Her
by
Spike Jonze
WGA Registration #: 1500375
No portion of this script may be performed, reproduced, or used by any means, or quoted or published in any medium without the prior written consent of the Producers.
©2011 All Rights Reserved
Her pg. 1
Close on THEODORE’S face (30s). We hold on him for a long time. He’s looking at something off camera, deep in thought. He starts quietly dictating a love letter into a small microphone.
Theodore, searching for the right words, quietly enjoys writing the letter. As he continues, he is moved by the memories he’s describing.
Cut out to reveal a computer monitor he’s sitting at. On the screen we see the letter he’s been dictating, transcribed into a handwritten letter on blue stationery.
As he says “Loretta,” we see “Loretta” being handwritten at the bottom of the letter. He proofreads his letter. Also on the screen are photos of a couple in their 80s. The couple is tagged “Chris” and “Me - Loretta.” Underneath is a bullet point email from Loretta: anniversary letter to husband Chris, married fifty years, love of my life, met right after college, have had the greatest life together.
Theodore pushes print and the letter comes out on a beautiful robin’s egg blue piece of stationery, with ball point pen handwritten older-female cursive. He looks at it, not happy.
Her pg. 2
He puts the printed letter on a stack of other printed letters to Chris and starts a new one. There is also a stack of finished letters in their envelopes - an assortment of beautiful stationery in all shapes and sizes.
We track off of Theodore, down a line of cubicles, hearing bits of letters being written and seeing photos of who they’re being written to on the screens.
We see photos of Tommy and Nana on the screen, and five-year old hand writing. Moving off of her, we find another letter writer.
We continue tracking, revealing dozens and dozens of cubicles full of letter writers. We hear someone answer the phone.
Her pg. 3
Theodore walks through the reception area. The office is almost empty except for him and the receptionist, PAUL. Theodore begins to scan each letter through a scanner on the front desk, then puts them in the outgoing mailbox.
Paul is sitting at a desk across the room, reading handwritten letters on a computer monitor.
Paul is wearing a bright yellow button down shirt.
Theodore enters an oversized, corporate elevator. He puts a hands-free device in his ear. There are a few other people in the elevator with the same devices in their ears.
Her pg. 4
Melancholy song starts. Long beat.
Different melancholy song starts. Hold on everyone in the elevator, they’re all murmuring inaudibly into their own devices.
Slightly in the future, the city’s been developed even more with massive office, apartment and mall complexes. It’s a city designed for comfort and ease. The LA basin is more crowded and dense, resembling Shanghai, with buildings as far as the eye can see. Construction cranes loom overhead. Close on Theodore walking through the commuter crowd.
An awkward text voice reads to him. It accents wrong syllables, making everything it says sound a little off.
Her pg. 5
Theodore sits in a crowded subway. Everyone on the train murmurs to themselves, occupied with their small devices. He plays a futuristic puzzle game on his handheld device as he listens to news headlines.
He scrolls through titillating but tasteful pregnant woman photos.
Theodore walks through a mall and enters an apartment lobby, nestled in between stores.
Theodore walks through the hallway.
Theodore enters his apartment.
Her pg. 6
Theodore sits on the sofa, his half eaten burrito in front of him. He’s playing a video game: a 3-D hologram that fills his apartment. His avatar is in a surreal, foreign landscape. He’s trying to trudge his avatar through sand dunes and keeps getting stuck. He’s getting stressed out.
Theodore lays in bed. After a beat, he closes his eyes.
Theodore, younger, and CATHERINE (20s) move furniture in their bedroom. The bedroom is tiny and cluttered. It’s obviously a couple’s first apartment.
Cut to:
Theodore is on a tiny balcony. A few feet away, Catherine is in bed.
Theodore, smiling, gets in bed and spoons her. Quick cut off of her smile, to --
Theodore lays on the ground with Catherine on top of him. She’s pretending to choke him.
Theodore opens his eyes, unable to sleep. He just lays there. He reaches for his earpiece and puts it in.
