"Who are you?"
It's a simple one, right?
No. No, not really.
Because if it was,
you wouldn't be here.
You people are going
to find out who you are.
So, you are going to write
a daily Journal.
And guess what?
You'll start the first thing
tomorrow morning.
You're gonna get up,
sit down,
and you are going to tell
the Journal your name,
a bit about yourself,
your life and your world.
"Who...
"am...
...I?"
I shall see you all again
next week.
Journal entry, day one.
My name is Jack Giamoro.
I live in Malibu, California,
with my wife Nina.
Nina is...
Nina is...
a good swimmer.
She likes to swim.
We've been married four years,
and she's a very...
strong swimmer.
My father, Ben Giamoro,
lives with us now.
Dad was a movie producer in the '60s,
mostly low-budget
teen car chase movies,
science fiction stuff.
It wasn't what he wanted to do,
but he was strong and bullheaded
and people loved him.
Six months,
two weeks ago today,
Dad had a stroke
that almost killed him.
Dad's...
Dad is getting better.
I am a talent agent.
I help talented people navigate their dreams
through a treacherous world.
I specialize in handling
television writers,
people that would be much better suited
to this assignment than I am.
Some mornings I get to work
and it's easy.
I'm good and calm, relaxed,
ready to face whatever
the day throws at me.
Some mornings I get stuck in traffic, though.
I get stuck in traffic,
and I sit there and think about my life,
about the world,
about what's out there
waiting to take me,
to test me, to destroy me.
On these days,
I get to work Just a tad less friendly.
End of Journal entry.
Good morning.
Partner meeting in ten minutes.
I got it.
Hey, Jack, you need anything?
Coffee, bagel?
No, I'm fine, thank you.
Hey, you see the game yesterday?
It was a good shot.
Last minute.
Lucky, get out.
I think my wife
has been having an affair.
I don't know who it is,
but I think my wife may be
having an affair.
Partner meeting.
Yeah, I'm coming.
Be right there.
All right.
We gonna start?
We're waiting for you, Jack.
Are you gonna sit down?
I've got an 11:30 at NBC.
I don't wanna crease this shirt.
Start.
You're a tragic figure.
I swear to God.
Do you have that David Lilly lunch today?
Yeah, I do, but it's not a lock,
so we'll see.
You'll sign him.
I have faith.
I IMDB'd him last night.
The guy's created seven hit series
and he's still only 35.
He's way too hot for us
not to own him.
He's a bucket of money, Jack.
We need him. Make it happen.
I'm aware of that,
thank you very much, guys,
I appreciate it.
I'm Just saying he took the meeting with me
as a favor to me.
So, while I guarantee you
I will sign him,
it may not be today
that I sign him, okay?
- Calm down.
- So, Jack...
what's this adult ed class
you took last night?
Where did you hear about that?
What class are you taking?
Journal writing?
What is that for?
It's a self-exploration technique.
It's meant to make me
a better team player here.
I'll probably be recommending
everybody take the class.
Oh, come on.
You got us in karate,
Kabbalah meetings,
environmental coffees.
Any chance you're gonna
shit-can this thing
so I can sit home one night
and lay around on the couch?
I don't shit-can things.
I finish what I start.
Why don't you Just go to therapy
like normal fucked up people do?
Why don't we start the meeting?
How about that?
Hey! Put the phone down.
Who'd you tell I was
taking that class?
Did you tell Arlene's assistant?
- The truth?
- Yes, the truth.
I think I did.
Lucky, you...
Why would you do that?
That's my private business.
I don't like my personal business
being out in the street, okay?
As a blanket rule,
do not tell anybody
anything about my life ever, okay?
Who else did you tell?
- The truth?
- Yes, Lucky, the truth!
David Lilly's assistant.
Oh, my God!
They wanted to switch lunch
to drinks last night.
I don't know how
you graduated from Harvard.
You have the common sense
of a five-year-old.
If I didn't have so much to do
today, I'd fire you.
Mom, I gotta go.
So, Jack,
what is up with you and this
Journal-writing course?
Come on, man.
What is that?
That's... that's funny that you ask.
That's...
Just something
I'm doing on the side
to try to understand
the writing process better.
Look, man, you know,
what it comes down to is...
I love writers.
That's my life.
I always wanted to be a writer,
but I'm not.
I'm not good enough and... you are.
L... Look, I gotta ask you something.
And think about this
before you answer.
David, are you happy?
Well, I'm not doing
anything as drastic
as writing a morning diary.
But, yeah.
I stay happy.
You don't have to dress
up in women's clothes
to write in that thing, do you?
That's funny.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- How was your day?
- Brutal.
How was
the scleroderma dinner?
It was good.
Bob Saget was funny.
Where'd you go after that?
I called you a couple times.
You did?
Yeah.
That's weird.
My cell phone was on all night.
Coverage in this city
is so in and out.
What's up with that?
Should I read this?
Should I?
No! I don't need
to read this yet.
I don't need to read
any of your Journals.
You know why?
Because there's nothing in them.
They're empty, boring,
surface fluff.
First week always is.
Nothing.
Short staccato sentences
masquerading as disclosure.
It's what you know about
yourself without my help.
Your postman knows
more about you than this.
I want more.
This week, I want secrets.
Things other people don't know.
Things you don't know... yet.
Because, you see,
the clues to who you are
are buried in those secrets.
It's like hidden gold under
a twenty-foot pile of horseshit.
Nobody wants to dig through it.
But guess what?
It's in there. The truth.
Waiting patiently under
all the horseshit
that is the build-up
of our silly little lives.
So...
go in and get it, people.
Dig for the truth.
And people, please.
Spelling. It's important.
Get it right.
So...
I'll see you next week.
Hey, Dad.
Hey.
You're up.
This was your mother's favorite show.
I waited too long to marry.
I should have done it in my twenties.
I'm too set in my ways.
I've treated Nina
like a possession,
one of the things I've struggled for,
like my company,
my clients, my abdomen.
I work harder on my abdomen
than I do on my marriage.
You know why?
Because this will be
the David Lilly Agency, that's why.
Because every
single person we have here
would be devoted
to advancing your career.
