A FEW GOOD MEN.pdf

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by

Wi l l i am Br oyl es

THI RD DRAFT

March 13, 1998



FADE I N:

EXT. MARFA, TEXAS - 1993 - WI DE - DAY

The Texas pl ai ns, hor i zon t o hor i zon, nothi ng but t he brownsand ochr es of ear t h and t he bl ue and vi ol et of t he sky. Thesheer scope of i t si nks i n: t he bl ank sl at e of nat ur e, t heabsence of man. On t he scr een super i mpose:

MARFA, TEXAS, 1993.

CREDI TS BEGI N.

A pl ume of dust comes i nt o f r ame. The dust i s f r om a TRUCK,orange and whi t e and vi ol et , wi t h "FedEx" bl azoned across t hes i de.

The t r uck t urns i nt o a col l ect i on of r amshackl e Wor l d War I Ier a Quonset hut s and out bui l di ngs. Ar ound t he out bui l di ngsare l arge scul pt ures of wood and metal .

EXT. QUONSET HUT - DAY

The door i s opened by a WOMAN i n her l at e t went i es. Hai rpul l ed back, casual , an art i st . She hands t he DRI VER a FedExBOX whi ch i s decor at ed wi t h a drawi ng of t wo ANGEL WI NGS.

The Dr i ver has a hand- hel d computer ; a por t abl e pr i nt erdangl es f r om hi s bel t .

The Dr i ver scans t he package wi t h hi s hand- hel d comput er ,pr i nt s out a l abel and st i cks i t on t he Box, r eady to go.But somet hi ng on t he box cat ches her eye. She want s i t back.He gl ances at hi s wat ch. She draws RI NGS around t he Wi ngs,uni t i ng t hem. She gi ves t he box t o t he Dr i ver , t hen handshi m a cup of cof f ee. They' ve done t hi s bef or e.

He t akes a si p of t he cof f ee, t hen r uns f or t he t r uck. He j umps i n and heads back ont o t he pl ai ns.

EXT. FEDEX OFFI CE - MI DLAND/ ODESSA - NI GHT - HOURS LATER

The Dr i ver j ams t he di st i nct i ve Angel Wi ng Box on t op of adol l y and l oads i t i nt o a CONTAI NER wi t h cl ear pl ast i c si des.A f emal e Loader sl aps a l arge bar code l abel on t hecont ai ner , scans i t , t hen pul l s t he cont ai ner across a bel tof r ol l er s ont o a l ar ger t r uck. The door s of t he t r uckcl ose. The l atch sl ams down.

A f or kl i f t hoi st s t he cont ai ner t o the car go door s of a 737.

EXT. MEMPHI S AI RPORT SUPERHUB - NI GHT

The 737 l ands.

EXT. SUPERHUB - NI GHT - MI NUTES LATER

One of a seemi ngl y endl ess l i ne of FedEx pl anes, our 737



t axi s t o a gat e at t he FedEx SUPERHUB. The Hub i s a vastl i vi ng organi sm - - l oud, compl ex, over whel mi ng, as much asymbol of modern l i f e as was t he f actory i n Modern Ti mes.

Fi ve t housand peopl e work i n a f r enzy of i nterconnectedact i vi t y i nsi de t hr ee vast hanger s br i ght l y l i t . Hundr eds off or kl i f t s and car go- pul l er s dar t about , t hei r headl i ght scri sscrossi ng l i ke a l aser show.

Loader s qui ckl y r ol l t he cont ai ner ont o a FORKLI FT.

I NT. MEMPHI S SUPERHUB - NI GHT

The f or kl i f t speeds i nsi de one of t he hangers t o a LOADI NGBELT, wher e our Box i s spi l l ed i nt o a Mi ssi ssi ppi Ri ver ofpackages, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of t hem, al l shapes andsi zes, f r omshoe boxes t o engi ne bl ocks. Lar ge mechani calarms di vert t he i mmense f l ow of Workers at dozens ofst at i ons. The packages sur ge and move.

The Wor ker s pl ace t he packages l abel - si de- up on new bel t s,where t hey' r e scanned by l aser r eaders . Pi cki ng up speed ourBox i s shunt ed acr oss t he acres of i nt er l ocki ng bel t s.

The Box ends up i n a much l arger CONTAI NER l abel ed CDG.

EXT. MEMPHI S SUPERHUB - NI GHT

A f or kl i f t l i f t s t he Cont ai ner t o a door on a gi ant MD- 11.

I NT. GLOBAL OPERATI ONS CENTER - NI GHT

A j umbl ed room j ammed wi t h computer s and domi nat ed by a HUGEWALL GRAPHI C t hat char t s hundreds of ai r pl anes. An Oper atormoves a yel l ow st r i p l abel ed J umbo 12 acr oss t he boar d.

EXT. CHARLES DE GAULLE AI RPORT - DAY

SERI ES OF SHOTS

The gi ant pl ace t ouches down i n Par i s. The Angel Wi ng Boxmoves qui ckl y on anot her bel t and di sappear s i nto anotherCONTAI NER, whi ch i s l oaded ont o st i l l anot her AI RPLANE.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG AI RPORT, RUSSI A - NI GHT

The pl ane l ands. The cont ai ner i s unl oaded down a bel t . We

see our Angel Box. Di r ect l y i n f r ont of i t i s a DENTED BOX.

I NT. ST. PETERSBURG FEDEX OFFI CE, RUSSI A

SERI ES OF SHOTS

Ni ght . The mani c act i vi t y has come t o a dead st op. Our t woBoxes si t on a t abl e i n a cor ner not f ar f r om a smal lChr i st mas t r ee.



Dayl i ght now. YURI , a Super vi sor, saunt er s over, pi cks upt he Angel Box, sees an at t r act i ve co- worker, put s i t down.

Ni ght agai n. A cat wal ks by t he t abl e wher e our t wo Boxeshave come to rest .

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG FEDEX OFFI CE - DAY

A FedEx t r uck pul l s out of t he war ehouse. The wal l s of t hewar ehouse ar e cover ed wi t h gr af f i t i . The st r eet s ar e sl ushy,t he bui l di ngs bl anket ed i n snow.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG - DAY

The Dr i ver si t s i n t he t r uck dr i nki ng t ea. He t akes a l astsi p, si ghs, get s out wi t h t he Angel Box. Wal ks sl owl y t owar dan APARTMENT HOUSE.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG APARTMENT HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

A beaut i f ul young RUSSI AN WOMAN opens the door . A youngAMERI CAN MAN comes up behi nd her , si gns t he f or m and t akest he Angel Box. We see Chri st mas decorat i ons i nsi de. Thewoman put s her arms ar ound hi m as t he door cl oses.

RUSSI AN WOMAN ( O. S. )( accent ed Engl i sh)

I t ' s pr et t y. Who i s i t f r om?

AMERI CAN MAN ( O. S. )My wi f e.

We st ay wi t h the Dr i ver as he ambl es back toward t he t r uck.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG OFFI CE - MOMENTS LATER

The Dr i ver has j ust del i ver ed t he Dented Box t o ALEKSEI ,Russi an Busi nessman, who cl oses t he door of a Czar i st - erabui l di ng. Al eksei checks hi s wat ch, pi cks up t he phone.

EXT. FEDEX OFFI CES - MANI LA - DAY

CHUCK NOLAND, earl y thi r t i es, wal ks al ong a l i ne of br i ght l ycol or ed j i t neys, each bear i ng t he FedEx l ogo. Wi t h hi m i s aFi l i pi no FedEx SUPERVI SOR weari ng a guayaber a. Chuckgl i st ens wi t h a t hi n l ayer of sweat .

CHUCKMy guess i s we' r e t al ki ng f uel f i l t er sher e, Fer nando. The gas i s di r t y, t hese

j i t neys get i n t he mount ai ns, t hei rengi nes cut out .

FERNANDO That coul d l ose us hal f an hour .

CHUCK



Easy. Each way.

Hi s beeper goes of f .

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CES - MANI LA - DAY - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck i s on t he phone.

CHUCKSo i t f i nal l y t urned up. . .

Chuck hesi t ates f or a moment , t hen l ooks at hi s watch.

CHUCKI ' l l cat ch t he sweep t oni ght .

I NT. FEDEX PLANE - NI GHT

St r apped i nt o the j ump seat behi nd the pi l ots, Chuck sl eepswi t h a mask over hi s eyes. On hi s l ap are some t r avel

br ochur es. We see sai l boat s, we see t he Fl ori da keys.

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG FEDEX OFFI CES - DAY

Chr i st mas i n Russi a. Snow ever ywher e. Br i ght l y col oredl i ght s. Chucks get s out of a Vol ga wi t h Al eksei . He has abag over hi s shoul der , t he dented package under one ar m.

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CES - DAY

The st af f has assembl ed near t he l oadi ng dock. Yur i t hest at i on manager st ands i n f r ont , occasi onal l y cat chi ng t heeye of t he at t r act i ve woman. Chuck di spl ays t he FedEx box.

CHUCKI t t ook t hi s test package t hi r t y- t wohour s t o get f r om Seat t l e t o St .Pet er sbur g, a di st ance of ni ne thousandmi l es. And t hen i t t ook f or t y- one hour st o get f r om our war ehouse i n St .Pet er sbur g t o her e, a di st ance of ,what - -

ALEKSEISi x ki l omet er s. Four mi l es.

CHUCK

So how are we goi ng t o get t hi s pl aceshaped up?

Ther e' s a mut t ered chor us of answer s.

CHUCK There' s onl y one way. We have t o wor kt ogether . Every one of us depends onever yone el se. I f one package i s l at e,we ar e al l l at e. I f one t r uck mi sses t he



deadl i ne, we al l mi ss t he deadl i ne.Let ' s st ar t by t aki ng a l ook ar ound.

Chuck l eads hi s team t hr ough t he sor t i ng ar ea. Yur i squeezesr i ght next t o hi m, ost ent at i ousl y car r yi ng a cl i pboar d.Chuck st ops.

CHUCKHer e, t hi s t abl e i s t oo f ar f romt hewal l . Packages can sl i p down. . . l i ke. . .

( pul l s out a package f r om behi nd a t abl e)

. . . t hi s.

He hef t s t he package, as i f t r yi ng t o guess what ' s i nsi de.

CHUCKWhat coul d be i n here? Let ' s say one ofyou sent i t . Coul d be t he cl osi ng paper son your dacha, coul d be a t oy f or your

gr andson' s bi r t hday, coul d be a ki dney t okeep your mot her al i ve. I don' t t hi nkyou want your mot her ' s ki dney to end upbehi nd a t abl e.

The Sort er shoves t he t abl e agai nst t he wal l . Yur i sayssomethi ng t o t he Transl at or.

TRANSLATORHe says t hey have been ver y busy. I t i shar d t o get good empl oyees. He i s sureyou under st and.

Wr ong answer: Chuck gl ances shar pl y at Yur i . Al ekseiappear s wi t h a cel l ul ar phone.

ALEKSEIPhone cal l . Mal aysi a.

Chuck t akes t he phone, openi ng hi s BAG as he does so.

CHUCKKamal ? Ri ght . I ' m get t i ng t hem.

He pul l s out a set of bl uepr i nt s and t acks t hem t o a bul l et i nboar d as he t al ks.

CHUCKI ' m l ooki ng at t he bl uepr i nt s of K. L.r i ght now. The bel t s ar e t oo smal l f ort he sor t ers . Yeah, somet i mes you neversee what ' s r i ght i n f r ont of your f ace.Look, i t ' s - -

Chuck keeps an eye on what i s goi ng on i n the warehouse. Then he not i ces somet hi ng over by one of t he t r ucks.



CHUCK( t o a l oader )

Hol d i t ! Hazar dous mat er i al needs i t sown contai ner !

( back on t he phone)- - t hr ee i n t he af t er noon t her e, r i ght ?

That gi ves you f i ve hour s unt i l t he sweepcomes t hrough. Do t he sor t by handt oni ght , t hen put i n a new f eeder bel t ,say a t went y- f our i ncher . Yes, overt i mei s aut hor i zed.

He hangs up t he phone. He t urns to t he cr ew.

CHUCKI ' m goi ng out on ever y rout e, I ' m goi ngt o work every j ob here, unt i l I knowenough t o hel p you. That ' s i t .

The cr ew di sper ses back t o wor k. Chuck and Al eksei wal k

t owar d t he of f i ce. They' ve done t hi s bef or e. Chuck l et s acorner of hi s command persona sl i p.

ALEKSEII t ' s bad.

CHUCKWor se t han War saw.

ALEKSEINobody r emembers t hat .

CHUCK The f ai l ures t hey r emember. I t ' s t hesuccesses t hey f or get .

EXT. ST. PETERSBURG - DAY - MOMENTS LATER

A FedEx t r uck pul l s out of t he FedEx of f i ce. Chuck i si nsi de. He not i ces t he gr af f i t i on t he wal l s.

I NT. TRUCK - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck r i des next t o LEV, t he dr i ver , a ser i ous sor t . The Tr ansl at or squat s on some boxes between t hem, t r yi ng t o keephi s bal ance.

CHUCK You sor t ed your packages bef or e you l ef t .None of t he ot her dr i ver s di d.

The Tr ansl at or and Lev exchange a f ew wor ds.

TRANSLATORHe says he want s t o be or gani zed. Dopackages i n or der .



Chuck l ooks at Lev wi t h r espect . Ri ght answer .

CHUCKSo how come t he ot her dr i ver s haven' tl ef t yet ?

The Tr ansl at or asks Lev, who l ooks at hi m as i f he i s cr azy,t hen snort s an answer . The Transl at or bl ushes.

TRANSLATORHe says - - he i s a ver y rude f el l ow - -

CHUCK Tel l me exact l y what he sai d.

TRANSLATORHe says why don' t hi s f ar t s smel l sweet ?

Chuck gr i ns. Lev shrugs and says somethi ng el se.

TRANSLATORHe says t hat ' s j ust t he way i t i s.

CHUCKLev - - i t ' s Lev, r i ght? Li s ten, t hi s i sFedEx. We don' t have t o accept t he wayi t i s .

EXT. HOTEL - ST. PETERSBURG

A wear y Chuck ent ers t he hot el . I n t he sky above hi m we seet he Nort her n Li ght s. He doesn' t even l ook up.

I NT. HOTEL ROOM - NI GHT - LATER

Chuck i s wat chi ng CNN on t he t el evi si on, worki ng hi sPowerBook, and hol di ng t he phone.

CHUCKNo, keep t r yi ng. A ci r cui t ' s bound t oopen up.

He hangs up.

CHUCK( t o hi msel f )

Those damn Nor t hern Li ght s.

J ust t hen t he l i ghts go of f . For a moment everyt hi ng i sdarkness. Then a smal l l i ght swi t ches on. Chuck has aheadl amp on.

He get s up, heads i nto the bat hroom. We st ay i n t he bedroom.Af t er onl y a moment , t he l i ght r eemer ges. I t heads over t ohi s bag. We go wi t h i t .

Chuck t akes out a r ol l of t oi l et paper . The guy i s pr epar ed



f or anyt hi ng. He goes i nt o t he bathr oom, cl oses the door .

The l i ghts come back on j ust as t he phone r i ngs.

We hear scuf f l i ng sounds on t he ot her si de of t he door .Chuck char ges out , hol di ng up hi s pant s.

Gr abs t he phone.

CHUCKHel l o? Great . Try i t .

He wai t s. We hear an ANSWERI NG MACHI NE.

KELLY ( V. O. ) Thi s i s Kel l y, l eave me a message andI ' l l cal l you back soon as I can.

Thi s i s not what Chuck wanted t o hear .

CHUCKKel l y, damn, l ook, t hi s i s Chuck. I ' m

goi ng t o be a l i t t l e l at e. Wel l , mor et han a l i t t l e. I had t o go t o Russi a.Coul dn' t be hel ped. Coul d you cal l andcancel t he t r i p? Look, we' l l sai l t heKeys i n Mar ch. I t ' s bet t er t hen anyway.I ' l l be back bef or e Chr i st mas. Ipromi se. I thi nk. I mean, I wi l l . I ,uh - -

He' s st umbl i ng over whet her t o say I l ove you.

CHUCKI mi ss you.

He gent l y hangs up t he phone.

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CES - ST. PETERSBURG - SERI ES OF SHOTS

A sur pr i sed Yur i st ands wi t h t he at t r act i ve assi st ant asChuck t akes hi s cl i pboard away.

An even more surpr i sed Lev st ands by hi s t r uck as Chuck handst he cl i pboar d t o hi m.

Chuck and t he l oader s cl ean of f t he gr af f i t i .

Worki ng al ongsi de t he sor t ers as t he packages come i n, Chuckpoi nt s out how t o or gani ze the i nf l ow.

Chuck and Lev go over l arge maps of St . Pet ersbur g wi t h thedr i vers .

I NT. FEDEX WAREHOUSE - ST. PETERSBURG - WEEK LATER

A bi g semi i s bei ng l oaded wi t h out goi ng packages f or t he



ai r por t r un. Al eksei , Chuck, Lev and t he of f i ce execut i veswat ch as cont ai ner s are r ol l ed on.

LEVWe' ve never got al l t he t r ucks i n ont i me. Never .

Chucks l ooks at t he cl ock.

CHUCKOnl y one st i l l l ef t ?

LEVRout e si x.

Al eksei poi nt s at t he bi g semi .

ALEKSEII f we don' t send i t now we may mi ss t heconnect i on i n Par i s.

The pressure i n on. Chuck l ooks ar ound at hi s t eam.

CHUCK( t o Al eksei )

Gi ve i t f i ve mi nut es.

EXT. FEDEX OFFI CES - ST. PETERSBURG - MI NUTES LATER

The l ast t r uck r ol l s i n.

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CES - ST. PETERSBURG

The l ast t r uck enter s and l oadi ng dock. A f ew l oader s movet oward i t . The execut i ves al l st and and watch. But notChuck. He' s hands on.

CHUCKLet ' s go.

He heads t oward t he t r uck and begi ns pul l i ng of f packages.Al l t he ot her execut i ves f ol l ow hi m.

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CES - ST. PETERSBURG - MI NUTES LATER

Led by Chuck, who works l i ke a man possessed, t hey sor t t hepackages.

CHUCK That ' s Bermuda. Ber muda i s i n t heMemphi s thr u cont ai ner . No, Azores i sEurope.

He gest ur es at a cl osed cont ai ner .

CHUCK The Par i s cont ai ner . Af r i ca t oo. J apan



goes t o Memphi s.

Chuck i s ever ywhere, set t i ng t he exampl e. The whol e of f i cei s ener gi zed, wor ki ng t oget her .

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CES - ST. PETERSBURG - MI NUTES LATER

They l oad t he l ast cont ai ner on t he wai t i ng t r uck. Chuckpounds t he t r uck on t he si de. Go.

The t r uck r oar s out of t he l oadi ng dock.

Everyone t akes a breat h. They are happy, proud.

LEVWe di d i t . Al l of t hem.

CHUCKGr eat j ob, ever yone. Remember , workt oget her . We ar e l i ke a hand. . .

They' ve hear d t hi s bef or e. Lev hol ds up hi s hand j ust bef or eChuck does.

LEVOne f i nger , weak. Al l f i nger s worki ngt oget her , st r ong.

Thi s makes Chuck smi l e.

CHUCK You got i t .

EXT. CHARLES DE GAULLE AI RPORT - DAY

A FedEx MD- 11 i s bei ng l oaded wi t h huge contai ner s off r ei ght . Chuck goes up t he gangway next t o t he f or kl i f t s.

I NT. MD- 11 - MOMENTS LATER

The pi l ot s - - J ACK and GWEN - - are goi ng down t hei r checkl i st s. Chuck st i cks hi s head i n t he cockpi t .

CHUCKI absol ut el y, posi t i vel y, have t o get t oMemphi s overni ght .

J ACKCan' t hel p you. Try UPS.

CHUCK J ack - - got t a be somet hi ng wr ong wi t h ourphysi cal s, you keep get t i ng cer t i f i ed t of l y. Gwen, ar en' t you wor r i ed?

GWEN Ter r i f i ed.



CHUCK

We' r e on ti me, r i ght ?

J ACKOn t i me, Chuck.

Chuck hands J ack and Gwen smal l packages.

CHUCKLi t t l e pr esent f r om t he emer gi ngrepubl i cs.

Anot her FedEx Road War r i or named STAN get s on. He and Chuckar e obvi ousl y ol d hands at t hi s.

CHUCKWhat connect s t he wor l d? What makes i tone?

( t hey i gnore hi m)

We do. FedEx.

GWEN You are such a l i f er .

STANWhat do you expect , f r om t he guy whost ol e a ki d' s bi cycl e when hi s t r uckbroke down?

CHUCKBor r owed. I bor r owed i t .

The t wo of t hemst r ap i n.

STANHow' d i t go?

CHUCKGr eat . Ter r i f i c. The good guys won onef or a change.

He' s f i ni shed a t ough j ob. He' s r el axed and on hi s way home.But St an' s hi s boss, and St an' s got bad news.

STANI had t o bump your pl ane l ast ni ght .

Chuck can' t bel i eve i t .

CHUCK You what?

STANI t was f i f t een mi nut es l at e.

The pl ane begi ns t o t axi .



CHUCK

I checked t he weat her , you had t he j etst r eam, you coul d have made i t up.

STANBut I mi ght not have.

CHUCK J esus. I got i t wor ki ng. . . You have noi dea how har d i t was. . . They' r e f i nal l y at eam. . .

STANI ' m t ouched.

CHUCK You f ucked us over .

STAN

The poi nt of FedEx, as I underst and i t ,i s t o make t he damn connect i on.

CHUCKI was maki ng a poi nt .

STANWhat ? Let Par i s hol d i t s pl ane? LetMemphi s t ake care of i t ? Let somebodydown t he l i ne cl ean up your mess?

CHUCKEvery person count s, every packagecount s, t hat ' s my poi nt .

STAN You know what your probl em i s? You j ustsee t he packages i n f r ont of you. Youdon' t see t he bi g pi ct ur e.

CHUCKBal oney. I do see t he damn "bi gpi cture. "

EXT. CHARLES DE GAULLE AI RPORT - NI GHT

The MD- 11 t akes of f .

I NT. MD- 11 - NI GHT

Chuck i s f ocused on hi s PowerBook wi t h the scr een away f r omus, St an i s doi ng t ai chi ami dst t he FedEx cont ai ner s. I tf eel s a l i t t l e sur r eal , al l t hose cont ai ner s sur r oundi ngt hem.

St an comes over, l ooks at t he i mage on t he comput er. I t ' s asai l boat wi t h some t echni cal speci f i cat i ons under i t .



STAN

I di dn' t know we had sai l boat s.

CHUCKI t ' s a ket ch Kel l y and I had char t er ed.

STANFor al l t hose vacat i on days you gotcomi ng.

Chuck doesn' t l ook up.

CHUCKAnd never t ake.

STANLook, I ' m sor r y about your pl ane. But Icoul dn' t r i sk bei ng l at e i nt o Memphi s.

CHUCKForget i t .

STAN You know Gener al McLel l and, he woul dn' tat t ack unl ess he had ever ythi ng j ustr i ght . Fi nal l y Abe Li ncol n came t o hi m

and sai d, Gener al , i f you' r e not goi ng t ouse my ar my, coul d I bor r ow i t f or awhi l e? So he gave i t t o Gr ant and Gr ant

j ust sai d, l et ' s go.

CHUCKI ' m f r om Ar kansas. Tel l me a st or y wi t hRober t E. Lee i n i t and maybe I ' l l payat t ent i on.

STANWe' r e war r i ors, not desk j ockeys. We' vegot t o be bol d. You al ways want al l yourducks l i ned up. But not hi ng' s 100per cent . I t ' s al ways 60- 40, maybe 51- 49.Hel l , I ' d t ake 40- 60. Then r ol l t hedi ce.

CHUCK That ' s why you' r e a gambl i ng man.

STAN That ' s why I ' m r unni ng f or ei gn and you' r enot . That ' s why you' r e not mar r i ed and Iam.

CHUCKFor t he t hi r d t i me.

STAN



Take t he pl unge, admi t your mi st akes,move on t o t omor r ow. That ' s FedEx,t hat ' s women, t hat ' s l i f e.

St an i s so out r ageous, Chuck can' t hel p but l augh.

CHUCK You are one si ck f ucker .

STANI ' m t r yi ng t o hel p you her e. Ther e' sWar saw, t her e' s t hi s - -

CHUCK Thi s was not hi ng l i ke War saw. I hel d t het r uck t hen mi nut es, i t ' s not t hat bi g adeal .

But appar ent l y i t i s.

STANLook, t hat ki ds' bi ke, t hat ' s a guywho' l l do what i t t akes t o get t her e ont i me. Li ve up t o your l egend, t hat ' s al lI ' m sayi ng.

Chuck r eaches i n hi s pocket , pul l s out a bi l l .

CHUCKA hundr ed r ubl es St . Pet er sbur g hi t s 95percent i n a mont h.

STANNi net y f i ve per cent ? J ust gi ve me t hemoney now.

CHUCK Tal k i s cheap. Ar e we on or not?

STANWe' r e on.

Chuck cl oses t he PowerBook.

CHUCKLet ' s go of f - l i ne.

They bot h t ake out t hei r Val i um - - t he pr i ce t hey pay f orbei ng such r oad war r i ors.

CHUCK Two Val i um. . .

Stan put s on hi s Wal kman.

STANAnd t he St ones. Got t o be.



I t ' s t hei r r i t ual . Chuck put s headphones f r om hi s Wal kmanover hi s ear s, puts a mask over hi s eyes and l eans hi s headback ont o t he headr est . We hear t he Rol l i ng St ones.