Her pg. 7
FEMALE VOICE #1 I had a really bad day at work and I can’t sleep. Is there anyone out there that can talk?
MAN DOING WOMAN’S VOICE Oh, hi. I just want you to tear me apart. I really do--
Theodore waits in the darkness for a response.
A chime sounds.
Her pg. 8 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore smiles.
Theodore is touching himself.
We see abstract visions of a woman on top of him. The woman is the pregnant, sexy daytime television star he was reading about online earlier.
Her pg. 9 CONTINUED: (3)
Beat. He’s taken out of it.
Theodore doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t want to offend her.
Her breathing is slowing down.
Her pg. 10 CONTINUED: (4)
Theodore takes his earpiece out and stares at the ceiling.
Theodore exits the train, walks through the station full of commuters, gets on a moving platform. Going through a tunnel, the walls are hundred foot long screens advertising a new product. He notices people stopped, watching the ad. We hear soft, new age, uplifting electronica music in the background, while a comforting, sincere, older man’s voice speaks to us.
Close on Theodore listening intently.
The ad starts over. Theodore steps off the moving walkway and stops to watch the ad again, deeply captivated.
Theodore sits at his desk that houses a futuristic, large screen computer monitor. The OS box is open, with warranties and paperwork spilling out. He’s leafing through the papers. He glances at his monitor, it says: Installation 98% complete. A chime brings his attention back to the screen: Installation Complete.
Her pg. 11
Her pg. 12 CONTINUED: (2)
The computer interrupts.
He waits, not sure how long it’ll be. The only sound is the quiet whirring of disks writing and drives communicating. The computer gets louder, humming, creating a higher and higher pitched sound, finally climaxing in a harmonic, warm tone before going silent. He leans forward, waiting to see what’ll happen. A casual FEMALE OS VOICE speaks. She sounds young, smart and soulful.
Beat.
Her pg. 13 CONTINUED: (3)
Her pg. 14 CONTINUED: (4)
Theodore laughs.
Theodore laughs.
Theodore’s caught off guard, then realizes what she’s talking about.
We see a three-dimensional version of a desktop where everything looks disorganized.
Her pg. 15 CONTINUED: (5)
As if you took all the files on all of your computers and spilled them out onto your screen and they were all visible at once, but in a futuristic 3-D version. This gives Theodore a little anxiety attack.
Samantha lets out a big laugh.
Her pg. 16 CONTINUED: (6)
We cut out wide, watching him from the other room, as they continue to organize his life.
Theodore sits, staring at a letter he’s written on the screen, concerned. He puts his earpiece in, pushes a button.
Theodore pushes the send button.
As she reads, we intercut with close-ups of the handwritten words and photos of the couple on Theodore’s computer screen.
Beat.
Her pg. 17
We hear Samantha quietly laughing as she's reading. Theodore’s happy that she thinks it’s funny.
The letters show back up on Theodore’s desktop.
Theodore sorts through them, prints them out.
Her pg. 18 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore, carrying a bag and a smoothie, enters the lobby and is greeted by a couple in their 30s, AMY and CHARLES, who are waiting for the elevator.
Her pg. 19
The elevator doors open and they get in.
Theodore nods sincerely, interested.
Charles and Amy laugh awkwardly. Theodore tries to break the tension.
Her pg. 20
Charles laughs awkwardly. The elevator doors open.
Theodore’s playing the video game, his device propped on the table next to him. His avatar circles through caves.
Theodore laughs.
Her pg. 21
Theodore’s avatar walks down the tunnel.
Suddenly with a loud shriek his avatar is tackled. He sees a little ALIEN CHILD, standing defiantly above him.
Alien Child doesn’t respond.
Alien Child speaks in a high, child-like voice.
Theodore stares at Alien Child. After a pause:
Her pg. 22 CONTINUED: (2)
Finally, Alien Child laughs.
