Hefeweizen
Order, all right?
Thanks, Ben.
Hey, we gotta go.
No, I wanna party.
I think I know
where Margo is.
Wait, for real?
Yeah.
Lacey!
Lacey!
I have to tell you
something, okay?
It's not the beer talking,
okay? It's the me talking.
I just needed beer...
to get the words
from my brain to my mouth.
I wanted to say this
for a really long time.
Ben! Hey!
Ben? You all right?
Let's get out of here.
I feel so much better.
Let's go, buddy.
God save the Queen!
Stop.
Radar, I love you.
Don't kiss me.
Where are we going?
You'll see.
I love you.
It's not that shady-ass
shopping center, is it?
What?
Q!
Oh, God.
Isn't this far enough?
No. Come on, guys.
Let's sing a song.
What?
You don't get as scared
if you sing.
Okay. What should we sing?
I don't know, anything.
Maybe just sing the first song
that pops into your head.
I wanna be
the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them
is my real test
To train them
is my cause
That's the first song
that popped in your head?
It's working.
I will travel across the
land Searching far and wide
Each Pokmon to understand
The power that's inside
Pokmon! Gotta catch 'em
It's you and me
I know it's my destiny
Pokmon!
Oh, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokmon! Gotta catch 'em
A heart so true
Your courage
will pull us through
You teach me
and I'll teach you
Pokmon!
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all
Hey!
Oh...
Jesus Christ.
Lacey?
You scared
the shit out of us.
What are you guys
doing here?
What are you doing here?
I followed you.
I don't know.
I thought maybe you found her.
No, she's not here...
but I think I know
where she might be.
Guys, come on. This way.
I wasn't scared before,
back there.
Okay.
Just love me some Pikachu.
I'm more of a Charizard girl.
What is it?
Margo hung something here...
and I think it was a map.
Okay.
This is Margo's map.
And this is where
she used to hang it.
So where is she now?
Let's see.
She is...
somewhere...
in upstate New York.
Can you be
any less specific?
This... general area.
Is there a town?
Let me see.
Yeah, there's...
There's nothing there, bro.
There has to be
something there.
Roscoe, Rockland, Beaverkill,
Agloe, Chatham, Wallaceberg.
These are all the towns
in that general vicinity.
Are any of them paper towns?
What's a paper town?
It's a fake city
that map makers
would put on their maps...
so if they get copied
illegally, they'd know...
...that they're being copied.
Whoa.
What?
Agloe, New York.
"Agloe, New York,
population zero...
"is one of the most famous
paper towns in America."
Look at this.
"The present
day population
"of Agloe, New York, is 1."
She's in Agloe.
What?
Agloe.
Q, you gotta go.
What?
That's where Margo is.
You need to go right now.
Were you listening, Ben?
It's New York.
I can't go to New York.
Why? You have a car.
What is stopping you?
Like, 1,200 miles.
Well, there you go.
That's 1,200 miles between you
and your love of your life.
Because you love her, right?
Yeah, I do.
There you go.
Your true love waits.
You're right.
I'm gonna do it.
Do it!
Wait, I wanna go.
Wait, what?
She's my best friend.
I'm going with you.
Okay.
If she's going...
I'm definitely going.
Okay, yeah. All right.
Radar?
I don't know, guys.
Come on, buddy!
If we're all going,
let's just make this a trip.
What about your
parents? What about school?
Parents, bro.
What about prom?
Who cares about prom?
We're not missing prom!
Okay, fine,
we'll get back by prom.
You're really doing this?
And we're doing it now.
Doing
it right this damn second!
We got no time
to waste, Radar.
Okay.
Yes!
Yay, Let's go!
We gotta make a stop, first.
You know how I told you
I was staying in
to watch the Cosmos marathon?
I lied. I was at a party.
Not only that...
but I drank a beer.
I didn't drink it,
but I held it.
Girls were talking to me.
And now the guys and I...
Correction. The guys and I
and Lacey Pemberton...
we're driving to New York.
Wait, you're what?
It's a really long story.
Are you breaking up with me?
Am I...? What?
No, no, no.
I wanted to be
honest with you
and I don't want you
to be mad at me.
Marcus,
why do I get
the feeling that
you're afraid of me?
I'm not.
That is... That's... What?
You pretended to like
that Ed Sheeran song
when I know you didn't.
It was mixed well.
You've never once invited me
to hang out with your friends.
That's more about
them than you.
You've never even had me
over to your house.
Uh...
Why is that?
Hmm?
It's a story
for another time.
I promise, Angela,
one day I will answer that,
but not today.
I'm not afraid of you.
I'm afraid of losing you.
Aw.
Marcus.
Angela's gonna come with us.
- Okay.
Hey!
Hi.
- Hello.
Don't say anything stupid.
When would we ever?
This is definitely
the craziest thing
I will ever do in my life.
Not if I can help it.
Embedded in a magazine
Embedded in a drama queen
According
to my calculations,
our average cruising speed
should be 72.
You're going 64.
I don't
wanna get pulled over.
We're not gonna make it.
We're gonna make it.
We have plenty of time.
We're gonna make it.
Excuse me,
I hope you don't think that
we're gonna be back
with 20 minutes to spare.
I have a hair appointment.
Angela has to get
her nails done.
Do you know how long it takes
to put on a prom dress?
The answer is all day.
Plus, my parents
wanna take pictures.
We have a limo coming.
We have to be back
with 12 hours to spare
or prom is ruined.
Prom is very important.
Thank you.
I have to pee.
- Ben.
Lacey!
Oh, shit!
I really have to pee.
Pull over.
No, we can only
stop four times...
if we're gonna get there,
find Margo,
and be back
in time for prom.
How long have we been driving?
35 minutes.
I'll hold it. Yep.
I'm gonna hold it.
- Good.
I'll hold it. Yep.
Nope, we gotta stop.
No, we're not stopping.
Bro! You don't...
Just think about
something else.
Yeah.
Like what?
Like rainstorms.
Or waterfalls.
An exploding bladder.
That is not helping, Radar.
Not helping.
70% of my body is urine.
I'm going as fast as I can.
Not exactly true.
I'm going
as fast as I'm willing.
Oh, my God,
I think I'm gonna cry.
I'm gonna cry pee.
Oh, my God.
No.
Here, pee in this.
No, do not get
pee in my car.
- No, Ben...
Gross.
Hey! Do you want me to die?
Do you want me to die?
Why?
Why are you doing this?
It's so gross.
Radar, it's so good.
Don't say my name.
Radar, it feels so good.
Oh, my God.
Uh...
I'm gonna need another can.
No!
Grab it!
Guys, another can...
- Take it!
I'm switching,
I'm switching.
Careful!
So gross!
It's nasty.
Yes!
What's happening
back there?
I'm Ben Starling.
Oh, my God.
JPHS marching band.
Oh, my God.
Keg stand record holder.
And now, I am
pee-in-the-car champion!
Ben.
I'm the greatest!
I shook up the world!
No!
Perhaps we should make
one of those stops now.
All right. This is how
this is gonna work.
If we're gonna
keep on schedule,
we have six minutes.
I'm the gas man.
I start the fill-up...
you guys run inside
while the pump is pumping.
I take the credit card
to the guy
behind the counter...
and hold our spot in line.
I pee.
Jesus, dude.
What? I had a lot to drink.
I've got liquids.
Q?
Tortilla chips,
beef jerky, pretzels,
peanuts, Milk Duds,
Twizzlers. Got it.
And definitely,
definitely
get cleaning supplies.
It reeks in here.
Whoo!
You like dragons?
No.
One minute!
Someone
better get me a shirt.
Me, too.
As soon as the tank is
full, I'm honking the horn...
and all of you guys have
10 seconds to hop back in...
or I'm leaving your asses.
Except you, baby.
Aw.
You guys need a bag?
Uh...
No, thank you.
Go, go, go!
Six minutes flat!
Get in, get in, get in!
Yeah. Nice.
I'm gonna need one of those.
Thank you.
Really?
Dude, I just grabbed them
out of a bin. I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
You kidding me?
Last time you're going
shopping for me, Q.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Yeah,
it's better that way.
Coming to your house
Knocking at your door
You mind a sip of wine?
You cool me, cool me down
Do you know me
you know me, you know me
Do you know me now?
Oh
The kid you used to be
Well, I know that
you're still there
I hope you had
a great summer
Mom, I'm sorry.
It was super last-minute.
We're not going
to New York City.
We're going to New York State.
It's way safer.
Just two days. I love you,
Mom. Thank you. Bye.
I hope you
had a great summer
A great summer away
I hope you
had a great summer
A great summer away
I still can't believe
she hasn't called.
They probably don't
have phones in Agloe.
She has a cell.
How do we know that she's
even still in Agloe?
I just do.
