INT. DETENTION CENTRE FOR TEENAGE BOYS - DAY (THREE YEARS EARLIER)
Reno is escorted by two police officers to the detention centre. He meets an admissions officer
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Name?
RENO: Reno Cortez
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Empty all of your possessions into the drawer
Reno removes a few coins and some used chewing gum into the drawer.
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Is that all?
RENO: Yes. I guess.
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Frisk him
The two police officers frisk Reno
POLICE OFFICER 1: Nothing
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Have you checked his suitcase?
POLICE OFFICER 1: Yes sir. It’s clean
ADMISSIONS OFFICER: Very well then. Norwood will escort you to your sleeping quarters. Dinner is at 6:30, Breakfast at 9:00am and Lunch at 1:00 pm
OFFICER NORWOOD: I hope I don’t see much of you boy. Follow me.
Officer Norwood leads the young teenager to the end of the corridor and up a flight of stairs and shows him the location of the dining area. They pass a number of teenagers as they do so. Eventually he is lead to his sleeping quarters. There are three other beds.
Officer Norwood leaves and Reno starts to unpack. As he does so, the other three boys enter together
DA SILVA: Well well well, what have we got here? A new recruit?
Reno ignores him but Da Silva comes closer.
DA SILVA: What’s this?
As he points to the three baseball cards that are in Reno’s suitcase. Reno takes them away before Da Silva can reach for them.
RENO: They’re worthless. They belonged to my Father.
DA SILVA: I want them
RENO: You can’t have them
DA SILVA: Oh yeah? Well I’ll see about that.
Da Silva goes to his bed and removes a shiv.
DA SILVA: Hand over the cards, or else
RENO: Or else what?
Da Silva approaches with the shiv held in front of him. Reno faces him with the cards in his back pocket. Eventually, Da Silva lunges for Reno with his shiv and stabs Reno in the stomach. Da Silva forces Reno onto his front and removes the baseball cards from his back pocket.
INT. AMENITY HALL - 8PM
MISS WAINTROP: 38, Counsellor, pleasant demeanour, shoulder length fair hair, Five Feet Seven inches tall, average build, moderately attractive, blue eyes, wearing a beige trousers, navy flat shoes, a light yellow blouse and a red cardigan
ELSA: 46, medium length brown hair, Five Feet 4 Inches tall, overweight, wearing a pink jumper and blue trousers and pink slippers.
SYLVIA: Short brown hair, 43, Five Feet Eight inches tall, slim, well dressed
DIRK: Ex-con, numerous tatoos, six feet two inches, broad and strong looking, tight haircut with black hair and one large earing in his right ear, brown eyes, wearing a tight blue t-shirt and jeans
CHARLIE: Six Feet Four inches, slim, light beard, 38, light blue eyes, African American with untidy hair
Mr McClure: 68, asleep most of the time, thinning white hair, Five Feet eleven inches, thin, pleasant demeanour, casually dressed.
MISS WAINTROP: You’re all very welcome and I’m so glad you could come. We’re especially pleased to welcome our new member Carlton. Everyone say “Hi” to Carlton.
The other five members of the group greet Carlton with various levels of enthusiasm.
MISS WAINTROP: Now, who would like to start the meeting?
Elsa puts her hand up
ELSA: Since I lost cuddles, eight weeks ago, yesterday, life has not been the same. She had warmth and affection and brightened up my day. Without her there is a massive void in my life. Yesterday I started crying uncontrollably. I couldn’t stop.
Carlton puts his hand up
CARLTON BANKS: Who is cuddles? Your sister?
MISS WAINTROP: Cuddles is Elsa’s cat, Carlton.
CARLTON BANKS: I don’t see how losing a cat compares to losing your wife.
MISS WAINTROP: Would you like to talk about your wife Carlton?
CARLTON BANKS: No I don’t even know why I’m here. I thought you all would be going through worse stuff than me and that might make me feel better. I don’t want you all to know my problems. You’re all strangers You couldn’t possibly grasp what I’m going through.
CHARLIE: I hear you Carlton. You just need to get to know us better.
MISS WAINTROP: Tell him who you are, Charlie?
CHARLIE: My name is Charlie and I’m an alcoholic. I lost my wife and kids too, but the difference is that it was my fault. I haven’t touched a drop in eighteen months but they still don’t want to see me. My wife has met someone who doesn’t drink and she’s never looked back.
MISS WAINTROP: Sylvia, would you like to tell Carlton who you are?
SYLVIA: My name is Sylvia and I’ve had four husbands. I’m no longer holding out for number five. The first three took all my money and the fourth didn’t realise I hadn’t any. Husband number one had a temper and sometimes hit me. Husband number two was manipulative. He made me feel worthless. Husband number three had more women on the side than anyone in history combined. Husband number four..
CARLTON BANKS: I get it. You all feel sorry for yourselves. You all think you have miserable lives but you all have a future.