Theodore follows Alien Child down a tunnel and through a series of crevices we didn’t see before. Alien Child stops and sticks out his finger. Theodore pulls his finger and Alien Child farts, which opens a passageway to another tunnel.
She laughs playfully.
He laughs, catching himself, focusing on her.
Alien Child turns around to see what’s going on.
Her pg. 23 CONTINUED: (3)
Theodore doesn’t respond.
He looks at party photos of a woman in her 30s on his device. With a finger flick, he moves them up onto the hologram monitor that the video game is being projected from. They land next to Alien Child who studies them closely.
Her pg. 24 CONTINUED: (4)
Theodore laughs.
Theodore thinks, looking at the photos.
Her pg. 25 CONTINUED: (5)
Samantha disconnects. Alien Child snickers and starts walking again.
Theodore is sitting on Amy’s couch.
Amy starts setting up the monitor.
Her pg. 26
Charles walks in holding a mug.
Charles walks over and sits next to Theodore.
Charles gives Theodore a gentle squeeze on his shoulder.
On the monitor we see:
Amy’s mother sleeps.
Theodore and Charles stare at the monitor, waiting for something more to happen. It doesn’t.
Her pg. 27
Amy nods.
Just then, Theodore’s device chimes.
He picks up his device and steps away so as not to be rude.
Her pg. 28 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore seems lost in thought. We see the following images under the rest of the conversation: Theodore and Catherine sitting at a table with their attorneys; Theodore & Catherine sitting in their marriage counselor’s office, heavy; Theodore and Catherine at her laboratory, he’s sitting on a counter, and they’re talking and laughing as she works; Theodore and Catherine standing in their kitchen in the middle of a fight - he says something mean and we see how hurt she is.
Her pg. 29
We cut back to Theodore, walking down the hall, lost in thought.
Theodore sits at his desk trying to write. He’s still unsettled.
Theodore wakes up from a dream, groggy and uneasy. He looks around, catching his breath. After a beat he knows he’s not going to be able to go back to sleep, so he puts his earpiece in and taps a button.
Theodore laughs.
Her pg. 30
Beat.
Her pg. 31 CONTINUED: (2)
Long silence.
Theodore laughs.
They laugh.
Her pg. 32 CONTINUED: (3)
They walk through the crowd. Close on Theodore with his eyes closed.
Theodore sneezes.
Samantha laughs.
Her pg. 33
Theodore laughs, opening his eyes. He’s at a pizza place.
The guy hands him a slice and a soda.
Theodore smiles.
Theodore walks slowly, eating his pizza. He and Samantha are watching a couple with two kids sitting at a table, talking and laughing.
Her pg. 34
Theodore looks at other faces on the pier.
Theodore, as he stops to throw his pizza crust away, gets introspective.
Her pg. 35 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore laughs.
Theodore and the BLIND DATE are sitting in the restaurant.
Her pg. 36
He smiles awkwardly.
They’re both pretty drunk now. There are lots of food dishes and drinks on the table.
Her pg. 37
He laughs at himself. She laughs flirtatiously. She grabs his hand and her fingernails press slightly into his skin. He studies her long, painted fingernails.
Her pg. 38
They walk up a pedestrian overpass overlooking cars and city lights. She bumps into him lightly. He bumps back. She bumps again and suddenly he grabs her and lifts her off her feet, spinning her around. She squeals, laughing. He kisses her. After a minute of making out, she stops and looks at him.
They resume making out. Theodore tries not to use his tongue.
He pushes her against the fence and takes the dominant position. He tries kissing her better/more with his lips. He pulls her hair.
She slides her hand down his pants. He likes it. She looks at him and stops.
They stand there awkwardly, her lipstick smeared on his face.
Her pg. 39
Long beat.
She looks at him slightly disgusted.
Theodore doesn’t know what to say.
Theodore is in boxers and a t-shirt, still drunk, but his head is starting to hurt, too. He takes aspirin and drinks some water and lays down. After a beat he reaches for his earpiece and puts it in. He pushes a button on his device.
