ABOUT A BOY by Peter Hedges based on the novel by Nick Hornby March 23, 1999‘TITLE SEQUENCE INT. SORTED - A LONDON CLUB - NIGHT MUSIC BLARES as Camera moves through the packed dance floor of Sorted, a London Club, swirling lights, sweaty bodies moving, the place is rocking ... Camera stops on WILL LIGHTMAN, age 36, in the center of it all, sweaty, dancing with the crowd; arms flailing, head bobbing, in time to the music. . He catches sight of someone, stares . ANOTHER ANGLE Will is looking at his reflection in the mirrored wall, as he dances. INT, SORTED - A LONDON CLUB - LATER Will walks toward door, which is held open. INT. MINI-CAB - DAWN Will sits in the back of a beat-up mini-cab, being driven fast and badly through the heart of London. The early morning sun has begun to rise on the half deserted streets of the still brightly lit Piccadilly Circus. As he’s thrown from side to side, Will etruggles te take a bite of a kebab. Bits of shredded lettuce fly in all directions. Will's POV from inside mini-cab: Rock Circus, a wax museum of Rock Stars. Above the parapet, in windows: Life-size wax figures of David Bowie. U2. Buddy Holly. Will takes a bite of kebab. EXT. WILL LIGHTMAN’S TOWNHOUSE - MORNING A SCREECH of brakes as the mini-cab stops in front of Will's townhouse. Next door, his neighbor, JOHN, leaves for work. His wife, KRISTEN, shakes her head at the sight of Will. Will notices, then stumbles up the steps towards his townhouse. INT. WILL’S BEDROOM - DAY From above, Will Lightman, still dressed from the night before, sleeps. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: Glossy magazines (Time Out, Vibe, The Face) are scattered on the bed, along with various remote control devices. A shaft of mid-day sunlight hits his face. With his eyes still closed, Will feels about for the stereo remote control and pushes the necessary buttons. INT. WILL’ S BATHROOM Will stands =n front of the toilet, peeing. Will flushes the toilet and walks out of the frame. The wall is covered with gold and platinum records. INT. WILL’ S KITCHEN Will sits at the kitchen table, a box of Sugar Puffs cereal next to him. He brings the cereal bow] to his mouth, drinks the remaining milk and sets down the bowl. He takes a drag off a cigarette, then exhales smoke. INT. WILL’S BATHROOM Clouds of steam. Will in the shower, singing. Happiness. Then shampoo gets in his eyes and he frantically reaches for a towel, shrieks. END_TITLES BLACK SCREEN NONI (0.S.) OK, so how cool is Will Lightman? INT, PARADISO HAIR SALON - PRESENT DAY Close on Wil: Lightman, age 36, looking at himself in the mirror, his forehead and face covered with hair clippings. During the following, TREVOR, a Sean Penn-like hairstylist with Billy Idol hair, finishes cutting Will’s hair. NONI, the chic receptionist/assistant, reads questions from a fashion magazine, and DIVA, a bald, black assistant writes on a piece of paper, keeping score. This dialogue overlaps and is spoken very fast. NONI Do you own more than five hip-hop albums? WILL Yes. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: > DIVA - (writing) Five points. NONI Have you sold your Bruce Springsteen albums? WILL Please. s DIVA Five points. Trevor turns on blow dryer and styles Will's hair. Everyone shouts over the noise. NONI Have you ever had a goatee? WILL What? TREVOR Yes, he has. Close on Diva writing the number 5. TREVOR (0.S.) And then he shaved it off. Dive writes another 5. NONI Do you earn more than forty thousand pounds a year? TREVOR Easily. Non And you don’t have to work very hard for it? TREVOR He doesn’t have to work at all for it. Trevor turns off the blow dryer and Noni says the following too loud: NONI Have you ever used a flavored condom?! (CONTINUED)~ CONTINUED: (2) Will gives her a look. NONI T/ll take that as a no. NONI- Have you ever taken Ecstacy? TREVOR (laughing) - Has the man ever taken Ecstacy? =~ DIVA a Five points. NONI But in a club, not at home merely as a sociological experiment? Will smiles. TREVOR Give him an extra ten. NONI Alright now, in the last three months have you slept with a woman you didn’t know very well? Trevor holds up a mirror so Will can check all sides of his new, very hip, hair cut. TREVOR (0.S.) He only sleeps with women he doesn’t know very well. Will smiles, he’s pleased. WILL (V.0.) And to think it all started with Tina. ELASH: Fifteen years ago. A wild young punker, TINA, with hair dyed, eight lace boots, pierced nose and eye brow, screaming into a mike on stage at CBGB’s. WILL (V.0.) I followed Tina to London. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (3) LUCY, an even wilder looking, completely naked girl, bounces on top of him. WILL (V.0.) Lucy is why I stayed. ELAS, Will's POV (from a bed): CAMILLA standing in front of mirror, in a business suit, putting on ear rings, looks at Will in mirror, and glares. WILL (V.0) Camilla wanted me to get a job. ELASH: Will’s POV: VICTORIA in a bumper car at an amusement park. WILL (V.0.) Victoria claimed I wasn’t serious. Will's bumper car smashes into Victoria, who is not amused. WILL (V.0.) Not true, I take not being serious very seriously. RETURN TO: EXT. HAIR SALON DAY Will emerges with his new haircut ... WILL (V.0.) All of them helped lead me... He approaches a WOMAN of inordinate beauty - winning, wholesome in « Julie Christie-type way, waiting for Will leaning against her car. WILL (V.0.) ++.to Angie. Will kisses Angie. WILL (V.0.) I kmow what you're thinking. EXT. HYDE PARK - LATER THAT DAY Will and Angie walk, holding hands, autumn leaves swirl around then.CONTINUED: WILL (V.0.) Why would someone like her go out with someone like me? They turn, gaze lovingly at each other. WILL (V.0.) People like Angie usually go out with rock stars, or Formula One drivers, or peers of the realm. : They move toward a sensual kiss. WILL (V.0.) So what's happening here? ABRUPT CUT TO: LOW ANGLE POV of Will and ANGIE kissing. WILL turns annoyed to look at the camera. cur To: WILL’s POV: Two KIDS, ages three and five, look up at them, screaming “WILL!” Will bends down, picks up the Girl, and as he lifts her in the air, she kicks him in the face. cur To: EXT, HYDE PARK - LATER THAT DAY Will and the kids fly a kite. Angie watches glowing, totally in love with how Will is with her children. They're having a great time, until Will accidently kmocks over the boy. He turns to help and the kite flies off. WILL (V.0.) For single mothers like Angie, children serve as a symbolic blemish, like a birthmark or obesity, giving guys like me a chance when previously there would have been none. EXT. WILL’S FLAT - DAY As Angie’s car drives away, Will waves and waves. WILL (V.0.) And unlike real fatherhood, at the end of an afternoon, I get to go home. (CONTINUED)~ ie CONTINUED: Will starts up his sidewalk. JOHN (0.S.) Hi, Will. Fancy a beer? Will turns and sees JOHN ‘standing on the stoop next door. KRISTEN (0.S.) Smile! INT. JOHN AND KRISTEN’S FLAT - MOMENTS LATER Close on Will, awkwardly holding six-month-old IMOGEN. Will forces a smile, CAMERA FLASH. Will is in the cluttered living room with his friends, JOHN and KRISTEN, exhausted and enthusiastic parents. The room is cluttered with baby toys, baby books, a changing table, diaper bags. Imogen begins to cry. Three-year-old BARNEY is climbing on Will. KRISTEN But don’t you want to settle down? Start a family of your own, perhaps? JOHN Sure he does. Who wouldn’t want kids? WILL I/d rather eat Barney’s dirty nappy. John laughs and playfully slaps Will hard on his back. Barney, the three year old, grabs a clump of Will's hair. KRISTEN Barney, come here. Kristen extends a stuffed animal and Barney goes to her. WILL The only reason for having children, as far as I can see, is so they can look after you when you're old and useless and broke ... John laughs, thinking Will is making a joke. KRISTEN How can you say that? (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: WILL I don’t think you should try to convince friends that they should be as miserable as you are. Kristen snorts. John sobers up. WILL Listen, all I’m saying is: what I have with Angie is perfect. i JOHN G How so? WILL Well, for starters... ELASH: A sexy, torrid shot of Will and Angie fucking. Half clothed, trying to be quiet (because nearby children sleep!) RETURN TO: INT. JOHN AND KRISTEN’S FLAT WILL It's unbelievable. It beats the sort of sex I’m used to hands down. and it’s all so much simpler, no bothers, no... Barney's baby toy (thrown by an unseen Barney) hits Will in the head. WILL Clutter. Beat. A cold pause. KRISTEN (disappointed) Well. I guess that changes things, doesn’t it, John? WILL What? JOHN We were going to ask you to be Imogen’s godfather. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: ) WILL / Godfather? Church and things? Birthday presents? Adoption if you're killed in a plane crash? Will laughs. : KRISTEN (appalled) You're kidding? 2 JOHN I always thought you had hidden depths. : WILL Oh, you see, I don’t. I really am this shallow. KRISTEN I don’t see how this Angie puts up... WILL It's an entirely happy arrangement. cur To: INT. INDIAN RESTAURANT - ENTRANCE WAY - EVENING Will enters. He stands in the doorway holding a bouquet of flowers, smiling. He sees something, stops, his smile drops. Will's Pov: Angie, at her table, crying. cur To: INT. INDIAN RESTAURANT - MOMENTS LATER Close on Angie, still crying, looking at Will. ANGIE It’s not you. You've been great. It’s me. It's my situation. WILL I like your situation. ANGIE I’m afraid Simon’s very jealous. WILL So? (CONTINUED)10. CONTINUED: ANGIE Bollocks! It seems I’ve met the right person at precisely the wrong time. I should have started with a meaningless fling, not a ... not with someone who ..