La La Land (2016) Movie Script
It's another hot, sunny day today here
in Southern California.
Temperature is 84
for downtown Los Angeles,
overnight lows of 75.
I think about that day
I left him at a Greyhound station
west of Santa Fe
We were 17, but he was sweet
and it was true
Still, I knew what I had to do
'Cause I just knew
Summer Sunday nights
We'd sink into our seats
right as they dimmed out all the lights
A technicolor world
made out of music and machine
It called me to be on that screen
And live inside each scene
Without a nickel to my name,
hopped a bus, here I came
Could be brave or just insane,
we'll have to see
'Cause maybe in that sleepy town
He'll sit one day, the lights are down
He'll see my face and think
how he used to know me
Climb these hills,
I'm reaching for the heights
And chasing all the lights that shine
And when they let you down,
it's another day of
You get up off the ground,
it's another day of
'Cause morning rolls around
And it's another day of sun
I hear 'em every day
The rhythms in the canyons
that'll never fade away
The ballads in the barrooms
left by those who came before
They say "You gotta want it more"
So I bang on every door
And even when the answer's "no"
Or when my money's running low
The dusty mic and neon glow are all I need
And someday as I sing my song
A small-town kid'll come along
That'll be the thing to push him on
And go, go
Climb these hills,
I'm reaching for the heights
And chasing all the lights that shine
And when they let you down,
it's another day of
You get up off the ground,
yes it's another day of
'Cause morning rolls around
And it's another day of sun
When they've let you down
And morning rolls around
It's another day of sun
It's another day of sun
It's another day of sun,
sun, sun, sun, sun, sun
It's another day of sun
Just another day of sun
It's another day of sun
Another day has just begun
And it's another day of sun
It's another day of sun.
...already has won three Oscars,
including for the 1998 film
Shakespeare in Love...
I mean, we could not
believe what was happening.
And I swear to God, she was wrecked.
She was completely wrecked!
I know. I know, it was pure insanity.
It's insanity...
Ah!
"Lunacy! It was pure lunacy."
What is his prob... I should go.
Cappuccino, please.
- Right. Of course.
- On us.
Oh, no, thank you. I insist.
Did you see who that was?
Shit!
- Mia, where do you think you're going?
- Oh, it's five after.
- You better be here early tomorrow.
- Okay.
Have a good night!
Oh!
She was wrecked!
It was pure lunacy, it was...
It was so crazy, and I just...
Oh, you would have died.
No, Turner's fine.
Turner's fine. I just, um...
Are you gonna wait 'til Denver
to tell her, or...?
What?
Okay.
No, I'm happy for you.
I am. I'm happy for you, I just...
I just thought...
I don't know what I thought,
- I guess I thought...
- One second.
- What, Ruby?
- Jessica's on the phone.
- Um, tell her I'll call her back.
- In two minutes?
- Less than two minutes.
- I'll go get your lunch.
I'm almost done. Thank you.
Oh, you know what? I think we're good.
Thanks for coming in.
Whoa! Holy shit! You wanna open a window?
- I was trying to give you an entrance.
- Thank you.
Mia! How'd the audition go?
Eh.
Eh, same here. Was Jen there or Rachel?
- I don't know who Jen and Rachel are.
- They're the worst.
- Well, I don't know if they were there.
- I bet that they were.
Why is there a convention in the bathroom?
Two minutes, people.
Mia, you're coming, right?
I can't! I'm working.
What?
Did she just say "working"?
- What?
- I'm sorry it didn't go well today,
and there's like four things in my inbox
that you're perfect for,
and I will submit you.
But right now you're coming!
It'll be fun.
- It's not gonna be fun.
- It could be.
It's not. It's gonna be
a bunch of social climbers
all packed into one of those
big glass houses.
This looks familiar.
- I was gonna give that back.
- How long have you had this?
- A long time.
- Come on, Mia.
When else are you gonna get to see
every Hollywood clich crammed
into the same room?
We'll make fun of it together!
I'm disappointed in you, Lex.
There's nothing to make fun of.
This party's gonna be like
humanity at its finest.
You've got the invitation
You've got the right address
You need some medication?
The answer's always "yes"
A little chance encounter
Could be the one you've waited for
Just squeeze a bit more
Tonight we're on a mission,
tonight's the casting call
If this is the real audition
Oh, God help us all!
You make the right impression
Then everybody knows your name
You're in the fast lane!
Someone in the crowd
could be the one you need to know
The one to finally lift you off the ground
Someone in the crowd
could take you where you wanna go
If you're the someone ready to be found
The someone ready to be
Do what you need to do
'til they discover you
And make you more
than who you're seeing now
So with the stars aligned
I think I'll stay behind
You've got to go and find
That someone in the crowd
Hey, girl!
That someone in the crowd
Is someone in the crowd
The only thing you really see?
Watching while the world
keeps spinning 'round
Somewhere there's a place
Where I find who I'm gonna be
A somewhere that's just
waiting to be found
Someone in the crowd
could be the one you need to know
The someone who can lift you
off the ground
Someone in the crowd could take you where
you wanna go
Someone in the crowd could make you
Someone in the crowd will take you
Flying off the ground
if you're the someone
Ready to be
Found.
No, no.
Oh, come on! What?
Ahh!
Please stop sneaking into my home.
You think Mom or Dad
would call this a home?
What are you doing?
Please don't do that.
Please don't sit on that.
Are you kidding?
Please don't sit on that.
Don't sit on that.
Don't sit on that.
Hoagy Carmichael sat on that!
- Oh, my God!
- "The Baked Potato" just threw it away.
- I can't imagine why.
- And now you're just sitting on it.
- I got you a throw rug.
- I don't need that.
What if I said Miles Davis pissed on it?
It's almost insulting. Is it true?
When are you gonna unpack these boxes?
When I unpack them in my own club.
Oh, Sebastian! It's like a girl broke up
with you and you're stalking her.
You're not still going by there, are you?
That's...
You won't believe it.
They turned it into a samba-tapas place.
- Oh, my God, Sebastian!
- Samba. Tapas.
Pick one, you know? Do one right.
- I have someone I want you to meet.
- I don't wanna meet anyone.
No, no, I don't wanna meet anyone.
- Dad gave you this? You'll like her.
- Yes.
I don't think I'm gonna like her.
Does she like jazz?
- Probably not.
- Then what are we gonna talk about?
I don't know! It doesn't matter, okay?
Because you're living like a hermit.
You're driving without insurance!
- "It doesn't matter"?
- Yeah, it doesn't matter.
- Okay. Well then,
- You need to get serious.
I know a guy with a face tattoo
that you should see.
- Okay, low blow.
- Heart of gold.
- Get serious!
- "Get serious"?
Laura... I had a very serious plan
for my future.
- I know.
- It's not my fault I got shanghaied.
You didn't get shanghaied.
You got ripped off!
What's the difference?
I don't know.
It's not as romantic as that.
Don't sit...
Everybody knew that guy
was shady except for you.
Why do you say "romantic"
like it's a dirty word?
Unpaid bills are not romantic. Call her.
I'm not gonna call her.
And the thing is...
you're acting like life's got me
on the ropes.
I want to be on the ropes. Okay?
I'm letting life hit me
'til it gets tired.
- Oh?
- Then I'm gonna hit back.
It's a classic rope-a-dope.
Okay, Ali. I love you. Unpack your boxes.
- I'm gonna change the locks.
- You can't afford it.
I'm a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Hey.
- Bill. Thanks for having me back.
- You're welcome.
I want you to know you're lookin'
at a new man,
- a man that's happy to be here.
- Good. Excellent.
- Very-easy-to-work-with man.
- And you're going to play the set list?
Happy to.
Even though I don't think anyone cares
what I play, but, yeah.
Well, if by "anyone" you mean anyone
other than me, that would be correct.
I care, and I don't wanna hear
the free jazz.
Right. Okay.
Although I thought in this town
it worked on a sort of
"one for you, one for me" type system.
How 'bout two for you, one for me?
How 'bout all for you and none for me?
- That's perfect, yes.
- Great.
- Okay.
- Mutual decision, then.
Right. Made by me.
Right. And I sign off on it, so...
Whatever. Tell yourself
what you wanna know.
Well. Welcome back.
There's a nice way to say that, Karen.
Seb.
I hear what you're saying,
but I don't think you're saying
what you mean.
Yeah, I don't think you hear
what I'm saying. You're fired.
Well, that's what you're saying,
but it's not what you mean.
- What you mean is...
- You're fired.
- "Play the set list."
- No, I'm saying it's too late.
- It's a warning.
- What planet are you from?
- Don't fire me, Bill. Don't fire me.
- You're done. I'm sorry, Seb.
It's Christmas.
Yeah, I see the decorations.
Good luck in the new year.
I just heard you play, and I wanted to...
I don't like the fissure on the GT scan.
Did you test for achromatopsia?
DOA on 23rd. Perp laughin'
his face off at the PD.
Damn Miranda rights.
This is my classroom.
You don't like it, the door's to my left.
Lady, why you be trippin' like that?
No, Jamal. You be trippin'.
Over here!
We're talking away
I don't know what I'm to say,
I'll say it anyway...
Oh, Mia!
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I want you to meet my friend, Carlo.
- Hi.
- Hi. Carlo.
- Carlo, this is Mia.
- Mia? Hi. How are you?
- Yes, Mia.
Carlo is a writer.
Yeah. They say I have a knack
for world-building.
I got a lot of heat right now.
There's been a lot of buzz, people talkin'
about me, which is exciting.
I mean, you work so hard,
and then all that validation.
- I'm gonna grab a drink.
- Okay.
Yeah, it's really nice to meet you.
I'll be gone
In a day or two
So needless to say
I'm odds and ends
But I'll be stumbling away
Slowly learning that life is okay
Sorry.
Say after me
It's no better to be safe than sorry
Take on me
Take me on
Take on me
I'll be gone
In a day or two
Thank you. Any other requests?
Girl in the front!
"I Ran."
"I Ran." A fantastic suggestion.
All right, piano man,
tickle those ivories.
Let's hit it.
One! Two! Three! Four!
That's right.
I walk along the avenue
I never thought I'd meet a girl like you
Meet a girl like you
Me?
Stop.
With auburn hair and tawny eyes
The kind of eyes that hypnotize me through
You hypnotize me through
And I ran, I ran so far away
I couldn't get away...
