An Oldie But A Goodie... perhaps... maybe not... ah screw it, just read it.

This is a screenplay I started when I first moved to California. I only got 7 pages in and then lost focus on it... I wanted to post it here to see what people think about it. I had to update some of the references but otherwise it is exactly the same as when I started it in 2003.... Let me know what you think.



Viva.
By
Jeff Glucker

FADE IN

EXT. Vegas/Night – Shots of Vegas landmarks

JAKE (V.O.)
Welcome to Vegas, the real city that never ever sleeps. Dreams are made and broken here. Most people think that these dreams revolve around money, and for the most part they do. Men and women from all over the world roll into this town in search of that one big hit. That idea that anyone can find the needle lost in the haystack of neon lights. I can’t lie; that is all that I thought this town had to offer. I believed that it was merely a place to spend as much money as you can while drinking as much alcohol as you can. Boy was I completely wrong about this place…

INT. CAR/Night – Jake, a good-looking man in his early twenties, is driving the car towards the light in the desert. He and two of his close friends, both of whom are also good-looking guys in their early twenties, are heading to Las Vegas.

JAKE (V.O.)
I love this road. This is my personal “Trail of Tears.” People are so excited when they are heading east on 15, but it is their attitude on the way back that matters. Right now I am surrounded by nothing but excitement. Sitting next to me in shotgun is my good friend Dan. He is definitely the logical one out of us three. Basically, he knows when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. I would be surprised to see him in the hole at the end of the weekend. He doesn’t go for the risky stuff. That is where my buddy in the back seat comes in. His name is Paul, and he is the illogical one. He would drop the last five dollars to his name on black. He doesn’t see anything in this town as a risk, just a chance to put more money in his pocket. I love going to Vegas with these two guys because I get to see the extremes of the betting styles. As for me, I tend to fall somewhere in the middle. I try to play smart by not going for the big rake, just going for the small pulls. I just can’t seem to help my self from going for that stupid bet every now and then either.

PAUL
Holy shit, where almost there baby! I fucking love this road.

DAN
Chill out man, you know your gonna be broke by (CHECKS HIS WATCH AND SEE’S THAT IT IS 12:45am) two-thirty.

PAUL
Screw that, I am going to be soaring by that time. What about you dude, where are you going to be by then?

JAKE
I already told you guys, I am just planning on chilling during this trip. It’s not every day you too come out to visit me in California.

DAN
Well, shit, you know how fucking cold it is back home. I live for our Vegas trips.

PAUL
Definitely, I love getting out away from the losers at the Seven-Card No-Ante late nights at the wonder of it all, Foxwoods. This is where real people come to play.

JAKE
Hey, I miss those late nights at the woods. That shit made us who we are today.

DAN
Yeah, exactly who are we?

PAUL
We are bad-asses heading into the jungle to tear it up!

DAN
All right then, the plan is going to be check in, change, and right down to the tables?

PAUL
Damn straight that’s the plan. You ready Jakey boy?

JAKE
I told you guys I am just going to chill and enjoy the atmosphere. I just love being in the town.

PAUL
Yeah anything can happen here.

DAN
No, only one thing happens here. Casinos take our money, and we take their alcohol.


INT. THE SAHARA/Late night – Jake, Paul, and Dan make their way onto the casino floor at the Sahara. They pause to take in the sights and sounds of one of the greatest things on the planet, the first step onto the gaming floor of a Las Vegas weekend. The boys make their first move towards the blackjack tables.

DAN
Ok guys, we just got here so lets take it easy. This place has limits as low as a buck so it is the perfect place to warm-up and get our feet wet for the weekend.

PAUL
I agree, lets get cracking.

DAN & JAKE
WHAT?

PAUL
What… I am a little tired so I just want to start slow. For fucks sake relax, I’ll get nuts soon enough.

DAN
Hey Jake, where do you want to sit?

JAKE
I told you man, I just want to relax this weekend. You pick the table, and I’ll sit there for the drinks, they don’t serve bystanders here.

PAUL
Here we go, five dollar minimum is acceptable I assume ladies.


DAN
Yes lets get going; I’m starting to get the shakes.

The guys sit at a table and start to play blackjack. A few people come and go, as do the stacks in front of them. No big wins and no big losses, it is a good start to a Vegas vacation

JAKE (V.O.)
Our hands are coming and going, no one is really getting into a rhythm but we are having a great time. We are hanging out, drinking and gambling what could be better. Then “she” sits down. There are two other guys at the table and she sits right next to me. I’m a male human being with more than one drink in my system so I notice her right away. She is very cute even though she looks under-dressed just like us. I can’t really blame here, after all it is 1:08 in the morning right now. That isn’t a guess either, I remember the exact time.