Come on, David.
I talked to you last week.
You said you'd think about it.
You're unrepresented right now.
Yeah, Jack,
I thought it through,
and I'm gonna pass
and say thank you.
All right.
I understand that.
That's perfectly reasonable.
But will you
at least do me the honor
of passing to me in person
on the floor of
the Lakers game tonight?
Hold on a second, okay?
Hey, Brynn.
- Brynn.
- What?
You have play rehearsal tonight?
- Why? Who is that?
- It's Jack Giamoro.
He wants to know if I want
to go to the Lakers tonight.
Come on.
The hell he does.
He knows you left your agent.
He Just wants to sign you.
What's going on?
Tell him you have to
take care of the kids.
Listen, Jack, I'm sorry.
I cannot do it tonight.
Brynn is in this play,
and tonight she's got rehearsal,
so I'm stuck with the kids.
The kids.
- Game over.
- I understand that.
It's more important than any of this.
Good for you.
Listen, buddy, I would benefit
from spending some time with you.
What's he saying?
So, Just selfishly,
will you have lunch with me this week?
Okay, Jack.
Sounds great.
Thank you. Okay.
All right, I'll talk to you soon.
Take care of yourself.
All right.
Piece of shit.
Well, he trumped you with
that stuff with the kids.
By the way, the Laker game?
Jack, come on.
You sound like a fool saying that.
Every agency has got
Laker floor seats now, so...
Anyway, you've got a bigger problem
than not signing David Lilly.
Phil Balow.
The puppy here was asleep at the wheel.
Whoa, the puppy was not
asleep behind no wheel.
- What happened?
- You put four calls in to the guy.
He hasn't returned one
in three weeks.
Phil Balow's not calling me back?
Jeez, I must have been so crazy,
I didn't even notice.
Didn't we send him something?
That was last month
when he moved downtown.
Phil moved downtown?
Yeah. Him and Sela
got a loft downtown.
I guess they think the Westside
is too white or something.
Downtown?
Yeah, I don't get it either.
You know what?
I don't really get any of this, but, Jack,
fantastic Job signing David Lilly.
It's amazing watching
the master work.
Thanks, Fineberg.
You're the best partner
a guy could ask for.
Sounds to me like you're
about to lose Phil, Jack.
Goddamn it.
Phil Balow was the creator
of the situation comedy,
The DiPsy Doodle Show.
I can't afford a problem with Phil.
It's all a math equation.
I'm me because at any given time,
I have three Phil Balows.
Hey.
Jack! Jesus!
Sorry.
Did I catch you
at a bad time?
No. Well, yeah.
I mean...
No, you know, we're Just in the middle of,
you know, rehearsal.
Sure, sure.
What's up?
What's up?
You haven't returned
my calls in three weeks.
It's not like you, Phil.
I Just want to make sure
everything's okay.
Yeah, no, yeah.
Oh, no, yeah, no.
I'm good. No, I'm fine.
- You happy?
- No, yeah.
Yes, yes, no.
- Yeah. Yeah, no.
- Okay. All right.
It's all good, right?
I mean, that's the thing, right?
But... right.
But you know what?
I gotta do this, 'cause, you know...
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
- Right, right.
- So... Okay.
- All right. Great.
- Okay, man.
- Good to see you.
- Okay, okay, okay.
- All right.
I'll talk to you soon.
Okay. Okay.
- Looks good.
- Okay. Okay.
So, we can't say "vulva,"
but we can say "fallopian."
I don't understand.
I think "vulva" is fine.
Now, is it the product?
Is it because of Volvo
that we can't say that...
You have one new message.
Sent today at 6:01 p.m.
Hey, Jack, it's Phil.
Look, I gotta talk to you.
It was tough today
when you came by.
Something's going on.
You know?
And it's Just not like me.
We've got to sit down.
You know, we been through
a lot together, you and I,
and let's talk in the morning.
Okay, we should talk.
He's leaving the agency.
I knew it.
What a life.
Jack! Jack!
L... I love these fish.
They... they make me happy.
Sorry.
How about some trousers?
Okay.
Yes.
Jack.
Yes?
I've been sleeping with Phil.
It Just happened.
He was obsessed with me.
And we'd get together and...
I lost control
and it happened.
But it's over, Jack.
I swear it's over.
I'm so sorry.
So that's what he's
gonna tell me tomorrow?
Because I told him that
I was gonna tell you.
I made such a huge mistake,
Jack.
I'm so sorry.
I love you so much, Jack.
I love you so much.
Nina came along at
a point in my life
where all I did was work...
work and plan
and strive and deliver.
I became bigger than life.
I became rich and famous.
But I never smiled.
For five years, I never
cracked one genuine smile.
Steven Bochco is on line two.
It's important.
Tell Bochco you'll call him back, Jack.
I'm going to a photo shoot
and you're going with me.
I can't. I swamped.
Get unswamped.
These are supermodels.
Tell Bochco I'll call him back.
That's what I thought you'd say.
Nina brought the light back.
It was dark,
and then it was light,
and the only difference was Nina.
- Look. You like it?
- Wow. Yeah.
I can paint or sew or whatever.
It's a room for me.
Do you like it?
Yeah, it's great.
You have built-ins and everything.
- I know.
- What did this cost?
That's not important.
- That's not important?
- So not important.
- It's important to me.
- No. It's not.
I think it's important.
I'll figure out some way
to make it up to you.
You will?
We can figure it out right now!
Nina's on line one.
Tell her I'm not here.
Guys, we need to talk
about this thing at CBS.
We need to prepare for these meetings.
We aren't prepared.
You guys spend the entire meeting
talking about your little girlfriends.
That's only because
you won't spend any time
talking about your little
girlfriends, Arlene.
If I got one-third of
the snatch you get, Arlene,
I'd be the happiest man
on the planet.
You'd be the
second happiest man.
I'd be the first, 'cause you'd be
telling me all about it, okay?
We have a Phil Balow problem.
Excuse me?
He's been sleeping with my wife.
Okay, all right,
I thought you were being serious.
If that's the problem,
who hasn't been sleeping
with your wife?
So have I.
Me, too.
She confessed to me yesterday,
out of the blue.