EXT. MEMPHI S AI RPORT - NI GHT - WI DE

The MD- 11 ar r i ves at i t s gate. The car go doors open.For kl i f t s and a gangway rol l up t o the si de.

I NT. MD- 11 - NI GHT

St an st ands smi l i ng over Chuck.

STANChuck. Wake up Chuck.

Chuck pul l s of f t he mask, t akes out t he ear pl ugs. He managesa gr oggy gr i n.

STAN You got t a do your own del i ver y f r om here.

I NT. SUPERHUB - NI GHT

Chuck wal ks t hr ough t he ext r aor di nar y nexus of speedi ngpackages t hat i nt er sect i n i nt r i cat e paths above and ar oundhi m. Thi s i s the beat i ng cent er of t he FedEx worl d, t hecr ossroads, t he deep cor e wher e ever ythi ng connect s. I n hi sst i l l - dr ugged st at e i t al l seems wei r dl y psychedel i c. AChr i st mas t r ee goes by, t hen a huge pl ast i c Sant a Cl aus, bothwi t h shi ppi ng l abel s.

EXT. CHI CKASAWGARDENS - MEMPHI S - NI GHT

Chuck' s car pul l s i nt o the dr i veway of a smal l cot t age i n anol der Memphi s nei ghborhood. The r adi o i s pl ayi ng t he news.

I NT. CHUCK' S HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck dr ops hi s br i ef case and hi s bag. The pl ace i s a j umbl eof cl ot hes, paper s, books, et c. I n t he l i vi ng r oom i s a t ankof t r opi cal f i sh. The wat er l ooks a l i t t l e gr een. Nobubbl es ar e comi ng f r om t he f i l t er .

Uh oh.

Chuck wal ks t o t he t ank. He t i ght ens a pi ece of t ape t hathol ds t he power cord ont o t he f i l t er , t aps t he f i l t er wi t hhi s f i nger , once, t wi ce. . . t he bubbl es st ar t agai n.

CHUCKDamn t hi ng.

But f or a coupl e of f i sh f l oat i ng on t op of t he t ank i t ' s t ool ate.



Chuck gets out hi s scoop and sl owl y ski ms t hem of f .

CHUCKSor r y, I ' m real l y sor r y.

EXT. CHUCK' S HOUSE - BACK YARD

Chuck di gs a smal l hol e i n the back yar d wi t h a l ar ge ki t chenspoon.

Dr ops t he dead f i sh i n.

Fi l l s the hol e.

I NT. CHUCK' S HOUSE - LATER

The CD i s pl ayi ng. Chuck l i es i n bed, swi t ches on t he TV. Thi s i s no good. He doesn' t car e how l at e i t i s, he' s goi ngt o f i nd Kel l y.

EXT. MEMPHI S - NI GHT - LATER

Chuck dr i ves i n hi s car t hr ough t he st r eet s of Memphi s.

EXT. UNI VERSI TY - NI GHT

Chuck pul l s up t o a l ab bui l di ng at Memphi s St ate.

I NT. LAB - NI GHT

Two doct or al candi dates ar e pl ayi ng Doom on t hei r comput er swhen Chuck wal ks i n.

CHUCK You seen Kel l y Fr ears?

One of t hemgest ures t oward a door .

GUYXerox machi ne.

I NT. HALLWAY - NI GHT

Chuck makes hi s way i n t he semi - darkness past r ack af t er r ackof speci mens i n bot t l es.

Ahead of hi m we see the f l ashi ng gr een l i ght of a Xer ox

machi ne.

I NT. XEROX ROOM

The l i ght goes of f . KELLY l eans over t he machi ne, bangs oni t .

KELLYSonof abi t ch!



CHUCKHey, be ni ce t o i t , i t ' l l be ni ce t o you.

Sur pr i sed, Kel l y t ur ns t o gr eet Chuck.

KELLYChuck! You' r e back!

She l eaps i nt o hi s ar ms.

KELLY Your eyes ar e puf f y. Di d you t ake Val i um

agai n?

CHUCK You smel l l i ke f or mal dehyde.

Kel l y l ooks over at t he Xer ox.

KELLY

My l ast chapt er' s i n t here, and t he damnmachi ne' s j ammed.

CHUCKLet ' s t ake a l ook.

He l i f t s up t he cover .

KELLYHow was Russ i a?

CHUCKCol d.

KELLYDon' t overwhel m me wi t h detai l s, you knowhow I hat e t hat . Di d you get i t f i xed?

CHUCKI t hought I di d.

He pri es up one f eeder , t hen another .

CHUCKGot t o f ol l ow t he paper pat h her e.

KELLY

Chuck, f orget t he Xerox. So Russi adi dn' t t ur n out wel l ?

But Chuck doesn' t want t o t al k. He' s f ocused on t he machi ne.

CHUCKUsed t o you coul d f i x t hese your sel f .

She pul l s hi m out of t he machi ne. He has t oner on hi sf i ngers .



KELLY

Chuck.

CHUCKWhat do you want me t o say? That It hought I ' d done a gr eat j ob but i t al lt ur ned t o shi t ? That I mi ght as wel lhave gone sai l i ng f or al l t he good I di d?

KELLY Yeah, t el l me. Tel l me al l of i t .

He suddenl y l ooks real l y t i r ed.

KELLY You don' t even know what t i me i t i s.What day i t i s.

He t ur ns t o t he Xer ox i n f r ust r at i on.

CHUCKAnd I can' t f i x t hi s damn machi ne.

She l ooks at hi m.

KELLYCome on.

I NT. KELLY' S OFFI CE - MOMENTS LATER

A t i ny cubi cl e wi t h a door . She cl oses i t , t akes some papert owel s out of t he desk, wi pes hi s f i nger s.

KELLYWe' r e on t he deck of t he ket ch, t he ai r ' ssof t , t he wat er ' s cl ear as cryst al . . .

She l i cks the l ast bi t of t oner of f hi s f i ngers.

CHUCK That ' s car ci nogeni c.

She i gnores t hat , st ays wi t h t he f ant asy.

KELLYWe' r e cover ed wi t h sunt an l ot i on and

sweat . Our ski n i s so hot , i t ' sgl owi ng. . .

And she comes cl oser t o hi m.

KELLYWe coul d take a swi m.

She' s r eal l y cl ose now.



CHUCKOn t he ot her hand we coul d not t ake aswi m. . .

They squi ggl e t hemsel ves ont o t he desk.

I NT. LAB - NI GHT

Someone ki cks t he door shut . Now t he f i gur es are i ns i l houet t e, l i t by t he l i ght i n t he of f i ce.

And t hen t he l i ght goes out .

EXT. FEDEX OFFI CES - NEXT MORNI NG

A nondescr i pt of f i ce par k near t he ai r por t . No si gn.Chuck' s car scr eeches i nt o t he par ki ng l ot . He j umps out ,gl ances at t hi s wat ch, and heads f or t he bui l di ng at a run.

I NT. EXECUTI VE CONFERENCE ROOM - MOMENTS LATER

A l ar ge r oom domi nat ed by an ani mat ed MAP OF THE WORLD.Li ght s at var i ous l ocat i ons bl i nk and f l ash. Above t he mapare a l arge Si gn sayi ng "Here Today, Gone Tomor r ow" and twohuge di gi t al Cl ocks - - one keepi ng t i me, t he other acountdown cl ock f or t hat day' s package sor t at t he SuperHub.

The oper at i ons t eam of FedEx si t s around a l arge t abl e. Eachhas on a headset . BECCA TWI GG, t he busi ness- l i ke seni or vi cepr esi dent of Oper at i ons, addr esses quest i ons t o a man - -COLI N PARKER- BOWLES, t he European operat i ons manager - - on aLARGE TV SCREEN i n f r ont of her . " London" i s super i mposed ont he screen.

BECCASo why was Mi l an l ate, Col i n?

COLI NOne of t he r ace hor ses comi ng f r om

I r el and got col i c and had t o be of f -l oaded i n Br ussel s. That put t he J umbo15, si x hour s l at e i nt o Char l es DeGaul l e. Cust oms had di f f i cul t y l ocat i ngt he dut i abl e i t ems. . .

Col i n cont i nues as Chuck, out of br eat h, sl i ps under t hescr een and heads f or t he one remai ni ng vacant seat - - across

f r om St an. Next t o St an i s MAYNARD GRAHAM, an MBA syst emsman. Becca addresses a quest i on over t o Stan.

BECCASt an, can we get P&A down t o wor k wi t hMi l an cust oms?

STANWe' r e al r eady on i t .



BECCAGood. And l et ' s l ook at our l i ve ani malpol i cy. I don' t t hi nk t he i ncome st r eam

j usti f i es del ayi ng I P pr oduct, especi al l yat Chr i st mas.

Col i n di sappear s. A r ed l i ght goes on. Becca pushes abut t on. Anot her f ace comes on t he scr een. "Oakl and" appearsunder t he f ace.

BECCASt and by, Benson, we' r e st i l l wr appi ng upf or ei gn.

She tur ns poi nt edl y t o Chuck.

BECCAChuck, t hanks f or j oi ni ng us. St at us?

Chuck swal l ows ner vousl y, t r i es t o t al k mat t er - of - f act l y.

CHUCKBecca, as you know St . Pet ersbur g wasconsi st ent l y runni ng l at e by si x to t enhour s - - somet i mes a f ul l day or more. Ir epl aced t he st at i on manager . Wei dent i f i ed i nef f i ci enci es and wor ked outa qual i t y i mpr ovement pl an I bel i eve canbe met .

MAYNARD You r epl aced t he st at i on manager wi t h adr i ver . A l ocal wi t h no knowl edge of oursyst ems.

BECCAShoul dn' t you have brought i n someonef r om Memphi s? Russi a i s pr i or i t y one.

MAYNARD J ames Pot t i nger i s avai l abl e.

The process i s bei ng r i pped out of Chuck' s hands. Hest r uggl es t o get an answer .

STANHe' s a number s cr uncher . Chuck' s done

al l t he r i ght t hi ngs here. . .

St an i s doi ng hi s best t o back up Chuck.

CHUCK J i m' s a t er r i f i c f i nanci al man, noquest i on. But we can' t al ways parachut ei n f r omMemphi s. We' ve got t o bui l d upour l ocal s taf f .



MAYNARDWe' ve got t o i mprove f orei gn on- t i me,t hat ' s what we' ve got t o do. I f t hi s newguy' s so good, how come the very f i r stpl ane he sent mi ssed the connect i on i nPar i s?

Maynar d knows how t o go f or t he j ugul ar . Everyone l ooks atChuck.

CHUCKWe' r e bui l di ng a new t eam her e. We gotever y package on t he tr uck f or t he f i r stt i me ever . Success i s t he best t eacher .

MAYNARDI don' t cal l mi ssi ng the pl ane a success.

Ever yone l ooks at Chuck.

EXT. KELLY' S HOUSE - DAY - LATE THAT AFTERNOON

Chuck l ugs a bi g package up t o t he door , knocks on i t . Kel l yopens t he door .

KELLYMerr y Chr i st mas eve.

CHUCKNot i f you work f or FedEx.

I NT. KELLY' S HOUSE - DAY

Chuck ent ers as they keep t al ki ng. Her house i s cozy butal so where she works. There' s a computer, speci men j ars , andsome t er r ar i ums wi t h f r ogs i nsi de. A Chr i st mas t r ee wi t hpackages under i t .

KELLY You break f our mi l l i on packages l astni ght ?

I n t he b. g. one of t he packages by t he Chr i st mas t r ee i sst ar t i ng t o shake on i t s own.

CHUCKFour f our . A r ecor d.

KELLY You don' t seem t oo happy about i t .

CHUCKAh, t he st af f meet i ng coul d have gonebet t er.

KELLYLet me guess, Russi a came up?



Chuck' s at t ent i on goes t o the t r ee.

CHUCKOne of t hose packages j ust moved.

The package t urns over , somet hi ng dart s out . I t ' s a puppy,wi t h a bow around i t s neck.

KELLYMerr y Chr i st mas.

Chuck bends down t o see t he puppy.

CHUCKHey, l ook at you.

KELLYI f i gur e, i f we coul d t ake car e of apuppy, we coul d, you know, t ake care

o f - -

A baby, she want s t o say, but t hat ' s goi ng a l i t t l e f ast soshe catches her sel f . Chuck pi cks t he puppy up.

CHUCKHe i s a cut e t hi ng.

KELLYHe' s your cut e t hi ng.

CHUCKI can' t even keep f i sh al i ve.

KELLYA puppy' s got a l i t t l e more per sonal i t yt han a f i sh.

CHUCKAnd f or you - -

Chuck hands over hi s pr esent .

KELLYSo do good thi ngs come i n l arge packages?

Kel l y opens Chuck' s pr esent - - a ver y l arge box.

I t ' s a pi ece of l uggage.

CHUCK You know, f or when you t r avel .

KELLYFor when I t r avel ?

She can' t bel i eve i t . I t ' s the exact opposi t e of what she



want ed.

KELLY You shoul d have got me somet hi ng t hatshows you want us t o be t oget her , notapar t .

Chuck i s f l ummoxed. Women r ead so much i nt o thi ngs.

CHUCKI wasn' t sendi ng a message. I t houghyou' d l i ke i t .

Chuck' s beeper goes of f .

KELLY You shoul d have got me a r i ng.

He checks t he number.

CHUCKI have t o go. I ' m on cal l f or over f l owdown at t he Hub.

KELLYA r i ng. I want ed a r i ng.

CHUCK You di d?

She nods. What t o do?

CHUCKLook, I l ove t he puppy. I l ove you. ButI have t o go.

KELLY You can' t go now.

CHUCKI have t o.

KELLY You want t o.

Chuck pi cks up t he puppy.

CHUCKWhat shoul d we cal l hi m? Or i s i t her?How about J ango?

Kel l y i s havi ng one of t hose moment s when everyt hi ng comescl ear .

KELLY Thi s i sn' t wor ki ng out .



CHUCKWe' r e a l i t t l e emot i onal her e. I t ' sChr i st mas, maybe we' r e over - r eact i ng.

KELLY"We' r e" not over - r eact i ng.

CHUCKCoul d you wat ch J ango?

KELLYNo.

CHUCKI can' t t ake hi m t o wor k.

He hands her t he puppy.

CHUCKWe' l l t al k about i t when I come back.

I t ' l l al l be f i ne. Real l y.

Thi s i s not a happy woman he i s l eavi ng behi nd.

EXT. KELLY' S HOUSE - HOUSE LATER

I t ' s dar k now. Chuck r et ur ns. The st ars ar e put t i ng on anamazi ng show, but he doesn' t not i ce as he heads f or t he door .

I NT. KELLY' S HOUSE - MI NUTES LATER

Chuck ent ers . The t r ee and t he pr esent s under i t are gone.

CHUCKKel l y? Kel l y?

No answer, not hi ng but t he sound of J ango, who begi ns yel pi ngi n t he ki t chen.

I NT. KELLY' S HOUSE - KI TCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck pi cks up J ango, who i s bar r i caded i n the ki t chen wi t hsome f ood, some wat er , and some wet newspapers.

CHUCK There. There. Easy now.

EXT. KELLY' S HOUSE - BACK YARD - NI GHT - MI NUTES LATER

Hol di ng J ango, Chuck wal ks out i nt o t he back yar d.

CHUCKKel l y?

A f i r e st i l l smol der s. The packages have bur ned. The t r eei s a bl ackened mess.



Chuck st ar es at i t .

EXT. CHUCK' S HOUSE - NEXT MORNI NG

Chuck get s i nt o hi s car , put s J ango on the f r ont seat next t ohi m. Pul l s out of t he dr i veway.

EXT. ARKANSAS HI GHWAY - DAY

Chuck i s i n hi s car , wi t h t he dog on hi s l ap.

EXT. FARM HOUSE - DAY

Chuck' s car dr i ves up t o a t ypi cal Ar kansas f ar m house. Hi sMOM i s set t i ng some Chr i st mas t r ee l i ght s around t he door .Chuck gets out of t he car . Ther e' s a l ar ge wet spot on t hef r ont of hi s pant s.

MOM What happened t o your pant s?

CHUCKMom, meet J ango.

Chuck di spl ays t he puppy.

EXT. FARM HOUSE - SHED - DAY

Chuck works on an ol d t r actor i n t he shed. Some smal l l egsappear i n hi s vi si on, t hen a smal l f ace. Thi s i s AMANDA, hi sni ece.

AMANDADi nner ' s ready.

I NT. FARM HOUSE - KI TCHEN - DAY

Ar ound t he t abl e ar e Chuck' s brot her ROGER, hi s wi f e MARY,Amanda, and her TWO BROTHERS. Mom br i ngs i n t he t urkey,pl aces i t on t he t abl e, si t s down. They al l hol d hands andbow t hei r heads.

MOM Chuck?

Chuck hesi t at es j ust a moment .

CHUCKBl ess us O Lor d, and t hese t hy gi f t s,whi ch we ar e about t o recei ve, f r omt houbount y, t hr ough Chr i st t he Lord. Amen.

ROGERLet ' s eat .

EXT. FARM HOUSE - LATER THAT DAY



The chi l dren bur st out t he door , shr i eki ng, chased by J ango.

I NT. FARM HOUSE - DAY

The grown- ups are cl eani ng up af t er Chr i st mas di nner . Thescene moves bet ween t he t abl e, t he ki t chen counter , and t her ef r i ger at or . I t ' s an ol d- f ashi oned ki t chen, si mpl yf ur ni shed.

MARYHow' s Kel l y?

CHUCKGr eat .

ROGER Thought you were goi ng t o br i ng her .

CHUCKSo di d I .

MOM I t seemed l i ke she had such a good t i me

l ast t i me.

CHUCKI t ' s nothi ng you di d, Mom, bel i eve me.

MARY J enni f er ' s st i l l down at t he post of f i ce.And she' s st i l l got t hat crush on you.

ROGERAnd she' s sti l l got t hose - -

MARYRoger.

ROGER You shoul d have st uck ar ound.

Thi s i s an ol d, sor e subj ect .

CHUCKLook, I hel p t ake car e of t he pl ace. Yougot my check, di dn' t you Mom?

MOM That new r oof , t hat ' s your doi ng.

ROGER You' r e j ust al l er gi c t o f armi ng, t hat ' swhat dad sai d. Can' t st and t o be al one.Can' t st and t o be i n one pl ace. Can' tst and t he si ght of . . . bl ood.

He dr ops t he t ur key gi bl et s i nt o t he t r ash.



MARY

Roger ' s goi ng to put chi ckens i n her e.

Chuck can' t bel i eve t hi s.

CHUCKCome on Roger, t hi s i s dad al l overagai n. You al r eady di d beef al o,chi nchi l l as, and what was t hat , ost r i ch?

They chased Mom around t he yar d, spr ai nedher hi p.

Mom goes t o the f r eezer and t akes out some f r ozenst r awber r i es.

MOM I t wasn' t t hat bad, dear .

MARY

You can' t make a l i vi ng out of t hi spl ace. We t r i ed.

CHUCKBut chi ckens?

ROGERSi xt y t hr ee pounds consumed per capi t a,up f r om t went y seven i n 1960. Goi ng t opass beef . Chi cken' s gl obal . Nor el i gi ous t aboos. You don' t see yourHi ndus and your Musl i ms boycot t i ngpoul t ry.

CHUCK Tr ue enough. No sacr ed chi ckens nowhere,so f ar as I know.

MOM Roger' s worki ng at Tyson' s now.

Mommashes t he bl ock of f r ozen st r awber r i es wi t h a f ork t osepar at e t he st r awber r i es f r om t he i ce.

CHUCKReal l y?

ROGERCome on down t o t he pl ant . I t ' s st at e oft he ar t . We' r e doi ng f or chi ckens whatFedEx di d f or t he del i ver y busi ness.

CHUCK J ust don' t count ' em bef or e t hey hatch.

Roger gri ns at hi m. Thi s i s j ust how t hey ar e.



ROGERI ' l l t r y to remember t hat .

MOM Desser t .

They al l si t down. Mom br i ngs t he sl ushy f r ozen st r awberr i est o t he t abl e, squi r t s on some Reddi - whi p. Looks poi nt edl y atChuck.

MOM Speaki ng of hat chi ng, I coul d sur e use

some more grandchi l dren.

Not a t i mel y t opi c wi t h Chuck.

CHUCKMom, t hi s i s a f ar m. We' ve got r ealst r awberr i es gr owi ng out si de, we' ve gotr eal cr eam.

MOM Oh no, t he prodi gal son' s home. We br i ng

out t he st ore bought .

Chuck t akes a bi t e, wi nces a l i t t l e as t he col d st r awber r i eshi t hi s teet h.

EXT. MOM' S HOUSE - LATER THAT DAY

Chuck f i xes t he dr ai n pi pe whi l e Mom pr unes t he rose bushesaround the porch.

CHUCKMaybe I shoul d t ake a f ew days of f .Roger ' s wor ki ng now, you coul d use somehel p ar ound her e. . .

MOM Don' t you even t hi nk about i t .

CHUCK The pl ace i s f al l i ng apar t .

MOM I ' m doi ng f i ne.

She l ooks poi nt edl y at Chuck.

CHUCKDoi ng great , Mom, don' t wor r y about me.

MOM Ther e' s set t l ed f ol ks, and t her e' s

nomads. You' r e j ust not a set t l ed f ol k. You never bel onged here.



Chuck f i ni shes the dr ai n pi pe. Gi ves i t a t hunk wi t h hi sf i nger .

CHUCKCome on i nsi de, Mom. You' ve had a l ongday.

I NT. FARM HOUSE - BEDROOM - NI GHT

I n hi s boyhood r oom, we see Chuck' s l apt op, whi ch i s hookedup t o t he i nt ernet FedEx homepage. Al l around hi m are model sof boat s and pl anes, maps, pi ct ur es of f ar - of f pl aces. Ther oom of a boy who al ways f ant asi zed about get t i ng away.

Chuck i s besi de i t , sl umped down on t he desk. Asl eep.

EXT. FARM HOUSE - DAY

Hi s mom waves t o hi m as Chuck dr i ves away.

I NT. FEDEX OFFI CE - LATER THAT DAY

Chuck ent er s hi s of f i ce, on t he go. Hi s assi st ant LESLI E i swai t i ng f or hi m.

CHUCKI need t he l at est PDRs on St . Pet er sbur g.

LESLI EAnd how was your Chr i st mas?

CHUCK Ter r i f i c. Yours?

She nods, used t o t hi s.

CHUCKAnd get me i n t o t he dent i st . My t oot h' sact i ng up.

St an ent er s.

STANMal aysi a' s t anki ng. We' r e meet i ng i n t eni n oper at i ons.

CHUCK

Ri ght .( t o Les l i e)

Get me everyt hi ng on I ndonesi a, NewGui nea, al l t he way t o Aust r al i a.

I NT. OPERATI ONS ROOM - MI NUTES LATER

Chuck, Lesl i e, St an and another execut i ve f r omt he meet i ngnamed DI CK ar e gathered ar ound t he TV scr een. A squawk boxi s on t he t abl e.



CHUCK

Kamal ? Kamal ? Can you hear us?

The box squawks. The TV scr een r ol l s an i mperf ect i mage.

DI CKCan' t we get t hi s worki ng?

A Techni ci an i s f i ddl i ng wi t h t he TV set .

TECHNI CI AN Tr yi ng.

CHUCKKamal , you' r e breaki ng up. Can you hearus?

VOI CE ( SQUAWK BOX)Kamal i s not her e.

CHUCKWho i s t hi s? Wher e i s Kamal ?

VOI CE ( SQUAWK BOX)I t i s I br i m, I , I am a sor t er .

CHUCKWhat ' s goi ng on down t her e?

VOI CE ( SQUAWK BOX)Kamal i s not her e. We are very def used.

CHUCKWho' s i n charge t hen, wher e i s Chi nn?

The squawk box hums and cr ackl es. Not hi ng. Chuck t urns t ot he Techni ci an.

STANWe got Tel ex, e- mai l ?

TECHNI CI ANSur e. J ust not get t i ng any answer s.

Chuck turns t o Lesl i e.

CHUCKWhen' s t he next J umbo?

LESLI E The r egul ar f l i ght i s schedul ed f or oht hree hundred tomorr ow.

CHUCKAnyt hi ng el se?



LESLI E There' s a sweep l eavi ng Memphi s i n anhour , goes t hrough Sydney.

STANMaybe you shoul d get your ducks l i ned upf i r s t .

Chuck l ooks over at Stan.

CHUCKCal l Oper at i ons. Get me on i t .

And St an i s i mpr essed.

EXT. CHUCK' S HOUSE - DAY

Chuck l eaves wi t h hi s bag over hi s shoul der and t he puppyunder hi s ar m.

EXT. KELLY' S HOUSE - DAY - MI NUTES LATER

Kel l y opens t he door . Chuck i s t her e wi t h t he puppy.

KELLY That ' s your dog.

CHUCKI t ' s our dog. I t bel ongs t o us.

KELLY There i sn' t any us.

CHUCK Yes t here i s.

Kel l y can' t st ay mad.

KELLYI ' m sor r y about t he pr esent s. I got al i t t l e carr i ed away.

CHUCKNo, i t was gr eat . Maybe a l i t t l eover ki l l - -

KELLY

I bur ned t he Chr i st mas t r ee.

She' s hal f - l aughi ng, hal f - want i ng- t o- cry.

KELLYWhy di dn' t you come over , get mad at me,t el l me what a stupi d bi t ch I was.

CHUCKI guess I hadn' t t hought t hr ough how I



f el t .

KELLYWhat , you were goi ng t o come over t henext day al l cal m and say, Kel l y thatr eal l y made me mad? Don' t t el l me you' r emad. Be mad. Be who you are r i ght now.

