1
MAX: Some people say
that they would kill
to make it in Hollywood.
Only difference...
- I just did.
- One step beyond!
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[PHONE VIBRATING]
Wait with the car.
I won't be long.
You're Douglas Brown.
I'm a producer. This is just...
My friend wrote
this script.
I'm producing, he's directing...
You would be perfect
for the lead.
- Great. Let's do lunch.
- Dude. Oh, are you serious?
Of course not. I can't listen
to movie pitches from anyone.
You don't understand, Mr. Brown,
this script is based
on an actual true story.
It's real.
Yeah. I don't care.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- RICK: We got mango juice?
- [WADE CHUCKLES] No.
RICK: I got Douglas Brown
in the VIP room.
I told him, "Whatever you wanna
drink, I'll get you."
He says, "Mango juice."
WADE: Look, why don't we just
send somebody?
- All right. Send somebody quick.
- I'll send him.
Hey, how you doin'?
I don't like that guy.
Send somebody else.
[SNIFFS] Ugh, you know what?
Go to the walk-in, all the way
in the back,
get the best bottle of champagne
we got,
and bring it to the table.
Shit's gross.
- DOUGLAS: Happy Birthday, Jack.
- JACK: Thank you. Oh.
ELLIE: Why does he keep
mentioning Panama?
JACK: Panama's
a beautiful country.
Wonderful people, wonderful
people, very subservient.
- Beautiful beaches.
- With banks that keep secrets.
Uh-huh. That has something to do
with one of his divorces.
JACK: We love you.
We love you, D.B.
You know, I don't know why your
mother has turned on me, Jack.
- I never turned on you guys.
- Why is he here?
I... he hasn't left the house
for anybody's birthday.
- Mom...
- He wants something.
DOUGLAS: You're right,
I want something.
Who cares about his birthday?
I came here to make sure that
your son
gets the character
in my next picture changed.
It's gonna be my big comeback.
Getting a little old
for a comeback.
Look, Jack, I don't play
grandfathers, okay?
I... I'm the father
and also, we need to change
the location to Panama.
It's exotic and...
there's a few things we could do
with my banking, financial...
- Well, you know, I mean it's a... it's a...
- DOUGLAS: You know what I mean.
Yeah, I know what you mean but it's a...
it's a different country now.
Noriega's not there anymore.
Let's talk about it
in the office tomorrow.
So, we shoot the picture
in Panama... Panama.
Can't even say Panama.
I don't know.
[GROANS]
Jack.
- Oh, Rick.
- Hey, happy birthday!
JACK: Thank you very much.
RICK: You know I got a bottle
of champagne coming over,
on the house.
JACK: Well, as long as it's on the house.
Thank you very much.
RICK: Mr. Brown.
It's a pleasure to meet you.
A huge fan of your work.
Ah, thank you.
RICK: Can I get you some
more mango juice?
Please, no. I... I think I just,
uh, better, uh...
- Do what?
- [EXHALES DEEPLY] Catch my breath.
I just gotta throw cold water
on my face. [CHUCKLES]
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[RETCHING]
[DOUGLAS GROANING]
You're not supposed
to be in here.
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sick.
I just need to...
Oh, my God.
You... you're Douglas Brown.
DOUGLAS: I just need to use
the restroom.
Now you stay right there.
You've got a big surprise coming
to you.
What the fuck.
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
DOUGLAS: Somebody help me,
please.
Jesus Christ.
Get him out! Get him out!
Get him out! Keep moving.
Hey, Jack,
I was just informed that
Douglas Brown
wasn't feeling so well.
But don't worry, the boys,
they got him in the car,
driver took him home, he's fine.
But, please stay,
enjoy yourself.
Thanks, Rick.
- Hmm.
- Hmm.
That's Dougie Brown for you.
[REGGAE MUSIC PLAYING]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR]
[VIC APPLAUDING]
That's terrific.
Can I... you can... you can set up
one of those poles.
Vic! Come on, man,
it's the middle of the night...
I heard music and your door
is open.
MAX: You could still knock.
Y... you know, that's true.
You're right, I'm sorry.
I... I was excited.
I just wanted to tell you something of
earth-shattering importance to you, that's all.
Yeah, what?
What is it?
Can we talk alone,
without green card?
[SIGHS] You know me no listening to
you, me just listening to my stereo.
- How you doin', darling?
- Me all right.
Oh, well, good.
That's about enough of you.
Baby, would you just let me
and Vic talk here for a second?
- Me no want to leave.
- Please.
[SPEAKING RUSSIAN]
Yeah, go on in the other room,
all the way, yeah.
Now that's right. C'mon.
Go in the room, all the way.
- What is it? [CHUCKLES]
- Are you ready for this?
I found someone to finance
our movie.
- Who?
- Well, that... that doesn't matter.
It's complicated.
Uh, I just need to know
- how much we need.
- No, no, wait.
You gotta tell me who.
[CHUCKLES]
Douglas fucking Brown.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
What? Douglas Brown?
Yeah, I pitched it to him
in an elevator.
- Wait. Okay.