MISS WAINTROP: You could have a future too Carlton You just don’t see it yet
CARLTON BANKS: Let me guess It’s good to talk?
MISS WAINTROP: It’s not an instantaneous process Carlton. It takes time. Bottling up all your deepest darkest thoughts isn’t going to help
CARLTON BANKS: No offence lady, but I’m not going through with this anymore. I don’t feel like taking advice from tattoo guy over there, or a woman whose had four failed relationships or a woman who thinks cats are as important as people
Carlton stands up and leaves
DIRK: Tattoo guy? I’ve been called worse.
INT. HOSPITAL WARD - MORNING (THREE YEARS EARLIER)
Reno awakes to see his mother in front of him.
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: You used to be such a good kid Reno. What happened?
Reno doesn’t respond
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: I know I’m not the best mother in the world but it’s as if your Father died and you’ve been fighting against me not with me. It seems as if every day you get into a fight over something trivial.
RENO: They wanted to steal Dad’s baseball cards. I didn’t do anything wrong.
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: Do you know how much those cards were worth, Reno? They were worthless.
RENO: They weren’t worthless Mom. One day they could be worth a lot of money.
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: They were so worthless Reno that Police Officer Gibbins handed them back to me. You can have your lousy cards when you’re fit and well.
RENO: Dad said they would be worth something.
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: You were a kid Reno. He wanted you to feel better. Don’t you think that things have gotten really bad Reno? Isn’t it time that you turned your life around?
RENO: Let me see the cards. They were probably switched.
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: What would you do with the money if they were worth something? Would you buy drugs? Guns? What would you buy Reno?
RENO: I’d buy a house in a nice neighbourhood with a swimming pool and....
HENRIETTA CORTEZ: Oh Reno you were always a dreamer. If you want paradise, you’ve got to earn it. You won’t get it the way you’re going.
EXT. ROOFTOP OF APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Carlton climbs to the edge of the building and peers out over the edge
DETECTIVE PLUMMER: Don’t do it Carlton
CARLTON BANKS: I don’t want to go back to that support group. I don’t want a shrink. I just want the pain to end.
DETECTIVE PLUMMER: Think about this Carlton. You said you were afraid your wife would think you were a coward or a chicken. Isn’t this something that a coward or a chicken would do? You have to stand up and be brave and meet your life head on.
CARLTON BANKS: I don’t want to go back to a support group.
DETECTIVE GRUBER: I’ve been there. I didn’t die in the field. I suffered from depression. I stood where you’re standing. I wanted it to end, but then I thought of everyone I’d be letting down. As I was about to turn around a goddamn seagull came right at me and I tripped and fell.
CARLTON BANKS: Where’s a goddamn seagull when you need one.
DETECTIVE PLUMMER: Think about it this way. Each member of the support group has their own problems Carlton. Maybe you can help them with their problems. Maybe you can be there for them. There isn’t anything better in the world Carlton than being able to help someone who needs it and who appreciates it.
Carlton stops looking down. He no longer is motivating himself to jump.
CARLTON BANKS: I’ll stop coming up here if you stop with the eulogising.
DETECTIVE PLUMMER: If it wasn’t the eulogising that stopped you, what was it?
CARLTON BANKS: The fact that you cared. And the fact that I don’t want to be killed by a goddam seagull. That thought terrifies me.
INT. RENO'S HOME - EVENING (TWO YEARS EARLIER)
ALEJANDRO CORTEZ: Male, Eight years old, Hispanic origin, Four feet tall, slim, blue eyes, short haircut
Alejandro enters Reno’s bedroom with a tattered ball in his hands
ALEJANDRO: Reno, will you play ball with me?
RENO: No Alejandro. How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not going to play ball with you.
ALEJANDRO: Why not?
RENO: Alejandro. Unless you’re Diego Maradona, you’re just wasting your time. Football is for losers.
ALEJANDRO: I don’t want to be rich like a soccer star. I just want to have fun.
RENO: Yeah, well have fun somewhere else.
EXT. STREET CORNER IN A ROUGH NEIGHBOURHOOD - AFTERNOON (THREE YEARS EARLIER)
Reno (15), Jacko (16) and Terra (15) are standing on the street corner when Alvie Baker passes by.
JACKO: Well, if it isn’t Alvie. Alvie Baker, smartest kid in class
TERRA: Swot more like.
JACKO: Do you have something for us Alvie? Did your mom give you money to go to the shop
Alvie walks faster as the three adolescents follow.
ALVIE: Leave me alone. I didn’t do anything
JACKO: You should learn to speak proper. I didn’t do nothing. Isn’t that right Terra
TERRA: Yeah
JACKO: I think Alvie needs to be taught a lesson so he can fit in around here.