All right, I remember you.
And I'll admit
I was a little curt that night.
Curt?
Okay, I was an asshole. I can admit that.
Okay.
But requesting "I Ran" from a serious
musician, it's just... it's too far.
My Lord! Did you just say
"a serious musician"?
- I don't think so.
- Can I borrow what you're wearing?
- Why?
- 'Cause I have an audition next week.
I'm playing a "serious" firefighter.
So you're an actress.
I thought you looked familiar.
Have I seen you in anything?
Uh... coffee shop
on the Warner Brothers lot.
That's a classic.
- Oh, I see. You're a barista.
- Yeah.
And I can see how you could then
look down on me from all the way up there.
Time to... next set.
He doesn't... I don't...
he doesn't tell me what to do.
He just told you what to do.
I know. I let him. What's your name?
- Mia.
- Mia.
Guess I'll see you in the movies.
- You heard of Joseph Campbell?
- Uh, yeah.
I have this idea to do a re-imagining
of Goldilocks and The Three Bears,
but from the perspective of the bears.
- The hero's journey.
- It could be like a franchise.
- Right.
- There's a lot we don't know.
There could have been a fourth bear,
we don't know.
George Michael!
Hello.
- Sorry, it's...
- Yeah, yeah.
I know that guy. Did you get your keys?
Mmm-hmm, yes.
- Can you grab mine?
- Can I what?
Would you be able to grab mine? My keys?
- I can't, your...
- Sorry.
- Can you grab my keys?
- Oh.
- Please?
- Oh, there we go.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- What kind?
- It's a Prius.
I mean, that doesn't help me.
- With a green ribbon.
- All right.
- Those look, uh, comfortable.
- They are.
Thank you for saving the day back there.
Well, you didn't really
give me much of a choice.
It's pretty strange that we keep running
into each other.
It is strange.
Maybe it means something.
- I doubt it.
- Yeah, I don't think so.
Where's my car?
You gotta put that thing to your chin.
- This?
- Yeah.
Yeah, it makes your head
into an antenna, so...
- Ooh.
- I think it gives you cancer,
- but you find your car faster.
- What?
You don't live as long, but you get where
you're going quicker, so it all evens out.
That sounds terrible.
- Just a suggestion.
- You're a...
You're a real, um...
what's the word I'm looking for?
"Knight in shining armor"?
- Weirdo. That was the word. Weirdo.
- Okay.
Not much to look at, huh?
I've seen better.
The sun is nearly gone
The lights are turning on
A silver shine that stretches to the sea
We've stumbled on a view
That's tailor-made for two
What a shame those two are you and me
Some other girl and guy
Would love this swirling sky
But there's only you and I
And we've got no shot
This could never be
You're not the type for me
Really?
And there's not a spark in sight
What a a waste of a lovely night
You say there's nothing here?
Well, let's make something clear
I think I'll be the one to make that call
But you'll call?
And though you look so cute
in your polyester suit
- It's wool.
- You're right
I'd never fall for you at all
And maybe this appeals
To someone not in heels
Or to any girl who feels
There's some chance for romance
But I'm frankly feeling nothing
Is that so?
Or it could be less than nothing
Good to know, so you agree?
That's right
What a waste of a lovely night.
Ah!
Hi, Greg. Oh, sorry I'm late.
Yeah. Be there soon. Okay, bye.
- It was just right there.
- Just right here.
Do you want a ride to your car?
No, I'm just right up here.
Good night.
Good night.
Excuse me. This is gluten-free, right?
- No.
- What?
Mmm-mmm.
Ugh! I'd like a refund.
Okay. Let me check on that for you.
Mia...
- Hi.
- You're closing Friday.
I can't close on Friday.
I have an audition, remember?
Do I look like I care? Reschedule it.
Oh, and we need to have a little talk
tomorrow, okay?
Fix your apron, please.
Okay.
You again!
What are you doing here?
Oh, you know, just meetings
and... studio heads and...
How'd you get on the lot?
I basically just hauled ass
past the guard gates.
I think I have 20 minutes
until they find me.
You don't have a break coming up, do you?
I'm off in ten minutes, so...
Can I hide in the bathroom?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Sorry.
Um... I actually do have to check.
I'm sorry.
That's the window that Humphrey Bogart
and Ingrid Bergman
looked out of in Casablanca.
- Wow!
- Yeah.
I can't believe you work
right across the street from that.
- Yeah.
- That's amazing.
What was your Bogart's name?
What's his name? Is it Greg?
Yeah. Greg.
Right. How long have you been...
We've been seeing each other
for about a month.
Oh, that's great.
He's, um... He's sweet.
Anyway, I love
being around this stuff, you know?
I know what you mean.
I get coffee five miles out of the way
just so I can be near a jazz club.
- Really?
- Yeah, the Van Beek.
- Do you know it?
- Mmm-mmm.
All the big swing bands used to play
there. Count Basie, Chick Webb.
Anyway, it's a samba-tapas
place now, so...
What's a samba-tapas place?
It's just a samba place
where they serve tapas.
- Oh.
- Yeah, so the joke's on... history?
I don't know. That's L.A.
They just worship everything
and they value nothing.
We're about to roll. Stop, please, guys.
Okay.
- You're rolling?
- Yeah.
I know. They shoot movies on my street
all the time, so I know about movies.
- Come this way.
- Great.
It's a lock-down.
- I love her!
- And here we go.
Hey! How'd you get into all this?
And roll!
- Get into what?
- Sound speed!
You know, movies, acting...
- Action!
- Oh, um...
- My aunt was an actress.
- Oh, okay.
She was in a traveling theater company.
I grew up in Boulder City, Nevada.
So across the street from my house
there was this little library
that had an old movie section.
So she took me and we spent an entire day
watching all these old movies
like Notorious and Bringing Up Baby
and Casablanca.
- And...
- Cut it there! Cut!
- Check the gate.
- So we can talk now.
- She sounds incredible.
- She was incredible.
And I would put on all these plays
in my bedroom,
and it would basically just be she and I
re-enacting those scenes from the movies.
And then I would write my own plays.
- Wow.
- Um... Yeah.
I love it.
So anyway, I left college
after two years to come here
and my last audition was for a teen show
pitched as
"Dangerous Minds meets The O.C."
So, yeah, should've been a lawyer.
'Cause the world needs more lawyers.
It doesn't need more actresses.
You're not just an actress.
- What do you mean, "just an actress"?
- You said it yourself.
You're a child prodigy playwright.
That is not what I said.
Well, you're too modest
to say it, but it's true.
You could just write
your own roles, you know?
Write something that's
as interesting as you are,
and you don't have to audition for this...
- uh, piece of caca.
- Yeah.
Look at Louis Armstrong.
He could've just played the marching band
charts that he was given.
But he didn't do it. What did he do?
- What did he do?
- Well, he made history, didn't he?
Well, I'm gonna stop auditioning
and I'm gonna make history instead.
Well, my work is done here.
I should probably tell you something now,
just to get it out of the way.
- Mmm-hmm?
- I hate jazz.
Are you okay?
What do you mean, you hate jazz?
It just means that when I listen to it,
I don't like it.
Yeah, but it's such a blanket statement
you don't like jazz.
What are you doing right now?
Nothing.
I just think that people,
when they say that they...
you know, hate jazz, they just...
They don't have context, they don't know
where it comes from.
Jazz was born in a little
flophouse in New Orleans,
and it's just because people
were crammed in there,
they spoke five different languages,
they couldn't talk to each other.
The only way they could communicate
was with jazz.
Yeah, but what about Kenny G?
- What?
- What about Kenny G?
I mean, what about elevator music?
You know, jazz music that I know?
- What about it?
- From my life?
- Mmm-hmm?
- I just find it relaxing.
It's not relaxing. It's not, it's not.
Sidney Bechet shot somebody because
they told him he played a wrong note.
That's hardly relaxing.
Yeah, but where I grew up there was
this station called K-Jazz 103.
And people would just put on that station
when they had a cocktail party...
Right.
And everyone would
kinda just talk over it.
I know.
- 'Cause it was...
- That's the prob...
Okay, okay. So I think
that's part of the problem,
is that you can't hear it, you know?
You have to see it.
You have to see what's at stake.
I mean, look at these fellas.
Look at the sax player right now.
He just hijacked the song.
He's on his own trip.
Every one of these guys is composing,
they're rearranging, they're writing.
Then they're playing the melody.
They're just...
And now look, the trumpet player.
He's got his own idea.
And so, it's conflict,
and it's compromise, and it's just...
It's new every time.
It's brand-new every night.
It's very, very exciting.
And it's dying. It's dying, Mia.
It's dying on the vine.
And the world says, "Let it die.
It had its time."
Well, not on my watch.
- What are you gonna do?
- I'm gonna have my own club.
- Really?
- Yes.
We're gonna play whatever we want,
whenever we want,
however we want,
as long as it's pure jazz.
Hi, this is Mia Dolan.
Yeah, I just missed a call.
- I got a callback!
- What? Come on! For what?
For a TV show. The one I was
telling you about earlier.
- The "Dangerous Minds meets The O.C.?
- Yeah.
- Congratulations! That's incredible!
- It's really exciting.
I feel like I said negative stuff
about it before.
- What?
- It's like Rebel Without a Cause.
Sort of.
"I got the bullets!"
Yes.
- You've never seen it!
- I've never seen it.
Oh, my! You know,
it's playing at the Rialto.
- Really?
- Yes.
You should go... I mean, I can take you.
Okay.
- You know, for research.
- For research.
- Yeah. Okay.
- Yeah.
Um, Monday night, 10:00 o'clock.
- Yeah. Great.
- Okay.
For research.
City of stars
Are you shining just for me?
City of stars
There's so much that I can't see
Who knows?
Is this the start
of something wonderful and new?
Or one more dream
That I cannot make true.
- Stand right there, please.
- Okay. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
In your own time.
Okay.
Two options.
You either follow my rules
or follow my rules.
- Capisce?
- Thank you.
- Oh...
- Thanks.
I can do it a different way.
No, that's fine.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
- That was fun. Thanks.
- Bye.
Oh, hey, Mia?
- Hey.
- Greg's here.
- What do you mean...
- Hey, babe. Got a space out front.
- Great.
- We should get going.
- Okay.
- My brother landed really early.
- Did you forget? You forgot.
- Shit.
That's tonight.
