[Quick Summary: On his first night as the night janitor, a lonely slacker runs amok in the store until he runs into a stowaway and two bumbling thieves.]
TWO THOUGHTS ON VULNERABILITY:
1) TEENS = VULNERABLE YEARS.
I think the hallmark of a John Hughes script is its honest emotional vulnerability.
So it is not surprising that he often places his characters in the teen years, a time when confusion reigns and no one has a protective shell yet.
2) ROMANCE = FEELS SO RISKY
Hughes' romantic, "I like you" scenes really get to me.
Some might say it's because of the sexy energy swirling about, but it is not enough.
Look closer. The awkward, floundering about how one feels is what hits home.
Note:
- Jim had a one-sided high school crush on the unattainable, poor little rich girl Josie.
- They are now 20 y.o., and are trapped together in a K-mart store overnight.
- She was going to call her dad to come get her.
- Notice how he is attracted, but floundering to deal with it.
- Notice how she knows he is attracted, and doesn't know how to deal with his emotions either.
ex. "CU. JOSIE
She's sitting on a makeup stool, looking at herself in a counter mirror. Jim approaches from behind. She's waiting for him. She knows he's coming.
INT. STORE
Jim walks up to the cosmetics counter.
JIM: I guess you didn't call.
Josie shakes her head, no.
JIM: It's none of my business, but I think you're fighting something.
JOSIE: Yeah?
JIM: Yeah. Part of me is pissed off that you're involving me and part of me feels for you.
JOSIE: I know what part feels for me.
Jim resents the remark.
JIM: Why don't you go home?
JOSIE: If I'm bothering you why don't you ignore me?
JIM: Ignore you? Do you know what you make me feel like?
JOSIE: I can't imagine.
JIM: You make me feel filthy.
JOSIE: It's not intentional.
JIM:You know how many hours we spent together in school? No more than five or six feet apart? I know you saw me. I know that somewhere in your memory is a picture of a scrawny little asshole with a home kitchen haircut drooling on his desk looking at you.
Josie holds up a perfume mister. She points it at him and gives a little squirt. He leans back from the mist.
JIM: Thanks.
JOSIE: You like it?
JIM: No.
JOSIE: You like perfume?
JIM (anxious to get back to his original topic): Not personally?
JOSIE: You think it's wrong for a woman to mask her natural scent with something from Revlon?
JIM: I haven't thought about it.
JOSIE: If I was sweating, would you touch me?
JIM (after a pause): I'd touch you if you were covered with spiders.
JOSIE: So, why are you insulting me?
JIM: I didn't think I was.
JOSIE: You were just telling the truth?
JIM: As far as I could see it.
Josie turns away. Looks at herself in the mirror."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Romance requires vulnerability, which in turn requires a lot of risk, which often appears awkward, stupid and/or exposing. But that is real.
Career Opportunities (1991)(draft dated 6/28/89)
by John Hughes
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