Graham Looking for Love - Short Screenplay

7/28/2019 Graham Looking for Love - Short Screenplay

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GRAHAM LOOKING FOR LOVE

Written by

Tommy Field

3rd draftJuly [email protected]



MONTAGE OF PEAK HOUR RUSH

The streets are noisy, crowded, unpleasant this hour. Butpeople unknowingly know they’re in this together. Going home.Far away from work...

FADE IN:

EXT. TRAFFIC JAM. DUSK

There are lots of cars with engines running but none move.

CUT TO:

INT. CAR IN TRAFFIC JAM. CONTINIOUS

The driver is a skinny man wearing a white shirt and tie.He’s frustrated and having trouble breathing. He slams hishands down on the steering wheel.

CUT TO:

INT. MOVING BUS. CONTINUOUS

The bus is quiet. Most people are playing with their mobilephones. A young woman falls asleep looking out the window.

END MONTAGE

EXT. BUSY STREET. CONTINIOUS

A very old man in a red cardigan trudges down the streetfrowning. People rush past him carefully until a man whoappears to be talking to himself bumps into him as he goespast. The old man falls helplessly but is assisted by peopleclose by.

Not by the yellow shirt man. GRAHAM, mid 30s and unremarkablelooking. He walks on without looking back, busy in some typeof deep thought. He mumbles to himself and rubs his fingerson the temples of his forehead, walking against the hordes ofpeople.

EXT. STREET CORNER. CONTINIOUS

Graham stands with a couple a bit younger than him. Anattractive woman and a blokey male.

CORNER WOMAN

Well, it’s good to see you for myself that you are doing OK. Itold you it would be fine.



CORNER BLOKE(cackles)

Why isn’t the big team leader at work on a Tuesday then aye?! Or isthat your bloody uniform?

GRAHAMNo I just took the day off. Havinga huge one. In fact I really haveto go. Now.

CORNER WOMAN(surprised)

Really?

GRAHAMYep. So sorry. But you know, it’s

funny to see you, like today.

The man puts his hand out to Graham which he shakes.

CORNER BLOKEAlrighty. Catch up soon big man.

The woman steps towards Graham and begins to spread her armsfor a hug but he steps back out of range.

GRAHAMWe probably shouldn’t hug. It’d be

be a bit... you know... I can’t...(turns quickly)

The woman shrugs and glances at the man, bemused too.

CORNER WOMANBye Graham.

Graham’s off with his head down. The man nudges the woman inher ribs.

CORNER BLOKE(laughing)

You really fucked him ?...

INT. PUB - GAMBLING ROOM(S). EVENING

Most people here are over 40. They look like zombiesentranced by the flashing sounds and lights from pokie

machines and horse races on tv.

INT. PUB - MAIN BAR - SPEED DATING. CONTINIOUS

Graham’s leaning against the bar sipping a beer. Everyonelooks energised. They’re all under 45 years old in fact.Posters around the room advertise LOOKINGFORLOVE.COM.AU SPEED DATING NIGHT/22-45 YEAR OLDS .

2.



An attractive woman (30s) stands on the pub stage with a microphone to her mouth. The MC tonight.

SPEED DATING MC...and first dates are nerve

wracking for all of us. So justdon’t worry about it. Just don’t!Tonight is just about having fun.

(beat)It’s not about meeting your futurehusband or your future wife... It’sjust about that harmless firstimpression. Seeing what happens,and thinking, Would I like to go ona date with this person?

(beat)Do I want to see them again?

MONTAGE OF SPEED DATES - GRAHAM'S WOBBLY TABLE

Small bar tables are lined up around the room. Every five minutes the women move down one table, the men wait. Graham'stable has one short leg.

CUT TO:

Graham and a woman (28) can't think of anything to say. Theylook anywhere but at each other. The alarm RINGS. Time up.

WOMAN 28Nice to meet you then.

GRAHAMYep.

CUT TO:

An unimpressed, attractive woman (33) approaches. Graham's wobbling the table from underneath.

GRAHAM (CONT'D)Step up! Step up to the movingtable!

CUT TO:

A cheerful, rough looking woman, LORRAINE (43). She's been married twice and slept with five men in five dates arrangedon lookingforlove.com.au in two months.

LORRAINELorraine.

CUT TO:

A vacuous looking girl (22) sits at the wobbling table.

3.



GRAHAMThis is crazy! Exciting!

GIRL 22Are you wobbling the table?

GRAHAM(lying)

Nobody else has seen that. Ithought I was going crazy.

GIRL 22What?

(thinking...)(standing)

I'll get someone to fix it.

CUT TO:

Graham talks briefly to a new woman.

GRAHAMWork work work. Let's do somethingdifferent sometime soon?

END MONTAGE - STILL AT WOBBLY TABLE

A larger, bored looking woman strides over to a deflatedGraham. She smirks at the sight of his shirt and slams down

on the table with a yell, scaring the shit out of Graham.

ALMA NAME IS ALMA PLEASED TO MEET YOU!

CUT TO:

Two minutes later. They both look good now.

ALMA (CONT'D)Everyone is so fucking boring here.

GRAHAMWell...

ALMA Don't be afraid to say it!

GRAHAMEveryone does their own thing hey?

Alma cracks up laughing which makes Graham smile, lookingunsure why...

ALMA

You are sick, sick.

4.



GRAHAM(giggling)

Why?

