ELI STON “PiLot” WRITTEN By GREG BERLANTI & MARC GUGGENHEIM Touchstone Television -fierlafiti_Téleyision July 21, 2006 DRAFT ©2006, Touchstone Television. All rights reserved. This material is the exclusive . property of Touchstone Television and is intended solely for the use of its personnel. Distribution to unauthorized persons or reproduction; in whele or-in part, without the written consent of Touchstone Television is strictly prohibited.

OUR STORY BEGINS: on a scenic countryside in the middle of nowhere. Little brown HUTS and wandering VILLAGERS dapple the meadow. In the distance are some of the most beautiful snowcapped mountains in the world. A title card reads: MUNDOLI VILLAGE, INDIA. A WOODEN CART passes FRAME, REVEALING... A MAN (mid-30s) dressed in a well-tailored HUGO BOSS SUIT, sitting on a five hundred year-old bench, surrounded by LUGGAGE, - and looking nonplussed by the whole affair. This is ELI STONE. You’ll like him. A pair of ANCIENT LOOKING SHERPAS tug three MULES into view. They stop in front of Eli. Waiting. He rises. ELI Are you. my guides? : (no response, louder) I‘m Eli Stone. (even .louder) E-LI STONE! I arranged a trek through the Ranikhet Travel Agenocy! I‘m going to the base of the Panch Chuli peaks! The Sherpas begin tossing Eli‘s luggage onto the mules. ELI (cont’d) . That‘s a laptop so you might want to BANG. CLUNK. Eli winces, grabs a BACKPACK from one of the Sherpa’s -hands. A mini tug-of-war ensues. ELI (cont‘d) carry this one myself, thanks. . - The Sheérpa Iets go. Eli turns and struggles To climb atop - one of the mules. As he does: ~ ’ ELI’S VOICE . "Hello. You don‘t really know me, but __ - that’s okay. Until a few months ago; ¥ didn‘t really know me, either. So let’s start with the basics. My name is Eli Stone and I‘m an attorney. . Eli FLIES OFF the other side of the mule, LANDS with a THUD. A beat and he POPS back INTO VIEW. Reassuring ELI. . I‘1l just walk it for a while. TI‘ve been’ sitting for the last thirty-six hours. The Sherpas pay him little mind as trek. MUSIC UP: Something cool and alternative that hasn’t already been used on “Grey’s Anatomy.” -

[ XT HE. ILLSIDE. LITTLE LATER. - Our THREE BRAVE JOURNEYMEN crest the hill (Eli tugging his mule to keep up). ELI'S VOICE For the last eight years, I‘ve practiced at a firm in San Francisco: Wethersby, Posner and Klein. Unless you own a huge company that’s screwed over a little guy, you probably haven’t heard of us. Eli gazes out over the SEA OF CLOUDS disrupted only by MOUNTAINTOPS. He turns to a Sherpa. ELI Could you take my picture? Eli takes out one of those airport Kodaks. ELI (cont‘d) (to Sherpa One, pointing) Hold THIS BUTTON DOWN and the LIGHT will go on when it’s READY TO FLASH. Then... Eli’s DROWN OUT as the Sherpa to the other and SPEAKS in his native dialect. . ‘SHERPA NUMBER ONE - lee I‘ve never used a disposable before? SHERPA NUMBER TWO (subtltles) Some days it’s hard to believe these guys are leadlng the free world. stands at the ridge. The peaks in §Iofy behind him. ELI What do you think? Sunglasses? (takes them S No sunglasses., ‘- T SHERPA NUMBER TWO (subtitles) It's gonna be a long week. : e ELI'S VOICE Let’s see... attorney, San Francisco... oh, did I mention I recently found out I could be a prophet? The Sherpa SNAPS ELI'S SHOT (sans glasses). It FREEZES. ELI’S VOICE (cont‘d) Yeah. I was shocked, too.

INT, MIDDLE SCHOOL GYM. DAY. (1984). PAN across a paper sign that hangs loosely from the ceiling. It reads, in red markeér: “DEBATE CLUB FINALS.” ELI’'S VOICE Sure, as a kid I had what you might call a certain “way with words.” But no one ever called that way prophetic. ON STAGE, Eli (age 12 and bespectacled) leads his RAGTAG TEAM against BLAZER-LADEN OPPONENTS from a private school. A group of JUDGES watch on as Eli speaks with conviction. ELI AT TWELVE Which is why our nation should begin now investing in renewable energy sources. At our current rate of consumption, in twenty years our entire foreign policy will be dictated by our addiction to oil. The only Americans sure to profit from all of this will be the fat, pasty white men who run the oil companies. The kind of unscrupulous ciphers whom my opposing team here will no doubt grow up to be. Eli winces at the last part. EKnows he’s said too much. . ELI'S VOICE And I wasn’t raised religious... T. TONE FAMITY ROOM. ER. (1984). ON A DEBATE TROPHY as Eli places it on a shelf. He nurses a BLACK EYE with a BAG OF ICE in the other hand. ELI’S VOICE . My mom-was a non-practicing Jew. -My-dad was a-practicing alcoholic. -This,-of course, did wonders for their marriage. There’s LOTS OF SHOUTING Goming from the next room. goes to the crack in the door,but. the. door is-CLOSED IN.HIS FACE ......... by his older brother, DAVID (15). . DAVID You shouldn’t be listening, assmunch. : . ELI AT TWELVE What did he do this time? DAVID They found him in the park wasted-and trying to set the ducks free. But the ducks are free.