CHUCKLook, we' l l do our t r i p as soon as I getback.

KELLYDon' t even st ar t .

And t hen i t hi t s her .

KELLYGet back? Fr om wher e?

CHUCKMal aysi a. They' r e hol di ng t he sweep.

She st ares at hi m f or a l ong moment , t hen at t he puppy.

KELLYGi ve hi m t o me.

He hands her t he dog.

KELLYChuck, you' r e br eaki ng my hear t .

CHUCKA week, max. Okay? Okay?

KELLYGo on. We' l l be f i ne. I ' l l f eed J angot o t he f r ogs.

She ki sses t he puppy.


Chuck ent er s t he cockpi t , wher e t wo di f f er ent pi l ot s aregoi ng t hr ough t hei r checkl i st s. Chuck r epeat s hi s f ami l i arpat t er.

CHUCKAl - - got t a be somethi ng wr ong wi t h ourphysi cal s, you keep get t i ng cer t i f i ed t of l y. J ohn, aren' t you wor r i ed?

J OHNI di sconnect ed hi s cont r ol s. He onl yt hi nks he' s f l yi ng.



Chuck set t l es i nt o hi s seat .

CHUCK You' r e on your way home, Al ?

Al has an Aust r al i an accent .

ALRi ght . Down home, down under .

CHUCKWe' r e on ti me, r i ght ?

ALOn t i me, Chuck.

I NT. FEDEX PLANE - NI GHT - HOURS LATER

Set t l ed i nt o the j ump seat , Chuck f i ni shes up hi s notes onhi s Power Book and begi ns hi s f l i ght r i t ual .

He put s i n hi s ear pl ugs and t akes out hi s Val i um. Heswal l ows one, t hen t hi nks, and swal l ows t wo more. Then het ur ns on hi s Wal kman t o t he Rol l i ng St ones, put s t he maskover hi s eyes, and, as usual , goes t o sl eep.

DI SSOLVE TO:


The pl ane i s SHAKI NG badl y. HEAR f r ant i c, garbl ed r adi ot al k. Chuck st i r s, st r uggl es to hi s f eet , dr owsy anddrugged.

I NT. FEDEX PLANE - CHUCK' S POV

Ever yt hi ng i s hazy, out of f ocus, as i t was i n hi s ear l i erdr ugged condi t i on. But t hi s i s r eal haze. SMOKE. And t hecabi n al so TWI STS and TI LTS.

Chuck t r i es t o st eady hi msel f agai nst t he wal l . Thi s i sni ght mar i sh. I s t hi s r eal l y happeni ng?

I NT. FEDEX PLANE - CHUCK' S POV - COCKPI T

The pi l ot s wr est l e wi t h t he cont r ol s. They have t hei r l i f e j acket s on. J ohn gl ances back at Chuck, hi s f ace f l oat i ng i n

a cl oud of f ear .

I NT. FEDEX PLANE - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck st r uggl es t o put on hi s l i f e j acket . The pl ane i sVI BRATI NG VI OLENTLY. He can' t get t he st r aps st r ai ght . Hei s KNOCKED agai nst one wal l , t hen another , t hen to t he f l oor .

Chuck tr i es t o bl ow on t he mout h t ubes f or hi s l i f e j acket .Can' t do i t ! Puf f . Puf f . Shi t ! J ohn mot i ons f rant i cal l y



f or Chuck to pul l on t he aut omat i c i nf l at or s on hi s j acket .Chuck f umbl es f or t hem.

Huge pal et t es shi f t and gr oan, one BREAKS FREE, bangi ngvi ol ent l y agai nst t he si de of t he pl ane, spi l l i ng out i t sboxes. Then i t swi ngs and KNOCKS Chuck on t he head! He goesdown!

I NT. GLOBAL OPERATI ONS CENTER - MOMENTS LATER

A CONTROLLER mans the gl obal operat i ons desk. Hi s SUPERVI SORst ands behi nd hi m, si ppi ng some cof f ee. The mood i s eer i l ycal m. An assi st ant moves Pl ane Locat or Cards on a gi antboar d.

CONTROLLER J umbo 14 i s overdue i n Sect or K.

SUPERVI SORWhere are t hey?

Anot her CONTROLLER t r acks a gi ant comput er scr een.

CONTROLLER 2Somewher e east of Port Moresby. Guam i sget t i ng a si gnal but no l ocat i on. Maybet he GPS i s out .

The si gnal f l ashes, but i s st r angel y st i l l compared t o t heothers, whi ch are movi ng.

EXT. FEDEX PLANE - NI GHT

The gi ant pl ane PLUMMETS down f r om t he sky.


Chuck i s semi - consci ous and bl eedi ng f r omt he head. J ohnpul l s the i nf l at ors on Chuck' s l i f e j acket , whi ch f i l l s wi t ha WHOOSH! , sendi ng Chuck' s arms out t o t he si des. Alstr uggl es wi t h t he LI FE RAFT. I t ' s al l bl urr ed, f r ant i c,ter r i f yi ng.

EXT. PACI FI C - NI GHT - MOMENTS LATER

The pl ane hi t s t he ocean wi t h a CRASH and a WAVE of wat er .

I NT. GLOBAL OPERATI ONS CENTER - MOMENTS LATER

The Cont r ol l er i s speaki ng mechani cal l y i nt o t he mi cr ophone.

CONTROLLERGuam, I need a f i x on J umbo 14.

EXT. PACI FI C - NI GHT

Shr ouded wi t h f og and sur r ounded by debr i s, t he tai l of t he



bi g pl ane sl owl y SI NKS beneat h the angr y, st orm- dr i ven waves.

EXT. PACI FI C - DAY

A l i f e r af t i s t ossed on dar k, st or m- dr i ven seas. I nsi de i t ,semi - consci ous, Chuck hangs on.

EXT. PACI FI C - NI GHT

We cat ch gl i mpses of t he yel l ow l i f t r af t i n t he dar k as t hest or m cont i nues.

EXT. BEACH - EARLY MORNI NG

The st or m has ended. Waves l ap gent l y on a beach cut l i ke ascal l op out of a r ocky shor e. On t he beach we see scat t eredFEDEX BOXES. And we see, f ace- down, hal f - bur i ed i n sand, aMAN I N A SUI T and a l i f e j acket .

Chuck.

The t i de gent l y r ocks hi m, l aps at hi s f ace. He chokes.Sl owl y he get s t o hi s knees. Vomi t s seawat er , bi g heaves.He r ol l s over , si t s down. Dazed. St i l l conf used. Wher e amI ? What happened?

Chuck' s f i r st i nst i nct i s t o check t he t i me. He l ooks at hi swat ch, t aps i t i n f rust rati on.

Then he l ooks around, and we l ook wi t h hi m.

CHUCK' S POV - BEACH

The f og has t hi nned. We can see pal m groves and mangr ovet hi cket s l eadi ng back i nt o a t hi ckl y wooded val l ey cl i mbi ngup a st eep, r ocky hi l l si de. The r ocks on t he opposi t e poi ntend i n a bar r en r i dge. Cl ouds hi de t he t op of t he hi l l .

ON CHUCK

as he t akes i n hi s sur r oundi ngs. He l i cks hi s l i ps. He' st hi r st y. But somethi ng he sees i s even more i mport ant . West ay wi t h hi m as he WALKS. He comes t o a FEDEX PACKAGE i nt he sand, pi cks i t up, br ushes of f t he sand, wal ks f ar t her .He pi cks up anot her package.

EXT. BEACH - WI DE

Chuck wal ks down the beach, pi cki ng up FedEx packages,l eavi ng a t r ai l of f oot pr i nt s i n t he sand. Ahead of hi m wenot i ce a package decor at ed wi t h ANGEL WI NGS.

EXT. BEACH - LATER THAT MORNI NG

Chuck has made a neat st ack of FedEx boxes under some pal mt r ees at t he r i m of t he beach. He exami nes t he Angel Wi ngdr awi ng wi t h passi ng cur i osi t y, t hen put s i t on t he st ack.



Chuck t akes of f hi s l i f e j acket , si t s down i n t he shade,makes hi msel f comf ort abl e, and wai t s.

EXT. BEACH - SUNSET

Chuck i s st i l l wai t i ng. He' s a syst ems man, and t he syst emi sn' t worki ng.

CHUCKAl l r i ght , guys. I ' m her e. Check t heGPS, get movi ng.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

The f ul l moon shi nes a ghost l y l i ght on t he beach. Tr eescast moon- shadows on t he sand. Chuck seems ver y, very al one.

We HEAR f r om t he dar k thi cket s a STRANGE NOI SE. Rust l i ng i nt he l eaves. Somet hi ng crashi ng i n t he t r ees, or i s i t a

wave? A j ol t of adr enal i ne cour ses t hr ough Chuck' s body. Hel ur ches to hi s f eet .

We HEAR t he noi ses agai n. Chuck edges t oward t he r ocks att he bar b of t he hook. Keepi ng hi s eye on t he t hi cket , hebends down and pi cks up a st one. Hi s f i r st weapon.

I n t he r ocks he f i nds a pi ece of dr i f t wood. He pi cks i t upi n hi s ot her hand. He backs bet ween t wo r ocks and st andsf aci ng t he t hi cket , ever y sense al er t . A cl oud passes overt he moon. The shadow st r eaks acr oss Chuck' s anxi ous f ace.

EXT. BEACH - MORNI NG

The mor ni ng TI DE i s comi ng i n. We f ol l ow t he t i de as i t l apsami dst t he r ocks and f i nds Chuck, st ar i ng out t o sea. Theempt y sea.

CHUCKWher e t he f uck are you?

But now he i s r eal l y t hi r st y. We WALK wi t h Chuck up t hebeach.

Beneat h t he pal ms he sees a coupl e of coconuts. He pi cks oneof t hem up and st udi es i t . I t ' s heavy, al most t he si ze of avol l eybal l . How t o get i n i t ?

He t hr ows i t down on a r ock. The coconut j ust bounces of f .He wedges t he coconut bet ween t wo r ocks, t hen t hrows a r ockdown on i t . I t bounces of f . He t hr ows down a bi gger r ock.I t smashes on t he r ocks and chi ps. Chuck pi cks up t he r ock.OW! Wher e t he r ock had chi pped t he edge i s sharp. I t cutshi m.

CHUCKSonof abi t ch.



The bl ood st ai ns t he r ock a br i ght r ed. Chuck sucks on hi sf i nger , t hen he get s an i dea - - t he same i dea pr i mi t i ve manf i r st got when he di scover ed st one tool s.

He pi cks up t he r ock, t est t he edge. Shar p - - r eal l y shar p.He t hr ows anot her r ock down, but i t doesn' t br eak. He pi cksup anot her r ock and st r i kes t he f i r st one. Then agai n,har der . And agai n. A l ar ge f l ake shoots of f . Thi s edge i seven shar per.

He has a kni f e.

OPENI NG THE COCONUT - SERI ES OF SHOTS

Chuck uses the st one kni f e t o saw at t he coconut . No l uck.

Chuck cl umsi l y shar pens a st i ck wi t h t he shar p r ock.

Chuck br i ngs t he shar pened st i ck down har d on t he coconut ,

but t he st i ck sl i des of f , sendi ng t he coconut r ol l i ng away.

Chuck posi t i ons t he st i ck, poi nt ed end up, i n a hol e, t henSLAMS t he coconut down har d on i t . Success! The green nutof t he coconut spl i t s. The br own i nner nut i s f r ee! Hesmashes t he nut wi t h a r ock, but - - OW! - - he hi t s hi s hand!Chuck l i cks hi s f i nger s, but he i s so t hi r st y t her e' s no mor esal i va. He smashes agai n. The shel l br eaks t o smi t her eens.Coconut mi l k spl ashes everywher e.

CHUCK That was smar t , r eal l y smar t .

Rot at i ng a nut al ong i t s axi s and car ef ul l y movi ng hi sf i nger s out of t he way, he SMASHES t he nut agai n. The shel lspl i t s! The pr eci ous l i qui d spl ashes out . Lef t i nsi de i s aswal l ow or t wo, whi ch Chuck l aps up eager l y. The mi l ky whi t el i qui d dr i bbl es down hi s f ace.

CHUCKAhhh.

EXT. BEACH - SUNRI SE

Chuck squi nt s at t he ocean. Hi s sunbur n i s bad - - hi s l i psar e cr acked. A st ack of broken coconut shel l s i s besi de hi m.No one' s t her e - - agai n.

CHUCKMaybe t he GPS mal f unct i oned. That Koreanai r l i ner di d.

Cl ouds scud i n f r ont of t he sun. Beyond t he r eef t he wavesare hi gh and chur ni ng. Chuck can see t hem pound ont o t hereef .

CHUCK



Okay, do t he mat h. Maybe t hey know whereyou ar e wi t hi n, say 500 mi l es. That ' s aci r cl e wi t h an ar ea of , uh, pi r squar ed.So, uh, 250, 000 t i mes t hree poi nt onef our , t hat ' s about 800, 000 squar e mi l es.

Three t i mes t he si ze of Texas.

Thi s si nks i n. Then Chuck gets an i dea.

CHUCK They coul d use a sat el l i t e.

But even t hat doesn' t gi ve hi m much hope.

CHUCKSay each sat el l i t e phot o i s 30 f eetsquare, that ' s uh. . . f uck i t . . . bi l l i onsand bi l l i ons of phot os.

That si nks i n.

CHUCKAw, someone wi l l come.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

Chuck sl eeps by t he coconuts. The t i de i s comi ng i n. Chuckst i r s, get s up, st agger s over t o a pal m t r ee t o rel i evehi msel f .

He st ares i dl y out at t he moonl i ght on t he waves. Then notso i dl y. Somet hi ng' s out t her e, somet hi ng f l oat i ng on t het i de.

CHUCKWhat t he hel l ?

EXT. BEACH - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck spl ashes i nt o t he gent l e sur f , r eaches t he dar k obj ect .

I t ' s a body. Chuck t ur ns i t over . I t ' s Al , one of t hepi l ot s, hi s f ace gr ay and wat erl ogged and ver y dead.

CHUCKOh J esus.


Chuck dr ags t he body up on t he beach and t hen col l apses,exhaust ed. He si t s by i t , st ar i ng at i t .

CHUCKI ' m so sorr y, Al . So sorr y.




Chuck has al most f i ni shed a gr ave i n the sand back of t hepal m t r ees. He' s been di ggi ng wi t h a pi ece of dr i f t woodshar pened wi t h hi s st one kni f e.

He dr ags t he body i nt o t he pi t . St ar es down at i t . Thatcoul d be me.

CHUCKGot t o cover Al up.

He want s t o say more, can' t . He scoops some sand over t hebody.

CHUCKGot t o cover Al up.

He scoops i n some more sand. I t ' s eer i l y l i ke bur yi ng t het r opi cal f i sh i n hi s back yar d.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Wi t h a r ock Chuck hammers a cr ude dr i f t wood marker i nto t hesand.

EXT. BEACH - LATER THAT DAY

As Chuck si t s on t he beach, he hal f - si ngs, hal f - t al ks "Yel l owSubmar i ne" ver y qui et l y t o hi msel f .

CHUCKWe al l l i ve i n a yel l ow submar i ne, yel l owsubmar i ne. . .

He l ooks over at t he deep woods and down to t he r ocky poi nt .Comes t o a deci si on. He t akes a dri nk of coconut , pi cks uphi s cl ub and a coconut , st i cks t he st one kni f e i n hi s pant s.He' s r eady t o go.

EXT. BEACH - DAY - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck cl i mbs over t he rocks and di sappear s out of si ght .He' s st i l l hal f - s i ngi ng t o hi msel f .

CHUCK Yel l ow submar i ne. We al l l i ve i n ayel l ow submar i ne. . .

EXT. I SLAND - DAY - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck' s way i s bl ocked by r ocks and j ungl e. He hesi t at es.He pi cks up a rock and THROWS I T t o scare away al l t hose badt hi ngs. I t cr ashes i nt o t he f er ns and pal m t r ees. He t akesa st ep i nt o t he j ungl e.

EXT. J UNGLE - MI NUTES LATER

Chuck st r uggl es t hr ough a dense t hi cket beneat h a j ungl e



canopy. Vi nes and cr eepers r each out t oward hi m. There i sno path, nothi ng t o show hi m where t o go.

EXT. J UNGLE - HALF HOUR LATER

Chuck cl i mbs t hr ough a t angl e of vi nes and f erns. He t akes adr i nk f r om t he coconut he i s car r yi ng. The l ast dr i nk.

CHUCKBad i dea. Shoul d have saved some.

He t hr ows away t he husk. He l ooks up, but t he onl y sunl i ghtr eachi ng hi m i s dappl ed f r omt he canopy above hi m.

EXT. I SLAND - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck emerges ont o a r i dge t hat l eads to a summi t . He cl i mbsacr oss a r ocky l ava f i el d cover ed wi t h scr ub l i chen and l owf er ns, soi l dar k as cof f ee beans, hi s way crossed by st eepgul l i es that cut l i ke dar k f i nger s i nt o t he l ava.

The l ava f i el d narr ows, f or ci ng Chuck cl oser t o t he sea. Hepasses a ser i es of CAVES, t hei r mout hs dar k and myst eri ousand scar y. He gi ves t hem a wi de ber t h.

EXT. I SLAND - CLI FF - MOMENTS LATER

The l and narr ows t o a l edge t hat st r et ches acr oss a hi ghcl i f f perched over t he ocean. Beyond t hi s rock br i dge t hepat h smoot hes out t o a summi t .

Chuck st ares at t he nar r ow bri dge, t hen down at t he wavesbr eaki ng on t he r ocks f ar bel ow. To get any vi ew, he wi l lhave t o cross t he br i dge. He' s t hi r st y. The l at e af t er noonsun i s hot .

CHUCKOt her t han that , Mr s. Li ncol n, how di dyou enj oy t he pl ay?

Huggi ng t he wal l of t he cl i f f , t aki ng each st ep wi t h gr eatcaut i on, he set s out across t he br i dge.

EXT. I SLAND - CLI FF

St ep by st ep, Chuck negot i ates the narr ow bri dge. He r eachesa f l ume of pol i shed basal t whi ch cut s acr oss the l edge l i ke a

sl i de i n a water par k - - except t hi s f l ume ends hi gh abovet he waves. Chuck t r i es t o st ep across i t , can' t qui t e, t r i esone f oot f i r st , t hen t he ot her .

CHUCKShi t !

He l ooks back, but t hat seems even scar i er.

CHUCK



Got t o get t her e. Got t o see. C' mon. . .c' mon. Don' t be such a wuss. Be bol d.

He l ooks down at t he ocean beneath hi m, cl oses hi s eyes, and j umps. I t ' s onl y a f ew f eet , but he' s breat hi ng hard when hel ands on t he other si de. He hugs the r ocks, get t i ng hi sbr eat h.

EXT. I SLAND SUMMI T - SUNSET - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck l ooks t o each poi nt on t he compass. He i s on anI SLAND, smal l , i nhospi t abl e, wi t hout si gn of habi t at i on oranyt hi ng human. On t hree si des t he waves break agai nstst eep, host i l e cl i f f s. A r eef encl oses t he cove wher e hecame f r om.

CHUCKNo way on. No way of f .

Chuck st ar es out t o sea i n ever y di r ect i on. Nothi ng.

CHUCK Thi s i s bad. Real l y, r eal l y bad.

The l ast r ays of sun hi t hi s f ace. The ocean t urns a deepr eddi sh gol d.

EXT. CLI FF - MOMENTS LATER

Goi ng down i s even scar i er . I t ' s dusk and t he l i ght i s f l atand gr ay. Chuck st ar es at t he l edge.

CHUCKCome on. Cr awl i f you have t o.

Chuck cr awl s on hi s hands and knees acr oss t he rock br i dge.

EXT. ROCKY SLOPE - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck st umbl es over t he r ocks. The caves l ook omi nous andpr i mal .

EXT. EDGE OF J UNGLE - NI GHT

I t ' s get t i ng dar k now. The j ungl e seems i mpenetr abl e, t hedar k wood of f abl e. Chuck hesi t at es, t hen pl unges i nt o i t .

EXT. J UNGLE - NI GHT MI NUTES LATER

The moon has j ust begun t o r i se, cast i ng eer i e l i ght i nt o t he j ungl e. The shadows r each out t o grab Chuck, t hen r ealbr anches and vi nes t ug at hi m. He heads i nt o t hi ckbl ackness.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT - LATER

Chuck emerges around t he r ocks. He r eaches t he st ack of



f ami l i ar FedEx boxes - - Ahh, home! He' s br eathi ng hard, f r ombot h f ear and exer t i on.

CHUCKGot t o dr i nk. Got t o dr i nk somet hi ng.

Wi t h hi s l ast st r engt h he opens a coconut on t he st i ck. Hebangs hard on t he shel l and gul ps down t he mi l k. He st aresat t he st ack of FedEx boxes. What coul d be i nsi de? Her eaches out and touches one.

CHUCK They don' t bel ong t o you.

Responsi bi l i t y get s t he bet t er of necessi t y, and he t akes hi shand away.


Face r ed f r omt he sun, Chuck hacks at a pal m f r ond wi t h hi s

st one kni f e. He saws the pal m f r ond of f near t he base,l eavi ng i t about a f oot l ong.

CHUCKGot t o have shade. Got t o have a hat .

He t i es the l oose f i ber s i nt o a sor t of ci r cl e, t hen set s i tupon hi s head. I t l ooks amazi ngl y l i ke some sor t ofpr i mi t i ve cap.

He gr abs a coupl e of FedEx boxes and heads f or t he beach.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck f i ni shes t he P on H E L P, whi ch he has spel l ed outwi t h t he FedEx boxes on t he beach.

EXT. J UNGLE - DAY - LATER

Chuck scr ambl es down a r avi ne. He kneel s down and f eel s t hegr ound. I t i s dr y, compl et el y dr y.

EXT. LAVA SLOPE - DAY

Chuck t r aver ses t he sl ope, det er mi ned t o f i nd water .

A FLAT ROCK - LATER

Wi t h a puddl e of di r t y wat er t r apped i n a t i ny hol l ow.Suddenl y Chuck f l ops down i nt o f r ame. He t r i es to scoop upsome wat er i n hi s hands, but he j ust spl ashes i t ar ound. Hel i cks hi s f i ngers . Then he gets down on hi s st omach and l apsup t he wat er wi t h hi s t ongue. Li ke an ani mal .

I n t he bot t omof t he smal l depr essi on i s some f i ne mud. Her ubs i t on hi s r eddened f ace and acr oss hi s bur ned l i ps.



CHUCKOh, God. Thank you.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

Chuck l i es i n dar kness, hi s eyes r ef l ect i ng the moon.

EXT. J UNGLE - DAY

Chuck i s dr enched i n sweat . He i s at t he bot t omof a hol esi x f eet deep. He t akes one l ast di g wi t h t he f l at st i ck,t hen l i cks the moi st cl ay t hat st i cks to i t .

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck br eaks open anot her coconut and gul ps down the mi l kyl i qui d. Wi t h a st one kni f e he di gs i n t he shel l f or some oft he meat , but i t ' s dr y and chewy and f i br ous. He spi t s i tout , t hen l i es back on t he sand and st ar es at t he f i r stst ar s. Hal f si ngs t o hi msel f .

CHUCK You deser ve a break t oday. . .

He i s desper atel y t hi r st y. Hunger gnaws at hi m.

EXT. BEACH - DAY - LATER

Hol di ng a shar pened st i ck, Chuck wades i n t he shal l ows at l owt i de, l ooki ng f or f i sh. I t ' s di f f i cul t t o keep hi s bal ance.Suddenl y a shadow f l ashes by, gl i nt i ng i n t he morni ngsunl i ght . Chuck hur l s t he spear , whi ch r i cochet s of f t hewater and f l oat s away.

Chuck pl unges i nt o t he wat er af t er t he f i sh wi t h hi s bar ehands. The f i sh r ever ses di r ect i on. Chuck l eaps af t er i tand goes under . He comes up spl ut t er i ng, on hi s hands andknees i n the shal l ows.

Suddenl y a whol e school of f i sh swi ms by hi m, movi ng i nuni son, l i ke one creat ur e, spl i t t i ng ar ound Chuck l i kemer cur y. He gr abs at them desper atel y. Nothi ng.

CHUCKDamn f i sh!

On some r ocks he sees cl ust ers of l i mpets. He t akes a r ock

and t r i es t o di sl odge one, but i t smashes i nt o a soggy mess.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Di scour aged, he si t s down on the beach and gets hi s breat h.

I dl y, Chuck t akes out hi s wal l et . The money i s soaked. Hel ays i t out t o dry. He f i nds a PHOTOGRAPH OF KELLY, soakedand mushy.



He t r i es t o smoot h i t out . For a moment he i s over come. Hi sf ace t i ght ens, hi s eyes get moi st . He st ar es out t o sea.

CHUCKWai t a mi nut e. Wai t j ust a mi nut e.

He pi cks up hi s wal l et agai n and t akes out a cr edi t car d.

EXT. BEACH - MI NUTES LATER

Chuck wades i n t he wat er , st ops by a r ock covered wi t hl i mpet s. He uses a CREDI T CARD t o scrape of f a l i mpet .

CHUCKDon' t l eave home wi t hout i t .

Wi t h hi s f i nger , he pr ods around i n t he mucous- l i ke meat ,t hen t i l t s up t he shel l and we see the gooey gr ay st uf f sl i deof f t he shel l i nt o hi s mout h.

CHUCK Yuck.

He st ar t s t o spi t i t out . Tr i es t o make hi msel f l i ke i t .

CHUCK Yumm.

And he swal l ow i t .

