Blow
JUDGE Those are very interesting concepts you have, Mr. Jung. Unfortunately for you, the imaginary line you crossed is real, the plants you brought with you are illegal, and what you did constitutes a crime.
The judge slams his gavel.
JUDGE (CONT’D) Bail is set at twenty-thousand dollars.
EXT. COOK COUNTY COURTHOUSE – CHICAGO – 1972 – NIGHT
George walks out, free on bond, to find Barbara waiting for him. She doesn’t look so good.
BARBARA Surprise.
GEORGE Baby, you didn’t have to come.
BARBARA What, and miss all the fun? C’mon, not a chance. So, what’s the verdict?
GEORGE Lawyer says he can plead it down to five years. I’ll serve two.
BARBARA Two years. George, I can’t wait that long.
GEORGE What? You’re not going to wait for me?
BARBARA George, I went to the doctor. I don’t have two years.
GEORGE (V.O.) Which brings me to rule number three: which says, fuck rules one and two, skip bail and take off.
EXT. RENT-A-CAR – 1972 – DAY
George hits the gas and the car screams down the road.
EXT. VILLA – PUERTO VALLARTA – 1973 – GOLDEN HOUR
George and Barbara sit on the veranda drinking champagne and watching the sun go down over the Pacific. Barbara is completely bald. Rail thin, eyes sunken. But it doesn’t matter. They’re having a great time. They laugh and hold hands and laugh some more.
EXT. CEMETERY – PUERTO VALLARTA – 1973 – DAY
Everyone is there. All in black. Barbara’s casket is lowered into the ground and George climbs to his knees to push the first dirt on the grave.
GEORGE (V.O.) Time is such a funny thing. I look at where I am now, and in here, time inches along. So slow, it hardly seems like it moves. But back then, time went fast.
EXT. OTISVILLE F.C.I. – NEW YORK – 1999 – DAY
George pushes dirt along the edge of a flower root. Still planting those sunflowers, he presses down firmly, standing before him is Barbara, still beautiful and young with flowing locks. George raises his hand and makes a small wave. Barbara opens and closes her hand. Bye bye.
GEORGE It went too fast.
George looks down and Barbara is gone. No Barbara.
EXT. JUNG HOUSE – BACKYARD – WEYMOUTH – 1973 – NIGHT
George hops the fence like he did when he was a boy and goes in the back door.
INT. JUNG HOUSE – KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS
Ermine looks at George blankly.
GEORGE Hi, Mom.
Ermine just keeps looking at him.
GEORGE (CONT’D) Surprised to see me?
ERMINE Take your boots off. You’re tan.
GEORGE Mexico.
ERMINE Yeah. We heard all about it. I want you to know I’m deeply sorry about your girlfriend.
GEORGE Barbara.
ERMINE Yes, Barbara. She was very pretty.
GEORGE Thank you. Have you been getting the money I sent you?
ERMINE You mean the drug money? Yes, I got it.
Ermine’s hands are trembling. She is emotional. She hugs George ferociously, not letting go.
ERMINE (CONT’D) G-d, son.
GEORGE Okay, Mom. It’s okay. Where’s Dad?
George turns around to see Fred’s beaming face.
INT. JUNG HOUSE – KITCHEN – LATER
George and Fred sit at the table, a bottle of Scotch sits between them. The glasses are raised.
GEORGE May the wind always be at your back and the sun always upon your face…
FRED …and the winds of destiny carry you aloft…
BOTH …to dance with the stars.
The glasses clink and the drinks are sucked down.
INT. JUNG HOUSE – LATER
The bottle is dwindling. George and Fred are feeling it.
FRED You alright?
George nods.
GEORGE Just low.
FRED You loved her, didn’t you? You really loved her.
GEORGE Yeah, Dad. I really did. What am I gonna do?
FRED Tough spot.
The glasses are refilled.
GEORGE You mad at me?
FRED Not mad.
GEORGE Yeah, you are. I can tell by the way you look at me.
FRED I just don’t know what you’re thinking. I don’t understand your choices. You know, the police are looking for you.
GEORGE I know. I’m great at what I do, Dad. I mean, I’m really great.
FRED Let me tell you something, son. You would have been great at anything.
Something outside catches George’s eye. A light. A reflection. A movement. George is up and on the move.
FRED (CONT’D) Where are you going?
EXT. JUNG HOUSE – NIGHT
The front door opens and FEDERAL AGENTS pour into the house.
INT. JUNG HOUSE – CONTINUOUS
George is up the stairs in a flash.
ERMINE George!
INT. GEORGE’S BEDROOM – CONTINUOUS
George slams the door behind him, moves over to the window, and opens it. Cops everywhere. He’s trapped. Out of options, he folds. He moves to the corner and sits down, turns on the train set. A KNOCK on the door is heard. FBI Agent, JAMES T. TROUT.
TROUT George Jung, you are under arrest.
FRED Open the door, son.
EXT. JUNG HOUSE – LATER
They lead George outside in handcuffs. Ermine and Fred watch.
ERMINE I had no choice.
George stops and looks at his mother, for the first time realizing her betrayal.
ERMINE (CONT’D) Don’t look at me like that. What was I supposed to do? You’re in our house. What, was I supposed to be an accomplice?
As George is led to the police car, Ermine follows.
ERMINE (CONT’D) You don’t think people know you’re a drug dealer? Everyone knows. It’s no secret. How do you think that reflects on me? Every time I go out, I’m humiliated. I see the stares. I hear the whispers. How do you think that makes me feel? Did you ever once stop and think of me?
George’s head is pushed down as he is put in the squad car. He looks up at his mother.
ERMINE (CONT’D) So you go to jail. It’s for your own good. You need to straighten your life out.
INT. DANBURY F.C.I. – 1974 – DAY
SUPERIMPOSE:
George is being led through a series of gated corridors.
GUARD Prisoner in.
As he walks, he takes in the faces of the other inmates. He arrives at his cell and notices he has a ROOMMATE.
GUARD (CONT’D) Prisoner in.
The cell door opens and George steps inside. There are books and papers spread out over both bunk beds. George watches as his cellmate quickly clears everything off the top bunk. Apparently, the papers are private. George puts his things down and the little man proffers his hand. He is dark, polite and Colombian.