+ WILL (V.0.) That's kind of ironic. If she only kmew how right I was: If there was a: man better equipped for the meaningless fling, I wouldn’t like to meet him. Angie is crying hard now. ANGIE (barely intelligible) I'm so sorry. Will you be all right? Will nods, appears sad, as if trying to force tears. WILL I’ll get by. They stand to hug. ANGIE Goodbye, Will. Angie squeezes Will very tight. WILL (V.0.) I’ve been putting this on, I want to teil her. I’m horrible! ANGIE (whispered into Will’s ear) If all men could be like you, what a world this would be. WILL (V.0.) Th:s clinches it. Angie breaks away, takes her handbag and, walks away at a slightly slower speed, moves to the door, where she gives one long, last tearful look. WILL (V.0.) There must be other women like Angie. Single mothers who start out thinking they want any number of noisy orgasms o but end up going back to the quiet life. O0Rs) (CONTINUED)aa. CONTINUED: (2) WILL (cont'd) This arrangement has a lot to offer. Great sex, a lot of ego massage, temporary parenthood without tears and a guilt-free-parting - what more could @ man want? cur To: INT. SORTED (A CLUB) - LATER THAT NIGHT Will’s playing snooker with his fellow travelers: Trevor, from the hair salon, DEREK, a long haired, hip looking chap, and RUPERT, a balding man with small glasses. Close on Will, chalking his cue stick, smiling. DEREK (0.S.) I don’t think I understand. She dumped you, and you're smiling. WILL That's right. RUPERT I'd be bloody suicidal, I would. ‘TREVOR Somebody get the man a drink. WILL No, you see, I’ve got this theory ... Will takes a shot and misses. DEREK How can he be smiling?! RUPERT I'd stick my head in the oven! TREVOR So, tell us ~- what's your theory? Beat. Will is about to speak when: ‘A surge of WHITE LIGHT permeates the screen, then: cur To: INT. COMMUNITY CENTER - HALLWAY - NIGHT Will hurries down hallway. He stops outside a door which has a sign posted: (CONTINUED)22. CONTINUED: SPAT Single Parents ~ Alone Together Will takes a deep breath and opens the door. A room of singularly unattractive single mothers turn their heads toward Will, who smiles nervously. WILL Have I come to the right place? Will's POV: The leader of the group - the scariest of the bunch - walks toward Will, offers her hand. SCARY MOTHER Welcome. I’m Frances, mother of Mollie and Mick. Will shakes Prances’s hand. WILL Oh, hi. I’m Will, father of, VISION: (Note: Represents W:ll’s imagination. Filmed in a stylized manner.) White light permeates the screen. An image begins to form. A BOY’s face. WILL (0.5.) Ned? Ted? The boy holds up a sign which reads: Ned. The light surges, the image is gone. RETURN TO: INT. SPAT MEETING ROOM WILL (pleased) Ned. (beat) Yes. He's two. FRANCES Have a seat. Will hesitates, takes the seat closest to the door. The Women stare at him. Will laughs nervously. (CONTINUED)13. CONTINUED: The door opens suddenly and a WOMAN enters. She is SUZIE -~ tall, blonde, pale, nervy-looking, beautiful, and in a very bad mood. She drops her handbag on the floor and slumps in the chair next to Will, who notices her. SUZIE Fucking baby-sitters. FRANCES : A little trouble tonight, then? = + sUzIE 5 I don’t want to talk about it. Silence. Then Will starts to laugh. WILL Oh, yeah. I agree. We've all been there. ELASH: White light, then: A SEXY BABY-SITTER in a revealing outfit holds baby Ned. He throws down a baby toy. She bends down, revealing her ample cleavage. Ned turns to the camera and grins. RETURN TO: INT. SPAT MEETING ROOM WILL (laughing) Let’s not talk about baby-sitters! Suzie shoots Will a glare. WILL Sorry. I’m Will. I’mnew. I don’t mow anybody. Beat. Suzie softens, gives a slight smile. INT. SPAT MEETING ROOM - LATER A break. At the refreshment table, Suzie pours Will soda. Will's eyes are fixed on Suzie. He's lapping up her every word. SUZIE The woman in blue, Helen, her husband went off with someone from work. Cd) (CONTINUED)14. CONTINUED: SUZIE (cont’d) 7 Jane’s was running two families. See Cy) the woman in the Lorena Bobbitt LY T-shirt over there? Will tries not to look obvious as he stares where Suzie has indicated. SUZIE Her husband went because he thought their little boy wasn’t his. (beat, sighs) Just about everyone here’s got something to be angry about. That's one of the reasons I like coming here is that you can be angry and no one thinks any the less of you. WILL You don’t seem angry. SUZIE (suddenly emotional) There’s no nice way to say it. My husband left me the day before I went into labor with Megan. WILL (almost convincing) Oh God. sUuzIE (near tears) I'm sorry. I haven't asked you anything about yourself. WILL Oh, it’s good. I mean, it doesn’t matter. I mean, there’s not much to know, really. SUZIE Did you get dumped, then? WILL Well, I suppose I did, yes. SUZIE Does your ex see Ned? WILL Sometimes. (suddenly emotional) She’s not really bothered. (CONTINUED)1s. SUZIE I'm sorry. How does he cope with that? WILL Oh... he’s a good little boy, Ned. wision: White light, then: Two year old Ned stands on Chelsea bridge. He jumps, a bungee chord attached to his leg. : Wide Shot: Ned, just missing the Thames River, springing back up. He shrieks with laughter. RETURN TO: INT, SPAT MEETING ROOM WILL Very brave. SUZIE (putting her hand on Will's) They have amazing resources, don’t they? cur To: INT, SORTED (A CLUB) - LATER THAT NIGHT Loud roars of laughter from Trevor, Derek, and Rupert. Will sits with his ‘fellow travelers’ at a corner table. They've been drinking. Will appears dejected. DEREK You may be the most rotten, terrible, dare I sey, brilliant man x’ve ever —- ‘TREVOR So, what happened? WILL I’ 11 tell you Saturday. TREVOR What's Saturday? Beat. Will sips his drink, fighting a smile. We hear: Doorbell RING. cor To:oy EXT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE — SATURDAY Will opens the door, comes bounding outside, quickly pulls the door behind him. Suzie stands on Will’s doorstep. WILL. There, all ready. Will walks down the steps without Suzie. SUZIE - Aren't you forgetting someone? WILL Who? Oh, sorry. Will comes back for Suzie. SUZIE Ned, I mean. WILL Ned? Oh, Ned. ‘vision: ) White light, then: Ned stands looking at the camera with a gesture of “What do I do?” WILL (0.S.) Yes. Well... CAMERA jumps around, looking for. WILL (0.5.) His mother... arrived just moments ago... A WOMAN appears, and she is traffic-stopping-gorgeous, dressed more for the catwalk than the sidewalk. She takes Ned off by the hand. As they walk away, she blows a kiss at the camera. WILL (0.S.) And snatched him away for the day. RETURN TO: 16.ay EXT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE They walk SUZIE What a bitch. It’s just not right. She can’t just ring up five minutes in advance and change plans like that. Poor little Ned. You should’ve told her to... eff off. WILL Q Oh, weil. You know. e toward Suzie’s car. SUZIE You can’t afford to be soft. You'll just get messed around all the time. WILL She's never done it before. SUZIE But she’1l do it again. You watch. You're too nice. This is a nasty business. You'll have to toughen up. WILL I know, I know. She's a ... cow. SUZIE That's better, (Beat) Now, listen, I’ve brought a friend. His mother isn’t feeling well. She’s one of us. WILL One of us? sUZIE SPAT. She’s in SPAT. WILL Right. SUZIE I hope you like him. He’s a little strange. CUT To: INT. SUZIE’S CAR - DAY Close on Will in shock. He’s crammed in the back seat. (CONTINUED)18. CONTINUED: Camera pans to reveal ... MARCUS BREWER, age 12, a2 very strange looking boy. Marcus has a weird bush of frizzy, brown hair. He wears black horn-rimmed glasses with thick lenses. Dressed in a Microsoft T-shirt, mustard yellow corduroys, black lace- ups, he sits with his back almost to Will. ‘He stares out the passenger window, singing the melody of a Joni Mitchell song. Suzie drives, Megan, age 2, sits up front in # car seat. Will glances periodically at Marcus who continues to sing softly. cor x INT. sUZIE’S CAR - DAY Close on Will in shock. He’s crammed in the back seat. Camera pans to reveal ... MARCUS BREWER, age 12, a very strange looking boy. Marcus has a weird bush of frizzy, brown hair. He wears black horn-rimmed glasses with thick lenses. Dressed in a Microsoft T-shirt, mustard yellow corduroys, black lace- ups, he sits with his back almost to Will. He stares out the passenger window, singing the melody of a Joni Mitchell song. Suzie drives, Megan, age 2, sits up front in a car seat. Will glances periodically at Marcus who continues to sing softly. SUZIE So Will, I don’t even kmow what you do. WILL Nothing. SUZIE Oh. Well, what did you do before? WILL Nothing. SUZIE You've never worked? (CONTINUED)_~ 19. CONTINUED: WILL Not really. (an awkward beat) See, I wrote a song. It was a long time ago. . ELASH: On stage, in a small club, Will, from fifteen years ago, sings the angriest Christmas carol ever. On top of his head, he wears antlers. He's dressed like a reindeer. He is, in fact, the lead singer of DEAD REINDEER, a one hit wonder novelty act band. The entire audience wears antlers, too. RETURN TO: INT, SUZIE'S CAR Close on Will. WILL It had its moment, and I live off the royalties. MARCUS You know Michael Jackson, right? He makes a million pounds a minute. SUZIE I’m not sure it’s a million pounds a minute. That’s an awful lot. MARCUS A million pounds a minute! sixty million pounds an hour! WILL Yes, well, I don’t make sixty million pounds an hour. Nothing close to that. MARCUS How much, then? SUZIE Marcus. Marcus turns away and resumes staring out the window. SUZIE So what’s the song? (CONTINUED)20. CONTINUED: WILL Never mind. SUZIE If you can live off it, we must have heard it. : MARCUS (insistent) What's the song? - WILL (having no choice) “santa’s Not Coming This Year” SUZIE Really? “Santa’s Not Coming This Year”? Marcus begins singing the song immediately. (A pop sounding punk rock Christmas carol.) Suzie joins in. SUZIE/MARCUS “You were bad, you were bad, Bad boys don’t get toys! You were bad, you were bad...” Marcus's singing grows in volume, his eyes close. Will and Suzie have to practically shout to hear each other. SUZIE I expect people always do that, don’t they? WILL (leaning forward to talk to Suzie) You two are the first, actually. SUZIE (smiling) Sorry. WILL No, it’s OK. I ask for it, really. SUZIE Marcus, that’s enough. Marcus abruptly stops singing. (CONTINUED)21. CONTINUED: (2) An awkward silence. No one speaks. Sensing something, Will turns to find Mercus staring at him. This rattles Will, he looks away and laughs nervously. EXT. REGENT’S PARK — PARKING LOT Suzie loads Megan into a buggy while Will stands awkwardly on the pavement with Marcus. During the scene, they all walk toward the picnic area. WILL So, Marcus. Who's your favorite soccer player? MARCUS We call it football. WILL Of course, who’s your favorite football player, then? MARCUS I hate football. WILL OK, who are your favorite singers? NARCUS Are you getting these questions out of a book? Suzie laughs. WILL No, I was just interested. MARCUS OK. My favorite singer is Joni Mitchell. WILL Joni Mitchell? Don't you like MC Hammer? Ox Snoop Doggy Dog? Or Paul Weller? MARCUS No, don’t like any of them. Nobody does. Only old people. WILL What, everyone in your school listens to Joni Mitchell? (CONTINUED)22. MARCUS