Forth and Long By Jordan Band, David Martens, and Jake Kirkman
1
INT. CRAMMED OFFICE AND BRIGHT LIGHTS, NO WINDOWS
1
JULIA sits at her desk in the newspaper field office working on her big story. She has news clippings of ALEX JENKINS and CURTIS FLETCHER everywhere. She believes she figured out that they are brothers. She keeps fidgeting around her desk, trying to find the right words to explain her findings. 2
INT. STADIUM - DAY
2
Alex Jenkins and Curtis Fletcher are doing their pregame press conference before the big match up. These rival quarterbacks have competed against one another through high school and college. ESPN HOST We’re here at The New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Today’s match-up is going to be an airshow, as Jenkins and Fletcher are the two top rated quarterbacks in the National Football League. I’m here with the first of these stars, Alex Jenkins. Alex, I need to know..how are you feeling going into today’s game? ALEX Thanks for having me. I’m feeling very good, our team is well practiced and Coach has a an effective game plan in place for today. ESPN HOST Are you at all concerned that your going to be competing against Curtis Fletcher, a gunslinger who can throw a football? ALEX Curtis is a great player. I’ve played against him my entire career, and I’m sure that he will play at a high level today. It should be a great game.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
2. ESPN HOST Thanks Alex, good luck. (Curtis steps up to the microphone) Curtis Jenkins, how you doing today? CURTIS I’m feeling good, ready to go. ESPN HOST Do you think your team and defense will have what it takes to stop Jenkins? CURTIS I’ll make sure my offense puts points on the board. Our defense knows what they gotta do. ESPN HOST You think today’s game will come down to the fourth quarter? CURTIS I don’t know man, it’s Sunday. never know anything until it happens.
3
You
INT. NYC NIGHTCLUB - NIGHT
3
Curtis sits in a booth with his arm around a moderately attractive woman, Nicole, an aspiring model who since a child has wanted to be famous. CURTIS Nicole, this is lifestyle a girl like you deserves...you should come back and check out my crib. NICOLE I would love to Curtis, you such a great guy. I never thought you would be so nice (SHE LOOKS AWAY.) Hey, that’s Alex Jenkins over there you should go congratulate him. CURTIS Shut up or you won’t be coming back with me later.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
3. (WALKS OVER TO ALEX) Yo Jenkins. ALEX Hey man, great game out there. You lead your team well on the field. CURTIS Fuck yeah I do. Looks like your not leading your team now, they’re all taking shots without you. ALEX (Looks back to team mates, Laughing) Yeah they’re fun guys. I’m heading home soon, Rachel and I just wanted to come hang out with the rest of the team for a little while. CURTIS Yeah it looks like your having a great time. I’ll see you on the field in a couple weeks. I’ll be the one celebrating after that game. ALEX Your a great player, I’m sure it will be a close game. See you around bud.
Alex grabs Rachel’s hand and they walk away. Just a few moments after Curtis’s interaction with Alex, a drunk club patron strolls over to where Curtis is sitting. CLUB PATRON Yo Fletcher, you fucking suck. Way to lose the game today. I don’t even no why you’re here right now you should be practicing cause you blow so much. Fuckin pussy. Laughing, Curtis turns and knocks the guy out without saying a word. He didn’t hit him that hard, but enough to knock the guy on the ground. Curtis walks back to Nicole who’s grinding up on the wall behind him. He grabs her and starts to leave. club, the bouncers stop Curtis.
However, upon exiting the
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
4.