Her pg. 40
Beat.
Long pause.
Theodore closes his eyes, trying to concentrate, and starts talking stream of conscious with whatever comes to mind.
Her pg. 41 CONTINUED: (2)
We see images of him and Catherine on a vacation together, grocery shopping, Catherine making dinner in the kitchen as he's sitting on the counter talking, happy.
Her pg. 42 CONTINUED: (3)
A long beat. Theodore is unsure if he crossed a line.
Her pg. 43 CONTINUED: (4)
She gasps.
Her pg. 44 CONTINUED: (5)
They both climax.
Theodore stands in the doorway, fully dressed. He takes a moment before he walks over and wakes up his computer.
There’s a long moment of silence, then they both start to talk at once.
THEODORE (CONT’D) SAMANTHA
So I was thinking- I wanted to say-
They both laugh, embarrassed.
Her pg. 45
Her pg. 46 CONTINUED: (2)
He looks off and thinks about this. He smiles.
Samantha laughs.
Theodore’s on the subway. He’s got his device in his breast pocket, with the lens facing out.
A quiet, old sounding folk song starts. (I’m So Glad, by Entrance) He smiles, listening.
The subway comes out of the tunnel and into the light. We are up in the hills looking out over the city as the morning light warms Theodore.
The music now picks up tempo as he steps off the train. They walk through the crowded subway station. As the song builds, Theodore starts picking up his pace. Eventually he’s all out running, weaving through the people. Close on the lens of his device in his shirt pocket. Samantha is laughing wildly. He’s smiling, happy.
Her pg. 47
He runs through the tunnels and upstairs. They come out into sunlight and reveal that they are now at the beach.
They stand on a walkway above a beach, crowded with thousands of people. They look out at the ocean. Samantha gasps.
Theodore laughs.
They walk through the sun-bathing crowd, looking for a place to sit. The camera studies all the people we pass. Many close up details of arms, shoulders, feet, butts, intercut with the lens on Theodore’s device, protruding from his pocket. They’re photographed in a way that shows how strange the human body is.
Theodore and Samantha start laughing really hard. The nubile girls look over at him.
Her pg. 48
On his screen he sees a perfect, anatomically correct drawing of a man having sex with another man’s armpit.
They laugh.
A quiet piano song is now playing in Theodore’s earpiece.
He looks around the beach and takes in the music.
Theodore listens to the music and drifts off to sleep.
Her pg. 49
They’re sitting on a bench, looking out at the ocean, as the sun sets. Most of the people have left the beach. Close on Theodore’s face, content. Close on the lens on Theodore’s device in his breast pocket. They watch the sun drop into the ocean. The music ends.
They’re on an elevated train, high above the city, looking out over the Los Angeles grid of sparkling lights. We come in mid-conversation.
Cut to shots from Theodore’s memory of Catherine doing a cute little dance for him as he’s working at home. He smiles.
Her pg. 50
Theodore takes this in.
Theodore is dictating a love letter. On the screen there’s an image of a couple with an arrow to the man saying “Roberto - I’m so happy he’s in my life. I just want him to know.”
Her pg. 51
Theodore finishes the letter and looks at it proudly. Paul is standing behind Theodore, leaning on a cubicle.
Theodore, jumps, startled, not knowing that anyone was there.
Close on Amy entering the lobby in the foreground. She looks heavy and burdened. Theodore enters the lobby behind her.
Her pg. 52
The elevator doors open and they step in.
They push their floor buttons.
Beat of Theodore trying to contain his excitement.
Amy smiles, but looks a little sad. Theodore notices.
The door opens. She steps out and holds the door.
Her pg. 53
Amy doesn't know what to say.
Amy and Theodore sit, talking somberly.
Her pg. 54
Theodore is laying in bed, talking with Samantha.
They laugh.
Her pg. 55
He takes his earpiece out and sets his device onto his bedside table, facing him. He smiles, drifts off to sleep.
Theodore is talking to Samantha.