No, don’t like any of them. Nobody does. Only old people. WILL What, everyone .in your school listens to Joni Mitchell? MARCUS Most people. Marcus moves on ahead. Will makes no attempt to keep up with him, He lags behind with Suzie. : WILL I'm to believe that all these kids are listening to Joni Mitchell? I would have read about it. I’m not that out of touch. MONTAGE: Suzie and the other SPAT mothers set out food at a picnic site. A lake can be seen off in the distance. Will chases the small SPAT children, pretending to be a monster, prezending to enjoy himself. Will tosses a small child in the air. He notices Suzie watching him, He sends the child. way too high, smiles at Suzie, almost forgetting to catch the child. Marcus, sandwich in hand, wanders off toward the lake. Will falls to the ground and is mobbed by the other SPAT children. Several of them step on Will’s head. He yanks at the ankles of one kid, who falls over, knocking over kid after kid. Will emerges victorious, the other children strewn all over the ground. Marcus angrily throws hunks of bread at a family of ducks. Will, beleaguered, out of breath, sneaks off for a smoke. EXT. REGENT’S PARK - LATER Suzie, pushing Megan in her buggy, finds Will behind a tree. Will puts out his cigarette. SUZIE You miss him, don’t you? (CONTINUED)23, CONTINUED: WILL | I'll see him later. It's no big deal. He would have enjoyed it here, though. SUZIE What’s he like? WILL Oh, you know...normal... , ELASH Ned, age 2, a lit cigarette in his hand. EXT. REGENT’S PARK WILL ++. nice. He’s a really nice boy. sUZIE I can imagine. Who does he look like? WILL Umm... Me, I guess. He got the short end of the stick. SUZIE Oh, he could have done worse. Suzie and Will are about to kiss when, suddenly, Marcus is in front of them, hopping from foot to foot as if he were about to wet himself. MARCUS I think I’ve killed a duck. EXT. REGENT’S PARK — A SMALL LAKE A dead duck floats belly up in the lake. Little pieces of bread dot the water. Will, Suzie, with Megan still asleep in her buggy, and Marcus stand on the path at the edge of the lake, staring at the dead duck. ‘MARCUS Totoro WILL Just leave it. What's the problem? (CONTINUED)24. CONTINUED: MARCUS Well, supposing someone saw me? WILL Did someone? MARCUS I don’t know, Maybe. Maybe they said they were going to tell the park- keeper. WILL Maybe someone saw you, or definitely? Maybe they said they were going to get the park-keeper, or definitely? Marcus does not answer. A big hunk of French loaf floats into view. WILL Is that the bread you threw at it? Marcus nods unhappily. WILL That’s not a sandwich, Marcus, that's a French loaf. No wonder it keeled over. That would have killed me. SUZIE Oh, Marcus. MARCUS I think it must have been ill. Maybe it was going to die anyway. They stare so hard at the crime scene that they don’t notice the PARK ATTENDANT approaching until he is standing raght next to them. WILL One of your ducks has died. PARK ATTENDANT Iwas told you had something to do with it. You know that’s a criminal offence, don’t you. WILL You were told that I had something to do with it? (CONTINUED)25. CONTINUED: (2) i PARK ATTENDANT - Maybe not you, but your lad here. WILL You're suggesting that Marcus killed this duck? Marcus loves ducks, don’t you, Marcus? MARCUS Yeah. Theyre my favorite animal. _" Well, second favorite. After dolphins. They're definitely my favorite bird, though. PARK ATTENDANT I was told he was throwing bloody great French loaves at it. WILL He was, but I’ve stopped him now. Boys will be boys. PARK ATTENDANT So he killed it? { WILL co Oh, no. Sorry, I see what you mean. No, he was throwing bread at the body. I think he was trying to sink it, because Megan here was getting upset. The park attendant looks at Megan asleep in the buggy. PARK ATTENDANT She doesn’t look very upset now. WILL No. She cried herself to sleep, poor kid. PARK ATTENDANT I/1l have to wade in and get it. WILL I hope there's not some sort of epidemic. Marcus turns and sees a WOMAN standing on the path, ten feet away. She smiles at Marcus. ‘MARCUS 2 (to himself) Mum. (CONTINUED)26. CONTINUED: (3) Suzie turns and looks where Marcus is looking. The woman (Marcus's mother) isn’t there. Will and Suzie with Megan start back to the picnic. SUZIE Come along, Marcus. Marcus hesitates, then follows after. INT. SUZIE’S CAR — LATER “ Suzie drives. Megan sits in the front seat. Will and: Marcus sit in back. WILL (in a mock English accent, imitating Marcus) They're definitely my favorite bird, though, ducks. Except, of course, I rather like the peacock. And, then there’s the turkey. Sparrows. Parrots. The do-do bird. Come to think of it, I don’t like ducks at all. T hate ducks! During the above Suzie giggles. WILL Kill the ducks! Finally Marcus, who has covered his face, breaks into the Sweetest, warmest smile. EXT. BREWER FLAT — AFTERNOON As Marcus struggles with the key in his door, Suzie (holding Megan) turns to Will. SUZIE I’11 just be a minute. Marcus opens the door. MARCUS Mum, I’m home! Marcus, Suzie and Megan go inside. Will lingers on the Porch, pulls out a cigarette, is about to light it when he glances in the kitchen window. MARCUS (0.S.) Mum, where are you? (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: Will's POV: Yellow curtains. The sink, the refrigerator. The legs of a woman lying on the floor. The rest of her blocked by the kitchen table. SUZIE (0.S.) Fiona! INT. BREWER FLAT - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Will enters the flat as Marcus hurries down the stairs, stopping in the kitchen doorway. Fiona has passed out. She’s white and there is a pool of vomit on the kitchen floor. An empty pill bottle lies nearby. Suddenly, there’s pandemonium. Marcus watches, frozen. Suzie is down on her kmees, shaking Fiona, screaming. Megan starts crying. Will moves to the phone and begins to dial. INT. SUZIE’S CAR POV: From inside Suzie’s car. Up ahead, the back of a speeding ambulance - its lights flashing - siren blaring. The ambulance suddenly changes lanes. Will drives Suzie’s car, changing lanes in an attempt to keep up with the ambulance. In the back seat, Megan cries hard. Marcus stares grimly out the window. WILL See if you can do anything with her. ‘MARCUS Like what? WILL I don’t know. Think of something. MARCUS You're a father. You think of something. Will searches his shirt pocket and pulls out a box of matches from SORTED and hands it back to Megan. Megan instantly quiets down. For a moment, Will seems pleased with his solution until he checks on Marcus in the rear view mirror. Will checks Suzie’s tape collection in the console. (CONTINUED) 27,28. WILL I don’t see any Joni Mitchell. There’s Madonn: (Will hates Madonna) Do you like Madonna? Marcus continues to stare out the window. INT. HOSPITAL — EMERGENCY WAITING ROOM - LATER Will, struggling with a fussy Megan, stands near the swinging doors. He bounces Megan in his arms, waiting for Suzie to appear. He sets Megan down. Will looks across the room to where Marcus sits in the corner, alone, eating his third chocolate bar. The doors swing open - it’s Suzie. SUZIE How's Marcus? WILL I don't know. SUZIE Have you talked with him? As they walk toward Marcus: WILL (whispered) What do you tell a kid whose mother has tried to kill herself? Suzie keeps walking and Will watches as she Imeels down in front of Marcus. sUzIE Marcus, your mum's really doing very well. But they’re going to keep her in overnight, just for observation. So, how about staying with me tonight? Marcus nods slightly. Will looks around for Megan. She has wandered onto an elevator, the doors are starting to close. Will makes a sliding lunge, blocking the doors just in time. SUZIE OK, come on, then. You can help me open the sofa bed. (CONTINUED)es 29. CONTINUED: Marcus stands and Suzie helps him on with his coat. Will carries a crying Megan over to Suzie. She turns and takes Megan who immediately stops crying. WILL (softly) You go on, I/11 get myself home. SUZIE Oh, alright, then. WILL (alzeady starting to leave) I'll see you soon. 1/11 call you? SUZIE I hope you get things sorted out with Ned and your ex. WILL (beat) Oh, it'll be fine. Thanks. Behind him, the electric doors open. Will turns and walks out of the hospital. He looks back to find Marcus, looking lost, staring at him through the window. INT. SORTED (A CLUB) - LATER Close on a rack of red snooker balls. The cue ball collides, clack, the balls scatter. Rupert is standing next to Will. RUPERT How was your date? Will chalks his cue. Will is rattled from the events earlier. WILL It was all very - uhm - interesting. But I wouldn’t want to do it every night. INT. BREWER FLAT — DAYS LATER ‘MONTAGE: Marcus puts fresh tulips in a vase. (CONTINUED)30. CONTINUED: He dries the dishes. He finishes making his mother’s bed. Marcus watches from his bedroom window as Suzie’s car pulls up in front of the house. Fiona gets out of the car and looks up at the window. Marcus isn’t there. INT. MARCUS’S BEDROOM - LATER . Marcus lies on his bec, facing the wall. There's a light knock at the door. FIONA (0.S.) Marcus? Marcus does not answer. The door opens. Fiona, nervous, comes into his room and stands by the door. FIONA I’ve put on some tea for us. Marcus doesn’t respond. FIONA Listen, love, it’s not you. You're not the reason I’m so unhappy. You've got to believe ne. Close on Marcus, tears in his eyes. Fiona stands in the background. FIONA It's not your fault. INT. CLASSROOM — DAY Marcus sits at his desk, staring out the window. At the front of the room, the ENGLISH TEACHER, a tall, plain looking woman in her late twenties, reads aloud from “one Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Unaware, Marcus begins to hum, then softly sing Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.” Kids poke each other and look up. Smiles. Laughter. The teacher stops reading. Marcus keeps singing, growing in volume. (CONTINUED)31. CONTINUED: ENGLISH TEACHER Marcus. Marcus stops singing and the class laughs. Marcus looks down at his book. The teacher resumes reading aloud. INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY — LATER The end of the school day. Marcus moves through the crowded hall, his head down. S TWo BOYS taunt Marcus as he passes. Boy #1 Oi, Speccy, give us a song! Marcus gets by them -- phew -- and as he exits the school, he sees: EXT. ENTRANCE TO SCHOOL SEVERAL BOYS, all bigger than Marcus, waiting at the gate. They look up, see him, they're smiling. Marcus ducks his head, walks as fast as he can, toward “the gauntlet.” Before they can trip him, he accidently trips himself, and he falls. And they laugh. EXT. NEWSSTAND — OUTSKIRTS OF HAMPSTEAD HEATH - DAYS LATER Will is absorbed, flipping through the newest Time Out. He looks up to catch a brief glimpse of an attractive mother in a light parka pushing her child in a buggy. Will's POV: The mother’s shapely rear end as she walks away. And then, as luck would have it, a child’s pink mitten falls out of the buggy. Will quickly moves to retrieve it, just in time, too, as he prevents a heavy-set Londoner from stepping on it. Then Will pushes through the crowd as he tries to catch up with the attractive mother several meters in front of him. WILL Excuse me! Excuse me, miss. The attractive mother turns. It's Suzie. Will stops. Freezes. The pink mitten in his hand.x EXT, HAMPSTEAD HEATH - LATER Will and Suzie sit on a bench. Megan sleeps in her buggy. SUZIE It's that you've been so busy... WILL Hmm? SUZIE - To not call. You must be so terribly busy... WILL Well... SUZIE Is it me? Tell me the truth. WILL No! it's... SUZIE Ned? WILL Yes. Ned. He's been... vision: White light, then: Ned, age 2, wearing adult sunglasses, lounges on a beach chair with a drink. RETURN TO: EXT. HAMSTEAD HEATH sUZIE Sick? WILL very. SUZIE Ear infection? Croup? WILL (confused) Yes. