Original subtitles

- I wouldn't be caught dead in this ugly hat.

- One day, you will only remember me by this hat.

You will put it on

and never take it off again.

By the time you read this letter,

I will already be back in Mexico.

I'll be home imagining your laughter,

your friendship and your lips.

And you'll be in our same spot, but without me.

No one in the world will ever compare to you.

Susan, come be with me in Mexico.

Let me share my life with you like

you shared your with me

and we'll grow all together with lots of kids

and, please, come find me.

But if you wait too long, things could change.

My humble village with no ferries, no tourists could change

and this broken heart could be mended

by someone else, so please, don't wait too long.

Come find me.

- So how did you hear about the island?

- I'm visiting someone who lives here.

I hope he still lives here.

Sounds like love.

- Not really.

♪ I saw you in the sunlight ♪

♪ You were wearing blue ♪

♪ I'm so in love ♪

♪ In love with you ♪

♪ Your eyes shine like the moonlight ♪

♪ Your lips are fully red ♪

♪ I'm so in love ♪

♪ In love with you ♪

- You speak English?

- Yes.

- She said you should never marry anyone local.

It's the worst you can do.

Look at that, that's how you gonna get, you see.

Unless you like that.

What are you doing over here?

- I'm looking for a friend.

- What's his name?

- Luis. - Luis what?

- Javier Avila Gonzales.

Luis Avila Gonzales.

Look, you know what?

You need to sit down

and I'll tell you the story of Luis.

Sit, have a seat.

Have a seat and perhaps have some tequila

or a beer or something.

he has

a very, very jealous wife.

So I don't know why you're looking for him,

but be careful what you do, okay?

- I should be going, gracias, thank you.

- No, no, no, no, did I say something wrong?

Have some ceviche, it's wonderful.

Try it, try it.

There you go, you like that.

- I'm losing interest. Who is she?

In order for someone to take your script seriously,

it has to be great.

This is not a great movie.

- You only read up to page five.

- The first five pages make or break a script.

You don't even have basic three-act structure.

Here's a great book.

"Nothing But a Structure."

Show us who she is.

We need to be able to relate to her.

Give her a job.

- It doesn't matter what job she has.

She could be a coffee maker, a barista.

- Then make her a barista.

- I'm a barista.

It's my job.

Okay.

- An occupation is a vehicle

to reveal more about her.

Helps us to relate to her.

Give her a couple of lines mentioning

where she studied and what her specialty is.

- I studied in Italy.

I can design the form of a latte

to look identical to a face.

- She's a barista.

I gave Susan a job so she'd be more likable.

- Oh, but Susan doesn't need a job, right?

I mean, that was your point

that she's a blank canvas to reflect your audience.

- I also caved this week.

I did it again.

I mailed a script off to a contest.

- Oh, no, not a contest.

- You only fail when you stop trying.

- I got the feedback this morning.

There's no solid concept.

Characters are under developed.

- Bullshit.

Now we are artists, aren't we?

Be an artist.

Do not sell out.

It is only in the future

that one can write history.

- What does that mean?

- That means that many geniuses aren't recognized

until they're dead.

- Oh like that Harry Potter lady.

- She's still alive.

- I can't wait until I die.

- Well, why not?

- I have no money, no house, no family.

All I had is an idea

that my stories will somehow get made.

- The goal is not to live forever,

it's to create something that will.

- Emotional glasses.

Tours,- Gracias.

- Emotional glasses.

Tours, emotional glasses.

Tours, tours, for sale, tours, tours.

This is special, special glasses for your dreams.

It's free, take it.

What do you see, what do you watch in your glasses?

Your dreams.

It's for you.

I give you.

Because you are, you are your emotions.

- I love the emotional glasses

that let you see your dreams.

And you know the guy who sells them,

he's like a vendor philosopher.

For sure, they should hook up.

- It's not a hook-up movie.

It's about a woman who's in search

of intimacy in a world that's distant.

- Look, why is her world distant?

Because your world is distant.

Trust me.

Let's get you a hook-up tonight

and then tomorrow morning write your script

and everything's gonna be fixed,

it's gonna be perfect, no more changes.

I promise you.

- Sorry, is this, um, is this seat taken?

- What seat?

- I guess it's taken.

I'll be right over here if you need me.

I got cashews and a candle.

This is, you're good guys.

- He's got cashews and a candle.

You should hook-up with him.

- No.

- I have a hook-up for you, Jimmy.

I heard he got a divorce.

Maybe you should call him.

- Why?

- Because he's the only man you've ever loved

and because you need intimacy.

- I haven't spoken to Jimmy in 10 years.

- Look, go to his house.

Knock on his door.

- Remember me?

♪ I saw you in the moonlight ♪

♪ You were wearing blue ♪

- Susan Dorothy Cayden Wilson.

- Luis Javier Avila Gonzales Gonzales Gonzales.

- I brought something that you gave to me.

- Three girls and a boy.

What about you, any kids?

- No kids.

- Husband?

- No.

Papi.

- I should go.

- How long are you planning to stay?

- I don't know.

- You're wearing the hat.

Why is she so upset that he's married?

Didn't she expect that?

- Well, it's not just his marriage.

It's her life.

Her coffee shop failed

and she has no family, no friends.

- And we know this how?

- It's revealed in layers.

- You need a big actor.