: DAVID . That’s the point, buttwich. . (notices) What happened to your eye? ELI AT TWELVE I got into a fight with the other team. DAVID You got beat up by a debate team? Man, only gonna get laid, like, never. More YELLING IN THE B.G. and a CRASH. Eli cringes. ELI’S VOICE In college, I thought I saw God once... T. DORM ROOM . (1991). ON a STANFORD PENNANT. PAN OFF and nearby... ELI’S VOICE But that coincided with the same night I tried pot brownies and hooked up with this totally hot girl from UCLA. ...to ELI AT NINETEEN (a little cuter, but still with those awful glasses). He lies on a couch with said UCLA GIRL. ELI AT NINETEEN I know a lot of people think they’'re gonna change the world. But I really am. That’s why I want to be a lawyer. The entire mechanism of our society is built on laws TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL . Are we gonna mess around? Because-I'm getting kinda tired... INT. ELI’'S DORM M. T NEXT MORNING 991). Eli scribbles gomething. UCLA. Girl her -watch. ELI AT NINETEEN Here’s my number and my address. Also, I belong to Prodigy and if you join we can - write letters to each other over the computer. It’s called electronic mail. TOTALLY HOT UCLA-GIRL - .. . (off a horn) There’s Steph’s car. I‘ll call you. And she‘’s outta there. ELI’S VOICE Surprisingly, I never saw her again.

Eli drops back onto his bed. Depressed. ELI’'S VOICE (cont’d) I guess for most of my life, God, Allah, Yahweh and me had what’s considered in legal terms a “covenant not to interact.” He left me alone and I left him alone... INT. ELI’ ARTMENT. (1 . PAN across STACKS of BOOKS to a RINGING PHONE. The hand that picks it up belongs to a full-grown Eli (24, his cutest yet but still with the glasses). Into the phone: ELI AT TWENTY-FOUR Where are you guys? I’'ve been waiting for two hours. I have a life, you know. Granted, most of it’s spent in a law library, but I do have one. DAVID (OVER PHONE) Eli... it’s Dad. ELI'S VOICE Then God breached the contract. ELI AT TWENTY-FOUR What did he do this time? INTERCUT David (now 27) on the other end. Looking somber. DAVID prove his car into a building at the end of Main Street. You have to come home. ELI AT TWENTY-FOUR I'm giving my law school’s valedictory address, I‘m not coming home to help Dad nurse a few broken bones. You’‘re the doctor, you do it. - DAVID Eli... he's dead. (a long beat) This is the worst timing ever... but Mom needs you, I need you. be your usual moronic self and do something you’ll regret the rest of your life. ELI Don‘t worry. I won‘t. Eli hangs up the phone. As he takes it all in:

LAW SCHOOL DEAN (PRELAP) It is with great honor that I introduce editor of the Stanford Law Review and a future graduate of the Stanford Law School Class of 1996... Elijah Stone. EXT. GRADUATION STANFORD IAW SCHOOT.. DAY. (1996). A SEA OF CAPS beneath the bright sunny sky. There’s APPLAUSE as Eli takes the podium. He hides his heartbreak. Resolute. ELI AT TWENTY-FOUR Today we celebrate our beginning as the lawyers, politicians and thinkers who will reshape the 21st Century... As Eli continues, the CAMERA PANS OFF HIM to the beautiful landscape of SAN FRANCISCO BAY and THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. VOICE After that day, I never talked to my dad, or God, again. (beat) Then six weeks ago, I heard the music. PULL BACK to reveal it's the VIEW FROM INSIDE... INT. A KICKASS SAN FRAN HIGH-RISE OFFICE. SIX WEEKS AGO. " A capacious office befitting one of the nation‘s largest and most prosperous firms. A confident ELI stands WITH BIS BACK TO US, staring out. He gives dictation into a microrecorder: ELI Insert caption. Opening paragraph. Defendant Westland Health Insurance, comma, Inc., I-N-C-period, comma space, Somewhere, A_TUNE PLAYS. Eli stops, listens, turns around. He’s now the guy from the opening: more handsome than cute and, thanks to Lasik, no more glasses. ELI (cont’d) . - Open paren, hereinafter, quote, Westland, close quote, close paren, pursuant to Rules 26 and 33 of the Federal Rules of -- Again, the MUSIC PLAYS. BAgain, Eli stops. Listens. ELI (cont‘d) Pattit s - Enter PATTI (40, Latino), formidable assistant. PATTI - an intercom, Brando. I swear, - like we work in a dry cleaners.

ELI Do you hear that music? It’s been playing in my office all morning. PATTI What music? They both listen. It’s gone. ELI There was music playing. I was hoping maybe you could do somethlng about it. PATTI You want me to do something about music I don’t hear. ELI Forget it. Is my 2:30 here? Eli puts on his suit jacket, looks for a file, etc. PATTI in the conference room. Also, your girlfriend called. ) ELI Tricia called? Why didn‘t you tell me? PATTI You told me not to bother you. ELT Since when does Tricia bother me? PATTI Oh, that’s right. I was thinking of. me. ELI Okay. That’s it. From now on, there’'s a moratorium on discussion concerning my future fiancée. That includes e-mails..: (off her look) And nasty facial expre551ons. And not telling me when she’s on the phone -~ PATTI - take all the fun out of thls BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY (PRELAP) Sixty thousand? You've gotta NT. W. CONFERE DA An even moré OBNOXIOUS than s BETH (early 30s) and her pudgy BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY.