EXT. BEACH - SUNSET

Chuck si t s i n t he shade of a pal m t r ee sur r ounded by a pi l eof smashed coconut husks and a st ack of l i mpet shel l s. Hechecks hi s wat ch f or a moment .

CHUCKGot t o get t hi s f i xed.

But what ' s t he poi nt ? Ever ythi ng t hat was so val uabl e bef orei s usel ess now.

EXT. J UNGLE - LATER

Chuck di gs yet another hol e. He chant s t o hi msel f , al mostdel usi onal l y.

CHUCKWater, water , everywhere, water, waterever ywher e. . .

Cover ed i n sweat , desperat e and exhaust ed, he t hrows down hi swooden spade.

CHUCKWhere' s t he wat er on t hi s f ucki ng i sl and?



He l i es on hi s back, br eat hi ng har d. Pul l s hi s hat over hi seyes.

CHUCK J ust r est a mi nute.


Chuck i s l yi ng i n t he hol e. We f i nd hi s f eet . Sl owl y wat eri s oozi ng out of t he cl ay, a puddl e i s bui l di ng ar ound hi st oes.


Chuck' s eyes snap awake. He l ooks down at hi s f eet . There' sa pool of muddy wat er t her e. He di ps hi s hand i n i t , t ouchesa f i nger t o hi s l i ps t o be sur e he' s not dreami ng.

He gr abs hi s shar pened st one, begi ns t o at t ack t he cl ay.

CHUCKOh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.

EXT. BEACH - SUNSET

Chuck car ef ul l y makes marks on a pal m t r ee wi t h hi s r ockkni f e. One f or each day. Ver y neat . Ver y pr eci se. VeryChuck.

CHUCKLet ' s see, I wai t ed t wo days.

( makes marks) Then I bur i ed Al .

( sl owl y makes anot her mark)Al . You never made i t home, buddy. ThenAmer i can Expr ess got me those cl am

t hi ngs. . .( makes anot her mark)

I dug al l t hose damn hol es, t he cl oudsover t he moon. . .

( makes mor e mar ks)And t oday, t he hi st ori c di scover y of H,

Two, Oh.( makes a t ent h mar k andunder l i nes i t )

Ten days. Shi t .

For a moment , he f eel s t he wei ght of hi s i sol at i on. Then heal l ows hi msel f a deep br eat h. Ther e i s or der now, af t er al l .

Ti me i s under cont r ol .

EXT. CLI FF - DAY

Ver y car ef ul l y, but st andi ng thi s t i me, Chuck makes hi s wayacross t he l edge.

EXT. SUMMI T - DAY



He emerges on t he t op, t akes a dr i nk f r om a hand-madecant een, and l ooks i n al l di r ect i ons. Agai n, he sees nothi ngbut ocean.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

He r esumes hi s ef f or t s at f i shi ng. A shape scut t l es raggedl ybeneat h hi m.

CHUCKA crab, i t ' s a crab.

He f r eezes, hol di ng hi s spear mot i onl ess. Then he j abs att he cr ab - - mi sses! The cr ab scur r i es away t oward t he r ocks.

CHUCKDammi t !

Chuck spl ashes af t er i t , st abbi ng as he goes, f al l i ng,

get t i ng up, st abbi ng agai n.

Suddenl y one st ab f eel s di f f er ent . Chuck car ef ul l y l i f t s upt he spear . On t he end i s a squi r mi ng cr ab.

CHUCKI di d i t . I di d i t !

He wal ks car ef ul l y wi t h i t t o t he beach. Lower i ng t he spear ,he l et s t he crab sl i p of f . I t dar t s t owar d t he wat er . Chuckheads i t of f , t r yi ng t o avoi d t he snappi ng cl aws.

He ki cks i t back t oward the beach, t hen sl ams a r ock down oni t . He t wi st s of f a crab cl aw, expect i ng t o see f l aky whi t emeat . But a cr ab has an exoskel eton. The f l esh si mpl y pour sout , l i ke mucous.

CHUCK J esus.

Thi s i s t oo much. He needs t he next st ep, f r om t he r aw t ot he cooked. The cr uci al next st ep f r ompr i mi t i ve man t o t hebegi nni ngs of ci vi l i zat i on.

EXT. PALM GROVE SERI ES OF SHOTS - TRYI NG TO MAKE FI RE

Chuck r ubs t wo st i cks t ogether . Nothi ng.

Chuck posi t i ons a makeshi f t dr i l l i n a hol e he has scoopedout i n a pi ece of dr i f t wood. He spi ns the dr i l l wi t h gr eatef f ort . Not hi ng.

CHUCKSt upi d f ucki ng t hi ng!

He qui t s, exhaust ed. He l ooks at hi s hands. They are r awand bl i st er ed. He f eel s l i ke J ob.



CHUCK

I don' t know what I di d, God, butwhat ever i s was, I am r eal l y, r eal l ysor r y. You hear me? Real l y sorr y.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck emerges f r om t he j ungl e and wal ks t o the edge of t heocean. He di ps hi s bl i st ered hands i nt o t he sea wat er , t henl ooks over at t he FedEx boxes t hat spel l out H E L P.

CHUCKDon' t have a choi ce, do I ?

He wal ks over and pi cks a f ew boxes up f r om t he P.

EXT. PALM GROVE - DAY

Wi t h hi s st one kni f e and spear t o hel p hi m. Chuck begi ns t o

open t he FedEx boxes. Chuck r i ps open t he end of one box andshakes i t . Out t umbl e some vi deot apes. Chuck l ooks at t hem:what good ar e t hey?

Chuck t ear s anot her box open. Out sl i de some l egal paper scover ed wi t h Post - i t s.

I n qui ck cut s, we see hi m dump out comput er memory boards,some desi gner dr esses, f l ower s, a pai r of r ol l er bl ades, ascr i pt wi t h a r ed cover - - whi ch he never r eads.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

By now he has t aken al l t he boxes i n t he P. Onl y H E Lr emai ns. He pauses t o l et t he i r ony of t hat si nk i n, t hencol l ect s more boxes. He i s even more exhaust ed.

EXT. PALM GROVE

Two boxes r emai n. One i s t he box wi t h Angel Wi ngs. Chuckset s i t asi de. He opens t he ot her box. Out t umbl es aDOCTOR' S BAG. Chuck can' t bel i eve i t . He opens t he bag.I t ' s f ul l of great stuf f . Medi ci ne. A scal pel . A saw.

CHUCKOkay. Okay now.

EXT. PALM GROVE - LATER

Hands bandaged, Chuck t r i es to st r i ke a spark on t he rol l erbl ade wheel housi ng. Tri es over and over . Nothi ng.

He t akes a l ong dr i nk f r om hi s cant een, and f l i nches. Hi st oot h i s star t i ng t o hur t . He f i shes some Tyl enol out of t hesurgeon' s bag and t akes t wo.

EXT. OTHER SI DE OF I SLAND - DAY



Chuck pi cks some ber r i es and gi ngerl y t r i es t hem. They' r enot bad. He eat s more. Then more. What a r el i ef .

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

Chuck l i es on hi s pal m f r onds, gr oani ng and hol di ng hi sst omach. He dr ags hi msel f t o hi s knees, cr awl s a f ew f eet ,and t hr ows up i n gr eat , vi ol ent heaves.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

St i l l l ooki ng a l i t t l e gr een, Chuck mar ks anot her day on hi st r ee cal endar .

EXT. SUMMI T

He st ar es out t o sea. Nothi ng.

EXT. WELL - DAY

Chuck l i es on hi s bel l y and dr i nks f r omt he wel l , whi ch hasf i l l ed wi t h wat er . Then he washes hi s f ace and spl asheswat er over hi s neck. The sur f ace of t he wel l st i l l s,br i ngi ng CHUCK' S REFLECTI ON i nto f ocus. He st ares athi msel f .

Ver y car ef ul l y Chuck shaves wi t h t he surgeon' s scal pel .

Chuck checks out hi s new appearance i n t he wat er . Muchbet t er . A cl ean st ar t now.


He si t s i n f ront of hi s f ai l ed ef f ort s t o make f i re.

CHUCK You' r e not get t i ng i t hot enough. Got t ohol d t he heat . Got t o hol d t he heat .

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck car ef ul l y shaves some t i nder . Put s i t under a pi ece ofbamboo spl i t l engt hwi se wi t h a not ch cut acr oss i t .

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck uses a bamboo st i ck t o t r y t o make f r i ct i on i n thespl i t hal f of t he bamboo. He saws back and f ort h wi t h al lhi s mi ght , pr essi ng i t down i n the gr oove.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck gi ves one l ast saw wi t h hi s bamboo and st ops, ut t er l ydef eat ed. I t ' s al l t oo much.

CHUCK



Sonof abi t ch!

He st ar t s t o r ub agai n. He br eat hes hard, sweat pour s of fhi s f ace. He i s r eal l y goi ng f or i t , what t he hel l ! A t i nywi sp of smoke appears! Chuck saws wi t h even mor e energy.

CHUCKCome on. Come on.

The smoke i ncr eases. Chuck r i ps away t he bamboo, grabs t henest of shavi ngs, and bl ows on i t f r ant i cal l y. The smokef l i cker s and di es. Chuck can' t bel i eve i t .

CHUCKNo. No. No.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

Chuck l i es i n hi s bed of pal m f r onds, shi ver i ng. He l ooks upat t he st ar s, whi ch bl aze f ur i ousl y.

CHUCK That ' s t he bi g di pper . . . Or i on. . . or i st hat t he Sout her n Cr oss. . . ? Kel l y woul dknow.

And he mi sses her so much. A shower of met eors st r eaksacross t he sky, as i f t he very heavens are rai ni ng down onChuck.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck r eadi es hi s t wo st i cks of bamboo agai n and begi nssawi ng wi t h t r emendous energy. He smel l s somethi ng. I s i tsmoke? He pul l s of f t he l og and l ooks eagerl y at t he nest oft i nder . Ther e' s not hi ng t her e.

CHUCKDammi t !

He r epl aces t he l og and st ar t s weari l y t o saw agai n.

TI ME CUT

The sun has moved i n t he sky. Chuck i s st i l l sawi ng. Agai nt he smoke appears . Agai n sweat pour s f r om hi s f ace. Thesmoke i ncreases. He saws even har der . Hi s br eat h comes i n

angui shed gul ps. Smoke i s cur l i ng up now. Chuck t ear s awayt he bamboo, pi cks up the nest of ki ndl i ng, and bl ows on i tgent l y. The smoke i ncreases.

He bl ows some more. A f r agi l e cr i mson spar k appears.

CHUCKCar ef ul now, car ef ul . . .

He gent l y pl aces t he nest of shavi ngs i n t he ki ndl i ng, t hen



bl ows on i t wi t h ut most care, as i f he wer e hol di ng l i f ei t sel f . He shreds hi s money and busi ness car ds over t he t i nyf l ame.

Suddenl y, t he eveni ng br eeze l i f t s t he nest out of t heki ndl i ng. Desper at e, Chuck gr abs i t . Tr yi ng t o shi el d i twi t h hi s body, he gr abs some pal m f r onds and j ams t hem i nt ot he sand, t r yi ng t o make a wi ndbr eak. They r ust l e and shakeand bl ow over .

The wi nd bl ows harder . Chuck j ams some r ocks i n a ci r cl e t omake an eddy. But t he f i r e i s out . No words now, j ust al oud, pr i mal gr oan of pur e despai r .

And t hen, i nt o hi s vi si on f l oat s. . . smoke.

Chuck l ooks down. A wi sp of smoke cur l s up f r om t he nest oft i nder ! Chuck bl ows on i t gent l y. Suddenl y a t i ny t ongue off l ame f l i cker s and cat ches on t he ki ndl i ng!

CHUCK Yes! Yes! Yes!

He f eeds i n some more t wi gs, more t i nder . The f l ames l i ckout , cat ch, gr ow.

CHUCKI f I ever f or got t o thank you God, and Iam sur e I di d, t hank you now.

EXT. BEACH - WI DE - NI GHT

The f i r e bur ns on t he beach. Chuck r ushes about , pi l i ng ondr i f t wood.

EXT. BEACH - CLOSER

Chuck dart s i nt o t he j ungl e and ret ur ns draggi ng a huge l og.He t hr ows i t on t he f i r e. We see hi s f ace i n t he l i ght oft he f i r e. He i s exul t ant . He dances. He si ngs at t he t opof hi s l ungs. Papa- ooo- mow- mow!

Chuck throws anot her huge l og on t he f i r e. Papa- papa- papa-oooo! The l og spl ut t ers and expl odes, sendi ng up a hugeshower of sparks t hat cl i mb and spar kl e i n thedar kness. . . unt i l t hey mer ge wi t h the st ar s.

EXT. PALM GROVE - MORNI NG

Chuck makes a mark on t he t r ee. Ar ound i t he car ves a f l ame- - t he day he mast er ed f i r e.

EXT. PALM GROVE - LATER THAT MORNI NG

Chuck shar pens hi s spear wi t h hi s st one kni f e. Then hesti cks i t i n t he f l ame t o harden i t , pul l s i t out , checks i t ,scr apes some mor e.



EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck wades i n t he wat er wi t h hi s spear . Suddenl y he st absi t down. A cr ab i s on t he end.

EXT. BEACH - HALF HOUR LATER

Chuck r emoves a cr ab f r om out of t he f i r e and breaks ast eami ng cr ab cl aw. Chuck t akes a bi t e of t he f l aky whi t emeat . Ahhh. I t t ast es gr eat . He t akes anot her bi t e - - andf l i nches .

CHUCKDamn t oot h!

He f umbl es f or hi s Tyl enol and t akes t wo pi l l s.

EXT. SUMMI T - SUNSET

Chuck st ands on t he summi t , l ooki ng i n al l di r ect i ons. Then,somethi ng on t he i sl and br i ngs Chuck' s eyes back f r omt hei rdi st ant f ocus on t he hori zon. Fromdown on t he beach,beneat h the pal m gr ove, t her e cur l s a t hi n col umn of smoke.Chuck l et s a bi t of pr i de creep i nt o hi s f ace as he sees i t .He kneel s down and begi ns t o bui l d a si gnal f i r e.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT - LATER

Chuck cur l s up i n hi s bed of pal m f r onds. The f i r e bur ns.Ar ound i t i s a l ar ge st ack of crab shel l s. He st ar es i nt othe f i re.

EXT. PALM GROVE - MORNI NG

Chuck makes anot her mark on t he t r ee. He has ci r cl ed t het r ee wi t h marks sever al t i mes now.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Usi ng a saf ety pi n and some sut ur i ng t hr ead, Chuck f i shescar ef ul l y. Suddenl y he j er ks hi s hand back. On t he end i s af l oppi ng f i sh.


Chuck t akes a cooked f i sh of f t he f i r e and mi xes i t wi t h some

br eadf r ui t . He eat s t he sof t mi xtur e, chewi ng car ef ul l y, buthi s t oot h hur t s even worse. Ther e ar e onl y a f ew Tyl enolt abl et s l ef t . He car ef ul l y cut s one i n hal f and swal l ows i t .

EXT. SUMMI T - AFTERNOON

Chuck ar r i ves wi t h t he wood f or t he ni ght . He st ar es out t osea as usual , but t hi s t i me he sees somet hi ng di f f er ent .

WHALES. He sees whal es. Leapi ng. Br oachi ng. Spout i ng.



Water pour i ng of f f i ns and f l ukes. Movi ng. Goi ng somewhere.

CHUCKBeaut i f ul . So beaut i f ul .

Chuck st ares at t hem, st ares unt i l t he ocean darkens and hecan see t hem no more. I t ' s l ate now.

Leavi ng, he t akes one l ast l ook, as he al ways does. Andanother r emar kabl e si ght gr eet s hi s eyes. Ther e, on t hehor i zon, j ust bel ow t he eveni ng st ar , i s a. . . LI GHT. Hestares at i t , f i xed.

CHUCKA s tar . I t ' s a s tar .

But t hen he st ar es at i t r eal l y har d.

CHUCKI t ' s a shi p.

EXT. WOODS - TREE - NEXT DAY

A t r ee shakes and moves, qui ver s. . .

CHUCK Ti mberr r !

. . . t hen sl owl y f al l s wi t h a CRASH!

CHUCKI heard that . . .

Chuck hol ds hi s surgeon' s saw over t he st ump. He wal ks t oanot her t r ee and begi ns t o saw hi s way i nt o the t r unk.

EXT. BEACH - SERI ES OF SHOTS

Up above t he hi gh t i de l i ne, Chuck l ashes a l og t o a r ow off i ve l ogs al r eady j oi ned wi t h vi nes.

CHUCKNo more wai t i ng. Take act i on.

Chuck sews several desi gner dr esses t ogether wi t h needl e andsut ur i ng t hr ead f or a sai l .

CHUCK That ' s r i ght . Take act i on.

He cuts bamboo f or t he mast . He carves dri f t wood f or an oar .

He f i l l s gour ds wi t h wat er , st or es br eadf r ui t and coconut ashe si ngs " Fl y Me t o t he Moon" t o hi msel f .

He t i es t he sai l t o t he mast and ext ends i t wi t h a bambooboom l ashed on wi t h pal m f i ber and vi deo t ape. He t i es on



t he doct or' s ki t and the FedEx box wi t h the angel wi ngs.

He exami nes hi s handi work: a f i ni shed r af t .

He br i ngs out hi s ol d l i f e pr eser ver and put s i t on, t hengr abs hol d of one cor ner of t he r af t t o pul l i t down t o thebeach. I t doesn' t budge. He t r i es t o pul l i t agai n.Not hi ng. He l eans hi s back i nt o i t and pushes wi t h hi s l egs.Nothi ng. He col l apses on t he beach, hi s br eat h comi ng i nheaves.

CHUCKHow coul d I be so st upi d?

He bangs hi msel f on t he head, over and over .

CHUCKSt upi d, stupi d, stupi d.

EXT. PALM GROVE - NI GHT

Chuck t hrows new f i r ewood on t he dwi ndl i ng f i r e. I t comesback t o l i f e. Met eor s st r eak agai n acr oss t he sky. Hest ar es at t he i ndi f f er ent st ar s. The moon i s al most f ul l .Shadows of pal m t r ees sway on t he sand.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

Chuck st ands by t he edge of t he wat er , whi ch shi mmers i n t her ef l ected l i ght of t he f i r e. A wave come i n, l i cks at hi st oes. Li f t s up a coconut husk, sweeps i t gent l y out . Chuckwat ches, get s an i dea.

EXT. BEACH - NI GHT

He begi ns t o di g i n t he sand by t he r af t . He grabs t he oarand di gs f ast er , maki ng a t r ench up t o wher e t he r af t i s.


The r i si ng t i de f l oods wat er i nt o t he t r ench. Chuck r ockst he r af t back and f or t h. I t f l oat s! As t he wave r ecedes, i tt akes the r af t wi t h i t . Chuck has to r un besi de i t .

CHUCK TRYI NG TO ESCAPE - MONTAGE

Over and over , we see Chuck capsi ze at t he r eef . The f i r st

t i me he has a bandage on hi s l eg. He t r i es ever ythi ng - -di f f er ent r af t s, di f f er ent appr oaches, but each t i me theocean spi t s hi m back.

EXT. LAGOON - DAY

Def eat ed and ut t er l y exhaust ed, Chuck swi ms back f r omhi sl atest f ai l ur e. He wades back ashore wi t h t he FedEx box andt hr ows i t on t he gr ound by t he pal m t r ee. He has t r i ed sohard t o escape, so i ncredi bl y hard, done everyt hi ng humanl y



possi bl e and beyond. He r i ps of f hi s l i f e pr eser ver , t hr owsi t i nt o t he under br ush, t hen col l apses on t he beach.

CHUCK You' r e t oo l ow i n t he wat er . Too damnl ow.

Chuck' s shoul ders begi n t o shake, as he i s r acked wi t h deepsobs of despai r .

And t hen he t hr ows hi s head back and l et s f or t h, f r om deepi nsi de hi msel f , a SCREAM of r age and anger and pai n. TheScream pi er ces t he i ndi f f er ent nat ur al sounds of t he i sl and,t he r ust l i ng of t he br eeze, t he l ul l i ng r hythmof t he waves.I t i s powerf ul , di sturbi ng, pr i mal .

The breeze pi cks up. Behi nd Chuck, t he pal m t r ees begi n t osway. The t i de i s r eachi ng up t oward t he beach. The wavescr ash l ouder. The pal m t r ees sway even more.

Chuck pi cks up some wet sand and rubs i t on hi s body.

CHUCKDust t hou art - - t hat ' s f or damned sur e- - and unt o dust shal t t hou r et ur n.

A f ew DROPS OF RAI N begi n t o f al l , spl ashi ng on Chuck ands i zzl i ng i n t he f i re.

Chuck l ooks up: cl ouds have obscur ed t he sun. The wi ndbl ows har der . The r ai n f al l s har der , st r eaki ng t he sandChuck had r ubbed on hi s body. STEAM si zzl es out of t he f i r e.

Chuck l ooks up, di sbel i evi ng. The bot t om f al l s out of t heheavens - - monsoon rai n, more r ai n t han you have ever seenbef or e. A l ong wave r ol l s up, i t s f r ot hy f i nger s reachi ngf or t he f i re.

For get t he r af t ! For get despai r ! The f i r e coul d go out ! Thi s i s di sast er !

CHUCKShi t !

He spr i ngs i nto act i on. Chuck grabs an empty FedEx box.Wi t h hi s wooden shovel he f r ant i cal l y SCOOPS SOME COALS outof t he f i r e as the r ai n HI SSES and POUNDS at t hem. He sl i des

t he coal s i nt o the FedEx box, gr abs some st i cks of dr i f t woodand sets of f on a r un.

EXT. WOODS - DAY

Chuck r uns through t he woods, sl i ppi ng and st umbl i ng. Vi nesgr ab at hi m. The r ai n i s so t hi ck he can har dl y see.

EXT. WOODS - MI NUTES LATER



Chuck burs t s out of t he woods i nt o t he l ava f i el d. Smokepour s out of t he FedEx box. The coal s are about t o bur nt hr ough!

EXT. LAVA FI ELD - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck st umbl es up t he sl i ppery r ocks, draggi ng t he smoki ngbox. Hi s f ace i s dr enched, desper at e.

EXT. CAVE - DAY - MI NUTES LATER

Chuck t umbl es i nt o the cave j ust as t he coal s bur n thr ought he FedEx box.

Usi ng t he r emai ns of t he box, he desperat el y t r i es t o scoott he coal s i nt o a dr y spot .

One by one, THE PRECI OUS COALS GO OUT.

Dr i ppi ng water of f hi s hands and f ace, he pushes a f ew

t oget her wi t h hi s f i nger s, i gnor i ng t he bur ns.

CHUCKPl ease. . . pl ease. . . pl ease. . .

He st omps on t he dr i f t wood and saws at i t wi t h hi s kni f e. Hepl aces thi s ki ndl i ng on t he coal s. They sput t er and si zzl e.Bar el y cat ch. He f ans t hem wi t h t he box. A t i ny f l i ckercat ches, t hen st ar t s t o gr ow.

CHUCKFi r ewood. I need f i r ewood.

SERI ES OF SHOTS

On t he beach, Chuck desperatel y gat her s more f i r ewood i n thedr i vi ng monsoon. He can barel y see. Dr i ven by t he st orm,t he waves ar e l i cki ng at t he pal m gr ove.

He r uns thr ough t he woods. Br anches whi p at hi s f ace. Root st ear at hi s f eet , t r i ppi ng hi m.

He st umbl es up t he l ava f i el d. Sl i di ng. St r uggl i ng. Bar el yabl e t o br eat he, t he r ai n i s so st r ong.

I NT. CAVE - DAY

He dumps t he f i r ewood on t he f l oor of t he cave. But wher et he f i r e had f l i cker ed, t her e i s onl y a pi l e of wet bl ackashes.

THE FI RE I S OUT.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck l i es on t he f l oor of t he cave, shi ver i ng i n t hedar kness as the rai n f al l s. Hi s f i re i s out , hi s t oot h i s



ki l l i ng hi m, he can' t escape.

EXT. CAVE - NEXT DAY

Chuck emerges f r om t he cave. The r ai n has st opped. Thi s i st he absol ut e l owest . Hi s f ace r ef l ect s hi s pai n and despai r .He' s t r apped. I t ' s hopel ess. Ever yt hi ng he t r i ed t o bui l di s gone.

EXT. LEDGE - DAY

Chuck sl owl y wal ks out on t he l edge. He st ares down at t hewaves br eaki ng on t he j agged r ocks f ar bel ow.

He l et s go one hand. Then l et s go t he other. He i s bar el ybal anced. I t l ooks l i ke a wi sp of br eeze woul d bl ow hi mr i ght of f . He sl i des one f oot t o t he ver y l i p of t hepreci pi ce.

Suddenl y hi s f oot sl i ps!

I nst i ncti vel y he t ur ns i nt o t he cl i f f , gr abs f or a hol d! Onehand r eaches f or a nubbi ng of r ock, sl i ps of f ! The ot hercl oses, hi s f i nger s st r ai ni ng t o hol d hi m.

He breat hes i n deep gasps. He had want ed t o end i t , come socl ose.

CHUCKWhat t he f uck are you doi ng?

Hi s deepest i nst i nct was t o sur vi ve. And t hat i s what he i sgoi ng t o do.

CHUCKHang on. J ust hang on.

Sl owl y he pul l s hi msel f back f r om t he edge.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck wal ks ai ml essl y down the beach, f eel i ng t he bur den ofst ar t i ng over. The beach i s l i t t er ed wi t h seaweed andf l ot sam, bi t s of r ope, pl ast i c bot t l es. He pi cks up apl ast i c bot t l e. That wi l l come i n handy.