- That's okay. You forgot.
- Yeah. Okay.
All right, so then I'll just get changed.
- Okay. Great.
- Okay. Great.
- Yeah, that's him.
- Um...
Hey, Josh, yeah. Uh...
Just pickin' up Mia.
We'll be there in, like...
But now we've got this
surround-sound set-up, so it's like...
- It's like being in a movie theater.
- Wow.
But better than being
in a theater, really.
- I can't wait.
- You know theaters these days.
- Yeah.
- They're so dirty.
Yeah, I know. And smelly.
And they're either too hot or too cold.
I know. The quality's really fallen off.
The quality's terrible.
And there's always people talking.
- Because...
- Which is just... Oh, it's the worst!
- Oh, I'm sorry. Hold on one second.
- The texting.
Hello?
- Probably work.
- Mmm.
- Sorry. So, yeah, we love it.
- Oh, it's so nice.
- Well, we have to come. Maybe.
- You should. Come by.
- I got one word for you, man.
- Mmm-hmm?
- Indonesia.
- Never heard anyone say that.
I don't even know. I can't keep track
of it, but honestly, it was life-changing.
- Really?
- Yeah. It affected me.
- It was incredible.
- Is it amazing?
- Yes.
- A five-star jungle eco-resort
- you would not believe.
- Amazing.
We were thinking about Nicaragua.
The thing about Nicaragua is it's less
developed, it's a little under-developed.
Right.
I think there's a little more... Yeah,
then, I just don't know if it's safe.
- Yeah, yeah. It's...
- You know?
Yeah, you don't want to explore too far.
Kind of a "natives are restless"
sort of thing.
Actually, China's going to build a canal.
I'm sorry.
...the immensity of our universe.
For many days before the end of our earth,
people will look into the night sky
and notice a star increasingly bright
and increasingly near.
As this star approaches us...
Jim Stark.
I'll go find a place. I'm sorry.
As this star approaches us,
the weather will change.
The great polar fields of the north
and south will rot and divide,
and the seas will turn warm.
The last of us search the heavens
and stand amazed,
for the stars will still be there
and will be...
Mmm...
I have an idea.
What is that? Is it a script?
It's a play.
A play? You better give us all roles!
Actually, it's a one-woman show!
So I can't.
Wow. Is that gonna happen every time?
I think so.
Ahh! It's one-way!
- I love you.
- I love you too.
Oh!
Sebastian?
Keith.
Come here, man.
- How are you?
- I've been good, man.
This is Mia. Mia, Keith.
Hi, Mia. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- I used to play with this guy.
Went to school together.
- So how you been, brother?
- Great.
Never been better. How 'bout you?
I been really good. Been very busy.
- I got a new combo.
- Okay. Cool.
We're lookin' for keys.
- Are you kidding me?
- No, I'm not kidding you.
- No, I'm good.
- Are you sure? It pays.
I'm good.
Let's just grab a drink then.
It's been too long.
- Okay.
- Nice to meet you, Mia.
Nice to meet you.
"The end."
- Genius.
- Really?
- Yes. Yes.
- Really?
It feels really nostalgic to me.
- Is it too nostalgic?
- That's the point. That's...
Are people gonna like it?
- Fuck 'em.
- You always say that.
- Well, I truly believe it.
- I made you something.
- For what?
- For your club.
Why does it say "Seb's"?
'Cause I think you should call it "Seb's."
- What?
- 'Cause no one will come
to "Chicken on a Stick."
Is that a music note as an apostrophe?
- Yes! Yeah.
- That's pretty cool.
It's gotta be "Chicken on a Stick,"
because Charlie Parker got his nickname...
I know, because he loved chicken.
That's why they called him "Bird."
So I'm gonna have chicken, beer, jazz.
"Chicken on a Stick."
I know. You should drop the chicken
and just have drinks and jazz, and also...
- I'm not droppin' the chicken.
- You could maybe do it somewhere else.
- What are you talk...
- Find a new spot.
It's gotta be the Van Beek.
Well, it doesn't have to be the Van Beek.
I can't let them samba
all over its history.
I can't do it.
- You can let them, but you refuse to.
- Your play's incredible.
You know, the whole world
from your bedroom.
What else do they want? Who's doing that?
- I'm doing that.
- You're doing that.
Who was that guy at The Lighthouse?
The guy that offered you the gig?
- Keith.
- Yeah.
- Why was it so weird between you two?
- It's always weird with him.
- Really?
- Yeah.
But he seemed kinda nice
'cause he did offer you a job.
- Are you gonna call him?
- No. No.
All right.
So... Here's what we know.
Yeah?
It's definitely "Chicken on a Stick,"
and your play is gonna be a triumph.
It's a one-woman show, so it's just me...
No, I mean, I'm acting in it, too.
No, Mom, I'm not getting paid.
I'm paying to do it.
He's great. He's gonna
open his own jazz club.
Yeah, it's gonna be incredible.
No, he hasn't. He hasn't opened it yet.
He needs some...
He's saving up, I think.
No, he doesn't have a steady gig.
But he's figuring it out,
it's just been a little tricky lately.
Mom, he's gonna find a way to open it
and you're gonna love it, okay?
How's Dad?
Sebastian. Come on in, man.
- Thanks for comin'.
- Thanks for having me.
Wasn't sure I'd see you today.
- So... Here's the deal.
- Okay.
We got distribution with Universal.
We've got our own imprint.
About to go on the road.
Uh, we can pay you 1,000 bucks a week,
plus a cut of the ticket revenue
and merchandising.
Sound good?
- Sebastian? All right.
- Yeah.
- Let's play.
- Okay.
Tonight.
I know. It's different.
But you say you wanna save jazz.
How you gonna save jazz
if no one's listening?
Jazz is dying because of people like you.
You're playin' to 90-year-olds
at The Lighthouse.
Where are the kids?
Where are the young people?
You're so obsessed with Kenny Clarke
and Thelonious Monk.
These guys were revolutionaries.
How are you gonna be a revolutionary
if you're such a traditionalist?
You're holdin' onto the past,
but jazz is about the future.
I know.
The other guy, he wasn't as good as you.
But you're a pain in the ass, man.
City of stars
Are you shining just for me?
City of stars
There's so much that I can't see
Who knows?
I felt it from the first embrace
I shared with you
That now our dreams
May finally come true
City of stars
Just one thing everybody wants
There in the bars
Or through the smokescreen
of the crowded restaurants
It's love
Yes, all we're lookin' for is love
From someone else
- A rush
- A glance
- A touch
- A dance
A look in somebody's eyes
To light up the skies
To open the world and send it reeling
A voice that says "I'll be here"
And you'll be all right
I don't care if I know
Just where I will go
'Cause all that I need's
this crazy feeling
The rat-tat-tat of my heart
Think I want it to stay
City of stars
Are you shinin' just for me?
City of stars
You never shined
So brightly.
I don't know why I keep movin' my body
I don't know
if this is wrong or if it's right
I don't know if it's the beat
But something's taken over me
And I just know I feel so good tonight
I don't know what your name is,
but I like it
I've been thinkin' 'bout
some things I wanna try
I don't know what you came to do
But I wanna do it with you
And I just know I feel so good tonight
Oh, if we keep on dancin'
Take our rhythm to new heights
Feel the heat of passion, baby
Light up the night!
We can start a fire!
Come on, let it burn, baby
We can start a fire!
Let the tables turn, baby
We can start a fire!
I just know I feel so good
Don't you know I feel so good
I just know I feel so good
Tonight
I don't care if this turns into a riot
Let's get reckless, tear this place
down to the floor
Turn the music way up loud
Can't nobody stop us now
I just know I feel so good tonight
I just know I feel so good tonight
We can start a fire!
Come on, let it burn, baby!
We can start a fire!
Let the tables turn, baby!
We can start a fire!
Oh, I just know I feel so good
Don't you know I feel so good
Don't you know, don't you know
Tonight!
Hey, it's me.
Uh, I'm not sure where you are right now.
I think Boston?
Maybe Dallas, I don't know.
Uh...
I haven't heard from you in a little while
and I miss you.
All right, bye.
I thought... Surprise.
Gotta leave first thing in the morning,
but I just had to see you...
It's so nice to be home.
I'm so glad you're home.
How's the play goin'?
Um... I'm nervous.
- You are? Why?
- Mmm-hmm.
Because what if people show up?
Piece of caca.
- You nervous about what they think?
- I'm nervous to do it.
I'm nervous to get up on a stage
and perform for people...
I mean, I don't need to say that to you.
- It's gonna be incredible.
- You don't get it, but I'm terrified.
They should be so lucky to see it.
I can't wait.
I can.
When do you leave, the morning?
Yeah. 6:45.
- Ooh.
- Boise.
- Boise?
- Boise.
To Boise!
You should come.
To Boise?
Yeah, you can knock that
off your bucket list.
Oh, that would be... really exciting.
I wish I could.
What are you doing after the tour?
Why can't you?
- Come to Boise?
- Yeah.
'Cause I have to rehearse.
But can't you rehearse anywhere?
Anywhere you are?
I mean, I guess.
Um... well, all my stuff is here,
and it's in two weeks,
so I don't really think that would be...
- Okay. Well.
- ...the best idea right now, but...
I wish I could.
We're just gonna have to try
and see each other.
We almost never see each other.
I know, but when are you done?
What do you mean? I mean...
When are you finished with the whole tour?
After we finish, we're gonna go
and record, and then we go back on tour.
You know, we tour so we can
make the record,
so we can go back and tour the record.
So it's like the long haul?
What do you mean, "the long haul"?
I mean the long haul, like you're gonna
stay in this band for a long time.
On tour.
What did you think I was gonna do?
I don't...
I hadn't really thought it through.
I didn't know that the band...
- was so important.
- You didn't think it would be successful?
Um...
No, that's not really what I mean.
I just mean that you...
You're gonna be on tour for,
what, months now? Years?
Yeah. I don't believe... This is it.
I mean, it could feasibly be...
I could be on tour with this
for a couple of years, at least.
Just this record.
Do you like the music you're playing?
I don't...
I don't know what it matters.
Well, it matters, because if you're gonna
give up your dream,
I think it matters that you like
what you're playing on the road for years.
Do you like the music I'm playing?
Yeah. I do.
I just didn't think that you did.
- Yeah, well...
- You always said Keith is the worst,
and now you're gonna be on tour with him
for years, so I just didn't...