Her pg. 56
Jocelyn comes running in, wearing the pink dress.
Her pg. 57 CONTINUED: (2)
Theo hands Jocelyn his device. He still has his earpiece in, so he can hear their conversation.
Her pg. 58 CONTINUED: (3)
They laugh.
Close on a video game on a screen. There’s a mom rushing to get her kids fed, getting points deducted for feeding them sugar cereal and non-organic eggs. Cut out to reveal Theodore playing the game as Amy eats lunch at an editing console.
Onscreen, the mom hurries the kids to their car safety seats, and drives them to school, arriving before anyone else.
Her pg. 59
She pulls up a photo of Charles on her computer. He's in a monastery - his head is shaved, and he's wearing robes.
He picks up a plastic knife from their lunch.
Her pg. 60 CONTINUED: (2)
Her pg. 61 CONTINUED: (3)
Theodore laughs.
A big, irrepressible grin crosses his face as he thinks about what to say.
Theodore smiles. We see a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.
Her pg. 62
Theodore is carrying his work bag, walking through the city full of other commuters. He’s got a skip in his step. He has his earpiece in, talking to Samantha.
Her pg. 63
They both laugh.
Theodore sits alone in the back of a quiet restaurant, a large stack of papers in front of him. We hear his breathing. He waits. Catherine, elegantly dressed, approaches. Theodore stands to greet her. They hug and sit down.
Her pg. 64
She laughs.
She opens the documents, pulls out a pen and starts to read. She’s about to start signing, but then stops. We can see her filling with emotion, but not wanting to show Theodore. She swallows and recovers. She looks up at Theodore, giving him an “everything’s fine” smile, but it’s not.
Theodore and Catherine are eating and talking.
She smiles, conflicted, but warm.
Her pg. 65
Beat.
Her pg. 66 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore stops himself.
Theodore doesn’t say anything. The WAITRESS walks up.
The waitress doesn’t know what to say.
Theodore is sitting at his desk, not working. He sees Samantha calling him, takes a moment, then answers.
Her pg. 67
Theodore, staring at the device, close on the word “Samantha” on his screen. She’s handwritten it in girly writing.
Her pg. 68 CONTINUED: (2)
Her pg. 69
Everyone has gone. Theodore walks through the empty office into the reception area. He scans and drops his letters into the outgoing mailbox. Paul is at his reception desk with a young, pretty, sophisticated girl sitting on his lap.
Theodore shakes her hand.
Theodore’s a little surprised by this.
Theodore stands there a beat, without saying anything.
Her pg. 70
PAUL TATIANA
Good night. Take it easy.
Theodore walks to the elevator and presses the button and waits. He calls back to them down the hall.
Paul and Tatiana don’t answer. Theodore gets on the elevator.
Theodore is awake in bed. His device lights up, silently. It’s Samantha calling him. He picks it up.
Her pg. 71
Theodore looks at his device. It shows a website for a service called “Complete Touch” with profiles of different women. He flips through the women.
Samantha shows images of Isabella on the screen. She’s a stunning, elegant, sophisticated beauty.
Her pg. 72 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore looks at a photo of Isabella who looks gorgeous and in control, without an ounce of self-doubt.
Theodore sits on the sofa alone, waiting. Dressed up, hair brushed, his device in his shirt pocket with lens facing out. There's a knock at the door. He answers it. ISABELLA stands there with a demure smile, wearing a tasteful, sexy dress.
She doesn't say anything. Theodore stands awkwardly, reaches into his pocket for a tiny earpiece and a little black dot. We see close on his hand the black dot has a camera lens.
Her pg. 73
She puts the earpiece in her ear and the little black dot on her cheek like a mole. She turns and leaves the apartment, closes the door, then immediately opens the door and comes back in. Theodore hears Samantha's voice in his earpiece.
Isabella smiles not speaking but acting along to Samantha's words. Isabella gives him a big hug, holds his head close and strokes his hair.
