Script Files

Welcome to GaryTown

Follow MATT ZELINSKI, a forty-something overly anxious podcaster, desperate to keep his contract with iheartradio, on an extended vacation in his quirky Wisconsin hometown. He quickly reunites with a job-hopping childhood friend CHARLIE NELSON, and learns Charlie has an estranged half-brother GARY.

Matt, curious to know more, starts asking around town about Gary, and collects bizarre and heroic stories about him. But when Matt witnesses Gary save a boy’s life at his kids baseball game, he begins to suspect it's Charlie. As Matt’s suspicions grow, Gary pushes the prank as far as he can.

When Matt questions the townsfolk if they think Gary and Charlie are the same person, they all think he is crazy.

Soon Matt and his t-shirt making buddy ERIC ENGEBRETSON meet oddball ANDY NELSON, and discover Andy and Gary are best friends and first cousins. Eric thinks he went to high school with Andy, but thought his name was DALE.

Matt, wanting to get to the bottom of this, uses his podcast to press Charlie. He confirms Andy has a half-brother Dale, but once Matt blurts out his suspicions about Gary, Charlie wants no part of it and storms out of the studio.

When Matt finds a baby picture of him and his mother with some strange man at the end of a familiar dock, it peaks his curiosity. As Matt’s obsessive nature blossoms, his wife grows tired of his late night work habits and wants to go home.

Matt, destined to find Dale, gets taken on a wacky, mind-bending ride with Gary and Andy to find him. With Matt going in and out of consciousness on a drug-induced wild weekend, he finally finds the truth he was seeking.

After Charlie and Dale admit they have been pulling this prank on the two towns for more than twenty years, Matt asks “Why?” With script in hand, Charlie hands Matt a satirical “Whodunnit” podcast, but without the murder. Will Matt play along? Who else is involved in GaryTown? And could the results have damaging consequences?

  • Seth Nelson
    Writer
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay
  • Genres:
    comedy, mystery
  • Number of Pages:
    120
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
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Writer - Seth Nelson