on the opposing side of the oak table sits: MATT DUNN (35), illegally attractive and a dick in Brioni. BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY Sixty thousand? MATT Saying the number twice doesn‘t double it, y'know. Eli‘s a few seats away, doodling on his legal pad. BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY You’re gonna have to add another zero. MATT Okay. Sixty thousand plus zero equals... sixty thousand. BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY What about eighty-- BETH I need to talk with my lawyer. MATT Fine. But he’s gonna tell you to take the offer. He’s gonna do that ‘cause. he knows you won’t win this in court, hell, he’s never even been in court, least not as an attorney, especially not as one with experience suing a multi-million- dollar insurance company, which is probably something he omitted from his Yellow Pages ad. . Beth looks to her attorney, her errant knighf..: BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY S I‘ve been in court. BETH . Sixty thousand is the tip of the iceberg has sunk my family, Mr. Dunn. My son has autism. He needs Risperidone every day; he needs a speech therapist, regular therapist; he needs a predictable schedule which limits the kinds of jobs that I, as a gingle mother, can take. And none of those jobs pay for his medical expenses which, aloene,' are close - to sixty thousand per year. - - = AND THEN IT HAPPENS Eli’s MUSIC RETURNS. .It's CLEARER NOW... SOMETHING LIKE ORGAN MUSIC. perks up. - Does anyone else hear that?

Everyone turns to Eli. . ELI (cont’d) The music. It‘s like organ music or something... But it's gone now. They look at Eli like nuts. BEDRAGGLED ATTORNEY My cell phone plays “Ode To Joy”, but it’s on vibrate. MATT Sixty thousand is our final offer. what these cases are typically worth. BETH Then the entire Internet must be lying. (off a stack of papers) Edwards vs. Lompoc Medical, 375,000. Paulson vs. Lancaster Health, 456,000. Bishop vs. Davis Insurance, Mrs. Bishop bought an island with her judgment. ELI It was a house. (off Beth) It was on an island, off the coast of - South Carolina, I think, but it was just a house. BETH It’s so nice to see you have something to offer, Mr. Stone. Apart from pointing out music that isn‘t there. . ELI Ms. Keller, do you know the first thing I learned about litigation? — - BETH Clients won’t know if-you-pad the-bill2 - == ELI Okay. The thing. The only people who benefit from litigation are lawyers. Everyone else, the plaintiffs, the defendants, the clients, they lose time, pieces of their lives, to say nothing of attorneys’ fees. We get our money now, but it‘ll be five years before you see Nickel One. Because if you win, we’ll appeal. And if we lose on appeal, we’ll appeal again. BAnd each appellate court moves slower than the .one before it. (beat, empathetic) We can go as high as ninety thousand. I sincerely recommend you take it and get on with your life. They’d almost forgotten he was here.

10. Eli walks out of the room, with Matt less than a step behind. MATT (PRELAP) That. That was something else. INT. W.P.K. OFFICE SUITES. RIGHT AFTER. As Eli and Matt pace through the labyrinth of cubicles we get an even greater sense of the firm's mammoth size. MATT The way I played bad cop and you played schizo crack head with a heart of gold. ELI You really didn‘t hear that music? MATT The only thing I heard was you upping the offer because the opposing party recited us the plot from some Lifetime movie. ELI Ninety is still fifty grand south of what Westland settle for. MATT I don‘t care if it’s a billion dollars south. Their money is our money. (stopping, smiles) . I like you Stone, not in a friend way or anything, but I like you. So I'm_gonna let you off with a warning this time: You ever do something like that again without consulting me, and toast you faster than a fuckin’ pop tart. Got it? ELI : The metaphor is lacking but I‘m pretty sure I get the general sentiment. : - Matt CHUCKLES a fratboy CHUCKLE and turns. As he goes, MATT ’ . My advice? Pop the question soon, buddy. I think the stress is getting to you. And WE GO CLOSE ON: AN ENGAGEMENT RING. The kind women talk about days after they’ve seen it. REVEAL WE'RE:. NT T. N, . Eli awaits, along with THE RESTAURANT (including .SOME WAITERS and a VIOLINIST), the answer of his from TRICIA WETHERSBY (30). Think Nicole Kidman by way of Connecticut. | Trish. Any day now...

11. TRICIA I‘m thinking, Eli... ELI Thinking? You helped me pick out the ring. And the restaurant. You even made the reservation. TRICIA I know, but that was all theoretical. Now it’s actually happening... Kids. ELI I don’'t want them. You know that. If you do, then we have to seriously -=- TRICIA ’ Me? you I'm worried about. I want it in writing. People start to look away. Going back to their meals. ELT You want a prenup? . TRICIA A woman that says she doesn’t want kids, says so in the face of countless baby showers, disappointed family members, and girlfriends who look at her like she’s an alien. Guys say they don’t want kids and it’s half-expected. A remnant of their waning bachelorhood. Then, years later, when their testosterone levels decrease and the estrogen kicks in, some five-year- o0ld holds their hand to cross the street and suddenly the condom just happened to have a hole in it. _ T Eli sighs. Then simultaneously, Eli and Tricia reach for cocktall napkins and start scribbling and talking fast... ELI TRICIA «“This Prenuptial Agreement ...In consideration of the shall be deemed effective by promises, undertakings and and between the signed payments stated herein... Parties... - - . —_— - ELI ...The Parties agree as follows: No . dependents. Individual compliance to be left to the Parties’ own discretion.” We can insert the recitals later. TRICIA So you won‘t even consider a vasectomy?

