La La Land Page #5

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She nears the BATHROOM door -- but a COUPLE stands in her way,

making out.

She slips in behind them...

A13 Inside the BATHROOM, Mia takes a moment. The joy of seconds

ago is gone from her eyes now. She gazes into the mirror --

-- and SINGS by herself.

This verse, sung in private, belongs to a new style: less

brash, and far more vulnerable...

Once finished, Mia takes a breath, steels herself to once

again face the world, opens the door -- and rejoins the

crowd...

B13 We MOVE with her slowly now -- surrounded by the party, but

everything set at a snail's pace, the crazed carousers moving

in SLOW MOTION. It's the sadness underneath the revelry, the

pain underneath the clichés...

Gradually we RAMP UP. Follow Mia OUTSIDE, where we see the

splash of blue-green that is the POOL -- and a flurry of FAKE

SNOW falling from above...

As we reach FULL-SPEED, a PARTY-GOER races to the edge, jumps --

-- and we PLUNGE WITH HIM INTO THE POOL.

This is the climax of the number. Everyone joins in,

circling the pool -- a swath of color against the black sky.

Everyone dances, everyone sings -- and the song concludes

with a blast of fireworks.

C13 OMIT

A14 EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Close on a sign:
"NO PARKING ANYTIME: TOW-AWAY ZONE".

Revision 9.

MIA (O.S.)

No...

We see Mia -- all alone, staring at the sign. No car in

sight. She reaches into her purse, pulls out her cell phone

to call Tracy. It's dead.

MIA (CONT'D)

No...

15 OMIT

16 OMIT

17 OMIT

A17 OMIT

B17 OMIT

18 OMIT

19 EXT. HILL / LOS ANGELES STREETS - NIGHT

Mia trudges down the steep hill in her unwieldy heels. She's an

hour-and-a-half walk from her place. She crosses roads and lots,

navigates stretches where the sidewalk stops and gives way to

shrubbery.

A19 And then -- she hears something... Music. A piano, in the

distance. And a MELODY -- one we will come to know very well...

Without being sure why, she FOLLOWS THE SOUND. Passes several

doors. Then stops. Has found where it's coming from...

She reaches out -- and slowly opens a door...

AND WE CUT RIGHT BACK TO:

20 EXT. 101 FREEWAY - EARLIER THAT MORNING

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHT. The same 101 traffic jam we began

with. This time we're on Sebastian -- the honker.

He passes Mia's car. She gives him the finger. He drives on,

shaking his head...

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