BOUNCER Whoa Fletcher, not so fast. The cops are gonna want to talk with you. 4
INT. ORPHANAGE - OHIO - DAY
4
SHELLY, a very large woman, waddles out from the backroom of the old, dingy orphanage. Julie is waiting at the front desk, biting her nails in anticipation. This could be her big break. SHELLY What were those names again hun? JULIE Alex Jenkins and Curtis Fletcher. SHELLY And how long has it been since their adoption? JULIE Twenty years or so I think. SHELLY Shelly pushes her half-rimmed spectacles down her nose and gets a better look at Julie. Dear, files that old, you’ll be lucky to find some from ten years ago. JULIE I know... I know. (rubs her eyes in frustration) But it’s important. Very important. SHELLY Ok.I’ll look in the back, but I can’t promise you anything. She walks off into the backroom to rummage through some files. Julie takes a seat on the bench and admires to faded and curling wallpaper whiles she waits. Pictures of children cover the walls in the front room. A while passes and Shelly emerges carrying a couple of old, dusty files. SHELLY Baby, you’re in luck. (Hands her the files)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
5.
JULIE Oh thank you so much! I can’t tell you what this means to me. SHELLY Uh huh. I hope it has what you’re looking for. Just leave them here on the counter when you’re done. Retreats back through the door and leaves Julie to look over the files. Julie opens both folders and scans for the birth parents, placing a finger under each name. Exactly the same. Her face lights up in excitement as she realizes the gravity of this discovery. Leaving the files on the counter, she pulls out her cell and exits the building. 5
INT. ALEX’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON
5
Open on an empty kitchen, the sounds of children playing and laughing are heard in the background when the phone rings. Michelle, Alex’s daughter, runs into the room excited she gets to answer the phone. MICHELLE Hello? Sure, I’ll find him. Michelle runs off to find her father. Alex enters perplexed about who wishes to speak to him. ALEX Hello? JULIA Alex Jenkins? ALEX Yes, and who am I speaking with? JULIA My name is Julia Sanders, I’m a reporter with the Rochester Herald. Are you sitting down sir, because I have some news that may be shocking. ALEX What do you mean? JULIA I have been researching for a comparative piece between yourself and Mr. Curtis Flether, and in the (MORE) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
6.
JULIA (cont’d) course of my research I looked into your adoption and discovered that you were not the only child your birth parents put up for adoption that day.I have also learned that child was later adopted by the Fletcher family, and is now the man you know to be Curtis Fletcher. Alex, having just had his life changed, falls into a chair. ALEX Are you certain? I have a.. brother? JULIA Yes Mr. Jenkins, I personally looked into both adoptions and the proof is there. I am sorry to spring all this on you suddenly, but I thought it too big a secret to keep locked away. ALEX Thank you Julia, I would have done the same in your shoes. However, this is a lot to take in so I’m afraid I must go. JULIA I understand, goodbye Mr. Jenkins. ALEX Goodbye. (Hangs-up phone) What should I do now? 6
INT. JAIL - DAY
6
Curtis is sitting in a jail cell after his incident at the club the night before. He knows that there won’t be serious consequences, however he doesn’t want to be there anymore and feels like he should be treated better because of his celebrity status. The gate slams open and Alex walks in. ALEX What’s going on man? huh?
Rough night
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
7. CURTIS No it was a good night. Just some jealous punk at the club. I’m just wondering, what the fuck are you doing here? My lawyer is speaking with them right now. ALEX Yeah I know. You should be good to go in a few minutes. Look, I got something to tell you. It rocked my world and it’s about to rock yours. We..uh..we’re brothers Curtis. Your my younger brother, we have the same parents. CURTIS What are you talking about? What kind of fucked up shit is this? ALEX I’m serious. I got a call from a reporter who’s been researching it for a while. She called me this morning, I thought you deserved to know right away.
The door opens and Curtis’s attorney walks in with a guard. The guard holds his hand up motioning that he’s free to go. ATTORNEY Curtis, you’re good to go. We’ll talk later and I’ll let you know what we’re dealing with. CURTIS So what does this mean, were fucking old now. Were not kids anymore. ALEX Yeah I know. I don’t get it either,but I think we should take a trip somewhere, anywhere. As Curtis views the media outside through the clear doors, he gets uneasy. He realizes he must face a ton of press for the next few weeks. CURTIS Good call. I’ll go anywhere away from here. Let’s just get through this crowd into the car. Quickly.