Bryan Alonsio just came off

of Attackinator 8.

- He's hot right now.

I mean, he was just named sexiest human

on the planet by "Hottie" magazine.

- It's a black woman in Mexico.

There's no part for a white man.

- You're creative, create a part.

We won't consider it without a star.

- Could I have a spot of tea, please.

Curtis.

Susan.

And what is it you do, Susan?

- I was a barista.

- Was?

- Until I lost my shop leaving me

with nothing but nothing.

- Well, perhaps you'll meet

an impossibly sexy British banker

who will change your life.

- Sounds like the perfect Hollywood love story.

- Hey, Jack, what's smokin'?

- Me, dude.

So how was the surf?

- Ah, tranquilo, man, tranquilo.

The ocean is my god and the waves are my religion.

♪ Believe in' the waves ♪

♪ Love the waves ♪

♪ TV waves, sound waves ♪

♪ Catch a wave ♪

♪ Ride the waves ♪

Can't get to the phone,

leave me a message.

- Jimmy.

I didn't know if this was your number,

but it is definitely your voice.

I was just thinking it would be really cool

to call and hear what you've been up to,

but you're probably married with kids and all.

Anyway, I think of you often

and I was just wondering if you think of me ever.

Okay, bye.

- You know, I thought about you for years.

I still do.

What was the thing you wanted to give me?

- Nothing.

You haven't changed.

- I have changed.

- I don't think so.

Revisiting a past love is played out.

The problem is your premise.

- The problem is my premise?

- The premise is great,

but there's too much exposition.

You have to show us more.

- Show you more?

- Show us less and more plot twists.

- Plot twists.

- Too many plot twists.

Make is simpler.

- If she's so depressed,

we need someone happy, like a best friend.

- But she's lonely and has no friends.

- Give her a friend.

- A friend?

- Friend? - Friend.

- She needs a friend.

- Friend.

- I'm so glad you you brought me here,

like I really didn't think

you were gonna even ask me at first

'cause I thought it was something

you kind of wanted to do on your own,

but what I'm gonna do is cheer you up

and I'm gonna add excitement.

You're gonna see.

Thank you.

Salud.

Estamos in Mexico.

You know the only bad thing about this I would say

is just how fast the time goes.

I don't even know when we got here,

but it feels like we just got here today.

Hola.

Hola Senorita.

- Come estas?

- Muy bien, Senorita.

- Soy, Jenny.

- Jenny, mucho gusto, Christian.

Hola.

- Muchas gracias.

- Okay, senorita, tequila?

You really gotta get over this tragic love story.

- I don't have a tragic love story.

It's over, it's done.

- Maybe you'll meet somebody else, look.

- No thanks. - No.

- No, gracias.

- What was that?

- I'm gonna see what this is.

- You're gonna see what it is?

- I'm gonna go.

- Souvenirs, souvenirs.

- That's some beautiful shit.

I bought a jar of shit.

- You did.

- I did.

- Life is shit.

- Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

- The friend needs a purpose,

that's what the analyst said.

I added a friend like everyone said

and now she needs a purpose.

Now I've got to create a story

so that the audience can be interested.

She's not even part

of the movie you wanted to write.

Don't add her.

Take her out.

- Mom, I have to.

I have to change it or no one will buy it.

I need to sell something.

Okay, but give her purpose meaning,

something we all want to root for.

Her purpose was to have no purpose.

- I have no purpose.

I came with you for moral support,

but now you're just depressed

and I'm just hanging around.

A life without conflicts is a life not being lived.

I want more.

It's driving me crazy.

- Well, there you have it.

- There I have it?

- Not having a conflict is a huge conflict for you.

- I'm gonna wander.

Enjoy your depression.

- Are you done wandering?

Find what you're looking for?

- It's you I was looking for and I found you.

I felt I would never see you again.

- Really?

- Actually, no.

I always knew I would see you again.

That's why I waited so long to get married.

How long did you wait?

What?

- A long time. - A long time?

- Yeah.

Take you to some nice place in the island,

but my wife is kind of jealous.

- Does she know you used to be mine?

Did you mention that?

- You look beautiful.

- Are you happy?

- How is your love life?

- How's work?

- How is the coffee business?

- How's your family?

How's your family, hmm?

They good?

- Have you noticed there's a lot of men

in your script?

Everyone Jenny meets is a man.

Not being able to relate to women

is a sure sign of not having had

a great male role model in your childhood.

And the infidelity, clearly there's a lot

of dysfunction in your script.

And what is this infatuation with

a country full of Mexicans?

If you're going to fix

your inability to meet men,

you have to fix Jenny's inability to meet women.

- Why?

- Just have her meet a woman.

Try it.

Just as an exercise.

- You know it's interesting

that at this point in the script,

that the tone changes to a documentary all

of a sudden.

- Is that bad?

- Well, you can't mix genres like that.

- Life is a mix of genres.

Why can't I reflect that in my movie?

- Life is not a mix of genres, your dysfunction is.

And all the storylines, who do we root for?

I don't know.

I just wanna tell the story of Susan,

but then Jenny came along

and now we have to care about her.

- Could be a sign of pre-schizophrenia.

Look, there are just some lines a film cannot cross.

- Says who?

- Says the rules of the art.

- True art should have no rules.

- I'm sorry, I don't speak Spanish.