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: vision: SUZIE Which? WILL Both? SUZIE Bh. Poor Ned. White light, then: Ned, age 2, in lounge chair, raises his glass to the camera, sips his drink. RETURN TO: EXT. HAMSTEAD HEATH WILL Yes. Poor Ned. SUZIE Sorry. I’ve been distracted, too — so worried about Fiona and Marcus — WILL Right, how are they? sUZzIE Well, you can imagine. Listen, maybe you could help with Marcus. Take him cut or something? WILL Would you like me to? SUZIE You two seemed to get along OK. WILL We did? sUZzIE And then maybe we could, you know, build on the other day. WILL (nervously) Maybe. (CONTINUED) 33.34. CONTINUED: SUZIE I’m still dying to meet Ned. EXT, WILLS FLAT - NIGHT MUSIC blares from Will’s ‘stereo. CLOSE ON the TV - channels change rapidly. Will draws deeply on a joint as he works the reimote control. The MUSIC ENDS. Silence: except for the telephone ringing. WILL Hello. MARCUS (0.S.) Hi, Will, it’s Marcus. WILL Oh, hi... The next song on the CD begins. Will grabs a different xemote control and turns down the volume on the stereo. INTERCUT WITH: Marcus on the phone in his flat. ‘MARCUS Suzie said you wanted to take me out for the day somewhere. WILL Did 1? ‘MARCUS That's what Suzie said. WILL Yeah, weil, it’s a thought. ‘MARCUS 1/11 come if my mum can come. WILL I'm sorry? ‘MARCUS And she hasn’t got any money, so either we'll have to go somewhere cheap or you'll have to treat us. (CONTINUED)35. WILL Hey, Marcus, don’t beat around the bush. ‘MARCUS I’m not. We're broke. You're rich. You pay. WILL 5 It's OK, I was joking. . MARCUS So? WILL (beat) Sure. Of course your mom can come. That’1l be... great. MARCUS You can bring your little boy if you like. It’ll be fun. EXT. MOTHERCARE - DAY A chain store for children’s supplies with MOTHERCARE spelled out in big lettering. WILL (0.S.) That’s sexist you know. SALES WOMAN (0.S.) Sorry? INT. MOTHERCARE - CONTINUOUS Will and a SALESWOMAN stand in the car seat section. WILL Mothercare. What about fathers? Fathercare. SALES WOMAN You're the first person ever to say that. WILL Really? SALES WOMAN (laughing) No. Anyway. What make are you looking for? (CONTINUED)36. CONTINUED: lan WILL I don’t know, Anything. The cheapest. What do most people get? SALES WOMAN Well. Not the-cheapest. They're usually worried about safety. WILL Ah. Yes. Not much point in saving a: few quid if he ends up through the - windshield, is there? She lifts up the super-deluxe model car seat. WILL He’1l love it. SALES WOMAN It looks nice now, but he’1l mess it up soon enough, with his biscuits and crisps and what have you. EXT. BREWER FLAT - DAY Will waits by his car as Marcus and Fiona come out of their flat. Fiona is dressed in her best leggings and a baggy sweater. She wears make-up and a pair of nice dangling earrings. WILL Hi. We've... Well, 2... FIONA I’m Fiona. WILL Yes... I’m Will... FIONA Thanks for all you did last weekend. I really appreciate it. WILL My pleasure. I hope you're feeling... T hope you've... FIONA My stomach’s fine. Will opens the car door for Fiona. Marcus opens his door. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: WILL Wait, Fiona. Oh, Ned. CLOSE ON: The baby car seat is strapped on the passenger side of Will's car. It is covered with crumbs, bread crusts and smeared with jam stains. Also, scattered about the car are numerous baby toys. WILL ‘ itll just take me a few seconds. — ‘MARCUS Where's your kid? Will makes a mini-production of unhooking the seat belt, removing the car seat, shaking it as crumbs and crusts fall to the street. Marcus watches Will suspiciously. WILL Unfortunately Ned is with his mother. ‘All day. Will opens the trunk of his car, throws the car seat inside, and slams the trunk shut. WILL Shall we go? INT, RESTAURANT - LATER Will, Fiona and Marcus are in mid-meal. Marcus watches as Will and Fiona eat in awkward silence. Will and Fiona have nothing to say to each other. INT. BREWER FLAT - NIGHT Marcus is on the phone. MARCUS 1 think it went very well, don’t you? INTERCUT TO: Will on his phone. WILL Well... ‘MARCUS Fow does this sound? Dinner. Friday. She’ 11 cook. 37.38. INT. BREWER FLAT — FRIDAY’S DINNER Fiona at the piano, plays and sings, “Both Sides Now.” Marcus watches proudly. FIONA “From win and lose And still somehow. Will, still at the dinner table, tries to discreetly scrape his uneaten food into the trash. ao FIONA (0.S.) 7 “It's Life’s illusions I recall I really don’t imow life at all” Marcus applauds as Fiona finishes. MARCUS One more, one more. FIONA (turning to Will) Do you want to come over here so you can see the words? Will crosses to the piano as Fiona plays the opening bars of “Killing Me Softiy With His Song.” Fiona and Marcus sing. Will reluctantly joins in singing an occasional word, stopping momentarily when he sees both Fiona and Marcus are singing with their eyes closed. INT. SORTED (A CLUB) - LATER THAT NIGHT Will, drunk, is in mid conversation with his ‘fellow travelers’ Trevor, Derek and Rupert. WILL Of course I knew that the song couldn’t last forever, that the evening couldn’t last forever, that singing around the piano with a depressive hippy and her weirdo son wouldn’t kill me. But it nearly did. A FEMALE BARTENDER sets down another round of drinks. TREVOR (raising a glass) To single mums. (CONTINUED)39, CONTINUED: WILL It was so Sincere. She meant “Fire and Rain.” She meant “Knocking on Heaven's Door.” And when the kid joined in, he meant it. And then when they sang with their eyes closed... Will chugs his drink. WILL - I thought, that’s it. No more. I’m done with them. INT, RECORD SHOP - NEXT DAY Will flips through a rack of CDs in the “New Releases” section. Derek is in the background, doing the same. In the shop window, Marcus’s face appears. He is spying on Will, who is unaware. INT. SUPERMARKET - LATER THAT DAY Will fills up his shopping trolley with “Single Guy” foods - chips, beer, TV dinners. Marcus follows him. He looks in Will’s trolley to see what Will is purchasing. INT. SUPERMARKET - CHECK-OUT LINE Will empties his trolley onto the moving conveyor belt. Beer. Chips. A package of Pampers. Will stops, lunges for the package. WILL (to the cashier) These aren't mine. Marcus watches from a nearby cash register. Will looks puzzled as he holds the Pampers. INT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE - LATER THAT DAY As Will puts away his groceries, he listens to his answering machine: sUzIE (on tape) Hi, my name’s Suzie. You may remember me. (CONTINUED)40. The doorbell RINGS. SUZIE (faintly, on tape) Give me a call. Will crosses to his front door and opens it. EXT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE — CONTINUOUS Marcus stands on Will’s doorstep. MARCUS You haven't got a kid, have you? WILL (caught off guard) Well... uh... ‘WISION: White light, then: Ned, looking sad, holds up a sign which reads “Bye.” Then Ned vanishes. RETURN 1 EXT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE MARCUS I thought so. WILL So what if I don’t? I mean, what business is it of yours? ‘MARCUS None. Apart from you've been lying to me and my mum and my mum's friend. WILL Why don’t you just go home, Marcus? MARCUS All right. (starting to leave) But I’m going to tell my mum. WILL Ooooh. I’m scared. Marcus stops, turns. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: WILL Go on then, off you go. ‘MARCUS T/l1 do you a deal. I won’t say any- thing to my mum if you go out with her. WILL Why would you want your mom to go out, with someone like me? MARCUS I don’t think you’re too bad. I mean, you told lies, but apart from that you Seen OK. And she’s sad, and I think she’d like a boyfriend. WILL Marcus... ‘MARCUS What's wrong with her? WILL Nothing’s wrong with her, but... MARCUS You want to go out with Suzie, don’t you? WILL Not exactly “go out.” MARCUS What do you mean? WILL Look, I really don’t want to talk about this with you. Go home. Will shuts the door. CLOSE ON door. The doorbell RINGS. Will opens the door. It is the next day. WILL What do you want? MARCUS Nothing. Will shuts the door in Marcus’s face. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2) CLOSE ON door. The doorbell RINGS. Will opens the door. The next day. MARCUS Was in the neighborhood. Just thought I'd pop round -- Will shuts the door in Marcus’s face. CLOSE ON door. The doorbell RINGS and RINGS. ~ Will yanks open the door. Another day. MARCUS (eagerly) What are you doing? WILL What am I doing? MARCUS Yeah. What are you doing? WILL (Beat.) Watching TV. INT, WILL’S TOWNHOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MINUTES LATER Marcus, sitting on the edge of the sofa, shouts out to the afternoon game show ‘Countdown’ . MARCUS “Immature!” Will stares at Marcus in disbelief. He reaches for cigarette. MARCUS You shouldn't smoke, you know. WILL No, I know. Thank you for telling me. Will lights a cigarette. On the TV, the host says, “Immature.” WILL Haven't you got any homework to do? 42. answers a (CONTINUED)cy MARCUS ~ Yeah. Do you want to help me? WILL That wasn’t what I meant. I meant, why don’t you go home and do it? Marcus ignores him and starts poking around the flat. MARCUS es Nice flat. WILL Thank you. MARCUS Quite small, though. WILL It's big enough for me. MARCUS But you could get something bigger if you wanted to. oN Marcus stops in front of one wall with custom made shelving which holds Will's enormous CD collection. WILL I’m happy with this one. MARCUS You've got a lot of CDs. Iggy Pop. Who are those people on your wall? The ones with the saxophones and the trumpets? WILL Saxophonists and trumpeters. MARCUS But who are they? And why are they on your wall? WILL That's Charlie Parker, and that’s Chet Baker. And they’re on my wall because I like their music, and they’re cool. MARCUS ’ Why are they cool? (CONTINUED) 43.44. CONTINUED: (2) WILL I don’t know. Because they took drugs and died, probably. ‘MARCUS (beat) 5 Aren't you going to offer me anything? A cup of tea or a Coke? WILL (sighs in frustration) . What do you want? Marcus follows Will into the kitchen. MARCUS What’s this? WILL Espresso machine. ‘MARCUS And this? WILL a Ice-cream maker. What do you want? MARCUS I'll have some ice-cream, if you’re making it. WILL I’mnot. It takes hours. MARCUS Might as well buy it from the shop, then. WILL Coke? MARCUS Yeah. Will hands Mazcus a can. Marcus snaps it open, and it sprays. Everywhere. Marcus panics. ‘MARCUS I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Sy For a moment, Will watches Marcus fall apart. (CONTINUED)45. CONTINUED: (3) MARCUS I’m sorry... Will grabs a dish towel and begins cleaning up the mess. WILL” Marcus, it’s OK. Look. (as he wipes) It’s easy to clean up. MARCUS I’m really, really... WILL It’s not your fau(1t)- MARCUS (abruptly) I better go. Marcus starts to leave. WILL Wait. Marcus stops. WILL You might as well stay for ‘Saved by the Bell’ now. Otherwise you'll miss the beginning. MONTAGE: (MUSIC: Charlie Parker / Chet Baker) Marcus rings the doorbell, Will opens the door without checking to see who it is. ANOTHER DAY Marcus and Will watch TV, calling out answers to ‘Countdown’ . ANOTHER DAY Marcus butters crumpets. Will pours Cokes. ANOTHER DAY Will and Marcus watch TV. Will takes a drag on his cigarette. He sets the cigarette in the ashtray. Marcus stubs out the cigarette. Will, his eyes still on the TV, reaches for the cigarette, brings it to his lips, and tries to inhale. (CONTINUED)46. CONTINUED: (4) He looks at the squashedcigarette. He looks at Marcus, who stares at the TV. ANOTHER DAY In the record shop, Will flirts with an attractive woman. He asks her the time. She shows him her watch. He quickly excuses himself. Marcus walks along a street. Will runs down another street, trying to get Mome before Marcus arrives. Marcus stands at Will's front door, about to ring the doorbell, when... Will opens the door. Marcus breezes past Will and into the flat. Will closes the door and falls back against it, panting, trying to catch his breath. ANOTHER DAY Will and Marcus make ice-cream in the ice-cream maker. Will and Marcus eat ice-cream as they watch TV. (fusic ends.) INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY The image of Kurt Cobain on a sweatshirt. A female student, 15, her hair dyed blue-black and cut as if hacked off with garden shears, wears the sweatshirt. Marcus is busy watching her and does not notice two bigger boys behind him. One boy lets a wad of spit slowly drip out his mouth on top of Marcus’s head. Marcus feels the top of his head, senses what's behind him. EXT. SCHOOL - DAY Marcus bursts out the door, followed by an ever growing group of boys. EXT. LONDON STREET - DAY Marcus runs as fast as he can down the street. A gang of boys pursue him, throwing what appear to be little rocks. One dings Marcus in the head. The other boys cheer. Still, Marcus keeps on running. The sound of Will’s DOORBELL - several quick rings, indicating that it’s an emergency.INT. WILL'S TOWNHOUSE - DAY Close on Will’s front door. Will opens the door to find Marcus standing on the front step being bombarded with rock candy. Will takes several direct hits himself as he pushes Marcus inside. Will confronts the candy throwers - two mean looking teenaged boys. WILL : What do you think you're doing? a BOYS Who are you? WILL (grabs a brick) NEVER MIND WHO I AM! WHO THE FUCK ARE You! Terrified, the two boys turn and run. John, Will's neighbor, looks out his window, sees Will, shakes his head. Will, embarrassed by his outburst, goes inside. INT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE - MOMENTS LATER Marcus is already sitting comfortably on the sofa drinking a Coke and watching TV. WILL Who vere they? MARCUS I dunno. WILL You don’t imow? MARCUS No. They just started following me home after school. So I thought I’d better not go home, so they wouldn't find out where I lived. I thought I'd come round here. WILL Thanks a lot. MARCUS But don’t worry, they won't chuck Sweets at you. They were after me. (CONTINUED) 47.48. CONTINUED: WILL J And does this happen often? MARCUS No, this is the first time they’ve chucked sweets: They just thought of that today. Just now. WILL I’m not talking about the sweets. I'm talking about older kids trying to Kill you. Have they been bothering you for a long time? MARCUS Oh, yeah. Not those two... WILL No, OK, OK, not those two, But others like them. ‘MARCUS Yeah. Loads. WILL =~ OK. That’s all I’ve been trying to find out. MARCUS You could have just asked. In complete frustration, Will walks into the kitchen and gets a Coke. WILL What do they give you a hard time about? MARCUS Nothing really. Just, you know, my hair and glasses. And Singing. Stuff like that. WILL What do you mean, singing? MARCUS Oh, just -- Sometimes I sing without noticing. Will chuckles. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: as. (2) ‘MARCUS It’s not funny. WILL I’m not laughing. (beat) . So what are you going to do about these kids? ‘MARCUS ce How do you mean? WILL Are you going to let this go on like this forever? ‘MARCUS I try not to think about it. I mean, it’s just life, isn’t it? WILL It doesn’t have to be life, though, does it? MARCUS I dunno. You tell me. I haven't done anything. They just think I’m weird. WILL Maybe they’re weird too, but you just can’t see it. The trouble is, these Kids can see you. You make yourself obvious. MARCUS So I’ve got to make myself invisible? WILL No, you just have to go in disguise. ‘MARCUS What, with a moustache and stuff. WILL Yeah, right, with a moustache. Nobody would notice a twelve-year-old boy with @ moustache, would they. ‘MARCUS What do you mean? Everyone would notice. I'd be the only one in the whole school. (CONTINUED)50. CONTINUED: (3) WILL OK, no moustache, then. Bad idea. ‘MARCUS So? WILL (tossing Marcus his coat) Come on. We're going out. EXT. SPORTING GOODS SHOP - DAY Will and Marcus look through the store window at an immense display of athletic shoes. WILL Which one’s do you like? MARCUS I don’t kmow. WILL It’s got to be Adidas, I think. ‘MARCUS Why? WILL Because that’s what everyone wears. ‘MARCUS Sheep. Baaaaa. WILL Where did you get that from? MARCUS ‘That’s what my mum says when she thinks people haven’t got a mind of their own. WILL The whole idea of this expedition, Marcus, is that you learn to become a sheep. ‘MARCUS Is it? WILL Of course. You don’t want anyone to notice you. You don’t want to look different. (CONTINUED)Si. CONTINUED: Will points to a pair of Adidas trainers that look cool. WILL What do you think of those? INT. SPORTING GOODS SHOP ‘- MOMENTS LATER Marcus walks up and down in the new trainers. MARCUS a They're forty pounds. WILL Never mind how much they cost. What do you think of them? Marcus looks at himself in the mirror and smiles. ‘MARCUS Baaa. Baaa. Will looks at the two of them in the mirror. They could easily pass for father and son. Will tries to repress a smile. EXT. SPORTING GOODS SHOP - MOMENTS LATER Exiting the store, they walk away with their backs to us. There is a noticeable bounce in Marcus’s step as he walks. ‘MARCUS These are great, but. WILL Yeah? MARCUS Now the rest of me looks all wrong. WILL So next time we'll make the rest of you look OK. Will and Marcus continue walking. They cross to the other side of the street. EXT, WILL'S TOWNHOUSE - THE NEXT DAY Will opens the door to let Marcus in. He stops when he sees Marcus's eyes are filled with tears. Will looks down. Marcus is standing in a pair of soggy black socks.~ EXT. BREWER FLAT ~ EARLY EVENING FIONA (0.S.) (shrieking) Where are your shoes? INT. BREWER FLAT - KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Marcus, with his coat still on, stands in the kitchen doorway. Fiona is cooking dinner. p MARCUS , Stolen. FIONA Stolen? Why would anyone steal your shoes? MARCUS Because... because they were nice ones. FIONA They were just ordinary black lace-ups. MARCUS No, they weren’t. They were new Adidas trainers. Fiona lets that sink in. FIONA Where did you get new Adidas trainers fron? MARCUS Will bought them for me. FIONA Will who? Will the guy who took us out to lunch? MARCUS Yeah, Will. The bloke from SPAT. He's sort of become my friend. FIONA He's sort of become your friend? MARCUS I go round to his flat after school. (CONTINUED) 52.CONTINUED: INT. WILL’ FIONA YOU GO ROUND TO HIS FLAT AFTER SCHOOL? What, and play with his kid? ‘MARCUS Well, you see, he doesn’t really have a kid. FIONA HE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A KID? E S TOWNHOUSE — LATER THAT NIGHT The doorbell RINGS. Will, dripping wet, fresh from the shower in a bathrobe, opens the door and finds Fiona and Marcus on the porch. FIONA (enraged) What are you doing going to SPAT if you don’t have a kid? And why are you saying you have a kid when you don’t have a kid? And, furthermore, what the bloody hell are these little after- school tea parties about? WILL FIONA And would you tell me why a grown man wants to hang out with a twelve-year- old boy day after day? WILL Are you suggesting -- FIONA I’m not suggesting anything. WILL You're suggesting that I’ve been, fiddling with your son. FIONA I’m simply asking why you entertain twelve-year olds in your flat. WILL (suddenly shouting very loud) I don’t have any fucking choice, do 1? (MORE) (CONTINUED) 53.CONTINUED: Will starts to shut the door. Fiona blocks it herself into the flat, dragging Marcus with her, They look 54. WILL (cont'd) Your son comes round fucking uninvited every day. Sometimes he’s pursued by gangs of savages. I could leave him outside to take his chances, but I've been letting him in for his own safety. I won't fucking bother next time. Now, if you've finished, you can go. nd pushes FIONA I haven’t finished