Alvie runs and the three teenagers follow. The chase takes them through the streets to an abandoned quarry. Alvie stops on the edge of a steep decline. He is frightened and breathing heavily.
JACKO: Not so smart now Alvie.
Alvie doesn’t respond
JACKO: Hand over the money and we’ll let you go.
ALVIE: No
JACKO: It’s a long way down
ALVIE: My mother would kill me.
JACKO: So could I Alvie. So could I
Alvie closes his eyes and Jacko gives him a slight push. Alvie loses his balance and falls down the steep decline.
RENO: What did you do that for?
JACKO: To teach him a lesson
RENO: He could be dead for all we know
JACKO: Are you a rat Reno?
RENO: You know I’m no rat Jacko. You know I’ve got your back.
INT POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY (THREE YEARS EARLIER)
Detective Gruber, Detective Plummer and Reno are seated in the interrogation room.
DETECTIVE GRUBER: Reno, as you are aware, Alvie Baker was found near the bottom of a quarry. These are pictures of what he looked like when he was found. He has fractured ribs, a broken nose and a broken leg. He was however able to speak. He fingered yourself, Jackson Steineman and Terra Picardi. If you were involved, you could be facing a year in a detention centre. What I want to know is, what makes a guy do something like this?
Reno doesn’t respond.
DETECTIVE GRUBER: Do you know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of something like this? Detention centres aren’t nice places. You may very well find out. Alvie, said Jacko pushed him. Is this true?
Reno doesn’t respond.
DETECTIVE PLUMMER: Mrs Baker received a note in her doorway indicating the location of Alvie’s body. Did you write it? Did you put it in her letter box?
Reno doesn’t respond
DETECTIVE PLUMMER : If it was you who left the note, you could be looking at a commuted sentence.
DETECTIVE GRUBER: Jacko said he left the note. Is that correct?
RENO: Jacko is no rat.
DETECTIVE GRUBER: Maybe he doesn’t want to spend five years locked away when he doesn’t have to. Now I don’t think Jacko left the note. I think you did and I think this is a case of misplaced loyalty. Your just a guy Jacko thinks he can manipulate. You won’t question him and you’ll blindly support him in everything he does until the day you get shot in the head by a rival gang. Once more Reno, who wrote the note?
Reno does not respond
INT. CARLTON'S HOME - DAY
Carlton Answers the door to his brother Henry
HENRY BANKS: Mom has been worried sick about you Carlton. You could at least answer her calls.
CARLTON BANKS: Sorry Henry. I guess I just wasn’t in the mood.
HENRY BANKS: Jesus Carlton this place is a mess.
CARLTON BANKS: It’s Avant Garde. It’s a new style of interior design
HENRY BANKS: Yeah? Well it shouldn’t stop you from tidying up once in a while. Anyway, Mom wants to see you I suggested that you call by for dinner on Sunday.
CARLTON BANKS: I don’t feel up to it.
HENRY BANKS: It’s been six weeks, Carlton. Can’t you get your act together and stop thinking of yourself all the time.
CARLTON BANKS: I don’t want to go
HENRY BANKS: Can’t you at least open the curtains.
CARLTON BANKS: The light burns my eyes
HENRY BANKS: You’re turning into a total headcase Carlton. You’re not going to work. You’re not going out. You’re living in squalor. If you go on like this you will be homeless. Mom told me you plan on giving away the life insurance payout. Soon you’ll be homeless You really should see a shrink
CARLTON BANKS: I tried that. The guy was all stuffy and I just didn’t connect with him. I don’t think I would ever connect with any god damn shrink.
HENRY BANKS: Sometimes the best shrinks are the ones you don’t like.
CARLTON BANKS: Where did you get that analogy? From a Neo Nazi pamphlet?
HENRY BANKS: I’m tired of talking to you. Just get your act together.
EXT. STREET NEAR CARLTON’S HOME - DAY
Carlton is returning from the local supermarket when he sees a young boy being bullied by a teenager. The young boy hands over twenty dollars
YOUNG BOY: Please Reno, my mother wanted me to buy groceries. What am I going to tell her.
RENO:Tell her you invested it wisely
CARLTON BANKS: Hand that back
RENO: Or what, old man?
CARLTON BANKS: Well there are two of us and only one of you. Besides I know Karate.
RENO: You’re that guy who left his wife for dead. I’m not afraid of you
CARLTON BANKS: I’ve got nothing to lose. If I come out of this exchange with a few broken teeth, I don’t care, so hand it over now.
Reno hands over the money.
RENO: I wouldn’t want to ruin those perfect dentures of yours, would I now?
CARLTON BANKS: Maybe you should get yourself a job instead of bullying young kids.
RENO: Job? I don’t need a job. I’m going to be the next Elvis Presley. I can sing like the King. This is the land of opportunity after all (Sarcastically)
CARLTON BANKS: There will always be an opportunity if you work hard for it.
RENO: For you, white boy