- Want a drink?

- No, this is my last drink.

- Only one, please.

- Okay.

- Perfect.

All righty, here's a drink for you.

Only one. - No.

- Only one.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Definitely need to take out

the scene at the bar with all the drunk Mexicans.

Yeah?

- Yeah, it's creepy.

Maybe you could throw in some kids or animals.

- Kids and animals?

- Your audience needs to feel comfort, not nightmares.

It's like a den of "Narcos."

I worry I'm gonna be murdered

in my sleep or something.

You're making your audience uncomfortable.

- And you wanna feel comfortable?

- Hey, there you are.

- Luis.

Luis.

Luis.

Luis.

- No, please, don't let me stop you.

- You're mad?

You're mad?

You have a wife.

- You're right, I have a wife

and I'm going home to her.

No, it's okay, you have a good time.

- Luis.

♪ Or princesses ♪

♪ Or fancy dresses ♪

♪ Or boys I wanna shoot 'cause we're close ♪

- You okay?

- No.

- Do you wanna go back to my hotel room?

- No.

I don't.

- Look, look, we're both adults, okay.

I don't know what that was all about

with the guy on the motorcycle,

but if I see you tomorrow,

I'll just pretend like I don't even know you.

Your loss.

♪ We shuffle out of the canal ♪

♪ Cut across the fields and take the train tracks ♪

♪ When the cold blue light shines against ♪

♪ Our burning sky ♪

♪ Is it day or night ♪

♪ And if it's our time, what are we ♪

- What are you doing?

- I'm researching methods

of garbage removal and waste management.

- Why?

- It's tourism.

It is destroying this island.

- And, what, you're gonna save them?

- I'm not gonna save them,

but I'm gonna help them.

- Look, I know you wanna have a problem,

but this is not it. Okay?

It's kind of self-centered to be so focused

on having something to struggle about all the time.

- Self-centered? - Yeah, it is.

- I'm self-centered?

- Yeah, you need to hear that.

You are, it's very self-centered.

- Until I became inspired,

this entire trip has revolved

around you and your problems.

You were looking for Luis.

You can't find Luis.

Luis has a family.

You lost your coffee shop.

You know what, it's getting old.

- No, you're getting old.

I didn't even ask you to come here

in the first place.

How about that?

- What are you talking about?

- What are YOU talking about?

I wanted to be alone.

- I came because you needed a friend,

I came as your friend.

- Yeah, but I didn't ask you to.

- Oh, so then why did you invite me.

- I didn't.

- So I invited myself?

- Apparently, yes.

- I'm sorry.

I came because I thought you needed a friend,

but if you don't want me along

then I will leave happily, happily.

But just remember,

when your same old single-minded story gets old,

just remember that you never wanted me along.

- Jenny, I'm sorry.

Look, don't do this, don't do this.

I am sorry.

Jenny, stop. - Come on.

- Jenny, stop, I am sorry, okay.

I am a terrible, horrible drunk, okay.

Last night I had a nightmare.

I was a painter in front of a blank canvas.

- Hold on, canvasses are expensive.

Investors wanna be sure.

What will we see, how will we feel?

I will first paint a blue line.

- It should be a circle.

I will cover it in green and red.

- Blue and orange.

Using circular brush strokes.

- People want squares, not circles.

This can't be real.

- What is real?

Is the world in which you live in real?

A world where you relinquish all control

to people you don't even know.

A reality revolving around

a single non-tangible word.

A word created by a humanity

that cannot define it's own existence.

Come on, Zoe, you know the word.

You hate the word, yet your entire reality hinges

on this word.

- Money?

- Bingo.

And why do you think that is real?

- Because it's what I know.

- And now that you know,

it is up to you to define the rules

of your own reality.

- That's a beautiful dream Zoe.

What does it mean?

- If you don't create your reality,

your reality will create you.

- Yes, the fear of not being ... bad,

fear of being bad is ... not exceptional.

- I think it means

that you need to write your story,

but you know like your story.

- But don't let the suits be in charge of your fate.

Be a real artist.

- But what if everyone's right and it's not good?

- Bad art is the road to greatness.

You have made some nice changes.

- I still don't like that documentary part.

- I like making the drunk guy American.

It's more comfortable.

- The part still won't attract Bryan Alonsio.

- It's definitely not big enough.

- But all the men are Mexican.

- Then have him play a Mexican.

- He will definitely be interested

in the acting challenge.

- That is an excellent idea.

- Does he even speak Spanish?

- Nobody wants to read subtitles.

If he has an accent,

it's understood he's speaking Spanish.

- Brilliant.

- I'm gonna take you to the place

in the jungle where I was born.

A very small fishing village.

That's where I was born. I grew up there.

- Were there snakes and spiders.

- Of course, why you think I'm so hard?

You see all these beaches here?

You know Choke?

The beverage company?

Yes.

- They bought everything you see here.

All of the beaches. Todas las playas.

Is your friend gonna be okay?

- Hey, Susan, hey, are you okay?

- Here, here, you, you'll feel better in 20 minutes.

You drink this.

- He's says you'll feel better

in 20 minutes, drink this.

- It's an old family recipe.

It's been in my family for generations.

It's an old family recipe.

It's been in his family for generations.

- My grandmother believed

that she could live forever

and you know what?

She's still alive.