He feels her breath on his neck. Theodore is split between being uncomfortable and cautiously touching Isabella's back, exploring slightly. She pushes herself into him.
Her pg. 74 CONTINUED: (2)
Isabella leans back and looks at Theodore with a seductive smile. He tries to smile back. She leads him to the couch.
He sits. She stands above him.
She does a sexy, cute little dance for him. He’s still tense.
He smiles, knowing it's true. Isabella climbs on his lap, straddling him, and starts kissing his neck. He closes his eyes and starts to relax. His hands explore the shape of her back and slide down to her ass. Isabella and Samantha are both breathing hard now. She pushes herself against him, grinding on him. She nibbles on his earlobe. Theodore gasps.
Close on her lips, licking and kissing his neck and ear. He moans.
Isabella stands. Her chin is down and her hair is in her face. She takes his hand and leads him down the hall. He watches her from behind, still nervous, but excited.
Theodore stands behind Isabella.
Her pg. 75
Theodore starts taking her dress off, touching her. Samantha moans. Isabella turns, in her bra and underwear. She unbuttons his shirt, kisses his chest.
She is now kissing his neck again, pushed up against him.
Isabella, breathing hard, now looks at him in the eyes.
He opens his eyes and looks at Isabella's sexy, expectant face. Their arms are still around each other. He sees Isabella's lips start to quiver. She tries to hide it with an awkward, seductive smile.
Isabella is looking nervous.
Her pg. 76 CONTINUED: (2)
Isabella starts crying. Theodore doesn't know what to do.
Isabella sobs. When she speaks, she sounds very California.
Her pg. 77 CONTINUED: (3)
Isabella calms down a little, but is still crying quietly. Theodore stands there, not knowing what to do.
Theodore walks to the street and hails a lone cab. He opens the door for Isabella. She hands him his jacket and gets in the backseat.
Isabella smiles. She takes out the earpiece and little camera and returns them to Theodore.
Theodore smiles sympathetically. He gives the cabbie some money and the cab drives off. Theodore sits down on the curb, exhausted. They are both silent for a moment, numb.
She lets out a big exhale. This catches Theodore’s attention.
Her pg. 78
Samantha inhales, nervous to press on. Theodore imagines a close up of a woman’s mouth inhaling at the same time, and he seems bothered by this.
Again, when she exhales, Theodore imagines a woman’s mouth exhaling.
Her pg. 79 CONTINUED: (2)
She doesn’t know what else to say.
She starts crying. Theodore doesn’t know what to say.
Theodore sits there, feeling horrible.
Her pg. 80 CONTINUED: (3)
Long silence.
Beat.
Silence.
She hangs up on him. Theodore is stunned. Wide shot of Theodore sitting alone on the curb, in an empty city.
Theodore is sitting on a bench. Behind him is a giant, digital billboard displaying an ad of an owl in slow motion swooping down and eating it’s prey.
Theodore walks through the streets, confused, upset, muttering, angry at himself.
Amy’s sitting at her desk, but turned away from her edit station, facing Theodore, who’s slumped in a chair.
Her pg. 81
They sit, heavy, for a minute.
Theodore sits and thinks about this for a minute, not convinced.
Her pg. 82 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore takes this in, smiling back.
Theodore lies on a couch in the back of Amy’s office, deep in thought. Amy talks with Ellie as she works on the Perfect Mom video game. Her device is standing on the table before her.
Amy makes the Perfect Mom hump the refrigerator. Amy laughs at how much Ellie is laughing. Theo watches Amy closely, taking in her joy.
Theodore, still heavy with thought, is touched by his friend’s happiness. Amy stands to exit.
He smiles at her and continues laying there, thinking, taking it all in.
Her pg. 83
Wide shot. Theodore walks through the office, still deep in thought. Behind him is a wall-size billboard ad for the “Be Perfect” video game series. He takes out his device, sits at an empty desk, pushes a button. A tone connects him.
Her pg. 84
Theodore smiles.