I bet she's in the middle
of the Atlantic somewhere.
On some billionaire's yacht.
Maybe she's been
back in Orlando
watching us look for her.
Nope. She's in Agloe.
I promise.
I admire your faith.
It's very romantic.
Thank you. I'm on a mission.
I'm Captain Ahab.
You do realize Captain Ahab's
not the hero of that story?
Only because
he didn't succeed.
I don't think that...
Q! Hey!
Is everyone
all right?
I'm okay. Are you okay?
Oh, my God.
You guys okay?
Hey, Ben, you okay?
Hey.
Hey.
Your face is bleeding.
What?
Ooh.
It's not that bad,
It's just...
Thanks.
Thank you. Okay, bye.
All right. It's gonna be
a couple of hours.
All right.
It looks good, considering.
Considering we didn't die.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What happened?
There was a cow
in the middle of the highway.
Cow? It was a land whale.
And Ben, at the last second,
grabbed the steering wheel...
spun us to safety,
saves our lives.
You were
a vehicular ballerina.
I didn't know
what I was doing.
It was the best damn
passenger seat driving
I've ever seen in my
entire life. Thank you.
Yeah, it's what
I'm here for, so...
All right,
now what do we do?
We wait.
I think we could probably
all use some rest.
Seriously.
How we
doing on time?
I'll miss
my hair appointment...
but a few hours
won't hurt us.
Guys,
before this week...
I think the craziest thing
that we did
was sneak into Snow Dogs
without paying.
Snow Dogs.
I love that movie.
Remember the time that we
stole your dad's cigars...
then we all smoked them
behind the house?
You couldn't stop coughing.
Yeah. It was gross!
That was disgusting.
I don't think you're supposed
to inhale it. Good times.
Remember that time
when we were all
definitely gonna die
but then Ben
grabbed the steering wheel
and we didn't die?
Pretty awesome.
Thank you. Thank you.
Yeah, I can't believe
it's almost over.
The road trip?
High school.
We hate high school.
He's right, though.
I've been thinking
about it a lot lately.
The lastness of it all.
The last time we'll ever
be together in the band room.
Last time we'll
ever eat pizza
and nasty tater tots
in the cafeteria.
Last homeroom,
last science lab.
These are all terrible,
terrible things.
That we're never gonna
get to do again.
And, like, this stuff.
Hmm?
Well, I'm going to UCF.
You're going
to North Carolina,
you're going to Boston.
We've known each other
since we were fetuses.
And it's not gonna
be like that anymore.
And that's gonna suck for me.
Me, too.
Stop. You guys
are bumming me out.
We can't sleep.
You wanna take a walk?
Sure.
Hey.
Hey.
You cold?
Yeah.
Actually...
I'm feeling like
I'm gonna probably
get some sleep, too.
Yeah.
All right, see you.
Bye.
What was it you
wanted to tell me...
back at Jase's house,
before you puked yourself?
Nah.
It was something
stupid, probably.
I don't know.
I didn't really know you then.
You're not kind of
what I had thought.
What'd you think?
You know...
What?
That you were hot...
and your face...
and torso.
I'm sorry.
Listen, you are all those
things, obviously.
But, um...
You're also pretty cool.
Drive all this way
for your friend,
I don't know.
If you ask me,
someone like Margo
doesn't really deserve you.
You know?
Would you wanna
go to prom with me?
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Wait,
say that again?
You're really gonna
make me say it again?
Black Santas?
I know. I know.
I know it sounds weird.
It's actually 20 times
weirder in person.
No, I think
it's progressive.
No, you don't!
I do! Santa is a construct.
It doesn't make sense
that he's always
an old white guy.
I think that it's cool
that your parents are willing
to embrace the complexity
of that idea.
Yeah, I think about that
every morning...
when I eat my Lucky Charms
with a little
black Santa spoon.
You don't have to speak
Just keep me company
Be mine
Be mine
Be mine
Cool. Thank you.
So long.
Hey.
What's that look
on your face?
What? What look?
You look like...
You're acting very strange.
You are.
You got a weird little
grin on your face.
What is that about?
I don't know
what you're talking about.
Scoot! Scoot.
Ben, did you notice
something about him?
He looks kinda
strange, like he's...
You're grinning or
something. What happened?
I have news.
What?
I'm going to prom
with Lacey Pemberton.
Holy shit! Really?
Yeah.
Congratulations, man.
I know, dude.
Bloody Ben
and Lacey Pemberton.
Angela and I had sex.
Dude!
What?
- What?
You just had sex
with Angela?
Bro, are you serious?
Yeah. Don't tell her
I told you.
What are you guys
talking about?
Books.
Books?
Books?
I told them.
Bro.
I thought you could
make it to Scranton.
I really did.
Shotgun!
Move!
All right, Radar, big man,
what's the ETA?
If we continue
at yesterday's pace,
we should be there
in four hours.
All right.
Dude, awesome. That leaves
an hour to find Margo...
tell her you love her.
Back in time
for an amazing prom.
Agloe, here we come.
Hey! Check it out,
ladies and gentlemen.
This is insane.
On a drive
I'm taking backroads
High against where
the rivers are flowing
I didn't think
that our love had grown
Cross the bridge
To redefine your pain
Wide awake
I rearrange the way
I listen in the dark
Dreaming of
starting up again
According
to Omnictionary,
this should be it.
Margo?
No?
Let's look around.
Okay.
Yeah, all right.
How are we doing on time?
If we wanna make it back for
prom, we should probably...
go.
She'll be here. I know it.
Q...
She'll be here. I know it.
I know it.
It's time to go, Q.
He's right.
Guys, we can't give up yet.
It's Margo.
She's probably sitting,
watching right now, laughing.
This is our final test.
You promised
we'd be back for prom.
Not that again. Seriously?
I don't wanna
miss prom, either.
Five seconds ago,
you couldn't get a date
to prom if your life
depended on it.
And now, suddenly,
it's the end of the world
if you're not there. Just because
you don't give a shit about prom...
it doesn't mean
that nobody else does.
Prom is more important
than your best friend?
That's what you're saying?
No. That's not
what I'm saying.
Why did you even come if you're
not gonna see this through?
Because I thought
it would be fun...
because I wanted to spend time
with my two best friends...
before we leave
for college and
probably never see
each other again.
Yeah, wasn't this
fun for you?
Not if I don't find Margo.
Don't you get it?
If I don't find Margo, it's
not fun. It's all for nothing.
Wow, okay.
What about you, Lacey?
Don't you wanna find her?
I thought I did...
but you know what, Quentin?
I came all this way because
I was worried about her.
Do you think she'd do
the same for me?
Would she do it for you?
Come on.
I'm gonna stay.
I'm gonna find a bus
back to Orlando.
Have a great prom,
everybody.
- Q.
No.
Go. Go.
Are you serious?
Q, let's go.
I'm not going! Okay?
I'm not going!
All right, great.
Good luck!
I'm trying to get home
to Orlando.
Here you go.
Okay.
Margo?
Quentin.
Hi!
I knew I'd find you.
I knew it.
I can't believe
you're here.
How are you?
Wait, what? What do you mean
you can't believe I'm here?
I'm just a little surprised.
Wait, what are you
surprised about?
I followed the clues...
I found that note
that you left in my door...
and then I saw the "You will
go to the paper towns..."
I read the whole
Walt Whitman...
and, you know...
You left those clues
for me, right?
Yeah, I always
leave clues...
Yeah.
...so you'd know I was fine.
That I was okay.
I didn't think you would
come all this way.
Wait, what did you think?
Quentin,
what are you doing here?
I'm in love with you.
You're in love with me.
Yes.
Quentin...
come on.
I've loved you
since we were kids.
And I've never stopped loving
you every single day since.
You're not in love with me.
Don't say that.
You don't even know me.
Yeah, I do.
Don't say that I don't...
I don't even know me.
Q, I have no idea who I am.
Why do you think I'm here?
I...
I thought...
Why are you here?
Can I buy you a drink?
Thank you.
I'd been planning to leave
for a while, actually.
I would graduate, do the
whole cap and gown thing...
and then, the next morning...
Poof.
Into thin air.
And then I found out about the
whole Jase thing, and that was it.
I couldn't take another
second of that place.
It was really that bad?
You know what it's like.
Yeah, but...
I don't know.
You had everything.
You were
Margo Roth Spiegelman.
That's it.
That's the problem, Q.
That's exactly
what I'm talking about.
People have always
looked at me
and seen
what they wanted to see.
And yes, I know...
I cultivated it a little.
"The myth of
Margo Roth Spiegelman."
But it's just a fantasy.
And there we were...
at the top
of the SunTrust building,
looking down on the city.
And all I could
think about...
was how I felt just as paper
as everything else.
Hmm.
So then you came here?
A paper town
for a paper girl.