- [CHUCKLES]
- You pitched him Night of the Fire?
- He loved it.
Really?
That's the first time that
anybody in the industry
has said they like my work.
What... yeah.
He specified he'd only help us
under certain conditions.
Okay?
So, we are forbidden to talk
about him or with him,
or we lose the whole thing.
Um, really? Okay, um...
Well, you know,
it's very controversial.
He's like, uh,
an angel investor.
There's just one...
Are you sure...
you can definitely bring
it all in, for 200,000.
All right.
We shoot digital,
we go non-union.
I can do this for 200.
I'm bringing the entire sum
from our angel
and if we can
just keep this secret...
Dude, we have ourselves a movie.
- Whoa! I mean...
- [VIC CHUCKLES]
Yeah, this is happening.
We just...
we have to be quiet about it.
Well, I mean, you know me.
I'm as quiet as a church mouse.
Can you be even quieter
than that?
What?
Can you be even quieter
than that?
Yeah, I'm as quiet
as a church mouse with, um,
you know, slippers on.
Yeah, that is what
I'm talking about!
[LAUGHS]
He really said he loved it?
Yeah.
Wow.
Night of the Fire.
- [EXHALES DEEPLY]
- Yeah, well,
Vic Venitos presents
a Night of the Fire...
- over the title.
- [CHUCKLES]
All right.
- Okay. How bad could that be?
- [LAUGHS]
[LAUGHS] Oxana! Guess who's
gonna be in a movie?
Who's gonna be in a movie?
You are.
- OXANA: I am?
- Oh, yeah. I just cast you.
- But...
- [LAUGHS]
...I don't know how to act.
- I only know how to dance.
- Baby, that doesn't matter.
- MAX: Vic just got us some money for a movie.
- [OXANA CHUCKLES]
- What?
- [CHUCKLES] Him?
He doesn't do anything right.
Well, check your sundial,
sweetie.
I'm a producer now.
Chick-chicka.
- Now you are director.
- And you...
- you are a dancer slash actress.
- Mm.
I'm gonna let you two
have your moment.
I gotta go. Hey! Can I...
can I have this?
Remember, Max...
don't tell anybody.
- Anybody.
- Da svidaniya, Vic.
Now we dance?
Beverly Hills
Century City
Everything's so nice
And pretty
All the people look the same
Don't they know
They're so damn lame
There she goes
Three piece suit
Spandex pants
Cowboy boots
I just don't know
What I'm gonna do
I don't know
What I'm gonna do
Maybe I'll have to move from
Beverly Hills
Century City
Everything's so nice
And pretty
And all the people
They look the same
Don't they know
They're so damn lame
Three piece suit
Spandex pants
Cowboy boots
Fiorucci too
Beverly hills,
Century City!
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[GROANS]
Hello, shots.
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
Christ... The hell happened
last night?
- [SIGHS]
- [SPEAKING GERMAN]
- Hmm?
- I don't know.
Oh, someone left this
in the driveway last night.
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
[SIGHS]
[SPEAKING GERMAN]
I think I need a minute
to myself.
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
No!
Good news, amigo.
Panama documents
just came through.
What's up?
JACK: Pay 200,000 dollars
or this goes on the internet.
How bad is it?
Very.
JACK: Can I see it?
- Nope.
- JACK: It's that bad.
It's worse.
JACK: Well, shit.
That's a nice tree.
It can't be that bad.
We'll fix it.
Believe me when I tell you
thirty years in Hollywood...
I have seen it all.
I am so fucked.
I don't know how this happened.
But I'm ruined, Jack.
Need you to calm down.
Just show me what's on the DVD.
- It's so... humiliating.
- It's all right.
We can manage this. But first...
I am gonna have to ask you to...
show me what's on the DVD.
I know. I know.
Ooh.
You got me.
I've never seen anything like
that in my life.
Well, that's... comforting.
I'm finished, Jack.
I... I didn't think anything like
that could ever actually happen
to a person
on a public staircase.
I'm fucking through! If this thing
goes viral on the internet,
- I'm ruined.
- How are your fans gonna remember you?
Forty feature films
cannot stand up to this.
Should we just pay
the 200 grand? Look.
There's an email address
on the bottom.
"No time for crumbs at internet
- cafe 17 dot org".
- No, no! God, no! No!
You don't play with people
like this.
You think dirt like this just
goes away? It does not.
In the old days,
one call to the studio
and they'd fix everything.
They knew how to take care
of their stars.
I got a guy.
His name is Frank Manascalpo.
[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]
It's busy.
Okay, let's roll it.
- DOUGLAS: Uh, right now?
- I ain't waiting for popcorn.
Universe Club.
With the time code...
right off the surveillance rack.
Hmm.
Oh, Jesus!
Oh! All right, I get it.
Turn it off. Turn... turn it off.
I'm finished.
I know the club.
I can handle it.
I just gotta figure out who's pulling
images off the security hard drive.
So, no problem here, then?
FRANK: Mr. Brown, trust me,
this is amateur stuff.
Considering what's
on the tape here,
what they're asking for
is peanuts.
