Fragments Screenplay

FRAGMENTS

FINAL DRAFT

Written by Paul Barakat
Script Editor Graeme Beck

1/. INT. KITCHEN. PRESENT. MORNING.

The harsh glow of the sun glares through the 70’s style kitchen drapes. The kitchen décor is out of date and the place looks like it gets cleaned once a month.

Standing over the old sink is ANNA, an overworked woman in her mid 20’s. The sunlight flares in her face. She tries to crack a few ice cubes out of the container, but they are frozen stuck.

One of the cubes POPS out of the tray.

She grabs the ice cube and runs it down her neck.

The PHONE RINGS.

Anna picks up the phone.

ANNA

HELLO!

VOICE

Anna.

ANNA

(pause)...Yes?

ANNA walks back to the sink with the phone.

VOICE

What are you still doing there?

She continues to try and remove more ice cubes.

VOICE

I just don’t want you to be hurt anymore.

ANNA

I can’t...I have to be here.

ANNA smashes the ice tray. The cubes come CRASHING OUT.

AUDIO OVERLAY: We hear a haunting yell of TONY.

CUT TO:

2/. INT. HALLWAY. PRESENT.

The unknown. TONY’s yell is muffled and echoes. Then Silence.

CUT TO:

3/. INT. KITCHEN. PRESENT.

ANNA places the cubes of ice in a jug of water.

CUT TO:

4/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT. MOMENTS LATER

TONY, a 25 year old unkempt Mediterranean man, haunches on the bed, back to the window. His face is concealed as he thrashes around the pillow dreaming and groaning. He lays on his bed with no sheets, in his YELLOWING chesty bonds and his boxers. The searing heat must be past 40 degrees in this room. The fan is turned off, Near it lays a pair of cracked DUSTY eye glasses.

Beside the bed is a body length mirror. The dark grey drapes are shut tight, cutting out the blaring sunlight.

ANNA enters the room with a jug of iced water. She gently shakes TONY.

TONY spurs jarringly toward ANNA, like some kind of wild animal which is what he looks like. His left eye is badly bruised and slightly closed. The right eye remains wide open with uncertainty and fear. He pulls away, holding his covers up to his mouth like a scared child.

ANNA

Tony.

TONY

Don’t touch me! Get out of here!

ANNA puts the jug on the bedside near the old broken lampshade. She tries to grasp TONY’s hand but he pulls away.

CONTINUES

4/.CONTINUES

ANNA

Tony, it’s me, Anna.

TONY continues to cower like a scared child.

ANNA summons her pain. She pours a glass of water and holds it up to his mouth. TONY scoffs at her, but she forces it down his mouth.

ANNA

The doctor says you should try to get up.

ANNA turns on the fan and opens the drapes. The glaring sunlight shines into the room, which is revealed to be in more of a mess in daylight. TONY’s fear turns to anger as the sensitivity of the light pierces his eyes.

TONY

Close it!

ANNA

You need the fresh air.

TONY

Close the drapes!

ANNA touches TONY’s face. He grabs her hands and pushes her away.

TONY

Close the fucking drapes now!

ANNA

You want the drapes closed! You get up and close them yourself. There is nothing wrong with you- can’t you see that!

(Pointing to her forehead)

The only problem you have is up here!

CONTINUES

4/. CONTINUES

ANNA moves away from the bed. TONY is curls up like a wounded animal.

TONY

Nothing wrong with me… Look at me!

TONY buries his head into his pillow, gnawing at it.

TONY

Just look at me!

CUT TO:

5/. INT. HALLWAY. PRESENT. CONTINUOUS

ANNA closes the door shut. TONY’s whimpering echo through the hallway.

CUT TO:

6/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT. CONTINUOUS.

TONY looks to the curtain, the bright light causing pain in his eyes.

CUT TO:

TONY lunges at the drapes for support. His knees buckle and give way. He falls flat to the ground.

He has nearly closed the whole curtain, but it remains slightly open, with a gleam of light piercing through the gap.

TONY lies slumped against the, exhausted. He groans in pain.

CUT TO:

7/. INT. KITCHEN. PRESENT. MOMENTS LATER.

ANNA begins to wash the dishes. It seems though she is taking forever to clean one dish.

CUT TO:

8/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT. CONTINUOUS.

TONY’s head is against the floor, down for the count. He looks under his bed to see a pair of football boots.

CUT TO:

9/. EXT. OLD BACKYARD. CHILDHOOD PAST. LATE AFTERNOON. B/W

YOUNG TONY, about 8 at this point, is running in the backyard, looking back at his FATHER with a determined look on his face. He wears spectacles and is fairly lanky.