Apparently, it's been
going on for some time.
Now, I'm telling you
all this as my partners,
as my best friends,
as my family, so I assume
I don't have to give
the confidentiality speech right now.
Oh, my God, Jack.
If this is true, I'm so sorry.
I don't know what to say.
Jack, this is true?
Yeah.
Apparently, she broke it off with him,
but it may have been
going on for some time.
Jesus Christ, Jack.
Is there anything we
can do to help out?
Well, you can support my decision
to drop Phil as a client.
You're kidding, right?
You don't want to drop Phil.
He's about to re-up his deal.
He's starting a new show.
You Just told me the other day
how valuable Phil is.
If it does half of
what DiPsy Doodle does,
we're looking at a package
that could be in the tens
of millions of dollars.
Jack, you need to
take a deep breath.
Okay? You need to get
straight with Nina, yes.
But don't do this, please.
I can take him on day-to-day.
You don't even have to
talk to the guy.
He is fucking my wife!
What is it you guys
don't understand about this?
His name is off the client list!
Jack, come on.
You're taking this really personal.
That's the closet, Jack.
Who designed this room?
The closet door looks
exactly like the exit door.
And we're supposed to
keep the closet door locked.
We keep making all these
proclamations,
but nothing ever gets done, so...
I know what you're thinking.
I hate it when you start
a conversation like that, Arlene.
Jack, you love this woman,
I know you do.
You want my advice?
Because I know she loves you, too.
She has been sucking
Phil Balow's cock, Arlene.
Does she expect me
to ever kiss her again?
'Cause that's not gonna happen.
You'll stop on your way home.
You'll grab some Listerine.
She'll have a nice gargle
and then you'll figure
out a way to move on.
That's great relationship
advice from a woman
who doesn't have a living plant
in her apartment.
I have plants.
That Joke is so tired.
Did they send you in here
to save the Balow account?
Is that what this is all about?
Give me a little credit, Jack.
Arlene, tell the truth,
and don't get all defensive
like you do when
you're caught in a lie.
Did they send you in here
to save the Balow account?
Yes, but...
- Get out.
- Jack.
- Get out.
- Fine.
I gave it a shot.
Thought you might want to try to act
like a human being for once.
Not today, I don't.
Lucky, who do you know with a truck
that can move some items fast?
Oh, man,
that's a good question.
I don't think I know
anybody with a truck.
My uncle's out of work.
He's got a truck,
Bunch of buddies.
All right.
Call your uncle,
come to my office.
You're spending
the afternoon with me.
Uncle Jimmy, hey.
This is Mr. Giamoro.
- How you doing?
- Jack knows me. Jimmy Dooley.
We grew up together.
Valley High, right?
I was in your brother
Anthony's class.
Jimmy Dooley.
Right. How you doing?
Good, good.
I mean, not as good as you.
Big shot now.
Big cheese.
Yeah.
Read about you in papers.
You've got this...
You don't call anybody back, but...
Excuse me?
You don't call anybody back.
I called you like ten times
about my girlfriend's screenplays.
You made me look like a dick
to my girlfriend, Jack.
I have a number of items
that I need you to move.
I'll give you the address
I need them to be taken to.
Okay? Come with me, please.
I'm sorry, Jack.
I know I messed up,
but I love you.
I have nothing to say to you.
Don't do this, Jack.
Don't be like this.
Don't throw it all away.
Stay in the fight with me.
Excuse me?
Sorry.
Before I go, I Just wondered
if it would be cool
if I left a headshot and resume?
Yeah. That's fine.
Just leave it right there.
Cool. It's the color kind.
It's the newest thing.
- Great. Terrific.
- Bye.
I Just wish I could
make you understand
how small and how sad it all was,
so you'd know how little
it all meant.
Your stuff will be in the garage
at your mother's.
You can do whatever
you want with it.
I'm no good at being in love.
I was in love once
when I was fourteen.
I was a fat kid.
A fat child. A fat teen.
No one in my adult life
knows that... only Dad.
There was a girl at school.
Leah.
Anthony, are you
any good at this game?
What is it?
Monopoly? Nah.
I don't play that.
I'm a dummy.
Well, sit down, dummy.
We'll teach you.
Tell your brother to sit down.
Yeah.
Sit down, Anthony.
Good idea.
End of entry.
Jack, you need to read this.
"Jack Giamoro immediately hired
a gaggle of low-rent movers
to come and purge his Westside mansion
of all her belongings"?
This is great, Lucky!
How did they get this?
The goddamn press!
Sheesus.
What is "Ling"?
What is that?
Chinese? Korean? Taiwan?
What is "Ling"?
I don't know, but the name
sounds really familiar.
- I'll find out exactly who she is.
- Do that.
Ling, my ass.
It's debilitating to know that after years
of pretending you do,
you actually don't have
the killer instinct.
I wanted to rip Phil's throat out last night,
but I couldn't.
Hey, can you help me out?
My brother Anthony
had the killer instinct.
Anthony went after
everything he ever wanted.
Anthony was like my father.
He was driven and had purpose.
When you want something in life,
you have to fight for it.
Stay with it.
See it through.
You have to be willing
to go the distance in life.
I wasn't willing to fight
the fight for Leah.
And I couldn't go
the distance with Nina.
What I think you are starting to see,
if you're doing the work,
if you're staying with the course,
is that being honest every day,
knowing what you think,
knowing what you feel,
is getting very revealing.
Doors are being opened.
Boxes that have not been rummaged in
for quite some time
are being looked through.
Later, as we wind the course down
and I read your Journals,
I should know you intimately,
perhaps better than
anyone else knows you,
except, of course, yourself.
- Excuse me.
- Sir.
What do you mean,
read our Journals?
I don't think that's
gonna work for me.
I'm a very private person.
Okay. But you may as well leave now,
because there is really
no point in your staying.
Well, it's not that.
I'm Just not that comfortable.
I'm not interested
in your comfort.
I'm not an anesthetist,
I'm a doctor.
I do not get cheap thrills
reading someone's Journal.
I am here to give you the tools
to help you to uncover...
...discover,
and discard...
the crap that is
holding you back.