Not a lot to do,
but it's a great place
to read and think.
Can I ask you something?
Of course.
Where do I fit in
to all this?
You were
my first partner in crime.
I wanted you
to be my last.
And you surprised me
that night.
You really did.
You're a way better ninja
than I expected.
You know, Q,
I'm really sorry.
For what?
For all of it.
The clues.
Not being a better friend.
Ruining your last few weeks
of high school.
You didn't.
What?
You didn't ruin my last
few weeks of high school.
In fact...
I think they were
the best weeks of my life.
First party.
First road trip.
My first time
cutting class.
Everybody else is doing
things for the last time...
but I was doing them
for the first. So...
don't apologize.
Because...
none of that would have
happened without you.
Are you sure you don't
want to come back?
College, job, husband.
The allure
of a life rightly lived.
That's not me.
You know it isn't.
So, what's the plan?
I have absolutely no idea...
but I'm excited to find out.
You know, you...
you may not be the myth
we made you out to be...
but you're still
pretty something.
You're pretty something
yourself.
You could come with me,
you know.
You can't imagine
how many times
I dreamed
you would say those words.
But I have to go.
Hey.
Do you want to
call your sister?
She misses you.
We talk every day.
I'll see you.
What a treacherous thing it is
to believe that a person
is more than a person.
Margo was not a miracle.
She was not an adventurer.
She was not some fine,
precious thing.
She was a girl.
It took me a long time
to realize how wrong I was.
And not just about Margo.
I was wrong about
a lot of things.
I used to believe
everyone gets a miracle.
And I still do.
But as it turns out...
my miracle...
was this.
Don't stop, no
I'll never give up
And I'll never look back
just hold your head up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
They keep saying
Don't stop
no, it's never enough
I'll never look back
never give up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
But now I'm falling, falling
Falling, falling, falling
Falling, falling
falling, falling, oh
Now we're going down
And I can feel the eyes
are watching us so closely
I'm trying
not to make a sound
'Cause I'll be found out
somehow
Don't stop, no
I'll never give up
And I'll never look back
just hold your head up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
Don't stop
no it's never enough
I'll never look back
never give up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
So maybe we won't
all win the lottery.
Or marry royalty.
Or make that last-second shot.
But that doesn't mean we won't
have amazing adventures...
Aw...
I want one.
...meet exceptional people...
and make indelible memories.
The trick is...
to notice.
Before it's too late.
Oh, and Margo?
Someone said they
saw her in New York,
starring in a revival
of The Fantasticks.
Someone else said
she's on the West Coast
teaching surf lessons
in Malibu.
I don't listen to those
rumors anymore.
Wherever she is...
whatever she's up to...
I'm sure it's
pretty something.
But, hey...
that's her story to tell.
I know it's not the right time tonight
But I won't move until this
stops
Go back to the top
Back to the top
I'm not scared if you
run to me
Lost like when you were mine
You can take
what you want from me
Just don't
offer me your time
Stay, life can be long
Wanna know, wanna know wanna
know, wanna know it's true
When you say
I want you around
Gotta make me believe you
I know it's not the right time tonight
But I won't move until this
stops
Go back to the top
Back to the top
I know it's not the right time tonight
But I won't move until this
stops
Go back to the top
Back to the top
everyone gets a miracle.
Like, maybe you hit
the Powerball jackpot.
Or a last-second jumper
in the NBA Finals.
Maybe you make it
to outer space...
or marry the Queen of England,
or something.
If you consider
all the unlikely things
that happen
in all the world...
you gotta think
at least one of them
will happen to each of us.
Turns out,
my miracle was different.
Of all the houses
in all the subdivisions
in all the state of Florida...
I wound up living
across the street...
from Margo Roth Spiegelman.
Bring your own lampshade,
somewhere there's a party
Here it's never endin',
can't remember when it started
Pass around the lampshade,
There'll be plenty enough
room in jail
From the
moment I saw her...
I was hopelessly,
madly in love.
If bein' wrong's a crime,
I'm serving forever
If bein' strong's your kind
Then I need help here
with this feather
Due to our
close proximity
in both age and location...
and for no other reason
I could ever discern...
we soon became friends.
If bein' afraid is a crime
we hang side by side
At the swingin' party
down the line
Look.
Quentin.
He's dead.
We should get out
of here, Margo.
I thought you closed
your eyes when you died.
The truth is...
at the time,
it didn't feel like
that big a deal to me.
It's not like I knew the guy.
If I had a panic attack
every time someone
I didn't know died...
I'd go insane.
It was a much
bigger deal to Margo.
I figured it out.
His name is Robert Joyner.
He was 36.
Apparently he was
getting divorced
and he was sad about it.
How do you know all this?
I'm doing an investigation.
Are you in?
Sure.
Great. Come on.
Wait, what?
His wife works at SeaWorld.
I bet there's a clue.
Margo...
we can't go to SeaWorld.
It's almost 11:00.
I can get us in.
Come on!
I don't wanna
get in trouble.
It's a shame,
don't you think?
All those strings
inside him broke.
Margo always
loved mysteries.
And in everything
that came after,
I could never stop thinking...
maybe she
loved them so much...
she became one.
But I'm getting
ahead of myself.
A lot changed
in the years that followed.
Margo and I sort of...
drifted apart.
But I never stopped
thinking about her...
I'll get it! I'll get it.
...and hoping
I'd get a second chance.
Trick or treat!
Yeah.
- Happy Halloween, guys.
It wasn't just me.
Pretty much
everyone recognized...
Margo was different.
Margo was...
special.
Her life had become a series
of unbelievably
epic adventures.
Each one
too insane to be true.
Like the time
she spent three weeks
traveling with the circus.
Or the time she toured
with the Mallionaires
up and down the East Coast.
Look, if you ask
the bassist...
he's either gonna say
I'm his girlfriend
or he wants me to be...
Either way
I'm going back there...
so you might as well
make it easier for yourself
and just let me in.
And wherever she went...
she always left clues behind
for her little sister, Ruthie.
Or anyone else
she deemed worthy.
I was never
one of those people.
As senior year
drew to a close,
Margo and I
barely talked at all.
It's your senior prom.
I don't understand
the objection.
I have so many
objections, Mom.
Like slow dancing.
And fast dancing.
Any kind of dancing.
And wearing a rented tux.
You could take Suzie Chung.
No, we're not
a thing anymore.
But she was such a nice girl.
What happened with you two?
I don't know, it just...
Just didn't work out.
Hi, Ben. Hi, Radar.
Hi, Mrs. Jacobsen.
Hey, Mrs. Jacobsen.
I would hit that so hard.
I don't see it.
What? Q!
I'm not saying
I just wanna bang your mom.
She should be respected.
Stop.
Admired. You know,
she's a real lady.
Yeah, she's my mom.
I wanna ride bikes with her.
What?
I'd feed her grapes,
take her to Paris.
Treat her like the princess
she is. What, is that wrong?
It's weird.
It's always weird.
I wanna give her a bath.
That's gonna be so...
Oh! Hold on.
Uh-oh.
Hey, honey bunny.
How's prom looking for you?
Not a chance, Bloody Ben.
No.
No!
Freshmen know that story?
When Ben was 12...
he got a kidney infection
and started literally
pissing blood. Oh, God.
By the time he came
back from the hospital...
a rumor had spread through
the entire school...
that his condition
was the result
of chronic masturbation.
I'm never gonna
get a prom date, am I?
Don't worry about it.
Prom is a waste of time
and a waste of money.
Radar's going to prom.
Radar has a girlfriend,
so he has to go to prom.
Lame.
Radar, has she
been to your house yet?
Oh, yeah. Has your girlfriend
come to your house yet?
Stop. Isn't there a certain reason
why she doesn't
come to your house?
Radar, what up with that?
You know very well
"what up with that".
We just like
to hear you say it.
Could you tell us again?
Because of what?
I cannot hear you.
Can you project?
My parents own
the world's largest collection
of black Santas!
Oh, yeah.
You heard that correctly.
Radar's parents
were trying to get into
The Guinness Book
of World Records...
for the largest collection
of black Santas in one house.
There were over a thousand.
And they were everywhere.
And not just at Christmas.
Even so, Radar was
the first one of us
to get a serious girlfriend.
You need a prom date.
Why don't you ask that girl
you slept with at summer camp?
Oh. She's made up.
No, she's not.
But you can ask the girl
from Saskatchewan.
Oh, yeah, you could ask...
Oh, no, she's also made up.
No, they are both real.
Not made up.
Define "real".
- I don't know.
Gotta go.
Hi.
- Hey.
Hey. Let's go.
We have 10 minutes.
No, we're fine. Let's go.
Hi, Angela.
Bye, Angela.
It was nice
talking to you, Angela.
Oh, God. She's great.