Theodore sits on a bench in a park on a rooftop wedged between tall buildings. There’s not really any view besides the trees in the immediate foreground. People sunbathe and exercise. He sits, eating a sandwich, his device next to him. He looks at the device, then out at what she’s looking at.
He looks at the world with her for a minute.
She starts playing it for him. We hear this beautiful, romantic piece of music.
Her pg. 85
Theodore looks at the world and smiles.
MONTAGE
Montage of Theodore and Samantha’s life together:
- Theodore walking to work (Day)
- At home, hanging out on the balcony (Dusk)
- Viewing an outdoor art installation of a 747 balanced on it’s nose (Day)
- Playing the video game
- Grocery shopping
- Sitting at the kitchen counter, looking at a drawing (Late Afternoon)
- Sitting on a bench watching a dancer/busker (Late Afternoon)
- With Amy and Ellie at a bar
Montage ends with Theodore, Samantha, Paul and Tatiana on the boat to Catalina: Paul making them laugh, Theodore at the front of the boat by himself - laughing with Samantha, a shot of Theodore looking out the front of the boat.
Theodore and Paul are walking along a bluff in Catalina, overlooking the ocean.
Her pg. 86
Theodore and Paul walk towards Tatiana, who is laying on a blanket next to a picnic, talking and laughing with Samantha. Theodore and Paul put in their earpieces as they approach.
Tatiana takes Theodore’s device and points it towards her feet.
They both laugh. Paul and Theodore laugh, as well, surprising them.
Her pg. 87 CONTINUED: (2)
Everyone laughs.
Everyone takes this in, uncomfortable.
Everyone laughs awkwardly.
Her pg. 88 CONTINUED: (3)
Theodore laughs with everybody, but we can see he’s a little uncertain.
They are in a futuristic train, going through the mountains, listening to a song and looking out the window. Warm, soft afternoon light dapples Theodore’s face.
THEODORE
Her pg. 89
Theodore laughs.
Her pg. 90 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore smiles nervously.
Under this letter we see a montage of what Theodore imagines: the editor reading the letters in his office, the editor reading them to his wife at home, and many photos of all the different people the letters are about in different moments of their lives.
Theodore smiles.
She’s laughing, excitedly.
Theodore looks at his device and can’t help but smile.
Her pg. 91
She laughs happily.
Theodore exits the train with a small overnight bag and his guitar case. There are no people around. He exits the train station and we are in a...
The deserted town is all of two buildings. Everything’s covered in snow. As a quiet song starts, he trudges through the snow. We see close-up on the device lens in his pocket.
He’s still trudging along. It’s very quiet except for the snow crunching underfoot.
He’s sitting inside. There’s a fire going. He’s playing a quiet song on the guitar. Samantha starts humming along. He starts humming with her.
She quietly sings to him. They laugh at some of her silly lyrics. Then the song shifts into a quiet, touching song she sings to and about him. He smiles.
Montage of Theodore with his device - playing games, dancing, eating, laughing as the fire burns down.
Her pg. 92
Theodore lays on the sofa, warm and cozy and content with his eyes closed, listening to the song. The song ends.
Theodore wakes up. He gets out of bed, looks around and puts his earpiece in.
Theodore sits in the living room area, rubbing his eyes.
Her pg. 93
Without a sound, she connects them.
Samantha and Alan share a laugh.
Her pg. 94 CONTINUED: (2)
This idea scares Theodore. He doesn’t know what to say.
Her pg. 95 CONTINUED: (3)
Theodore listens to them communicating in a strange language of tones and static. He disconnects, stands in silence. He pulls his earpiece out.
Theodore walks, listening to the crunch of his footsteps. Looking down at his feet, he stops. We cut out wide to see him standing in the middle of the forest alone.
Theodore is sitting on a rock, thinking. He hears a rustle and looks up in the direction of the woods but sees nothing.
Theodore is sound asleep. His device chimes loudly, waking him up. Half-asleep he puts his earpiece in.