And you, sir,
definitely have crap
that is holding you back.
"If a way to the better there be,
it exacts a full look at the worst."
Thomas Hardy.
Who?
Who is Thomas Hardy?
Is that what you're asking?
Yes, I am.
Are you not a college man,
Mr. Giamoro?
Community college.
Two years.
But I believe education
can only take you so far.
Quite right.
Absolutely true.
But ego...
...will not get you
the rest of the way.
It will feed you, yes.
It will clothe you well.
But it will leave you cold and alone
and unknowing, I promise.
But if you would prefer to leave,
please go.
- I don't choose to leave.
- Very well.
So, when I ask you
to turn in your Journal
for me and me alone
to read, Just do it.
And remember the spelling!
It's a thing with me.
Hey, don't worry.
We're gonna get this guy.
We'll mess him up real good.
Teach him a lesson.
He needs one.
Playing gatekeeper.
All these people deciding
who does and doesn't get in.
You've been wronged,
so I'm going to fix it.
- Hello?
- Jack.
Hey, man, look, it's Phil.
We need to talk.
What do we need to
talk about, Phil?
Come on, man.
Don't be an asshole, okay?
I'm sorry.
I feel like shit.
I want to see you.
It's 8:02, Phil.
I'm running late.
I don't want to talk to him!
I won't ever talk to him again!
You sit down here.
Okay?
Now I really do not want
to hear any more about this.
Of all the girls in the world,
you had to steal one
from your baby brother?
You should be ashamed!
Anthony!
I Just don't want to come home
and listen to the same garbage
every night.
I come home from work,
I got a headache.
I've been shit on all day,
and then I have to listen
to this crap night after night!
I don't understand why!
Anthony needs to do
the right thing!
Oh, come on!
I am taking him over to her house
to talk this out with her parents!
Anthony,
open this door now!
Leave the kid alone!
You're driving me nuts!
Get down those stairs
and get out in that car right now!
You stay out of this!
My mother never forgave my father
for letting the failure of his career
destroy his happiness at home.
She never forgave him
for putting a wall up
between himself
and his two sons.
You only care about Jack!
My father never forgave me
for not being thin and focused,
combative and determined
like Anthony.
Between you
and your father...
And for the rest of her life,
he never forgave my mother
for killing Anthony.
Why the hell should I
have to forgive Nina?
- You've got about a hundred calls.
- David Lilly?
No, but I did figure out
who Barbi Ling is.
She writes freelance hatchet pieces
for the L.A. Voice.
Most of them are
maJor players in town.
She did the Sherry Lansing piece.
- Figures.
- It gets worse.
She's a screenwriter
and was a stand-up comic.
You know, one of them
Comedy Store wanna-bes?
She submitted ten scripts
within the last five years.
We reJected them all.
She couldn't make it in this town
and decided to tear down
the people who did, right?
It gets worse.
Would you stop saying that, please?
You sound like a bit player
on a Dick Wolf show.
She sold a full profile to the L.A. Voice.
The one last week was
Just a teaser.
She's doing a whole thing
on you, Jack...
the evolution of the agency,
the stealing of clients.
Please tell me that's not true.
- I can't.
- Jack.
We need you in your office.
Right now.
Jack, it's important.
Phil called.
He wants to sit down with you
or he's threatened
to leave the agency.
You need to have lunch with him.
I'm not sitting down with Phil.
Nina called me, too.
She's destroyed.
You need to see her.
I'm worried about her.
Then you see her.
Hey, get this Ling
on the phone, will ya?
Jack, you need to do something.
He will leave the agency.
Jack, here's how bad
I want you to have lunch with Phil.
Are you ready?
I will sign your cousin Andrew's no-talent,
acne-scarred daughter.
Okay?
- Call him.
- Jack, Barbi Ling on line 3.
Barbi Ling, how are you?
I'm fine, Mr. Giamoro.
What can I do for you?
Well, I think that you
and I should sit down
and have a meal together.
Why? Do I sound hungry?
In fact, when you called,
I was having a meal.
Well, if you're like me,
eventually you'll have another one.
Listen to me, Barbi.
I promise you,
you need me close on this, okay?
Profiles need information.
I can get you to who
you need to get to
so you can get
this thing done right.
Are we done?
Barbi, I'm being nice now.
This is the nice Jack
that you're talking to.
I know.
And I'm so very lucky.
Oh, look!
My food's here.
Fun meeting you,
nice Jack.
I'm not good with the word "no."
I never have been.
I worked at the world-famous
Cameron Merrick Agency.
Morty, Arlene and I
all started in the mailroom together.
We were young and hungry
and had the power
of determination.
Once I found the business,
I knew I was gonna succeed.
I saw myself
succeeding so clearly
that it became
a moment in time
that I had but simply
to wait and prepare for.
Like a bus scheduled into the station
at a preordained moment,
I moved forward with confidence
that my day would surely arrive.
And when the time came
to make a play,
I made a play.
As our bosses before us had done,
we formed a new group,
took most of our clients,
and left the agency.
But first we copied all their secrets
so we'd have something to blackmail them with
if they ever came after us.
It was ruthless and bold,
a mailroom coup,
a time-honored
show business tradition.
Change is coming around again now.
I can feel it.
Dad?
Dad?
Goddamn it!
Hi.
Is he gonna be okay?
He's banged up.
He's got a couple
fractured ribs.
Pretty bad cut
on his back.
He's gonna
need to see a dentist.
His teeth are pretty bad.
It's not a problem, Jack.
I've got the best guy
in Beverly Hills.
And Jack, the best thing about it is,
you won't feel a thing.
This guy will have you
on so much dope.
You're gonna love this guy.
Wait a minute!
He's not a dentist!
He's a comedy writer!
This guy's a comedy writer!
Okay, we better up that dosage, please.
Thank you.
Who let...
Who let the whore in?
You're a whore!
She broke the bonds
of our matrimony!
You screwed my biggest client!
Why couldn't you screw Garry Marshall?
He's about to retire!
You had to screw
a working client!
That's good!
I'll be in the waiting room.
Morty, he's here!
Morty!
Okay, good.
Did you tell Arlene?
