EXT.

BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO - PARKING LOT - BEFORE DAWN

Just before the warm pink sun dawns on the dismal
Blockbuster Video of Redmond, Oregon, we see a single dinky
silver sedan with bashed-in bumpers chug into the parking
lot.
BETH HAVERFORTH (51) sits in her car, staring intensely at
the beige stucco wall in front of her. Shes beautiful, like
a damaged painting, a shaded flower, beleaguered and
drained. Though she could stare at the wall for several
hours more with no repercussions, She slams her head into
the steering wheel before cutting her sputtering engine and
going inside to open up the store.
INT. BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO
BETH dutifully goes around preparing the store,
singlehandedly taking care of everything to run the
Blockbuster for the day. Its something for her to do, so
she devotes herself to it. She turns on lights in the store,
rearranges videos on the shelves, and starts up the
promotional video that plays on the outdated in-store CRT
televisions bolted to the ceilings and walls.
INT. BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO - COUNTER
BETH slumps against the checkout counter, facing an empty
store. Suddenly, she awakes from her fugue and comes to
attention. BETH checks the premises for people, scanning
with her eyes from side to side, and opens the BREAKROOM
DOOR behind her to see a dark, empty room. With an eye out
for sudden visitors, BETH slides her hand beneath the
countertop and feels for a familiar small cardboard square.
Mildly happy with her success, she pulls out her hidden pack
of Marlboro Silvers she stashed for smoking at the counter
on long lonely shifts. Her eyes settle on one of the store
TVs. A clearly dated ad from the heyday of the store flashes
brightly. On the screen, a empty store fills with happy
families.
BLOCKBUSTER AD
(SINGING) Blockbuster video, wow!
What a difference!
WOMAN (V.O.)
Blockbuster Video is where families
can enter the world of movies
together.
An animated DOG bounds across the aisles. Another CHILD
zooms through rows of VHS tapes on his skateboard, which is
only logical considering how utterly tubular his mono-lensed
sunglasses are.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.

WOMAN (V.O.)
We can all have so much fun
together at Blockbuster! Experience
the movies you love with the ones
you love. Come here, please.
(Beat.)
Please, come to Blockbuster. Youll
feel the difference: Were a
wonderland where we can find a
video for family movie night-- and
we can find happiness together.
BETH leers warily at the TV screen, losing her glazed-over
complacency. Her brow knits as the tip of her cigarette
gathers ash. She leans forward, interest piqued.
Out in the parking lot through the windows we see coworker
ANDY pull into a spot in his own crapsmobile while BETH is
too enrapt by the TV ad to notice.
WOMAN (V.O.)
Weve never felt so happy as we do
at Blockbuster. We were born here,
and we will die here. We will
return again rewound. Please stop
by our Oregon locations in Bend,
Madras, Redmond, and our new
storefront on North Molalla Avenue!
A little VHS static distortion passes across the screen. The
door bell chimes as ANDY opens it forcefully and slinks
inside. BETH shakes her head and blinks rapidly, trying to
snap herself out of whatever sleep-deprived, exhausted fever
dream she was having. Shakily she tries to ground herself,
lighting a fresh cigarette. At first when she lights it, she
looks up at ANDY (19) in the corner whos making a mess of
the coat hooks as he hangs up his
so-nonconformist-its-conformist Army jacket. He doesnt
blink twice
BETH
(In a tiny voice.)
Hey, Andy.
ANDY doesnt hear BETH-- or maybe he does and hes just not
showing it. He certainly doesnt look once at the smoke
curls pouring from the end of her cigarette. BETH swallows-she can already taste the rejection on the horizon.
BETH
(Louder, but still shaking.)
Um, hello? Andy?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

ANDYs ears are free of headphones, but hes going about the
store as if hes listening to his favorite song on blast.
ANDY acts as if BETHs pleas for socialization didnt exist.
BETH
(Quietly, close to speaking
under her breath.)
ANDY, at some point...Youre gonna
have to acknowledge me... I have to
tell you to break down those boxes
in the break room-ANDY
Huh? Whazzat?
BETH
(Takes a long drag off her
cigarette.)
(Beat.)
Never mind.
ANDY goes off into the storage room.
The bell on the door chimes out loudly again and gives BETH
a start as PATTY, (22) shows up for her shift. PATTY is a
short, sweet, obliviously nerdy dark-haired girl with a
slight curviness that could come from sitting on the couch
and watching movies like thats her job. She checks her big
digital wristwatch as she runs into the store, sneakers
pounding the pavement.
PATTY
(Looks up to find BETH
smoking.)
Hey, you really shouldnt be doing
that in here... You want one of our
clientele to call the cops on ya?
Little Ol Auntie Emma will surely
call 911 on you for smoking next to
her reserved rental of Driving Miss
Daisy.
BETH seizes up at first upon the noise of PATTYs entrance,
but calms down when she sees who it is. Not the boss man, or
another stone cold coworker. In fact, its the only halfway
human coworker she has.
BETH
(Smirks momentarily and leans
forward onto the counter
again.)
Nothing can happen to me.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