Glad we can
have these chats.
So most of my days
were exactly like this.
I threw myself
into my classes...
SATs, extracurriculars.
By the end of high school...
I barely
thought of her at all.
I just had to graduate,
go off to college,
find someone new.
And forget the miracle
ever happened.
And it almost
worked out that way.
Until this one night.
Margo?
Shh.
Margo, hey.
I need to borrow your car.
What?
Your car.
I don't have a car.
I mean your mom's car.
Why can't you use your car?
My parents locked
the keys in the safe
beneath their bed.
And while I'm sure
I could go in there
and crack the combo...
it just so happens that
Myrna Mountweazel's
in there...
and that goddamn dog
despises me.
Anyway, so like I said,
I need to borrow your car.
Mmm-mmm.
Also, I need you
to drive the car...
because I have nine things
I need to do tonight...
and more than half of them
require a getaway driver.
What, are you
committing felonies?
Ooh. Remind me, is breaking
and entering a felony?
Yes. What?
Well.
Margo!
Okay.
I gotta go,
so are you in or out?
Why can't you just get
one of your underlings
to help you out?
Like Jase,
or Lacey, or Becca?
They're part
of the problem, actually.
What problem?
There are nine problems.
And your boyfriend's
one of them?
Ex-boyfriend.
Hmm.
Do you care to tell me
where we're going?
Uh, first,
we are going to BJ's.
We're going shopping?
No, we're not going shopping.
We are righting wrongs.
Then after that...
we're gonna wrong
some rights.
Basically, this is gonna be
the best night of your life.
Okay.
I really don't wanna
get into trouble.
You're a very anxious person,
aren't you, Q?
I'm not an anxious person.
I just...
I have plans and goals.
None of which
involve jail or dying.
Pull in here.
So, what plans?
Huh?
You said you had plans.
Uh... I just meant I'm going
to Duke in the fall...
then go to med school
and become an oncologist...
and obviously...
get married
and have kids by 30.
And then you'll be happy?
Huh?
When you're 30 in 12 years.
Married, kids, career.
Then you'll be happy.
Is that actually
what you're saying?
Um...
Yeah. I guess. Yeah.
Isn't there something
that could make you happy now?
Like, that's the saddest
thing I've ever heard.
Bingo!
Nair? Wait,
why do you need Nair?
All will be revealed shortly,
my young friend.
Six months older than you.
Remember that?
Oh, really? Are you?
Margo, don't.
Stop, stop! Don't.
It's really loud.
Don't. Stop.
What? Were you trying to say
something?
You can't do that.
Shh.
Stop, stop!
What else do we need?
Interesting capitalization.
I'm a big believer
in random capitalization.
The rules are so unfair
to the letters in the middle.
It's not as weird
as it looks.
Still weird.
So what happened?
With Jase
and Lacey and Becca?
Apparently, my boyfriend
of Io, these many months...
has been cheating on me.
What?
With one of my best friends.
Seriously?
Why would he do that?
Oh, next left.
Wait, this is...
This is Becca's house.
Yeah.
And there is Jase's car.
Margo, this is a bad idea.
No, Quentin.
This is a tremendous idea.
Margo. Margo.
Idiot never locks his car.
Are you sure
we should be doing this?
The Margo Roth Spiegelman
revenge plot begins.
Do you wanna do the honors?
No.
Suit yourself.
I can't believe
you just did that.
We bring the rain down
on our enemies.
"We"?
You'll see.
Hello, is this Mr. Arrington?
Do you know what time it is?
I'm so sorry,
but I just thought
you'd like to know
that your daughter
is having sex
in your basement right now.
Goodbye.
What was that voice?
Let me use your phone.
Quickly.
Here.
Get in position.
What do you mean?
What do I do?
Four...
Three...
Two...
Take the picture, now!
Go!
Watch this.
What?
Well, that was fun.
He totally saw me.
What? So?
So, he could kick my ass.
He won't.
What makes you so sure?
Let me see.
What?
The Rhode Island
of penises.
It may have
an illustrious history...
but it sure isn't big.
Okay. Now we go inside.
No. What? No, no.
This fish is for Becca
and it goes in her house.
No, no. Come on, Margo.
We're gonna get caught.
We can't go inside.
I'll be lookout.
You can do
whatever you want, Q.
Damn it.
What the hell was that?
Dad, I'm sorry, okay?
"I'm sorry"?
That's completely
unacceptable.
I really like him, Dad!
He does not love you!
Yes, he does!
Who's down there?
Go, go, go.
I have a gun!
Shit!
Are you kidding?
Yeah, run!
Couldn't you have just thrown
it through a window or something?
We bring the rain,
not the scattered showers.
That was fun.
That was pretty fun.
Yeah.
You okay?
Yeah.
I don't know.
I just thought
maybe it wasn't true.
Ah.
Anyway, moving on.
Lacey's?
Has Lacey
been naughty or nice?
Lacey has been
distinctly naughty.
We've been best friends
since the 5th grade.
And then?
And then,
she didn't tell me about Jase.
Ready?
Ta-da!
Nice.
Unsentimental
Traveling around
Oh, my God, it's so late.
If you're tired,
we can go home.
I thought so.
In the aisles of the grocery
And the blocks uptown
Who lives here?
Chuck Parson.
Chuck Parson?
You didn't think a scumbag
like Chuck Parson
could emerge
unscathed, did you?
He's Jase's best friend.
He's an accomplice.
Uh...
Don't worry.
He's a heavy sleeper.
Don't, don't, don't.
The 6th-grade dance?
Hmm?
Chuck told all the girls not to dance
with you and we all went along with it.
All of us.
I'm really sorry, Quentin.
No, it's okay.
That was a...
That was a long time ago.
Here.
No, thanks.
There's gonna come a time
in your life...
where you're gonna look back
on this moment...
and you're gonna think...
"What do I regret more?
"Removing Chuck's eyebrow...
"or not removing
Chuck's eyebrow?"
All right, give it to me.
What the...?
Look at us. We're ninjas!
Maybe you're a ninja.
I'm not a ninja.
You're a ninja too.
Just a really awkward one.
I can feel my heart
beating in my chest.
That's how you know
you're having fun.
Okay. So what's this about?
Come on.
Well, at the end
of a grand adventure...
one must pause and reflect
on one's achievements.
And the best place
in Orlando to do that...
is the SunTrust building.
Stop.
What?
Stop it.
What?
You promised me
no breaking and entering.
We're not breaking
and entering.
We're just entering.
Very clever.
I can't get arrested
tonight. Or ever.
You won't!
It's the
SunTrust building.
There's gotta be
a guard or something.
Well, of course there is.
His name's Gus.
- You know the name of the...
Yep.
Of course you do. Yeah,
you know the name
of the guard.
- Hey, Margo.
Hey, Gus.
Do you mind
if we go upstairs for a bit?
- Mi casa es su casa.
Cool.
Who's the kid?
It's Q.
Me?
I'm six months older
than her.
Welcome to my office.
Nice music.
Soothing sounds
of corporate America.
Whoa!
Come here.
Okay, so, over there
is Jefferson Park.
Mmm-hmm.
All the lights
are off, so that's good.
And over here
is Chuck's house.
No lights, no cops.
Seems quiet.
I think we're in the clear.
It's beautiful.
You think so?
Uh...
From a distance, I mean.
Yeah.
Everything's uglier up close.
Not you.
It's a paper town.
Hmm?
Look at it.
All those paper houses
and paper streets and...
And the people, too.
I've lived here 11 years...
and I've never
come across anyone
that cares about
anything that matters.
Okay, I'll try not
to take that personally.
Here's a tip, Quentin.
You're cute
when you're confident.
Less when you're not.
Hey.
May I have this dance?
You owe me one.
Maybe things
would have been different...
if I'd hung out with you
this whole time.
It's not too late.
Whoa!
Hey, Margo.
What happens now?
Will things be different...
tomorrow?
I really hope so.
Yeah?
Yeah.
Me, too.
Okay, you see this?
This is your comfort zone.
It's this big, Quentin.
All the things
that you want in the world...
are way out there.
The way you felt tonight...
that is the way
you should feel
your whole life.
All right.
See you.
Hey.
Hey!
Morning, sleepyhead.
Been trying to wake you
for 20 minutes.
Some dream
you must have been having.
Getting you a date
to prom is so hard
that the hypothetical
idea itself...
is used to cut diamonds.
That's a good one.
Q.
What are you doing?
What?
Nothing.
That was so weird.
I know it was you!
Relax, relax.
Yo, don't tell me to relax!
I know it was you at Becca's!
I'm gonna kick your ass!
Are you sure
you wanna do that?
I mean...
Even if I enlarge it...
Put that away.
Wow.
I'm sorry. This is the part
where I get confused.
You did not hook up
with Margo Roth Spiegelman?