12. ELI The whole point of a prenup is to keep sharp objects away from my testicles. “This Agreement has been made and entered into in the State of California...” TRICIA “,..Signed under seal as of the date first written above.” (hands him the napkin) Sign here. He does. Passes the napkin back. As she signs, Eli realizes everyone in the place is staring, slack-jawed. ELI She, uh, said yes. Tricia starts to cry as any Bride-To-Be would. TRICIA I'm just so... happy! The VIOLINIST plays. A WAITER claps, prompting a smattering of APPLAUSE from the CONFUSED PATRONS. ELI (grabs the napkin) Don‘t smear the ink, honey. And then it happens AGAIN. Eli HEARS THE ORGANS. Then, OTHER INSTRUMENTS. the BEGINNING OF A FAMILIAR POP SONG. And we SMASH TO BLACK: ELI (V.0.) (cont'd) (winded) The music?! Do you hear the music?!. TRICIA (V.O.) (more ‘winded) Yes! Yes I hear the . ELI’ BEDROOM. NIGHT. A light FLIPS ON. Eli and Tricia were screwing. Eli hops out of bed. Pacing the room. Tricia is very confused. The MUSIC PLAYS ITS LOUDEST YET. Eli RECOGNIZES IT AS... ELI George Michael! It’‘s George Michael! TRICIA George Michael?! What are you talking about, E1i? Somewhere... “Cause you got to have faith, faith, faith...”

13. ELI The guy from WHAM. His song, It’'s playing! you hear him?! TRICIA Are we role playing like in Miami? Do you want me to get the feather duster? ELI . You really don’t hear the music? It's coming from the living room! He exits. Tricia calls after him: TRICIA I‘m glad something’s coming} IN ELIL’ AR NT. LIVING M. NIGHT. Eli, wrapped in a sheet, enters the room to find, GEORGE MICHAEL standing on his coffee table. Finishing a chorus: GEORGE MICHAEL . (singing) Yes I got to have Faith, Faith, Faith -- And then, in a flash of an eye, George is gone. Eli stares at the empty room. Blinks a few times. And passes out. His head HITS the coffee table with A BANG. SMASH TO BLACK. END OF ACT ONE

14. ACT TWO FADE UP ON: Eli’s FACE. Uncomfortable. Claustrophobic. He's inside NT. I CH . Y. Eli waits impatiently as the machine WHIRS. A VOICE BOOMS: MALE VOICE (0.S.) If you build it. He will come. ELI Not funny, dickhead. INT. DAVID’S DOCTOR'S OFFICE. IATER. Eli’s brother DAVID (now a tired-looking adult) studies the MRI of ELI'S BRAIN. Eli sits on a table, listening. DAVID Aside from the mild concussion you got from hitting the coffee table, you're what we call in medical terms, “fine.” ELI I be fine. DAVID No, you’re still a tool, but there’s no sur%ery for that. Have you called Mom to tell her you’re engaged yet? ELI will. David grabs his brother in a choke hold, noogeying his head. DAVID it like you mean it. Okay, I‘1ll call her! call her! pavid lets him go. Both reverting back to adulthood. ELI (cont‘d) I can't be fine, David. GEORGE MICHAEL . . WAS IN MY LIVING ROOM. Isn’t there anything else you should check for... what if I have some dormant STD that’s causing a lesion on my brain? -

15. DAVID Stop watching HOUSE. There's nothing medically wrong with you. You just got engaged. You're under pressure at the firm. This is stress. ELI Stress gives you premature greys. It doesn’t make legendary British popstars sing their greatest hits from your couch. DAVID You want my real opinion, this is typical Bonehead Eli. You’re doing great at work, you finally decide who you‘re gonna spend the rest of your life with, and consciously or unconsciously, you don‘t feel like you deserve to have it all, so you take a dump all over it. ELI That is not true. And I’'ll stop watching HOUSE when you stop watching OPRAH. David snatches the x-rays and exits. calls after him: ELI (cont’d) What am I supposed to do if George Michael comes back? DAVID (0.S.) Get an autograph. call Mom! It’s MUSIC that CARRIES us toO... INT. ELI‘S OFFICE. DAY. . Eli’s at his desk, wearing BOSE EARPHONES and listening to an IPOD (protection from George). Patti pauses his-music. PATTI (hands a piece of paper) That’s the number for my acupuncturist.. - Dr. Chen. He’s in Chinatown. - He's a-- -- miracle worker. He cured my friend Viv of her tennis elbow and her constipation in one visit. ELI . Good for Viv. But I don’t believe in that stuff, which is a requirement since -- its only effect is placebo. PATTI . R For a guy with auditory hallucinations you’re awfully judgmental. (on her way out) Your two o‘clock.is here.

16. ELI I don't have a two-- He looks up to see that Patti’s been replaced by BETH KELLER. ELI (cont'd) Don't say anything. (to the door) Patti! (back to Beth) Don‘t speak, it’'d be an ex parte conversation. You’re represented by counsel. BETH Not anymore. I fired him this mornlng. ELI Then have your new attorney contact me. In the meantime, have a nice day. Patti can validate your parking. Eli holds the door open for Beth. She sits. BETH Your associate is an ass, but he was right. I need someone who’s in the same league as Wethersby, Posner if I'm gonna win this. I think I‘ve found him. (off look) He graduated valedictorian at Stanford Law, clerked for Ginsburg, he’s an eighth- year associate at a blue chip firm. ELI That’s me. talking about me. Why are you talking about me? . BETH I want you to take my case, Mr. Stone. - That’s.... that's m T - sue my own client. ' There’s, like, an entire canon of ethics prohibiting it, and I'm pretty sure they call it a canon because it can kill me. BETH - Shapiro vs. Ryter, Overmyer vs. Fordes, an article from the 2003 Harvard Law Review... ELI ’ R You need to off the lady.