On the open market, this goes
for ten times as much.
JACK: We are in very good hands.
[CHUCKLES] You wouldn't believe
what he has handled.
I mean, he has handled
some of the worst.
Gentlemen, my career
and everything I've worked for
- is on the line.
- JACK: Douglas...
- I need you to relax.
- [PHONE RINGING]
- [PHONE CONTINUES RINGING]
- Hello.
Yes, she told me
you'd be calling.
My financial adviser?
Yes, his mailing address
is in Panama City.
Okay. Lovely talking
to you again. Thank you.
[DOUGLAS CHUCKLES]
It was my ex-wife's attorney.
Seems we have a protracted,
matrimonial-type issue that...
only he can..
Never mind. I need a drink.
No, Doug, let go on that, God,
this too shall pass.
- Easy does it. Huh?
- Frank.
I need you to guarantee me
that you can make this
disappear, immediately.
Mr. Brown.
It's gonna cost you.
But I guarantee it.
All I need from you is the DVD
and the package.
No, no, no. The DVD
is staying here.
You gotta give him the thing.
He's very good.
I don't care.
- It's staying with me.
- Okay.
I want you to relax...
and not to worry.
For the time being,
stay at home.
- [DOOR OPENS]
- FRANK: Bea!
I picked up a new deal.
[BEA CHUCKLES] Okay, tell.
Blackmail.
- A hand-written note.
- One or two people in a rush.
And a DVD
from the surveillance rack
at the Universe Club.
Universe Club? We already dealt
with them.
I can get in their system.
- [KEYBOARD CLICKING]
- BEA: Okay, there's a problem.
One of the hard drives
has been pulled.
Okay, I'm gonna head down there.
All right, get me an analysis
of the note at the precinct
and everything you can
on the email address.
[PAPERS RUSTLING]
[KNOCKING]
Oh, no.
FRANK: Oh, yes. And you know
why I'm here.
We don't know exactly what
happened to Mr. Brown.
We found him in a bad state,
we rushed him out of the club,
put him in his car.
Then what? You came up here
and found that somebody
had ripped off your hard drive?
Well, we didn't know that
at first, we thought maybe
- one of Mr. Brown's guys came up here and took it.
- He didn't.
But now you got a major problem
with me.
- You need a new system.
- You sold us this one.
It's, uh, 25,000
for my consultation...
and 25,000 for the system.
I also want the name
and addresses
of every one of your employees.
You got a rat in the house.
And I'm the cat.
[DOOR OPENS]
FRANK: I got a list
of all the employees.
Inside job all the way.
What'd you get?
BEA: Look at this.
Whoever wrote this note,
in their haste,
used scratch paper
from an old-fashioned
typewriter.
"The Night of the Fire
by Max O'Leary."
[CHUCKLES] And he even wrote
his address.
This is not our guy...
but he knows our guy.
Let me see if I go talk
to Mr. O'Leary,
maybe he wants to give up
his friend.
[REGGAE MUSIC PLAYING]
Have fun.
FRANK: You Max O'Leary?
Yeah.
Shouldn't keep your door open
like that.
It's a problem. Can I help you?
FRANK: I got your name and address off
the title page from your screenplay.
I just wanna talk to you about
something that happened last night.
I thought maybe you might
know something about it.
You might have a friend who
works over at the Universe Club.
Now wait, we could...
Wait a second, does this
have anything to do with...
you know, Douglas Brown?
So, you know about it.
Yeah, I know all about it.
Your friend,
what's his name again?
It's interesting that you don't know
his name but you still focus on him.
But anyways, he met Mr. Brown
at the club but...
this is my movie.
All right? Max O'Leary.
I'm the one asking
for the 200 grand.
Really?
Yeah, really. And also,
you know, we had an arrangement
with Mr. Brown, not to even talk
about any of this.
So I don't really know what
you're doing barging in here.
How is this
any of your business?
- Ooh.
- Do you see this gun? Do you?
- Do you see the gun?
- Yeah, I'm not blind!
This is a chop gun.
An untraceable firearm.
It's made up
of three different handguns.
I could take this gun and blow your fucking
brains out all over your typewriter
and put the gun in your hand.
Another L.A. suicide
of a wannabe screenwriter that
couldn't make it.
- Is there another option?
- Yeah, there's another option.
You cooperate with me
with all your heart and soul.
Okay? And you help me clean up
this mess that you started
- with Mr. Brown.
- [OXANA WHISTLING]
We have company?
It's my wife.
Call her in here.
Call her in here!
Call her!
Honey!
Could you come and, uh...
talk to us for a minute?
Everything's okay.
FRANK: Just the kind of broad
I'd think you'd be with.
A real head case.
Or maybe her tits.
Come here.
- I have to go over there first.
- FRANK: Don't move.
Don't move.
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[MAX GRUNTS]
Knock him out!
[SIGHS IN RELIEF]
What was that about?
You calling Vic?
Yeah, they just keep saying that
the subscriber has requested
not to receive incoming calls.
Who requests that?
Maybe Vic.