- It's weird, I can understand what he was saying.

- He has this weird accent

that's very easy to understand for sure.

- I no speak English.

- He doesn't speak English.

- Welcome to my island.

Yes, it's muy bonito. No?

Muy bonito!

- There's cocos everywhere.

Come..

Now I am going to take you

to see La llorona.

Now, La llorona, is very special.

- He says, he's says he's taking us

to see La llorona who's very special.

- Yes, yes, she can read your mind.

Watch out, the net, step, yes, yes.

Okay.

And now La llorona.

We call her La llorona.

Porque she feels others' pain.

She says you're suffering for a boyfriend.

- What is she saying, what is she saying?

She says there's something

that you have to do.

You know you have to do it, so do it.

- If La llorona say you do it, you do it.

- Do you know what she's talking about?

- Yeah.

- Yeah?

- I do.

Do it, you know what she's talking about.

- All of this is just gonna stay really clear, I swear.

The people here are nice people.

They don't realize that humans suck.

Money comes into it and they sell their land, their things.

And suddenly everybody cares.

You know what I mean?

- Luis.

- Come on, what are you doing?

- He's with his family, let's go.

- Let's like think about what we can do

to help what we saw today.

- I think I should do it now.

I'll catch up with you.

- All right.

- Okay.

Take care of yourself.

- I'll be okay.

- So that's your wife?

- I chose family.

You chose work.

- Can we talk later?

Can you find me?

- Tonight? I don't think so.

- Just for like five minutes.

By your house on the corner, I'll meet you there

at midnight, please?

- Tomorrow.

- Yeah? Midnight.

♪ I saw you in the moonlight ♪

♪ You were wearing blue ♪

- Habla Ingles?

- Oh, yes, I speak English.

- I would love to have a cappuccino.

- A cappuccino, yes.

- Thank you.

It's a beautiful scene,

but it doesn't propel the story forward.

- It's the calm before the storm,

before she meets Luis at midnight.

- What about a metaphor?

All good scripts have a metaphor?

- Like what?

- The woman at the cafe.

Maybe she senses Susan's pain

and while it seems that Susan is sad

about her failing coffee business.

- I was a barista once.

But then I lost everything

and I haven't made a coffee since,

not even an instant.

- It's really a metaphor for Luis.

- You know what? Come with me, come with me.

Come in.

This is for you and you're going

to make your own beautiful cappuccino.

You know if you really love something,

if something really touches you deeply,

you should never let go of it.

Don't run away from it.

- What if you can't have it anymore,

then you kind of have to let it go?

- Even if you don't have your own coffee shop,

you can still make your coffee once in a while

and enjoy it.

- The metaphor is a contrived, played out convention

that has no place in any good movie.

I paid $250 for someone to tell me

that they hate my movie.

- And you care about what this stranger thinks why?

Come on, let's eat lunch.

What did you bring me?

Always healthy stuff, girl,

always healthy stuff.

- All right, so they're gonna meet tonight.

They're gonna have their reunion.

And then what happens?

Do they hook up?

I think they should.

- No.

She wants intimacy.

Intimacy.

- And that's not sex?

- No, no, she's not looking

to break up a marriage,

she's not after sex.

She's just looking for a closeness

with someone who could genuinely care.

That's holding and talking.

Oh, there's Alex B. White.

- Yeah, our firm is doing PR for him.

- Really?

- You know, "Man, Woman, Love," his new movie.

- That movie is terrible.

- Yeah, it's the highest grossing movie

in the year.

- Hi, Jennifer, right?

- Yes.

Hello, sorry do you need something?

- Who's your friend?

- This is Zoe. - Hi.

- Hi, Zoe.

- Congratulations on your "Man, Woman, Love."

- Oh, thank you so much. - It's doing great, yeah.

- But you know Hollywood,

it's all about what's next.

What is next?

- You know my stuff.

- I'm a sucker for romance, but with twist.

- Zoe has exactly that script.

- You do?

- I do?

- She does and you should read it.

- I should read it?

- You should read it.

- I'd love to read it.

- Seriously?

- Seriously, I look forward to reading it.

Here's my card.

Email me the script,

then we'll talk about it, okay.

Enjoy your lunch.

Nice meeting you.

- It's a great script, you're gonna love it.

You know, he is just a really good guy.

Like salt of the earth good guy.

Hollywood needs more of those guys.

- My script is not what he wants.

- Of course your script is what he wants.

And now that you've added that Jenny character

and she's learned all that stuff

about the island and the conflicts,

you have all this potential

to add something really great.

Like Erin Brockovitch. She investigates

to find a solution,

but what she finds, she doesn't wanna hear

- Hola.

- Hola, look at you.

So you ready to go to the beach?

- How can I go to the beach now that I know the truth?

- Okay, bye.

- Have fun.

- Hola, chica.

- Hola.

- You're fighting a good fight?

- Oh, no, not me, my friend, Jenny.

She's very passionate about the island.

- Well, we see more of those every year.

- So you've lived here for a while?

- 17 years.

You would not believe how incredibly peaceful

and beautiful it was then.

There were no hotels.

Well, there were no turistas.

The world's caught a virus.

It's a nasty one and it's spreading.

- Gotta love those viruses.

- Take care.

- You know, I could've moved here 10 years ago.

- Well, I'm sure you have a really nice life.

