| 3-02 The Awful Truth (first 3 scenes) Written by: Winnie Holzman Directed by: Michael Engler A. Mr. Dimitri hands journal back to students. (1st ever Dimitri scene) DIMITRI: Well, I made it through your journals, for the most part. (Grace yawns.) DIMITRI: But enough about me. How did you feel about the experience? (asking Grace) GRACE: Oh, me? DIMITRI: Or whoever�s sitting in your chair. GRACE: Well, I�ve kept journals before, so � DIMITRI: Oh! You have? GRACE: Yes, on and off. DIMITRI: And what�s that like? GRACE: It�s fun. It�s nice. DIMITRI: I�m, I�m sorry. I thought you said nice. GRACE: I did say nice. DIMITRI: I wouldn�t want to misquote you or anything. GRACE: I said nice! DIMITRI: Nice. Ni-ice. (laughs and sits down on student�s desk next to Grace�s) Let me see, whatever shall I do today? I know, (locks hands under chin) I shall write my boring old journal to be ever so nice. (Students laugh. Grace gives an embarrassed smile.) DIMITRI walks away, saying �Nice is for shrimp salads and grandmothers. I�m not�I�m not interested in nice.� B. The kids are on the couch. Grace talks about Mr. Dimitri, flirts with Eli Zoe, Grace, Jessie and Eli are sitting on the couch watching �Godzilla�. Grace grabs popcorn from bowl in Eli�s lap. GRACE: I hate my creative writing teacher. ELI: Oh yeah? GRACE: He like publicly humiliates me. (Jessie is bundled up in a blanket, leaning toward Eli. Grace looks at Eli.) ELI: (looks at popcorn, then TV) Well, I do that and you don�t hate me. GRACE: Yeah I do. (throws popcorn back) Jessie grabs remote and turns volume up. GRACE: Plus his name is August! ELI: That�s not even a name. It�s a month. GRACE: Exactly! And he acts like he�s the only person in the world who knows anything. ELI: Well, isn�t that how you act? GRACE: Eli, shut up! (playfully shoves Eli and jostles Jessie) ELI: Hey! Hey! Watch it! GRACE: What are you gonna do? ELI: I�ll show you what I�m going to do. (they start play-fighting) GRACE: No no no no no no. Jessie gets up from couch. JESSIE: Okay! Okay! Zoe, let�s go. ZOE: What? JESSIE: They obviously want to be alone. (walks away) GRACE: No we don�t! ZOE: No they don�t. ELI: No, Jess, no, see! Zoe gets up and walks away. GRACE: No, Jessie! We don�t want to be alone. Zoe! (they�re left alone) GRACE: Well, (stands up) I have to write -- ELI: Yeah, me too. (stands) GRACE: -- in my journal. ELI: I mean � GRACE: No, I know what you� (they both walk away in opposite directions) C. Grace confronts Mr. Dimitri about her journal (dashes like this � mean Mr. Dimitri interrupted Grace) (Grace enters Mr. Dimitri�s classroom.) G: Mr. Dimitri? A: Hmm? G: Can I just say something? A: Sure. G: Just because somebody�s life doesn�t seem interesting to you personally doesn�t mean- A: You don�t think you�re interesting? G: No! I�m, I�m saying you obviously don�t think I�m being�honest enough, or something. A: Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Honest ENOUGH? What�s�honest enough? G: You, you don�t�I just can�t believe � A: What? What can�t you believe? G: Well, that I�m the only person in this whole class who isn�t being� A: (sigh) Being what? G: Completely honest. I mean�(August gives look) I think you know what I mean. A: (opens drawer to pull out journal) Who calls you Gracie? G: What? My mother, sometimes, but � A: Well, why are you letting her come to class? Why are you letting her write your journal? G: My mother? A: No. Gracie. I want to hear from Grace. (puts unscuffed shoes on desk) Not that Gracie isn�t, I mean, she�s probably a perfectly decent person, but is she you? (Runs hands through hair) Augie Myers plays keyboard on the new Dylan album and he is amazing but I�m August. G: Okay, but I just don�t think it�s fair � A: It isn�t! It ISN�T fair! Who you love, who you hate, who changes your life, none of it�s fair. Why don�t you write about THAT? What would happen if you said what you�re most afraid to say to the person you�re most afraid to say it to? And then, and then ____ (couldn�t understand the word) about it, only don�t clean it up. Don�t make it PRESENTABLE. Don�t be Gracie. Be.in.a.state of grace. Because that�s what Grace means. Grace is about what�s sacred. And that�s the TRUTH. (hands journal back to Grace) (continue to The Awful Truth, Part 2) Home |
|