The Chuck sees a SOCCER BALL wi t h "Wi l son" st amped on i t i n

bi g bl ack l et t ers.

He pi cks i t up, hol ds i t , t osses i t up i n t he ai r . Then heki cks i t , t hen ki cks i t agai n, t hen r uns down t he beach,t r yi ng t o ki ck i t and keep i t out of t he wat er . Feel i ng j oyagai n, even her e.

I NT. CAVE - THAT DAY

The sun i s set t i ng on hi s darkened cave. The soccer bal l



si t s i n t he corner by the bl ack col d ashes of what was oncehi s f i r e.

Chuck carves a bi t of coconut meat , t akes a bi t e and wi ncesas t he meat hi t s hi s sor e t oot h. He t osses t he shel l on asmal l new pi l e of shel l s.

Chuck shakes out t he l ast hal f Tyl enol t abl et . He put s t het abl et i n hi s mout h, t hen t akes a si p out of hi s coconutcant een. When t he water hi t s hi s toot h t hat hur t s too.

I NT. CAVE - MORNI NG

Chuck mi xes a mash of br eadf r ui t and coconut . He t r i es topack t he tooth wi t h t he mash, but i t ' s so sensi t i ve t hat event hi s hur t s. He pounds t he f l oor of t he cave i n f r ust r at i on.

I NT. CAVE - LATER

Chuck hol ds a st one chi sel and hi s hammer s t one. He

posi t i ons the chi sel agai nst hi s i nf l amed t oot h. But t het hought of what he i s about t o do i s t oo f r i ght eni ng. Hel ower s t he chi sel .

CHUCKShi t . Shi t . Shi t .

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck t r i es t o f i l l hi s mout h wi t h sea wat er . The pai n i s sogr eat hi s eyes wat er .

CHUCKWhoo, pi g. Sooey!

He f al l s back i n t he wat er and f l oat s t her e, l ooki ng up att he sky.

I NT. CAVE - LATER

Det er mi ned, Chuck hol d t he st one chi sel agai n. He r ai ses i tsl owl y t o hi s mout h and pi cks up t he hammer st one.

CHUCKNo pai n, no gai n.

He br i ngs t he hammer down har d on t he chi sel ! The scr een

goes BLACK as Chuck' s SCREAM cont i nues UNDER.

FADE I N:

EXT. OCEAN - SUNRI SE - THREE YEARS LATER

The sky t akes on t he f i r st col or s of t he day. The ocean i sst i l l dar k, but a f ew waves cat ch t he f i r st l i ght . Thesunr i se touches t he summi t , moves down t he cl i f f , t hen l i ght st he cove. On t he scr een super i mpose:



"1000 DAYS LATER"

REFLECTI ON - WATER

A spear shi mmers i n t he cal m morni ng water. At t ached t o t hespear i s a man, st andi ng compl et el y st i l l .

ON CHUCK

We move up out of t he r ef l ect i on t o t he r eal man. Hi s l egsare scarr ed. The r emnant s of a dr ess wr ap around hi s mi ddl e.A st one kni f e on a neat l y mount ed haf t i s st uck i n a bel tmade of vi deot ape and woven f i ber. Neckl aces of shar k' st eet h and shel l s hang f r om hi s neck. Hi s hai r i s l ong. Acoconut f r ond hat i s on hi s head.

The hand wr apped around t he spear i s scar r ed and brown as aber r y. I t hol ds t he spear per f ectl y st i l l . The wat ch i sgone.

We come ar ound sl owl y unt i l we see Chuck' s f ace. The eyessay i t al l . They st ar e out wi t h a sur vi vor ' s i nt ensi t y,st ar i ng at t he water , unbl i nki ng. Thi s i s t he man who usedt o spl ash f ut i l el y about i n t he wat er t r yi ng t o f i sh.

Thi s i s t he FedEx man who was pl ugged i nt o t he t umul t ofact i vi t y and ener gy, sur r ounded by technol ogy and humanact i vi t y at i t s most i nt ense, devot ed t o maki ng secondscount . Now he i s ut t er l y al one, and ut t er l y st i l l .

And now he has al l t he t i me i n the wor l d.

Suddenl y, wi t hout an once of wast ed mot i on, he shoot s t hespear f orwar d at a l ow angl e. I t qui ver s, st uck on t hebot t om. He pul l s i t out wi t h a pr act i ced t wi st . On t he endi s a str uggl i ng f i sh.

But t hi s i sn' t a t hr i l l anymor e. I t ' s anot her day at t heof f i ce.


Chuck makes a mark on a pal m t r ee. He has compl et el y cover edt hr ee other t r ees wi t h marks. I t si nks i n how l ong he hasbeen her e.

EXT. J UNGLE - LATER

Chuck car r i es t he f i sh back f r omt he beach. Now t her e i s awel l - worn tr ai l .

I NT. CAVE - THAT AFTERNOON

Chuck ent er s wi t h t he f i sh. We ar e gr eet ed wi t h t he wel l -or der ed l ai r of a pr i mi t i ve st one- age man.



Cl am shel l spi r al s weave i n and out ar ound t he f i r e hol e.St r i ps of eel j er ky and f i sh hang dr yi ng f r om r acks.

Tool s ar e l i ned up neat l y: di ggi ng st i cks, st one hammer s andsaws, spear s neat l y haf t ed ont o shaf t s, dr i l l s, awl s. Bi t sand pi eces of f eat her s, ski ns, bones, r ags, l eaves - - ar e al lneat l y arr anged. St r i ngs and cor ds hang f r omhooks. Coconutbowl s and cooki ng r ocks f orm a smal l ki t chen. A r ai ncoat andr ai n- hat woven of pal m f r onds i s neat l y dr aped over a f r ame.

Evocat i ve pi eces of dri f t wood decor ate t he r oom. A wi ndchi me of obsi di an f l akes sways gent l y. The watch hangs on ast i ck.

The Angel Box has t he pl ace of honor on one si de. On t heot her si de t he Wi l son soccer bal l r est s on a t hr one of r ocks.Seaweed has been pl aced on t he bal l as hai r . Cl am shel l shave been st uck on f or eyes, other shel l s f orm a mout h. At ube shel l and conch f or m a pi pe.

I NT. CAVE - FI RE - NI GHT

The f i sh are bei ng smoke under a pal m f r ond. Eel ski ns hangf romst i cks, roasti ng. Chuck si t s by t he f i re, haf t i ng ast one kni f e ont o a wooden haf t .

He t i es some f i ber t o a st i ck, t hen br ai ds i t i nt o st r i ng,usi ng bot h hands and hi s mout h f or t he thr ee st r ands.

He t i es the st r i ng t i ght l y ar ound t he shaf t . He does hi swor k aut omat i cal l y.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT - LATER

Chuck eats some f i sh and some mashed breadf r ui t . He chewseach bi t e, hi s eyes i n di stant f ocus. The f i rel i ght f l i cker son hi s f ace.

EXT. CLI FF - SUNRI SE

Chuck carr i es f i r ewood up t o t he summi t . He mechani cal l yadds wood t o the f i r e. As he does so, somethi ng out t o seacatches hi s eye. He st ops and st ands up.

CHUCK' S POV - WHALES

WHALES broach out past t he r ocky poi nt . Spout s of water

shoot i nt o t he ai r .

ON CHUCK

As he wat ches t hem, a l i ght comes back i nto hi s eyes. Hegr i ns. There' s a bi g gap where hi s t eet h had been. He t ur nsand st r i des down t he hi l l .




He heads across t he rock br i dge that once had so t er r i f i edhi m, wi t hout l osi ng st r i de. I t ' s second nat ur e now.

I NT. CAVE - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck enters t he cave, pi cks up t he bal l and heads out .

EXT. SUMMI T - EVENI NG

The si gnal f i r e burns. A spect acul ar cl oudy sunset l i ghts upt he sky. Chuck si t s wi t h Wi l son on t he summi t , a bowl ofmashed br eadf r ui t i n one hand, a bowl of r oast ed eel ski n i nanot her .

As Chuck wat ches t he sunset unf ol d, wat ches t he whal es goi ngby i n the darkened water, he t akes some roast ed eel chi ps,di ps t hem i nt o the br eadf r ui t past e, and of f er s one toWi l son. Hi s voi ce i s f l at , monot onal .

CHUCK

Chi ps? Di p?

But Wi l son decl i nes.

CHUCKNo?

He takes a bi g cr unchy bi t e.

CHUCKAnother f ucki ng day i n par adi se.

PULL BACK as t he sun goes down and Chuck r eaches i nt o t hebowl agai n and di ps an eel ski n chi p i n t he di p.

EXT. ROCKY LEDGE - NI GHT - LATER

Tor ch i n one hand, Wi l son i n t he ot her , Chuck wal ks acr osst he r ocky l edge. He passes t he f l ume wi t hout even not i ci ng.

Suddenl y hi s shoe breaks! I t ' s sandal made of woven yuccal eaves.

He bends down and f i xes i t , t hen heads on down t he l edge.

EXT. LEDGE - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck makes a casual l eap, a l eap he has made hundreds oft i mes, but t hi s t i me t he sandal comes l oose. I t cat ches on ar ock, and CHUCK FALLS!

Hi s hands ar e cut and br ui sed. He t r i es t o get up, can' t .Chuck si t s back and exami nes hi s f oot . Hi s f i ngers come backcovered wi t h bl ood. He r eaches out t o st eady hi msel f , andl eaves a HANDPRI NT OF BLOOD on t he r ock.

I NT. CAVE - LATER



Chuck wr aps hi s f oot i n bandages.

I NT. CAVE - LATER

Chuck' s f ace i s sweat y. He l ooks down at hi s f oot . I t i sr ed, swol l en, i nf ect ed. He st ands up, t r i es to put somewei ght on i t . The pai n i s i nt ense.

Chuck st i cks t he scal pel ont o some coal s to steri l i ze i t . Hehol ds i t over hi s f oot , t akes a br eat h, t hen j abs i n i nt o t hewound. The pai n i s i nt ense. Chuck passes out .

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck st i r s, t akes a dr i nk, weakl y tosses on another l og, andcol l apses back on t he f l oor .

I NT. CAVE - DAY

Chuck wakes up, t r embl i ng, shaki ng, wet wi t h sweat . Hest agger s up. Hi s shadow sways on t he wal l of t he cave. Hest r uggl es t o get another l og on t he f i r e. He squi nt s at hi sonl y compani on, t he soccer bal l .

CHUCKHel p me, Wi l son. . .

He col l apses agai n.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck st i r s and squi nt s hi s eyes. He t akes a dr i nk of wat er.He i s f eel i ng bet t er . He put s anot her l og on t he f i r e andsl owl y begi ns t o chew on some br eadf r ui t and dr i ed f i sh.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck sl owl y wades i nt o the wat er , f avor i ng hi s i nj ur ed f oot.But somet hi ng f eel s di f f er ent . He gl ances ar ound. What i si t ? And t hen he sees somethi ng, perhaps t he worst possi bl es i ght .

CHUCK' S POV - SAI L

A SAI L i s movi ng st eadi l y away f r om t he i sl and.

CHUCK

Throws down t he spear and waves hi s ar ms.

CHUCKNo! Wai t ! Come back!

He r uns i nt o t he water and st art s t o swi m. He i s so weak,however , he can onl y make a f ew st r okes. He t r i es t o yel l ashe swi ms. . .



CHUCK

Wai t ! Wai t !

Choki ng and weak, he t urns back and drags hi msel f up on t hebeach. I n t he b. g. , t he sai l dwi ndl es i nt o t he di st ance.

EXT. SUMMI T - LATER

Chuck st r uggl es t o t he t op of t he hi l l . Hi s f i r e has beenext i ngui shed by t he r ai n. I n t he di st ance, f ar agai nst t hehor i zon, he sees a sai l - - or i s i t a cl oud? The whi t enessshi mmers agai nst t he hor i zon. Chuck squi nt s. Whatever i twas, i t i s gone. Above hi m some cont r ai l s f r omj et s mar k t hesky.

Fur i ous, he ki cks hi s si gnal f i r e, scat t er i ng t he bur nt - outcoal s.


Chuck makes a new mark on hi s cal endar t r ee. Then he st ops.He CUTS an angry bi g l i ne under t he l ast mark, t hen hacksaway at t he pal m t r ee, sl ashi ng i t wi t h t he st one kni f e,r i ppi ng and mar ki ng t hr ough al l hi s dat es. Fi nal l y t he st onekni f e br eaks i n t wo. Chuck dr ops t he broken hal f and catcheshi s br eat h.

EXT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck ent er s t he cave. No si gnal f i r es bur n. The i sl and i sdar k.

EXT. SUMMI T - DAY

Chuck st ands on t he summi t , st ari ng out t o sea. Not hi ng, noteven a cont r ai l , not even a whal e spout .


He i s on hi s way down, suddenl y he sees somethi ng and st ops.I t ' s t he HANDPRI NT, t he bl oody handpr i nt , hi s own handpr i nt .

He sl owl y ext ends hi s hand and cover s i t , t hen pul l s i t away. Tr aces i t wi t h hi s f i nger s.

I NT. CAVE - DAYS LATER

Chuck has the begi nni ngs of an ar t i st ' s studi o. Sever all ar ge cl am shel l s hol d pai nt . A f ew egg shel l s ar e l i ned up.Br ushes have been made f r om r oot s and f eat her s.

Chuck covers hi s hand wi t h pai nt and makes a handpr i nt on t hewal l of t he cave. He st ands back and l ooks at i t .

I NT. CAVE - DAY



He chews some berr i es, t hen hol ds hi s hand agai nst t he wal lof t he cave and spi t s a dark bl ue mi st around i t . When het akes hi s hand away, t he si l houet t e of hi s handpr i nt r emai ns.

I NT. CAVE - DAY

Wi t h t he Angel Wi ng Box as a model , Chuck di ps one of hi sf eat her br ushes i n pai nt , and make a t ent at i ve l i ne on t hewal l of t he cave. He wor ks hesi t ant l y, r ubs of f a l i ne,t r i es agai n.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck i s f i ni shi ng hi s f i rst f i gur e, a crude port rai t of aman - - hi msel f ? Hard t o t el l . He exami nes hi s work. Het akes some shel l s and st i cks t hem on as eyes.

Chuck pi cks up Wi l son, t hi nks.

CHUCK

You ol d ai r head, you need a makeover.

He t akes some charcoal out of hi s f i r e and draws eyebrows ont he bal l . Then, he mashes some ber r i es, di ps hi s f i nger s i nt he j ui ce, and makes l i ps. He st i cks shel l s on wi t h cl ay f oreyes. Then he l ooks at t he f ace.

CHUCKWi l son, you bad!

He si t s back and r egards hi s compani on. He gest ures ar oundt he cave at t he new pai nt i ngs.

CHUCKWhat do you t hi nk?

But Wi l son doesn' t have an opi ni on.

CHUCK You don' t share much, do you?

I dl y Chuck t akes down the Angel Box.

CHUCKI guess I know how Kel l y f el t .

For a l ong t i me he st udi es t he wi ngs on i t . Wi t h a st i ck, he

t r i es t o dr aw a si mi l ar wi ng on t he dust y f l oor of t he cave.Di ssat i sf i ed, he wi pes i t away. He l ooks at t he Angel Box.

Casual l y he reaches over and cut s i t open wi t h a st one kni f e.I nsi de he f i nds t wo bot t l es of gr een sal sa. And a l et t er .

He r eads over i t .

CHUCK You sai d our l i f e was a pr i son. Dul l .



Bor i ng. Empt y. I can' t begi n t o t el lyou how much t hat hur t . I don' t want t ol ose you. I ' m encl osi ng some sal sa, t hever de you l i ke. Use i t on your st i ckyr i ce and t hi nk of home. Then come home- - t o me. We' l l f i nd t he spi ce i n ourl i ves agai n. Toget her . I l ove you.Al ways. Bet t i na.

Vi si bl y moved, Chuck put s down t he l et t er.

CHUCKHe never got i t .

EXT. I SLAND - DAY

The monsoon pour s down. Wi nd whi ps t he pal m t r ees. Thewaves are gr ay and angr y, t ear i ng at t he beach.

I NT. CAVE - DAY

As t he rai n pour s down out si de, Chuck st udi es t he sodden,r ui ned phot ogr aph of Kel l y, whi ch i s r eal l y onl y a gr ay mess.

CHUCKShe' s probabl y f ound someone el se. Iwoul d have.

Chuck di ps hi s f i nger i nt o one of t he bowl s of col ors andst r eaks i t sl owl y across hi s f ace. To exor ci se hi sl onel i ness, he wi l l pai nt on t he most expr essi ve canvas t her ei s: hi s own body.

CHUCK PAI NTI NG HI MSELF - MONTAGE

Cl ose- up on scarr ed f i nger s, as they pai nt on Chuck' s f aceand body. Col or on ski n. Ti ght dramat i c shots of Chuckbei ng t r ansf ormed.

Chuck takes whi t e pai nt and cover s hi s hand. Then he pressesi t i nt o hi s chest and makes a handpr i nt . He dr aws a yel l owspi r al on hi s l eg, t hen t akes r ed and makes j agged l i ght ni ngbol t s on hi s chest on ei t her si de of t he hand.

WATER

Shi mmers i n a gour d. Chuck' s f ace swi ms i nto f ocus. I t has

been pai nt ed whi t e. Looki ng at hi msel f i n t he r ef l ect i on, hedot s on bl ue stars wi t h dar k bl ue f r om squi d i nk.

EXT. CAVE - LATER

The r ai ns have st opped. The i sl and i s washed br i ght andgr een.

ON CHUCK



As he st ands up i n t he cove. Hi s f ace i s whi t e wi t h bl uest ar s. Handpr i nt s ci r cl e hi s torso, f l anked by r ed l i ght ni ngbol t s. Br ai ded cor ds ci r cl e hi s bi ceps. Bone neckl aces hangf romhi s neck. Feat hers j ut out f romhi s hai r .

EXT. J UNGLE - DAY

Chuck goes f r omt r ee to t r ee, maki ng handpr i nt s al ong hi spat h. Chuck was her e. Thi s i s hi s mar k.


He cover s the cal endar t r ees wi t h handpr i nt s. Then st ops.Sees somethi ng. Eyes f i xed on t he beach, he wal ks t oward t heshor el i ne.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck emerges f r om t he pal m t r ees, and now we see what he hadseen.

A FI FTY- FI VE GALLON OI L DRUM.

And anot her one. TWO. Chuck st ares at t he barr el s.

CHUCKHel l o.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Chuck si t s star i ng at t he oi l dr ums. I t ' s al most as i f he i shesi t at i ng t o t ake advantage of t hem. That he may not want ,r eal l y, t o l eave now.

Then hi s i nner st r uggl e ends.

CHUCKWhat t he hel l are you wai t i ng f or?

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Fi l l ed wi t h det er mi nat i on, Chuck r ol l s a bar r el up t he beach.

EXT. BEACH - LATER

Usi ng a pal m t r ee as a f ul cr um, Chuck haul s har d on a ropemade of vi nes, pul l i ng t he bar r el up of f t he beach.

EXT. J UNGLE - DAY

Chuck thr ows asi de pal m l eaves, r eveal i ng. . . t he remai ns ofhi s r af t .

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck i s drawi ng wi t h a pur pose now. And we see what he i swor ki ng on. The pl ans f or a r af t .



I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck i s maki ng a l i st of what he needs. He works i nt ent l y.

CHUCKCant eens. Sea anchor . Got t o weaver ope. Spear s. A sai l .

EXT. J UNGLE - DAY

Chuck l ashes the bar r el s ont o t he r af t . Checks t he knots.Lashes more rope.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

He sews dresses t ogether wi t h handmade f i ber st r i ng.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

He weaves vi deot ape t ogether t o f orm a sea anchor .

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck di gs a channel t oward t he raf t .

I NT. CAVE - DAY

Chuck const r uct s a water col l ect i on devi ce wi t h some FedExboxes, some pl ast i c wei ght ed wi t h a st one. Expl ai ns i t t oWi l son.

CHUCKNow I ' m hopi ng t hat i f t hi s i s ai rt i ghtI ' l l get condensat i on down her e, a cup orso a day. I f I ' m caref ul i t shoul d beenough.

I NT. CAVE - NI GHT

Chuck wr i t es on t he wal l .

CHUCKI f I never r et ur n, know t hat her e l i vedChuck Nol and f or f our year s. I dr ewt hese pai nt i ngs. I made t hese marks.And t hen I t ook my f at e i n my own hands

and set f or t h t o save mysel f , Godwi l l i ng.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

Chuck l oads t he r af t , whi ch r ocks gent l y i n t he cove. He hasa sai l made of desi gner dr esses sewn together wi t h f i bert hread. A sea anchor secured by vi deot ape woven t oget heri nt o a r ope. Pl ast i c bot t l es f i l l ed wi t h wat er . A si gnalki t e made of FedEx paper .



Then comes t he FedEx box wi t h t he angel wi ngs. Then Wi l son.

CHUCKWi l son, my mai n man. Ti me t o go.

And he gent l y l eads t he raf t i nt o t he l agoon.

CHUCKWonder what odds St an woul d gi ve me ont hi s. I ' d say 90- 10. Agai nst .

He j umps onto t he raf t , begi ns t o paddl e out t oward where t hesur f crashes ont o t he r eef .

EXT. LAGOON - DAY

Waves br eak agai nst t he r eef . Wi t h hi s paddl es Chuckmaneuver s the r af t t oward t he cut i n t he r eef . Boom! Thewave crashes, t he water surges t hr ough t he cut , t hen r ecedes

wi t h a whoosh.

Chuck wat ches, t i mes t he waves, paddl es l i ke mad. He' scommi t t ed. SCRAPE goes t he f i r st bar r el , t hen t he second,r i di ng t he r ecedi ng wave. He' s out !

But t he next wave i s al r eady surgi ng f orward. I t smashes t her af t agai nst t he r eef ! Coconut s and f oodst uf f s hur t l e of ft he raf t !

The barr el s cushi on t he i mpact . The r af t t i l t s, spi ns, butst ays out si de t he r eef ! The r opes hol di ng t he j ugs of wat erbreak! The wat er sweeps overboar d!

The wave r ecedes agai n. Chuck r ecover s, paddl es wi t h al l hi sst r engt h, and t hen he' s cl ear of t he br eaker s!

For a l ong moment he f l oat s on t he rol l er s, get t i ng hi sbr eat h.

The wat er j ugs f l oat away, car r i ed by t he waves back i nt o t hel agoon. Chuck coul d go back and get t hem. I f he were bei ngpr udent , he def i ni t el y woul d.

But he' s out . He mi ght never get back out agai n.

He st ares at t he l agoon and t he r ecedi ng water j ugs. Then he

st ar es at t he i sl and. Goodbye t o al l t hat .

CHUCKWi l son, we' r e out of her e.

He t ur ns and begi ns r ai si ng t he sai l .

EXT. OCEAN - WI DE - MI NUTES LATER

Power ed by i t s mul t i col or ed makeshi f t sai l , t r ai l i ng i t s



gent l y f l appi ng si gnal ki t e of FedEx paper , t he r af t sl owl ymoves away f r omt he i sl and, out t oward t he open ocean.

And we pul l back unt i l t he ocean swal l ows t he t i ny r af t andt hen we TI LT DOWN AND. . .

DI SSOLVE TO:

EXT. OCEAN - DAY - FOUR WEEKS LATER

The ocean agai n, l ow. The r af t f l oat s i nt o f r ame. A t r aceof a br eeze f l aps t he si gnal ki t e, whi ch bar el y st ays al of t ,i t s rope f r ayed and t at t er ed. The st i l l i s set up i n t hemi ddl e, pl ast i c wi t h a r ock wei ght i ng down t he cent er.

Chuck i s gaunt , hi s cl ot hes r ot t ed.

He l i es l ooki ng over t he si de of t he r af t , spear i n one hand,st ar i ng i nt ent l y at t he wat er .

Dor ados swi m l i ke spect er s, f l ashi ng and dar t i ng. Chuckst abs wi t h hi s spear . St abs agai n.

CHUCKSl ow down, damn you!

Exhaust ed, he si nks back t o t he r af t . Two Dorados l eap i nt ot he ai r ahead of hi m.

Chuck t r i es t o st ar e agai n i nt o t he wat er . He spots anotherf i sh, a f l ash of si l ver under t he sur f ace.

Chuck st r uggl es t o hi s f eet , r ai ses hi s spear . SPLAT!Somet hi ng st r i kes hi m i n t he chest , al most knocki ng hi m i nt ot he wat er.

On t he r af t we see f l ashes of si l ver and gr een and bl ue. AFLYI NG FI SH. Chuck di ves at i t , cat ches i t , l oses i t .

CHUCKCat ch i t cat ch i t cat ch i t - -

He cat ches i t agai n j ust as i t al most f l ops over t he si de.

EXT. RAFT - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck sucks t he j ui ce out of t he head. He chews meat of f t he

t i ny ri b bones.

Chuck i s i n t he st age of mal nut r i t i on, vi t ami n depr i vat i on,sal t i nsuf f i ci ency, and exposur e wher e the per sonal i t y spl i t sand becomes ext ernal . Li ke al l cast aways, he hasconver sat i ons wi t h t he t wo si des of hi msel f .

GOODCHUCKSave some f or t omor r ow.



BADCHUCKCatch another f i sh t omorr ow.

BadChuck wi ns. Chuck keeps eat i ng. He st ares up at t he sun,whi ch beat s down unmerci f ul l y.

