TROUBLE IN PARADISE

AL MAJOR

EXT. DRIVEWAY. DAY

A couple is rushing out of their front door, CHARLIE is carrying two suitcases to the car
whilst LISA talks on the phone.

LISA
[TALKING ON PHONE]
(In Spanish)
<Yes Mum, we’re heading to the cabin now, I’ll let you know when
we stop for lunch.>

CHARLIE haphazardly shoves the suitcases in the boot and closes it with a thud, he then
glances at LISA and signals her to hurry up.

LISA
[TALKING ON PHONE]
(In Spanish)
<Will you please calm down? He’s going to be *fine*, you’ve got nothing to
worry about.

LISA pauses for a moment

<It was an isolated incident, he just needs to de-stress. He’s not like that and
you’ll see for yourself later!>

CHARLIE honks the horn

CHARLIE
Come on, you’ll see her in person soon!

LISA
[TALKING ON PHONE]
(In Spanish)
<You’re only holding us up, I’ll see you soon, love you!>

LISA hangs up the phone and gets in the car.

INT. CAR. DAY.

CHARLIE is driving whilst Lisa sends a message on her phone. CHARLIE seems annoyed,
but shrugs it off.

CHARLIE
Getting excited then? After your Mum buggers off we’ll have a whole week to
ourselves.

LISA
 (Distracted by phone)
Hm? Oh, yeah! I can’t wait! Can you believe Mum let us have it for the
whole-

LISA’s phone rings and she hurriedly answers it.

LISA
[TALKING ON PHONE]
Mr Otonashi, so nice to hear from you again! Yes, I finished filing just before
Helen left…

The camera fixates on CHARLIE’s face as LISA becomes inaudible, CHARLIE imagines
driving the car off the cliff whilst LISA screams helplessly.
Suddenly the regular audio is restored, CHARLIE’s daydream stops and LISA is heard again.

LISA
[TALKING ON PHONE]
Ha ha, okay, Arigato! Hahaha! Goodbye, I’ll see you next week.

LISA turns to look at a displeased CHARLIE

LISA
Aw, I’m sorry babe, I told him to contact me earlier, I had to sort it out before
the deadline, I’m all yours now I promise!

CHARLIE says nothing and continues driving.

LISA
Really, babe! I can’t wait to spend this week together, they won’t be bothering
us anymore.

CHARLIE
(Trying to sound enthusiastic)
I can’t wait either.

EXT. LAYBY. EARLY EVENING

CHARLIE is taking a break from driving, he is leaning against the car smoking a cigarette.
LISA has rearranged the suitcases in the boot to fit better, and is sitting on the open back of
the car. The camera focuses on her.

LISA
[INTERNAL MONOLOGUE]
Oh Charlie, I wish you’d talk more.
Should I be the one to bring it up?
No, he’d only get upset, poor thing.
But the Doc did say we needed to communicate more, and Mum always says
you can’t have a healthy relationship with unaddressed issues.
But every time I mention his Mother he just…
And I know it was an accident, I just hate how I still feel scared around him.
 I hope this week is good for you, babe.

CHARLIE throws his cigarette butte down, and lights another one. The camera fixates on
him.

CHARLIE
[INTERNAL MONOLOGUE]
I wish she’d talk to me more.
Well, at least she’s off her damn phone now. Something’s up with her, always
so focused on work…
Maybe if she wasn’t constantly chasing after the approval of that overbearing
Mother of hers she could think for herself.
Oh but far be it from me to question their sacred culture of parental respect,
stupid gringo that I am.
I just don’t get her, she acts like such a victim. Just because I shout or get
angry and punch a wall or two sometimes doesn’t make me violent, and I
certainly don’t blame her!
How the hell was I supposed to know she would get in the way?

LISA is pressing her cheek with a pained expression on her face, she the looks at Charlie and
smiles

LISA
Want to get back on the road, babe?

INT. CAR. LATE EVENING.

LISA is now driving. The shot lingers of the two of them driving in silence for a moment.

LISA
I don’t care that you looked at her, okay?

CHARLIE
What, Sarah? I can’t believe you’re bringing that up, do you just enjoy making
problems?

LISA
What? There’s obviously been something on your mind all day! I just want
you to know I’m not mad at you!

CHARLIE
I don’t give a fuck if you’re worried I’m looking at other women, I know that
I’m not disloyal to you, I know that I’m just looking at her like I’d look at a
nice car, your paranoia is your fucking problem!

LISA
[SHOUTING]
My problem is you always acting like a stoic wall of bricks!

LISA calms down

 Babe, I wanted us to work through whatever it is we have going on this week,
that’s why I got Mum to lend us the cabin; so we could get away from
everything while we sort it out! I’m sorry you’re feeling this way Charlie, but
it hurts me too.

CHARLIE looks at her apologetically. The camera focuses on LISA and very slowly zooms
in

LISA
I know you didn’t mean to do it, and if nobody else believes it, I still do. I
know how gentle you are, I was hoping some time in nature would let you get
that side out a little bit.
Do you remember last time we went, when that deer came up to the door? You
just stood there staring at him for the longest time! Oh I can’t wait to see that
again.
We’re going to be just fine babe, we’ve gotten all the arguing out of the way
right now, I can’t wait!

The shot goes back to Charlie’s face, he is imagining the screaming and crashing again.

LISA
(Shot still on Charlie)
Babe?

He instantly returns to reality, and smiles genuinely at LISA.

EXT. LAYBY. NIGHT

CHARLIE and LISA can be seen arguing inside the car, their voices are muffled but their
body language gradually gets more and more extreme. The shot slowly zooms out as the
sirens can be heard in the distance. As the shot zooms out further it is revealed that LISA has
crashed the car.
CHARLIE reaches into the glove compartment, pulls out a gun, and shoots LISA as the
screen cuts to black and the credits roll.