No, we did not hook up.
What?
I'm so confused.
What is wrong with you?
Me? What's wrong
with you, bro?
Margo Roth Spiegelman,
2:00 a.m., she's single...
she's dancing, it's dark.
And you don't make the move.
I don't understand that.
It's not even
like that. It's like...
I don't know.
We were connecting.
We were on a mission.
It was different.
So now what?
I don't know.
I'll let you know
when I see her.
You need aglets.
You need aglets to exist.
I get that you need them.
- But to exist?
But Margo never
made it to school that day.
Or the next day.
Or the day after that.
Guy heard her singing
karaoke in the mall.
Next thing you know,
she's signed to his label.
She's in New York right now,
recording an album.
I know for a fact
she's in Iceland,
saving the whales.
No, it wasn't Iceland.
It was Greenland.
Where did you hear that?
Like everyone else,
I started to wonder...
"Where the hell was she?"
What was she doing?
Who was she with?
Why wasn't it me?
I know this is
a difficult situation for you.
Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Spiegelman.
Hello, Quentin.
This is Detective Warren.
Sounds like Margo's
run away again.
For the fifth time.
Deb.
What?
Hank, I am tired of this.
She's 18.
Let her do what she wants.
What do you know about it?
Hmm? Me?
Yeah.
When was the last time
you saw Margo?
Uh...
It was Wednesday, I think.
Yeah, Wednesday night.
She came to my window
and we talked
for a second
and then she left.
You guys don't think...
something happened to her,
or anything, right?
We know
exactly what's happened.
She's bored.
She wants attention.
She'll come back
when she runs out of money...
or when people
stop talking about her.
So you don't wanna
file a missing persons report?
She's not missing. She's gone.
There's a difference.
Yeah.
Not your top candidates
for parents of the year.
But they weren't wrong
about one thing.
If she was gone...
she wouldn't be found
until she wanted to be.
Yeah, whatever, bro.
She left town.
There's plenty other honey
bunnies in the sea.
What, like Fattina?
Uh... Ha-ha!
- Not "Fattina".
- It's "Bettina".
Doesn't even sound
like a real name. Yeah.
What was
her last name?
I don't know.
Just say her last name.
Three, two, one.
It was a one hit, and a quit.
It was a "hit it and quit it"?
Yeah. I hit that honey bunny.
I've told you guys this
so many times.
I don't wanna
go over this again.
Tell us.
I wanna hear it again.
Cousin's house.
Right, Bettina was
your cousin. I forgot.
No! Bettina was
not my cousin!
You slept with your cousin.
Not my cousin.
It's so hard when
you wanna sleep
with someone
that's not in your family.
No!
"Man, I slept with
someone in my family." No, no, no.
I just feel if we're gonna
validate the story,
could we get a couple details?
All right,
I'll give it to you straight.
So, I'm in Saskatchewan.
My cousin Danny's like,
"Yo, Ben,
I'm throwing a party."
I'm like, "Yo, what's up?
Let's do it."
So, he throws a party. Bettina
comes over, looks at me.
She's like,
"What?" We go upstairs...
So, she's
making strange noises?
No, she's making a call.
Like a bird
makes to another bird.
So you walked in,
and Bettina went...
Mating time, bro.
Mating time.
Just say something true.
What do you mean,
"Say something true"?
Just say anything true.
I'm saying all this is true.
I so don't believe you.
It's true!
What, you don't believe me?
No, no.
That's fine. Go poop.
Shut up! Shut up.
We're not even
talking about me.
We're talking about
you and Angela.
Little honey bunny.
Don't call her "honey bunny".
You gonna tap that ass,
son? Don't call me "son".
When you gonna get up in
it? Don't say "tap that ass".
Do a little dance for her. Stop.
Show her what you're
working with. Come on.
If you must know, we're...
We're waiting till prom.
Why?
Because we want it
to be special.
Radar, that's
so beautiful. I think...
I think I wanna be with you.
Stop.
Hey, guys.
Stop.
Hey, guys.
What?
There's something
in Margo's window.
Has that thing
always been there?
I don't know.
The shade's never drawn.
"Woody Guthrie,
folk singer.
"Born 1912. Died 1967."
Come and sit by my side,
if you love me
It's looking
right at you, Q.
Do not hasten
to bid me adieu
I know.
Hey, Ruthie.
Hey, Quentin.
Your parents
aren't home, are they?
No, they went to the mall.
Would it be cool if we went up
to Margo's room for a sec?
Why?
Just wanted to check
on something.
Margo doesn't like
people in her room.
Okay, but we're her friends.
No, you're not.
And, if you were...
you'd know she doesn't like
people in her room.
She has every album ever
made, except Woody Guthrie.
Up.
Sorry.
Mind if I...
Don't even think about it.
What are you guys
even looking for anyway?
We don't really know.
Clues.
We're detectives.
Hey, look.
Holy shit-stickers.
What do we got?
"Walt Whitman's
Niece," circled.
What do you think it means?
Oh! Wait.
What?
I think she's
sending you a message.
What message?
"Come find me."
Last night or the night
before that
I won't say which night
A seaman friend of mine
I'll not say
which seaman
Walked up
to a big old building
I won't say
which building
And would not have
walked up the stairs
Not to say
which stairs
If there had not
have been two girls
It's a call to arms.
It's a way of her saying...
"Take a risk, asshole.
Stop playing it so safe."
Maybe that's what she's been
trying to tell me the whole time...
like with the
paper towns thing.
She's like...
"I'm making a move, Q.
"I'm going after it.
Come with me."
So, if you crack the code
and find out where she is...
Can I talk to you?
Hi, Lacey.
You were with her
that night, right?
The night with the Saran Wrap?
Yeah.
Was she mad at me?
Nah, she was...
disappointed.
In what? What did I do?
That you knew about
Becca and Jase.
No, see, that...
That's the thing.
I had no idea. If I knew,
I would've said something.
Okay, Margo
seemed to think that...
She's wrong.
Yeah, I believe you.
It's just,
Chuck knew this whole time,
which is awesome.
So, now we're broken up...
and I don't have
a date to prom
the week before prom...
and my best friend is off
doing God knows what...
thinking that
I betrayed her,
which is something
I would never do.
I'm sorry
to tell all of that to you.
No, it's okay.
I'm sorry, what did
you say about prom?
Something about a date?
If you hear from her,
will you tell me?
Why would I hear from her?
You were with her that night.
Her last night.
It has to mean something.
See you, guys.
That was the greatest
30 seconds of my life.
Walt Whitman's
from New York.
Woody Guthrie
lived in New York for a while.
Maybe that's something.
You think she's in New
York? It's possible.
Did she ever
mention New York or...
No, she didn't
mention New York to me...
but I didn't talk to her
for nine years, so that's...
Yeah, that's true.
I'm taking Lacey to prom.
What?
You're what?
You guys didn't see it?
We had a moment back there.
Must've missed that.
"Unscrew the locks
from the doors."
It's a metaphor.
But what if it isn't?
What if it's instructions?
Hmm.
I thought there'd be a...
Just put it back.
Gravity to the second power.
Yep.
Radar, what are you
up to tonight?
I promised Angela
I'd take her shoe shopping.
Shoe shopping?
Yeah, she decided today
that she doesn't like
the prom shoes she bought...
so I'm taking her
to the mall
while their Midnight Madness
sale is still going on.
It's a pretty good sale
they got going on.
Radar, Radar, Radar.
I found something.
What?
An address.
It wasn't in Margo's doorjamb,
it was in mine.
8328...
Bartlesville Avenue.
That's not
a nice neighborhood.
Okay. Still, we have to go.
But not tonight, obviously.
Wait, what? Why not tonight?
Because you're
a rational human being.
And because
you weigh 130 pounds
and don't wanna die.
You can't go
to a strange building
in the Detroit-iest part
of Orlando...
in the middle of the night.
All right, fine.
We'll go tomorrow morning?
But we have school tomorrow.
Not if we don't show up.
Angela's gonna kill me.
No, she won't kill you.
Every day
I walk her to calculus.
She'll survive.
What about Lacey?
What if she's looking for me?
Has Lacey ever been
looking for you?
We might miss
something important.
You're missing gym class.
Guys, seriously,
if you don't wanna go...
It's not that. It's just,
I've never missed
school before.
Neither have I.
Yeah, and it feels
kind of wrong.
I give you that. It does feel
kind of wrong. But it also...
...feels kind of right.
Am I right?
Using that voice
doesn't change anything.
Aw, but doesn't it?
It changes a little.
I think it changes
something a little bit.
Doesn't change it
a little bit?
We got no time to waste!
Yeah, see?
We gotta go right now!
Let's go find Margo!
Start the car, let's go.
Was that Italian?
A full right?
Yeah.