EXT. RAFT - DAY - LATER

The r af t dr i f t s. Chuck has t aken down t he sai l and r i gged i tas a canopy. Dr enched wi t h sweat , Chuck l i es on t he r af t ,t r yi ng t o sl eep. He dabs at some sores that are ul cer at i nghi s body and won' t l et hi m get comf or t abl e. Pl us, t her e' s achaf f i ng, squeaki ng sound. He l ooks around f or t he sour ce.

We see i t wi t h hi m. One of t he r opes i s f r ayed and about t obr eak. I f i t does, t he l ogs wi l l come apar t f r om t he f l oat s.

BADCHUCKShi t ! Shi t ! Shi t !

GOODCHUCKSt ay cal m, i dent i f y t he pr obl em.Pr obl em, r ope f r ayi ng. Sol ut i on, f i xr ope.

BADCHUCKWi t h what ? Ther e' s not hi ng t o f i x i twi t h. Thi s rope comes undone, you' r egoi ng t o dr own.

GOOD CHUCK J ust get up and f i x i t .

BADCHUCK Too t i r ed.

GOODCHUCKGet up.

BADCHUCKFeel s so good t o l i e her e.

GOODCHUCKGet up, damn you.

Chuck comes to hi s knees. Then si nks back down.

BADCHUCKCan' t . Need water .

GOODCHUCK You' ve had t oday' s wat er .

BADCHUCK Thi r st y.

GOODCHUCK



Come on, shape up, get goi ng, you can doi t .

BADCHUCKNo water , no work.

Chuck t r i es another t ack. Sweet r eason.

GOODCHUCKOkay l ook, I know you' r e t i r ed, I knowyou' r e thi r st y, but gi ve i t one mor eshot , you' ve j ust got t o do a l i t t l emor e.

BADCHUCKDo t oo much, I ' l l di e.

GOODCHUCKDo too l i t t l e you' l l di e.

BADCHUCKGoi ng t o di e anyway.

That st ops GoodChuck f or a moment .

GOODCHUCKOkay, l ook have an ext r a swal l ow.

He hol ds up t he pat het i c l i t t l e j ar wi t h i t s f ew t easpoons ofmurky wat er .

BADCHUCKNo more wat er , you sai d.

GOODCHUCK Take i t .

BADCHUCKNo.

GOODCHUCK Take i t , damn i t .

BADCHUCKNo.

GOODCHUCK

Wi l son, do you bel i eve t hi s? Take t hedamn wat er .

Sl owl y Chuck get s up, l i f t s up the wat er j ar , and t akes aswal l ow. Then another .

GOODCHUCKSt op. Enough.

Then another.




Chuck works t o br ai d a new r ope. He i s f ocused,concent r at i ng as hard as he can, but everyt hi ng i s sl ow andhard and he' s weak and cl umsy. He t est s t he r ope, but i tdoesn' t hol d.

GOODCHUCK Thi nk. Got t o use somet hi ng el se.

He get s an i dea, st ar t s t o pul l t he si gnal ki t e i n.

BADCHUCKI f t hey can' t see you, what ' s t he poi nt ?

GOODCHUCKSur vi ve t oday, t hat ' s t he poi nt .

The ki t e r ope i s much t hi nner t han t he r ope he had used t o

t i e t he l ogs, but i t ' s al l he has. He t i es the l og wi t h t heki t e r ope. Exhaust ed, he l i es back down.

EXT. RAFT - NI GHT

The moon i s f ul l . The waves cast of f shadows on t he ocean.Chuck i s st ar i ng i nt o t he sky, t r yi ng t o f i nd a st ar t onavi gat e by.

GOODCHUCKPol ar i s, wher e ar e you? Maybe I ' m t oof ar sout h.

BADCHUCK You don' t know where you are. You mi ssedt he shi ppi ng l anes.

GOODCHUCKMoon' s t oo br i ght .

We hear t he f r ayi ng sound agai n.

EXT. RAFT - DAY

Chuck saws at t he out er l og wi t h hi s st one kni f e. Acr oss t hewater comes a st orm. We can see i t l i ke a waterf al l movi ngt oward us.

BADCHUCK You' r e put t i ng of f t he i nevi t abl e.

GOODCHUCKI ' m put t i ng i t of f .

He l ooks at t he det er i or at i ng r ope, at t he r ot t i ng sai l .

BADCHUCK



That ' s what ' s happeni ng t o you.

Chuck pushes t he out er l og away, t hen t akes t he l oose ropeand begi ns t o l ash i t ar ound t he cent er l ogs.

BADCHUCK You' r e r ot t i ng away.

The r af t i s r ocki ng. The waves ar e st r onger . I t ' s hard t ot i e t he l ogs t oget her .

Rai n f al l s l i ke a sheet on Chuck.

BADCHUCKGet wat er!

GOODCHUCKFi x r af t f i r st .

BADCHUCK

Water water water - -

Chuck wor ks f r ant i cal l y i n t he rai n, t r yi ng t o ti e t he r ope.Fi nal l y he does.

Then he scr ambl es f or hi s wat er col l ect i ng f unnel , st r uggl est o pul l i t up. One cor ner i s stuck and col l apses.Desper at el y he r i ght s i t , pul l s t he f unnel up.

Dr ops begi n t o r un down t he si des and col l ect i n t he j ar .Soaked, Chuck st ar es at t he wat er as i t r i ses.

Then t he r ai n st ops.

We see t he l i ne of r ai n recede away f r omChuck, spat t er i ngt he ocean. But al l ar ound hi m t he ocean i s cal m agai n.

And out comes t he sun.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

The r af t f l oat s on qui et seas. The sky i s bl ue, wi t h f ewhi gh ci r r us cl ouds so mot i onl ess they seem past ed on.

Chuck l i es on t he raf t , si ck and weak.

Suddenl y, f r omt he dept hs besi de hi m, si l ent l y ri ses a huge

shape.

A SPERM WHALE, st i l l mai nl y submerged. The bl ow hol e i s nearChuck, wet and pul si ng l i ke gi ant l i ps. The eye of t he whal ei s onl y a f ew f eet away. I t l ooks upon Chuck out of ani nt el l i gence deep and al i en.

He sl owl y comes t o hi s knees and st ar es at i t .

The bl ow hol e opens and WHOOSH, out shoot s a geyser of f i ne



spr ay whi ch set t l es on Chuck i n a mi st .

The whal e r i ses f ar t her , dwar f i ng t he r af t . Fr om t he whal ecomes a deep sound l i ke a f oghor n.

St ar t l ed, Chuck j umps back, r ocki ng t he r af t . He cat cheshi msel f , sl owl y r eaches out and touches t he whal e.

The whal e bl ows agai n, drenchi ng Chuck i n mor e spr ay.

Chuck t ouches t he whal e agai n.

GOODCHUCK You l i ke t hat?

Ver y sl owl y i t dr i f t s al ong wi t h t he r af t .

GOODCHUCKLost your mate?

We l ook r i ght i nt o t he whal e' s eye. Beneat h t he sur f ace wecan see t he huge j aws open and cl ose.

GOODCHUCK You' r e beaut i f ul . Mar r y me.

BADCHUCK You i di ot , i f he di ves, he' l l capsi ze t her af t .

Very sl owl y t he whal e moves ahead of t he r af t , i t s vast bodypassi ng Chuck.

GOODCHUCKNo, don' t go. Look, I ' ve got f i sh.

Chuck r i ps a f i l l et of f t he l i ne and t hr ows i t i n f r ont oft he whal e, whi ch i gnores i t .

GOODCHUCKPl ease don' t di ve. Pl ease.

The whal e sl owl y si nks, t hen suddenl y ar ches i t s huge backand heads st r ai ght f or t he bot t om.

For a moment , al l t hat r emai ns are t he f l ukes, bl ack andver t i cal agai nst t he dar k bl ue sky. Wi t h one swoop, t hose

f l ukes coul d dest r oy Chuck and hi s raf t . But t hey don' t doanythi ng except sl owl y si nk.

Then i t i s gone.

We are on Chuck' s f ace as he st ares at wher e t he whal e hadbeen, t he sur f ace mar ked onl y by a r i ng of concent r i c r i ppl est hat r each out and gent l y rock t he r af t .

EXT. OCEAN - DAY



Chuck checks the wat er . I t i s gr een and f ul l of f l oat i es.I t l ooks awf ul . He t akes t he j ug, put s i t t o hi s mout h, anddr i nks. I nst ant l y he t hr ows up back i nt o t he j ug, bar el ykeeps f r om dr oppi ng i t .

BADCHUCKLook what you' ve done.

He di ps hi s hand i nto t he ocean, spl ashes some sea water onhi s f ace, spl ut t ers i t out , t hen l i cks hi s l i ps. He i s sothi r s ty.

He l ooks at t he wat er j ug, f ul l now wi t h hi s own vomi t , t ur nsaway, begi ns t o work on t he sea anchor agai n.

But t he work makes hi m even t hi r st i er . He l ooks at t he j ugagai n.

Pi cks i t up. Takes a l ong dr i nk.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

The f i sh r et urn. Chuck gets up wi t h hi s spear , t hen put s i tdown.

BADCHUCKWhat ar e you doi ng?

GOODCHUCKCan' t ki l l anot her one. Can' t . Can' tki l l my f r i ends anymor e.

BADCHUCK You f ucki ng bl eedi ng hear t , you ki l l oryou di e.

GOODCHUCKWhy do t hey have to di e f or me?

BADCHUCK They' d eat you i f t hey coul d. They' r el aughi ng at you. Li st en.

Chuck l i st ens. Doesn' t hear anythi ng.

GOODCHUCK

Got t o eat .

Chuck pi cks up t he spear , st abs i t , mi sses.

Suddenl y he has a f i sh on t he end of t he spear . I tst r uggl es, he scoops i t ont o t he r af t , br ut al l y pounds on i t shead, t wi st s the st one kni f e i nt o i t s spi ne. The st r uggl i ngst ops.

Chuck l ooks at t he dead f i sh and begi ns t o sob.



GOODCHUCK

I am so sor ry.

He cr i es uncont r ol l abl y. As he cr i es he cut s of f t he head,pul l s out t he eyebal l s, and eat s each one. Then he sucks t hemarr ow out of t he head.

Then t akes t he hear t and eat s t hat . Then eat s t he l i ver .

As he i s chewi ng, he cut s t he meat i nt o st r i ps.

When he i s done, he t akes t he backbone, breaks i t , and suckson i t .

Fi sh scal es shi ne i n hi s hai r , bl ood cover s hi s chest .

EXT. OCEAN - NI GHT

The r af t r ocks gent l y. Chuck l ooks up. The st r i ps of f i sh

ar e gl owi ng. So i s t he deck wher e he ki l l ed t he f i sh.

He r eaches out t o t ouch t he f i sh st r i ps. Hi s hand i s gl owi ngt oo.

CHUCKI ' m an angel .

Suddenl y he sees ot her l i ght s. A shi p. A shi p i s out t her e.And he hear s i t , a hummi ng i n deep regi st er .

He waves hi s hands. He yel l s.

CHUCKHere! Here!

Hi s voi ce cr acks, we can bar el y hear i t over t he ocean.

The l i ghts move on.

CHUCKNo. . . no. . . no. . .

Hi s r af t i s r ocked by the wake, r ocked har d. Chuck i s t hr owni nt o t he wat er !

He comes t o t he surf ace, sput t er i ng. Wher e i s t he r af t ?

He l ooks one way, t hen anot her . Darkness.

Thi s i s t he wor st .

He t ur ns agai n i n t he water . There, di ml y, he can see t hegl ow f r om t he f i sh he ki l l ed. The gl ow saves hi s l i f e.

He swi ms t oward i t .



He pul l s hi msel f back on t he r af t .

He l i es there exhaust ed, t he gl ow f r om t he phosphorescencecast i ng a gr eeni sh l i ght on hi s f ace.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

Cl ouds ar e bui l di ng up. I n t he di st ance l i ght ni ng f l ashes. The cl ouds come cl oser .

Li t t l e bi t s of el ectr i ci t y j ump of f t he mast . Sai nt El mosf i r e j umps around Chuck' s hand.

Fasci nat ed, he hol ds out hi s hand. The f i r e j umps f r om hi shand t o t he mast .

Suddenl y l i ght ni ng shoot s f r om t he sky and st r i kes t he ocean!A huge spout of water expl odes l i ke a dept h charge. TheCRACK i s i nt ense, t hen r ol l s away.

Chuck st ar es, t hen r eal i zes t he danger and t hr ows hi msel fdown on t he r af t . Suddenl y a wal l of r ai n sweeps over hi mand t he ocean begi ns to r ol l . The t hunder i s deaf eni ng.Li ght ni ng f l ashes bur st s t hr ough t he rai n.

CHUCKSea anchor ! Let out t he sea anchor !

Frant i c, Chuck l ets out t he sea anchor as t he raf t scuds downa huge wave. The anchor catches, sl owi ng t he r af t so t hat i tr i des t he wave down.

The waves come at hi m hi gh as houses. The r af t r i des up onesi de, t hen pl unges down t he next .

Al l Chuck can do i s hol d on.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

The st or m has passed. The r af t f l oat s on bi g dark r ol l er s.

We hear t he chi r pi ng and squeaki ng of dol phi ns. They comecl ose t o t he r af t . Chuck wat ches t hem pl ay. Then r eal i zest hey ar e chasi ng hi s f i sh. They dr i ve t hem al ong, i nt o t hepat h of anot her dol phi n, who dar t s i n and r i ps i nt o t hedor ado, t ur ni ng t he wat er ar ound t he raf t i nt o chur ni ng,bl oody f oam.

CHUCKSt op!

He t akes hi s oar and begi ns beat i ng t he wat er . The ki l l i ngcont i nues.

CHUCK You f ucki ng murderer s!



Suddenl y t he wat er i s st i l l . One dol phi n st i cks i t s head outof t he water and st ares at Chuck, squeaki ng.

Another dol phi n l i f t s i t s head up, t hen another . They squeakt o each other , cl ear l y communi cat i ng and t al ki ng about Chuck.

CHUCKI know you' r e t al ki ng about me!

He spl ashes t he wat er wi t h hi s oar .

They di ve, t hen j ump i nt o t he ai r , squeaki ng as t hey go.

CHUCK( very sof t l y)

Take me wi t h you.

They' r e gone.

CHUCK

Why me? Why me, God?

He begi ns to l augh.

BADCHUCKLi sten t o t hi s, Wi l son.

( deep voi ce: God)Because you pi ss me of f .

EXT. OCEAN - DAY

Chuck t r i es t o st r etch wi t h some si mpl e yoga. Each movementt akes f or ever .

He r ol l s over ont o hi s st omach and t r i es t o do a pushup. Hecan' t . Col l apses ont o t he r af t .

BADCHUCK You' r e f al l i ng apar t .

Tr i es t o do another pushup. Can' t .

BADCHUCKFi r st you eat your f at , t hen you eat yourmuscl e.

He r ol l s over .

BADCHUCK Then you eat your mi nd.

He l ooks at t he ocean. They' r e i n a l i ne of gar bage, a t hi cksl i ck of debr i s dumped of f of shi ps.

GOODCHUCKRol l on you deep and dark bl ue oceanr ol l .



He cl oses hi s eyes. Af t er a mi nut e t hey come open.

GOODCHUCKI ' m l at e, I ' m l at e, f or a very i mport antdat e.

They sl owl y cl ose agai n.

BADCHUCKI ' m l ost. Goodbye.

GOODCHUCKNo!

Hi s eyes come open agai n.

BADCHUCKLook, j ust sl i p of f t he r af t . The oceanwoul d f eel so good, t he wat er ' s so sof t

and war m. Take a l i t t l e swi m. Sl eep.

GOODCHUCK You qui t t er you qui t t er you qui t t er .

BADCHUCK The sea i s l ovel y, dark and deep.

GOODCHUCKBut I have pr omi ses t o keep.

( r ol l s over )And mi l es t o go bef ore I sl eep.

( pr ops hi msel f up)And mi l es t o go bef ore I sl eep.

( pur pose now)Got t o f i x t he sea anchor. Use t he sai l .

BADCHUCKUse t he sai l f or a sea anchor and youwon' t move.

GOODCHUCKI f I don' t have a sea anchor I ' l lcapsi ze.

BADCHUCKDi e tomorr ow or di e today.

He hums Beet hoven' s f i f t h. BA BA BA BUM.

BADCHUCK That ' s deat h knocki ng, knocki ng on yourdoor . Cr azy l i t t l e woman come knocki ng,knocki ng at my f r ont door. . .

GOODCHUCKGr ow up, st op bei ng such a baby. Ot her



peopl e get t hr ough a l ot worse.

BADCHUCK Yeah, sure, what?

He hums t o hi msel f , begi ns t o si ng, Beat l es.

BADCHUCKI ' m so t i r ed, my mi nd i s on t he bl i nk. . .

He pul l s i n t he l oose sea anchor r ope, whi ch i s covered wi t hbar nacl es.

He scr apes t he barnacl e of f t he r ope i nt o the wat er j ug, t hensi ps i t .

The sun i s set t i ng, huge r ays shoot out acr oss t he sky.

Out of t he empty ocean t he Dorados suddenl y appear , l eapi ngf l ashes of s i l ver r i ght by t he raf t .

One Dorado swi ms r i ght by the r af t , br oadsi de.

Chuck l ooks at i t , uncompr ehendi ng. Then sl owl y r eaches f orhi s spear .

GOODCHUCKWhat ? Ar e you sacr i f i ci ng your sel f f orme?

Car ef ul l y he comes t o hi s f eet , t hen shoots t he spear i nt ot he f i sh.

Fl appi ng and st r uggl i ng, i t l ands on t he deck. Chuck pounceson i t .

EXT. RAFT - NI GHT - MOMENTS LATER

He cut s i t open. The ot her Dorados r am t he r af t i n f ur y,l i ke a l ynch mob.

GOODCHUCKDamn i t ! I had t o do i t !

The bangi ng cont i nues.

GOODCHUCK

I ' ms or r y!

He concent r ates on hi s work, t hen si t s back on hi s heel s i namazement . Ther e' s another f i sh i nsi de. He hol ds t hat f i shup, st ar es at i t , t hen cut s i t open.

Ther e' s a smal l er f i sh i nsi de i t .

GOODCHUCKI know t here' s a moral her e, God, but



r i ght now I ' m j ust goi ng t o eat .

He pops out an eyebal l , t hen another , and crunches t hembet ween hi s t eet h.

He t akes t he hear t and l i ver , st ar t s t o eat , t hen st ops.

GOODCHUCKFor got t o say gr ace. Sor r y Mom.

He st r uggl es t o r emember .

GOODCHUCKBl ess us O Lor d, and these t hy gi f t s andChr i st and t he bount y about t o recei ve,or somethi ng. . . amen.

He eat s t hem.

EXT. RAFT - NEXT MORNI NG

Chuck spl ashes sea water on hi s f ace. Adj ust s t he waters t i l l .

GOODCHUCKPl ease don' t l eak. Pl ease.

Chuck pi cks up t he smal l est f i sh. I t ' s hal f di gest ed. Hewashes i t i n the ocean, t r i gger f i sh come up and ni bbl e athi s f i ngers .

GOODCHUCKDon' t l ook at me. I t was t hat Dorado.

He cut s t he smal l f i sh and hangs i t on t he stays.

GOODCHUCK You know, Wi l son, every now and t hen weshoul d say t hank you. Thank you God.

BADCHUCK Thank you f or f ucki ng up my l i f e.

Suddenl y somethi ng bumps t he r af t . Hard. Then agai n.

GOODCHUCKNot agai n.

Fi ns cut t he wat er . SHARKS. A bi g hammerhead bumps t her af t . BadChuck hums t he t heme f r om "J aws. " Chuck t akes hi sspear st abs at t he shar k.

BADCHUCKHe' s goi ng t o get you, goi ng t o getyou. . .

Anot her one ci r cl es i n, bumps t he r af t .



GOODCHUCK

Get away f r om me!

The shar k ci r cl es agai n, t hat bi g hammer head l i ke ani ghtmare.

GOODCHUCKGet hi m get hi m get hi m.

He st abs at i t wi t h hi s spear . He mi ght as wel l have st abbedconcr et e. The shar k ci r cl e, Chuck st abs agai n.

But t he shar k i s gone.

GOODCHUCKWhere ar e you? Where ar e you?

Stabs agai n and agai n at t he empty ocean.

GOODCHUCKSt op! You' r e usi ng ener gy. Move sl owl y.Be pat i ent .

Chuck kneel s, waver i ng, on t he r af t . The ocean i s cal m.

Suddenl y, BUMP. The r af t t i l t s.

Chuck hangs on.

Then a shark appears, j ust out of spear r ange. I t s l i f el essbl ack eyes seem t o st ar e r i ght t hr ough Chuck.

I f t he Dor ado was a gi f t f r om God, t hi s i s a message f r omHel l .

Then t he shar k i s gone.

EXT. RAFT - DAY - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck l i es back on t he r af t . He i s hummi ng.

BADCHUCKWhat ar e you smi l i ng about ? They' l l beback.

GOODCHUCK

I ' m danci ng on t he r oof of t he PeabodyHot el . Wi t h Kel l y.

He smi l es at t he t hought .

GOODCHUCK The musi c ends. We go back t o t he t abl e. The wai t er s have brought di nner . New Yor k St r i p wi t h Bor del ai se Sauce.Mushrooms i n brown gravy. Roast ed



pot atoes wi t h gar l i c and r osemary. Gr eenBeans wi t h al monds. Fresh bi scui t s andcor nbr ead, dr i ppi ng wi t h but t er . A ni cesal ad wi t h r anch dr essi ng. A j umboshr i mp cockt ai l .

Thi nks about t hat , i t spoi l s t he pi ct ure.

GOODCHUCKNo shr i mp.

( t hen)We eat .

He cl oses hi s eyes. Thi s i s t he gr eat est f ant asy.

GOODCHUCK( as t he wai t er )

For dessert , we have pecan pi e a l a mode,we have a doubl e chocol at e cake wi t hcr eme angl ai se, we have a ni ce pear

t or t e, f r esh key l i me pi e, or per haps i fyou care to wai t a f ew mi nut es, a gr andmar ni er souf f l e?

Chuck thi nks over t he opt i ons, t hi nki ng of each one.

GOODCHUCKWhy, br i ng t hem al l , br i ng t hem al l .

He r ol l s over . Ther e, squar e i n hi s vi si on, i s a shi p, i t sf orm comi ng i n and out of a l ow haze.

Chuck j umps t o hi s f eet . Waves. Screams.

GOODCHUCKHere! Over her e!

The shi p moves on. We can see t he decks t he r i ggi ng, t hevastness of i t .

Chuck r eal i zes he i s naked. St r uggl es t o pul l on t he r emai nsof hi s pant s f i nal l y hol ds t hem l i ke a di aper wi t h one handas he cont i nues t o wave.

On t he shi p no one i s t o be seen. I t i s a spooky si ght .

The bi g t anker moves on.

We are on Chuck' s f ace. Passed up agai n.

Then he r eal i zes what i s about t o happen. He t hrows out t hesea anchor .

He t hr ows hi msel f ont o the r af t and gr i ps i t as t i ght as hecan, wi ggl es hi s f eet i nt o the r opes.

CHUCK



Oh, shi i i i t t t !

Then comes t he wake of t he shi p. I t r ocks t he r af t l i ke api ece of f l ot sam. The r af t r i des hi gh up on t he wave, t henshoot s down i t , but t he sea anchor hol ds, and t he r af t sl owsand ri des al ong wi t h the wave.

And t hen t he sea i s cal m agai n.

Sl owl y Chuck si nks to hi s knees. Hi s hand l et s l oose hi spant s.

He l i es down on t he raf t and i magi nes t he conver sat i on wi t ht he shi p' s capt ai n.

CHUCKPer mi ssi on t o come aboar d, si r .

CHUCK/ CAPTAI NPer mi ssi on gr ant ed.

CHUCKMay I ask, wher e are you bound?

CHUCK/ CAPTAI NSan Fr anci sco. And you?

CHUCKAs i t happens, I ' m headed f or Fri scomysel f .

CHUCK/ CAPTAI NWoul d you do us t he honor of j oi ni ng us?We' r e j ust s i t t i ng down at mess. Por kchops and gravy, cr anberr i es, bakedpot at oes wi t h al l t he tr i mmi ngs, f r esh-baked br ead, appl e pi e. . .

CHUCKNo pl ease, j oi n me. Some sundr i ed f i shst r i ps, a f ew eyebal l s, some gi l l s t omunch on.

The depr essi on comes back agai n.

BADCHUCK They' r e never goi ng t o see you. You' r e

j ust another pi ece of t r ash i n t he ocean.

GOODCHUCK They' r e on autopi l ot .

BADCHUCK They' r e al ways on autopi l ot . Or el sei t ' s ni ght , or you' r e i n t he sun, oryou' r e i n t he t r ough of a wave. They' l lnever see you.



GOODCHUCK

Damn i t ! Don' t be so negat i ve!

Chuck pi cks up Wi l son.

GOODCHUCKWi l son, what ' s your st or y?

He hol ds Wi l son cl ose to hi s chest .

BADCHUCKI f l oat . You si nk. End of st ory.

GOODCHUCKI ' m ser i ous. I ' m al ways goi ng on aboutme, me, me. Enough about me. Your t urn.

BADCHUCKI t ' s a f ucki ng soccer bal l , you i di ot .

GOODCHUCKShut up.

He l i es on t he r af t and hol ds Wi l son cl ose.

We move up unt i l we see - -

EXT. OCEAN - AERI AL - EVENI NG

Chuck l yi ng cur l ed up on t he r af t , Wi l son cr adl ed i n hi sarms, and al l around t he vast empty ocean.

EXT. OCEAN - NEXT MORNI NG

Chuck sl owl y wakes up. Set s Wi l son asi de.