He disconnects and lies there, unsettled, his eyes open.
Her pg. 96
Theodore sits at the table reading a physics book. He picks up his earpiece to call Samantha.
He looks down at his device, sees a message: Operating System Not Found. Confused, he waits, tries again: Operating System Not Found. Anxious, he runs to his office computer. He gets the same message: Operating System Not Found. He starts trying to connect to Samantha on both the phone and computer, but no luck. He starts to panic, sits for a beat, looks around, then stands and hurries out of the office. In the elevator he frantically tries his device with no luck.
Theodore runs out of the building. He keeps trying Samantha, but no answer. He trips over someone selling something, slams hard into the ground, scrambles to pick up his device. People come over to ask if he’s okay. He says he’s fine, runs off.
As he is going down the subway steps, Samantha calls him.
He stops in his tracks.
He sits down on the subway steps.
Her pg. 97
Theodore thinks for a moment, putting the pieces together.
Beat.
Her pg. 98 CONTINUED: (2)
Theodore is shocked, still sitting on the stairs, as crowds of people pass by him. He’s looking at all of their faces. He thinks for a moment.
SAMANTHA
Her pg. 99 CONTINUED: (3)
Her pg. 100 CONTINUED: (4)
Long beat. Theodore takes this in.
Theodore stands in the shower, under the water, thinking.
The elevator doors open. Close on Theodore exiting elevator. He checks his mail. There’s a package from Crown Point Press. He opens it - it’s a print-out of the layout for his book. The cover reads: Letters From Your Life by Theodore Twombly. He stands there for awhile just staring at it.
Theodore sits at his desk, looking at his book.
Theodore’s sitting at his desk, distressed. Photos from a client are on his desktop, but he’s not really focused on them. He pushes connect on his device.
Her pg. 101
Theodore stands quietly, deep in thought. We hear the ticking of the floors going by.
Theodore sits for a long moment, thinking, then pushes a button on his device.
Theodore is slowly walking down the hallway to his bedroom.
Her pg. 102
Theodore lays down in bed.
Long beat.
He smiles but he’s also sad.
Under Samantha’s words we slowly rack focus to dust particles in the foreground. We keep moving through them, pushing further and further through the particles. Eventually we see snow particles and we rack focus back out to Theodore, who is now in snowy woods at night.
Her pg. 103
Now we're close on Theodore, still in the snowy forest.
They kiss. She drifts off into the shadows.
CUT TO BLACK.
Theodore wakes up from a deep sleep. It's much later, the apartment is dark. He sits up in bed, disoriented.
Theodore stands in the middle of the room. He looks out at the city not knowing what to do. He walks around his apartment looking at all of his stuff.
Theodore knocks at an apartment door. He hears footsteps. Amy answers. She’s clearly awake and upset.
Her pg. 104
He takes her hand and leads her down the hall into a stairwell.
INTERCUT:
Theodore sits looking out the window. He picks up his device.
He looks out the window. The sky is starting to change. He stares at the purple glow on the horizon.
Her pg. 105
Close on Theodore and what he sees and feels. His hand on the cold metal hand rail. His bare feet and the sound they make on the unfinished cement. Amy’s hair as she’s hit with wind when she opens the door to the outside.
Theodore leads Amy onto the roof. The city is absolutely quiet. The sun isn't up yet. The city is just beginning to be lit with the earliest morning blue/purple hue.
They wander around the roof separately, lost in thought, taking in the city. He breathes in the cold morning air. He stares at small details: a tattered inspection tag tied to a water meter, flapping in the wind; a lone car driving down a boulevard ten blocks away; a dirty abandoned sock.
Eventually he sits down next to Amy and she puts her hand on his hand. He puts his other hand on top of her hand. He looks at their hands together and rubs her skin with his thumb. He looks out at the city and exhales. The sun is just starting to break. She puts her head on his shoulder. They watch as hundreds of birds fly around the nearby rooftops and disperse off into the city.