Frank Manascalpo.
- Legal services.
- Let me see that.
Was that legal? Really?
Okay.
We're gonna go to the cops.
Max...
- I didn't get my green card, yet.
- I know. I know.
I'm not gonna let anything
happen to you.
Okay?
Maybe.
- Max, he's gone.
- What? What?
How'd he do that?
I bet he just walked away.
Okay.
Get dressed. We're gonna go
to the cops.
[DIAL TONE]
EDIE: Who's this?
It's Frank.
I have a project for you, Edie.
EDIE: I thought you never wanted
to speak to me again.
Things change.
EDIE: Do they?
- Oh, just come over here.
- EDIE: Me come to you?
[EDIE CHUCKLES] Frankie,
is this a set-up?
It's not a set-up, Edie.
EDIE: Okay.
Turn off your cameras
and I'll be right there.
Okay.
[SIRENS WAILING]
[BUZZER BUZZING]
[DOOR UNLOCKS]
FRANK: I need it done tonight.
Any computers, burnt DVDs,
whatever.
You take them.
I'm looking for
a stolen hard drive.
After... full demo.
Frankie, they did a number
on you.
I was careless.
Well, you should be more
careful.
I'm not Santa Claus, Edie.
It's inflation, Frank.
FRANK: You get the rest
when the job is done.
Don't contact me again...
until I contact you.
[PHONE RINGING]
- Hello.
- Is this Frank Manascalpo?
FRANK: Yeah.
This is Detective Chad Aborn, at the
West Hollywood Police Department.
- I have...
- FRANK: Wait, hold on. Who do you work for?
ABORN: West Hollywood
Police, sir.
West Hollywood.
You're at the station,
is Briggsy still there?
No, Lieutenant Briggs
retired last year.
- We've got Captain Jackson.
- Well, you know who I am, right?
I know exactly who you are.
What is this call
in regards to?
ABORN: Sir,
I have before me
two individuals.
They claim to have been in an altercation
with you earlier this afternoon.
- And they came to you?
- ABORN: Yes, sir.
- Are they pressing charges?
- No.
They've asked me to help resolve
a dispute between them and you,
regarding the actor,
Douglas Brown.
Jesus Christ! I don't get this.
I had the same reaction myself,
initially.
But they insist this dispute
is regarding
a controversial film project.
I have no idea what that means.
They won't elaborate.
FRANK:
I'm not in the movie business.
I don't know about
film projects.
Why the hell
are you calling me?
ABORN: Sir, let me explain.
They have your wallet.
Now would you like to come down to
the station and pick up your wallet
and meet with this young man
and woman to, quote,
"Discuss this film project."
Or would you prefer
I put it in the mail?
Put it in the mail. I gotta go.
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
- OXANA: Are you listening to me?
- MAX: Yeah.
OXANA: Have you called Vic?
MAX: Baby, I have called,
texted, emailed, he's not get...
- he's not answering.
- OXANA: Well, maybe you need to go over there.
MAX: It's not about Vic,
it's about my script.
Frank got my name.
He got it off the screenplay.
Now, Vic took the script. He gave
it to our movie star friend.
The script's the thing, okay?
Look, it says here...
that our movie star friend... his
father was a New York City firefighter
who died in the line of duty.
You don't think that that has
anything to do with all this, do you?
[CHUCKLES] What?
I mean...
Maybe The Night of the Fire has
affected him on a personal level.
That is crazy.
MAX: I really think my script's
gotten to this guy.
OXANA: Nope. I think
your script has gotten to you.
[MUSIC STARTS PLAYING]
Hey, could you turn that down
for a sec, babe.
I can't hear you. The music
is too loud.
This is a pretty serious
situation, you know.
Not really sure
why you're dancing.
You know, back home, police would
find Manascalpo right away and...
Yeah, well, we're not in Russia.
Not Russia. Ukraine.
- Is that better?
- Not really.
[CHUCKLES]
I don't know, I feel like...
I gotta talk
to this guy directly, you know.
I'm gonna call his agent.
Hmm? Hmm?
[BOTH LAUGHING]
[PHONE VIBRATING]
Someday.
EDIE: I could feel like...
[GASPS]
What's up? What's going on?
- [BREATHING HEAVILY]
- Hey, you okay?
I thought it's ma.
Come on.
I know. I know.
We had a scary day.
Great day, you know,
a scary night.
You know, the thing about nightmares you
gotta remember is they're not real.
They're not real.
It's just a dream.
I know.
[MAX SIGHS]
[GROANS]
My light's out.
[LIGHT SWITCH CLICKS]
[SIGHS]
Fuse box.
Did you pay the bill?
No, none of them work.
- Our power's out.
- Our phones are gone.
- We've been robbed.
- What? In our sleep?
Shh.
Whoever's out here,
I just called the cops!
- That's how you come out?
- That's right. Guns out!
With a t-shirt or something.
This is the element of
surprise.
MAX: All right.
[THUD]
MAX: Wait. hold on,
hold on a second, she's...
- EDIE: Mama, is that...
- MAX: Did you hear that?
