IC

IT'S COMPLICATED
by
Nancy Meyers

---

FADE IN:
1
EXT. BEACH HOUSE - MONTECITO, CALIFORNIA - DAY
1
*
A late afternoon sky, a red tile roof and the Santa Barbara
coast line frame this party of old friends. A trio plays
*
Brazilian music as guests carry drinks and nibble on dessert. *
2
CLOSE - ON A FOURSOME OF FRIENDS
2
The Couple who live in this house, SALLY AND TED, drink
champagne as they chat with their closest friends, JANE AND
*
JAKE.
JANE is mid-fifties and has embraced that fact. She knows 50
is not the new 40 and because of that, she is still described
by all who know her as beautiful. Everything about this
woman's appearance screams "solid."
The years have been good to JAKE. He's never lost his looks,
his killer smile, or his ability to charm. He lifts his
glass of champagne.
*
JAKE
Happy happy happy...
JANE
(reminding him)
-- Anniversary.
Jake pauses, wryly turns to Jane, making her smile.
JAKE
Some things never change.
SALLY
Thank God.
JANE
I thought maybe you were drifting.
TED
He was pausing.
JAKE
Exactly....
(sighs, raising his glass)
Happy... Anniversary. You two have
led an extraordinarily blessed
life.
(MORE)

---

2.
JAKE(cont'd)
As long as I've known you both,
you've always managed to somehow do
everything entirely right.
JANE
-- That's so true.
JAKE
But, honestly, how can it be thirty
years!?! When did we do that trip
to Spain?
(looks to Jane)
It was for both of our what..?
JANE
-- Fifteenth anniversaries.
JAKE
God, that was a great trip...
The Two Women exchange a quick look when a tall, ADORABLE 21
*
YEAR OLD BOY joins the group, holding a bottle of beer. This
is OLIVER, Sally and Ted's son. All four light up as Oliver
puts his arm around his Mom.
JANE
Ollie, how was graduation?
OLIVER
It was fantastic. I can't believe
I'm not in school anymore. When's
Luke's graduation?
JAKE
Next week.
JANE
(correcting him)
It's in three days!
JAKE
Sorry! I mean this week.
TED
Are the girls going?
JANE
They can't wait.
*
Jane glances across the party and sees AGNESS, A FREE
*
SPIRITED PRETTY WOMAN in her thirties, wearing a sarong over
*
a bathing suit and walking directly toward them. She carries
*
a slice of cake. Jane becomes instantly distracted and
*
uncomfortable.

---

*
*
3.
OLIVER
How long is Luke home before he has
to go back for work?
JANE
-- Only a week...
*
SALLY
*
Aw, that's it?
*
JANE
I know, I hate it. Well...
(Agness joins the group,
*
standing next to Jake)
*
Congrats again...
(puts down her champagne)
Great party...
OLIVER
You're leaving?
JANE
Yeah, I have some
(Agness hands Jake a piece
of cake. Jane works hard
at not appearing
flustered)
-- stuff I have to get done tonight
for work...
(to Jake & Agness)
I'll see you two in New York.
AGNESS
Absolutely. Lookin' forward to it.
JANE
Good. Well....
AGNESS
-- Jane, what are you wearing to
*
the graduation?
JANE
Oh, a suit or dress, probably a
suit.
AGNESS
Fancy. Okay.
Jane smiles tightly, raises her eyebrows to Sally.

---

4.
JAKE
See you there, Janey. Where are
you staying again?
JANE
We're at The Park Regent. You said
*
you were at The Four Seasons,
*
right?
JAKE
I don't know.
(to Agness)
Where are we?
AGNESS
We're at The Park Regent too.
*
JANE
(hates this)
Oh. Good. That'll be convenient,
actually. Okay, so, see you soon..
*
(waves awkwardly)
SALLY
-- I'll walk you out.
As they WALK AWAY, they HEAR:
AGNESS
So, Ted, do you think you can help
us get Pedro into El Montecito for
kindergarten?
ANGLE - JANE AND SALLY - WALKING INTO HOUSE
SALLY
(laughs)
I thought it was sweet how well you
and Jake were getting along. Felt
like old times.
JANE
Yeah, well, we know how to do this
by now. It has been ten years.
*
SALLY
That's crazy.
Jane hugs Sally good bye, her eyes landing on Agness
*
affectionately rubbing Jake's back.
*

---

5.
ANGLE - THE FRONT DOOR
as it closes after Jane.
ON JAKE - AS HE TURNS BACK
and sees Jane is gone.
CUT TO:
3
TWENTY-THREE YEAR OLD GABBY
3
*
in jeans and a tank top CARRYING A CARTON OF BOOKS, A YOGA
MAT AND A SMALL LAMP. Gabby is Jane and Jake's middle child. *
But unlike most middle children, this one has never suffered
from being ignored. Not a possibility with Jane as your
mother. We are:
EXT. JANE'S HOUSE - LATE DAY
The house is modest and charming and sits on a few acres in
the lush green hills of Santa Barbara. Neat rows of
vegetables dot the landscape.
Gabby arrives at her already packed Prius, where her OLDER
*
SISTER, LAUREN, 26, is trying to fit everything into the
trunk. Lauren is more conservatively dressed than Gabby and
*
has an air of maturity about her.
LAUREN
Gabby, stop...you're never going to
*
fit all this in... you can come
*
back for the rest tomorrow.
GABBY
*
I can't come back t---
Gabby looks up to see HARLEY, LAUREN'S FIANCE, in a T-shirt
*
and over-the-knee gym shorts, lugging a huge suitcase down
the front path, a duffel strapped across his chest.
*
GABBY
*
Oh, God...that's all my clothes.
HARLEY
(sets the suitcase down as
he sees an SUV heading to
the house)
(MORE)

