Still Alice

INT. NEW YORK RESTAURANT - EVENING

In a fashionable uptown Asian-Fusion eatery, a birthdaycelebration takes place. At the head of the table is ALICE

HOWLAND, a woman who could be said to have it all: a high-

flying academic career, a successful marriage, and threehealthy grown children. She is whip smart, charming,

undeniably beautiful. To her right is her husband, JOHNHOWLAND, also an academic, a bear of a man with a gleam ofhigh intelligence. To her left is her oldest daughter ANNAHOWLAND JONES, a successful lawyer, and handsome husbandCHARLIE. One chair at the table is conspicuously empty.

ANNA (PRE-LAP)

Okay. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Anna hands Alice a gift-wrapped bag.

ALICE:

Is that for me?

CHARLIE:

Exactly, I don’t believe it. You

don’t even look forty, much lessfifty.

ALICE:

Oh Charlie, please - but thank you.

I appreciate it. Can I open this

now?

ANNA:

Yes, open it. Please.

Alice opens the present and gasps.

ALICE:

Oh! Oh I love it.

ANNA:

Oh good.

ALICE:

It’s so beautiful.

ANNA:

You can exchange it if it doesn’t

fit.

ALICE:

No, no, no. I’m not going to. I

absolutely love it. You always get

me things I love.

PINK PAGES 2

A smart young man bearing a resemblance to John rushes up.

This is TOM HOWLAND.

TOM:

Sorry I’m late..!

Tom kisses his mom on the cheek.

ALICE:

Oh hey!

Tom finds a seat.

ALICE:

Isn’t...um...Lisa coming?

TOM:

No, we split up.

ANNA:

Yes, I did notice that your statuspopped back to single...yet again.

He gives his sister a tight-lipped smile. Then, to Alice:

TOM:

I forgot your present. Left it in

my locker.

ALICE:

I just hope you didn’t spend toomuch.

ANNA:

Don’t worry, he didn’t.

JOHN:

Where have you been?

TOM:

The ER was like a madhouse. This

one guy came in - six stab wounds.

I swear one missed his heart by,

seriously, an inch.

ANNA:

No. Tom, it’s dinner time. Please.

TOM:

Not yet it isn’t.

ANNA:

Nearly.

PINK PAGES 3

JOHN:

So what kind of antibiotic do you

use..?

As John and Tom engage enthusiastically in a rehash of thepoor guy’s trauma, Alice turns to Anna and Charlie.

ANNA:

Mom, have you spoken to Lydia?

ALICE:

Yes. She wanted to be here

tonight, but she had a reallyimportant audition.

ANNA:

What for?

ALICE:

A guest spot on some TV thing.

Something Enemy.

Anna shakes her head.

CHARLIE:

Maybe this will be her big break.

ALICE:

Yeah maybe.

ANNA:

Don’t hold your breath.

CHARLIE:

Meow.

ANNA:

(laughing)

Stop it.

CHARLIE:

You two must have been somethinggrowing up. Why do I picture dollswith heads cut off?

ALICE:

No, my sister and I were veryclose, actually.

Charlie and Anna both look at her, a little surprised.

CHARLIE:

Oh...sorry...I was talking about

Anna and Lydia.

PINK PAGES 4

ALICE:

Oh my goodness, I don’t know why Isaid that.

Anna steps in to change the mood.

ANNA:

Well we’re here to celebrate you,

Mom. So Dad, what about a toast.

She turns to her dad, who is still rattling on about E.R.

ANNA:

Dad, a toast?!

JOHN:

Oh yes, yes, yes.

They raise their glasses.

JOHN:

To the most beautiful and the most

intelligent woman I have known myentire life.

ALICE:

Thank you.

EVERYBODY:

Happy Birthday!

INT. UCLA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS - CORRIDOR - LOS ANGLES - DAY

We follow Alice from behind as she walks down the bright,

broad corridor of the academic institution.

PROFESSOR JOHNSON (O.S.)

My name is Frederick Johnson, I’man associate professor of cognitivescience here at UCLA and I’m here

to welcome today’s speaker who hasjust flown in from New York.

INT. FUNCTION ROOM - AN HOUR LATER

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