17. BETH The firm sets up something called a “Chinese Wall,” you can represent me -- ELI That only works if the lawyer has no prior involvement in the case. That was me on the other side of the table, remember? Involved. BETH I can pay you. ELI For what we bill, you couldn’t afford this conversation. Beth studies him with a sweet, knowing look. BETH the first lawyer, the only lawyer, to react to my situation with even an ounce of sympathy. ELI Ms. Keller, the policy you signed leaves how to treat your son’'s condition up to the insurer, not you. If they want to deny coverage, that’s their legal right. So even if I did want to help you, which I don‘t, your case is... unwinable. BETH (a beat, discouraged) oh, well, I had to try, right? Beth goes for her bag, sad and a little humiliated. Eli goes back to his work, pretending not to notice. - (cont’d) Good-bye, Eli. Her tone gives him pause. Eli looks up to answer her... but she's gone. BHe's about to go back to his work when he hears: GEORGE MICHAEL (singing) I got to have Faith, Faith, Faith. GEORGE is as LOUD AS EVER. And from RIGHT OUTSIDE... EXT. W.P.K. GENERAL OFFICE AREA. CONTINUQUS. Eli’s head POPS OUT. He can’t believe what he sees. REVERSE ANGLE —-- Where Eli would typically find a sea of DESKS, ASSISTANTS and LEGAL AIDES, he now finds a GEORGE MICHAEL VIDEO in his office.

18. George is atop the center desk. The LEGAL AIDES and ASSISTANTS are, well, his DANCERS. N GEORGE MICHAEL (singing) Before the river, there comes an ocean... I need someone to hold me but I wait for something more! Cause I gotta have faith, faith, faith. And then, IN A SPLIT SECOND, it‘s ALL GONE. The dancers, the lights, everything... replaced with BORING LAW OFFICE. SMASH TQ: FACE with several ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES. We‘re INT. DR. CHEN'S ACUPUNCURIST. DUSK. Dimly 1it. Eli is prostrate on a table. In the corner, a SMALL ASIAN MAN works attentively. This is DR. CHEN (40s). ELI Your place is not that easy to locate. I'm no marketer, but a little signage would do you wonders. DR. CHEN People who need find Dr. Chen. Now, relah. Close eye. - ELI (beat, getting it) Oh, relax. Close eyes. DR. CHEN You smart, must be good lawyer. Chen approaches with the last few needles. As.he applies: DR. CHEN (cont’d) George Michdel has great meaning to you. < ELI S No. ) . DR. CHEN Yes. You no remember. ELI I no remember because he doesn’t. - DR. CHEN Past no past. Past, present, future. All the same. Understand? ELI I wasn‘t a fan of science -in - and that was without needles in my face.

19. . DR. CHEN You must make peace George Michael. ELI (this is fucking crazy) Any ideas how I'm supposed to do that? Maybe I should call his publicist. DR. CHEN Shhh. Dr. Chen help you remember. Dr. Chen places in one last needle and LIKE A FLASH, WE'RE... INT. GE DO R F B . SOUNDS of MACKING carry us to the double bunk bed where Eli (at nineteen) awkwardly tries to remove UCLA GIRL‘S sweater. TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL (as Eli struggles) Is this your first time? ELI AT NINETEEN No. Of course not. (then) How do you define first time? TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL If you've never had- sex before. ELI AT NINETEEN - Oh... okay. Yeah, maybe it is. TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL I thought so. We need some music. She hops off the bunk and over to his boom box. TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL (cont’d) (spots one, excited) ) ’ You have a George Michael CD. What are you doing with a George Michael CD? .~ ELI AT NINETEEN . It’s my roommate’s. He’s in theatre. - She goes to load the CD. Eli hops off the bed. Fretful. ELI AT NINETEEN (cont’d) Wait. I can’'t lose it to George Michael. . TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL Then we can just make out. ) ELI AT NINETEEN Or it could make the whole experience - - more memorable. -

20. TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL You‘re really cute, ElLi. In a geeky, late bloomer-ish sorta way. ELI AT NINETEEN bloomed. Faith plays in the B.G. She pushes Eli back onto the bed. TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL Not yet you haven’t. But you will. By the time you‘re that lawyer changing the world and stuff... you‘re gonna be hot. ELI AT NINETEEN Yeah? How do you know so much? . TOTALLY HOT UCLA GIRL It’s just obvious. Most of life is. We | all just pretend like it isn‘t. As she KISSES HIM AGAIN and WE CUT T0: BETH KELLER'S FACE. - EXT/INT, BETH'S APARTMENT., NIGHT. She’s just opened her front door to find ELI STANDING THERE. ELI UCLA, 1991! You were Lizzie then, not Beth. You had a different last name because you married. You were a blonde, not a brunette. BAnd we had sex to George Michael. It was fifteen years ago. But it was you. I know it was you. He studies Beth‘s face, waiting for a response. BETH . . I wasn’'t blonde. They were highlights. why didn‘t you say something?! BETH It's not like you remembered me. And I didn’t exactly ever call you back. She heads inside, Eli follows. ELI Why didn't you ever call me? BETH Eli, it was fifteen years ago. I barely remember it. You barely remember it. were both stoned on pot brownies and we had a random college hook-up.

21. ELI So you just use me for sex and then toss me aside like -- BETH most guys want? ELI I'm not most guys. BETH No, you’‘re just most lawyers. (scoffs) You said you were gonna change the world. ELI I thought you barely remembered it. And I am gonna change the world... I just have to make partner first. - BETH I'm sorry I didn‘t call you. I wish I had. Maybe then my life wouldn‘t have turned out as crappy as it did. Is that what you came to hear? ELI (yes) No. Eli sees something in the other room. He moves off to... INT. BETH’S LIVING ROOM. CONTINUOUS. The CAMERA PANS a WALL of CHILDREN’S BLOCKS. The wall is FOUR FEET HIGH and runs the LENGTH OF THE ROOM. The blocks spell out DOZENS of RANDOM WORDS. . Constructing the wall, is Beth’s eight-year-old autistic son, WILLIAM. Eli approaches him, crouching down. William pays Eli no mind. Even when he speaks, he never looks at Eli. BETH . William, this is Eli. William places another block. Still not looking up. ELI Hello, William. You like blocks? WILLIAM - Words. There’s over 500,000 in the English language. ELI " That‘s a lot. They should collect them all in a book or something...