8.
7
INT. POLICE STATION - DAY
7
Alex signing papers, having just bailed his brother out of jail, while the police officer hands Curtis his belongings. ALEX Just because you’re my brother, don’t think I’m always gonna bail you out when you do something stupid. CURTIS What do you mean? Nothing I do is ever stupid, just frowned upon by some people. ALEX Yeah yeah. POLICE OFFICER Thank you Mr. Jenkins, you two are all set. Hope I don’t see you in here again. ALEX That makes two of us. Alex and Curtis, their business with the authorities concluded, begin to exit the building and into what the both know will be hellfire from the press. 8
EXT. POLICE STATION - CONTINUOUS
8
The doors open, Alex and Curtis exit into an explosion of flashbulbs and an inaudible roar from the reporters. REPORTER 1 Alex! Alex! What brought you here? ALEX I had no choice, I couldn’t just let him sit in jail. Both men make their way through the crowd, all the while the reporters yelling questions or snapping photos. Until they reach their car
9.
9
INT. LIMO - CONTINUOUS Alex slides in a seat in the Limo and Curtis sits diagonal across from him, as far away as possible. ALEX So where are we going, brother? CURTIS I don’t care. ALEX We could go to the Rockies. CURITS Too far. ALEX What about the St. Luis Arch? CURTIS Too boring. Curtis turns away towards the window, pulling his suit jacket up over his head. ALEX We could go back to hometowns. You know, hit up all the old places. CURTIS (in a muffled, sleepy voice) Yeah sure, sounds great. I’m going to sleep. My heads killing me. ALEX Alright! Home here we come! (very excitedly) We’ll get cokes from the old general store, see what’s happening on the square, check out our high schools again... Alex trails off when there is no response from Curtis aside from a faint snore. ALEX Aw. You’re all tuckered out. Sleep tight little brother. (smiles broadly) Sweet dreams.
9
10. Alex pulls out WAR AND PEACE BY LEO TOLSTOY and flips through the pages. He keeps looking over the top of the book at Curtis until he too drifts off to sleep. 10
INT. GAS STATION - OHIO - EVENING
10
A dirty looking man with a long curly beard stands behind the counter wearing a 7-Eleven shirt and crooked smile. Curtis, having just awoke, stumbles up with half a dozen Slim-Jim’s, some candy bars, and a Monster can. As Curtis unloads his supper onto the counter, the clerk begins to ring it up, staring oddly at him all the while. CLERK You ain’t from around here are ya? CURTIS Could ya tell? CLERK (chuckling) Easily. You lost? CURTIS You know, yeah, just a little bit. Where the hell am I? CLERK You’re about 40 miles out of Pittsburgh. CURTIS Pennsylvania? CLERK Well, Ohio now. CURTIS Fuck. Curtis rubs his eyes as the clerk rings up the last item. CLERK This be all for ya today? CURTIS Yeah, just... Here’s thirty, keeps the change. CLERK Well, thank you. (takes the money without hesitation) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
11.
Ya know where you’re going? CURTIS The driver does... I think. The clerk bags up the items and hands it Curtis. CLERK Well, you guys drive safely. There been many a crashes on this road come dusk. (strokes his beard, giving Curtis a very foreboding glare) CURTIS Whatever man. Thanks, but you’re kind of creeping me out. The clerk maintains his evil stare as Curtis exits. 11
INT. LIMO - EVENING
11
Through the windows of the limo we see the sun setting on the horizon. Curtis climbs in. Alex is snacking on a frozen Snickers bar. The driver pulls out of the gas station parking lot and back onto a pothole covered country road. Curtis opens a Slim Jim and starts chewing as he flips on the flat screen television. He flips through the channels. More than half of them he passes is running the story of their newly discovered relation. Curtis finally stops on a newscast only to see the same story. NEWS ANCHOR In light of this turn of events, the only question is what now? Will they embrace as brothers? Will Jenkins overlook Fletcher’s less than shining track record or will Curtis be shunned as he deserves? Curtis shuts it off and tosses the remote on the floor. Alex, who was watching as well, looks over at Curtis looking for something to say. Curtis shoots him a menacing glare, still chewing on his third Slim Jim. ALEX That looks pretty good.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
12.