You're
terrible at directions.
Whatever. This is it.
This is it?
Why would she come here?
It's locked.
Now what?
Get a rock?
Margo?
Anyone?
Guys?
I think the last time
I was this scared,
I had to sleep
with the light on.
Last time I was this scared,
I had to sleep
with a stuffed animal.
Last time I was this scared,
I had to sleep
in my mom's bed.
Q, if I were you,
I would get that scared
every single night.
So, we're in
a souvenir store?
No Margo.
For some reason,
she wanted you to come here.
This stuff is old.
Guys?
Did you
find something?
Paper towns.
Bro, can we go?
What if it's Margo?
What if it's literally
anything else?
Goodbye.
In a thousand pages,
they talk about
whale anatomy...
and in the last 50 pages
the dude kills the whale.
So, it's not about
a dude killing a whale.
Maybe it's about a guy
who actually believes...
that if he chases this whale
down and kills this whale...
it's gonna give his life
some meaning. That's Ahab.
It's a common
misconception that...
...a lot of people...
Don't forget, final papers
are due next week.
Also, pick up
your pop quizzes
from yesterday
on your way out.
You're not gonna
be too happy.
No circling
two answers next time.
Like I'm just gonna
let you get the one
that you didn't mean.
Not cool.
There was a quiz yesterday?
Pop quiz. You missed it.
Is there any way that I can
get a makeup test?
It's one quiz, Quentin. Relax.
You can still be a doctor.
All right, get out.
Yes.
Okay.
Hey.
Oh, hey.
Anything?
Did she ever say
anything to you about
an abandoned building
on the west side?
Like, an old souvenir shop?
No. You think
she'd be there?
I don't know,
but I think she was once
and it's connected somehow.
See you tonight?
Oh. I don't know. Probably.
Let me know
if you need a ride.
Okay.
Party at Jase's.
I thought you weren't
talking to Jase.
I'm not.
But you can still
go to a party at his house?
Everyone's going.
Not everyone.
We should totally go!
Wait, what? Jase
Worthington's house? Yes!
Are you crazy?
It's just a party.
We've never been
to one of those.
We've been to plenty of parties. No.
If there's a tuba there,
it's not a party.
All right.
I don't believe this, Radar.
What about Angela?
Angela is a mature,
intelligent,
understanding woman...
who never has to know
about this.
I don't wanna go to a party
at Jase Worthington's house.
You guys can go.
Q, are you seriously
gonna spend
the rest of high school pining
for a girl that ran away?
I'm not pining for her, okay?
I'm trying to find her.
Stop being an asshole.
I'm not being an asshole.
I'm trying to be
a regular kid for a change.
Have fun.
What?
Hello, Quentin.
Margo, where have you been?
Everywhere.
Nowhere.
You have to get lost
before you find yourself.
People were worried about you.
No, they weren't.
I was.
You're sweet, Quentin.
You've always been sweet.
I'm glad you're back, Margo.
But I'm not.
Are you gonna answer that?
- Hello?
Q?
Q, yes! Yes!
Quentin Jacobsen is inside
of my phone, everybody!
Ben, give me the phone.
Stop it!
Stop. Go lie down.
Stop it! Gonna go party.
Go, sit down.
Hey, how soon
can you get here?
It's chaos. We need you.
Ben needs you.
No. I told you I'm not going
to Worthington's.
Plus, Ben's, like...
Ben's a dick.
You know what your
problem is, Quentin?
You keep expecting people
to not be themselves.
You are not Ben.
Ben is not you.
We're all different people.
That's why we're best friends.
All right?
Get in your van
and get over here.
Besides, Margo's been in this
house a million times.
You might even find something.
I think we might
be here for a while.
I'm gonna be back.
You're so much
better than her.
Yeah, Jase?
Yeah.
Becca.
Who's there?
Whoa!
Hi. Lacey.
What the hell
are you doing in here?
I'm just peeing.
Well, stop.
I can't just stop like that.
Okay, fine.
Finish and then get out.
Okay.
Sorry about that.
You okay, Lacey?
I've been better.
You wanna get
in the tub with me?
Not like that.
Not like that!
Um...
Yeah, sure.
Look at me.
Huh?
What's the first word
that pops into your head?
I don't know. I can't...
Come on.
Beautiful.
See, no. No.
Okay.
What?
That's the problem.
No one ever looks at me
and thinks that I'm smart...
or clever...
or interesting, you know?
I have a brain.
I'm going to Dartmouth.
So, uh...
Is that what you're
upset about?
Becca and I got in a fight.
She called me a bitch
and a whore.
And then she stood
on a couch
and shushed
the entire party
and told them
I have chlamydia.
Oh, man.
Yeah. Which, I don't.
Yeah.
Anymore.
But, I'm not a slut.
I don't think you're a slut.
Thanks.
Don't even...
Becca's just jealous.
Why would Becca be jealous?
She's dating Jase.
She's gonna be prom queen.
She's basically
the new Margo.
No one will ever be
the new Margo.
You're right.
No one could ever be
the new Margo.
Really?
I hate that guy.
Me, too.
He's the worst.
The worst.
Here, let me help you up.
Thanks.
Hey, if anyone gives you
any trouble...
Thanks.
I can't fight, but...
Thank you.
Hey. I'm gonna
catch up with you.
Okay.
Okay.
Valar morghulis!
Dude,
put your shirt on. Get down.
Valar morghulis!
How much did he drink?
I think it's
stuck to my hand.
Hey, Ben?
Yes, Quentin, approach.
I pronounce thee a knight
of the Hefeweizen
Order, all right?
Thanks, Ben.
Hey, we gotta go.
No, I wanna party.
I think I know
where Margo is.
Wait, for real?
Yeah.
Lacey!
Lacey!
I have to tell you
something, okay?
It's not the beer talking,
okay? It's the me talking.
I just needed beer...
to get the words
from my brain to my mouth.
I wanted to say this
for a really long time.
Ben! Hey!
Ben? You all right?
Let's get out of here.
I feel so much better.
Let's go, buddy.
God save the Queen!
Stop.
Radar, I love you.
Don't kiss me.
Where are we going?
You'll see.
I love you.
It's not that shady-ass
shopping center, is it?
What?
Q!
Oh, God.
Isn't this far enough?
No. Come on, guys.
Let's sing a song.
What?
You don't get as scared
if you sing.
Okay. What should we sing?
I don't know, anything.
Maybe just sing the first song
that pops into your head.
I wanna be
the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them
is my real test
To train them
is my cause
That's the first song
that popped in your head?
It's working.
I will travel across the
land Searching far and wide
Each Pokmon to understand
The power that's inside
Pokmon! Gotta catch 'em
It's you and me
I know it's my destiny
Pokmon!
Oh, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokmon! Gotta catch 'em
A heart so true
Your courage
will pull us through
You teach me
and I'll teach you
Pokmon!
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all
Gotta catch 'em all
Hey!
Oh...
Jesus Christ.
Lacey?
You scared
the shit out of us.
What are you guys
doing here?
What are you doing here?
I followed you.
I don't know.
I thought maybe you found her.
No, she's not here...
but I think I know
where she might be.
Guys, come on. This way.
I wasn't scared before,
back there.
Okay.
Just love me some Pikachu.
I'm more of a Charizard girl.
What is it?
Margo hung something here...
and I think it was a map.
Okay.
This is Margo's map.
And this is where
she used to hang it.
So where is she now?
Let's see.
She is...
somewhere...
in upstate New York.
Can you be
any less specific?
This... general area.
Is there a town?
Let me see.
Yeah, there's...
There's nothing there, bro.
There has to be
something there.
Roscoe, Rockland, Beaverkill,
Agloe, Chatham, Wallaceberg.
These are all the towns
in that general vicinity.
Are any of them paper towns?
What's a paper town?
It's a fake city
that map makers
would put on their maps...
so if they get copied
illegally, they'd know...
...that they're being copied.
Whoa.
What?
Agloe, New York.
"Agloe, New York,
population zero...
"is one of the most famous
paper towns in America."
Look at this.
"The present
day population
"of Agloe, New York, is 1."
She's in Agloe.
What?
Agloe.
Q, you gotta go.
What?
That's where Margo is.
You need to go right now.
Were you listening, Ben?
It's New York.
I can't go to New York.
Why? You have a car.
What is stopping you?
Like, 1,200 miles.
Well, there you go.
That's 1,200 miles between you
and your love of your life.
Because you love her, right?
Yeah, I do.
There you go.
Your true love waits.
You're right.
I'm gonna do it.
Do it!
Wait, I wanna go.
Wait, what?
She's my best friend.
I'm going with you.
Okay.
If she's going...
I'm definitely going.
Okay, yeah. All right.
Radar?
I don't know, guys.
Come on, buddy!
If we're all going,
let's just make this a trip.