yet, actually. why 7 did you buy him a pair of expensive trainers? WILL Because... because look at him. at him. FIONA What's wrong with him? WILL You don't have a clue, do you? You really don’t have a clue. FIONA About what? WILL Marcus is being eaten alive at school, you know. They take him to pieces every single fucking day of the week, and you're worried about where his sneakers come from and whether I’m molesting him. FIONA Marcus is doing fine. WILL You're kidding. FIONA I know he’s taking some time to settle at his new school, but... WILL (laughing) Yeah. Give him a couple of weeks and he'll be OK. (MORE) (CONTINUED)55. CONTINUED: (2) WILL (cont'd) Once they've stopped stealing his shoes and following him home from school everything will be great. ‘MARCUS I don’t think so. It’s going to take longer than a couple of weeks. WILL Marcus, I know. I was joking. FIONA I think you're being a bit melodramatic. Maybe you haven't had very much contact with kids before. WILL I used to be a fucking kid. And I used to go to fucking school. I know the difference between kids who can’t settle down and kids who are just plain miserable, so don’t give me any shit about being melodramatic. I’m supposed to take this from someone who -- MARCUS ow! Cowabunga! WILL What's wrong with you? MARCUS Nothing. Just to have a shout. + I don’t mow. Wanted WILL Jesus. What a family. EXT. BUS STOP - MINUTES LATER As Fiona and Marcus get on a bus: FIONA You're not going round there again. ‘MARCUS Why not? FIONA Marcus, trust me, OK? I know what I'm doing. The doors close, muting Marcus's objections. The bus drives away.INT, BREWER FLAT — KITCHEN - LATER Close on an unappealing casserole of chickpeas, rice and canned tomatoes. Marcus stares blankly at ‘the casserole. MARCUS Did you always know I was going to be vegetarian? = FIONA Of course I did. I didn’t suddenly deside on the spur of the moment bezause we’d run out of sausages. MARCUS And you think that’s fair? FIONA I don’t want to cook meat, so you have to eat what I eat. MARCUS But you don’t let me go to McDonalds either. FIONA I can't stop you going to McDonalds. I/d just be disappointed if you did. MARCUS (defeated) Why don’t you just tell me what to do? Fiona scoops up a helping of casserole. FIONA Because I want to teach you to think for yoursels. She plops it on Marcus’s plate. INT. BREWER FLAT - FIONA’S BEDROOM — MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT Marcus turns on the lamp next to Fiona’s bed. Fiona squints from the sudden light. MARCUS I’ve been thinking for myself. FIONA What the -- (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: ‘MARCUS I want to go round to Will’s house after school. FIONA Don’t start with that... MARCUS I need to see Someone who’s not you. _ FIONA Please turn off the light. MARCUS Will’s not like you. FIONA Yo. He’s a liar, and he doesn’t do anything, and... ‘MARCUS He bought me those trainers. FIONA So he’s a rich liar who doesn’t do anything. ‘MARCUS He understands about school and that. He knows things. FIONA He kmows things! Marcus, he doesn’t even know he’s born. Go to bed. Fiona turns off the light. 7 Marcus immediately turns it back on. MARCUS You see what I mean? (getting really frustrated) I’m thinking for myself and you just... it just doesn’t work. You win anyway. FIONA Because you're not backing it up. You can't just tell me you're thinking for yourself. You've got to show me, too. ‘MARCUS How do I show you? (CONTINUED) 87.58. CONTINUED: (2) FIONA Give mé a good reason. MARCUS I’m not going to. FIONA Why not? ‘MARCUS a Because it will make you cry. FIONA No it won't. Tell me. Beat. MARCUS Because I need a father. Beat. Fiona starts to cry. INT. CLOTHING STORE Will is buying clothes in a crowded store (like The Top Shop). A rock version of a Christmas carol plays in the store. The song ends. Then: The opening strains of “Santa’s Not Coming This Year.” Will immediately becomes panicked, almost hyper- ventilating, as if claustrophobic and trapped in an elevator. He tries to push through the crowded store. Will's Pov: Glancing around, a young clerk (with multiple piercings on his face) mouths the words, “You've been bad, you've been bad. Bad boys don’t ...” Then the Clerk Stops, says “What a piece of shit” to his friend, laughs. Will turns in the other direction and heads for the door. INT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT Will frantically rolls a joint while he talks on the phone. FIONA (0.S.) Marcus doesn’t need a father, and he certainly doesn’t need a father like you. WILL I’m sorry? INTERCUT WITH: (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: Fiona on the phone in her flat. FIONA Marcus seems to think he needs adult male company. A father figure. And somehow your name came up. WILL Well I can tell you, Fiona, I definitely don’t need junior male.” company, and I really, really don’t need a son figure. So fine. You and I are in complete agre: nt. FIONA (taken aback) We are? WILL Yes, we are. FIONA So... you're not prepared to think about how to help me? WILL That's right. FIONA (flustered) Then, in that case, it’s best that he doesn’t see you. WILL And what do I do if he rings the doorbell? FIONA Don't let him in. WILL Fine. FIONA God, you're a selfish bastard. WILL But I’m on my own, There’s just me. It's always been that way. I’m not putting myself first, because there isn’t anybody else. 59. (CONTINUED)60. CONTINUED: (2) FIONA Well he’s there too now. You can’t Just shut life out, you know. WILL Actually, you ¢an. (reaching for an ashtray) If you don't ... Will accidently hangs up'on Fiona. He checks the receiver. We hear: DIAL TONE. He shrugs and goes back to watching IG ROOM OUTSIDE HEADMISTRESS’S OFFICE - DAY Marcus sits waiting. Through the closed door, the headmistress can be heard shouting at someone. ELLIE McCRAE, age 15, walks by and sits down on the far end of the row of chairs outside the office. Ellie is a sulky, scruffy girl who hacked off her own blue-black dyed hair and wears black lipstick and heavy black eyeliner. ‘MARCUS Hello, Ellie. She looks at him and laughs. She shakes her head bitterly. ELLIE How come every squitty little shitty snotty bastard knows my name? ‘MARCUS You're famous. ELLIE What am I famous for? MARCUS Dunno. ELLIE Yes you do. I’m famous because I’m always in trouble. ‘MARCUS Yes. ELLIE Fucking hell. I’m always in trouble, and I never done anything wrong. (CONTINUED)61. CONTINUED: CY ‘MARCUS 7 Wo. ELLIE How do you know? MARCUS Because you just said so. ELLIE - If you're being cheeky, you'll get a slap. Do you know what I’ve done wrong this time? ‘MARCUS Nothing. ELLIE OK, do you know what I’m supposed to have done wrong? MARCUS Nothing. ELLIE Well, they must think I’ve done something wrong, or I wouldn’t be sitting here, would 1? ‘MARCUS Wo. ELLIE It’s this sweatshirt. They don’t want me to wear it, and I’m not going to take it off. So there’s going to be a row. Marcus looks at the sweatshirt. It shows a young man with scraggy hair and half a beard. He has big eyes, and looks a bit like Jesus, except more modern, and with bleached hair. It is Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana. MARCUS Who's that, then? ELLIE You must know. ‘MARCUS Umm... Oh, yes. (CONTINUED)62. CONTINUED: (2) ELLIE : Who is it, then? ‘MARCUS Unm... Forgotten. ELLIE You never knew it. ‘MARCUS No. ELLIE That's incredible. ‘MARCUS Yeah. Who is it, then? ELLIE Kurt Cobain. ‘MARCUS Ob, yes. Mrs. Morrison's door opens and two students come out. ) MARCUS And what does he do? ELLIE He plays for Manchester United. MRS. MORRISON (0.S.) Come in, Marcus. MARCUS Does he? ELLIE Yeah. Scored five goals for them last Saturday. MARCUS Wow. MRS. MORRISON (0.S.) Marcus. MARCUS Bye, Ellie.63. INT. HEAD MISTRESS OFFICE — MINUTES LATER The headmistress, MRS. MORRISON, is a stern, thick woman with a girl's voice. She breathes noisily. MRS. "MORRISON I repeat: Have you had any trouble from these shoe-stealers before? MARCUS a No. MRS. MORRISON And you say you don’t kmow who they were? MARCUS No. MRS. MORRISON Then let’s discuss survival strategies, shall we? Marcus looks past Mrs. Morrison. The office door has a window made of smoky glass. Ellie presses her face to the glass. MRS. MORRISON (0.S.) (snapping her fingers) Marcus... Marcus looks back at Mrs. Morrison. MRS. MORRISON Couldn’t you just try keeping out of their way? MARCUS I've tried that. MRS. MORRISON Maybe you haven't tried hard enough. Marcus stares at her in disbelief. He suddenly stands. ‘MRS. MORRISON Sit down, Marcus. I haven’t finished with you yet. MARCUS I’ve finished with you. Marcus starts to leave. (CONTINUED)64. CONTINUED: MRS. MORRISON STT DOWN. INT. WAITING ROOM OUTSIDE HEADMISTRESS’S OFFICE - DAY Ellie looks up as Marcus strides out of the office. MRS. MORRISON (0.5.) MARCUS! COME BACK HERE! Ellie looks up at Marcus as he goes. She smiles, impressed. cur To: EXT. WILL’S TOWNHOUSE — CONTINUOUS Marcus leans on the doorbell. He has been leaning for sometime. Will angrily cracks open the door with the chain hooked. WILL Go away! MARCUS I need your -- WILL You're not supposed to be here! MARCUS I just have one question. WILL Go ask your mom! It's no good asking me. ‘MARCUS She won’t mow! Only you will kmow! WILL You've got to stop thinking I know the answer to anything, because I don’t! MARCUS You know about things! You knew about trainers! WILL Yeah, and what a triumph they were. I mean, they were a source of endless happiness, weren't they? (CONTINUED)6s. CONTINUED: MARCUS You Imow bloody everything. Just tell me about Kurt Cobain, the footballer! WILL Who? MARCUS Except I don’t think he can be a footballer. Ellie was making one of those jokes that you make. He’s got bleached hair and a beard and he looks a bit like Jesus. Beat, Will closes the door on Marcus. INT. WILL’S FLAT - CONTINUOUS Will lets his forehead drop with a thud against the door. WILL You jerk. He unhooks the door. INT. WILL'S FLAT - MINUTES LATER Will places Marcus in a big leather chair (Will's special place for listening.) Lights dim to create the perfect atmosphere. Close on CD tray closing. Close on state-of-the-art headphones being handed to Marcus, who looks up, puzzled. MARCUS What are you doing? WILL For your first time, it has to be right. Will hands Marcus the remote for the CD player. WILL When you're ready, push here. Will leaves Marcus alone, heads to the kitchen where he puts on a kettle for tea. (CONTINUED)lan 66. CONTINUED: Marcus settles back into the chair, closes his eyes, and presses the play button on the remote control. Marcus's mouth slowly drops open as he hears the first guitar strums of “Smell’s Like Teen Spirit.” As the CAMERA moves in closer, the song, which we don’t hear at first, grows in volume. From the kitchen, Will looks in on Marcus. Will's POV: Marcus sitting straight up, or standing, some shift of position which tells us this music has blown / is blowing the top of his head off. Will smiles. INT. SCHOOL - NEXT DAY As he moves through a crowded hallway, he listens to music on a Walkman. He's so engrossed he doesn’t see Ellie and Zoe, her less dangerous friend, leaning against the vending machine, sharing a bag of crisps. ELLIE (lifting off Marcus’s headphones) What are you listening to? MARCUS (with a knowing smile) Kurt Cobain ... the footballer. Beat. The girls laugh. 