FATHER

Run boy run. The key is to never look back, just never look back.

It slows you down.

Here… catch!

FATHER throws the ball very hard at YOUNG TONY.

YOUNG TONY drops the ball to the ground and fixes his glasses. FATHER towers over him.

FATHER

Shit boy! What’s wrong with you? Do you have a dick?

Did your mother give birth to a boy or girl?

The smile goes off YOUNG TONY’s face.

FATHER

Pass the ball back here darling.

YOUNG TONY looks to the ground and picks up the ball

YOUNG TONY

I don’t want to play anymore…

Continues

9/. Continues

FATHER

Where are your balls? I know you got balls somewhere down there.

Now pass it back.

YOUNG TONY drops the ball and runs back toward the house and up the steps of the patio. FATHER launches the ball at the house as MOTHER stands watching from behind the barred screen door.

CUT TO:

11/. INT. OLD HALLWAY. CHILDHOOD PAST. LATE EVENING. B/W

CRASH. The same lampshade crashes to the floor, shattering the pieces of porcelain.

There is a STRUGGLE between MOTHER and FATHER.

YOUNG TONY watches through a small gap in his bedroom doorway as his FATHER, now violently drunk, slams MOTHER against the wall. He slaps his wife on the face twice, violently gropes her chest and runs his dirty fingers down her legs.

He smothers her neck and rips off her robe.

YOUNG TONY watches from his open door, the shadows of the rape being performed like a play of tragedy on the wall. He straightens his glasses and gains focus on the wall.

CUT TO:

12/ INT. BEDROOM. RECENT PAST

ANNA walks toward TONY and removes her scarf. It drops out of frame.

14/. INT. BEDROOM. RECENT PAST. MID AFTERNOON.

TONY buries himself near ANNA’s neck. She pulls his hair and then gives him a passionate kiss. She rips off his shirt. Buttons fly.

CUT TO:

19/. INT. YOUNG TONY’S BEDROOM. CHILDHOOD PAST. CONTINUOUS. B/W

YOUNG TONY has watched the whole rape. His MOTHER, slumped on the floor, cuts herself on a piece of broken porcelain as she attempts to get up.

His FATHER staggers past and see YOUNG TONY peering through the doorway.

FATHER

You little shit!

YOUNG TONY backs further into his room and cowers under his desk. His glasses fall off. Everything is a blur.

FATHER slams the door open.

FATHER

Get up!

YOUNG TONY begins to stutter.

YOUNG TONY

No pp..please ddd..daddy!

FATHER slowly pulls off his belt.

YOUNG TONY has his hands stretched out for MOTHER.

CONTINUES

19/.CONTINUES

YOUNG TONY

Mummy!...Mummy?

MOTHER walks past the room ignoring him.

FATHER slams the door shut.

CUT TO:

16/ INT. BEDROOM. RECENT PAST. LATER.

ANNA lies in TONY’s arms on the bed. The drapes are open and there is beautiful light. She looks intrigued by the broken lampshade.

TONY

I’ve been meaning to fix it.

ANNA

When did you break it?

TONY

I didn’t break it…someone else did…

…long ago.

TONY begins to play with ANNA’s hair.

CUT TO:

22/. INT. KITCHEN. PRESENT. EARLY AFTERNOON.

ANNA looks through the barred screen door at the clothes line. She looks at the clothes line. There is a blood stained jersey, slowly rotating on the line.

CUT TO:

23/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

A drop of blood falls onto TONY’S Jersey after he is knocked down.

CUT TO:

24/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT. CONTINUOUS

TONY pulls himself up and kneels before the whirring fan.

CUT TO:

25/. EXT. OLD BACKYARD. TEENAGE PAST. EARLY AFTERNOON. B/W

TEENAGE TONY tries to get the whirring blades working with the lawnmower.

He is now a young man and still wears his glasses.

FATHER

Why haven’t you finished boy?

TEENAGE TONY looks across STARTLED by his FATHER’s presence. He begins to stutter.

TEENAGE TONY

MMM...Mower’s bbb...busted…

CONTINUES:

25/. CONTINUES

FATHER

Bbbbusted is it? Stop fucking about. You’re weak...

FATHER taunts his son like a bully. TEENAGE TONY becomes increasingly agitated. FATHER then begins to throw a few punches, TEENAGE TONY’s spectacles fall to the ground and CRACK.

FATHER

You’re as weak as piss...just like your mother.

TEENAGE TONY snaps. He raises his fist to stop FATHER and stands tall against him. The violent energy channels itself through their fists.

TEENAGE TONY twists his FATHER’s hand and slams him against the fence, choking his airways. He stares into his FATHER’s eyes, the effect of his quivering still evident in his body language. TEENAGE TONY releases him and picks up his glasses.