What about your
parents? What about school?
Parents, bro.
What about prom?
Who cares about prom?
We're not missing prom!
Okay, fine,
we'll get back by prom.
You're really doing this?
And we're doing it now.
Doing
it right this damn second!
We got no time
to waste, Radar.
Okay.
Yes!
Yay, Let's go!
We gotta make a stop, first.
You know how I told you
I was staying in
to watch the Cosmos marathon?
I lied. I was at a party.
Not only that...
but I drank a beer.
I didn't drink it,
but I held it.
Girls were talking to me.
And now the guys and I...
Correction. The guys and I
and Lacey Pemberton...
we're driving to New York.
Wait, you're what?
It's a really long story.
Are you breaking up with me?
Am I...? What?
No, no, no.
I wanted to be
honest with you
and I don't want you
to be mad at me.
Marcus,
why do I get
the feeling that
you're afraid of me?
I'm not.
That is... That's... What?
You pretended to like
that Ed Sheeran song
when I know you didn't.
It was mixed well.
You've never once invited me
to hang out with your friends.
That's more about
them than you.
You've never even had me
over to your house.
Uh...
Why is that?
Hmm?
It's a story
for another time.
I promise, Angela,
one day I will answer that,
but not today.
I'm not afraid of you.
I'm afraid of losing you.
Aw.
Marcus.
Angela's gonna come with us.
- Okay.
Hey!
Hi.
- Hello.
Don't say anything stupid.
When would we ever?
This is definitely
the craziest thing
I will ever do in my life.
Not if I can help it.
Embedded in a magazine
Embedded in a drama queen
According
to my calculations,
our average cruising speed
should be 72.
You're going 64.
I don't
wanna get pulled over.
We're not gonna make it.
We're gonna make it.
We have plenty of time.
We're gonna make it.
Excuse me,
I hope you don't think that
we're gonna be back
with 20 minutes to spare.
I have a hair appointment.
Angela has to get
her nails done.
Do you know how long it takes
to put on a prom dress?
The answer is all day.
Plus, my parents
wanna take pictures.
We have a limo coming.
We have to be back
with 12 hours to spare
or prom is ruined.
Prom is very important.
Thank you.
I have to pee.
- Ben.
Lacey!
Oh, shit!
I really have to pee.
Pull over.
No, we can only
stop four times...
if we're gonna get there,
find Margo,
and be back
in time for prom.
How long have we been driving?
35 minutes.
I'll hold it. Yep.
I'm gonna hold it.
- Good.
I'll hold it. Yep.
Nope, we gotta stop.
No, we're not stopping.
Bro! You don't...
Just think about
something else.
Yeah.
Like what?
Like rainstorms.
Or waterfalls.
An exploding bladder.
That is not helping, Radar.
Not helping.
70% of my body is urine.
I'm going as fast as I can.
Not exactly true.
I'm going
as fast as I'm willing.
Oh, my God,
I think I'm gonna cry.
I'm gonna cry pee.
Oh, my God.
No.
Here, pee in this.
No, do not get
pee in my car.
- No, Ben...
Gross.
Hey! Do you want me to die?
Do you want me to die?
Why?
Why are you doing this?
It's so gross.
Radar, it's so good.
Don't say my name.
Radar, it feels so good.
Oh, my God.
Uh...
I'm gonna need another can.
No!
Grab it!
Guys, another can...
- Take it!
I'm switching,
I'm switching.
Careful!
So gross!
It's nasty.
Yes!
What's happening
back there?
I'm Ben Starling.
Oh, my God.
JPHS marching band.
Oh, my God.
Keg stand record holder.
And now, I am
pee-in-the-car champion!
Ben.
I'm the greatest!
I shook up the world!
No!
Perhaps we should make
one of those stops now.
All right. This is how
this is gonna work.
If we're gonna
keep on schedule,
we have six minutes.
I'm the gas man.
I start the fill-up...
you guys run inside
while the pump is pumping.
I take the credit card
to the guy
behind the counter...
and hold our spot in line.
I pee.
Jesus, dude.
What? I had a lot to drink.
I've got liquids.
Q?
Tortilla chips,
beef jerky, pretzels,
peanuts, Milk Duds,
Twizzlers. Got it.
And definitely,
definitely
get cleaning supplies.
It reeks in here.
Whoo!
You like dragons?
No.
One minute!
Someone
better get me a shirt.
Me, too.
As soon as the tank is
full, I'm honking the horn...
and all of you guys have
10 seconds to hop back in...
or I'm leaving your asses.
Except you, baby.
Aw.
You guys need a bag?
Uh...
No, thank you.
Go, go, go!
Six minutes flat!
Get in, get in, get in!
Yeah. Nice.
I'm gonna need one of those.
Thank you.
Really?
Dude, I just grabbed them
out of a bin. I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
You kidding me?
Last time you're going
shopping for me, Q.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Yeah,
it's better that way.
Coming to your house
Knocking at your door
You mind a sip of wine?
You cool me, cool me down
Do you know me
you know me, you know me
Do you know me now?
Oh
The kid you used to be
Well, I know that
you're still there
I hope you had
a great summer
Mom, I'm sorry.
It was super last-minute.
We're not going
to New York City.
We're going to New York State.
It's way safer.
Just two days. I love you,
Mom. Thank you. Bye.
I hope you
had a great summer
A great summer away
I hope you
had a great summer
A great summer away
I still can't believe
she hasn't called.
They probably don't
have phones in Agloe.
She has a cell.
How do we know that she's
even still in Agloe?
I just do.
I bet she's in the middle
of the Atlantic somewhere.
On some billionaire's yacht.
Maybe she's been
back in Orlando
watching us look for her.
Nope. She's in Agloe.
I promise.
I admire your faith.
It's very romantic.
Thank you. I'm on a mission.
I'm Captain Ahab.
You do realize Captain Ahab's
not the hero of that story?
Only because
he didn't succeed.
I don't think that...
Q! Hey!
Is everyone
all right?
I'm okay. Are you okay?
Oh, my God.
You guys okay?
Hey, Ben, you okay?
Hey.
Hey.
Your face is bleeding.
What?
Ooh.
It's not that bad,
It's just...
Thanks.
Thank you. Okay, bye.
All right. It's gonna be
a couple of hours.
All right.
It looks good, considering.
Considering we didn't die.
Yeah.
Yeah.
What happened?
There was a cow
in the middle of the highway.
Cow? It was a land whale.
And Ben, at the last second,
grabbed the steering wheel...
spun us to safety,
saves our lives.
You were
a vehicular ballerina.
I didn't know
what I was doing.
It was the best damn
passenger seat driving
I've ever seen in my
entire life. Thank you.
Yeah, it's what
I'm here for, so...
All right,
now what do we do?
We wait.
I think we could probably
all use some rest.
Seriously.
How we
doing on time?
I'll miss
my hair appointment...
but a few hours
won't hurt us.
Guys,
before this week...
I think the craziest thing
that we did
was sneak into Snow Dogs
without paying.
Snow Dogs.
I love that movie.
Remember the time that we
stole your dad's cigars...
then we all smoked them
behind the house?
You couldn't stop coughing.
Yeah. It was gross!
That was disgusting.
I don't think you're supposed
to inhale it. Good times.
Remember that time
when we were all
definitely gonna die
but then Ben
grabbed the steering wheel
and we didn't die?
Pretty awesome.
Thank you. Thank you.
Yeah, I can't believe
it's almost over.
The road trip?
High school.
We hate high school.
He's right, though.
I've been thinking
about it a lot lately.
The lastness of it all.
The last time we'll ever
be together in the band room.
Last time we'll
ever eat pizza
and nasty tater tots
in the cafeteria.
Last homeroom,
last science lab.
These are all terrible,
terrible things.
That we're never gonna
get to do again.
And, like, this stuff.
Hmm?
Well, I'm going to UCF.
You're going
to North Carolina,
you're going to Boston.
We've known each other
since we were fetuses.
And it's not gonna
be like that anymore.
And that's gonna suck for me.
Me, too.
Stop. You guys
are bumming me out.
We can't sleep.
You wanna take a walk?
Sure.
Hey.
Hey.
You cold?
Yeah.
Actually...
I'm feeling like
I'm gonna probably
get some sleep, too.
Yeah.
All right, see you.
Bye.
What was it you
wanted to tell me...
back at Jase's house,
before you puked yourself?
Nah.
It was something
stupid, probably.
I don't know.
I didn't really know you then.
You're not kind of
what I had thought.
What'd you think?
You know...
What?
That you were hot...
and your face...
and torso.
I'm sorry.
Listen, you are all those
things, obviously.
But, um...
You're also pretty cool.
Drive all this way
for your friend,
I don't know.
If you ask me,
someone like Margo
doesn't really deserve you.