PATTY
(Concerned.)
Oh, maybe not right now. But Mr.
White could show up at any minute!
You know how he is...
(Quietly, only to BETH.)
He can be so.... Such...
PATTY starts to become heated and emphatic, but cant get
the inflammatory comments out of her mouth.
BETH
(Thoughtfully.)
A little prick?
PATTY
Well, Hes a lot of different
things.
BETH
(Blows smoke, deadpan.)
(Beat.)
What about the other day? How you
organized all those sale bins?
PATTY
Oh, I didnt think Id ever hear
the end of the yelling. He mustve
screamed at me so long, my ears
were still ringing in my next
class. Which he made me late for.
BETH
(Shaking head.)
I dont understand that...Chewing
you up... You alphabetized the DVDs
and everything.
PATTY
I guess thats not good enough for
Mr. White. He wanted them organized
chronologically, by genre...
BETH coughs and pulls out an extra "Take a Penny, Leave a
Penny" tray to grind out her cigarette butt in. She takes a
third cigarette from the pack, trying to get as many in as
she can for the morning.
BETH
What does it matter? The only
people that are gonna peruse it are
those old ladies from the
apartments across from the strip
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

BETH (contd)
mall. Even then, Im pretty sure
they just buy any movie cheaper
than $5.
PATTY
(Sighs.)
His way maximizes sales, he says.
But I have a feeling he just hates
me.
BETH
(Quietly laughing to self.)
Like hes going to get a maximum of
anything in this place...
PATTY
I know, right?
BETH laughs, surprised that Patty could even hear her.
PATTY
I dont know what I ever did to
deserve it, but Ive got a big
stamp on my forehead with Mr.
Whites favorite bulls-eye on it.
PATTY looks around the room and runs a hand along a row of
laminated DVD cases.
PATTY
Still, I guess its safe to say
its marginally better than working
at Mickey Ds.
BETH
(Taken aback.)
How so?
PATTY
Isnt it obvious?
BETH surveys her surroundings to determine in short order
that the charm of working at this dilapidated, quickly
degrading video rental store was not immediately tangible to
her. A fluorescent light directly above BETH gives off a
loud, sudden buzz.
BETH
Can you fill me in?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

PATTY
(Smiles.)
All these movies. We get to be
around them all day. Whole worlds
full of potential... Someday Ill
make movies, I promise you that
much. (Pause.) Though I might have
to get outta good ol Redmond
before I can do that.
BETH
I dont wanna be here.
(Beat.)
I dont wanna live any more.
PATTY
(Laughing nervously.)
What?
BETH
I dont wanna be here...
The DOOR BELL chimes and the door swings open. While BETH
and PATTY were speaking with each other, MR. WHITE (58)
pulled up and angrily double parked his muddy red pickup
truck outside the front doors. Hes lumbering as he stomps
into the store, tall and wide and physically intimidating
towards the women.
MR. WHITE
Ladies, no ones getting outta
Redmond til one of you makes me
back every penny Im losin on this
shitshow.
BETH and PATTY throw each other a knowing look. He heard
them, and had he come in a few seconds earlier, he would
have heard their choice words for him.
PATTY
W-what can we do for you, sir?
MR. WHITE
Well for starters, you can scrub
the bathrooms. Both stalls.
Whichever one of you fuckwits that
was supposed to clean em yesterday
stopped short of me being able to
eat off the seat.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