CUT TO:

26/. EXT. BACKYARD BALCONY. RECENT PAST.

TEENAGE TONY strides past MOTHER, who is bringing out the washing. She has a cigarette.

FATHER passes his wife on the balcony steps.

She stands below him on the steps.

FATHER

See how he treats me? Your bloody son!

MOTHER walks back up the steps, slightly defiant.

MOTHER

MY SON? He’s all you, you fucking bastard! Your mirror image.

MOTHER subtly exhales her smoke in FATHER’s face.

CUT TO:

26a/ INT. HALLWAY. TEENAGE PAST.

TEENAGE TONY looks at his bent and cracked glasses. They sit awkwardly off balance on his face.

CUT TO:

27/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT. CONTINUOUS.

The same OLD CRACKED GLASSES sit on the bedside table. TONY looks across at the cracked lens.

TONY becomes agitated. He lifts himself up, haunched on his knees. He notices a MOUTHGUARD, sitting in it’s case under some football socks.

He pulls it out and stares at it. He places it in his mouth and begins to slowly stretch his neck.

CUT TO:

28/. INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST.

ANNA and TONY sit on the lounge. He runs his hand down the side of her face, caressing her. He starts to kiss her fingers.

ANNA starts to unbutton his shirt, revealing his bandaged ribs. TONY buries himself into her neck.

TONY

WHY don’t you come and watch me?

CUT TO:

29/. INT. TUNNEL. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST.(FS)

Doors CRASH open as TONY runs out of the dark tunnel with his weekend warriors.

TONY stretches his neck as the ball is being prepared to be kicked.

The men wait for the ultimate game in brutality.

CUT TO:

30/. INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST.

ANNA begins to resist TONY’s advances by moving away from him.

ANNA

I can’t do it. I won’t sit through it.

TONY

Why?

TONY forcibly moves toward her.

TONY is sexually aggressive with ANNA and she struggles to push away his advances.

ANNA

It’s how you are with everything.

Do you need to be so brutal? CUT TO:

31/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY has a fight with his opposite number. Blood ensues.

CUT TO:

32/. INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST

TONY releases himself off her, slightly frustrated.

TONY

(smiles)

Of course. Only when I have to be.

He moves in on her again.

CUT TO:

33/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY gets hit fairly high above the throat in a tackle.

CONTINUES

34/ INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST

TONY continues to advance on ANNA, who resists.

ANNA

I’m worried.

TONY

(getting pissed off)

Worried? ...About what?

CUT TO:

ANNA turns her back on TONY.

TONY

What?!

CUT TO:

ANNA

I’m afraid that one day you’ll...

That one day you’ll....

CUT TO:

41/. INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST.

TONY begins to smother ANNA forcefully, and she is pinned against the couch.

ANNA

For Christ sake, you are closer to that game than you are to me!

She pushes him back across the tender ribs. He clutches at them in pain.

TONY (scowling)

That’s the price I have to pay.

ANNA pulls out a cigarette. She lights it and begins to inhale.

ANNA

Well, that price is too high for me.

TONY is very pissed off. There is an awkward pause.

CUT TO:

38/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT.

TONY punches the air. He starts to do stretches on his upper body. He begins to breathe heavily in preparation.

35/ EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY has a verbal slangning match with MUG

37/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST.

TONY knocks out an opponent cold.

40/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST

TONY fends off a player

44/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY busts an opponents lip. Blood ensues.

CUT TO:

45/ INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT

TONY tries to pull himself up, but falls back to the floor.

He begins to breathe heavily and grunts like an animal.

TONY

Give me the ball cunt.

Gimme the ball...

CUT TO:

45a/.EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST

TONY receives the ball from MUG and begins to run into open space.

CUT TO:

46/ INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST.

ANNA hinges on TONY’s response. TONY looks away from her.

ANNA

Well...tell me.

Why are you still there?

TONY constrains anger as he tries to explain.

TONY

Y’know, I’ve come so close to that line.

TONY (voice over)

Anna, I just have to get over...

47/ EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

Repeat shots of TONY coming close to the line but falling short.

CUT TO:

48/. INT LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST

ANNA looks at TONY trying to contain laughter.

ANNA

(Slightly mocking)...Is that it?... you’re still trying to cross that stupid line?

ANNA blows smoke toward TONY’s embarrassed face.

ANNA (cont)

And then what?

CONTINUES

48/. CONTINUES

TONY starts to grasp at the back of the couch. He can’t look ANNA in the eye. He has been humiliated. He begins to tap on his thighs lightly, nervously.