- Not really.

- She's looking for something to make her happy during

a time when she's not happy.

- Alex B. White is gonna read your script.

Aren't you excited?

- No.

- Look, it doesn't matter if it's a rom-com,

it doesn't matter if it's what he wants,

it's a great movie.

Don't get down on yourself.

But I changed my mind about Jenny.

She's a sidekick.

She should be fun and light.

Have her out exploring the island

with its music.

Have her always at a party, dancing

and Alex B. White is into romance,

so give him double the romance.

Susan desperately seeks intimacy with Luis,

while Jenny experiences love in many forms.

- Hey.

Hola.

- Hola.

- This is the vendor philosopher that sold me shit.

Well, today's selling love.

- Sex.

- No.

- He says it not sex, it's love and passion.

So not sex?

No.

Tell me about this guy.

Eve.

Hello, Jenny, if you buy my love,

I will hear you, I will hear what you want.

I will hear what you are saying and you will be heard.

Because to feel in love is

to feel like someone is listening.

- I like this.

- If you could sell love, I'd buy it.

But you can, look, Nacho.

He's a musician.

So basically I'm just gonna feel like

a princess for a day.

Look, Susan, this is exactly what you need, El Mudo.

- El Mudo. - El Mudo.

- This guy is universal language.

He's got a point.

He says if you choose to feel the love,

then you're gonna feel love

and it will be love.

- Jenny, please tell me you didn't fall for that.

I don't know.

The thought of buying love is kind of exciting.

- I wanna redeem my coupon.

Yes, I came all the way out here

to redeem my coupon because my life is a mess

and it doesn't make any sense

and every time I try to make sense of it,

all I can think about is a time

when I met a prince

and I was his princess and life was good.

- I can't be away for three days.

- It has to be three days.

One is like it never happened.

Two is a tease.

Three is a parenthesis.

- I remember.

- I came all the way out here just because

of that little piece of paper

that I've kept all this time.

- But I never cheated on Dora.

And I never would.

Not even with you.

- I'm not asking you to leave your wife

or your kids or family.

I know you're happy with them.

It's not about the sex at all.

We don't have a future, I know,

but we do have a past.

I'm gonna wait for you.

I'm gonna wait for you at that spot

on the beach every day until I leave on Tuesday.

I'm gonna be there and I hope you'll come.

Please, come, I'll be there.

♪ At night time before it starts ♪

♪ When the lights come on too early ♪

♪ We shuffle out of the canal ♪

♪ Cut across the fields ♪

♪ And take the train tracks ♪

♪ And when the cold blue light shines ♪

♪ Against our burning sky ♪

♪ Is it day or night ♪

♪ And if it's our time what are we ♪

♪ When the streetlights come on, streetlights ♪

♪ To tear us both away ♪

♪ To keep us from what matters in each other ♪

♪ Streetlights can never light the dark ♪

♪ Around our hearts ♪

♪ To show us which way home is. ♪

Hey.

- How are you doing?

Would you like to come over here and have a beer?

This is my friend, Banana

and I'm Guero.

So come on over. - Hi, Banana.

So what are you doing out here all by yourself?

- Just, I've been waiting for someone, a friend.

- Yeah?

- Just waiting.

Yep.

- I know, she doesn't have a Corona.

You want a Sol?

Banana, let's take off.

Let's go down the beach some more.

Take care.

- I have a sandwich.

- You have a sandwich?

What have you got?

She has a sandwich.

Hey, you wanna eat something.

So Susan waits for Luis,

but what happened to Jenny?

I don't know, she's not even supposed

to be in this movie.

- No, keep her in the movie.

Give her like a hot Latin guy, we're in Mexico.

Like a weekend of love.

- Love, not sex?

- Love.

Like the kind of love

that you remember on your deathbed,

like you and Jimmy.

- What, so women can have unrealistic expectations?

And the men will have warped perceptions

of who they think they should be.

- Just do it for me.

Do it for those of us

who need a new fantasy

because Bryan Alonsio is getting old.

So how about a really hot Latin guy

with his shirt always unbuttoned

and always like a little bit shiny

and like those perfect abs

and we see some six-packs

and we got that rock hard body,

but just enough, like not too much,

but you know that Latin type

that's kind of like in the middle.

- You are too much.

- And you know what?

She can buy it from the vendor.

Buy the love.

So there'll be a page in the book

where they're looking at the book

and it's like love,

the guy with the biggest heart on the island.

A shark, are you serious?

It's action.

They're all telling me I need action.

- No, this is ridiculous.

Go back to your story without the shark.

What happens?

- Okay, so Susan waits for Luis every morning

at the deserted hotel.

- Right, but Luis doesn't come.

So she meets these friendly locals

who invite her to a party.

- We are inviting you to a party in Yalahou

you wanna come?

- I can't, I'm waiting for someone.

- Who are you waiting for?

- Nobody, nobody.

Okay.

- I did it again.

I knew better and I did it again.

I sent it out for people to read

and, of course, nobody understands.

There's no such thing as failure, just feedback.

- Alex B. White wants to read my script.

- Oh, no, don't do it.

It's just, it's so good and he won't get it

and it's gonna crush you.

- It's all right to serve people dinner,

but don't put your balls on the plate.

- I told him it was a romantic comedy.

- You hate romantic comedies,

how could you write one?