- What are you doing right now?
- ...know if you were happy.
- Why are you doing this?
- I don't...
- What do you mean, why am I doing this?
- I thought you wanted me to do this.
It just sounds like now
you don't want me to do it.
What do you mean, I wanted you to do this?
This is what you wanted for me.
To be in this band?
To be in a band.
To have a steady job, you know?
To be... you know.
Of course I wanted you
to have a steady job,
so that you could take care of yourself
and your life
and you could start your club.
So I'm doing that, so I don't understand.
Why aren't we celebrating?
Why aren't you starting your club?
You said yourself no one
wants to go to that club.
No one wants to go to a club
called "Chicken on a Stick."
So change the name!
Well, no one likes jazz! Not even you!
I do like jazz now because of you!
And this is what I thought
you wanted me to do!
What am I supposed to do?
Go back to playing "Jingle Bells"?
I'm not saying that.
I'm saying why don't you take
what you've made and start the club?
Scraping pennies so I can start a club
no one wants to go to?
People will want to go to it
because you're passionate about it,
and people love what other people
are passionate about.
- You remind people of what they forgot.
- Not in my experience.
Well, whatever, all right?
It's just time to grow up, you know?
I have a steady job,
this is what I'm doing.
And now all of a sudden
if you had these problems,
I wish you would have said them earlier,
before I signed
on the goddamn dotted line!
I'm pointing out that you had a dream
that you followed,
that you were sticking to...
This is the dream! This is the dream.
This is not your dream!
Guys like me work their whole lives
to be in something
that's successful, that people like.
You know?
I mean, I'm finally in something
that people enjoy.
Since when do you care about being liked?
Just 'cause I don't enjoy it,
it doesn't matter.
Why do you care so much about being liked?
You're an actress!
What are you talking about?
Maybe you just liked me
when I was on my ass
'cause it made you
feel better about yourself.
- Are you kidding?
- No.
I don't know.
Okay, fellas. I'll see ya tomorrow.
- Sebastian?
- Yeah?
You're good for tonight, right?
What are you talking about?
7:00, the photo shoot.
MOJO. Are you good?
- I thought that was next Thursday.
- No, it's tonight.
Is that okay?
- Give me the other camera!
- What's wrong with that one?
"What's wrong with that one?" It doesn't
bloody work, that's what's wrong with it!
All right, trumpet, that's lovely.
Lovely! Beautiful, beautiful!
Okay, keyboard. Okay, look up.
That's good. That's good,
that's lovely. Lovely.
Okay, cut the music!
That is lovely. That's lovely.
Okay, now bite your lip
like this, sort of like...
like you're concentrating on something,
I don't know, like a piece of your music.
Bite my what?
Your lip. You know, bite your lip like...
Yeah, that's good. That's great.
Beautiful! Beautiful.
Okay, now just move your glasses
down on... onto the nose...
A little bit further, just a little bit,
a touch further.
Keep your head down, but look up at me.
Look sort of moody.
Yeah! That's beautiful! That is great!
Okay, turn the keyboard on live!
Do you wanna hear the keyboard then?
You don't have to bite your lip now.
Well, actually play something.
Play something. You know? Anything.
You're a pianist, aren't you?
Play something.
That's great, that's beautiful.
That's lovely. Oh, that's good.
No, don't stop. Keep playing.
Go on, just keep playing. That was great!
...shoot myself in the head.
She's not even good.
That whole window thing...
Yeah, what was that shit with the window?
Oh, my God! Don't quit your day job.
Oh, well...
Not good. One-woman shows
are always terrible.
Mia!
Mia. I'm so sorry.
Just tell me how it went. How was it?
- Don't help me.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry I've been such a prick.
- You're sorry, you're sorry...
You're sorry. You're sorry...
I'm gonna make it up to you.
Let me make it up to you, okay?
- I don't blame you for not wanting...
- It's over.
- What is?
- It's over.
What?
All of this.
I'm done embarrassing myself.
I'm done, I'm done.
- Nobody showed up.
- So what? So what?
I can't pay back the theater.
This is so...
I'm gonna go home for a while.
- I'll come see you tomorrow.
- No, I'm going "home" home.
- This is home.
- No, it's not anymore.
- Yep?
- Hi, I'm trying to reach Mia Dolan.
Wrong number.
She's not answering her cell.
I was told I might find her here.
Not anymore.
- Okay, well, if you do talk to her...
- I won't.
...could you tell her Jane
at Amy Brandt Casting
is trying to reach her?
Casting?
Who the hell is that?
Shut that thing off!
Why did you come here?
- Because I have good news.
- What?
Amy Brandt, the casting director?
- Yeah.
- She was at your play, and she loved it.
And she loved it so much that she wants
you to come in tomorrow
and audition for this huge movie
that she's got.
I'm not going to that.
- I'm not going to that.
- What?
That one's gonna be...
No. That one's gonna be...
I'm sorry?
That will kill me.
- What?!
- What?
What? Shh! Stop!
- No!
- Shh! Shh!
You have to be quiet.
We're in a neighborhood.
If you want me to be quiet,
you have to make some goddamn sense!
- Tell me why you're not going.
- They'll call the police.
- Because. Because...
- Why?
I've been to a million auditions,
and the same thing happens every time
where I get interrupted because someone
wants to get a sandwich!
Or I'm crying, and they start laughing!
Or there's people
sitting in the waiting room,
and they're like me, but prettier
and better at the...
Because maybe I'm not good enough!
- Yes, you are.
- No...
- No, maybe I'm not.
- Yes, you are.
- Maybe I'm not.
- You are.
Maybe I'm one of those people
that has always wanted to do it,
but it's like a pipe dream for me,
you know?
And then, you said it,
you change your dreams,
and then you grow up.
Maybe I'm one of those people,
and I'm not supposed to.
And I can go back to school,
and I can find something else
I'm supposed to do.
'Cause I left to do that,
and it's been six years,
and I don't want to do it anymore.
Why?
- Why what?
- Why don't you want to do it anymore?
'Cause I think it hurts
a little bit too much.
You're a baby.
- I'm not a baby. I'm trying to grow up.
- You are.
- You're crying like a baby.
- Oh, my God.
You have an audition tomorrow at 5:30.
I'll be out front at 8:00 A.M.
You'll be out front or not, I don't know.
How'd you find me here?
The house in front of the library.
- I got coffee.
- Okay, great.
Mia?
Hi, Mia. I'm Amy and this is Frank.
Hi. How are ya?
- Nice to meet you.
- Glad we found you.
Me, too.
The film shoots in Paris,
and we don't have a script.
It's gonna be a process.
We're gonna build the character
around the actress.
It's a three month rehearsal
and a four month shoot.
Okay.
And we thought that you
could just tell us a story.
About?
- You can just tell us anything.
- Anything?
Yeah, just tell us a story.
You're a storyteller.
Um...
Whenever you're ready.
My aunt used to live in Paris.
I remember she used to come home
and she would tell us these stories
about being abroad, and...
I remember...
She told us that she jumped
into the river once.
Barefoot
She smiled
Leapt without looking
And tumbled into
The Seine
The water was freezing
She spent a month sneezing
But said she would do it again
Here's to the ones who dream
Foolish as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that ache
Here's to the mess we make
She captured a feeling
Sky with no ceiling
The sunset inside a frame
She lived in her liquor
And died with a flicker
I'll always remember the flame
Here's to the ones who dream
Foolish as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that ache
Here's to the mess we make
She told me
A bit of madness is key
To give us new colors to see
Who knows where it will lead us?
And that's why they need us
So bring on the rebels
The ripples from pebbles
The painters and poets and plays
And here's to the fools
Who dream
Crazy as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that break
Here's to the mess
We make
I
Trace it all back to then
Her and the snow and the Seine
Smiling through it
She said she'd do it
Again.
When do you find out?
Oh, they said the next couple days.
But I'm not expecting
to find anything out.
You're gonna get it.
- I really might not.
- Yes, you are.
- I hope you're not disappointed.
- I know.
I know. I know these things.
Where are we?
- Griffith Park.
- Where... are we?
I know.
I don't know.
What do we do?
I don't think we can do anything,
- 'cause when you get this...
- If I get this.
When you get this, you gotta give it
everything you got.
Everything.
It's your dream.
What are you gonna do?
I gotta follow my own plan, you know?
Stay here and get my own thing goin'.
You're gonna be in Paris. Good jazz there.
And you love jazz now. Right?
Yes.
And I guess we're just gonna
have to wait and see.
I'm always gonna love you.
I'm always gonna love you, too.
Look at this view!
- I've seen better. Yeah.
- It's the worst.
I've never been here during the day.
Hi. Could I have two iced coffees, please?
- Right. Of course.
- On us.
Oh, no, thank you, I insist.
Sounds good. Harris did a good job.
- Took him long enough.
- It always does.
Signature time.
Not doin' too bad, Seb.
- "Not too bad" is great.
- See ya tonight.
See ya tonight.
Hi.
- How was your day?
- Good.
- Hmm. How is she?
- She's great.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, come on.
Hi, buddy!
I didn't think you were gonna be home yet.
- Are you drawing?
- Yeah.
Can I help? You know I love to draw.
Okay, Chelsea, we're gonna go.
Are you good?
- We're good.
- You need anything?
Bye, baby.
- Say "bye, Mommy."
- Sleep well.
- Bye, Mommy.
- Have fun with Chelsea.
Have fun. Bye, Mia.
- Bye. Thank you so much.
- Good night, guys.
- Night, sweetie. Bye.
- Good night.
Oh, boy.
What if we miss this?
What do you wanna tell Natalie?
Oh... We'll just see it back in New York.
Okay.
- I do not miss this.
- This is bad.
Do you want to just
pull off here and get dinner?
- Sure, yeah. Yeah.
- Yeah?
Okay.
Do you want to check it out?
This place is pretty cool.
I love them.
Cal Bennett on sax!
Javier Gonzalez on trumpet.
The lovely Nedra Wheeler on bass.
The one and only
Clifton "Fou-fou" Eddie on drums!
And a little too good on piano,
so good he's gonna own
this place if I'm not careful,
Khirye Tyler, everybody.
Uh...
Welcome to Seb's.
I just heard you play and I want to...
Do you want to stay for another?
- No, we should go.
- All right.
One, two. One, two, three, four.
in Southern California.