TONY

...It’s within my grasp.

ANNA rises from the couch abruptly.

ANNA

Well if that’s the pain and destruction you have to cause to get over a fucking line, maybe you’re not meant to cross it…

ANNA

Don’t you see you’re losing yourself to this…

TONY rises and shakes his head in disapproval.

TONY (slightly stuttering)

No,nnn...no

CUT TO:

49/.INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT.

TONY begins to slap his thighs repeatedly building up the pace and strength as he recognizes the face in the mirror.

TONY

It’s within my grasp...

I’m so close...

CUT TO:

50/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY finds open space and begins to run toward the line.

TONY (voice over whispering)

I...I’m so close...

CUT TO:

51/. INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST

TONY grabs at ANNA

TONY

I’M SO FUCKING CLOSE!

ANNA rejects his response and stands up with her back to him.

CUT TO:

52/ INT. LOUNGE ROOM. RECENT PAST.

TONY stands up and grabs ANNA trying to plead with her

TONY

Baby, you know it. Just let me do this. I’m still the same. I’m still me…

TONY grabs her violently, and swings her to face him.

ANNA

TONY! STOP IT!

TONY slaps ANNA in the face.

CUT TO:

53/ INT. FOOTBALL SHEDS. PRESENT.

TONY is being slapped into psyche mode by MUG

CUT TO:

54/. INT. HALL WAY. RECENT PAST

ANNA runs down the hall way painfully holds her face. TONY runs after her and forcefully turns her to the wall against her will.

TONY

Don’t you see! I’ve seen the fucking line.

CUT TO:

TONY

All I need is the momentum. Just never look back.

He slaps her again.

ANNA

TONY! …STOP IT!

TONY

It’s there…I CAN SEE IT.

I have to get over it.

CUT TO:

TONY roughly gropes ANNA, forcibly smothering her.

TONY

I know you want it too!

It’s right in front of you can’t you see it!

55/ EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

MUG has busted the line and offloaded a ball to TONY, who flies through the gap.

TONY is running to the line

CUT TO:

57/. EXT. BEDROOM. PRESENT

TONY

Run Tony run, Just never look back.

CUT TO

58/.INT. HALLWAY. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY has pinned ANNA against the wall and forceably rips off her blouse.

Through his glasses, a YOUNG TONY stares at them through the small opening of his bedroom door.

TONY notices him and shakes his head anxiously trying to erase him and looks back at ANNA.

She is a blurry figure. He closes his eyes again.

CONTINUES

58/. CONTINUES

ANNA

TONY! Stop it!...

Don’t do this… please...

TONY

Sssshh...sshut UP!

TONY opens his eyes and now sees a TEENAGE TONY standing in the bedroom doorway.

CUT TO:

59/ EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. (FS)

TONY loses focus of the tryline.

CUT TO:

61/ INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT.

TONY rips open the curtains, yelling. The curtains comes CRASHING down. LIGHT. Masses of light flood into the room. TONY stands in a mythical creature pose, screaming.

CUT TO

62/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. FS

TONY continues to scream.

TONY running close to the line

HIGH TACKLE. BLOOD.

60/ INT. HALLWAY. RECENT PAST. B/W

TONY lets ANNA go and stumbles to his knees.

TONY

NO! ...I’m nn..not like them. Nnn...never like them...

64/. EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD. RECENT PAST. B/W

TONY lays an inch short of the goal line. We slowly move away from his body, lying limp on the empty field.

CUT TO:

65/. INT. HALLWAY. RECENT PAST.

TONY looks down the hollow hallway.

TONY

Never like him.

FADE TO BLACK.

CUT TO:

66/. INT. BATHROOM. PRESENT.

A hand turns on the bath tap. The water rushes out.

TONY’s CLEAN SHAVEN face slowly emerges from the water. His cleansing. He still carries the physical scars of battle.

CUT TO:

67/. INT. BEDROOM. PRESENT.

TONY sits on his bed, facing the window. The light is beautiful, almost surreal. ANNA enters the room with the fixed lamp in her hands. A small drop of blood runs from under a Band-Aid. She places it back down on the table.

She places her hand on TONY’S shoulder. TONY feels the touch and turns quickly. He is wearing his cracked glasses, his eye still blackened.

TONY lifts her hand and runs it along his face.

TONY looks towards the fixed lampshade.

ANNA

Don’t touch it, it’s still wet.

TONY smiles.

(Cont.)ANNA

(smiling)

When are you going to get those fixed?

TONY

Anna...don’t ever let go of me...

Don’t ever let me go.

ANNA pulls him to her womb. She caresses his hair.

CUT TO BLACK.END.

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