CURTIS It is. ALEX Can I try it? CURTIS No. ALEX Come on, we’re brothers. Brothers share. (gives him a cheesy smile) CURTIS We may be my brother, and I still have my doubts, but I am never going to share with you. ALEX You’re just hungry. I understand. CURTIS Yeah I’m hungry, but even if I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t share. ALEX Are you mad? You seem mad about something. CURTIS Why wouldn’t I be mad?! (starts raising his voice) I got arrested. Spent a sleepless night on a shitty jail bunk complete with a killer fucking hangover. I found out my arch enemy is actually my blood brother, and now I’m on some pointless road trip to God knows where with a guy I barely even know. So yeah, I’m a bit mad. Alex is startled by Curtis’s hostility. He sits silent for a minute. ALEX Our hometowns. CURTIS What? (he says sharply)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
13.
ALEX Our hometowns. That’s where we’re going. Thought it would be neat to go back. Curtis sits for a second regretting his outburst of anger, but still resenting Alex’s genuine good nature. CURTIS Yeah, sounds interesting. Why do you want to get to know me anyways? You hate me same as I hate you. ALEX You hate me? I don’t hate you. Sure we’ve always been rivals, but it’s just a game. None of that matters here. I never got angry when I lost to you. You’re a good quarterback. CURTIS Shut the fuck up. You don’t seriously believe that do you? You’re so full of bullshit. Why don’t you just cut the shit. ALEX I’m not bullshitting. Why would I? CURTIS I don’t fucking know. You cannot be this perfect good guy you put out there. ALEX I’m not perfect. CURTIS Oh, save it. The media loves you, you have a beautiful wife and kids. You’re probably going to the Super Bowl, too. Fuck you. ALEX Whatever man. Think what you want. CURTIS Fucking stand up for yourself! Why do you always do that? I’m being a complete dick to you. You fucking shrug it off like a pussy. I wouldn’t take that from me.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
14.
ALEX Take that back. CURTIS What? ALEX I am not a pussy. Alex clenches his fists, obviously getting upset. Curtis sees it and decides to take it a step further. CURTIS Yeah, you are. ALEX No I’m not. CURTIS Yes, you’re a fucking pussy. ALEX Am not. (said through clenched teeth) CURTIS A fuckin’ goody-good, pacifist, mama’s boy, pussy with... Curtis is cut off when Alex tackles him into the floor of the limo. Punches are exchanged as the wrestle around on the floor. Curtis curses as Alex tries to get him in a hold. CURTIS See fucker! You’re angry just like me! Do you want to talk about it, pussy? (straining to yell through a headlock) ALEX Fuck you! I’m the good guy. You’re the asshole! They struggle a while longer. Neither gaining the upper hand. Suddenly, their skirmish is ended with a loud screech of the limo’s tires.
15.
12
INT LIMO DUSK POST-CRASH
12
The driver suddenly swerved to avoid hitting a large deer that stopped short in the middle of the road. However, he crashed into a ditch and slammed into a tree on one side of the limo. After a few moments of silence as the car finally came to a rest, Curtis gained alertness. CURTIS (shaking him to try and wake him up) Alex! Alex! Are you ok? Can you hear me?! ALEX (with his eyes closed, he wakes up) Yea,I can’t move. Alex glances down at his arm and sees it’s soaked in blood. He tries to move it and realizes that he cant, his shoulder is killing him. He starts to panic. ALEX What the fuck man! My shoulder is fucked! I’ll never play football again! If you didn’t get arrested we probably wouldn’t be on this road trip in the first place. You fucking piece of shit. CURTIS Listen to me Alex. be ok. Trust me.