- Yeah, she knows.
- Okay.
I'm here.
Where's Fineberg?
He's on his way.
- Okay.
- Okay.
Nobody mentions the teeth.
Okay?
Come on.
Come on, come on.
Talk about his quick recovery.
Talk about how good he looks.
- Come on.
- He likes that.
Okay, quick! Thank you.
Everybody upbeat? Okay.
So, how you doing, Jack?
How you think I'm doing?
I look like a goddamn xylophone!
Jack, Kevin Sands is
the best in the business.
He does all the big names.
You were in
so much pain and so wild.
He did the best he could.
I look like Tom Cruise's retarded cousin.
Jack, what did the cops say?
Did they find anything?
No. Guy got away.
They have no idea who he was.
Well, the important thing
is that you're back, right?
Yep, I'm back!
All right, I'll see you guys.
Maria?
Have you seen my Journal?
Maria!
My home was broken into
and it was stolen.
I haven't had an entry
in three weeks.
So, what's your plan?
I don't know.
You don't know?
You haven't been to
class for three weeks
and now you
don't have a Journal,
after you didn't want me
to read it anyway,
and when I ask you
what your plan is,
you say...
"I don't know."
Do you think I'm lying?
I've had a very
difficult few weeks.
Which, of course,
you did not write about.
Mr. Giamoro, tell me honestly.
Why don't you drop out?
I mean, why are you here?
To taunt me?
It's not my way to drop out.
Yes, yes, yes.
But why are you here in this class?
I don't know.
I Just had an idea.
Why don't you write about that?
Or would that be too much bother?
You don't have the right
to talk to me that way.
Great! Write about that!
Write about how
you cannot stand me,
how you'd like to pop me
right in the kisser,
how you'd like to
punch me on the snoot!
Write about it in
great color and detail!
Am I hitting a little
nerve here, Jackie?
Fill those pages!
Go out!
Get a new Journal and fill the pages!
Write about it.
Yes?
Okay.
Thank you.
I miss that time in my life,
when I was fearless,
when the ground
was mine and I stood it,
when I was bullheaded like my dad,
and I was always right.
Mr. Giamoro,
I have told you before
that you cannot
make these outbursts.
I will see that you do a night in Jail
for contempt if this happens again.
Your Honor, give me a night.
That's fine.
But Just hear me out,
because this is important to understand.
We built this company, okay?
We put our souls into it.
We made it what it is!
And now that it's worth something,
ten years later,
our former employers
want to rip it to shit!
Okay, I'm sorry.
Bailiff!
You Just bought yourself
a night in Jail.
Wait a minute!
Hold on a second!
Ten years is too late
to come along
and throw the lives of
It's not right, goddamn it!
Get off me!
I can walk out on my own!
I can walk out on my own!
I was always ready to explode
if I thought you needed to learn a lesson,
if I thought you were in the way of me,
the way I needed things to be.
You're a fool.
Yes, I know that.
But damn, were you cute.
Wow. I mean...
That all changed for me, though.
It changed a little bit
every time Nina kissed me.
Jack, the Jury went our way.
What?
We won, Jack.
- We won?
- We won.
Oh, my God!
The winning streak continued.
The agency grew.
Things got sweet.
The little moments took light
and the darkness lost ground.
Promises were made
and dreams were laid out.
The air in my world
had a preciousness to it then,
a peace that time would show
I didn't know how to negotiate with.
The deal of a lifetime,
and I couldn't close it.
Jack, Barbi Ling's calling.
Yeah, I want her.
What can I do for you, Barbi?
I need some filler
material for my story.
I have reams of stuff now,
but I need to get the Juice
in between the Juice.
What kind of Juice?
About the early days
of your company.
The break-in, maybe.
The files you and Arlene
and Morty stole
and were gonna bribe
your old bosses with.
You have my Journal?
Is that it, Barbi?
I have no idea what
you're talking about.
But are you still hungry
for a meal with me?
I'm famished.
Rickshaw Inn,
downtown on Broadway.
Do you know it?
Chinatown. Yeah.
My family used to eat there
on Sundays when I was a boy.
I'll see you there
for dinner tomorrow night, 6:00.
Get out! Get out!
I don't care how busy he is!
Get me an appointment
with that goddamn dentist!
What the fuck?
Where is my Journal?
Fuck you!
What's the deal with your teeth?
You hold people back.
Bunch of rich white men.
Rich white gatekeepers.
What?
Is that the line she gave you
to get you to break into my house,
leave me for dead?
Let me tell you something, Jimmy.
You've got nothing out there
protecting you.
There's nothing.
No security. No gate.
No hidden camera.
No patrols.
Anybody can Just walk in off the street
and put a cap in
the back of your head.
Now where's my Journal?
And don't say, "Fuck you,"
'cause if you do,
I will shoot you
and I will take your piece of shit TV
and I will walk out of here,
and the cops will Just figure
it was a robbery gone bad.
Where is my Journal?
All you had to do
was answer my calls,
read her scripts.
But no, you couldn't do that.
You're too big time, huh?
You're never gonna
see that Journal again.
Hi. I need to see
Dr. Sands right away.
He's with a patient, sir.
Okay, that doesn't
work for me, so...
- Maybe you should have a seat or...
- It's fine. Don't worry about it.
Dr. Sands!
Excuse me, sir.
I'm sorry.
We're going to reschedule
your appointment to a later date.
Would you mind stepping out
to the waiting room?
The receptionist will
take care of you.
Sir, we're done with you.
Do these look
like teeth to you?
I can fix them.
You wouldn't sit still.
I couldn't get the mold right.
But I can fix them.
Goddamn right
you can fix them.
Cancel his appointments
for the rest of the day.
Get fixing, Skippy.
No one knows what
we're talking about, okay?
Try to act professional.
I'll try.
Hey, Arlene!
You ever eat at the Rickshaw Inn
in Chinatown?
Yeah, years ago. Why?
I'm having dinner there
tonight at 6:00.
After that, I've got
a little something planned.
And after that,
everything's gonna be back
to normal, I promise you.
Who are you having dinner with
in Chinatown?
Hey, do you like these?
They're temps.
They hurt like hell.