I could have sworn she ju... Hey!
Who are you?
Who are you?
Why'd you break in to our house?
[EDIE GROANS]
- Do you work for Douglas Brown?
- [EDIE GROANS]
Do you work for Douglas Brown?
The actor?
MAX: Yeah, the actor.
No.
[CHUCKLES] No.
[GROANS]
[GROANS] Look, I can... Wait...
I...
work for this guy.
He wanted me to come
and collect all your computers.
- Was looking for a hard drive.
- Well, if it's Frank Manascalpo,
you tell him I don't have
a hard drive.
I type. I'm old school.
Right.
You seem like
really nice people.
I wasn't expecting that.
- [EXHALES DEEPLY] I can't.
- Yeah, don't.
- [OXANA BREATHES HEAVILY]
- Who the fuck was that?
How would I know?
- No, I can't help you.
- MAX: No?
She broke into our house,
she cut off our power,
she went through all our stuff,
she stole our cellphones,
I mean, you should have seen
this girl, she was like a...
like some kind of a spy
or an operative, I mean...
Uh, sounds like you need
some help.
Call 911,
they'll send out officers
to make a report.
Okay? And please,
don't call this number
inappropriately ever again.
I'm not interested
in calling 911.
I need to talk to Douglas Brown.
I'm working on this project,
okay? And...
I know.
We discussed this before.
MAX: Can I finish?
This piece...
it is very controversial,
and I think... I think it has...
powerfully affected
Douglas Brown,
and that's why
he's hired Frank Manascalpo and,
you know, whoever else to try
and shut it down.
Are you accusing the actor Douglas
Brown with stealing your cellphone?
I mean [SIGHS] I...
I mean, I don't... you don't...
yes and no, I don't know,
it's more complicated,
this piece,
you know, it's about real life,
okay?
It's about how things really,
really are, and I'm certain
that that's why Douglas Brown has
been deeply affected by this.
I'm going to sleep now.
Call 911,
get the officers to make
a report on the robbery.
Ju... no... detective...
detective, I need for you
to arrange a meeting
with me and Douglas Brown.
I am a police detective.
I don't arrange meetings
for screenplays.
Honey... what are you doing?
The lights are back on.
Well, our lights are back on,
so, you know, some good news.
Good. Turn them off and go to sleep, okay?
Good night.
[BUZZER BUZZING]
[DOOR UNLOCKS]
- FRANK: Got my message?
- Yeah.
Sure, Frank.
What's the matter, Edie?
EDIE: There was no hard drive.
No computer.
Just a couple
of innocent people.
You didn't square with me,
Frank.
Huh? Douglas Brown.
What's on that hard drive?
It's nothing
but a routine blackmail.
Amateurville.
Nobody's gotta get screwed
on this, Edie, okay?
We can work it 50-50. Heads up.
Where's the hard drive, Frank?
These kids got a friend that
works over at the Universe Club.
Maybe he's got it.
Frankie, did I ever tell you...
that I wanted
to be an astronaut?
- [PHONE RINGING]
- Jack Girardi's office?
- Frank... Manascalpo...
- [KEYBOARD CLICKING]
Hold the line. Mr. Girardi, a Frank
Manascalpo's on the line for you...
Frank Manascalpo?
Frank? You don't usually call
on this line.
Tell me the good news.
MAX: This isn't Frank.
Then to whom am I speaking?
MAX: Okay, um,
you don't know me,
but I'm a writer... well,
I'm a writer, director.
Look, Mr. Brown met my friend
at the Universe Club,
but this is my movie. Okay?
This is my movie, and I'm the one
who's asking for the 200,000.
Yeah. Got it.
Well, um... I'm sure we can work
something out.
So, you're familiar
with the film.
Ah, yeah.
MAX: Well, if it's all right
with you,
I'd like to meet up
in person and just...
clear everything up. Okay?
Because...
you know, I... I think
we both know that
things have gotten a little
out of hand here with,
you know, Mr. Manascalpo
waving guns around, and
I... I'm a good person,
you know?
Not at the office.
You meet me at El Matador.
I'll be there at noon.
Come alone.
And... thank you very much.
I just got a meeting
with his agent.
Okay.
Oh. Lock the door. Okay?
No more open doors.
- Mm-hmm.
- No more open doors.
Okay.
- Max.
- Yeah?
Be careful.
I am W-O-O-O
And I'm still up here again
Hey
Work, work, work, work, work
Work, work, work
Work, work, work
Move it!
One time!
Work it on, baby
Mush, mush, mush, mush
Come on!
Hit me one time
Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh
Work it up on me!
Pressure one side
Work, work, work, work, work
Work, work, work, work, work
Work, work
Work it!
You're good, baby
You're good!
And a true spin, baby
Stop! Right there.
EDIE: Whoa.
- Hey, pretty lady.
- Don't you move.
You been watching movies?
'Cause that's not how you hold
a gun.
Get down on the ground.
Get down on the ground!
EDIE: See, you don't hold a gun
like this,
and leave it where someone
can take it from you.
You hold it like this.