You’re going to
At that moment, both of them realize they didn’t check on the driver. Curtis, being fine other than a few scratches, hops out of the car and runs to the front. He finds the driver had his head smash the windshield and was not moving. The driver wasn’t breathing and seemed lifeless. Curtis runs to other side of the car to pull Alex out. CURTIS Alex, we need to go. If we stay here, you will get worse and we’ll really be fucked. Take my hand with your good arm and try to stand up. ALEX What if I can never play again? I worked my whole life to be the best (MORE) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
16. ALEX (cont’d) football player that I can be. now what? I have nothing, I’m done.
And
CURTIS (speaking sternly directly to Alex) Listen, you’re not thinking clearly. You have a beautiful wife, and beautiful family. Football is a damn game. If I lost football I lost everything, if you lost football you’ve lost nothing. Your a lucky man. Now take my hand and lets go get help. You have a family that you need to be around for. And damn it, you’re going to have to introduce your kids to their Uncle. ALEX You’re right. I just don’t know if I can move. Curtis takes Alex and helps him walk down the street. They walk for about 20 minutes until Alex cannot go anymore. He is getting weaker and weaker. Curtis puts him comfortably on a grassy area next to the road. Curtis runs toward an intersection he sees about half a mile up the street. He stands at the light for another few minutes until he finally sees a truck coming. He waves his hand to try to get the driver’s attention. The truck comes to a stop and Curtis runs over to the window. The camera transitions back to Alex as Curtis talks to the driver. Moments later Alex sees the truck coming down the street, and feels relieved. Curtis hops out, and lifts him into the truck with the driver. CURTIS Hey buddy, this guy is going to take us to the hospital. The police are already on their way to the scene of the accident. There going to have another car meet us and escort us to the ER. Hang in there, you’re going to be just fine.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
17.
ALEX (nods his head, but is too weak to respond.) 13
INT HOSPITAL DAY
13
Alex is sleeping in the hospital. His arm is wrapped in a cast and he has bandages everywhere. Curtis is sitting next to his bed with Alex’s wife Rachel. RACHEL Curtis, I cannot thank you enough for saving Alex like that. It was very brave of you. CURTIS It was adrenaline. Anybody would of saved someone in a car accident. RACHEL Curtis, you were a hero. I know you two are confused about this whole brother thing, but believe me Alex is a great guy, and he will be a good brother to you as you have shown you are to him. CURTIS I haven’t been such a good guy. Remember I was sitting in jail when Alex came to talk to me. And for what. If this was the other way around, and I was in car accident, who would I have worried about me? My team? My fans? I got so caught up in this celebrity garbage that I forgot how important family is. RACHEL We all get caught up in things sometimes. It’s just human nature. But that isn’t how you judge someones character. It’s how they act in times like this, that show us who they are. CURTIS Thanks, Rachel. That means a lot.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
18.
RACHEL Curtis, I would like you to join us for dinner this week. Also, I think that the kids would really enjoy getting to know their uncle. We are your family. Sometimes, things happen we don’t quite understand. But they turn out out be for the best. CURTIS Yeah. You know, I was thinking that too. Alex begins to wake up. He starts coughing and sits up. He is tired, but is happy to see his wife and Curtis still by his side. ALEX Well that was a crazy trip. Sorry for dragging you out there Curtis. CURTIS (laughing) It’s better than sitting in jail with a bunch of shoplifters. I’m glad you’re alright Alex. Alex, Curtis,and Rachel all are relieved that somehow in a crazy way, things seemed to work out. It is unclear how Alex’s injuries will turn out, but for now he is ok. He is happy to be alive upon learning the fate of the driver and he is grateful not only for Curtis saving his life, but for him being there. He always wanted a younger brother, even if it came when he was 29. They knew that no matter what, their family would be just fine.