- It's "Nothing But a Structure."

- Gunther Lopez Graham?

Oh, I love this book.

Love this book.

- Zoe, I got it.

Yes.

The movie opens with Susan's best friend inviting her

to his wedding in Mexico,

only she loves him.

- Good typical character arc.

So, she arrives in Mexico to attend

the wedding of the man of her dreams, but then.

- Wait.

- She gets an idea.

- Would you be my date for the wedding?

- Me no speak English.

- So she invites the sexy bellhop

to be her fake wedding date.

And it turns out that the best man had sex

with the wife when they were in college.

- So while Susan is in love with the groom,

the best man is in love with the bride.

- You know, Gunther Lopez Graham is doing

a seminar on his book.

He guarantees you leave with a first draft.

- Really? - Yes.

- This is raping my soul. - Oh, please.

- Armando, that's a bit much.

- What does that mean?

- Before driving a car, you must first know

where you're going or you run out of gas.

That's why I created the 14-story points

of successful screen plays.

The greatest script in the world is

"Nothing But a Structure."

The first thing the audience must know

is your protagonist's profession.

Somebody give me a job.

- A barista.

- Good.

- How about a place?

- Coffee shop.

- Brilliant.

- Story point number two, bombardment of conflicts.

By page 10, there should be three conflicts.

Can I get a conflict?

- She's lonely, single and men suck.

- Good.

More.

- Her best friend's getting married

and he's the love of her life.

- Bravo, more.

- And Bryan Alonsio can play the lead.

- Incredible, tell me more.

Story point number four, living a lie.

By 25 pages in, she is living a full on lie.

- This is my boyfriend, Ricky.

- Confusion sets in

and the audience begins to get nervous.

- No speak English.

- Oh, cool.

- Ricky, I'm so happy that Susan met a man.

- Story point number 6, a fly on wall.

A fly on a wall.

At the 30 minute mark, you must literally put,

Literally! A fly on a wall.

This is the forbidden moment

where the audience feels like they're voyeurs.

- I'm bored.

My script doesn't inspire me.

- Your script is great.

- You're not bored?

- No, no, but I do have one suggestion.

You should make her a little bit more accessible.

- Accessible?

- An A-list actress would make

your movie into a blockbuster,

so get an A-list actress.

- If we black people don't make films

with black people, then who will?

That's why we have to look to each other

to help each other, to lift each other,

to support each other,

to employ each other.

That's how black films get made.

- Zoe.

How's the script?

- I turned Susan white so it'll sell.

- I would like to hang out with you

some time after the group.

What do you say, can I take you out?

So there is an event in WeHo,

would you like to come?

- I don't know, but I have some photos of my own.

You wanna see?

- You've been following Ricky?

- I never did like jalapenos.

- Me no speaking English.

- I love you.

- I know.

I love you.

- I know.

- Susan has become engaged.

We would like to invite you to have a double wedding.

- Things I should have done or should have said

or could have done or would have done.

- If we women don't represent ourselves

in a respectful manner,

then we will continue to be portrayed

as these hyper sexualized unrealistically beautiful

objects of desire.

We as women filmmakers will stand for that no more.

I can't do it.

I'm writing a script full

of beautiful, flawless women,

who makes us normal women hate ourselves.

- Sell your commercial script.

And use that money to make a change

in your next project.

- And the only Mexican left doesn't speak English

and wears a sombrero.

- Dang!

Is that Ricky? That's so weird.

- Oh, honey, what are you doing here?

- I play with the band.

You hire me during the day.

At night I am free.

- Ricky and I have a surprise

for the lovely bride and her groom.

- If we vegetarians don't honor our fellow animals

and start writing parts for people

who don't eat meat,

the world will continue to look at animals not

as precious living spiritual beings,

but as tasty morsels.

- The one thing I did stay true to is

no one eats meat in this film.

- Oh, Zoe, your script's gonna sell

and it's gonna be the highest grossing movie

of the century.

- What did you do to deserve me?

- Speak now or forever hold your peace.

- I do.

Great, well written.

Structure's super solid,

rich characters, captivating story.

- I can see Bryan Alonsio in the lead

with Amy Ann Smith.

- It's great.

It's just not for me.

- What?

I changed everything for you.

- Don't change, diversity is in right now.

I mean, you're a black woman writer

and not one of your characters is black.

- Diversity doesn't mean

that all your characters have to be black.

It means diverse points

of view telling universal narratives.

- Well, don't shy away from black characters.

Urban movies are doing great.

- Can I give you another script to read?

It's about a woman in Mexico.

- Does it have black characters?

- Yes, the lead woman is black

and the rest are Mexicans.

- I can't do Mexicans right now.

Blacks, yes. Mexicans?

Mm-mm.

- I had a dream that one day my black ink

and my white paper would make beautifully colored movies

that all people could enjoy.

- I had a dream that a beautiful black woman

at a bar would take this white man home

and make a beautifully colored baby.

- I had a dream.

- Tell me your dream.

- I'm telling you.

- No. Tell me your movie.

- It doesn't matter.

It's not gonna get made.

- Tell me anyway. I'll make it up in my mind.

- Did you ever, you ever want somebody so bad

but couldn't because of timing

and it tormented your soul?

But the fact that the love existed at all

made you thankful?

- Mm-hmm.

Yep.

