TODAY'S NUGGET: The Lookout (2007) - How to Show Man at War with Himself

[Quick Summary: Now hampered by a head injury, Chris is a frustrated bank janitor who impulsively decides to assist thugs with a bank heist, then regrets it.]

Chris is angry because he is hampered by a head injury:

- He must write everything down because of his frequent memory lapses.. 
- He has difficulty in social situations because of frontal lobe problems. 

What does Chris want? His old life back.

What is the obstacle?  His trauma. This protagonist is his own greatest antagonist.*

So how do you externalize that a man at war with himself?

I saw one method in this script:
- First, present the protagonist with a routine situation.
- Have the protagonist react in an odd way so we see his internal problem.
- Have other characters react and/or say what the protagonist is probably thinking.

The scene below shows how Chris' trauma gets in the way of what Chris wants most (externalizing the antagonist).

ex. "INT. BAR - NIGHT

...Chris then turns away, sees the BARTENDER watching him. [Normal situation: Chris needs to pay the bar tab.]

BARTENDER (loud, slow): Two-fifty. For. The. Beer.  [This is an insult, disrespectful to Chris.]

"Gary" turns back now and watches as Chris fumbles about for the right amount of cash, pays his tab.

BARTENDER (cont'd): Thank. You. Very. Much.

Gary keeps looking at Chris now. Finally: [Chris's reaction is not to speak up when others would. We see he is used to this treatment and shame.]

GARY: You hard of hearing or something?

CHRIS: No.

Gary nods, turns as the bartender sets Gary's change on the bar, starts to move away when Gary grabs his arm.

GARY: Excuse me...(reads his name tag)...T.J.

The bartender looks down at Gary's hand on his arm.

GARY (cont'd): He's not deaf.

BARTENDER: What?

GARY: He just told me, he's not deaf. [Gary is saying what Chris is embarrassed to say.]

The bartender glances at Chris, pulls his arm free.

BARTENDER: I know he's not.

GARY: There some reason, then, why you keep raising your voice every time you talk to him?

The bartender glances at Chris, then...

BARTENDER: So he can understand.

GARY: Why wouldn't he? [Again, he speaks what Chris thinks.]

The bartender is uncomfortable. Gary looks at Chris.

GARY (cont'd): Can you understand him?

CHRIS: It's no problem...

GARY: Can you understand him?

CHRIS: Yes.

Gary looks at the bartender, and smiles, but it isn't mirth or good cheer that the bartender reads on Gary's face.

GARY: So now you know.

BARTENDER: Now I know.

The guy can't get out of there fast enough. Gary shakes his head."

WHAT I'VE LEARNED:  I'm glad to have found this example, as they do not show up much.

The Lookout (2007)(3/26/04 draft w/revisions)
by Scott Frank

*This takes up the first 2/3 of the script. The last 1/3 is the heist and the usual bad guys take over as antagonists.