You know?
Would you wanna
go to prom with me?
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Wait,
say that again?
You're really gonna
make me say it again?
Black Santas?
I know. I know.
I know it sounds weird.
It's actually 20 times
weirder in person.
No, I think
it's progressive.
No, you don't!
I do! Santa is a construct.
It doesn't make sense
that he's always
an old white guy.
I think that it's cool
that your parents are willing
to embrace the complexity
of that idea.
Yeah, I think about that
every morning...
when I eat my Lucky Charms
with a little
black Santa spoon.
You don't have to speak
Just keep me company
Be mine
Be mine
Be mine
Cool. Thank you.
So long.
Hey.
What's that look
on your face?
What? What look?
You look like...
You're acting very strange.
You are.
You got a weird little
grin on your face.
What is that about?
I don't know
what you're talking about.
Scoot! Scoot.
Ben, did you notice
something about him?
He looks kinda
strange, like he's...
You're grinning or
something. What happened?
I have news.
What?
I'm going to prom
with Lacey Pemberton.
Holy shit! Really?
Yeah.
Congratulations, man.
I know, dude.
Bloody Ben
and Lacey Pemberton.
Angela and I had sex.
Dude!
What?
- What?
You just had sex
with Angela?
Bro, are you serious?
Yeah. Don't tell her
I told you.
What are you guys
talking about?
Books.
Books?
Books?
I told them.
Bro.
I thought you could
make it to Scranton.
I really did.
Shotgun!
Move!
All right, Radar, big man,
what's the ETA?
If we continue
at yesterday's pace,
we should be there
in four hours.
All right.
Dude, awesome. That leaves
an hour to find Margo...
tell her you love her.
Back in time
for an amazing prom.
Agloe, here we come.
Hey! Check it out,
ladies and gentlemen.
This is insane.
On a drive
I'm taking backroads
High against where
the rivers are flowing
I didn't think
that our love had grown
Cross the bridge
To redefine your pain
Wide awake
I rearrange the way
I listen in the dark
Dreaming of
starting up again
According
to Omnictionary,
this should be it.
Margo?
No?
Let's look around.
Okay.
Yeah, all right.
How are we doing on time?
If we wanna make it back for
prom, we should probably...
go.
She'll be here. I know it.
Q...
She'll be here. I know it.
I know it.
It's time to go, Q.
He's right.
Guys, we can't give up yet.
It's Margo.
She's probably sitting,
watching right now, laughing.
This is our final test.
You promised
we'd be back for prom.
Not that again. Seriously?
I don't wanna
miss prom, either.
Five seconds ago,
you couldn't get a date
to prom if your life
depended on it.
And now, suddenly,
it's the end of the world
if you're not there. Just because
you don't give a shit about prom...
it doesn't mean
that nobody else does.
Prom is more important
than your best friend?
That's what you're saying?
No. That's not
what I'm saying.
Why did you even come if you're
not gonna see this through?
Because I thought
it would be fun...
because I wanted to spend time
with my two best friends...
before we leave
for college and
probably never see
each other again.
Yeah, wasn't this
fun for you?
Not if I don't find Margo.
Don't you get it?
If I don't find Margo, it's
not fun. It's all for nothing.
Wow, okay.
What about you, Lacey?
Don't you wanna find her?
I thought I did...
but you know what, Quentin?
I came all this way because
I was worried about her.
Do you think she'd do
the same for me?
Would she do it for you?
Come on.
I'm gonna stay.
I'm gonna find a bus
back to Orlando.
Have a great prom,
everybody.
- Q.
No.
Go. Go.
Are you serious?
Q, let's go.
I'm not going! Okay?
I'm not going!
All right, great.
Good luck!
I'm trying to get home
to Orlando.
Here you go.
Okay.
Margo?
Quentin.
Hi!
I knew I'd find you.
I knew it.
I can't believe
you're here.
How are you?
Wait, what? What do you mean
you can't believe I'm here?
I'm just a little surprised.
Wait, what are you
surprised about?
I followed the clues...
I found that note
that you left in my door...
and then I saw the "You will
go to the paper towns..."
I read the whole
Walt Whitman...
and, you know...
You left those clues
for me, right?
Yeah, I always
leave clues...
Yeah.
...so you'd know I was fine.
That I was okay.
I didn't think you would
come all this way.
Wait, what did you think?
Quentin,
what are you doing here?
I'm in love with you.
You're in love with me.
Yes.
Quentin...
come on.
I've loved you
since we were kids.
And I've never stopped loving
you every single day since.
You're not in love with me.
Don't say that.
You don't even know me.
Yeah, I do.
Don't say that I don't...
I don't even know me.
Q, I have no idea who I am.
Why do you think I'm here?
I...
I thought...
Why are you here?
Can I buy you a drink?
Thank you.
I'd been planning to leave
for a while, actually.
I would graduate, do the
whole cap and gown thing...
and then, the next morning...
Poof.
Into thin air.
And then I found out about the
whole Jase thing, and that was it.
I couldn't take another
second of that place.
It was really that bad?
You know what it's like.
Yeah, but...
I don't know.
You had everything.
You were
Margo Roth Spiegelman.
That's it.
That's the problem, Q.
That's exactly
what I'm talking about.
People have always
looked at me
and seen
what they wanted to see.
And yes, I know...
I cultivated it a little.
"The myth of
Margo Roth Spiegelman."
But it's just a fantasy.
And there we were...
at the top
of the SunTrust building,
looking down on the city.
And all I could
think about...
was how I felt just as paper
as everything else.
Hmm.
So then you came here?
A paper town
for a paper girl.
Not a lot to do,
but it's a great place
to read and think.
Can I ask you something?
Of course.
Where do I fit in
to all this?
You were
my first partner in crime.
I wanted you
to be my last.
And you surprised me
that night.
You really did.
You're a way better ninja
than I expected.
You know, Q,
I'm really sorry.
For what?
For all of it.
The clues.
Not being a better friend.
Ruining your last few weeks
of high school.
You didn't.
What?
You didn't ruin my last
few weeks of high school.
In fact...
I think they were
the best weeks of my life.
First party.
First road trip.
My first time
cutting class.
Everybody else is doing
things for the last time...
but I was doing them
for the first. So...
don't apologize.
Because...
none of that would have
happened without you.
Are you sure you don't
want to come back?
College, job, husband.
The allure
of a life rightly lived.
That's not me.
You know it isn't.
So, what's the plan?
I have absolutely no idea...
but I'm excited to find out.
You know, you...
you may not be the myth
we made you out to be...
but you're still
pretty something.
You're pretty something
yourself.
You could come with me,
you know.
You can't imagine
how many times
I dreamed
you would say those words.
But I have to go.
Hey.
Do you want to
call your sister?
She misses you.
We talk every day.
I'll see you.
What a treacherous thing it is
to believe that a person
is more than a person.
Margo was not a miracle.
She was not an adventurer.
She was not some fine,
precious thing.
She was a girl.
It took me a long time
to realize how wrong I was.
And not just about Margo.
I was wrong about
a lot of things.
I used to believe
everyone gets a miracle.
And I still do.
But as it turns out...
my miracle...
was this.
Don't stop, no
I'll never give up
And I'll never look back
just hold your head up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
They keep saying
Don't stop
no, it's never enough
I'll never look back
never give up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
But now I'm falling, falling
Falling, falling, falling
Falling, falling
falling, falling, oh
Now we're going down
And I can feel the eyes
are watching us so closely
I'm trying
not to make a sound
'Cause I'll be found out
somehow
Don't stop, no
I'll never give up
And I'll never look back
just hold your head up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
Don't stop
no it's never enough
I'll never look back
never give up
And if it gets rough
it's time to get rough
So maybe we won't
all win the lottery.
Or marry royalty.
Or make that last-second shot.
But that doesn't mean we won't
have amazing adventures...
Aw...
I want one.
...meet exceptional people...
and make indelible memories.
The trick is...
to notice.
Before it's too late.
Oh, and Margo?
Someone said they
saw her in New York,
starring in a revival
of The Fantasticks.
Someone else said
she's on the West Coast
teaching surf lessons
in Malibu.
I don't listen to those
rumors anymore.
Wherever she is...
whatever she's up to...
I'm sure it's
pretty something.
But, hey...
that's her story to tell.
I know it's not the right time tonight
But I won't move until this
stops
Go back to the top
Back to the top
I'm not scared if you
run to me
Lost like when you were mine
You can take
what you want from me
Just don't
offer me your time
Stay, life can be long
Wanna know, wanna know wanna
know, wanna know it's true
When you say
I want you around
Gotta make me believe you
I know it's not the right time tonight
But I won't move until this
stops
Go back to the top
Back to the top
I know it's not the right time tonight
But I won't move until this
stops
Go back to the top
Back to the top