22. William doesn‘t smile. His autism doesn’t permit it. WILLIAM That’s not counting names. counting them with names. Eli rises. Looks at Beth, his heart breaking. ELI not... I'm not... BETH (ironically) Yeah, I was pregnant for eight years. ELI Come by my office tomorrow. Ten BETH You’re taking the case? ELI No. 1I'll be getting fired because I‘m gonna request to take the case. BETH Look. I want you to do this, but if you’'re just doing it out of pity or sympathy -- ELI It’'s not sympathy... There’s over 500,000 words in the English language. And that'’s not counting names. Eli looks back toward the living room. ELI. (cont’d) The blocks. Left side. Fourth row down. Eli exits. Beth approaches her son ‘and his wall of curious look crosses her face as And then we see what Beth sees... Left side. Fourth row down. The blocks read... RAIN SALLY FIRE MAKE PEACE GEORGE MICHAEL Off Beth, not quite understanding. But we do. END OF ACT TWO . ERDE OUT.

23. ACT THREE FADE ON: NINE HUMOURLESS FACES (eight men and one woman). Of course, they must be ATTORNEYS. WIDEN to REVEAL, we're INT. W.P.K. CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY. Sitting opposite this firing squad, we find Eli and Matt. JORDAN WETHERSBY (60s), the smooth Senior Partner who built the practice and half of San Francisco, speaks first: JORDAN WETHERSBY I don’‘t understand. Is there some kind of problem with the case? ELT No. The case is going great. JORDAN WETHERSBY The sole exception being, of course, that you wish to switch sides. ELI I like to think of it as bringing in a new client. (Eli smiles, they don‘t) Even though completely aware my request might seem a little... unusual. . JORDAN WETHERSBY “Unusual” was Mirick’s sex change operation in ‘93. (to the other partners) - Remember how inconvenient it was to get all his business cards reprinted? Forced CHUCKLES to make the boss feel good. Eli presses on. ELI We represent clients with interests all the time. JORDAN WETHERBSY Is that the Japanese Wall you were ‘talking about? ELI Um, Chinese. - MARCI KLEIN (50s), the only woman (barely), chimes in: MARCI KLEIN Whichever. In those situations, the clients can pay.

24. ELI What happened to this firm's to pro bono work? JORDAN WETHERBSY We‘ve found it conflicts with our commitment to making money. More CHUCKLES. And then, A DINGING SOUND. Like A BELL at the START OF A BOXING MATCH. No one notices. Except Eli. ELI (eyes closing) Oh no. JORDAN WETHERBSY Mr. Stone, are you okay? ELI Fine. Fine. Totally fine. DING, DING, DING. *“Casually,” Eli tries to glance around -- JORDAN WETHERBSY Mr. Dunn, you're atypically quiet. MATT Yeah. Sorry. I was gust redecorating Stone’s in my head. Eli follows THE DINGING SOUND until he SPOTS PATTI escorting BETH AND WILLIAM through the office. MATT This is all a big waste of time. No. judge in the known universe is going to allow him to represent a woman who is already suing one of our - As Eli studies WILLIAM, THE DINGS SUDDENLY STOP. JORDAN WETHERSBY Mr. Stone... your rebuttal. ELI (an idea hitting) He’s right. No judge allow me to represent Beth Keller... JORDAN WETHERSBY . In that case, we’'re done here -~ ELI let me represent William MATT That‘s ridiculous. The kid didn’t even sign the policy.

ELI But he’s a beneficiary of it and therefore can assert a claim for promissory estoppel: Westland has an equitable obligation to provide him with the coverage he needs. MATT His mother signed a policy which -- ELI The policy language isn‘t relevant to an . estoppel claim. This is a new cause of action, a new case, one William’s mother’s not a party to. What she signed is no longer relevant. ' MARCI KLEIN Westland Insurance is one of our biggest clients. worth 1.3 million in billables annually. JORDAN WETHERBSY (correcting her) 1.6 million. Explain to me, Mr. Stone, the rationale for upsetting a client of that magnitude, on a case which is a complete and utter loser? Eli is prepared for this part. Sliding files forward -- ELI Battles vs. Millennium, Powell vs. Hampton, Levinson vs. DeVeau... JORDAN WETHERSBY (reading, confused) These are judicial opinions that have no bearing on insurance law. . ELI - These are cases we've handled in the- - - past. Specifically, you’ve handled, Wethersby. Cases you built this firm on. (a tense beat) This firm used to represent the other side of the “v.”. It used to represent the little guy. You always do it to win. My guess sir, . you did it because it was the to do. I'm not asking for hew dispensation here. I‘m asking for this firm to honor its heritage and let me represent the kind of client that built our reputation, not our bank account. A tense beat. Jordan smiles tightly, a little cornered. 25.