Maybe he's having dinner here with Phil.
Maybe they patched it up.
Maybe he's here
to sign the tooth fairy.
You got a better shot at that.
I'd take ten percent
of the tooth fairy.
Who owns the tooth fairy?
Yeah. Is it public domain?
That's not a bad idea.
Find out.
He's here. He's here.
He's here.
Mr. Giamoro.
How are you doing?
The Asian girl from Primkin's class.
Yep. The Asian girl.
So, what came first,
the class or the story?
The story.
Who's that girl?
I have no idea.
Who tipped you off?
Arlene's assistant?
Dooley's nephew?
Here's a question.
Why are you in a class like that,
a guy like you?
Well, to be honest with you, Barbi,
I think I took that class
for two reasons.
One, I wanted to
expand my horizons.
And two...
and there's some irony in this...
was to meet people like you.
Here's a question.
Why'd you pick this shit hole?
It's the worst restaurant
in Chinatown.
My family owns it.
That's my father at the register.
And all the busboys and waiters
are my brothers,
my cousins and my uncles.
Well, okay.
Let's get past that.
I want my Journal back, Barbi,
and I want you to call your editor
and tell him you're not
going ahead with the story.
Here's a little tip.
Tearing down other people
who worked hard to get where they are
is not a way to
advance your career.
My Journal, please.
No, no! That's...
No! You... no, no!
No!
Give me my Journal!
Jack! Jack!
What the hell's going on?
Who is that girl, Jack?
- Whoa! Jeez!
- Sorry!
Jeez, I'm sorry.
Sorry.
Why are these people
chasing us, you asshole?
I'll tell you later.
Jeez!
Aw, Jack!
Give me the Journal, Jack.
- That's what she wants?
- You gave your Journal to her?
Give it to her!
Give it to her!
- Give it to her!
- Wait a second!
Fuck it, abort.
Yeah?
Okay, I'll take him, but quick!
Hey.
I had my Journal
in my hands today,
and I lost it.
Morty fell,
things went sideways,
confusion ruled, and one of her uncles
picked it up.
Barbi Ling
has my Journal once again.
I headed home knowing
I needed to do something to change my luck,
so I drove to David Lilly's
in Brentwood.
It was time to Jumpstart the beast,
and I knew Just how to do it.
Hello there, neighbor!
Just me, Jack Giamoro,
your friendly
neighborhood IAA agent.
What is this?
David, I'm gonna
make a speech. Okay?
At the end of this speech,
one of two things is
gonna take place.
Either I'm gonna represent you
or I'm going to Jail.
So, hear me out.
David Lilly,
I want to be your agent.
I can make the deals
with the studios
that you need to have made.
I will have the studio people
over here catering to you.
I will have them
doing your yard work.
I will have them
cleaning out your litter box.
I want to make you
so much money
that it will screw up your kids
and your grandkids.
I am bone-marrow hungry
to be your agent.
That's it.
What do you think?
Ask him if he'll
represent an actress.
I want this guy
repping me, too.
Okay, fine.
You're my agent.
You're my agent.
Just get off my lawn
before the cops come.
Yes!
You're not gonna regret this.
Thank you. Thank you!
I'm very excited.
Very excited!
Jack, we need an explanation.
You need to come clean with us.
Listen, I can't let her
have that Journal.
This is the woman who's responsible
for the break-in at my house.
She can't have that Journal.
Why not? Why can't you let her
have the Journal, Jack?
What's in the Journal?
She's doing a story on me,
on the agency, our work, et cetera.
Oh, God.
And the Journal contains, you know,
it's private information.
But, other than that,
everything is fine.
And there's good news
regarding David Lilly.
What's in the Journal, Jack?
I'm taking care of it, okay?
Jack, what's in the Journal?
Information that directly
contradicts our testimony
at the competition trial...
as well as some personal stuff.
You know, my feelings
about the size of my dick
and stuff like that.
So, Barbi, as we
discussed on the phone,
we all wanted to
get together with you
to talk about the scripts
that you submitted.
Five years ago.
Please don't
take that personally.
We are looking at ways
of speeding up
our reading department.
As head of the future lit department,
I gotta tell you,
I really think you have
an incredible body of work.
- Really?
- Absolutely.
- Awesome.
- Wow, how nice.
Which one do you like the best?
Well, to be honest with you,
probably
Chinese Girl on a Killing SPree
would be my favorite.
Good one. Really edgy.
Planet Without Jews
was an interesting read.
Phenomenal.
Phenomenal.
- Wow, thank you.
- You're very talented.
Barbi, the point is,
we would love,
love to have you as a client.
A client?
Yes. Yes.
Yes, we would be honored.
- Absolutely.
- Thank you.
Which one of my scripts
was your favorite, Jack?
You read them all, right?
Every one of them.
Read them all.
How nice.
How does an agency work?
You take ten percent?
I'm Just curious.
Ten percent.
But, you know, really,
it's really whatever
you're comfortable with.
I read them on the shitter.
Excuse me?
Well, I was on the shitter,
taking a shit when
I read your scripts,
so I Just thought
it was appropriate.
Jack!
He is so silly.
Stop it.
- He's kidding.
- That's Jack humor.
Let's cut the shit, Barbi. Okay?
We want the Journal
and we want you to kill the story.
What do you want?
You mean you don't want
to sign me as a client?
No, of course we do.
Jack, come on.
Oh, for God's sake.
She knows we don't want
to sign her as a client.
Barbi, have you ever
been to the Laker game?
Have you ever
sat on the floor at the Laker game?
You have no interest
in my work, do you?
Well, it is tiresome.
You're all so pathetic.
Especially you, Jack.
I have you people by the short hairs
and you know it,
and you have no shot in hell
that I'm gonna kill this story.
Get your asses back
to your side of L.A.!
Well, that went well.
Come on, Dad.
Dad, what are you
doing in there?
I looked these fish
right in the eye,
and they looked back at me,
and they...
they see right through me!
They know who I am,
these fish.
Okay. Come on, Pop.
Let's get out. All right?
I treated your mother like garbage.
Yeah.
I should have been Just...
...nice.
But then, I was very hard
to live with back then.