ALMA Graham yeah? sorry

(he nods)Have you been fucking with everyonelike this?

GRAHAMI'm trying new things I guess.Mixing it up. If I seem careless toyou I'm doing ok.

(both laugh)But I don't know.

ALMA Haha you are awesome. You dresslike Elvis and all.

GRAHAMElvis is great!

CUT TO:

Time between Graham and Alma is nearly up.

ALMA

(kinda laughing)So, are we going to go on a date?

GRAHAMWell. I'd like to but-

ALMA A date with Elvis. So good.

GRAHAMBut I can't commit yet. Sorry it'sjust I'm keeping my options openuntil the end.

ALMA Oh yes. So Elvis.

(beat)I hope you don't die alone andshitting like him.

(laughs)

Alarm goes off.

GRAHAMHe was a great singer

(beat)...and you know he could have beena great actor. A real star.

5.

(MORE)



But the people around him said noto it. Elvis had dreams.

INT. AVERAGE RESTAURANT. NIGHT

Elderly couples and middle-class families are out for dinner.There's a TV playing with the sound down but loud enough forobnoxious ads to be slightly heard.

Graham is out on a date with Lorraine from speed dating. He'sgot a black dress shirt on tonight and she's all dolled up.

GRAHAMI thought it would be sort ofbigger, to be honest. People alwaysact differently to how they sort of

should be. I don't know.

LORRAINEYeah it was bullshit. No time inbetween to even get a drink.

She takes a gulp of a cheap pink cocktail.

LORRAINE (CONT'D)Didn't meet anyone I sort ofclicked with. What about you?

GRAHAMI met a good lookers but yeah.Nobody really liked me.

(chuckles)Except you I guess?

Lorraine finishes off her cocktail.

INT. TRASHY NIGHT CLUB. NIGHT

Repetitive dance music blares. People who aren't yelling ateach other over it or drinking are dancing.

Graham and Lorraine down a shot each at the bar. And another.They kiss. They're all over each other. Not pretty.

EXT. STREET. CONTINIOUS

They stagger into a taxi together. Kissing more.

EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - GRAHAM'S HOUSE. CONTINIOUS

The street is dead quiet. They stagger out of the taxitogether towards the front door. They kiss a bit more at thedoor and go inside Graham's house.

6.

GRAHAM (CONT'D)



EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - GRAHAM'S HOUSE. MORNING

9 AM activity. Bins getting taken in, dogs being walked...

Lorraine steps out of the front door looking worse for wear.She walks out onto the street, to the nearest train station.

INT. GRAHAM'S BEDROOM. MORNING

The room's furnished with cheap new stuff. Graham's sleeping.A tap can be heard running in the house. He wakes up with asmile that quickly turns to confusion. He scans the room forLorraine. He hears the running tap and heads to it.

INT. GRAHAM'S KITCHEN / LOUNGE ROOM. CONTINIOUS

The room is empty apart from more new and cheap furniture.The kitchen tap is running. Graham ignores it and falls ontohis couch in a dramatic fashion. Cuddles it a bit.

INT. VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT. NIGHT

Alma slurps noodle soup. Graham is drinking wine, Alma'sglass is clean and the bottle is half-empty. He's slurring.

GRAHAM

I know you were laughing at me atspeed dating.

ALMA (sincerely)

Oh sorry. You weren't offended wereyou?

GRAHAMWell, I should have been.

ALMA Well I think you're great.Different, very funny definitely.

GRAHAMYou're not messing around still?

ALMA No.

GRAHAMOkay. Good.

(beat)Why were you even at speed dating?

(beat)Or even on looking for love? Youjust don't seem the type.

7.



ALMA A joke sort of. I wanted to makesome kind of doco on speed dating,internet dating stuff. But I'm sortof lazy and I ended up just,going...

(beat)And now I'm out with Elvis - Yes!

Graham shakes his head and gulps down some wine.

CUT TO:

TEN MINUTES LATER

The bottle is nearly empty. Graham's finished eating. Alma

isn't.

GRAHAM(drunkedly)

I'd be keen to party after this ifyou ever finish that soup. Out ofcontrol soupy soup.

ALMA What? Jus have your dessert now.

GRAHAM

What? Let's get out of here. Screwdessert!

ALMA I'm so having dessert. Have youseen those caramel jelly things?

GRAHAMNahhh who cares? lets party.

ALMA You wonder why people don't likeyou.

GRAHAMHa! OK. Eat your extra dessert andtalk about my problems. Ha!

ALMA You chase bullshit. You have nofucking idea do you? A lack offucking dessert is your problem buddy.

GRAHAM

Well...(speechless)

8.



ALMA Look I think you are nice but youjust need to chill out. On a lot ofdifferent levels.

(beat)Let's sit and talk. Hey?

INT. RESTAURANT BATHROOM. CONTINIOUS

Graham washes his hands and face in the sink. Fixes his hair.His demeanour is similar to speed dating and his walk to it.

INT. VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT. CONTINIOUS

Graham walks through the restaurant back to his table.

Focused. Alma is ordering her dessert with a teenage waiter.Graham slams his hands on the table in front of them andsnarls.

GRAHAMWell maybe I will die like Elvis.Maybe I wont be able to find a real

woman who appreciates me for me!All or nothin' baby!

He storms outside and Alma turns back to the waiter laughing.

ALMA Two fucking banana splits!

THE END

9.

Documents

Graham Looking for Love - Short Screenplay