Grand Theft Auto

It's Thurdsay. Do you know where your children are? Your wife? Husband? Your PARENTS? Well, they're right here, sucked down in the bowels of the deep, dark underbelly of the city. Being held captive. Sucker-punched into a life of crime, here ... in That Killing Feeling ...

Screened Oliver Stone's WALL STREET last night for the first time in I don't know how many years, and loved it. Sure, it's cheesy and a little dated and VERY 80's, but it still works. Great cautionary tale of young buck Charlie Sheen (baby faced, pre-drugs and hookers) working his way into the good graces of Wall Street shark Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas, in his first slimeball role, really chewing and spitting out the scenery, just great), and his, and Gekko's fall from grace. Also with Sean Young, Darrl Hannah, and tons of padded shoulder pads. Did I mention cocaine? What's an 80's flick with out coke? I hear Ollie's working up a sequel, (imaginatively called WALL STREET II), and I'm a bit scared, but you never know. Think his writing has gotten a little flabby over the years -- I mean, this is the guy who wrote PATTON, PLATTOON and SALVADOR ... and W? Hmmmm ... we'll just have to see ...

Onto today's shindig from WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, and it's a three-parter. Good times, kids.

Better buckle up. It's gonna be a bumpy ride.


INT./EXT. CARRIE’S RENTAL CAR - MOVING - AT THAT MOMENT
Sara Vaughn’s swingin’ cover of PETER GUNN over --
Carrie drives a vintage Dodge Dart Swinger.
Nondescript in shades and baseball cap that advertises some cheap booze.
She takes a long pull from a pint bottle.

CARRIE (V.O.)
It was the first time I played Grand Theft Auto.
The trick is to swipe an old beater that no one will report stolen.
Thank god I’ve got enough scratch to hide out for a while.
At least until I can clean up this mess.
(beat)
I could drain my savings account,
go down to Mexico like a grifter in some Ross MacDonald story.
Get a shitty motel room by the beach,
write that tragic, drunken confessional
that’s been oozing outta my pores.

She thinks. Takes a slug.
Picks up her cell. Dials.
Listens --

CARRIE (CONT'D)
Jenny?

SPLIT SCREEN WITH:
INT. YAVO/FLENDER FILMS - RECEPTION - AT THAT MOMENT
Jenny sits at her workstation. Sips coffee.
Shuffles the stacks of paperwork.
Murmurs into her headset.

JENNY
Carrie, hi. How are you?

CARRIE
I’ve been better.

JENNY
W-what’s wrong?

CARRIE
The cops want me.
I was framed for Flender’s murder.
They matched the bullets to my gun,
which someone STOLE. I’m in deep shit.

JENNY
(small voice)
You’re -- kidding.

ANGRY MALE VOICE (O.C.)
JENNY. Where’s the Crabb deal?
I can’t find the FUCKING CRABB DEAL!

JENNY
Modi, hold on I’m on the phone --
(to Carrie)
Just sit tight.
When I get home I’ll fix us some dinner,
and we can plan our strategy.

CARRIE
We? OUR strategy?

JENNY
Well, yeah -- I just thought -- since --

CARRIE
Listen, baby -- I’d love your help,
but do you realize how dangerous this is?
I can’t get you mixed up in this,
this is serious shit, and I --

Carrie gasps. Sucks in air.

JENNY
Shhhh, it’s okay, it’s okay.
Where are you now?

MODI (O.C.)
JENNY!

CARRIE
It’s best if you don’t know.
I’ll call you later when I get settled.
Just don’t tell anyone anything,
you don’t know anything --

JENNY
Okay, I understand, I gotta go, I’m --
(whispers)
Getting yelled at.

She punches a button.
Heart beating a mile a minute.

MODI
appears. Fists clenched.
Face beet red.

MODI
(hisses)
Get me that fucking file, stupid BITCH.

PUSH IN ON Jenny.
Frightened to death.

JENNY
S-sure thing, r-right away --

INT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS - LIPSHITZ’S OFFICE - AT THAT MOMENT
Larry leans forward in his chair. Stares at Bernie and Aya.
Standing before him. In trouble. Baleful.

LIPSHITZ
It was a simple task.
Just KEEP HER ON THE FUCKING PHONE --
long enough to GET A TRACE.

BERNIE
She's a cop, Larry. She knows the drill.
Despite being inebriated.
(beat)
She was a good cop once, you know --

AYA
Captain, may I have a word?

LIPSHITZ
You can have ten, twenty, a hundred.
But not here, not now.
We’ve got work to do,
and I don’t have time for your touchy-feely
psych-101 mumbo-jumbo.

AYA
But sir --

LIPSHITZ
Zip it, or you’ll be back on the kibutz
so fast your dreidel will spin like a top.
(beat)
Wait a minute --
(inhales)
You two are going to prowl the beach joints.
That’s her thing, right, Bernie?

BERNIE
Yeah. She used to say she got a nosebleed
if she went east of Lincoln.
There’s a few hotels and flea-bag joints we can check out.
Not to mention the gin joints on the boardwalk.

LIPSHITZ
Then hop to it. And find her, fast.
This is quickly becoming
a major embarrassment to the department.

BERNIE
Don't worry, chief. I'll find her.

LIPSHITZ
That's what I'm afraid of.