GOODCHUCKDon' t shi r k, don' t pr ocrast i nat e, don' tbe l azy. We' r e okay t oday. We' r e okayt oday.

And t he ot her Chuck begi ns t o l augh.

GOODCHUCKShut up.

The l aught er goes on.

GOODCHUCKShut t he f uck up! I mean i t .

He st ands up and checks t he hor i zon.

GOODCHUCKWhat ' s so damn f unny?



BADCHUCK You are.

Suddenl y Chuck sees somethi ng on t he hor i zon. A bank ofcl ouds. A cone of - - l and.

He squi nt s, st ar es agai n. The cl ouds par t . I t l ooks l i ke - -hi s i s l and.

Chuck doesn' t know whet her t o f eel j oy or despai r .

GOODCHUCK J esus.

BADCHUCKLook agai n, asshol e. I t ' s a mi r age.

Chuck squi nt s.

GOODCHUCK

I t ' s r eal .

BADCHUCKNot hi ng out t here but ocean.

GOODCHUCKLet ' s get a second opi ni on. Wi l son?What do you see?

Chuck pi cks up t he soccer bal l , hol ds i t up, and st ar es outat . . . ocean.


Chuck sl owl y wr i t es on t he sai l .

CHUCKChuck Nol and. Born Oct ober 8, 1958.Di ed - - pi ck a dat e - - J ul y 11, 1998.And now t he epi t aph. Met deadl i nes.Kept appoi nt ment s. Lost wi t hout a t r ace.

He si t s back, l ooks at t he mock headst one.

BADCHUCKWhat di d i t mat t er i f FedEx was f i vemi nut es l at e one day? The next day we

j ust st ar t over agai n.

GOODCHUCKI t mat t ers. We do t he best we can,t hat ' s al l we have.

BADCHUCK Then we' ve j ust got shi t .

He goes on wr i t i ng.



CHUCK

I am wr i t i ng t hi s t o r emi nd mysel f t ol i ve a bet t er l i f e. I f I am l ost ,per haps you who f i nd t hi s wi l l bei nstr ucted t o l i ve a bet t er l i veyour sel f . Li ve each day. Love yourchi l dr en. Don' t t ake anyone f or gr ant ed.

BADCHUCKI s t hat i t ? Li f e i s a f ucki ng Di sneymovi e?

The waves begi n t o grow, t he ocean t urns a sl at e gray. Farabove hi m, gr eat f r i gat e bi r ds ci r cl e. Suddenl y one di ves ona booby whi ch has caught a f i sh. The gr eat f r i gat e bi r dswoops al l ar ound the booby unt i l , pani cked, i t dr ops t hef i sh, whi ch pl ummets t oward the sea.

Wi t h a gr acef ul di ve, t he huge bi r d gr abs t he f i sh and t hen

soar s up on a thermal , hi gh i nt o the sky.

Li ght ni ng f l ashes back and f or t h across t he hor i zon, whi ch i st ur ni ng bl ack and dar k. Thunder r ol l s.

EXT. RAFT - NI GHT

The r af t goes up and down huge waves. Every f ew secondsl i ght ni ng f l ashes, i l l umi nat i ng t he r af t and Chuck hol di ngdesper at el y to i t , hi s eyes wi l d wi t h f ear .

EXT. RAFT - MORNI NG

The waves cont i nue. Chuck hol ds on, hi s f ace pal e.

BADCHUCK You can' t make i t .

GOODCHUCKShut up. I don' t f eel l i ke dyi ng t oday.

EXT. OCEAN - DAY - LATER

The sky cl ears. The waves ar e st i l l bi g. The f i sh are back.And t hen come t he sharks, cut t i ng t hrough t he water . Chuckcan' t get up t o get hi s spear , he j ust has t o wat ch as bl ooddarkens t he water .

And t hen the shar ks ar e gone.

Chuck comes t o hi s knees sl owl y, t hen a bi g wave hi t s.Wi l son i s swept i nt o t he ocean!

For a moment Chuck i s uncomprehendi ng. He wat ches as Wi l sonsl owl y f l oat s away.

CHUCK



Pl ease, no shar ks.

Then he di ves i n t o t he wat er ! Swi ms f r ant i cal l y af t erWi l son.

Wi l son f l oat s away f r omhi m. He swi ms, but he' s so weak.Fi nal l y he gets t o Wi l son. He r eaches out , but onl y pushest he bal l f ar t her away.

I t bobs on t he waves. Chuck t r eads water, exhaust ed.

Wher e i s t he r af t ?

CHUCK J esus. J esus. J esus.

Then he t urns back t he ot her way. The r af t has dr i f t ed byhi m. He can go af t er Wi l son, or he can go af t er t he r af t .

CHUCK

Shi t ! Wi l son!

He swi ms t oward t he r af t , bar el y movi ng. No mat t er how har dhe swi ms, t he r af t seems t o r ecede f r om hi m.

Fi nal l y he r eaches i t , hangs on t he si de, br eat hi ng har d,choki ng, cryi ng.

He st r uggl es t o pul l hi msel f on boar d.

But he i s weak, so weak. He can' t do i t .

Summoni ng some pr i mi t i ve r eser ve of st r engt h, he t r i es agai n. Thi s t i me he sl i des on.

He l i es on t he r af t , pant i ng.

Then wi t h al l hi s st r engt h he pul l s hi msel f t o hi s f eet ,hol ds on t o t he mast , scans t he ocean f or Wi l son.

CHUCKWi l son!

Not hi ng but waves.

Thi s i s t oo much. Chuck st ar t s t o cr y.


Chuck t akes a swal l ow of water , washes i t around i n hi smout h, t hen swal l ows. Wi t h hi s wet t ongue he l i cks hi scracked l i ps.

The sun breaks t hrough t he cl ouds.

Wi t h what st r engt h he has l ef t , Chuck r ai ses t he canopy,f as tens i t .



He si t s i n t he meager shade, hi s head bet ween hi s knees.

Cl oses hi s eyes. J ust f or a mi nut e.


A di f f er ent sor t of shadow cr osses Chuck' s f ace. He openshi s eyes.

Ther e, r i di ng r i ght besi de hi s r af t , i s a shi p, a huge r ust yt anker . Someone shouts down i n a l anguage we don' tunderst and.

Chuck si t s up, can' t bel i eve i t . St r uggl es t o cover hi msel f .


Chuck i s l i f t ed up t he r ust ed st eel si de of t he boat i n a J acob' s l adder .

EXT. SHI P - DAY - LATER

Chuck st eps on boar d, can' t support hi msel f .

The cr ew gat hers around. None of t hemspeak Engl i sh, butt here i s a spont aneous outbur st of human connect i on.

One man br i ngs some wat er . Another a bl anket . Another somewar m t ea.

Chuck si t s t her e, shi ver i ng now.

CHUCK Thank you. Oh t hank you.

Del i r i ousl y happy. Del i r i ous.

I NT. U. S. NAVAL HOSPI TAL - HAWAI I

A caver nous hanger - si zed war d br i ght l y l i t and f i l l ed wi t hr ow upon row of hospi t al beds, each wi t h i t s t abl e, si dechai r , and l amp, each wi t h a st ai nl ess st eel bedpan andneat l y f ol ded sheets and bl anket s st acked r eady to use, andeach compl et el y empty.

Except f or one.

And on t hat bed we see Chuck, i n a bl ue hospi t al gown. An I Vdr i ps i nt o hi s ar m. He pl ays i dl y wi t h t he r emot e cont r ol oft he bed. He r ai ses t he head, t hen t he f oot . He pushesanot her but t on and t he knee rest bends t he bed agai n.

A DOCTOR ent ers , carr yi ng a t hi ck chart . Chuck gi ves hi m abi g mani c gr i n. Mal col m MacDowel l i n "A Cl ockwork Or ange. "

CHUCK



My f avor i t e doct or . What ' s t he ver di ct ?

DOCTORUnder t he ci r cumst ances your overal lheal t h i s good. Those sal t wat er boi l syou pi cked up on t he r af t ar e ul cer at ed,but t hey' r e heal i ng ni cel y.

He checks hi s bl ood work r ecor ds.

DOCTORHemogl obi n' s 10. 8 - - you' r e anemi c,t hat ' s why we' r e gi vi ng you i r on.Pot assi um' s l ow - - we' r e gi vi ng you anel ectr ol yt e sol ut i on wi t h your I V.Sodi um' s over 150, way t oo hi gh. You mayexper i ence swel l i ng i n your extr emi t i esas you rehydr at e and di schar ge the sal t .I n spi t e of your di et ar y def i ci enci est her e' s no si gn of ment al det er i or at i on.

Chuck has been t r yi ng not t o l augh. Now he can' t st ophi msel f .

DOCTORWhat ' s so f unny.

Chuck can' t seem t o hel p l aughi ng at ever yt hi ng.

CHUCKSor ry. . . sor ry. . . Why do my j oi nt s st i l lache?

DOCTORDehydr at i on. Vi t ami n def i ci ency.Pr ot ei n def i ci ency. Any or al l of t heabove.

CHUCKAl l I at e was f i sh. That ' s sol i dprotei n.

DOCTORPr ot ei n di gest i on i s ver y cost l y i n wat erusage.

CHUCK

Whi ch I di dn' t have.

DOCTORAnd f i sh ar e ver y l ow i n f at , whi ch i sener gy i nef f i ci ent . So you' r e goi ng t obur n up your own cel l s no mat t er how muchyou eat . Lucki l y you ate t he eyes andpancreas, whi ch contai n some Vi t ami n C,so you di dn' t get scur vy.



Chuck l aughs agai n.

CHUCKI am one l ucky guy.

DOCTOR Your body chemi st r y and your exposure t ot he el ement s woul d normal l y l ead t oi r r i t abi l i t y, depressi on, anxi et y,per i ods of sel f - r epr oach. I t ' s al mostl i ke schi zophr eni a. Di f f er ent si des ofyour per sonal i t y mi ght come t o l i f e,speak out , act out .

CHUCKBut al l t hat ' s behi nd me. I ' m f i ne now.

He st ar t s t o l augh agai n.

DOCTOR

I f you say you are.

CHUCKI most def i ni t el y say I am.

DOCTORDoct or Hegel t el l s me he di scussed t heVi et nam POW syndr ome wi t h you.

Chuck st i f l es hi s l aught er .

CHUCK Yes, yes he di d.

DOCTOR You are awar e of t he pot ent i aldi sr upt i veness on your l oved ones whenyou r et ur n t o your ol d l i f e?

CHUCKNot t o ment i on on me.

The l aught er agai n. Unset t l i ng.

DOCTOR You sur e you don' t want some counsel i ng?

Chuck gi ves hi s bi ggest smi l e.

CHUCKDoc, I ' m not on t he i s l and. I ' m not onthe raf t . I ' m al i ve. I ' m so gl ad to beback, I can' t t el l you. I j ust want outof her e.

DOCTORWel l , when t hat I V r uns out , you' r e



t hr ough wi t h us. J ust t he dent i stt omorr ow.

I NT. HOSPI TAL - NI GHT - LATER

Rol l i ng hi s I V, Chuck wal ks ver y sl owl y out of t he war d.Ever y st ep i s an ef f or t .

I NT. PHONE CUBI CLE - NI GHT - MI NUTES LATER

A smal l wi ndowl ess r oom wi t h onl y a desk and a phone, l i t bya f l uor escent l amp. Chuck i s l i st eni ng t o t he phone r i ng.

Kel l y answer s.

KELLY ( V. O. )Hel l o.

Chuck i s over come f or a moment , can' t say a word.

KELLY ( V. O. )Hel l o? Hel l o?

For some r eason he can' t keep hi msel f f r om l aughi ng. Hecover s t he mout hpi ece and l aughs.

And t hen we hear a di al t one, har sh, mechani cal , f i nal .

EXT. PHONE CUBI CLE - MI NUTES LATER

We can see Chuck i nsi de, st ar i ng at t he phone.

I NT. PHONE CUBI CLE - MI NUTES LATER

We hear a f ai nt pers i st ent hum. Chuck l ooks around, t r yi ngt o l ocat e t he sound. He l ooks up, f ocuses on t he f l uorescentl i ght , t hat backgr ound sound he can no l onger t une out , t henpi cks up t he phone agai n.

EXT. PHONE CUBI CLE

Stan answers t he phone.

STAN ( V. O. )Hel l o?

CHUCK

St an, i t ' s Chuck. . . Chuck Nol and. . .

The l aught er agai n.

STAN ( V. O. )Whoever you ar e, you ar e one si ck f ucker .

And agai n we hear t he di al t one.

I NT. PHONE CUBI CLE - MOMENTS LATER



Chuck' s on t he phone agai n.

CHUCK Two Val i um and t he Rol l i ng St ones. Thatr i ng a bel l ?

Ther e' s a l ong si l ence. Then we hear St an' s voi ce.

STAN ( V. O. )God damn! God damn! Chuck, i t ' s you!

CHUCKI t ' s me.

STAN ( V. O. ) You' r e f ucki ng dead!

CHUCKI ' m most def i ni t el y not dead. And as I

recal l , you' re the si ck f ucker.

Chuck begi ns t o l augh, a l i t t l e t oo l oud, a l i t t l e t ooshri l l . He' s on a hi gh.

EXT. HAWAI I - BEACH RESTAURANT

A t er r ace by t he ocean. Tabl es f i l l ed wi t h di ner s. Foodbei ng del i ver ed by wai t er s. So si mpl e, eat i ng. So t aken f orgr ant ed.

At one t abl e si t s Chuck, dr essed i n a Hawai i an shi r t andshor t s, wi t h a hal f - dozen pl at es i n f r ont of hi m. Hegest ur es t o t he wai t er . Br i ng me mor e. I t al l t ast es sodamned good.

Behi nd hi m i s the ocean. Chuck doesn' t gl ance at i t .

I NT. DENTI ST - NEXT DAY

An at t r act i ve DENTAL TECHNI CI AN wi t h an Aust r al i an accentcl eans Chuck' s t eet h wi t h an ul t r asound devi ce. She' s cl ose,ver y cl ose. Chuck l ooks up at her . She l ooks r eal l y good.She smi l es at hi m, t hen t ouches t he gap wher e he knocked outhi s toot h.

TECHNI CI AN

You sur e you don' t want t o have t hei mpl ant done her e? We do qui t e goodwork.

Chuck shakes hi s head: no. She scr apes behi nd hi s f r ontt eet h.

TECHNI CI ANHmmm, you do have such a l ot of t ar t erbehi nd t hese f ront i nci sors. A l i t t l e



wi der , pl ease.

Chuck opens hi s mout h even f ur t her . The t echni ci an t al ks oni n t he sel f - absorbed way dent al t echni ci ans somet i mes do,t hat const ant babbl e of human cont act whi ch Chuck has nothear d f or f our year s.

TECHNI CI ANAnyway, so t he second pr ost het i c f ootwor ked bet t er , but he st i l l coul dn' tdr i ve hi s new Cort i na, i t bei ng ast andar d shi f t , i f you f ol l ow me.

Chuck nods. I f ol l ow you.

TECHNI CI ANBut woul d he hear of me dr i vi ng hi m

ar ound? Not on your bl oody l i f e. Ri nsepl ease.

Chuck does. St an bur st s i nt o t he r oom.

STANChuck! God damn!

Chuck st r uggl es out of t he chai r .

STANGod damn. God damn. God damn.

They are both al most overcome. St an hol ds Chuck by t heshoul der s and l ooks at hi m.

STAN You' r e al i ve, you' r e f ucki ng al i ve!

Chuck l aughs, t hr i l l ed t o see St an.

CHUCKI beat t he odds!

STAN You beat ' em t o shi t , pal ! J esus!

TECHNI CI ANI st i l l need t o f l oss you.

St an not i ces t he t echni ci an.

STANHel l o.

CHUCK Thi s i s Amber. Her boyf r i end l ost hi sf oot i n a shar k at t ack.

He says t hi s wi t h an absol ut e st r ai ght f ace, hol di ng back t he



l aught er wi t h gr eat ef f or t . I nst ant l y t her e' s t hi sconnect i on agai n between hi m and St an.

TECHNI CI ANEx- boyf r i end.

STANReal l y.

And he and Chuck make eye cont act and we see a gl i mpse oft hei r shar ed unspoken i r ony.

STANUh, t her e' s somebody out her e who want st o see you.

Chuck st ar es shar pl y at hi m. Kel l y? St an nods, but t her e' ssomet hi ng he want s t o say.

STAN

She t hought you were dead. We al l di d.

That ' s not al l St an wants t o say. But Chuck i s l i mpi ng outt he door .

I NT. DENTI ST - WAI TI NG ROOM

Typi cal dent i st wai t i ng r oom. Chai r s, t r opi cal f i sh t anks,magazi nes, a f ew wai t i ng pat i ent s. . . and Kel l y, l ooki ngner vous.

Sl owl y and pai nf ul l y Chuck ent er s. He' s qui t e a si ght . Shest ands up. There' s a l ong moment wher e they l ook at eachot her .

Then she comes i nt o hi s ar ms. Hol ds hi m t i ght . She' s partl aughi ng, par t cryi ng.

KELLYI ' m sor r y. . . I ' m sor r y. . .

CHUCKHey. . . hey. . . i t ' s okay!

Chuck i s happy, he' s st i l l r i di ng t he hi gh.

KELLY

You' r e so t hi n. Am I hurt i ng you?

Wel l , maybe a l i t t l e, but who cares? He hasn' t been huggedor bar el y t ouched i n so l ong.

CHUCKNo. . . no. . . f eel s good. . .

She di sengages, l ooks at hi m wi t h t hat ol d smi l e.



KELLYRi ght back, you sai d you' d be r i ght back.

CHUCKA f ew t hi ngs came up. Or went down.

He meet s her gaze, l ooks her over wi t h a smi l e.

CHUCK You l ook. . . wonder f ul . I l i ke your hai r .

He not i ces t he r i ng on her hand.

KELLYI got mar r i ed.

CHUCKI t hought you mi ght have.

KELLY

I woul d never - -

CHUCKI know.

KELLYI f I ' d known you wer e al i ve - -

CHUCKI woul d have done t he same t hi ng.

Hi s responses come so qui ck. Chuck seems bl i ssf ul l y sure ofhi msel f .

KELLYI di dn' t want t o. I t j ust happened. Oneday Gary was t her e. He t ook care ofeveryt hi ng. He t ook care of me. I was amess.

CHUCK You have any chi l dren?

Kel l y nods.

CHUCKGot a pi ct ur e?

Kel l y f i shes for a phot o, shows i t t o Chuck. I t ' s a l i t t l egi r l wi t h a dog.

KELLYHer name' s Hannah.

CHUCKI s t hat J ango?



KELLYNo, t hi s i s J ack. J ango was hi t by a UPSt r uck. Can you bel i eve i t ?

Chuck l aughs. I t i s f unny, sor t of .

CHUCKLi f e' s j ust one bi g j oke af t er anot her .

St an appear s, t akes i n t he scene. The f ew pat i ent s wai t i ngar e edged i nt o the corner s, t r yi ng to l ook occupi ed wi t hsomethi ng el se.

STANHow about we go somewher e el se?

CHUCKWant t o see my r af t ?

EXT. HAWAI I - DAY

Chuck' s raf t si t s up on a dock. Kel l y st ands st ar i ng at i t .How smal l and f r agi l e i t l ooks.

STAN Thi s st i nks r eal l y bad.

CHUCK You shoul d have smel l ed me.

Stan exami nes t he r opes ar ound t he l ogs.

STANCool r opes.

CHUCKI br ai ded t hem.

STANMust have t aken a hel l of a l ong t i me.

CHUCK Ti me I had l ot s of .

Kel l y poi nt s at somet hi ng on t he r af t .

KELLY

What ' s t hat ?

CHUCK That ' s my sea anchor . My second one.Made i t out of par t of t he sai l . I tkeeps you f r om capsi zi ng i n a st orm. I nt heor y.

(pi cks up hi s st i l l )And t hi s, t hi s I used t o col l ect wat er .About hal f a cup a day.



He' s not f eel i ng sorr y f or hi msel f . I t ' s j ust a f act.

STAN You wer e how l ong on t hi s?

CHUCKFor t y- t hr ee days.

They l ook at t he t i ny r af t . I t speaks f or i t sel f .

KELLYAl l t hat t i me I wai t ed t o go on a cr ui se,and you went wi t hout me.

CHUCK Yeah, wel l . . . coul dn' t be hel ped.

Kel l y not i ces the sai l , sees the wr i t i ng on i t .

KELLYWhat ' s t hat , wr i t t en on t he sai l ?

CHUCKMy epi t aph.

Kel l y r eads i t t o her sel f . Her eyes ar e moi st .

CHUCKBad body chemi st r y. Made me a l i t t l emor bi d. But I ' m al l over t hat now.

And he seems r eal l y t o bel i eve i t .

STANI ' l l be at the car .

( t o Kel l y) Take you t o t he ai r por t .

And he l eaves.

KELLYI bur i ed you, Chuck. They had t o pry myf i ngers of f your cof f i n.

Thi s i nt erest s Chuck t o no end.

CHUCK There was a cof f i n?

KELLY Yeah, cof f i n, headst one, t he whol e t hi ng.

CHUCKWhat was i nsi de?

KELLY



Your cal endar , your cel l phone, your whoopi g sooey hat , some pi ct ur es of t hatket ch you want ed.

CHUCK That about sums i t up.

KELLYMaybe now' s when you t el l me about i t .

CHUCK The pl ane went down. My f r i ends di ed. Iwashed up on an i sl and. Then I f oundt hese bar r el s, bui l t t he r af t , and her e Iam.

KELLY Yeah?

CHUCK

The t i de came i n, t he t i de went out . Isur vi ved. That ' s t he headl i ne. Isur vi ved.

KELLYDon' t over whel m me wi t h t he det ai l s.

( she smi l es r emember i ng) You know how I hate t hat .

He t r i es t o put i t i nt o wor ds, i sn' t qui t e sur e how.

KELLY( gent l y)

Come on. Tr y.

CHUCKCl i ches, mai nl y. Don' t t ake anyone f orgr ant ed. Don' t sweat t he smal l st uf f .Li ve each day l i ke i t ' s your l ast .

KELLYSo si mpl e to say, so har d t o do.

CHUCKNot when you have no choi ce.

Kel l y l ooks down at t he r af t . I t ' s so smal l .

KELLY You hated bei ng al one. Coul dn' t st andi t . Busy every mi nute. Al ways pl uggedi nt o somet hi ng.

CHUCKI di dn' t know what r eal l y bei ng al onewas. No one back here does.



He has somethi ng more t o say. She wai t s.

CHUCKWe' r e not meant t o be al one. Not l i ket hat . Shar e l i f e, t hat ' s what came t o meout t her e. Be wi t h someone.

And t hat ' s t he poi nt , i sn' t i t ? We ar e soci al ani mal s. Noman i s an i sl and.

KELLY Thi s i s so unf ai r .

CHUCK That ' s what I t ol d t he f i sh I caught .But I ate t hem anyway.

And t he l aughter comes agai n. Kel l y gr i ns, embar r assed, al i t t l e wor r i ed.

KELLY You okay?

CHUCKGr eat . Real l y.

She st ar es at hi s f ace, r eaches out , t ouches i t agai n, t hi st i me wi t h gr eat t enderness.

He nods, her t ouch f eel s so good.

A wave of emot i on comes over her : pi t y? l ove?

KELLYWhat wi l l you do?

CHUCKI don' t know. I r eal l y don' t know.

We hear a di st ant beep- beep, di scr ete as a car horn can be.

KELLYI ' ve got t o get back t o Memphi s.Hannah' s babysi t t er has f i nal s.

CHUCKI t means a l ot . . . t hat you came.

KELLYI had t o come. To be sur e you were okay.

They hol d each ot her. For a l ong t i me.

KELLYI l ove you, Chuck.

CHUCK



You t oo.

KELLYI ' m so gl ad you' re al i ve.

Chuck gr i ns.

CHUCK You t oo.

Then she heads f or t he wai t i ng car . Chuck st ands by hi sr af t , wat chi ng her go.


Chuck and Stan r i de on t he pl ane. Chuck i s comi ng down of fhi s survi val hi gh. He has the Angel Wi ng FedEx package wi t hhi m.

STAN

When I f i r st showed up, I t hought you' dl ost your f ucki ng mar bl es.

CHUCKI never t hought i t woul d end. Then i tdi d. I t was so gr eat t o be saved, Icoul dn' t st op l aughi ng.

St an pul l s a f l ask out of hi s bag.

STAN You need a dr i nk.

St an t akes t wo gl asses f r omhi s bag, r est s t hem on a FedExcont ai ner, and pour s t he whi skey.

CHUCKFor year s my onl y dr i nki ng buddy was asoccer bal l . Wi l son.

St an hoi st s hi s gl ass.

STAN To Wi l son.

CHUCK To Wi l son.

Now' s when St an get s t o t he quest i on he' s been want i ng t oask, t hat Kel l y want ed t o know, t hat we al l want t o know.

STANSo, what ' s i t al l about ?

Chuck st ares at hi m.

STAN



You' ve been over t he l i ne and you cameback. You' ve been saved, hal l el uj ah!

CHUCKHal l el uj ah.

St an l ooks over at hi m.

STANI ' m ser i ous. The bur ni ng bush, t he bi gpi ct ur e, t he wor ds i n neon. . .

CHUCKWhat ' s i t al l about ? I t ' s about bei ng sot hi r st y you' d cr ush a f i sh' s backbone t osuck out t he spi nal f l ui d - - t hat ' s whati t ' s about .

St an si t s back, r epul sed but r el i eved.

STANDo what i t t akes. That ' s what I al wayst ol d you.