Okay, Dad.
Come on, get out.
Okay. Come on, let's go to bed.
I don't look back on the
good times I had with Nina
as Nina and I.
I know we had them.
We had many.
But I remember them now
as if we were someone else,
characters in a book or a film
or a game of some kind.
Isn't this great?
Yeah, but Just wait!
A couple years up the road,
I'm gonna start screwing
all your clients.
Then you'll know great!
I don't have a clear memory
of when Nina and I were in love.
Babe, I told you, I don't
believe in therapists.
I've been there.
They're weasels.
They charge you an arm and a leg.
You know,
you spill your guts to them.
You tell them every little deep,
dark secret you have,
and then you spend your whole life
praying to God
you never run into 'em in public.
No.
If you screw my client
out of this picture,
I will ruin you.
I will smear this town
with your severed testicles. Okay?
You are nothing.
Do not cross me on this. Okay?
I'm hanging up now.
Because your response to my side
of the conversation is irrelevant.
Who was that?
Just a friend.
I gotta go. I'm late.
Dooley. Pack your shit.
You're fired.
Excuse me?
You want his Job?
Yeah, sure.
All right, Dooley!
You're sitting at
the man's desk! Get up!
Get up, get up, get up
and get the fuck out!
All right, Jack.
Before you go in there,
there's someone in your office.
I set this up,
so if you want to be upset,
be upset with me,
but the two of you
need to talk face to face.
You're a piece of work,
Morty, you know that?
- Jack.
- Is it all about business with you?
Is that the only thing that matters
after all these years?
I mean, can't you see
how lost I am right now?
Just trust me, Jack.
The two of you need to talk.
Fine. I'll talk to him.
Good.
Morty told me about
the woman in Chinatown...
and about the Journal.
I've seen you writing in it.
If you really loved me,
no matter what I did,
no matter what
we were going through,
you would not have
done what you did.
Okay, you're right.
I'm human. I'm flawed.
I'm a flawed piece of shit, Jack.
Is that what you want to hear?
Do you want to hear me beg?
'Cause I will. I'll beg.
It's not in my nature, but I'll do it.
I'll beg.
I'm asking for forgiveness.
I'm asking you to somehow...
Iook inside yourself and...
find the place that
will allow you to focus
on all the incredible good
that's happened between us.
If you really love me,
then why is that
so goddamn hard?
Get out.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
All right, well,
put your game face on.
David Lilly and his wife
are on their way up.
I'm going up.
No. Let's be smarter than this.
I want to get more on him.
He's in pain, this one.
The more I read this thing,
the more I see that.
He's gonna do
something stupid,
and I want to be there
when he does.
I'm gonna have him in pain for you.
Baby...
Sorry. Please.
Hold on.
Hide yourself.
Please hide.
This sucks.
Nina! Nina Giamoro!
Hello.
My name is Barbi Ling.
I'm doing an article
on your husband.
I was wondering if I could
have ten minutes with you
for some background stuff.
Do you think we could go somewhere
and get a cup of coffee?
Does my husband know
about this article?
Yeah, he does.
He knows.
Okay, sure.
Yeah, I'll give you your ten minutes.
Why don't we go upstairs
to the conference room?
- Upstairs? No. L...
- I'll tell you what.
I'll give you twenty minutes
of some very good stuff.
My husband is
a priggish asshole.
Really?
Yeah. Don't be fooled
by the public face.
There's a whole different
story behind the gate.
Come on.
Are you coming?
Yeah, I'm coming.
Hello, Mr. Lilly.
I'm Lucky, Jack's assistant.
Jack is extremely excited...
David Lilly!
David Lilly,
how are you doing?
I'm glad you came, man.
I'm glad you came.
You remember my wife Brynn?
Of course, of course.
For the gate repair.
$6,000.
That's very funny.
- Just kidding!
- You got me!
No, I insist.
I insist.
Did you see his face?
Let's head back
to the office.
We'll sit down,
we'll get comfortable.
Okay? Come on.
Oh, Nina!
Lucky! Lucky,
this is Barbi Ling.
She's writing a story on Jack.
Jack knows about it.
- Nice to meet you.
- Lucky?
Conference room?
Yeah, yeah.
That way. Ling?
Yeah, Lucky.
I see you.
Morty, you're on speakerphone,
and I'm here with Brynn Lilly.
That's great.
I'll be right over.
Jack, today
is your lucky day.
Brynn, or Lady Lilly,
as I refer to her,
is going to perform
a little audition for you.
Oh, that's not necessary.
We're gonna to handle her.
We've already decided on that.
We're gonna do a great Job.
We have some career goals mapped out
that we want to talk about.
Morty's gonna come in.
I don't want any favors,
okay, Jack?
I really want you to handle me.
That's why I'm gonna do a scene,
and then, you know,
you and Morty can decide.
If... if it'll make you...
if that's what you want, it's fine.
Great. It'll be fun.
Hello.
Morty, Brynn is gonna do a scene,
an audition scene.
A scene. Here?
- Yeah.
- That's right.
Okay.
Hey, sounds great. Good.
David and I, with Jack's help,
are going to do
the Michael Douglas/Sharon Stone
interrogation scene from Basic Instinct.
Okay.
Great.
And no, I am not
wearing any underwear.
Seriously, you're so sweet.
Look at all this.
You're like a little angel face.
And you're the best secretary.
Hi, Arlene.
Nina.
This is Barbi Ling.
She's writing a story
on Jack and the agency.
We Just wanted to use
the conference room
for a few minutes,
maybe 20 minutes?
Yeah.
Actually, would you like
Arlene to sit in?
I mean, no one knows
more about Jack
and the agency than Arlene.
Except for Jack.
I don't think so.
Okay. Arlene,
do you mind leaving?
No, not at all.
So, Miss Tramell
has waived her right to an attorney.
Did I miss something?
I told them you wouldn't want
an attorney present.
Why'd you waive your
right to an attorney, Miss Tramell?
Why did you think
I wouldn't want one?
Sorry.
I told them you wouldn't wanna hide.
I have nothing to hide.
There's no smoking
in this building, Miss Tramell.
What are you gonna do?