---

*
6.
HARLEY(cont'd)
Okay, your Mom is home. She'll
*
figure this out.
The SUV pulls to a stop, Jane gets out. Gabby starts pulling *
cartons out of her trunk to make room for her clothes.
*
JANE
Gabby, you're leaving now? I
*
thought you were going in the
morning?
GABBY
*
I know but my friends are all there
and they wanted me to come tonight.
JANE
But honey, it's gonna get dark
soon. You can't see out the back
window. It's Saturday night.
People will be on the road
drinking...
LAUREN
Mom, she'll be there in a couple of
hours, she'll be fine.
GABBY
*
Okay, I'm leaving this stuff here.
I'll be back for it in a few days.
JANE
Want me to drive it down in the
morning?
(Gabby's BLACKBERRY
*
BUZZES, she laughs,
*
thumbs flying)
*
I could be there by lunch. We could
go to that big Bed, Bath, and
Beyond, buy kitchen stuff... Gabby,
*
can you look up from that thing??
GABBY
*
(looking up)
I got it covered, Ma.
(to Harley)
Hey gangsta, help me carry these...
HARLEY
(exhausted)
Yep....
Gabby and Harley CARRY THE BOXES back into the house. Jane
*
seems worried as she watches them.
*

---

*
7.
LAUREN
Mom, are you afraid to sleep in the
*
house alone?
JANE
What are you....? No!
(Lauren looks doubtful)
-- I'm not! One of you is always
*
moving out...
*
(Gabby re-joins)
*
But I am wondering who I'm gonna
watch The Hills with?
GABBY
*
(huge hug)
Mamacita... I'm gonna miss you.
Jane hugs her back, but is aware of not hugging too hard.
*
Harley joins the group.
*
GABBY
*
Omigod. L.A.! Okay. I'm doing
this.
(walks to her car)
Mom, you don't happen to know where
Dad is, do you? I tried calling
him to say goodbye...
JANE
He was at Sally and Ted's.
HARLEY
*
He was? How was that? You and
them at the same --
*
(Jane turns to him)
*
-- not that it's in any way, any of
*
my... was just...
*
JANE
-- It was....
*
(notices both girls wait
for her answer)
-- whatever. It was fine.
GABBY
*
Was her lunatic child there?
JANE
(laughs)
Not this time. Gabby, call me when
*
you get there. Do NOT forget.
(MORE)

---

8.
JANE(cont'd)
(Gabby texts, deep in
*
convo )
Gabby!
*
GABBY
*
I will. I'll call you!
*
LAUREN
Knock `em dead, little one.
HARLEY
And call us when you get there,
too. And no texting and driving.
Jane loves that Harley said that. Gabby gets in her car and
*
starts off.
HARLEY
(puts his arm around
Jane's shoulder)
They grow up so friggin' fast. I
hate it.
*
Gabby pulls out of the driveway and out of sight.
*
LAUREN
Maybe you should get a dog.
JANE
Oh my God. Goodbye you two. Love
you.
HARLEY
(heading for their car and
getting into the
passenger seat)
Love you boss!
As Lauren and Harley drive off, Jane turns and looks at her
suddenly very empty nest.
4
INT. JANE'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
4
A Woman's house. Books and art collected over years.
Interesting, unexpected pieces of furniture. Jane kicks off
her heels, now feeling short and alone. Deep breath!
5
INT. KITCHEN
5
Cramped, but clearly a cook's kitchen. The Kids have left a
*
few glasses and plates on the island.

---

9.
Jane gathers them and as she rinses them at the sink, she
*
suddenly and surprisingly feels very alone. She pauses,
*
allows herself the moment, then forces herself to snap out of *
it.
*
7
INT. THE BAKERY - MONTECITO - DAY
7
*
This is Jane's other home. A large, bright, bustling
BAKERY/RESTAURANT. The bakery counter could rival any in
Paris. Last year, The New York Times rated Jane's pain au
*
chocolat the best in the United States. A line waits to get
in.
A very relaxed Jane is behind the busy counter, easily moving
between her young staff. The atmosphere is efficient and
*
friendly.
Jane adjusts a few signs on the counter, then reaches inside
the display case, pulling out a tray of muffins topped with
powdered sugar. She carries the tray to the open pass-
through to the BUSY KITCHEN and calls to the head Baker.
JANE
Reynaldo...
(nods to the muffins)
REYNALDO
Too much sugar.
JANE
Little bit.
*
Reynaldo nods as Jane hands him the tray.
*
Jane notices a line waiting to get up to the bakery counter.
Knowing what to do, Jane's staff has already set out cups of
coffee with lids.
JANE
Who wants coffee while they're
waiting?
Jane and the staff hand out the free coffee.
JANE WALKS THE COUNTER - MOMENTS LATER
refills a glass of water, checking on her customers.
*
JANE
(quietly to a Young
*
Employee)
Check on table five, will you?
*

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