20E You're very funny. Who are you? Marcus puts on his headphones and walks on. ELLIE That’s Marcus. EXT. AN OPEN SHOPPING AREA - DAYS LATER The stores are decorated for Christmas. And the whole world seems to be out shopping, including Will and Marcus. Marcus is on the lookout, waiting to show Will something. Through the crowd, Ellie, emerges with her friend ZOE, who tags along. (CONTINUED)67. CONTINUED: CY MARCUS (in whispered awe) That's her. Will’s POV: Ellie, in all her glory. WILL I don’t have a good feeling about this. ‘MARCUS a But they said I was funny. WILL You are funny. You're hilarious. EXT. AN OPEN SHOPPING AREA - MOMENTS LATER Will and Marcus walk through the crowd of Christmas shoppers. MARCUS So can I invite Ellie round? WILL I’m not sure she/d come, Marcus. ~ CU MARCUS Why not? WILL I'm not sure that fifteen-year-olds hang out with twelve-year-olds. MARCUS I don't want to go out with her As Will and Marcus turn a corner, Will bumps into a WOMAN carrying a bag of wrapped Christmas presents. Will mumbles, “Sorry” as he picks up a package that fell. He gives it to the Woman, who he then notices is glamorous, Bohemian, with lots of long, unruly dark hair. ‘WOMAN No problem. The Woman walks away. Close on Will as he watches her go. MARCUS (0.S.) I mean, I know she'd never go out with me see68. o) INT. A FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENT IN THE OPEN SHOPPING AREA Marcus dips a chip into ketchup, takes a bite. Will is looking into the crowd of Christmas shoppers, as if hoping for a glimpse of that woman. MARCUS It's a big family event. It’s a lot of fun. You should come. WILL No. MARCUS You've already made plans? WILL In a way, MARCUS So where you off to? WILL Nowhere. Marcus looks puzzled. WILL (cont’d) I spend my Christmases alone. ‘MARCUS That sounds awful. WIL Oh, no. It’s the only way. No guilt, no disappointment, no gifts to buy. Except for myself, of course. And that way, I get what I want. MARCUS You'll be by yourself, all alone, just you?) WILL Yes. Get up late, sleep off my hangover, treat it like any other day, except there are better shows on TV. MARCUS Maybe you could just stop by? WILL I don’t think so. (CONTINUED)6. CONTINUED: MARCUS Why not? WILL I’m not sure your mom would -- MARCUS She said I can bring a friend. WILL . Are you being funny? a MARCUS T’m never funny deliberately. Marcus pushes away his plate. WILL We're not friends exactly. MARCUS What do you mean? You hang out with me... near tears) See, I just thought ... if you're going nowhere ... Will takes a napkin and wipes ketch-up from Marcus’s face. INT. BREWER FLAT - CHRISTMAS DAY The guests include Marcus’s dad, CLIVE, his girlfriend, LINDSEY, LINDSEY'S MUM and FIONA'S MUM. Seven of them all together, all squashed in the living room of Fiona and Marcus's flat, presents all opened. Marcus sits among his gifts, and looks sad. The TV is on the background. The door bell rings. Marcus looks up, hopeful. INT, BREWER FLAT — LIVING ROOM ~ LATER THAT DAY Everyone stares as Will, rattled by the attention, slowly opens a present from Marcus. It’s ‘The Single Parent's Handbook.’ Marcus laughs. CLIVE What’s the joke? (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: MARCUS See, Will pretended to ... WILL (handing Marcus his present) Here. Marcus rips off the wrapping. It’s a vinyl copy of ‘Nevermind’ and a Kurt Cobain T-shirt. ‘MARCUS . YES!!! FIONA’S MUM (referring to T-shixt) Who's that, Jesus? ‘MARCUS Almost. Marcus pulls on the T-shirt. Will nods his approval. DISSOLVE TO: INT. BREWER FLAT - LIVING ROOM AND STAIR CASE - LATER After the meal. Will wears a purple paper crown and Marcus plays with the prize from their Christmas cracker. The other guests sit around the living room. On TV, the Queen delivers her Christmas address. Clive has begun to roll a joint. Fiona is cleaning up, but stops when she sees Clive. she groans. CLIVE What, he’s seen me do it hundreds of times before. FIONA I really don’t want to know that. CLIVE You thought I'd given up dope the day we separated? Why would I do that? FIONA Marcus was younger then. He was always in bed before you started rolling up. (CONTINUED)71, CONTINUED: - MARCUS . I never smoke any, mum. Dad won't let me. FIONA Oh, well that’s all right then. As long as you're not smoking any, I have no objection to your father indulging his drug habit in front of you. CLIVE I'd hardly describe the occasional spliff as a drug habit, would you? FIONA Well, obviously I would, because I just have. ‘The argument between Marcus's parents continues over the following, growing in intensity and in volume. MARCUS (unfazed) It's good having a mum and dad who've split up. WILL I’m sorry? MARCUS If my mum and dad were still together, what would Christmas be like now, with just the three of us? Pretty boring, probably. This way, it’s more like a party... The doorbell RINGS. Fiona yanks open the door. It's Suzie and Megan arriving with a bag of presents. This is an awkward moment, especially for Will. The others greet them. “Hello!” “Merry Christmas!” Will stands up, then sits down. He stands up again, turning red in the face. WILL I ought to be going. FIONA Don't be pathetic. (CONTINUED)72. CONTINUED: (2) Will sits back down again. The only spare chair is next to Will. Suzie sits next to him. FIONA Have you had a nice day, Suze? sUgIE . OK, yeah. We're just on the way home from Grandma's. WILL And how's Grandma? Suzie turns to look at Will, opens her mouth to reply, then changes her mind and ignores him completely. Will stands up again and then sits down again. Megan wiggles out of Suzie’s lap and crosses to the Christmas tree. FIONA There might be a present for you under there, Megan. SUZIE Cook, Megan, presents. Fiona hands Megan a present. Megan stands clutching it and looks around the room. Everyone watches and waits while Megan makes her decision. She toddles over to Will and thrusts the present at him. Will doesn’t move. SUZIE Open it with her. Will reluctantly takes the present from Megan. sUZIE God, spot the childless person here. Will helps Megan tear off the paper to reveal a wind-up duck. SUZIE I would have thought in your line of work it might be handy to know how to play with kids. (CONTINUED)73. CONTINUED: (3) LINDSEY What’s your line of work? MARCUS He doesn’t do anything. He was in that band. He wrote ‘Santa’s Not Coming This Year’ and he earns a million pounds a minute. SUZIE - (at the same time) He pretends he has a child so he can join single parents groups and chat up Single mothers. MARCUS Yeah, but he doesn’t get paid for that. Fiona sits down at the piano and STARTS TO FIGURE OUT THE FINGERINGS for “Santa’s Not Coming This Year.” Will stands up again. WILL Thanks for the lunch and everything. I'm off. He sets down the wind-up duck (which he has wound up). It begins to quack and shake, scaring Megan. Will grabs it, tries to get it to stop. FIONA Suzie has a right to express her anger, will. WILL Yes, and I have a right to go home. MARCUS But I don’t want you to go yet. It's not fair! All he did was make up a kid for a couple of weeks. God. That’s nothing. So what? Who cares? Kids at school do worse than that all the time! FIONA The point is, Marcus, that Will left school a long time ago. He should have grown out of making people up by now. ‘MARCUS Yeah. But he’s made up for it since, hasn't he? (MORE) (CONTINUED)74. CONTINUED: (4) MARCUS (cont'd) And it’s not like you lot never do anything wrong ever, is it? I mean... I mean, how come I ever got to know Will in the first place? WILL Because you threw a huge baguette at a duck’s head and killed it, basically. Marcus glares at Will. Suzie and Fiona start laughing. a CLIVE Is that true, Marcus? MARCUS There was something wrong with it. I think it was going to die anyway. Suzie and Fiona laugh even harder. The other guests look on appalled. Will sits back down. Marcus, noticing this, also sits down. He looks at ... Will, who is smiling. INT. SORTED (A CLUB) - NEW YEAR'S EVE MUSIC BLARES. Will sits at a table with his fellow travelers, Trevor, Rupert and Derek, all of whom are eyeing @ SEXY WOMAN in a party dress. The boys are being boys - silly, drinking, blowing on New Year's blowers. Will is not interested. For the first time, he seems out of place. EXT. A LONDON STREET - LATER At a Newsstand, Will pays for a pack of cigarettes. He steps back, smacks the pack into his open hand, and starts to open the cellophane wrapping. A conservative looking, BALD MAN in his late 30’s, walks past with a group of friends. The bald man stops. BALD MAN Will? Will Lightman? Will turns. Will tries to remember. BALD MAN It's Bobby. (CONTINUED)75. CONTINUED: Will does not remember this man. BALD MAN Chopper. Chopper from Plane Crash. Remember? ELASH: Chopper from Plane Crash, banging his head against his guitar. Chopper is a wild man punker, with a green Mohawk, no shirt, and ripped leather pants. RETURN TO: EXT. A LONDON STREET Will staring, stunned. He remembers. WILL Yeah, hi . BALD MAN Man, you haven't changed a bit. WILL You, too. BALD MAN Hey, you going to the party? INT. A WELL APPOINTED FLAT - NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY - NIGHT Chopper talks as Will downs his drink. CHOPPER Being a tax collector is the perfect work, really, it’s brought a wonderful balance to my ... WILL Excuse me ... CHOPPER lite. Will slips away. He wants more than anything to leave. He’s stuck in a hallway crowded with conservative, Fleet street types. Impatient, he pushes past some of the party guests and he bumps into a Woman, spilling her drink on her blouse. WILL I’m sorry. (CONTINUED)7 76. CONTINUED: The Woman dabs the front of her blouse with a cocktail