A Short Film About Love - In Pursuit Of Happiness Script

A Short Film About Love: In Pursuit Of Happiness

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INT. MAN’ HOUSE - BEDROOM - MORNING
(Emotive piano plays)
Slow zoom in through the bedroom towards the adjoining
bathroom.
The emotive music abruptly stops when a WOMAN brushing her
teeth spits aggressively into the sink.
MAN is in bed. The noise from the bathroom wakes him. He
looks toward the bathroom, hears her heaving and spitting,
drops his heavy head back to the pillow and looks ahead in
sadness like a yearning puppy.
FADE TO BLACK -
CREDITS
FADE IN -
INT. EAST LONDON CAFE - MORNING (10 YEARS IN THE PAST)
(Radio begins to play)
MAN’s OLD FRIEND is sitting at a dining table in a modest
east London cafe. He tries to brush off his clothing and
unruffle his collar. He is wearing a shiny blue tracksuit
and has a black eye. He organizes the cutlery, sugar and
ketchup into a perpendicular order.
The doorway. The MAN walks through the entrance. Wearing a
flash black suit and shirt; he also has a black eye. He
stops still there and looks side to side for his OLD FRIEND.
The OLD FRIEND whistles and beckons with his hand and a
cheeky grin.
The MAN walks to the table and waits for his OLD FRIEND to
rise. They stand looking at each other expressionless for a
moment. OLD FRIEND raises his hand to shake but the MAN
pulls him in for a silent hug. They sit, joyfully chuckling.
OLD FRIEND
So wh-
MAN
Thanks Jim, I know it’s been a
while
MAN removes his blazer.
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
2.
OLD FRIEND
Yeah it has, it’s not Jim by the
way remember.
OLD FRIEND pauses and then continues.
- but you call me whatever.
MAN
Okay Jim, Cheers for coming it’s
good to see you again.
OLD FRIEND
Yeah you too man! What’s with all
the black? You look like an Italian
widow.
MAN
I’m graduating. The ceremony thing
is later today.
OLD FRIEND
Already? Bloody hell,
congratulations! You mind if I ask
about the er..
OLD FRIEND references MAN’s black eye.
MAN
(chuckles)
A little graduation party scar.
Best night o’my life, best night
o’my life! Hahah.. Nothing time
won’t heal.
OLD FRIEND
Glad to see you’ve enjoyed
yourself!
MAN
Yeaah...So what you doin’ in your
holiday man?
OLD FRIEND
Ermmm, haven’t really got one.
Don’t really know what to do with
myself in my free time anyway.
Ermm...spent last month or so
accidentally missing the first few
England games; so was gonna spend a
few nights this month deliberately
missing some more.
MAN ignores FRIEND, doesn’t really get the joke and gazes
about the room. He then looks at FRIEND’s tracksuit outfit.
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
3.
MAN
See you’re still in management
then?
FRIEND begrudgingly looks down to see what he means and
awkwardly smiles back. He looks around the place with intent
and calls the waitress
An Eastern-European woman in her 20-30’s across the room is
polishing tables with astounding drive. She rocks her bum
from side to side to the beat of the radio.
FRIEND
Miss... Miss! Excuse me!
She awakes from her task and she waddles over in her big
stained apron and bursting hairnet. She has a great grin on
her face; she whips out her pen and paper. She speaks in her
native language but the two understand fine.
FRIEND
Good morning sugar. Yeah, can we
get a couple coffees And er to
eat...-
MAN
-bacon sandwich for me please. Burn
the rashes would ya? And er-
He looks at James.
FRIEND
- I’ll have whatever he’s having
As she repeats the order in her own language FRIEND nods.
MAN however is distracted by the gold band on her finger. He
half smiles and looks her up and down as she walks to the
kitchen.
FRIEND reaches for a serviette, unfolds it and places it on
his lap.
FRIEND
Like I was saying I’m glad you’ve
had fun. Shame about the whole job
situation at the moment though?
Surely you picked up plenty of
posters and a good dealer along the
way though?
MAN is picking his nose. And doesn’t really understand his
insult.
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
4.
FRIEND
I’ve already got an interview
actually mate.
The waitress approaches with the coffees.
MAN
- I mean, It’s at my dad’s firm;
but I know he’ll work me hard.
She places the coffees on the table with utmost sensitivity.
FRIEND
- I bet he will.
They each put two sugars in and stir. almost in sync. They
sip and "ahh". The waitress curtsies and leaves them.
FRIEND
So who is she then?
MAN
Hm? ..oh! Mate, I love her! I’m a
bastard I know. But I do!
FRIEND
Really? When did you decide this?
Cut to - close up of MAN’s face. He pauses from the salt and
thinks.
CUT TO-
INT. MAN’S APARTMENT KITCHEN. MORNING.
Inter-titles "last tuesday."
MAN in kitchen in vest and boxers. Just finishes jamming a
piece of toast. He puts down the knife and picks up the
piece of toast. He goes to bite it but pauses and looks at
it and thinks:
"jam she loves me, no jam she
don’t."
He lifts the toast above his head, closes his eyes shut and
drops it. He hesitantly opens one eye and peaks downward.
CUT TO-