Temperature is 84
for downtown Los Angeles,
overnight lows of 75.
I think about that day
I left him at a Greyhound station
west of Santa Fe
We were 17, but he was sweet
and it was true
Still, I knew what I had to do
'Cause I just knew
Summer Sunday nights
We'd sink into our seats
right as they dimmed out all the lights
A technicolor world
made out of music and machine
It called me to be on that screen
And live inside each scene
Without a nickel to my name,
hopped a bus, here I came
Could be brave or just insane,
we'll have to see
'Cause maybe in that sleepy town
He'll sit one day, the lights are down
He'll see my face and think
how he used to know me
Climb these hills,
I'm reaching for the heights
And chasing all the lights that shine
And when they let you down,
it's another day of
You get up off the ground,
it's another day of
'Cause morning rolls around
And it's another day of sun
I hear 'em every day
The rhythms in the canyons
that'll never fade away
The ballads in the barrooms
left by those who came before
They say "You gotta want it more"
So I bang on every door
And even when the answer's "no"
Or when my money's running low
The dusty mic and neon glow are all I need
And someday as I sing my song
A small-town kid'll come along
That'll be the thing to push him on
And go, go
Climb these hills,
I'm reaching for the heights
And chasing all the lights that shine
And when they let you down,
it's another day of
You get up off the ground,
yes it's another day of
'Cause morning rolls around
And it's another day of sun
When they've let you down
And morning rolls around
It's another day of sun
It's another day of sun
It's another day of sun,
sun, sun, sun, sun, sun
It's another day of sun
Just another day of sun
It's another day of sun
Another day has just begun
And it's another day of sun
It's another day of sun.
...already has won three Oscars,
including for the 1998 film
Shakespeare in Love...
I mean, we could not
believe what was happening.
And I swear to God, she was wrecked.
She was completely wrecked!
I know. I know, it was pure insanity.
It's insanity...
Ah!
"Lunacy! It was pure lunacy."
What is his prob... I should go.
Cappuccino, please.
- Right. Of course.
- On us.
Oh, no, thank you. I insist.
Did you see who that was?
Shit!
- Mia, where do you think you're going?
- Oh, it's five after.
- You better be here early tomorrow.
- Okay.
Have a good night!
Oh!
She was wrecked!
It was pure lunacy, it was...
It was so crazy, and I just...
Oh, you would have died.
No, Turner's fine.
Turner's fine. I just, um...
Are you gonna wait 'til Denver
to tell her, or...?
What?
Okay.
No, I'm happy for you.
I am. I'm happy for you, I just...
I just thought...
I don't know what I thought,
- I guess I thought...
- One second.
- What, Ruby?
- Jessica's on the phone.
- Um, tell her I'll call her back.
- In two minutes?
- Less than two minutes.
- I'll go get your lunch.
I'm almost done. Thank you.
Oh, you know what? I think we're good.
Thanks for coming in.
Whoa! Holy shit! You wanna open a window?
- I was trying to give you an entrance.
- Thank you.
Mia! How'd the audition go?
Eh.
Eh, same here. Was Jen there or Rachel?
- I don't know who Jen and Rachel are.
- They're the worst.
- Well, I don't know if they were there.
- I bet that they were.
Why is there a convention in the bathroom?
Two minutes, people.
Mia, you're coming, right?
I can't! I'm working.
What?
Did she just say "working"?
- What?
- I'm sorry it didn't go well today,
and there's like four things in my inbox
that you're perfect for,
and I will submit you.
But right now you're coming!
It'll be fun.
- It's not gonna be fun.
- It could be.
It's not. It's gonna be
a bunch of social climbers
all packed into one of those
big glass houses.
This looks familiar.
- I was gonna give that back.
- How long have you had this?
- A long time.
- Come on, Mia.
When else are you gonna get to see
every Hollywood clich crammed
into the same room?
We'll make fun of it together!
I'm disappointed in you, Lex.
There's nothing to make fun of.
This party's gonna be like
humanity at its finest.
You've got the invitation
You've got the right address
You need some medication?
The answer's always "yes"
A little chance encounter
Could be the one you've waited for
Just squeeze a bit more
Tonight we're on a mission,
tonight's the casting call
If this is the real audition
Oh, God help us all!
You make the right impression
Then everybody knows your name
You're in the fast lane!
Someone in the crowd
could be the one you need to know
The one to finally lift you off the ground
Someone in the crowd
could take you where you wanna go
If you're the someone ready to be found
The someone ready to be
Do what you need to do
'til they discover you
And make you more
than who you're seeing now
So with the stars aligned
I think I'll stay behind
You've got to go and find
That someone in the crowd
Hey, girl!
That someone in the crowd
Is someone in the crowd
The only thing you really see?
Watching while the world
keeps spinning 'round
Somewhere there's a place
Where I find who I'm gonna be
A somewhere that's just
waiting to be found
Someone in the crowd
could be the one you need to know
The someone who can lift you
off the ground
Someone in the crowd could take you where
you wanna go
Someone in the crowd could make you
Someone in the crowd will take you
Flying off the ground
if you're the someone
Ready to be
Found.
No, no.
Oh, come on! What?
Ahh!
Please stop sneaking into my home.
You think Mom or Dad
would call this a home?
What are you doing?
Please don't do that.
Please don't sit on that.
Are you kidding?
Please don't sit on that.
Don't sit on that.
Don't sit on that.
Hoagy Carmichael sat on that!
- Oh, my God!
- "The Baked Potato" just threw it away.
- I can't imagine why.
- And now you're just sitting on it.
- I got you a throw rug.
- I don't need that.
What if I said Miles Davis pissed on it?
It's almost insulting. Is it true?
When are you gonna unpack these boxes?
When I unpack them in my own club.
Oh, Sebastian! It's like a girl broke up
with you and you're stalking her.
You're not still going by there, are you?
That's...
You won't believe it.
They turned it into a samba-tapas place.
- Oh, my God, Sebastian!
- Samba. Tapas.
Pick one, you know? Do one right.
- I have someone I want you to meet.
- I don't wanna meet anyone.
No, no, I don't wanna meet anyone.
- Dad gave you this? You'll like her.
- Yes.
I don't think I'm gonna like her.
Does she like jazz?
- Probably not.
- Then what are we gonna talk about?
I don't know! It doesn't matter, okay?
Because you're living like a hermit.
You're driving without insurance!
- "It doesn't matter"?
- Yeah, it doesn't matter.
- Okay. Well then,
- You need to get serious.
I know a guy with a face tattoo
that you should see.
- Okay, low blow.
- Heart of gold.
- Get serious!
- "Get serious"?
Laura... I had a very serious plan
for my future.
- I know.
- It's not my fault I got shanghaied.
You didn't get shanghaied.
You got ripped off!
What's the difference?
I don't know.
It's not as romantic as that.
Don't sit...
Everybody knew that guy
was shady except for you.
Why do you say "romantic"
like it's a dirty word?
Unpaid bills are not romantic. Call her.
I'm not gonna call her.
And the thing is...
you're acting like life's got me
on the ropes.
I want to be on the ropes. Okay?
I'm letting life hit me
'til it gets tired.
- Oh?
- Then I'm gonna hit back.
It's a classic rope-a-dope.
Okay, Ali. I love you. Unpack your boxes.
- I'm gonna change the locks.
- You can't afford it.
I'm a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Hey.
- Bill. Thanks for having me back.
- You're welcome.
I want you to know you're lookin'
at a new man,
- a man that's happy to be here.
- Good. Excellent.
- Very-easy-to-work-with man.
- And you're going to play the set list?
Happy to.
Even though I don't think anyone cares
what I play, but, yeah.
Well, if by "anyone" you mean anyone
other than me, that would be correct.
I care, and I don't wanna hear
the free jazz.
Right. Okay.
Although I thought in this town
it worked on a sort of
"one for you, one for me" type system.
How 'bout two for you, one for me?
How 'bout all for you and none for me?
- That's perfect, yes.
- Great.
- Okay.
- Mutual decision, then.
Right. Made by me.
Right. And I sign off on it, so...
Whatever. Tell yourself
what you wanna know.
Well. Welcome back.
There's a nice way to say that, Karen.
Seb.
I hear what you're saying,
but I don't think you're saying
what you mean.
Yeah, I don't think you hear
what I'm saying. You're fired.
Well, that's what you're saying,
but it's not what you mean.
- What you mean is...
- You're fired.
- "Play the set list."
- No, I'm saying it's too late.
- It's a warning.
- What planet are you from?
- Don't fire me, Bill. Don't fire me.
- You're done. I'm sorry, Seb.
It's Christmas.
Yeah, I see the decorations.
Good luck in the new year.
I just heard you play, and I wanted to...
I don't like the fissure on the GT scan.
Did you test for achromatopsia?
DOA on 23rd. Perp laughin'
his face off at the PD.
Damn Miranda rights.
This is my classroom.
You don't like it, the door's to my left.
Lady, why you be trippin' like that?
No, Jamal. You be trippin'.
Over here!
We're talking away
I don't know what I'm to say,
I'll say it anyway...
Oh, Mia!
- Hi.
- Hi.
- I want you to meet my friend, Carlo.
- Hi.
- Hi. Carlo.
- Carlo, this is Mia.
- Mia? Hi. How are you?
- Yes, Mia.
Carlo is a writer.
Yeah. They say I have a knack
for world-building.
I got a lot of heat right now.
There's been a lot of buzz, people talkin'
about me, which is exciting.
I mean, you work so hard,
and then all that validation.
- I'm gonna grab a drink.
- Okay.
Yeah, it's really nice to meet you.
I'll be gone
In a day or two
So needless to say
I'm odds and ends
But I'll be stumbling away
Slowly learning that life is okay
Sorry.
Say after me
It's no better to be safe than sorry
Take on me
Take me on
Take on me
I'll be gone
In a day or two
Thank you. Any other requests?
Girl in the front!
"I Ran."
"I Ran." A fantastic suggestion.
All right, piano man,
tickle those ivories.
Let's hit it.
One! Two! Three! Four!
That's right.
I walk along the avenue
I never thought I'd meet a girl like you
Meet a girl like you
Me?
Stop.
With auburn hair and tawny eyes
The kind of eyes that hypnotize me through
You hypnotize me through
And I ran, I ran so far away
I couldn't get away...
All right, I remember you.
And I'll admit
I was a little curt that night.