- Hey, hello, Jimmy.

Hey, call me back.

I might not be in Los Angeles much longer.

Turns out this writing thing just didn't pan out.

Can I see you?

I don't know.

I was just thinking maybe, you know,

maybe we could get together

and you could hold me like you used to

and I could, um.

Oops, drunk.

So, just call me back

and I'll be waiting.

Every morning by the deserted hotel,

I'll be waiting.

- I'm gonna live to be 110,

They tell me they'll extract my DNA.

- Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

A modern day "Waiting for Godot."

- Yeah, I love the visuals. It's beautiful.

- If it's good, then why am I a secretary?

- Nothing worth having comes easy.

- The right person just hasn't read it yet.

- Who's the right person, you? You?

Apparently the right people only exist in this room.

Isn't insanity doing the same thing over and over

and expecting a different result?

- But we are writers, we're real writers.

- We are more writers than any staffed union workers bowing

to the studios.

- But we have no audience.

- True art, Zoe, has no audience.

- So you'd all be happy

if your scripts never got made?

- Yes.

- I never thought I'd get one made.

- You're the only ones who I let read mine.

- But you sit here and complain.

- If we didn't complain, there wouldn't be tragedy.

- We need the tragedy.

- Don't ruin a good today thinking

about a bad tomorrow.

- Mm.

- That's right, Bill,

that's absolutely right.

Buck up, princess.

Always look on the bright side of life.

- What accent are you doing?

- Yeah, that was British. Are you Turkish?

- Guys, art, art is my accent.

- What does that even mean? Where are you actually from?

- I'm from Bangor, Maine, all right?

- Oh, you're American, that's so disappointing.

- You are crazy, you're crazy.

I'm crazy.

This all is crazy.

So, same time next week?

- And so that rich kid who spent his summers interning

at his famous uncle's talent agency finally became

the Bryan Alonsio.

Yes, I know.

To anybody who wants to be me, just do it.

It's not hard.

Borrow money from your rich grandparents.

Call up your old Harvard roomie

and have him introduce him to his famous cousin.

Oh, I never thought of that.

- Anyone can do anything.

I did.

I know, I know.

There you go.

Take that, do great things.

Thank you so much.

- Thank you.

Take care now.

Claude, why don't you go ahead.

Are you okay?

- Anybody can do anything?

- Yeah, totally.

- I can't. And you should stop saying that

because you don't know what it's like

to waste your life on something that never happens.

All I ever wanted was to tell my stories

and have someone say it's a great movie,

let's make it.

- Don't give up, it can still happen.

- No, no more dreams.

You know, the thing about dreams is

when you fail, it's not just your dreams that fail,

it's your life.

- I know.

Um, I know.

It's a heartless industry.

- You don't know.

You're a success.

- Bryan Alonsio is a success.

Jake W. Olsen is not.

- Who's Jake W. Olsen?

- Um, I am.

I was.

Back when I thought I could succeed

by being a good actor.

I was rejected, too.

- Hmm. - A lot.

- Until I hired a publicist

and started selling Bryan Alonsio, the brand.

- But your book is a bestseller.

- Yeah, but I didn't write that book.

I haven't even read it.

It's gross, right?

Look, anything I wanna be in is gonna get made.

So, tell me about your movie,

is there a part for me?

- No, no there's no parts for you.

You could be an extra.

- An extra.

- Nobody ever offers me parts as an extra.

- Hey, it's a first.

- I think I'd be really good at it.

Look, what are you doing right now?

I wanna hear about your movie.

Wanna go have a drink?

- Seriously?

- It's on me.

- Okay. - Yeah?

- Sure.

- All right.

- You really wanna hear about my script.

- Yeah.

- Okay, let's do it. - Let's go.

- You gotta read this book, though.

I'm kidding.

Susan realizes that after three days of waiting,

Luis is not gonna come.

So she goes to the party with the locals.

What are you doing here?

- I'm on a date.

I paid for love.

I paid.

I figured big guy, big love.

- Hola.

- Gracias, mi amor.

Oh, hey.

- I'm glad you're happy.

- I'm very happy, look.

- You look happy.

So you paid for him?

- Yeah, I did.

It was amazing, don't make fun of me, I loved it.

Because I created something

and I decided to believe in it

and that's when I realized if you create something...

everything is how we see it anyway, right?

But, seriously, it doesn't matter about Luis.

You can pay for love, too.

Really, it was amazing.

- I'll really think about that.

I'm gonna think about that.

- There's somebody here for you.

- You ready?

Vamos.

Let's go.

Does your uncle still live on that farm?

Yep, there's a road there now.

So you don't have to go on that tiny plane?

- Nope, you can drive in and out now.

- I think I'll never forget

that last weekend we spend there.

I was sad because I left and you didn't come with me.

You made me leave alone.

- I'll never forget your face looking out the window.

That plane.

What are you doing?

- I'm going to get some dinner.

- All right, I'll be waiting.

I'll be right here.

Okay, bye.

- For a moment, Susan is happy.

For this moment, she is living

the life that she could have had

if she had gone back with him to Mexico.

If she had followed her heart instead of her head.

If she would have just gotten on that plane.

- Come with me. - What are you doing?

- Come with me.

- I don't have any clothes.

- I'll buy your clothes, come on.

- No, I can't. - Come on.