Because, God forbid, if anyone
takes your gun from you...
what would they do to you then?
Mr. Girardi?
Call me Jack, tell me your name
and sit down.
I'm Max O'Leary.
- It's good to meet you.
- Hmm.
Man, I had a hell of a time
tracking you down.
You see. [LAUGHS]
Do I seem like such a bad guy
to you?
- Right?
- No, no, no. You're...
- perfectly reasonable fellow.
- Yeah, that's right.
There's no need to send Frank,
was there?
Well, that's just the way
we do things. Look, now,
- how are we gonna settle this?
- [SIGHS] Okay. All right.
Well, I'm here
because it's become clear to me
that my project has started to
push some buttons around town.
- JACK: Your project.
- Oh, yeah.
And correct me If I'm wrong...
I think it's started
to affect Mr. Brown
on a deeply personal level.
Am I right?
Yeah. Whatever affects
Doug Brown affects me,
- and that's why I'm here.
- MAX: I get that, and I respect that.
By the way, do you know
how difficult it is
for an artist like me, trying to raise
a little bit of money for my film?
How hard it is to get somebody
like you on the phone,
let alone an actual sit-down?
I mean...
shame on you.
Shame on me?
- Yeah, man, shame on you. Come on.
- JACK: Tell me your name.
[MAX CHUCKLES]
Max O'Leary. All right,
you know what? Fuck this.
I know my script is controversial,
I designed it that way.
Okay? So, you tell Dougie Brown
to call off his dogs,
or the fucking deal is off.
The deal is off.
- JACK: Well, what...
- And I'm not changing a word.
JACK: Well...
so you made
the Douglas Brown film.
We're still in pre-pro.
But yeah, I wrote that script.
You mean the note.
What are you talking about?
What are you talking about?
I'm talking about Douglas Brown
as my angel investor
on my movie, Night of the Fire.
You don't have any video
with anyone with a tranny?
- What?
- You don't have a video
with anybody and a tranny,
do you?
A tr...
No.
Then why the fuck am I here?
Wait... okay.
Hold on, hold on, hold on...
can you just...
let's just back this up
for a second here. Hold on.
Mr. Gira... Jack... can you just
explain to me...
- No, no. No, no, no.
- ...why, you...
Fuck, Jack!
Mis... [SIGHS]
MAX: Oxana?
Baby?
[KNOCKING]
Oh no, not you again.
Uh, I'm sorry to, uh,
disturb you again, detective,
but I've had another break-in,
and... now my wife is missing.
The Russian girl.
Yeah, Ukrainian, uh, yeah,
her name is Oxana O'Leary.
Look, I'm not
a relationship counselor, but,
uh, I saw there was some tension
between you two yesterday.
Are you sure she didn't just
leave you?
No, no, no, no, no.
It's more than that, um...
There was a gun involved, uh,
and that's what was taken.
You own a firearm?
I hope you haven't done
something dumb.
No, no, uh, no.
It was Frank Manascalpo's,
but he was threatening
to kill me with it, right,
so we had to take it away.
Why didn't you tell me this
yesterday?
MAX: Well... [SIGHS]
I guess I'd feel
partially responsible.
You know, I wrote this script.
It's based on actual events...
that weirdly, unbeknownst to me,
closely resemble
the life of Douglas Brown's
father, who was a...
a firefighter in the Bronx,
and I don't know...
I'm trying to be sensitive
to Mr. Brown,
I didn't wanna get anybody...
in... in trouble...
Nobody's gonna buy this.
Oh, one thing and maybe
this is of help,
uh, I had a meeting
earlier today with, um,
Jack Girardi
who's Mr. Brown's agent,
and... he... he was of the opinion
that all of this
had something to do with what
he called, um...
a... a video with a tranny?
Does that ring a bell with you?
Have you taken any drugs today?
No. [CHUCKLES] I mean, I...
Have you ever been diagnosed
with a psychiatric illness?
No.
ABORN: I want you to go home...
stay there.
I'm gonna make some calls.
If anything you said
doesn't check out...
I'm charging you with filing
a false police report...
- [SCOFFS]
- ...and I'm going to remand you for psychiatric evaluation.
- [MAX LAUGHS]
- Do you understand?
Yeah.
What I understand
is you're gonna be no help
in this situation.
At home! Where I can find you.
[CLATTERING]
Excuse me, do you work
for Frank?
- I'm... just a temp.
- MAX: Oh yeah?
- I'm a cop. What's in the box?
- Papers. I... I gotta go.
- Excuse me.
- Okay, look... look, I'm...
not a cop. I'm...
My wife is missing.
I really need to talk to him.
Is he in there?
Yes. He is.
- Thank you.
- But he's dead.
Are you Max O'Leary?
Yeah...
- We should go.
- Whoa, whoa.
We gotta call the cops.
- There's a detective that needs to know about this...
- That's not a good idea.
The title page of your
screenplay with your address,
is on his desk.
There's blood on it.
Listen to me.
There is a dead man in there.
You do not want to go in there
and touch anything.
The security cameras
have been disabled.
If we leave now,
we were never here.