26. JORDAN WETHERSBY Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps this firm could benefit from the good P.R. that representing a lost cause might generate. BETH (PRELAP) You want to represent my son? LI'S OFFICE. MINU LA . Where Eli assures Beth, ELI I can't represent you because you're already suing -my other client. - BETH But wouldn’t William be doing that? ELI It’s technical. If you want, go to law school and after three years and a bar exam we can have this chat -or you can just take my word for it. BETH The partners really said yes to this? ELI . Barely. But yeah, they said yes. ANGLE WILLIAM playing with the paperclips on Eli‘s desk. BETH He won’t have to testify? ELI No. BETH . aAnd you think we have a better chance of winning this way? ELI . Not really, but the odds of me getting fired have significantly improved. BETH (smiles, to William) what do you say, Willy?.. Wanna hire Eli2 ... ... .. William doesn’t even look at his own mother as he talks. WILLIAM 1 It’s 10:34. We have to go.

27. BETH (back to Eli, rising) That’s a yes. We visit the parrots on Telegraph Hill a few times a week, it’s best not to disrupt his routine. ELI parrots in- San-Francisco? Like wild parrots? BETH You really don‘t get out much, do you? I guess we’ll see you in court. They share a smile. As Beth and William exit, Patti enters. ELI Don‘t say anything. What’s that? Patti’s just placed A PHOTO on Eli’s desk. PATTI My daughters, Blanca and Sophia. You remember them. Darling girls that are going to go hungry because their single mom 1s about to lose her job because her boss is some kind of early mid-~ life crisis that compels him to commit career suicide instead of cheating on his - fiancée, who I don’'t like very much. And then, DING, DING, DING. Eli stops, excited. ELI There it is again! The bell! The bell that told me to represent William! PATTI A bell told you? Y‘know, you have a lot of vacation days stored up. I hear Hawaii is beautiful this time of year. But focused on THE BELL, which SOUNDS as if it’s coming from OUTSIDE HIS OFFICE. Eli walks out... NT. W.P.K. OUTER CE “DAY. Eli enters, his eyes as WIDE as WE'VE EVER SEEN. REVERSE ANGLE -- smack in the mlddle the DESKS and BUSY EMPLOYEES is, well, um... A SAN FRANCISCO TROLLEY CAR It DINGS a FEW TIMES. The EMPLOYEES don‘t seem to notice or care. Eli walks toward the trolley. As he does, he hears:

28. P A MALE VOICE { (calling from far away) C’mon, Eli... Hurry up! Eli walks steadily toward THE TROLLEY and begins TO CLIMB ABOARD when, IN A SPLIT SECOND... the TROLLEY IS GONE. | Eli LOOKS AROUND and sees PATTI looking at him with concern. Another glance reveals the ENTIRE OFFICE is STARING. That's when he realizes... he’s STANDING on SOMEONE’S DESK. ELT (beat; points up) This, uh, fluorescent's flickering a | bit... Someone should get it replaced. And we SMASH TO: ELI’'S HAND KNOCKING FURIOUSLY ON A DOOR... EXT. DR. CHEN’S OFFICE. CHINATOWN. DAY. The door opens, DR. CHEN pops his head out. DR. CHEN I have patient, you come back half hour. ELI i ‘You were supposed to make me better. I'm i trying to make peace George Michael and . now I got trolley cars in my office! DR. CHEN You go regular doctor? Dr. Chen not MRT. ELI I got one. I'm fine... (hears something, looks) Why is your TV on if you‘re with a patient... You‘re watching soaps! DR. CHEN (busted) This big week. Karen and Cisco finally get married. . . NT, DR. CHEN’S ACUPUNC T L TER. Eli‘s back on the table. Chen hovers above, sticking away. - ELI telling me to hurry up. (beat) - I'm pretty sure it was my dead father. DR. CHEN . (goes for something) Dead parent different needle. | | | There was a voice this time. It was

29. ELI You understand. My father was an aimless drunk who ruined everything he ever touched. He’s the last person I need to be hearing from right now. DR. CHEN No good hate dead people. Relah. Think good memory father. Dr. Chen help ungrateful son -- Dr. Chen places in one last needle and LIKE A FLASH, WE'RE... EXT. CT TREET. DUSK. 1984 SHBACK) . " CLOSE ON: A YOUNG BOY as he barrels out of a grocery store LOADED DOWN with BAGS. We recognize him as ELI AT TWELVE. MR. STONE (0O.S.) C’mon, Eli... Hurry up! Eli races to where his father, MR. STONE, boards a TROLLEY. . OLLE . MO LITTLE The father and son sit side-by-side. Eli looks nervous. ELI AT TWELVE I hate the trolley. It goes too fast down the hills. MR. STONE Think of it as an adventure. ELI AT TWELVE Adventures make my stomach sick. MR. STONE Your mother told me about your debate trophy. I'm sorry I couldn’t come. I had work. (E1i looks away) ) So you‘re good at arguing with people, hunh? That, you get from your mother. (then) . Here. A celebration present. Eli’s father produces a dog-eared POSTCARD. He lovingly straightens the corner and hands it to Eli, who studies:it The front’s a PICTURE of MAJESTIC WHITE . . MR. STONE The Panch Chuli peaks. in India. Someday, we’ll go. Eli flips the card. Reading his father’s handwriting aloud:

30. ELI AT TWELVE “For Eli... So you’ll remember.” (looks up) Remember what? MR. STONE That meant to do great things. You’re gonna go to beautiful places and speak inspiring words. gonna help people and change lives. There’s pride in his voice. But also regret. These were his dreams. Then, Mr. Stone'’'s EYES SHUT. As though he’s nursing a really bad headache. He opens them again... ELI AT TWELVE Dad... you okay? MR, STONE Sure, kiddo. There’'s one last stop I gotta make. Mr. Moller’s having problems with his set again. Tell your mother I’11 be home in a little bit. The trolley slows. Mr. Stone hops off. Eli calls after: ELI AT TWELVE But I hate the trolley. MR. STONE Just hang on tight. You’ll be fine. A reassuring wink and Mr. Stone ducks into a LOCAL TAVERN. young, disappointed Eli fades into the distance... ELI'S LIVING ROOM. NIGHT. Eli‘s head rises into frame. Brow gleaming with sweat. ELY I knew you wouldn’t understand. Tricia comes into frame She’s been holding Eli‘s ankles while he does CRUNCHES. They switch positions, TRICIA My fiancée of less than three days tells me he’s taking on his own firm -- (crunch; breath) - B representing the girl_he virginity to because George Michael appeared to him twice -- (crunch; breath) ~- once in his living room when we were in the middle of sex and another time on - a cable car.

