Script File
Deceptive clarity
On the football field in front of Harper Woods High school, family and friends are gathered on the bleachers and down by the gate surrounding the field listening to a motivational speaker, speak on the graduating class that’s lined up on the field. Amongst the graduating class in the back row on the end, is BERNARD DRIVE. His head is lowered in shame about something, rubbing the diamond engagement ring on his right hand. His best friend Phil standing beside him, is trying to convince Bernard he should let go of what he’s thinking about, because there’s nothing that can be done to change it. Phil’s words don’t reach Bernard, keeping his head lowered.
Sixteen years later, Bernard is now a hot shot lawyer, coming out of the courthouse getting surrounded by reporters asking him how he feels about winning the biggest case the county has ever had. Bernard gives them an arrogant response leaving them speechless, smiling fixing his tie, walking away to his car parked down the street. Approaching his car, there’s a homeless man standing beside his car door jingling a Styrofoam cup filled with coins. Bernard approaches the man and they exchange heated words. Ready to fight the man for what he said, Bernard prepares to swing, but then he looks back seeing the reporters staring at them.
Knowing a fight would tarnish his name, Bernard slings the man to the side getting in his car, but before he can close the door, the man throws a balled up paper bag into the car, and then grabs the car door telling Bernard “This is a case you won’t win.” Bernard pulls the door, and the man moves his hand before getting it smashed. Bernard pulls off just as the reporters reach his car. Driving a few blocks away, he pulls into an alley coming to a stop. Reaching down grabbing the bag opening it, written in sloppy black marker it reads “Vengeance is only sweet, when you make the person you love realize how sweet it is.” Laughing tossing the bag out the window, Bernard places some sanitizer in his hands rubbing it in good, before starting the car pulling off.
That night, Bernard sits on his bed thinking about what the note said, while listening to some classical music drinking cognac. He laughs standing to his feet, and there’s a long scar left on the right side of his stomach from when he was stabbed years ago. Walking over to his mini bar, he grabs a bottle of cognac ready to pour another round, and then he blacks out, having a flashback of a conversation with his mother when he was younger. Coming back to reality, he pours a round throwing it back, slamming the glass on the counter cracking it with a sinister smile, turning to walk out the bedroom.
Inside an abandon building with a fire burning calmly inside an oil drum, there’s a woman tied up to a pole. Sweat and dirt covers her face, breathing heavy, looking around the room in fear. Footsteps are heard drawing near, and her eyes widen when the footsteps come to a stop staring at her killer. The killer wearing black leather gloves grabs her by the face with the right hand, holding up a pair of rusty garden shears in the left. Releasing her, she gets ready to scream, and the killer shoves the shears under her chin into the mouth opening them. Snatching the shears out, the killer then pulls out a scalpel to remove a large portion of flesh from the right side of her face.
The killer continues on a bloody spree, each victim receiving the signature mark of flesh removed from the right side of their faces. The police have no leads, and the county is shook up in fear. Bernard has to confront his own demons in order to prevent the killer from claiming someone he loves, and learn the meaning behind “Vengeance is only sweet, if you make the person you love realize how sweet it is.”
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Project Type:Screenplay
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Number of Pages:91
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Country of Origin:United States
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Language:English
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First-time Screenwriter:No
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Student Project:No