JULIE (sits at the table. She is early twenties just like the guys. She has long blonde hair tied up and a great body that is concealed by her late night attire)
Do you guys mind if I sit here?

PAUL
No we were actually trying to keep this table strictly sausage only.

DAN
…What an ass.

JAKE
Hi, my names Jake. What’s your name?

JULIE (concentrating more on Jake than the others)
Hello, my name is Julie. Where are you guys from?

JAKE
I just moved to Huntington Beach, these guys are visiting from back home in Boston. How about yourself?


JULIE
I just drove in from Salt Lake City. That’s cool, Vegas is halfway between us.

JAKE
That is cool. Do you come to Vegas a lot?

JULIE
I love Vegas. I come here all the time. I came here this weekend to watch all the college basketball on TV and maybe place a few bets.

JAKE (bewildered)
Really…? That is awesome. You like college basketball?

JULIE
Are you serious, it is one of the best sports you can watch on TV?

JAKE
Wow… I don’t know what to say. I’ve never met a girl who likes gambling and sports. I feel like I need a breather.

DAN
Yo this table is dying out. I need to find another place to get some action moving.

PAUL
Yeah, this table is kicking my ass. They keep moving in the damn Asian dealers on me, and you know how that goes. I am going to take a look around.

JAKE
Uh… Ok, you guys go ahead. I am going to hang out with this table for a while.

JULIE
Smart move, I think this table is just about to heat up. I’m glad you chose to stay.

JAKE (V.O.)
Hours seem like minutes in this town, and right now I can’t get enough of them. This girl is amazing, I thought I knew how to gamble but she is showing me how it’s supposed to be done. She’s also doing it with a smile on her face the whole time. I don’t know how to describe what’s going on. I am just having a blast my first night in Vegas. I say night but I mean morning. It is very late. Dan and Paul have already gone to bed, but Julie and me are still going for blackjacks and rolling for sevens. We both decide that it is getting a little too late and make our way to our respective rooms, but first I make sure that I get her cell number so I can meet up with her again if I am lucky. I get the phone number and I head up to my room with no idea of what I have just gotten myself into. I settle into my bed and check the clock. Right before I fall asleep it reads 7:45am, man I love this town.

Int. Hotel Room at the Sahara/mid morning – Paul is sleeping on one bed and Dan is sleeping on another. Jake is sleeping on the floor after coming in so late. Dan begins to wake up, and Paul does the same. As they are getting ready Jake begins to stir, even though he only went to bed a few hours ago. It is now 11am, and a Vegas Saturday is just beginning.

JAKE (V.O.)
The first thing to hit the room is the light. Someone always opens the blinds before you do. That light is like God shining down in your face. You don’t know what to do so you just sit there for a minute until you can move out of the light. You can’t go far though because that light takes up the entire room. As the light moves through your system you begin to remember what happened the night before. You are up or down, your are hungover or you are stable. That is what normally happens, but this time all I can remember is the girl…

Jake, Dan, and Paul are moving amongst the lines at a buffet.

DAN
Dude, we need to start hitting other casinos tonight so that we are spreading our cash around and maybe meeting some chickies in the process, huh?

PAUL
No shit, I need to move over to the Hard Rock so that I can get my “shwerve” on. The honeys there are hot as can be.
DAN
Did you just use the word “shwerve?”

PAUL
Yeah, so what? We are in Vegas baby.

DAN
Jesus… I can’t gamble near this kid anymore. You just said “shwereve” and you fucking meant it? No wonder I lost $150 fucking dollars last night. I got Jaime fucking Kennedy over here, screaming in my ear about getting his “schwerve” or his “mizack” on. How’s this sound, stay the “fizuck” away from me “dizogg?”

PAUL
Whatever bitch… I just want to get my groove flowing at one of these sweet clubs and everything will be cool.

DAN
Ok, I will let those comments slide if you can direct me to some grade-A Vegas poontang. What about you Jake, what do you want to do this fine Vegas morning?

JAKE
I could use some grub, and then I wouldn’t mind seeing what Julie is doing today.

PAUL
Who the fuck is Julie?

DAN
No shit, who the fuck is Julie?

JAKE
You assholes, Julie is the chick I chilled with at the tables. The chick who showed up right when you guys went upstairs to go to bed.

PAUL
Oh, the blondie? You have her cell or something?

DAN
Whatever… congratulations, but lets get some fucking food and then you can talk to her all the fucking day for all I care. First lets hit the buffet.