PATTY
Oh... I think that was Andy. Do you
want me to go get him?
MR. WHITE
Did I ask Andy to clean em, or
you?
PATTY stands frozen, not sure what to do.
MR. WHITE
Do I have to make myself fuckin
clear? GET IN THE BATHROOM!
PATTY
A-ah, yes sir, will do...
MR. WHITE. stands there fuming as PATTY runs off to the
bathroom in the back of the store with a bundle of cleaning
products scooped up in tow. BETH averts her eyes from him in
anticipation of the next order to be barked out at her. MR.
WHITE turns slowly, approaches the counter, and stares down
BETH, as if he were just now realizing she existed there. He
leans his arm on the counter and taps his dirty sausage
fingers against the thick, outdated computer screen at the
cashier. BETH shrinks into herself the longer he stares at
her.
MR. WHITE
Well?
BETH
...Yes? Well?
MR. WHITE
(Not amused.)
Dont you have something to do?
BETH
No... I mean, no sir...
MR. WHITE
Dont you have to help us get open?
BETH
Ive been here since about 5 a.m.,
sir. I opened by myself.
MR. WHITE
So youre done.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

BETH
Well yes, but I went above and
beyond, sir. I wont list every
little thing I did, but Ive been
taking care of every-MR. WHITE
Why the hell are you here draining
me for, then?
BETH
Pardon, sir?
MR. WHITE
Youre sitting here, Im paying
you... But I dont see a reason.
Youre wasting my air.
BETH looks down at her shoes, tears fill her vision and are
blinked away. She lowers her cigarette, but it still burns.
BETH
Im sorry for wasting your air.
MR. WHITE trudges off towards the BREAK ROOM, wherein he has
taken over a corner for his office when desired.
MR. WHITE
Listen, girl. Just do something
other than put my time and money to
shame. Otherwise theres no reason
for you to be here. All right?
BETH
(Swallows hard.)
All right.
MR. WHITE
And put an end to the fuckin
smokes right now, before I put an
end to you!
The DOOR SLAMS.
BETH
(To self:)
Ill be one step ahead of you.
MR. WHITE ducks into the BREAK ROOM, leaving BETH alone once
again. The clock above her head on the wall ticks
menacingly, each second of breath coming heavy out of BETHs
lungs. She scans the store room for any viable method of
killing herself.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

9.

BETHs eyes fall on a 10 foot tall, sunbleached promotional

cardboard cutout for National Treasure 2: The Book of
Secrets.
BETH
Nic Cage, you beautiful bastard.
BETH puts out her cigarette and approaches the cardboard
cutout. It is leaned against some shelving she could climb
with very little trouble, and the cardboard prongs at the
top of the display seem like an ideal jumping-off point for
her. She starts to climb the shelving, trying as hard as she
can to not mess up the DVDs she had tried so hard that
morning to make tidy and presentable. Shes able to shimmy
herself up to the top of the cardboard display and hop over,
teetering at the top of Nicolas Cages large cranium.
BETH
Oh, no-The DOOR BELL chimes. A little old lady comes in, the
automatic doors opening slowly to let her stab at the carpet
with her tennis-ball-capped walker. Shes small, short, and
padded with fat, probably from staying home in her old age
and only leaving for Blockbuster a few times a week.
BETH
Ah!
BETH gets taken off guard by the old ladys sudden visit,
losing her tenuous foothold on the already-teetering
display.
LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA
Ehh?
BETH
(Yelling from the swaying
cardboard tower)
Im -- sorry maam -- Ill be right
with you!!
LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA
Ahh... Whats that darling?
BETH is now swaying wildly back and forth, about to be flung
in any direction.
BETH
Ill-- help you-- just-- ah-- help
me-LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA squints in BETHs general direction,
straining her old ears and eyes.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

10.

LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA

Do you need help with that, dear?
BETH
YES!! PLEASE HELP! GET HELP!
LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA leans forward with a hand cupped to her
ear, but just shakes her head and shrugs.
LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA
Ah, dearie, youll have to speak
up.
ANDY comes out of the storage room just in time to witness
all the hubbub.
BETH
ANDY! PLEASE! Help me out! Customer
here! Im gonna fall...
ANDY looks up at her on the precipice and turns his
attention back to his phone in the same breath.
BETH
AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!
Suddenly, the teetering stops as the entire giant cutout
folds under the weight of BETH and collapses into a heap of
cardboard.
As the dust cloud clears, LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA comes forward.
LITTLE AUNTIE EMMA
Dear, when you get a chance, Id
like to rent some more of those
Lawrence Welk DVDs.
BETH, stunned, sits on top of the corrugated wreckage.
ANDY
(to Beth, pointing)
Yo, lady. Is someone gonna clean
that up?
BETH collects herself, barely motivated to pull herself up
from the cardboard dust.
BETH
Yeah. Ill get it.