[Quick Summary: Prof. Larry Gopnik cannot believe the events in his Job-like life.]
This wasn't my favorite script, but I did like how the writers ended their scenes.
Each one ended with a satisfying "button."
Sometimes the button was tying up loose ends.
Other times it was more open ended: a question was left unanswered, an uncomfortable moment that remained unresolved, a setup for a later payoff, etc.
Buttons gave me confidence that the story was making progress and kept me reading.
ex. "SY: You know, Larry - how we handle ourselves, in this situation - it's so impawtant.
LARRY: Uh-huh.
SY: Absolutely. Judith told me that she broke the news to you. She said you were very adult.
LARRY: Did she.
SY: Absolutely. The respect she has for you.
LARRY: Yes?
SY: Absolutely. But the children, Larry. The children.
He shakes his head.
...The most impawtant.
LARRY: Well, I guess...
SY: Of coss. And Judith says they're handling it so well. A tribute to you. Do you drink wine? Because this is an incredible bottle. This is not Mogen David. This is a wine, Larry. A bawdeaux.
LARRY: You know, Sy --
SY: Open it - let it breathe. Ten minutes. Letting it breathe, so impawtant.
LARRY: Thanks, Sy, but I'm not --
SY: I insist! No reason for discumfit. I'll be uncumftable if you don't take it. These are isgns and tokens, Larry.
LARRY: I'm just - I'm not ungrateful, I'm, I just don't know a lot about wine and given our respective, you --
He is startled when Sy abruptly hugs him.
SY: S'okay.
He finishes the hug off with a couple of thumps on the back.
...S'okay. Wuhgonnabe fine."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Button your scenes. Let the reader know where you're going.
A Serious Man (2009)(draft dated 6/4/07)
by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
No comments:
Post a Comment