He pour s anot her dr i nk.

STAN To l i f e. Fuck ' em i f t hey can' t t ake a j oke.

CHUCK To l i f e.

STAN That ' s al l t here i s.

CHUCKBel i eve me I know.

He t akes a si p of hi s dr i nk, j ust savor i ng i t , t hi nki ng.

CHUCKBut i t ' s not bei ng bol d or bei ng i n t hegame or r ol l i ng t he di ce.

Al l t hose t hi ngs St an used t o tel l hi m.

CHUCKWhen I was goi ng cr azy, on t he r af t , I ' dargue wi t h mysel f about everyt hi ng.Because everyt hi ng had a pr i ce. To getanyt hi ng - - a s i p of wat er , a l i t t l ecor ner of shade, an hour ' s sl eep - - I hadt o l et go of somet hi ng el se. And t hen Icoul d never get i t back.

He t hi nks some mor e.



CHUCK

You don' t wi n or l ose. You wi n and l ose.

He l ooks out t he wi ndow.

CHUCK You wi n and l ose.

And Chuck has. Bi g t i me.

EXT. MEMPHI S AI RPORT - NI GHT

A FedEx MD- 11 l ands.

EXT. MEMPHI S SUPERHUB - MOMENTS LATER

The MD- 11 t axi s up. As usual , t he SuperHub i s a f r enzy ofacti vi t y. A l oadi ng crew st ands r eady, f or kl i f t s poi sed.Even t hi s pl ane car r i es packages.

PHI L STEELE, t he chai r man of FedEx, Lesl i e, Becca, Di ck, andother execut i ves wai t on a speci al podi um near t he gangway.Ever yone l ooks di f f er ent - - ol der , a must ache her e, at hi ckeni ng ar ound t he bel l y ther e.

Behi nd a bar r i er a cl ust er of camer as f i l m t he scene.

The pl ane cut s i t s engi ne. The st ai r s are r ol l ed out .Forkl i f t s and gangways move f orward. Cargo doors open.Chuck appears i n t he door . He hol ds the FedEx Package and asmal l t r avel bag.

Chuck bl i nks agai nst t he l i ght s and t he gl ar e. St an i s ri ghtby hi m. Everyone bur st s i nt o APPLAUSE AND CHEERI NG.

Af t er f our year s of t ot al sol i t ude t hi s i s compl et el yover whel mi ng.

STANSmi l e.

Chuck smi l es.

STANWave.

And Chuck waves. He' s over whel med by al l t he i nput . Stanst eer s Chuck down t he st eps as t he cheer s cont i nue.

At t he bot t omof t he st eps Roger st eps f orwar d. The t wobrot her s embrace each ot her . Af t er a moment Rogerdi sengages. Mary gi ves Chuck a hug.

MARYOh Chuck - -



CHUCKWher e' s Mom?

ROGERWai t i ng f or you. At t he f ar m. Thi s wast oo much - -

He l ooks ar ound at t he cr owds.

CHUCK Tel l me about i t .

Stan nudges Chuck. Ti me t o go t o t he podi um.

ROGERGl ad you made i t , bi g br other .

Stan and Chuck head f or t he podi um. Al l t he l oader s andoperator s and package scanners begi n t o appl aud. Chucksmi l es, t hen l aughs, get t i ng i nt o t he emot i on. He keeps up

an al most i ndeci pherabl e babbl e underneat h the cheer i ng.Occasi onal l y he sees someone he knows.

CHUCKWow. Thank you. Gr eat . Thank you.Hey, Rasheed, how you doi ng? Thank youal l .

EXT. SUPERHUB - WI DE

Chuck makes hi s t r i umphant way t hrough t hi s amazi ngcol l ect i on of cheer i ng peopl e l i ke Moses part i ng t he Red Sea.

EXT. SUPERHUB - PLATFORM Wi t h a bi g smi l e Phi l St eel e hol ds out hi s hand t o Chuck.

STEELEWel come home.

He st eps t o t he mi cr ophone and addresses t he Super Hub.

STEELE Thi s i s an ext r aordi nary moment . And i tshoul d be marked i n an extr aor di nar y way.Wi t h somet hi ng we have never done si ncet hi s company was f ounded.

( pause)St op t he l i ne!

EXT. SUPERHUB - SERI ES OF SHOTS

Al l over t he Super Hub, bel t s come t o a hal t . For kl i f t s stop. Tr acki ng st at i ons shut down. The vast f l ow of packages i ssuddenl y st i l l . The i ncredi bl e di n of acti vi t y i s suddenl yqui et . The st i l l ness and t he si l ence are unexpect ed andpal pabl e. Thousands of worker s st op as wel l , st ar i ng ei t her



up at Chuck di r ect l y or at hi s i mage on vi deo scr eens. Wehear Phi l ' s voi ce pi ped i n.

EXT. SUPERHUB - PLATFORM Phi l hol ds a pl aque.

STEELEFour years ago we pl aced thi s pl aque i nhonor of Char l es Nol and, and t wo j ustl i ke i t i n honor of Al Mor r i s and J ohnDurham, t he t wo br ave pi l ot s who wentdown wi t h hi m.

As he t al ks, we st ay on Chuck, who i s t aki ng i n t hi s amazi ngscene, not real l y l i steni ng.

STEELEChuck endur ed year s of har dshi p andl onel i ness. Li ke Lazar us, Chuck has come

back f r om t he dead. Chuck, t hi s i s yourf ami l y, al l of us. So i t gi ves me gr eatpl easur e. . . t o t ake t hi s pl aque. . . and t opr esent i t t o our l ong l ost son. Wel comehome.

He hands t he pl aque t o Chuck. Chuck acknowl edges t he cheer sof t he cr owd.

CHUCK Thank you. Thank you very much. . .

Everyone appl auds.

CHUCKGi ve me a mi nut e. I ' ve spent f our year sl ooki ng out at an empty ocean.

He l aughs, a shor t br i t t l e l augh, composes hi msel f .

CHUCKI t ' s al l so - - bi g. You never t hi nkyou' l l mi ss - - al l t hi s . But I di d. Ireal l y, real l y di d. And I mi ssed al l ofyou.

He l ooks over at t he hub.

CHUCK You' ve added some new bel t s, and what ' sthat?

He poi nt s at some hi gh t ech equi pment on t he edge of t heshed.

STANDi gi t al l aser reader s.



CHUCK

Di gi t al l aser r eader s. Wow. Ter r i f i c.

He l ooks around at everyone, doesn' t know what el se t o say.

CHUCKI ' ve never hear d i t t hi s qui et .Shoul dn' t you al l be get t i ng back towor k?

The t ensi on i s broken. Everyone l aughs. Phi l St eel e mot i onswi t h hi s hand. Let i t be done.

ANOTHER ANGLE - WI DE

The vast , i ncr edi bl e machi nery cr eaks t o a st ar t . Everyoneshakes Chuck' s hand as he l eaves t he podi um.

As he heads f or t he car , REPORTERS shout quest i ons.

I NT. CAR - MEMPHI S FREEWAY

We ar e assaul t ed by a sur ge of l i ght , mot i on, act i vi t y.Snaki ng l i nes of t r af f i c i n bot h di r ecti ons, bi g over passes,t he ci t y ri si ng beyond.

St an dr i ves wi t h a cer t ai n aggr essi veness. Chuck l ooks outat t he t raf f i c, at al l t he act i vi t y, at t he vast i nt r i cat eant hi l l of humani t y goi ng ever ywhere and nowhere.

CHUCK Take your t i me.

STANWhat ?

CHUCK That ' s what i t ' s about .

STANBei ng pat i ent . Don' t r ush t hi ngs. I geti t .

He swerves i nto another l ane.

CHUCK

Not j ust t hat . Take your ti me. Use i t .Li ve i t .

STANDeep, r eal deep.

He gr i ns, cut s across t o t he exi t .

STANSo where t o? The of f i ce? The hot el ?



The beach?

Chuck st ares at hi m. Ar e you ki ddi ng?

STANWhat , t hen?

CHUCKDel i ver t hi s package. Then, I dunno.

STAN( r e: t he package)

You want t hat del i ver ed, we' l l del i veri t . That ' s what we do.

CHUCKI need t o do i t .

STANFi ni sh what you st ar t ed. You haven' t

changed, Chuck. I t ' s st i l l you.

Ri ght .

CHUCK You want t o hel p, hel p me f i nd t he womanwho sent t hi s.

I NT. OPERATI ONS CENTER - DAY

Stan and Chuck are i n the of f i ce of a TECHNI CI AN who i sworki ng away at hi s comput er. The Techni ci an pul l s t he barcode f r om t he Angel Wi ng FedEx box up on hi s comput er scr een.

TECHNI CI ANOkay. Af t er t hr ee year s the PTR r ever t st o tape st orage, whi ch i s okay because weaccess i t t hr ough t he CPC. Her e i t i s.

( gest ures at comput er map) Ten packages f r om t he same sender . Baku.Del hi . St . Pet ersbur g. The guy was ar eal r oad war r i or. Thi s package wasKual a Lampur . No act i vi t y i n hi s accountaf t er t hi s package. No f orwardi ngaddr esses af t er K. L.

CHUCK

What about t he sender ?

TECHNI CI ANSur e. Bet t i na Pet er son. Mar f a, Texas.Let ' s r un a cur r ent check.

He works some keys, wai t s.

TECHNI CI ANHmmm. Durango, Col orado; Ashevi l l e,



Nor t h Car ol i na, t hen. . . cancel ed heraccount .

CHUCKCan you f i nd her?

TECHNI CI AN You' r e l ooki ng at a Level I I I sear ch.For your Level I I I , you got t a have E- 4aut hori zat i on. I don' t have i t .

STANI do.

He hol ds out a badge.

TECHNI CI ANOkay, l et ' s l et i t r i p.

He st ar t s t o pul l up t he dat a.

CHUCK Thanks. For everyt hi ng.

STANNo sweat .

EXT. CHUCK' S MOTEL - THAT NI GHT

Chuck l eaves t he motel , t he Angel Box under hi s arm. He t i esi t i nt o a panni er on t he si de of a bi cycl e.

EXT. MEMPHI S - CHI CKASAW GARDENS - NI GHT

Chuck sneaks up to a craf t sman cot t age and st ands by a t r eewi t h a swi ng on i t . I nsi de we see Kel l y maki ng di nner f orher husband, who pl ays wi t h t hei r daughter . For a momentChuck wat ches t hrough the wi ndow, and we wat ch wi t h hi m.

Then t he dog begi ns t o bark.

EXT. CEMETERY - NI GHT

Chuck wal ks t hrough t he cemetery l ate at ni ght . He comes tohi s gr avest one, st ar es f or a l ong moment at t he i nscr i pt i on,t hen takes out a spray can of pai nt and put s a HANDPRI NT oni t .

He gets back on hi s bi cycl e and r i des away.

EXT. HI GHWAY - DAY

Chuck r i des hi s bi cycl e down a road l eadi ng i nt o the Sout h.

EXT. FREEWAY - DAY

Chuck negot i ates an overpass crossi ng an I nters t ate Hi ghway.Headed i n bot h di r ect i ons, cars whoosh by beneat h hi m.



EXT. HI GHWAY - DUSK - LATER

Chuck r i des down a nar r ow r oad, shr ouded i n mi st . Moss dr i psf r omt he t r ees r eachi ng over t he r oad. A car goes by. Thenanot her, t hei r l i ght s l i ke hal os i n t he f og. I t ' s a mysti calscene, a passage.

EXT. ARKANSAS - NI GHT

Chuck gets of f hi s bi cycl e i n t he rai n and wal ks t owar d ar oadsi de caf e.

I NT. CAFE - NI GHT

Chuck draws on a paper pl ace mat as he wai t s f or hi s meal ata count er . Above t he count er t he t el evi si on pl ays.

ANNOUNCERAnd her e' s more f r om Di ngo Dodd, our

Aust r al i an cor r espondent , on t heext r aordi nary st ory of Chuck Nol and, t hemoder n Robi nson Cr usoe.

The wai t r ess set s a pl at e down i n f r ont of Chuck, t urns t owatch.

On t he TV we see an Aust r al i an cor r espondent st andi ng onChuck' s beach.

DI NGO DODDShar k i nf est ed wat ers! A deser t edi sl and! Sur r ounded by r eef s! Accessi bl eonl y by hel i copt er ! For f our year s ChuckNol and sur vi ved her e al one, eat i ng f i sh,coconuts and cl ams, hi s onl y compani on asoccer bal l .

Chuck i s st ar i ng at t he scr een, seei ng hi s cave, seei ng al lt hose year s.

DI NGO DODDI ' m now i n Chuck' s cave wher e he passedt he l onel y ni ght s, pai nt i ng on t he wal l sl i ke some prehi st or i c caveman. What di dChuck f eel ? These pai nt i ngs t el l t hest ory, but onl y Chuck knows what t hey

mean. And he' s not t al ki ng.

On t he scr een we see a photograph of Chuck.

The wai t r ess l ooks over at Chuck. The ot her cl i ents l ook athi m too.

CHUCKCheck, pl ease.



The wai t r ess comes over .

WAI TRESSNo charge, honey. But coul d you j ustsi gn t hat pl ace mat f or me?

Chuck l ooks down at hi s doodl i ng. Hesi t at es. Then si gns hi sname.

I NT. TYSON' S CHI CKEN - ARKANSAS - DAY

Thousands of chi cken car casses hangi ng on hooks ci r cl et hr ough the huge pr ocessi ng pl ant , a vast st r uct ur e on t hescal e of t he SuperHub or t he Hospi t al .

Chuck' s Mom, dr essed i n whi t e wi t h a hai r net , ent ers awi ndowed of f i ce i n t he b. g. Thr ough t he wi ndow we see herhug Chuck.

I NT. TYSON' S CHI CKEN - OFFI CE - ARKANSAS - DAY

We are i n t he of f i ce now. Chuck' s Mom' s eyes are moi st .

CHUCKWhen' d you st ar t worki ng her e?

MOM Roger got me on. I wasn' t doi ng

anythi ng, and - - but you' r e back, you' r er eal l y back. I woul d have come t oMemphi s, but - -

CHUCKI want ed t o come here.

I NT. FRAME HOUSE - ARKANSAS - DAY

Chuck eat s a Sout her n f r i ed dr umst i ck. The t abl e i s f ul l ofhome- cooked f ood.

MOM Have some mor e potat o sal ad.

Chuck gest ur es, no, I ' m f ul l . She put s down t he spoon.

CHUCK That was great , Mom, j ust great .

He l ooks ar ound t he house, ever ythi ng i n i t s pl ace. Hi smother has been her e f or f ort y years. There' s a bi g cr ackr unni ng down f r om t he cei l i ng.

CHUCKI ' ve got al l t hi s back pay comi ng. Whydon' t you l et me get you a pl ace i n t own?

MOM



Thi s i s my home. I ' m par t of t hewal l paper .

She st udi es hi m f or a moment .

MOM You mi ss i t , don' t you? You mi ss t hat

i s l and.

He does, but t hat ' s not i t ent i r el y.

CHUCKMi ss t hat i sl and? Mom, come on.

She l ooks at hi m. She knows her boy.

MOM What a j our ney you' ve had. I t seems more

t han a person shoul d have t o bear .

CHUCK The t i de saved me, Mom. I l i ved by i t .I ' m j ust wonder i ng wher e i t wi l l t ake menext.

She l ooks at hi m, t hi nks about t hi s.

MOM Remember t he f ami l y mot t o. I n t i me. I t

wi l l come t o you, i n t i me.

EXT. ARKANSAS - DAY

Chuck r i des away f r om t he smal l neat f r ame house, down acount r y l ane wi t h t r ai l er s up on bl ocks.

EXT. GULF COAST - DAY

Chuck l eaves a cheap mot el as t he sun comes up.

EXT. MI SSI SSI PPI GULF COAST - DAY - LATER

Chuck r i des on a f er r y, t he wi nd bl owi ng hi s f ace. The skyi s gr ay and dr i zzl y. He smel l s t he sal t water . Wat ches t hewaves.

EXT. GAS STATI ON - DAY

Chuck asks f or di r ect i ons. A ki d i n baggy pant s and no shi r tpoi nt s hi m down t he r oad.

EXT. GAS STATI ON - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck pul l s some cl othes out of hi s saddl e bags.

EXT. GAS STATI ON - MOMENTS LATER



Chuck emerges f r om t he r est r oom wear i ng a FedEx shi r t andshor t s.

EXT. BEACH HOUSE - HOUR LATER

A cl assi c beach house. Sand dunes, st i l t s. Car r yi ng t heAngel Wi ng Box under hi s ar m, Chuck checks t he address i n hi shand. Mount s t he st eps. A l i ght mi st f al l s. You can seet he Gul f behi nd t he house, gray and moody.

A WOMAN, BETTI NA, answers t he door - - THE woman f r om t hebegi nni ng. She wear s cut - of f j eans and a bl ue work shi r tcover ed wi t h pai nt . Ther e' s a t at t oo on her ankl e.

CHUCKFedEx f or Bet t i na Pet er son.

The woman st ar es i n di sbel i ef at t he package she hasn' t seeni n year s and never expected t o see agai n.

BETTI NAWher e di d you get t hat ?

Chuck di spl ays a FedEx badge.

CHUCKChar l es Nol and. FedEx Speci al Pr oj ect s.

Bet t i na not i ces Chuck' s bi cycl e.

BETTI NA You came on a bi cycl e? No wonder i t ' s sol ate.

CHUCK There was an unavoi dabl e del ay.

Bet t i na st ares at t he package, her own memor i es comi ng back.

BETTI NAWel l , I have t o say, I ' m i mpr essed. Younever gave up.

CHUCKNo.

She hol ds t he box and st udi es hi m f or a l ong moment .

Somet hi ng - - t he l ook on hi s f ace, t he extr aor di nar yr eappear ance of t hi s l ong- l ost package - - makes her curi ous.

BETTI NA You know what happened t o t hi s?

CHUCKAs much as anybody.

BETTI NA



Want t o come i n? Get dry f or a mi nut e.

CHUCKOkay. Sur e.

She l et s Chuck i n the door .

I NT. HOUSE - DAY

Ladder s. Scaf f ol ds. Huge pai nt i ngs ar e ever ywher e.Pai nt i ngs of wi ngs and angel s - - l i ke t he package. Chuckst ar es at t hem. Bet t i na wat ches Chuck st ar e.

BETTI NAI ' ve got some cof f ee on. Woul d you l i kesome?

I NT. KI TCHEN - LATER

Bet t i na pour s some cof f ee. The package si t s i n t he count er .

Some magazi nes ar e spread ar ound, i ncl udi ng a Peopl e Magazi newi t h Chuck' s phot ogr aph on the cover .

CHUCK( t akes a si p)

I t ' s good.

They smi l e awkwar dl y at each ot her . She st ar t s t o open i t .

BETTI NAHmmm. Feel s l i ke i t mi ght have got t enwet .

CHUCKPossi bl e. So you di d t hose wi ngs?

BETTI NA Yeah. A l ong t i me ago.

CHUCK They' r e harder t o do t han t hey l ook.

BETTI NAOh? You' ve t r i ed?

CHUCKWel l , I do a l i t t l e drawi ng - -

She' s opened t he package. She pul l s out t he bot t l es of sal saand t he l et t er .

CHUCKOur apol ogi es t hat i t never made i t t ot he reci pi ent .

BETTI NAHe was a sor r y sonof abi t ch, and I ' m sorr y



I ever mar r i ed hi m.

Ther e i s a moment where nei t her knows what t o say.

BETTI NA You l ook f ami l i ar .

Her eyes star t t o r egi st er r ecogni t i on. She gl ances at t hemagazi ne wi t h Chuck' s pi ct ur e on i t . She pi cks i t up.

BETTI NAI can' t bel i eve thi s . I - - I - - Theyare. . . You' re a gi f t ed art i st. You' r ei nt o somet hi ng ver y power f ul . Pr i mal .

Tr ul y.

CHUCKWel l , not r eal l y, I - -

BETTI NA

You are. Yes you ar e.( so many t hi ngs she want s t osay)

What gave you t he i dea t o pai nt on t hatcave?

Chuck t hi nks about t hat . Af t er a moment , he gr i ns.

CHUCK To t el l you t he t r ut h - - you di d.

BETTI NADo you. . . have any mor e packages t odel i ver ?

CHUCKNo. t hat was t he l ast one.

BETTI NA J ust si t here, I ' l l get us some l unch.

Chuck si t s back on t he couch, t aki ng i n t he si ght of t heocean i n t he l i ght r ai n. He l ooks over at al l t he canvases,t he easel , t he pal et t es. The wi nd r ust l es t he pal m t r eesar ound t he house. The sur f cr ashes and r ust l es. Fami l i arsounds. I sl and sounds.

He r el axes a l i t t l e. Maybe t he package wi t h t he wi ngs was asi gn, he kept i t al l t hese year s pr eci sel y f or t hi s. Thent her e' s a sound of a t r uck i n t he dr i veway.

The engi ne cut s of f . Ther e ar e st eps on t he porch. The dooropens. A t anned muscul ar MAN i n neat l y kept work cl ot hescomes i n, hangs a t ool bel t on a hook by t he door .

He l ooks at Chuck wi t h a r el axed, even st ar e, as i f seei ng aman i n a FedEx uni f orm si t t i ng on hi s couch i s not an unusual



occur r ence.

MANHey.

CHUCKHey.

BETTI NA (O. S. )I n her e!

The Man nods at Chuck, goes i nt o t he ki t chen. We ar e onChuck' s f ace. Who' s t hi s? We hear muf f l ed l aught er f r omi ns i de.

EXT. BEACH HOUSE - HOUR LATER

Ar ms ar ound each ot her , t he Man and t he Woman say goodbye t oChuck. I n t he f r ont yar d i s a panel t r uck pai nt ed wi t h t woangel wi ngs. The Man gr i ns at Chuck, an easy, f r i endl y gr i n.

MANCome back anyt i me. Cof f ee' s al ways on.Don' t even have to br i ng us a package.

CHUCK That was my l ast one.

Bet t i na hands Chuck a sheet of paper.

BETTI NA The l i st of pai nt s and brushes I di d f oryou.

He t akes i t , not exact l y sur e he want s i t .

BETTI NAKeep pai nt i ng. Promi se me.

CHUCKSur e.

EXT. BEACH HOUSE - MOMENTS LATER

Chuck ri des hi s bi cycl e away, al ong t he shore.

EXT. BEACH - MI NUTES LATER

Chuck r i des al ong t he beach. Up ahead we see a FedEx t r uck.


Chuck gets of f hi s bi ke as a f emal e FEDEX DRI VER put s chocksunder t he wheel s, whi ch have st uck i n the sand.

CHUCKNeed some hel p?



DRI VER

You bet I do. Hi gh t i de comes r i ght upt o t hi s road.


Chuck pushes on t he t r uck as t he dr i ver gi ves i t gas. Thet r uck sl owl y pul l s back ont o t he pavement .


The Dr i ver gets out of t he t r uck wi t h a gr i n. She has anopen, f r i endl y f ace. Ther e' s an i nst ant connect i on bet weent hem.

DRI VERHey, t hanks. I ' d never have got t hat outby mysel f .

Looks at hi s uni f or m. At t he bi ke.

DRI VER You' r e not out of Pascagoul a, are you?

CHUCKNo.

Where i s he f r om, anyway?

CHUCKI used t o dr i ve one of t hose. A l ongt i me ago.

DRI VERHey, once a dr i ver , al ways a dr i ver . Youwant a l i f t ? I ' ve j ust got one mor epi ckup.

CHUCKSur e.

He pi cks up hi s bi ke.

I NT. FEDEX TRUCK - MOMENTS LATER

The FedEx t r uck makes i t s way down t he beach, Chuck i n hi s

uni f orm, t he Dr i ver i n her s. Two FedEx peopl e i n a t r uck. The Dr i ver l ooks over at Chuck.

DRI VER You' r e Chuck Nol and.

CHUCK Yeah.

DRI VER/ ERI CA



I knew i t ! You' r e a l egend! Mr .Robi nson Cr usoe.

CHUCKWel l - -

ERI CAI knew I r ecogni zed you. My name' sEr i ca.

They smi l e at each ot her. Then she smi l es a l i t t l e mor e.

ERI CADi d you r eal l y st eal a cri ppl ed ki d' sbi cycl e t o make your del i ver i es, or i st hat j ust some bul l shi t st or y?

CHUCKI di dn' t st eal i t , and he wasn' tcr i ppl ed.

Er i ca l aughs.

ERI CAOt her wi se i t ' s compl et el y tr ue.

And t hat makes Chuck l augh, r eal l y l augh, f or t he f i r st t i me.

CHUCK Yeah, compl et el y.

She l ooks over at hi m wi t h a gr i n.

ERI CAWhat br i ngs you out t o t he st i cks?

CHUCKHad a package to del i ver .

ERI CA You? Per sonal l y?

CHUCKI had i t on t he i sl and wi t h me.

ERI CAMust be a st ory t her e.

Ther e' s a connect i on bui l di ng here, ef f or t l essl y.


We are wi de on the beach, wat chi ng t he t r uck move al ong t hewat er, ki cki ng up wi sps of sand.

CHUCK ( V. O. ) Yeah, a l ong one.



ERI CA ( V. O. )

I ' ve got l ot s of t i me.

CHUCK ( V. O. )So do I .

The t r uck goes down t he beach and t hen t urns i nl and, awayf r om t he ocean. Away f r om al l t hat .

CHUCK ( V. O. )So do I .

And we pul l back, t aki ng i n the sweep of t he beach, t heest uar i es, and t he gr een f or est st r et chi ng back i nt o Amer i ca.

The end i s t he begi nni ng.

FADE OUT.

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