31. ELI It was a trolley and that was a different vision altogether. A final crunch brings them face-to-face. TRICIA Is this like some weirdo last screw kind of thing? Because if it is, just sleep with her and get it over with -- ELI ) I don‘t want to sleep with her. . TRICIA Then I don‘t get it. wrong with you, Eli? Really? ELI Maybe nothing’s wrong with me. Maybe something’s finally right. Eli crosses to the window, the city lights envelop him. ELI (cont’d) . My father wanted to be a photographer. He wanted to travel the world and take pictures for Time magazine. But that‘s not the guy I knew. In 1966, he met my mom. She got pregnant with my brother, so he took a job fixing televisions to help pay the bills. Then they had me. Bit by bit the responsibilities of life wore him down until his dreams weren’t dreams anymore... they were memories of what he wanted to do and never did. TRICIA You are a partnership-track associate .who' gets buzzed off light beer. Your dad was a TV repairman and an alcoholic. You'‘re not your father. ELI Not yet, I'm not... (points at a coffee table) What do you see when you look at that? - TRICIA . You do see a coffee table? ELI Yes. I also see the bonus I got for working eight hundred hours on the Elcan Pharmaceutical trial. (points to a plasma) That plasma? That's the retainer I got for saving Merrick Shipping a few extra hundred million.

32. ELI (cont'd) (back to Tricia) I became a lawyer to change the world... instead I changed my apartment. . TRICIA Lawyers don’t change the world, Eli, they help the people in it sue each other. ELI what if I want the suing to be, I dunno, a little more meaningful? TRICIA I‘m pretty sure losing your job at the firm will impede that. ELI I took precautions. The partners gave me their blessing to take the case. TRICIA . They may have given you permission to take the case, but they didn‘t give you permission to win it. (off Eli realizing this) Did you honestly think your firm would jeopardize one of its most important clients for some handicapped kid? ELI (an ugly look) He’s autistic. TRICIA How dare you get all P.C. on my ass when my fiancée the middle of having some psychotic breakdown because he‘s not Erin Brockovich! I‘m taking a shower... Tricia -- : TRICIA - I love you, Eli.- If this is what_you want, do it. But we have a good life together. One we’ve both worked very hard for. Please. Don‘t screw it up. Tricia exits. Off Eli, END OF ACT THREE

33. T FOUR FADE UP ON: INT. COURTHOUSE. MORNING. Eli walks Beth and Will up to the courtroom door. dressed for court, Will in a sportsjacket and tie. ELI So William... I got you a surprise. Turns out, there is a book with all the N words in it. Eli produces a DICTIONARY from his briefcase. Hands it over. As always, William doesn’t make eye contact -- WILLIAM I have a dictionary. I have three. ELI . . Yeah, but this one’s a lucky one. BETH A lucky dictionary? ELI They were out of the lucky thesaurus. INT. D! URT. DAY. ON WILLIAM. He flips through the dictionary, his feet dangling from the chair. CAMERA PANS OVER to... . BETH (0.S.) William was a dream infant. He barely ever cried or got fussy. Pulled himself up at ten months,; walked at twelve, but at twenty months he still hadn’t spoken. MATT, who’s sitting at a nearby table, flanked by ALAN COOKE (50s, professorial warmth) and four WPK ASSOCIATES. BETH (0.S.) (cont’d) The pediatrician said he was speech delayed. That’s what he called it. But I knew it was something more... PAN TO Beth on the witness stand, testifying. before her. JUDGE MARCIA PHELPS, middle-aged, robust, presides, BETH (cont’d) - - William was... cold. It wasn‘'t just shy behavior. At times, he would act though my husband and I weren’t even there. When I‘d drop him at daycare, he would never wave bye. It was the smallest thing, but it used to break my heart.

Matt rises. With forced warmth and compassion: MATT Objection, Your Honor. We all agree Ms. story is deeply moving. ELI . And relevant, Your Honor -- MATT I could bring in twenty equally emotional testimonials from individuals who owe their lives to the good people of Westland. And I‘m inclined to do so. Matt smiles tightly at Eli, who smiles tightly back. . JUDGE PHELPS There’1ll be no need for that, Mr. Dunn. Objection, sustained. Mr. Stone, please approach the bench. Eli and Matt approach. The Judge looks at Matt. Sotto: JUDGE PHELPS (cont’d) Are you Mr. Stone? MATT I figured I could hear this -- (off the glare) An overestimation on my part, no doubt. (the glare deepens) And now I'm walking away. Matt pivots, leaving Eli and the Judge. Still sotto: JUDGE PHELPS If I have to sit through ten hours of testimony that I'm forced to let him call to the stand because you pulled on this jury’s heartstrings -- ELI . Your Honor, we both know the only charnce I have is for the jurors to identify with my client on an emotional level. JUDGE PHELPS Not my problem. My decision to = ~ represent William Keller in the first place should’ve come wrapped in a box with a ribbon on it. Do you understand? ELI You’'re drawing an analogy between your decision and a gift, Your Honor. . (off the Judge's glare) And now I‘m walking away. 34.