Take your car and follow me.
Take the alley...
not the main street.
Max, walk.
Someone on that list
is blackmailing Douglas Brown.
They stole a hard drive from the
Universe Club with a video on it.
Recognize any names?
- Yeah, Vic Venitos.
- BEA: Who is he?
[SCOFFS]
My producer.
Find your producer
and get a story together.
I'm leaving L.A. tonight.
Good luck.
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
- [VIC GRUNTS]
- [MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BEEPING]
What happened?
Some chick in a mask
came into my house...
she was holding a gun...
she asked me for a...
a hard drive and burned DVDs,
and then she walked me to the balcony
and pushed me off. [CHUCKLES]
Did you blackmail Douglas Brown?
- Don't tell anyone...
- Oh, man...
[SIGHS]
I... why would you do that?
Because nobody was gonna give us
the money to make our movie.
[SCOFFS]
- We have a real problem.
- Yeah, and that's my fault?
- You don't have any idea the situation you put us in.
- Yeah?
How about a new page, your
GoPhone has my e-mail on it,
Douglas Brown has been e-mailing
me, trying to make a deal.
Where's your phone?
VIC: It's in my dresser,
take it.
He e-mailed me back.
Yeah, I see that.
Thank you for all your work
as a producer,
but I think I gotta be the one
to sort all this out.
I was just trying to help, man.
Yeah. That was the problem.
Get better.
[SIGHS]
[HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[DOORBELL RINGS]
Mr. Brown?
Mr. Brown?
Is anybody home?
Hello!
Okay, I'm calling the cops.
EDIE: No, you're not.
Come on. Come on out here.
Up against the wall.
Up against the wall!
- That's it. Come on.
- MAX: Okay.
- EDIE: Spread your legs.
- All right.
- EDIE: Spread 'em wider, please.
- Okay...
- EDIE: Hands up!
- Okay!
EDIE: Spread your legs.
You armed, huh?
Got another ratchet?
Oh, that's right, I got the one
beside your bed.
Where's my wife?
We're in the basement.
EDIE: So... where were we?
DOUGLAS: I'll give you
whatever you want.
As long as you let everybody go.
- EDIE: Yeah, yeah...
- DOUGLAS: Please.
EDIE: You said that already.
You also tried writing me a personal
check for two million dollars,
from a bank in Panama.
Where's your money?
I told you.
I moved all my money out of the
country, I'm going through a divorce.
You expect me to believe
that a man of your stature
does all of his banking
out of Panama.
I got documents upstairs
to prove it.
But lo... how about we do this.
- We open a joint bank account. You and me, we... in Panama...
- No!
That is not customary...
for this type of transaction.
You should be ashamed
of yourself.
But you're the one extorting me!
In my basement, at gunpoint!
I'm trying to, yeah.
But you know what?
- [DOUGLAS SIGHS]
- Douglas...
You're simply gonna be helping a
girl live out her lifelong dream.
- I don't know what the fuck that means, but...
- [EDIE GRUNTS]
I am gonna take that money...
and I'm gonna get me one of those
private special flights into space.
I'm going to the fucking moon!
So...
[SIGHS] Look, I...
you know what? [LAUGHS]
Kill me. Put that fucking gun
to my head and pull the trigger.
Come on.
My life is meaningless.
I've been divorced three times,
never had any children,
made millions of dollars
and I'm still fucking miserable.
Shoot me! You'll be doing me
a favor.
Oh, yeah?
- [DOUGLAS SIGHS]
- Okay.
I get it.
You.
You, I wanna talk to.
- Okay. He says he wants to die.
- Mm-mm.
I'm inclined to believe him.
- JACK: Mm.
- EDIE: But you...
Ah! Let me stop you right there,
thank God.
Listen, the moon thing,
so you're off your meds,
I understand, I've dealt
with this with him.
So we're good there.
We have everything we need
right here,
- so let's close this...
- Oh, yeah. This is gonna work.
- It's absolutely gonna work...
- Definitely gonna work.
- D.B.?
- Come on.
Hang in there, buddy.
I got this.
That's gonna leave a mark,
but that's gonna cost you.
- Jack?
- I got this D.B., I got this, don't you worry about a thing.
- [JACK GRUNTING]
- EDIE: Huh?
- Where's the money?
- Oh, fuck. What? Oh!
[JACK GRUNTING]
EDIE: Where is the money?
JACK: I don't fucking know
where his money...
- I moved it to Panama!
- Mr. Brown?
- You don't know me...
- No. I don't know you.
I don't know who the hell
anybody is.
Get me out of here,
you son of a bitch.
MAX: My name is Max O'Leary.
I'm a writer, director.
I am so sorry, sir,
this is all my fault.
My friend, Vic, he's in the hospital
right now, and I wrote a script,
and I think he tried
to blackmail you with a video
which I have not seen, um,
but... but, it was all to finance
our... our low-budget feature.
Hold on. You can't shoot a film
for 200 grand, what the...
- That's not the point.
- DOUGLAS: I know what the point is.