The life they would have shared,

the family they would have had.

Listen to your father.

Thank you, Mom.

You didn't fight for me.

What are you talking about?

- Why didn't you fight for me?

Why didn't you fight for us?

- I begged you to come with me.

- No, no, you didn't.

You didn't even try.

I did try.

- No, you didn't.

- I couldn't stay in your lovely welcoming country

without my student visa.

- You could have tried harder.

- I pictured you every day coming to surprise me.

I woke up every morning with a broken heart.

♪ I saw you in the moonlight ♪

♪ You were wearing blue ♪

♪ I'm so in love ♪

♪ In love with you ♪

You want a massage?

I can give you a massage.

Proper full massage.

With a happy ending?

- I could be convinced.

Is that a goose?

I don't know.

- Yeah.

- Do you want to?

- Yeah.

- So.

- Should we move to the bed?

Big bed.

- Oh.

I can't do this.

- Do what?

- You're married, remember?

- But I love you.

What's going on?

What's in your mind?

- I'm HIV positive.

Now you know.

- Come.

This is big.

Why wouldn't she reveal that earlier?

She had no reason to until now.

- Does he leave his wife?

Does he get AIDS?

- HIV, not AIDS.

You can have sex without catching it.

- Do they stay together? The kids?

So how does it end?

- I don't know.

It doesn't even matter.

It's not gonna get made.

Bryan, hey, what's up.

- Sammy, I found my next movie.

Call everyone in tomorrow.

Let's get this thing green lit.

Okay, will do.

- Tomorrow at noon.

They're all coming in to hear your pitch.

I'm gonna be on set,

but I'm pretty sure that you can handle this

on your own.

- I have pitched that movie

to everyone who has ears.

They won't buy it.

- At this level, it's not about a great movie.

It's about Bryan Alonsio's next project.

It can be a jar of shit and they would buy it.

Now let's write that part for me.

- That part for you?

- You said I could be an extra, right?

- Well, it's the ladies' last night out.

Jenny.

Jenny

- Jenny.

Are you okay?

- Yeah, I'm good. - You are?

- I'm really good.

- Look, I'm really not the one

to give any advice on relationships,

but if you love this guy, you should give it a shot.

You love him?

- Yeah, I do.

- Give it a chance, see what happens.

Don't be a fool.

- I'm not a fool.

Look, the tragic ending was like part of the package.

- What?

- I paid for the tragic ending.

- So this wasn't real?

- No, it was real, it was super real.

Like everything is real.

Like life is real, like life is not real.

We had this really great time

and like he showed me amazing things

and we talked about a lot

and in the end I was like if I'm gonna do it,

I might as well do it-

- It doesn't make sense to me.

- Who knows?

I don't know what's gonna happen.

Maybe he'll visit me,

but for now it is what it is.

Just like you and Luis, right?

How was that?

To life.

- Salud.

- To doing what we need to do

to survive this life.

To life. To experiences.

- To survival.

Here, here.

- To money.

When we met, I knew that you had something special.

- Thank you.

- I know the perfect director for this.

He will wanna do his own rewrite.

- Mm.

- Collin Thompson Mitchell.

- Exactly! And he doesn't allow writers on set,

but your movie's in great hands.

- To a great movie.

- To doing what you need to do to survive this life.

- Survival.

- Zoe, this is so exciting.

- I can't believe you haven't seen a cut yet.

- What kind of director doesn't involve the writer?

- Believe. Achieve. Succeed.

- Zoe, look, there's your name.

- I love you.

- I know.

- I love you.

- I know.

- I love you.

- I know.

- Ricky, he's just wants to marry you

for your papers.

- Ricky, you just wanna marry me for my papers.

- You just want to marry me

to make your best friend jealous.

- Actually, I don't wanna marry you at all.

- You will marry me

and we'll give all the guests

these lovely party favors

to take them back to the states.

Whoo, oops.

- Is that cocaine?

- Indeed.

If the drugs do not arrive

or you and I do not get married, I will kill you

and your family.

- I'm gonna go through my savings

and put money on credit cards

and I'm just taking this risk

because now or never right?

So anything you can give

to help an artist achieve her dream

in an industry that really is not conducive to art.

- This is Delio.

I have just asked him if he would play

my love interest, my lover.

♪ You were wearing blue ♪

So I'm here with Alvaro

and he's agreed to be the taxista in my film.

I've known Alvaro for 17 years.

Keep going.

You know what?

I feel like we need to shoot here.

I mean, I feel like we need

to have Jenny talking here. - Okay.

- So who can she be talking to?

Can we just deal with that.

We'll have to justify my clothes,

like I change clothes before every interview.

Bullshit.

We are artists.

Be an artist, do not sell out.

So I came to Aidan one morning

and I said, "Today, you and I and my stuffed animals

are gonna act out the entire LA unshot version

of the movie."

And Aidan just looked at me and said, "Okay."

- Many geniuses weren't even acknowledged

until after they were dead.

- Like that Harry Potter lady.

- Zoe has a script just like that.

- You do?

- I do.

- She does, it's like Erin Brockovitch.

- Anybody can do anything. I did.

- We have a team of writers

that we bring on to fix up scripts.

- Beside, I already know the perfect director for him.

Collin Thompson Mitchell.

To a great movie.

- To doing what you need to do to survive this life.

- To survival.