Concussion Page #5

8,000 sq. ft. of throbbing university jocks, yuppies, model

wannabes. Celo lights strobing to Kylie Minogue.

CAMERA FINDS BENNET flush to a speaker, gripping a Heineken.

Fastidiously dressed even here, pressed jeans, buttoned polo.

Good with rhythm, willing the bass and music to wash through.

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 10.

But a man apart in every way: he’s black, but no one else

here is. Doesn’t notice, doesn’t care. Just grooves solo to

the mathematics of the music. His eyes close, and-

We MUTE and go in there. His head. Where there’s nothing but

limbic throb. And disconnect. And so peace. His face placid.

Happy. HOLD a long beat, then-

22 IT’S 3AM

And we’ve gone ravey electronica. Bennet’s moves liquid. More

of that peace. HOLD on him in his solo bliss, then cut to--

23 INT. BENNET’S CONDO - NIGHT/PRE-DAWN

EYES FOCUSED like cameras on the crime scene photos from the

death row case. Spread across a kitchen table.

BACK TO REVEAL Bennet, there, still in club clothes. The

notes he takes calligraphy-neat.

Bachelor pad sparse. Microscope on the table. Forest of text

books. Squared and aligned, like his-

Closet. Shirts and suits precision-hangered by color. A row

of ties pre-knotted. Shoes lined up like soldiers. Now-

Back to Bennet. At his computer. Which we see has a Pope John

Paul II screen-saver. Pope’s watching him. Watching over-

Bennet’s searing focus. And then-

And Bennet is finally asleep atop his bed. Then-

24 INT. RECEPTION - LAW FIRM - DAY

Pale marble. White leather appointments. A sprawling view of

Pittsburgh. The antisepsis of influence and success.

WE FIND BENNET alone amidst the furniture. Briefcase on his

lap.

JUMP TO SAME AN HOUR LATER. Bennet hasn’t moved. One of the

PARTNERS - MR. CROCKETT - sticks his head in.

CHERRY PAGES 1.21.15 11.

CROCKETT:

(ignores Bennet)

You sure Dr. Bennet hasn’t come

through? He was supposed to be here

an hour ago.

BENNET:

I am Dr. Bennet Omalu.

CROCKETT:

Doctor Bennet? Omalu?

(Bennet stands, and--)

RECEPTIONIST:

I’m so sorry, Mr. Crockett. I

thought he was here for the clerk

job.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - LAW FIRM - DAY

Partner leads Bennet to a conference room. Huge table covered

in files and laptops. A half-dozen ATTORNEYS huddle waiting.

SCARBOROUGH:

(looking up, confused)

Where’s Cyril?

CROCKETT:

This is Dr. Bennet Omalu.

BENNET:

I work for Dr. Wecht.

(after a pause, you gotta

be kidding me--)

SCARBOROUGH:

Our guy’s gonna be put to death in

thirty days, and we were supposed

to get the Hail Mary expert

witness, and Cyril sends us this?

No offense.

BENNET:

(a smile, none taken)

Your client didn’t do it.

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