|
|
|
||||||||
|
THE SCRIPT GENIE
Benny and Joon synopsis
A synopsis is used to inform studio execs. of the basic summary of a script. All scripts submitted to studios and production companies, even agents must go through a reader before it even lands on the desk of the real decision maker. A synopsis provides a good way to see how your script will hold up as a summary.
|
||||||||
|
SYNOPSIS Benny and Joon
BENNY PEARL (30’s), owner of Benny’s Auto Clinic is your quintessential nice guy. At work, Benny is all business, telling his employees what needs to be done in an amiable, even charming manner. He is the Tom Cruise character in Cocktail of the garage, minus the pompous attitude.
After work, Benny is greeted by a frantic housekeeper who is quitting. She refuses to look after his, “simply unmanageable” sister, JUNE PEARL, anymore. It seems as if the troubled June has wandered off on her own, one too many times.
June, a smart-mouthed woman in her late 30s is totally absorbed in her painting. A prolific artist who suffers from schizophrenia, June puts her heart and soul into her work. Although she takes medication for her illness, she still suffers from outbursts and has a tendency towards setting fires.
Afraid to leave her alone, Benny brings June to his poker game, where as usual, instead of money, bets are wagered for objects. Once an object is won, it must be kept. Benny wins a snorkeling mask. The next day, Benny arrives home to see June standing in the middle of the street, wearing the snorkeling mask. She is arguing with police about her attempt to direct traffic. This and an incident in which June attempts to start a fire after she fights with Benny, makes it obvious that she cannot be left home alone.
When June throws a lamp at Benny during yet another argument between the two, Benny is faced with a flashback depicting his parents’ fatal accident. A young Benny and June are watching in horror as the body bags are taken from the scene. June is catatonic.
Benny meets with June’s physician, DR. MARSHALL GARVEY. When Garvey learns that June has driven yet another housekeeper away, he suggests that Benny put June in a group home. Although Benny is clearly adverse to the idea, he agrees to tour the facility. Dr. Garvey tells Benny that his has one month to decide June‘s fate.
At the next poker game, Benny talks to friends ERIC and CLAUDIA about the group home situation. Benny clearly feels guilty for even considering the home as an option. Meanwhile, June take Benny’s place in the poker game that is being played in next room. The stakes are raised as the two players, June and MIKE each believe they have the winning hand. June looses the hand and has to take Mike’s, “crazy” cousin, SAM (20’s) home with her. Benny realizes, begrudgingly, that he must honor June’s bet. At first glance, June and Sam are taken with each other.
On the way home, Benny, June and Sam stop at a diner where Sam first annoys, then wins the affection of the crowd as he ad-libs and plays with food in an animated manner. Their waitress, RUTHIE is not amused by Sam, but is suddenly charmed when Sam recognizes her as an actress from a 1975 MGM film.
Benny is still apprehensive about Sam staying with him and June. However, Benny and Sam bond over discussions of June’s illness and Sam’s abusive childhood. Meanwhile, June and Sam are seen helping each other and creating a special bond of their own. In a touching scene, June helps the dyslexic Sam write a letter to his mother. There are many more bonding scenes, including one in which Sam makes grilled cheese for dinner using an iron and ironing board. June makes Sam her famous peanut butter and cereal shake for breakfast. Things seem to be going well, although there is still an underlying tension between Sam and Benny and Benny and June. Benny still looms over the dilemma over what to do with June.
A romantic relationship develops between both Benny and Ruthie and Sam and June. Ironically, it is Sam and June’s relationship that seems to be the more, “normal” of the two. Sam and June are able to express their love for each other, while Benny believes that he cannot have a normal relationship, as it may interfere with his duty as June’s caretaker. Ruthie becomes frustrated by Benny’s lack of romantic enthusiasm and their relationship deteriorates before it has much of a chance to begin. Meanwhile, Sam and June consummate their relationship.
Sam and June tell Benny that they are in love. Benny kicks Sam out of the house. Benny and June have a huge argument and Benny leaves. June spots Sam outside runs off with him after starting a small kitchen fire which ignites as she burns a picture of her and Benny when they were children.
Through some soul searching, Benny realizes that he must stop being a martyr and give June her freedom. Unfortunately, Benny returns home to see his house on fire and June gone. As he searches for June, Benny finds her and Sam being rushed to the hospital. June has had a schizophrenic episode.
June is put into the psychiatric unit in the hospital and she does not want any visitors. She is hurt and embarrassed and wants to retreat into he own little world. Benny is desperate to see June. After making a scene trying to get onto June‘s ward, Benny is kicked out of the hospital. Realizing that Sam is his ticket to June’s forgiveness, Benny searches for Sam, finding him staying with Ruthie. Benny convinces Sam and Ruthie that he has seen the error of his ways and convinces them to help him get into the hospital. He also arranges for June to rent an apartment in Ruthie’s complex when June is released form the hospital.
Benny, still unable to get in to see June, sneaks his way in to the ward. He is outside June’s door, begging for forgiveness, when Dr. Garvey catches Benny. The Dr. is about to throw Benny out of the hospital, however, Benny quickly produces the papers that he has signed for June’s emancipation. June is still not convinced that she wants to speak to Benny. However, when June looks out the window to see Sam and Ruthie waiving to her, she realizes that Benny’s intentions are sincere. June tells the Dr. that she is ready to leave the hospital.
June and Sam move in to the apartment in Ruthie’s building. Benny brings two bouquets of flowers to the apartment building. He delivers roses to Ruthie and a house-warming bouquet for June, which he leaves outside her door, symbolizing his acceptance of her need for freedom.
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
 |
||||||||
| page created with Easy Designer |