napkin. WOMAN No problem. Will's POV: The Woman is glamorous, Bohemian, with lots of jong, unruly dark hair. (We/ve seen her before.) WILL - You again. WoMaN Excuse me? WILL You don’t remember? WOMAN Wait. Do we know each other? Have we slept together? WILL (taken aback) No, I bumped into you at, uh, kmocked over ... WOMAN Sorry. Hard day at work. WILL I kmow how that is. WOMAN What do you do? WILL Nothing. WOMAN No, xeally, tell me the truth. WILL (as if he’s never said it before) I do...nothing. WOMAN Oh. An awkward beat. Will can’t think of what to say. (CONTINUED)7, CONTINUED: (2) FEMALE PARTY GUEST (0.S.) Rachel, where’s my drink? WOMAN/RACHEL Coming. Rachel gives Will a polite nod and takes the drink to a Female Party Guest, leaving Will alone. Will’s POV: In the distance, Chopper is in deep conversation with another bald man wearing a grey suit. INT. SUZIE'S FLAT — NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY At a different New Year's Eve party, Marcus stands out of the way, watching a group of adults dance. He’s wearing his Kurt Cobain T-shirt. A paix of girl’s hands cover his eyes from behind. He turns and sees Ellie. She’s wearing the same shirt as Marcus. MARCUS Ellie! ELLIE Hi, Marcus. Cool shirt. MARCUS Thanks. ELLIE (seeing something) Oh, Christ! ‘MARCUS What? ELLIE Don’t ask. MARCUS Why not? ELLIE xy mum ... Ellie's POV: Three women and one man dancing, only one of them seems to be having a good time. She punches the air with her fists and shakes her hair. This is ELLIE’S MUM. ‘MARCUS 1 wish I could dance like that. (CONTINUED)78, CONTINUED: ELLIE oy Anyone can dance like that. All you need is no brain and crap music. MARCUS Looks like she’s enjoying herself. ELLIE Who cares whether she’s enjoying herself? The point is she looks like'a total cretin. (changing the subject) So, what are you drinking? MARCUS Coke. ELLIE You've got to have a proper drink. MARCUS I'm not allowed. ELLIE You're allowed by me. Ellie disappears. Marcus looks around for Fiona. She is talking with a man Marcus doesn’t know and laughing a lot. Marcus is pleased. INT. A WELL APPOINTED FLAT - NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY At the bar, Rachel is in deep conversation with her friends. Will approaches to order a drink and overhears Rachel say: RACHEL I don’t know what all the fuss if about. I mean, if you ask me, Nirvana sounds just like Led Zeppelin. WILL I know a twelve-year old who'd kill you for saying that. Rachel turns to Will. A beat. RACHEL So do I, come to that. What's your’s called? (CONTINUED)79. CONTINUED: WILL (with hesitation) Marcus. RACHEL Mine's Ali. Alistair. WILL On. RACHEL 7 And is Marcus into skateboards and rap and The Simpson’s and so on? Will raises his eyes skyward and chuckles fondly. RACHEL I'm Rachel. INT. SUZIE’S FLAT - NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY Marcus sips his drink, smacking him lips trying to identify this new taste. Ellie watches. MARCUS What’s in it? ELLIE Sherry. MARCUS Is that what people drink? Coke and sherry? ELLIE So, Marcus, how was your 1993? MARCUS Well I dunno. ELLIE Your mum tried to kill herself, didn’t she? MARCUS No. ELLIE Are you sure? MARCUS Well. Not positive. (CONTINUED)80. CONTINUED: - Ellie bursts into peals of laughter. ELLIE I'm sorry, Marcus. I kmow it's serious, but you are funny. Marcus starts to laugh, too. INT. A WELL APPOINTED FLAT - NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY Will and Rachel with a fresh round of drinks. - ‘RACHEL ° And is Marcus’s mother here tonight? WILL Umm... no, RACHEL You're not spending New Year's Eve with her? WILL No. We, ex, we don’t live together. RACHEL I'm sorry. WILL It's good. I mean, it’s OK. How about Ali's dad? RACHEL He’s in Australia. I'd prefer another planet. WILL I'm sorry. RACHEL No, you're not. INT. SUZIE’S FLAT - NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY As Marcus finishes his drink: ELLIE And you know what I thought at the time? Why shouldn’t she kill herself if she wants to? MARCUS But she’s got me. (CONTINUED)e1, CONTINUED: ) ELLIE ~ So? MARCUS I mean, how would you like it if your mum killed herself? ELLIE I wouldn’t like it. Because I like my mum. But you mow. It’s her life. .” MARCUS What about if you have kids? ‘Then it’s not your life any more, is it? Beat. Marcus has a point, but Ellie won't concede. ‘MARCUS Would you like to dance, Ellie? ELLIE Marcus? (laughing) You're so funny. Of course I wouldn't like to dance! I couldn't think of anything worse! INT. A WELL APPOINTED FLAT - NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY Dancing, Bodies. Will and Rachel dance. Will is more drunk than Rachel. WILL So why did you have a child with him? RACHEL (laughing) Good question. No answ your mind about people. What's Marcus’s mother’s name? WILL Fiona. RACHEL Did you change your mind about her? WILL Not really. RACHEL So what happened? (CONTINUED)82. CONTINUED: WILL I dunno. RACHEL In the end, “I dunno” is the only honest answer anyone can give, isn’t it? Because I dunno either, and I'd be kidding myself, and you, if I pretended any different. INT. SUZIE'S FLAT - NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTY - Ellie and Marcus standing near the back door. Ellie looks out into the yard, sees something. ELLIE oh, fucking hell! MARCUS What? ELLIE Look. Ellie drags Mercus outside. Marcus can barely make out two human shapes kissing with frantic energy. MARCUS Who is it? ELLIE ‘My mum. My mum and some guy. Inside the flat, the countdown begins. (0.S.)"10, 9, 8 ELLIE Pathetic. PATHETIC! ELLIE'S MOM Ellie, is that you? ELLIE You said you weren’t going to do that this year! ELLIE’S MUM It’s none of your business what I do. ELLIE Come on, Marcus. Let's leave the SAD OLD TART to get on with it. (CONTINUED)83. CONTINUED: Marcus follows Ellie back into the house. “S, 4,...” MARCUS You all right? ELLIE Yeah, it’s just her having some fun. She doesn’t get much, really. Maxcus sees his mum standing with Suzie. “3, 2; 1, HAPPY NEW YEAR!” - Ellie hugs Marcus. ELLIE Happy New Year, darling. MARCUS Thank you. Happy New Year to you. ELLIE And I hope 1994 is better for all of us than 1993 was. Ellie kisses Marcus on the head. INT. A WELL APPOINTED FLAT - NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY Confetti falls, noisemakers sound, the party guests sing ‘auld Lang Syne.’ Will and Rachel are kissing. The kiss turns into a hug. Close on Will’s euphoric face. RACHEL (whispering in his ear) I can’t wait to meet your son. Will’s smile fades. EXT. AN ARCADE - DAY To Establish. MARCUS (0.S.) But why did you tell her that? WILL (0.S.) I didn’t tell her. She just sort of got the wrong idea.INT. THE ARCADE - CONTINUOUS Maxcus drops a 50 pence piece into a video machine. is feeding him coins. MARCUS Then why didn’t you just say, ‘Sorry, you've got the wrong idea’? WILL eo Don’t you ever have conversations where someone took a wrong turn at some point, and then it goes on and on and it becomes too late to put things right? MARCUS No. Marcus takes a long sip of his Coke as Will speaks. WILL Say someone thought your name was Mark, not Marcus, and every time they saw you they said, ‘Hello, Mark’, and you're going to yourself, oh, no, I can’t tell him now, “cause he’ll be really embarrassed that he’s been calling me Mark. MARCUS I’d just tell him the first time he got it wrong. WILL It’s not always possible to do that. ‘MARCUS How can it not be possible to tell someone they've got your name wrong? WILL Because... anyway, the point is, this woman thinks you’re my son. MARCUS So tell her I’m not. WILL No. Ba. will (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: 8s. MARCUS I'll tell her, if you like. I don’t mind. WILL That's very kind of you, Marcus, but that wouldn't help. MARCUS Why not? WILL Oh, for Christ's sake! Marcus burps loudly. WILL Leave me with just one scrap of dignity, Marcus. That's all I’m asking. MARCUS What's dignity got to do with my being your son? WILL Look, Marcus, I like this woman. I want to go out with her. I’d like her to be my girlfriend. MARCUS How do you know? WILL I don’t know. I just feel it in my guts. MARCUS You just met her the once? on New Year's Eve? WILL Yeah. MARCUS And that was enough? You mew you wanted her to be your girlfriend straight away? Can I have another fifty pence? Will gives Marcus a coin. (CONTINUED)CONTINUED: a6. (2) WILL How long should I have known her for, according to you? MARCUS Well, I wouldn't really describe myself as an expert. Will laughs. ‘MARCUS - But I didn’t know when I met Ellie the first time that I wanted her to be my girlfriend. It took a while to develop. WILL You want Ellie to be your girlfriend? Not just your friend? MARCUS Well, I was going to ask you about that. What would you say are the main differences? WILL Do you want to touch ner? MARCUS I don't know. I’m thinking about it. Go on. WILL That’s it. MARCUS That's it? There’s only one difference? WILL Basically. MARCUS I’m not sure if I want to touch her or not. I know I want to be with her more. I want to be with her all the time, instead of just when I bump into her. And I want to get rid of Zoe, even though I like Zoe, because I want her to myself. And I want to tell her things first, before I tell anyone, even you and mum. And I don’t want her to have another boyfriend. Coed) (CONTINUED)87. CONTINUED: (3) MARCUS (cont'd) If I could have all those things, I wouldn’t mind if I touched her or not. Beat. The game ends. WILL | I tell you, Marcus, you'll learn. You won't feel like that forever. EXT. RACHEL’S HOUSE - DAY Will and Marcus stand on Rachel’s front steps.” Marcus wears the hairy jumper Fiona had given him for Christmas and a disastrous pair of canary yellow cords that might look cute on a four-year-old. Will wears his favorite Paul Smith shirt and a black leather jacket. The door opens. It’s Rachel. Smiling. RACHEL Hello, Will. And ... you must be Mark. ‘MARCUS Marcus. Marcus looks at Will. RACHEL Come in, both of you. Come and meet Ali. Will and Marcus go inside. INT. - ALI‘S BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER A typical boy’s room: posters of Ryan Giggs, Michael Jordan and Pamela Anderson. Super Mario stickers. ALI, 12, cool - wears basketball shoes, baggy skatepunk trousers, shaggy grunge hair, and even an earring. He is Listening to loud music on headphones and playing video games. RACHEL (0.5.) aus Rachel opens the door. Will and Marcus stand behind her. ALI Oh, hi. Sorry. Ali removes his headphones and stands up. (CONTINUED)