Re-boot

RE-BOOT

Short Film Script 2003

1. INT PROSTHETICS STOREROOM DAY
Racks of artificial limbs laid out in neat rows. We focus on a leg. A
label attached to the foot reads "Fletcher Pyle. Patient No. 6034/HF.
Fitting/Final". The label moves slightly, as if shuddering, flipped
over by a sudden draught of air.
Hands reach in to lift the leg.

2. INT HOSPITAL SURGERY DAY
The leg now sports a brown leather lace-up shoe. It's being fitted to
the knee of FLETCHER PYLE, a gaunt man in his late twenties. Fletcher's
other foot is in a trainer. Nurse ELLIOT and Doctor CRANE attend.

NURSE ELLIOT
Did you bring the other trainer, Mr Pyle? They should match.

FLETCHER
No. I forgot.

Fletcher stands. He's trying out the new leg.

FLETCHER
Fantastic. The adjustments have made it even better. It feels
great.
He pivots, ducks, kicks out his good leg in a mock karate move, while
trying to keep his balance on the artificial limb.

DOCTOR CRANE
Good luck. See you in two weeks.
The nurse smiles warmly. She touches his arm.

NURSE ELLIOT
Don't overdo it.

FLETCHER
I wish.

3. EXT ROAD DAY
Feet running around? some kids are playing football. One kicks the ball
and it swerves across Fletcher's path. Before he knows it, he reaches
out and traps the ball with his artificial leg. His leather lace-up
shoe holds the ball, caresses it, before kicking it back.
A boy runs out to retrieve the ball forcing a passing car to slam on
its brakes. The DRIVER turns to Fletcher.

DRIVER
Irresponsible bastard!

Fletcher is shocked. He hurries away and then stops. He looks at the
leg, at the foot? with the brown lace-up shoe.

4. INT FLETCHER'S FLAT NIGHT

Fletcher is looking out of his living room window. Opposite a fat man
in a string vest is zipping up after pissing against a tree. Fletcher
turns to the chilli he is eating from a tin. His radio is tuned to 60s
hits and now it's Chubby Checker's "Let's Twist Again" (or clearable
similar).
Fletcher begins to move his new leg in a twisting motion, grinning
slyly as he gets into a satisfying groove. But he looks puzzled and
then worried as the leg begins to corkscrew ever more wildly out of
control.
He manages to struggle over to turn off the radio. Silence. The leg
stops moving.

5. INT HOSPITAL SURGERY DAY

Fletcher is with Dr Crane.

FLETCHER
I always had self-control before. Some sense of containment. But
now?

DOCTOR CRANE
It's as if your operating system has overloaded? You must re-boot.
Start again. Remember, you're thinking for two now?

FLETCHER

I want to have sex all the time.

DOCTOR CRANE
(chuckles)
Sex?

FLETCHER
Yes. And curry? I want hot curry, with beer and poppadums.

DOCTOR CRANE
Sex and curry. I see. Strange. You really aren't yourself today at all,
Mr Pyle. We'll talk more, next week.

Fletcher gets up to leave. At the door, he suddenly swivels round and
smiles weakly at Crane.

FLETCHER
Yes, I am. I am myself.

6. INT NIGHT CLUB NIGHT
A swirl of feet on a dance floor. We find the familiar brown lace-up
shoe (accompanied by trainer) at the bar next to a pair of startling
stilettos. Fletcher is with a beautiful woman, GRACE. She seems bored,
looking around and beyond Fletcher. He's trying to be suave.

FLETCHER
Of course, they know me here, which is great. I'm part of the scene.
But we could go somewhere quieter, maybe catch up, have a bite to
eat?

GRACE
Look, thanks Fletcher, but I don't think so?

As they talk Fletcher's artificial leg starts to shuffle closer towards
Grace's stilettos. The brown lace-up shoe gently almost imperceptibly
caresses her ankle? before it suddenly lunges up her thigh.

GRACE
What're you doing? That's disgusting.

FLETCHER
I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me. Grace forgive me. It
won't happen again.

GRACE
Damn right it won't.

She storms off leaving Fletcher looking round nervously to see if
anyone has noticed.

7. EXT CITY CENTRE DAY

Oversize claws flapping on a pavement? belonging to someone in bright
yellow chicken costume handing out leaflets for 'Wally's Wings' fast
food chain. Office workers mill about at lunchtime. We follow one who
takes us to our familiar brown lace-up? except this time on the other
foot is a loud two-tone brogue. We pick up a conversation off.

WOMAN'S VOICE
For Christ's sake. What did you think you were doing?

2ND VOICE (FLETCHER)
I didn't want to? it just happened.

We follow the trouser leg upwards to discover Fletcher dressed in a
flamboyant suit and tie, a vaudeville outfit. He's outside a large
office building. Next to him, a colleague MAGDA. She wears a designer
suit, big shoulders, big hair, killer shoes.

MAGDA
That was some career move, kicking the knowledge manager.

FLETCHER
I couldn't help it.

MAGDA
You could be looking at assault, here. You're lucky just to have been
fired. And the suit, for God's sake. What is with the suit?

Fletcher stares at her.

FLETCHER
It's a distress beacon.

8. INT FLETCHER'S FLAT NIGHT
Fletcher, now more soberly dressed, is propped up on one leg (trainer
back on). He is busy wrapping up his artificial leg in newspaper and
lashing it with masking tape. He places it in a cheap suitcase. He
locks the case.

9. EXT BRIDGE NIGHT
The city skyline dazzles in the distance but Fletcher can only look
down into the water flowing below. He's standing alone on the bridge
with the suitcase placed on a parapet. A moment and then he straightens
up and staggers away on crutches.
The suitcase remains on the bridge - unnoticed by passers-by. Mix
to:
Sirens and flashing lights? police cars arriving. The bridge is
cordoned off. A small crowd is gathering, a camera crew is already
setting up?

10. INT PROSTHETICS STOREROOM NIGHT
Racks of artificial limbs laid out in neat rows. We close in to find a
leg alone on a rack, separated from other limbs. We close in further on
a label tied to a brown leather lace-up shoe. It reads "Fletcher Pyle.
Patient No. 6034/HF. Return &; Recycle".

The End