Curt?
Okay, I was an asshole. I can admit that.
Okay.
But requesting "I Ran" from a serious
musician, it's just... it's too far.
My Lord! Did you just say
"a serious musician"?
- I don't think so.
- Can I borrow what you're wearing?
- Why?
- 'Cause I have an audition next week.
I'm playing a "serious" firefighter.
So you're an actress.
I thought you looked familiar.
Have I seen you in anything?
Uh... coffee shop
on the Warner Brothers lot.
That's a classic.
- Oh, I see. You're a barista.
- Yeah.
And I can see how you could then
look down on me from all the way up there.
Time to... next set.
He doesn't... I don't...
he doesn't tell me what to do.
He just told you what to do.
I know. I let him. What's your name?
- Mia.
- Mia.
Guess I'll see you in the movies.
- You heard of Joseph Campbell?
- Uh, yeah.
I have this idea to do a re-imagining
of Goldilocks and The Three Bears,
but from the perspective of the bears.
- The hero's journey.
- It could be like a franchise.
- Right.
- There's a lot we don't know.
There could have been a fourth bear,
we don't know.
George Michael!
Hello.
- Sorry, it's...
- Yeah, yeah.
I know that guy. Did you get your keys?
Mmm-hmm, yes.
- Can you grab mine?
- Can I what?
Would you be able to grab mine? My keys?
- I can't, your...
- Sorry.
- Can you grab my keys?
- Oh.
- Please?
- Oh, there we go.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- What kind?
- It's a Prius.
I mean, that doesn't help me.
- With a green ribbon.
- All right.
- Those look, uh, comfortable.
- They are.
Thank you for saving the day back there.
Well, you didn't really
give me much of a choice.
It's pretty strange that we keep running
into each other.
It is strange.
Maybe it means something.
- I doubt it.
- Yeah, I don't think so.
Where's my car?
You gotta put that thing to your chin.
- This?
- Yeah.
Yeah, it makes your head
into an antenna, so...
- Ooh.
- I think it gives you cancer,
- but you find your car faster.
- What?
You don't live as long, but you get where
you're going quicker, so it all evens out.
That sounds terrible.
- Just a suggestion.
- You're a...
You're a real, um...
what's the word I'm looking for?
"Knight in shining armor"?
- Weirdo. That was the word. Weirdo.
- Okay.
Not much to look at, huh?
I've seen better.
The sun is nearly gone
The lights are turning on
A silver shine that stretches to the sea
We've stumbled on a view
That's tailor-made for two
What a shame those two are you and me
Some other girl and guy
Would love this swirling sky
But there's only you and I
And we've got no shot
This could never be
You're not the type for me
Really?
And there's not a spark in sight
What a a waste of a lovely night
You say there's nothing here?
Well, let's make something clear
I think I'll be the one to make that call
But you'll call?
And though you look so cute
in your polyester suit
- It's wool.
- You're right
I'd never fall for you at all
And maybe this appeals
To someone not in heels
Or to any girl who feels
There's some chance for romance
But I'm frankly feeling nothing
Is that so?
Or it could be less than nothing
Good to know, so you agree?
That's right
What a waste of a lovely night.
Ah!
Hi, Greg. Oh, sorry I'm late.
Yeah. Be there soon. Okay, bye.
- It was just right there.
- Just right here.
Do you want a ride to your car?
No, I'm just right up here.
Good night.
Good night.
Excuse me. This is gluten-free, right?
- No.
- What?
Mmm-mmm.
Ugh! I'd like a refund.
Okay. Let me check on that for you.
Mia...
- Hi.
- You're closing Friday.
I can't close on Friday.
I have an audition, remember?
Do I look like I care? Reschedule it.
Oh, and we need to have a little talk
tomorrow, okay?
Fix your apron, please.
Okay.
You again!
What are you doing here?
Oh, you know, just meetings
and... studio heads and...
How'd you get on the lot?
I basically just hauled ass
past the guard gates.
I think I have 20 minutes
until they find me.
You don't have a break coming up, do you?
I'm off in ten minutes, so...
Can I hide in the bathroom?
- Yes.
- Okay.
Sorry.
Um... I actually do have to check.
I'm sorry.
That's the window that Humphrey Bogart
and Ingrid Bergman
looked out of in Casablanca.
- Wow!
- Yeah.
I can't believe you work
right across the street from that.
- Yeah.
- That's amazing.
What was your Bogart's name?
What's his name? Is it Greg?
Yeah. Greg.
Right. How long have you been...
We've been seeing each other
for about a month.
Oh, that's great.
He's, um... He's sweet.
Anyway, I love
being around this stuff, you know?
I know what you mean.
I get coffee five miles out of the way
just so I can be near a jazz club.
- Really?
- Yeah, the Van Beek.
- Do you know it?
- Mmm-mmm.
All the big swing bands used to play
there. Count Basie, Chick Webb.
Anyway, it's a samba-tapas
place now, so...
What's a samba-tapas place?
It's just a samba place
where they serve tapas.
- Oh.
- Yeah, so the joke's on... history?
I don't know. That's L.A.
They just worship everything
and they value nothing.
We're about to roll. Stop, please, guys.
Okay.
- You're rolling?
- Yeah.
I know. They shoot movies on my street
all the time, so I know about movies.
- Come this way.
- Great.
It's a lock-down.
- I love her!
- And here we go.
Hey! How'd you get into all this?
And roll!
- Get into what?
- Sound speed!
You know, movies, acting...
- Action!
- Oh, um...
- My aunt was an actress.
- Oh, okay.
She was in a traveling theater company.
I grew up in Boulder City, Nevada.
So across the street from my house
there was this little library
that had an old movie section.
So she took me and we spent an entire day
watching all these old movies
like Notorious and Bringing Up Baby
and Casablanca.
- And...
- Cut it there! Cut!
- Check the gate.
- So we can talk now.
- She sounds incredible.
- She was incredible.
And I would put on all these plays
in my bedroom,
and it would basically just be she and I
re-enacting those scenes from the movies.
And then I would write my own plays.
- Wow.
- Um... Yeah.
I love it.
So anyway, I left college
after two years to come here
and my last audition was for a teen show
pitched as
"Dangerous Minds meets The O.C."
So, yeah, should've been a lawyer.
'Cause the world needs more lawyers.
It doesn't need more actresses.
You're not just an actress.
- What do you mean, "just an actress"?
- You said it yourself.
You're a child prodigy playwright.
That is not what I said.
Well, you're too modest
to say it, but it's true.
You could just write
your own roles, you know?
Write something that's
as interesting as you are,
and you don't have to audition for this...
- uh, piece of caca.
- Yeah.
Look at Louis Armstrong.
He could've just played the marching band
charts that he was given.
But he didn't do it. What did he do?
- What did he do?
- Well, he made history, didn't he?
Well, I'm gonna stop auditioning
and I'm gonna make history instead.
Well, my work is done here.
I should probably tell you something now,
just to get it out of the way.
- Mmm-hmm?
- I hate jazz.
Are you okay?
What do you mean, you hate jazz?
It just means that when I listen to it,
I don't like it.
Yeah, but it's such a blanket statement
you don't like jazz.
What are you doing right now?
Nothing.
I just think that people,
when they say that they...
you know, hate jazz, they just...
They don't have context, they don't know
where it comes from.
Jazz was born in a little
flophouse in New Orleans,
and it's just because people
were crammed in there,
they spoke five different languages,
they couldn't talk to each other.
The only way they could communicate
was with jazz.
Yeah, but what about Kenny G?
- What?
- What about Kenny G?
I mean, what about elevator music?
You know, jazz music that I know?
- What about it?
- From my life?
- Mmm-hmm?
- I just find it relaxing.
It's not relaxing. It's not, it's not.
Sidney Bechet shot somebody because
they told him he played a wrong note.
That's hardly relaxing.
Yeah, but where I grew up there was
this station called K-Jazz 103.
And people would just put on that station
when they had a cocktail party...
Right.
And everyone would
kinda just talk over it.
I know.
- 'Cause it was...
- That's the prob...
Okay, okay. So I think
that's part of the problem,
is that you can't hear it, you know?
You have to see it.
You have to see what's at stake.
I mean, look at these fellas.
Look at the sax player right now.
He just hijacked the song.
He's on his own trip.
Every one of these guys is composing,
they're rearranging, they're writing.
Then they're playing the melody.
They're just...
And now look, the trumpet player.
He's got his own idea.
And so, it's conflict,
and it's compromise, and it's just...
It's new every time.
It's brand-new every night.
It's very, very exciting.
And it's dying. It's dying, Mia.
It's dying on the vine.
And the world says, "Let it die.
It had its time."
Well, not on my watch.
- What are you gonna do?
- I'm gonna have my own club.
- Really?
- Yes.
We're gonna play whatever we want,
whenever we want,
however we want,
as long as it's pure jazz.
Hi, this is Mia Dolan.
Yeah, I just missed a call.
- I got a callback!
- What? Come on! For what?
For a TV show. The one I was
telling you about earlier.
- The "Dangerous Minds meets The O.C.?
- Yeah.
- Congratulations! That's incredible!
- It's really exciting.
I feel like I said negative stuff
about it before.
- What?
- It's like Rebel Without a Cause.
Sort of.
"I got the bullets!"
Yes.
- You've never seen it!
- I've never seen it.
Oh, my! You know,
it's playing at the Rialto.
- Really?
- Yes.
You should go... I mean, I can take you.
Okay.
- You know, for research.
- For research.
- Yeah. Okay.
- Yeah.
Um, Monday night, 10:00 o'clock.
- Yeah. Great.
- Okay.
For research.
City of stars
Are you shining just for me?
City of stars
There's so much that I can't see
Who knows?
Is this the start
of something wonderful and new?
Or one more dream
That I cannot make true.
- Stand right there, please.
- Okay. Nice to meet you.
- Hi.
- Hi.
In your own time.
Okay.
Two options.
You either follow my rules
or follow my rules.
- Capisce?
- Thank you.
- Oh...
- Thanks.
I can do it a different way.
No, that's fine.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
- That was fun. Thanks.
- Bye.
Oh, hey, Mia?
- Hey.
- Greg's here.
- What do you mean...
- Hey, babe. Got a space out front.
- Great.
- We should get going.
- Okay.
- My brother landed really early.
- Did you forget? You forgot.
- Shit.