Listen, that's a...
that's a great story, kid,
but we're all gonna die here.
Just get me untied.
The point is
that this script I wrote,
this was a true story, okay?
This was about a firefighter, you know, a
firefighter that died in the line of duty.
And I know that this movie would have
affected you deeply, sir. Because...
I know about Kevin Brown.
- Who?
- [JACK SCREAMS]
- Fire... firefighter Kevin Brown. Your father.
- [JACK SCREAMS]
No, kid, no. My father's name
was Rabbi Benjamin Kubelsky.
JACK: The fuck do I know?
Uh, I see.
DOUGLAS: But listen, it's...
it's okay.
I did make a firefighter movie,
you're right.
Mm. I'm not really interested
in that.
Oh, but you can help us out
of this mess.
MAX: How do I do that?
When she comes back,
say something to distract her.
What do I say?
Make something up, God dammit,
you're the writer.
I just need to get to the closet
down the hall.
I've got props down there, I
keep them from the movies I do.
I kept the ax.
EDIE: Where's the money?
JACK: Aw God...
I moved it to Panama,
- I moved it to Panama.
- Panama? I kinda believe you.
- Let's just try this one more time.
- [JACK GRUNTS]
- [COUGHS]
- [EDIE GRUNTS]
We got a situation...
we got a situa...
[EDIE PANTING]
I'm pretty sure...
he doesn't know anything.
Look, I'm sorry. I lied. I...
I got money, and I... it...
it's not two million, but it's...
I got a hundred grand
and it's in cash.
Upstairs in the bedroom,
in a safe. Now let's do this.
[EDIE BREATHING HEAVILY]
What's the code?
It's on an iris scan,
I have to go,
I have to put my eye into it,
and that's what opens it.
Just untie me and I'll bring you
up there.
Come on, let's do this. Please.
[SIGHS]
A hundred grand.
- [EXHALES DEEPLY]
- Don't move.
- MAX: Mama!
- [EDIE LAUGHS] Oh, she can't hear you.
MAX: No. That's you.
EDIE: What?
That's what you said
when you fell off of our roof.
- "Mama? Is that..."
- No, I didn't.
MAX: Yeah, you did.
You did. I mean,
we both heard you,
you fell off our roof,
you got knocked out,
and then you cried out
for your mama.
My mother is dead.
I don't think she is.
I think your mama... left you.
That's what you're getting
so upset about.
Maybe you have some kind
of problem.
- Huh?
- Fuck... the fuck did you say?
[EDIE GRUNTING] Liar!
Douglas?
[OXANA GRUNTING]
EDIE: Wow. Douglas.
That's really something else.
- DOUGLAS: I was trying to get free...
- Hurry up, babe.
DOUGLAS: I had an Irish girl
in one of my movies.
- [OXANA BREATHING HEAVILY]
- [INDISTINCT CONVERSATION]
MAX: Go, go, go.
- DOUGLAS: So I lied. Come on, please.
- EDIE: Let me take this.
Okay. People.
I'm done.
I tried working with you people.
I've taken my mask off.
What do you think that means?
This thing's really heavy.
The fire ax of the late
Douglas Brown. [GRUNTS]
MAX: Don't move! Don't move.
Put the ax down.
Drop that ax.
- Hi, Max.
- MAX: Drop the ax.
Put the ax down.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
- You ever shoot a gun before?
- No.
OXANA: It's okay, Max.
It's... it's okay.
- JACK: Yeah.
- DOUGLAS: Great shot, kid.
JACK: Yeah.
ABORN: Mr. Brown!
- Mr. Brown?
- DOUGLAS: I'm downstairs!
- DOUGLAS: Jack.
- JACK: Yeah.
DOUGLAS: Just put it under
the ta... put it under the table.
ABORN: Mr. Brown!
Hey.
Holy shit. What happened?
Well, you see, uh...
this kid... he, uh...
You know what? This young man...
[CLEARS THROAT]
was working on an idea...
- JACK: A movie... a movie.
- ...for a film.
- Yeah.
- Yeah?
And what happened?
Well... he...
[SIGHS] Kid...
why don't you tell him
the whole story?
Go ahead. Tell him
what really happened.
Go on.
Tell him.
Okay.
This is what happened.
My dream last night
Was about Ali Baba
With the forty thieves
Tom, Tom, the piper's son
He was there with me
I rode through the valley
With the princess by my side
The Duke and the Duchess was
There to meet me with a smile
Alice was there in Wonderland
Staring far away
The three blind mice
Was there with me
To tell the teddy bear
A tale
The teddy bear
Came smiling there
With a big smile
The Little Bo Peep has lost
Her sheep last night
Dream last night
About Ali Baba
With the forty thieves
Tom, Tom, the piper's son
He was there with me
I rode through the valley
With the princess by my side
The Duke and the Duchess
Did a reggae, reggae, reggae
Last night
My dream last night
Was about Ali Baba
With his forty thieves
Tom, Tom, the piper's son,
He was there with me
I rode through the valley
With the princess by my side
I did a reggae, reggae, reggae
Reggae, reggae, reggae
Last night