Charge me with smoking?
- I need you.
- Not right now, you don't.
Would you tell us the nature
of your relationship with Mr. Boz?
Trust me on this.
Just trust me.
I had sex with him for
about a year and a half.
Arlene, this is important. Leave.
- I liked having sex with him.
- Jack.
He wasn't afraid
of experimenting.
I like men like that.
I like men
who give me pleasure.
And he gave me a lot
of pleasure, Jack.
So Nina, let's start
with the big question.
Okay
That sounds good.
What's the name
of the bigshot client of your husband's
that you've been sleeping with?
Hi. Phil Balow to see
Jack Giamoro.
Sure, Mr. Balow.
Can you please have a seat?
You describe a white silk
scarf in your book.
I've always had a fondness
for white silk scarves.
But you said you liked men
to use their hands.
No. I said I like
Johnny to use his hands.
I don't give any rules, Jack.
- I go with the flow.
- I go with the flow.
Ever do drugs with Mr. Boz, Miss Tramell?
Sorry. Yes?
- Sure.
- Jack, it's me.
- I'm trapped.
- You're trapped?
I am.
- What kind of drugs?
- I'm stuck.
- Cocaine.
- I'm stuck, too, Nina, okay?
We're all stuck,
and let me Just say being
stuck is not an excuse
for what happened
with you and Phil.
Have you ever had
sex on cocaine, Jack?
- No, Jack, I'm trapped.
- It's nice.
- I'm trapped in a closet.
Honey, I'm trapped in a closet, too,
you know?
Okay?
Whatever the hell that means.
How did you feel
when I told you
Johnny Boz had died
that day at the beach?
Who the hell is Johnny Boz?
I felt like somebody had read my book
and was playing a game.
Look, I'm in the
conference room closet
down the hall, Jack,
and I have your Journal,
and Barbi Ling
is outside the door.
But it didn't hurt...
...even though
you were screwing him.
You still get pleasure.
Haven't you ever had sex
with anybody else
while you were married, Jack?
Okay, that's plenty.
I've seen enough.
My God, what a talent.
My God, what a talent.
I'll be right there.
Morty?
Yeah, yeah. She's amazing.
You know who she reminds me of?
Me too. Good.
I'll be right back.
- Phil!
- Phil?
Yeah, Jack, it's Phil.
The evil Phil, who you refuse
to give two seconds of your time to.
- We gotta talk.
- Okay. One second.
David, I'll be right back.
You were terrific.
Okay.
I'll be right back, Phil.
Then we're gonna talk. Okay?
- Are you okay?
- Yeah.
Get me out of here, though.
No. No, not "okay."
All right?
I have something to say to you, man.
Oh. Shit!
I got your Journal back, Jack.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Look man, I'm so in the wrong here.
I mean, I am so in the wrong.
I'm not gonna read it, Jack,
if that's what you're worried about.
- I'm not worried.
- All right. Well, good.
You know, I mean,
I'm glad you're not worried.
But you hate me.
I mean, is that it?
I mean, you Just hate me
and you can't forgive me.
Why did you take this class,
though, Jack? I'm Just curious.
You've always been so resistant
to therapy or introspection,
and then out of the blue
you take this course.
Why?
- Answer me.
- Answer me.
I don't know.
I Just got to this place in my life
where I felt like
I don't know who I am.
I felt like, I don't know who I am...
and I don't know how
to be in a marriage.
And that scared me.
Going crazy on me, Jack?
No, Phil. I'm not going
crazy on you, Phil.
It's Just that, uh...
I'm imperfect, you know?
I am. We all are.
I mean, we're all
so damn imperfect.
I know, baby.
I know, baby.
Imperfect, I'll cop to.
Give me a hug.
Not you, Phil.
Oh, no, I am.
After all that preparation,
he Just leaves us?
- You know, I spent hours.
- I know, I know.
I made this outfit.
- He's coming back.
- Whatever.
All right, get off.
Come on. That's enough.
It's locked.
Yes. I see that.
Jack, the police are on their way.
You better get out here now.
You won't believe
what's going on out here.
Hello.
You coming?
Jack, you gotta get out here now.
All right, all right,
all right.
I'll be right back.
You bigshot piece of shit!
This make a good script for you?
I know the ending!
Barbi, go in there
and tell him this is over,
'cause the cops
are about to get here,
and when they do,
I'm gonna tell them everything...
burglary, assault,
extortion.
I mean, you'll go to Jail for ten years,
with an expensive lawyer.
So tell me, is this over?
Correct answer is yes.
Yes, it's over.
Okay.
Go tell this idiot,
before he burns the office down.
I could've been sitting here!
No, Jimmy, no!
- No!
- No, let's go, let's go!
- We have to burn down his office!
- No! No!
One problem, dickhead.
It's not his office,
it's my office, okay?
You stalking me?
I am.
I wanna come home, Jack.
I wanna come home so bad.
I Just...
I Just wanna come home.
I want us to get it right
and I wanna come home.
Come here.
I have made a decision.
I no longer choose to
be a talent agent.
I have left my company.
My former partners all have voted.
Arlene will replace me
and run the company.
Needless to say,
this did not sit well with Morty.
For the first time in fifteen years,
I will be Just Jack,
Something I have grown and built
and guided and nourished
with every beat of life that I had
is no longer mine.
I am nothing without the elixir
of constant movement.
I do not know how to Just be still.
So I shall read these,
and within two weeks,
you'll be receiving
a grade and an evaluation.
Thank you. Thank you.
I have no problem
with you reading this,
you and you alone,
if that's what it takes
to finish the course.
Wonderful.
I do not need
an evaluation, however.
Give me any grade you want.
I'm done.
I gotta tell you something.
You're a real shitbag, Primkin.
All in all, though,
I think you taught
a pretty good class.
Thank you.
So, you're done.
Is that it?
That's it. I'm done.
Good. You've done well, son.
You done good.
Except...
you spelled "Primkin" wrong.
God.
Nina and I
have a long way to go.
With the odds against us,
we are determined
to make it work.
There's things I'll need to forget.
There's things she'll need
to make sure I remember.
How is it possible that I
still have so much to learn?
End of entry.