That's tonight.
- That's okay. You forgot.
- Yeah. Okay.
All right, so then I'll just get changed.
- Okay. Great.
- Okay. Great.
- Yeah, that's him.
- Um...
Hey, Josh, yeah. Uh...
Just pickin' up Mia.
We'll be there in, like...
But now we've got this
surround-sound set-up, so it's like...
- It's like being in a movie theater.
- Wow.
But better than being
in a theater, really.
- I can't wait.
- You know theaters these days.
- Yeah.
- They're so dirty.
Yeah, I know. And smelly.
And they're either too hot or too cold.
I know. The quality's really fallen off.
The quality's terrible.
And there's always people talking.
- Because...
- Which is just... Oh, it's the worst!
- Oh, I'm sorry. Hold on one second.
- The texting.
Hello?
- Probably work.
- Mmm.
- Sorry. So, yeah, we love it.
- Oh, it's so nice.
- Well, we have to come. Maybe.
- You should. Come by.
- I got one word for you, man.
- Mmm-hmm?
- Indonesia.
- Never heard anyone say that.
I don't even know. I can't keep track
of it, but honestly, it was life-changing.
- Really?
- Yeah. It affected me.
- It was incredible.
- Is it amazing?
- Yes.
- A five-star jungle eco-resort
- you would not believe.
- Amazing.
We were thinking about Nicaragua.
The thing about Nicaragua is it's less
developed, it's a little under-developed.
Right.
I think there's a little more... Yeah,
then, I just don't know if it's safe.
- Yeah, yeah. It's...
- You know?
Yeah, you don't want to explore too far.
Kind of a "natives are restless"
sort of thing.
Actually, China's going to build a canal.
I'm sorry.
...the immensity of our universe.
For many days before the end of our earth,
people will look into the night sky
and notice a star increasingly bright
and increasingly near.
As this star approaches us...
Jim Stark.
I'll go find a place. I'm sorry.
As this star approaches us,
the weather will change.
The great polar fields of the north
and south will rot and divide,
and the seas will turn warm.
The last of us search the heavens
and stand amazed,
for the stars will still be there
and will be...
Mmm...
I have an idea.
What is that? Is it a script?
It's a play.
A play? You better give us all roles!
Actually, it's a one-woman show!
So I can't.
Wow. Is that gonna happen every time?
I think so.
Ahh! It's one-way!
- I love you.
- I love you too.
Oh!
Sebastian?
Keith.
Come here, man.
- How are you?
- I've been good, man.
This is Mia. Mia, Keith.
Hi, Mia. Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
- I used to play with this guy.
Went to school together.
- So how you been, brother?
- Great.
Never been better. How 'bout you?
I been really good. Been very busy.
- I got a new combo.
- Okay. Cool.
We're lookin' for keys.
- Are you kidding me?
- No, I'm not kidding you.
- No, I'm good.
- Are you sure? It pays.
I'm good.
Let's just grab a drink then.
It's been too long.
- Okay.
- Nice to meet you, Mia.
Nice to meet you.
"The end."
- Genius.
- Really?
- Yes. Yes.
- Really?
It feels really nostalgic to me.
- Is it too nostalgic?
- That's the point. That's...
Are people gonna like it?
- Fuck 'em.
- You always say that.
- Well, I truly believe it.
- I made you something.
- For what?
- For your club.
Why does it say "Seb's"?
'Cause I think you should call it "Seb's."
- What?
- 'Cause no one will come
to "Chicken on a Stick."
Is that a music note as an apostrophe?
- Yes! Yeah.
- That's pretty cool.
It's gotta be "Chicken on a Stick,"
because Charlie Parker got his nickname...
I know, because he loved chicken.
That's why they called him "Bird."
So I'm gonna have chicken, beer, jazz.
"Chicken on a Stick."
I know. You should drop the chicken
and just have drinks and jazz, and also...
- I'm not droppin' the chicken.
- You could maybe do it somewhere else.
- What are you talk...
- Find a new spot.
It's gotta be the Van Beek.
Well, it doesn't have to be the Van Beek.
I can't let them samba
all over its history.
I can't do it.
- You can let them, but you refuse to.
- Your play's incredible.
You know, the whole world
from your bedroom.
What else do they want? Who's doing that?
- I'm doing that.
- You're doing that.
Who was that guy at The Lighthouse?
The guy that offered you the gig?
- Keith.
- Yeah.
- Why was it so weird between you two?
- It's always weird with him.
- Really?
- Yeah.
But he seemed kinda nice
'cause he did offer you a job.
- Are you gonna call him?
- No. No.
All right.
So... Here's what we know.
Yeah?
It's definitely "Chicken on a Stick,"
and your play is gonna be a triumph.
It's a one-woman show, so it's just me...
No, I mean, I'm acting in it, too.
No, Mom, I'm not getting paid.
I'm paying to do it.
He's great. He's gonna
open his own jazz club.
Yeah, it's gonna be incredible.
No, he hasn't. He hasn't opened it yet.
He needs some...
He's saving up, I think.
No, he doesn't have a steady gig.
But he's figuring it out,
it's just been a little tricky lately.
Mom, he's gonna find a way to open it
and you're gonna love it, okay?
How's Dad?
Sebastian. Come on in, man.
- Thanks for comin'.
- Thanks for having me.
Wasn't sure I'd see you today.
- So... Here's the deal.
- Okay.
We got distribution with Universal.
We've got our own imprint.
About to go on the road.
Uh, we can pay you 1,000 bucks a week,
plus a cut of the ticket revenue
and merchandising.
Sound good?
- Sebastian? All right.
- Yeah.
- Let's play.
- Okay.
Tonight.
I know. It's different.
But you say you wanna save jazz.
How you gonna save jazz
if no one's listening?
Jazz is dying because of people like you.
You're playin' to 90-year-olds
at The Lighthouse.
Where are the kids?
Where are the young people?
You're so obsessed with Kenny Clarke
and Thelonious Monk.
These guys were revolutionaries.
How are you gonna be a revolutionary
if you're such a traditionalist?
You're holdin' onto the past,
but jazz is about the future.
I know.
The other guy, he wasn't as good as you.
But you're a pain in the ass, man.
City of stars
Are you shining just for me?
City of stars
There's so much that I can't see
Who knows?
I felt it from the first embrace
I shared with you
That now our dreams
May finally come true
City of stars
Just one thing everybody wants
There in the bars
Or through the smokescreen
of the crowded restaurants
It's love
Yes, all we're lookin' for is love
From someone else
- A rush
- A glance
- A touch
- A dance
A look in somebody's eyes
To light up the skies
To open the world and send it reeling
A voice that says "I'll be here"
And you'll be all right
I don't care if I know
Just where I will go
'Cause all that I need's
this crazy feeling
The rat-tat-tat of my heart
Think I want it to stay
City of stars
Are you shinin' just for me?
City of stars
You never shined
So brightly.
I don't know why I keep movin' my body
I don't know
if this is wrong or if it's right
I don't know if it's the beat
But something's taken over me
And I just know I feel so good tonight
I don't know what your name is,
but I like it
I've been thinkin' 'bout
some things I wanna try
I don't know what you came to do
But I wanna do it with you
And I just know I feel so good tonight
Oh, if we keep on dancin'
Take our rhythm to new heights
Feel the heat of passion, baby
Light up the night!
We can start a fire!
Come on, let it burn, baby
We can start a fire!
Let the tables turn, baby
We can start a fire!
I just know I feel so good
Don't you know I feel so good
I just know I feel so good
Tonight
I don't care if this turns into a riot
Let's get reckless, tear this place
down to the floor
Turn the music way up loud
Can't nobody stop us now
I just know I feel so good tonight
I just know I feel so good tonight
We can start a fire!
Come on, let it burn, baby!
We can start a fire!
Let the tables turn, baby!
We can start a fire!
Oh, I just know I feel so good
Don't you know I feel so good
Don't you know, don't you know
Tonight!
Hey, it's me.
Uh, I'm not sure where you are right now.
I think Boston?
Maybe Dallas, I don't know.
Uh...
I haven't heard from you in a little while
and I miss you.
All right, bye.
I thought... Surprise.
Gotta leave first thing in the morning,
but I just had to see you...
It's so nice to be home.
I'm so glad you're home.
How's the play goin'?
Um... I'm nervous.
- You are? Why?
- Mmm-hmm.
Because what if people show up?
Piece of caca.
- You nervous about what they think?
- I'm nervous to do it.
I'm nervous to get up on a stage
and perform for people...
I mean, I don't need to say that to you.
- It's gonna be incredible.
- You don't get it, but I'm terrified.
They should be so lucky to see it.
I can't wait.
I can.
When do you leave, the morning?
Yeah. 6:45.
- Ooh.
- Boise.
- Boise?
- Boise.
To Boise!
You should come.
To Boise?
Yeah, you can knock that
off your bucket list.
Oh, that would be... really exciting.
I wish I could.
What are you doing after the tour?
Why can't you?
- Come to Boise?
- Yeah.
'Cause I have to rehearse.
But can't you rehearse anywhere?
Anywhere you are?
I mean, I guess.
Um... well, all my stuff is here,
and it's in two weeks,
so I don't really think that would be...
- Okay. Well.
- ...the best idea right now, but...
I wish I could.
We're just gonna have to try
and see each other.
We almost never see each other.
I know, but when are you done?
What do you mean? I mean...
When are you finished with the whole tour?
After we finish, we're gonna go
and record, and then we go back on tour.
You know, we tour so we can
make the record,
so we can go back and tour the record.
So it's like the long haul?
What do you mean, "the long haul"?
I mean the long haul, like you're gonna
stay in this band for a long time.
On tour.
What did you think I was gonna do?
I don't...
I hadn't really thought it through.
I didn't know that the band...
- was so important.
- You didn't think it would be successful?
Um...
No, that's not really what I mean.
I just mean that you...
You're gonna be on tour for,
what, months now? Years?
Yeah. I don't believe... This is it.
I mean, it could feasibly be...
I could be on tour with this
for a couple of years, at least.
Just this record.
Do you like the music you're playing?
I don't...
I don't know what it matters.
Well, it matters, because if you're gonna
give up your dream,
I think it matters that you like
what you're playing on the road for years.
Do you like the music I'm playing?
Yeah. I do.
I just didn't think that you did.
- Yeah, well...
