Revision 54.
95 INT. SEBASTIAN’S APARTMENT COMPLEX / APARTMENT - NIGHT
Mia walks through the courtyard. Reaches the door. Then hears
something... Music -- LOUD, FAST JAZZ...
She enters -- has to jostle the door handle to do so --
-- and then freezes in place. Sebastian is sashaying around a
fully-decked table, lighting candles as he moves. He looks
up, sees her -- and grins.
SEBASTIAN
Surprise.
She lights up. He lifts up silver serving trays, revealing
what he’s cooked. Roast chicken. Pasta.
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
And...
(he hurries to the kitchen --
and holds up a big apple pie)
There’s twenty-five pounds of apples in
it. It probably destroyed an ecosystem
but it tastes good.
Mia laughs. Can’t believe it. Sebastian looks at her --
sincere now.
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
I have to head back in the morning but I
needed to see you.
Mia’s eyes seem almost on the brink of tears. Beyond moved,
she runs into Sebastian’s arms. A LONG, HEARTFELT KISS...
96 INT. SEBASTIAN’S APARTMENT - EVENING
CLOSE ON: The record player. An old jazz track. We see Mia and
Sebastian seated at the table -- eating, drinking, laughing.
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
Feels so good to be home.
MIA
Stay.
He smiles.
SEBASTIAN
How’s the play going?
MIA
I’m nervous.
Revision 55.
SEBASTIAN
Why?
MIA
Because...
(a beat)
What if people show up?
SEBASTIAN
Fuck ‘em!
Laughter. Then --
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
You’re nervous about what they think?
MIA
I’m nervous to be up on a stage and
perform in front of people. I’m
terrified.
SEBASTIAN
They should be so lucky to see it.
(then,)
It’s going to be incredible. I can’t
wait.
MIA
I can.
A smile. Beat.
MIA (CONT’D)
What time do you leave in the morning?
SEBASTIAN
6:45.
MIA
Ugh.
SEBASTIAN
Yep. Boise.
MIA
Boise?
SEBASTIAN
(nods)
You should come.
MIA
To Boise?
Revision 56.
SEBASTIAN
Yeah, you could knock that off your
bucket list.
Mia laughs.
MIA
Wish I could.
A beat.
SEBASTIAN
Why can’t you?
MIA
Come to Boise?
SEBASTIAN
Yeah.
MIA
Because I have to rehearse.
SEBASTIAN
Can’t you rehearse anywhere?
She looks at him.
MIA
You mean anywhere you are?
SEBASTIAN
...I -- I guess...
MIA
Well, all my stuff is here and my show’s
in a few weeks and -- I don’t know, it
doesn’t seem practical...
SEBASTIAN
Right... I just -- we’re going to have to
do things so we can see each other. We
never see each other.
MIA
I know, but when are you done?
SEBASTIAN
...What do you mean?
MIA
When are you done with the tour?
Revision 57.
SEBASTIAN
But -- as soon as we’re done with the
tour we go back and record, and then we
go back on tour.
Mia looks at him. Doesn’t seem to understand.
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
We tour so we can make the record, and
then we go back on tour to sell the
record.
Beat. Mia takes this in.
MIA
So it’s...the long haul?
SEBASTIAN
...What does that mean?
MIA
I mean the long haul -- like, you’re
going to be in this band for a long time.
SEBASTIAN
What did you think I was going to do?
MIA
I don’t know, I didn’t think the band
would --
SEBASTIAN
You didn’t think we’d be successful.
MIA
No, that’s not what I meant. What I meant
was -- this band -- you’re going to be on
the road for -- what, years now?
SEBASTIAN
Yeah, feasibly -- I could be on the road
for years with just this record.
Beat.
MIA
Do you like the music you’re playing?
SEBASTIAN
I don’t know how that matters.
MIA
It matters if you’re going to give up
your dream to be on the road for years.
Revision 58.
SEBASTIAN
Do you like the music I’m playing?
MIA
Yes. I do.
(beat)
I just didn’t think you did.
SEBASTIAN
Yeah, well, I --
MIA
And now I hear you’re going to be on the
road for years, and I’m --
SEBASTIAN
What are you doing? Why are you doing
this?
MIA
What do you mean why am I doing this?
SEBASTIAN
This is what you wanted from me.
MIA
To be in this band?
SEBASTIAN
To have a steady job.
MIA
Yes, I wanted you to have a job so you
could take care of yourself and start
your club.
SEBASTIAN
So I’m doing that. So why aren’t we
celebrating?
MIA
Why aren’t you starting your club?
SEBASTIAN
You said yourself no one wants to go to
that club! No one wants to go to a club
called Chicken on a Stick --
MIA
Change the name!
SEBASTIAN
-- and no one likes jazz. Not even you.
Revision 59.
MIA
I do like jazz now, because of you.
SEBASTIAN
(not listening to her)
What am I supposed to do? Go back to
playing “Jingle Bells” so I can save
money for some Shangri-La club no one
wants to go to?
MIA
People will want to go to it! People love
what other people are passionate about.
SEBASTIAN
Not in my experience.
A beat. Mia realizes she’s getting nowhere. A moment of
quiet. Then --
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
Anyway -- it’s time to grow up. You know?
This is what I’m doing. If you had a
problem, I wish you would’ve said
something earlier, before I signed on the
dotted line.
MIA
(trying again)
You had a dream that you were sticking
to, that --
SEBASTIAN
This is the dream!
MIA
This is not your dream.
SEBASTIAN
Guys like me go their whole lives and
never do anything that’s liked. I’m
finally doing something that people
enjoy. What is wrong with that?
MIA
Why do you care so much about being liked
-- ?
SEBASTIAN
(finally bursting--)
You’re an actress, who are you to talk??
Silence. We suddenly realize --
Revision 60.
-- the LP has finished. You can hear the needle scratch
against it now -- back and forth, back and forth. Sebastian
looks at Mia.
A moment. Finally --
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
Maybe you liked me more when I was a
failure because it made you feel better
about yourself.
Mia looks back at him. Can’t believe he said that. Tears
starting to well in her eyes. She tries to suppress them.
MIA
Are you kidding?
SEBASTIAN
No.
They stare at each other.
Then -- all of a sudden -- the FIRE ALARM blares.
Sebastian turns and sees smoke billowing from the KITCHEN. A
dish in the oven has started to burn.
Sebastian rises, springs toward the kitchen -- then sees Mia
grabbing her things.
SEBASTIAN (CONT’D)
Wait --
But she’s out the door. It slams shut, as Sebastian pulls the
burnt apple pie from the oven.
And on that -- WE SMASH CUT TO --
97 OMIT
98 EXT. THEATER - DAY
A poster, placed on the front of the theater we saw before.
A title. A name below it: “MIA DOLAN.” And a word: “TONIGHT.”
We spot Mia, carrying a box of props. She enters the theater.
And we’re --
99 INT. THEATER - DAY
The empty theater. Dark. Silent. Then -- a light turns on.
Mia steps in. We stay WIDE. She seems small from this
vantage point, surrounded by her props and backdrops. She
takes a moment. Looks at all the empty seats.