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5.
INT. EAST LONDON CAFE - MORNING
MAN
Ages ago, I think it’s mutual.
The door opens and three giggling chatting girls walk in.
MAN sips at his coffee and his gaze follows them around the
room.
FRIEND
So why you besotted with this one?
MAN
..Oh god so many things!
FRIEND
Go on.
MAN
Ohhhh man erm....she reads!
FRIEND
Oh yeah? Does she write?
MAN
(pause)...I haven’t seen her do it.
They go a little quiet. MAN starts to play with a pile of
sugar grains on the table. Breaking the silence the waitress
brings over their sandwiches, FRIEND clears his throat and
they both rearrange themselves on their chairs. MAN goes to
take a bite but James interrupts:
FRIEND
I trust she pays no attention to
you?
MAN bites down and chews.
MAN
(through food)
What do you mean?
Come on, I know its been a while
but I can’t see you changing your
type all that much. You’re only
ever this interested in women when
they’re like a carrot on a string
in front of a treadmill.
MAN
Oh come on, I like the chase but I
do actually wanna grab the cabbage.
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
6.
FRIEND
Carrot!
MAN
..Carrot!
FRIEND
Well then, if I know you like I
did. You’ve got fifty shags before
you get bored and start wandering.
FRIEND picks up his sandwich and enjoys while MAN is left a
little baffled.
MAN
How’s your old lady anyway?
FRIEND
She’s fine, she’s just been
promoted at the salon. She sent you
a discount coupon and birthday
card.
MAN
...Oh yeah.
(pause)
FRIEND
Shes pregnant.
MAN
Who is?
FRIEND
My wife.
MAN
You’re kidding!
FRIEND
Nope...I’m thrilled man, I’m so
hap-
MAN
Wow! I can’t believe it! I wouldn’t
know what to do. I was thinking
about that earlier, you know if I
knocked this one up,
While MAN is talking, behind them, a large bald man in
overalls gets aggressive with the waitress.
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
7.
BALDY
What? Sorry, can’t you speak bloody
Enlgish!?
The waitress stamps one foot on the floor, turns and walks
to the kitchen.
MAN
-like, would I stay if I had
feelings for her, or would I, you
know, leg it. I’ve never thought
"yeah I could do this" with anyone
befor-
FRIEND sighs and gets aggressive.
FRIEND
See now that’s your problem! You’ve
never been in a healthy, normal,
long lasting relationship. You’re
too easily bored... All your
relationships have been like two
broken trees that came crashing
down on top of each other in a
tremendous storm. And then when all
the lightnings over, all you can do
is wait for something to separate
your tangled branches. (eating his
sandwich with intensity) I mean,
occasionally it’ll rain but not
like before. A real connection mate
is like two streams of water
flowing parallel to each other.
Staying separate in the beginning,
but eventually and inevitably
meeting and from then on you can
never be separated again. Yes,
something can come between you,
okay, but not properly - you can’t
fish out every little drop of each
other after that.
MAN
...why do you talk like that?
FRIEND
I like analogies.
They sip their drinks. MAN looks awkwardly around the room.
FRIEND
(sighs) ...so what’s your
master plan then?
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
8.
MAN
Erm, well. First I’ll get money and
then I’ll get funny. (he chuckles)
James looks astounded and turns away.
MAN
Hey well maybe I don’t want your
advice!
FRIEND
Can you back away a little you just
spat in my coffee.
They finish their sandwiches. in sync again. MAN burps.
FRIEND wipes his mouth with the serviette.
MAN
Well how did business time start
with you n’ your lady? You never
did tell me. Didn’t you get all
star-crossed?
FRIEND
Yes. Of course. But it’s what comes
after that that keeps two people
together. The rush after the kill
don’t last forever my little lion
man ...and nothing out of the
ordinary.
He takes a swig of coffee.
FRIEND
-just out of the blue got asked to
go out one night with a mate and
there she was. Bought everyone a
drink to seem polite, she wasn’t
very balanced so I walked her home.
After that came the standard flirty
phone calls and so on.
MAN
You didn’t go in with her while she
was a drunken mess?
FRIEND
No.
MAN
What, why not? And I guess she
didn’t know back then you’re...
(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
9.
MAN raises his eyebrows and looks him up and down as he says
this.
FRIEND, sipping at his coffee pauses to think for a few
seconds.
FRIEND
Nah.
MAN watches the movements of the waitress, she comically
drops her table spray and can’t bend over to pick it up. as
he watches he says:
MAN
It’s just when relationships go
down the shitter - which they
always do - its only ever the start
and end that I remember. You know?
Everything in between just seems
like a line graph of my failings
and successes.
The Waitress’s husband (the cook and cafe owner) walks past
and picks up the spray for her and kisses the back of her
head and he walks off for a cigarette outside.
FRIEND
Haha oh man, i forgot how little you self-deprecate!
MAN chuckles along.
FRIEND
Haha, it’s a shame! there’s a lot
there to deprecate! Hahah.
MAN
Hahaha...(pause)...Huh?!
FRIEND wipes his mouth with a serviette and picks up his
coffee.
MAN
But I suppose if you’re married, at
least, you know that’s one thing
taken care of. Then it’s just mates
and work to worry about.
FRIEND spits his coffee out in surprise/disgust. He shakes
his head as he wipes his face.
(CONTINUED)

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