- You always said Keith is the worst,
and now you're gonna be on tour with him
for years, so I just didn't...
- What are you doing right now?
- ...know if you were happy.
- Why are you doing this?
- I don't...
- What do you mean, why am I doing this?
- I thought you wanted me to do this.
It just sounds like now
you don't want me to do it.
What do you mean, I wanted you to do this?
This is what you wanted for me.
To be in this band?
To be in a band.
To have a steady job, you know?
To be... you know.
Of course I wanted you
to have a steady job,
so that you could take care of yourself
and your life
and you could start your club.
So I'm doing that, so I don't understand.
Why aren't we celebrating?
Why aren't you starting your club?
You said yourself no one
wants to go to that club.
No one wants to go to a club
called "Chicken on a Stick."
So change the name!
Well, no one likes jazz! Not even you!
I do like jazz now because of you!
And this is what I thought
you wanted me to do!
What am I supposed to do?
Go back to playing "Jingle Bells"?
I'm not saying that.
I'm saying why don't you take
what you've made and start the club?
Scraping pennies so I can start a club
no one wants to go to?
People will want to go to it
because you're passionate about it,
and people love what other people
are passionate about.
- You remind people of what they forgot.
- Not in my experience.
Well, whatever, all right?
It's just time to grow up, you know?
I have a steady job,
this is what I'm doing.
And now all of a sudden
if you had these problems,
I wish you would have said them earlier,
before I signed
on the goddamn dotted line!
I'm pointing out that you had a dream
that you followed,
that you were sticking to...
This is the dream! This is the dream.
This is not your dream!
Guys like me work their whole lives
to be in something
that's successful, that people like.
You know?
I mean, I'm finally in something
that people enjoy.
Since when do you care about being liked?
Just 'cause I don't enjoy it,
it doesn't matter.
Why do you care so much about being liked?
You're an actress!
What are you talking about?
Maybe you just liked me
when I was on my ass
'cause it made you
feel better about yourself.
- Are you kidding?
- No.
I don't know.
Okay, fellas. I'll see ya tomorrow.
- Sebastian?
- Yeah?
You're good for tonight, right?
What are you talking about?
7:00, the photo shoot.
MOJO. Are you good?
- I thought that was next Thursday.
- No, it's tonight.
Is that okay?
- Give me the other camera!
- What's wrong with that one?
"What's wrong with that one?" It doesn't
bloody work, that's what's wrong with it!
All right, trumpet, that's lovely.
Lovely! Beautiful, beautiful!
Okay, keyboard. Okay, look up.
That's good. That's good,
that's lovely. Lovely.
Okay, cut the music!
That is lovely. That's lovely.
Okay, now bite your lip
like this, sort of like...
like you're concentrating on something,
I don't know, like a piece of your music.
Bite my what?
Your lip. You know, bite your lip like...
Yeah, that's good. That's great.
Beautiful! Beautiful.
Okay, now just move your glasses
down on... onto the nose...
A little bit further, just a little bit,
a touch further.
Keep your head down, but look up at me.
Look sort of moody.
Yeah! That's beautiful! That is great!
Okay, turn the keyboard on live!
Do you wanna hear the keyboard then?
You don't have to bite your lip now.
Well, actually play something.
Play something. You know? Anything.
You're a pianist, aren't you?
Play something.
That's great, that's beautiful.
That's lovely. Oh, that's good.
No, don't stop. Keep playing.
Go on, just keep playing. That was great!
...shoot myself in the head.
She's not even good.
That whole window thing...
Yeah, what was that shit with the window?
Oh, my God! Don't quit your day job.
Oh, well...
Not good. One-woman shows
are always terrible.
Mia!
Mia. I'm so sorry.
Just tell me how it went. How was it?
- Don't help me.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry I've been such a prick.
- You're sorry, you're sorry...
You're sorry. You're sorry...
I'm gonna make it up to you.
Let me make it up to you, okay?
- I don't blame you for not wanting...
- It's over.
- What is?
- It's over.
What?
All of this.
I'm done embarrassing myself.
I'm done, I'm done.
- Nobody showed up.
- So what? So what?
I can't pay back the theater.
This is so...
I'm gonna go home for a while.
- I'll come see you tomorrow.
- No, I'm going "home" home.
- This is home.
- No, it's not anymore.
- Yep?
- Hi, I'm trying to reach Mia Dolan.
Wrong number.
She's not answering her cell.
I was told I might find her here.
Not anymore.
- Okay, well, if you do talk to her...
- I won't.
...could you tell her Jane
at Amy Brandt Casting
is trying to reach her?
Casting?
Who the hell is that?
Shut that thing off!
Why did you come here?
- Because I have good news.
- What?
Amy Brandt, the casting director?
- Yeah.
- She was at your play, and she loved it.
And she loved it so much that she wants
you to come in tomorrow
and audition for this huge movie
that she's got.
I'm not going to that.
- I'm not going to that.
- What?
That one's gonna be...
No. That one's gonna be...
I'm sorry?
That will kill me.
- What?!
- What?
What? Shh! Stop!
- No!
- Shh! Shh!
You have to be quiet.
We're in a neighborhood.
If you want me to be quiet,
you have to make some goddamn sense!
- Tell me why you're not going.
- They'll call the police.
- Because. Because...
- Why?
I've been to a million auditions,
and the same thing happens every time
where I get interrupted because someone
wants to get a sandwich!
Or I'm crying, and they start laughing!
Or there's people
sitting in the waiting room,
and they're like me, but prettier
and better at the...
Because maybe I'm not good enough!
- Yes, you are.
- No...
- No, maybe I'm not.
- Yes, you are.
- Maybe I'm not.
- You are.
Maybe I'm one of those people
that has always wanted to do it,
but it's like a pipe dream for me,
you know?
And then, you said it,
you change your dreams,
and then you grow up.
Maybe I'm one of those people,
and I'm not supposed to.
And I can go back to school,
and I can find something else
I'm supposed to do.
'Cause I left to do that,
and it's been six years,
and I don't want to do it anymore.
Why?
- Why what?
- Why don't you want to do it anymore?
'Cause I think it hurts
a little bit too much.
You're a baby.
- I'm not a baby. I'm trying to grow up.
- You are.
- You're crying like a baby.
- Oh, my God.
You have an audition tomorrow at 5:30.
I'll be out front at 8:00 A.M.
You'll be out front or not, I don't know.
How'd you find me here?
The house in front of the library.
- I got coffee.
- Okay, great.
Mia?
Hi, Mia. I'm Amy and this is Frank.
Hi. How are ya?
- Nice to meet you.
- Glad we found you.
Me, too.
The film shoots in Paris,
and we don't have a script.
It's gonna be a process.
We're gonna build the character
around the actress.
It's a three month rehearsal
and a four month shoot.
Okay.
And we thought that you
could just tell us a story.
About?
- You can just tell us anything.
- Anything?
Yeah, just tell us a story.
You're a storyteller.
Um...
Whenever you're ready.
My aunt used to live in Paris.
I remember she used to come home
and she would tell us these stories
about being abroad, and...
I remember...
She told us that she jumped
into the river once.
Barefoot
She smiled
Leapt without looking
And tumbled into
The Seine
The water was freezing
She spent a month sneezing
But said she would do it again
Here's to the ones who dream
Foolish as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that ache
Here's to the mess we make
She captured a feeling
Sky with no ceiling
The sunset inside a frame
She lived in her liquor
And died with a flicker
I'll always remember the flame
Here's to the ones who dream
Foolish as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that ache
Here's to the mess we make
She told me
A bit of madness is key
To give us new colors to see
Who knows where it will lead us?
And that's why they need us
So bring on the rebels
The ripples from pebbles
The painters and poets and plays
And here's to the fools
Who dream
Crazy as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that break
Here's to the mess
We make
I
Trace it all back to then
Her and the snow and the Seine
Smiling through it
She said she'd do it
Again.
When do you find out?
Oh, they said the next couple days.
But I'm not expecting
to find anything out.
You're gonna get it.
- I really might not.
- Yes, you are.
- I hope you're not disappointed.
- I know.
I know. I know these things.
Where are we?
- Griffith Park.
- Where... are we?
I know.
I don't know.
What do we do?
I don't think we can do anything,
- 'cause when you get this...
- If I get this.
When you get this, you gotta give it
everything you got.
Everything.
It's your dream.
What are you gonna do?
I gotta follow my own plan, you know?
Stay here and get my own thing goin'.
You're gonna be in Paris. Good jazz there.
And you love jazz now. Right?
Yes.
And I guess we're just gonna
have to wait and see.
I'm always gonna love you.
I'm always gonna love you, too.
Look at this view!
- I've seen better. Yeah.
- It's the worst.
I've never been here during the day.
Hi. Could I have two iced coffees, please?
- Right. Of course.
- On us.
Oh, no, thank you, I insist.
Sounds good. Harris did a good job.
- Took him long enough.
- It always does.
Signature time.
Not doin' too bad, Seb.
- "Not too bad" is great.
- See ya tonight.
See ya tonight.
Hi.
- How was your day?
- Good.
- Hmm. How is she?
- She's great.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, come on.
Hi, buddy!
I didn't think you were gonna be home yet.
- Are you drawing?
- Yeah.
Can I help? You know I love to draw.
Okay, Chelsea, we're gonna go.
Are you good?
- We're good.
- You need anything?
Bye, baby.
- Say "bye, Mommy."
- Sleep well.
- Bye, Mommy.
- Have fun with Chelsea.
Have fun. Bye, Mia.
- Bye. Thank you so much.
- Good night, guys.
- Night, sweetie. Bye.
- Good night.
Oh, boy.
What if we miss this?
What do you wanna tell Natalie?
Oh... We'll just see it back in New York.
Okay.
- I do not miss this.
- This is bad.
Do you want to just
pull off here and get dinner?
- Sure, yeah. Yeah.
- Yeah?
Okay.
Do you want to check it out?
This place is pretty cool.
I love them.
Cal Bennett on sax!
Javier Gonzalez on trumpet.
The lovely Nedra Wheeler on bass.
The one and only
Clifton "Fou-fou" Eddie on drums!
And a little too good on piano,
so good he's gonna own
this place if I'm not careful,
Khirye Tyler, everybody.
Uh...
Welcome to Seb's.
I just heard you play and I want to...
Do you want to stay for another?
- No, we should go.
- All right.
One, two. One, two, three, four.