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Breakaway - A Short Script Written for A Class Starring the S69 Great Falls Grizzlies
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(This post was last modified: 07-04-2024, 08:36 PM by eddiesnothere. Edited 1 time in total.)





Breaking Away






Written By

eddiesnothere



































INT. HOCKEY LOCKER ROOM - EVENING
-------Rushing activity obscures our protagonist, HAI NAM HOANG, 20, sits in his locker room drenched in sweat. No expression sits on his face, but he’s attentively listening to his COACH, talking.


COACH
(off-camera, loud)
Keep winning the battles, don’t get soft on the boards!
-------There are yells and sounds of approval, but HOANG only nods. As a teammate rushes by, we get closer, and we hear his inner voice, replaying a nasty argument with his FATHER.

HOANG
(daydreaming, upset)
How I spend my money is MY business, MINE. You don’t get a say in that.

FATHER
(condescending)
Oh, so when you waste your money for causes that don’t help you, I have no say.

HOANG
(still upset)
Yes. When I donate to charity, that’s MY choice.

-------HOANG’s memory is cut off by a TEAMMATE’s tap on his knee. Hoang looks up for the first time.

TEAMMATE
Up and at them, grumpy.

-------HOANG dignifies the comment with a sly smile, then blankly grabs his stick and gloves, and walks by. A teammates walks with him, and the wipe gives us the title card.

INT. DISCO BAR - NIGHT

-------HOANG is at a bar after the game with his roommate and teammate, BOBBY. HOANG is at the bar with a water, but BOBBY is three large drinks deep. It’s clear HOANG is the driver. Above them, a TV gives the breakdown of the game they just played.

TV
…and in hockey, Great Falls keeps on rolling to a 5-3 win over Detroit, Hải Nam Hoàng still on point, he had 3 points including the game-winner. In college sports today…

-------BOBBY drowns out the television with his voice.

BOBBY
(tipsy)
One more and I’m done.

HOANG
You can't be done now? Curfew's in an hour.

BOBBY
Yeah, an hour. Let me drink. In another lifetime, I’ll regret it. Get the car warmed up.

-------HOANG walks out the door towards the parking lot. The lot is dark and mostly empty, but the car HOANG is walking towards is well-lit. As HOANG walks by, he notices a light is flickering towards the corner of the lot. He gets in the driver’s seat, and starts the car, then leans back. As he closes his eyes to stretch, every light in the lot flickers. When HOANG opens his eyes, they go back to normal. HOANG strains onto the dash to look up at the light, then checks his watch. With a sigh, he gets out of the car and walks back into the bar. He starts to speak as he opens the door.

HOANG
(loudly)
Bobby! No more waiting, we have to-

-------HOANG freezes. The bar is unrecognizable, it now resembles a sleazy dive bar. The counter is full of people, but none of them are BOBBY. They all turn to face him. HOANG backs out of the bar, and looks up at the sign, which is completely different. HOANG gets into his phone, and looks for BOBBY in his contacts. He finds him, and calls him. The call goes to a voicemail.


HOANG
(concerned)
Bobby, I don’t know where you are, but the curfew still applies, I gotta pick you up or both our asses are on the line.


-------Hoang finds his coach in the contacts. He calls it, but it immediately disconnects, the number does not exist. He starts to call more teammates, but no one is responding, and more numbers are unavailable. Hoang, now in panic, breathes a deep breath and calls the police. We hear the RESPONDER on the other end.

RESPONDER
Great Falls Police Department, what is the situation?

INT. POLICE STATION INTERVIEW ROOM

-------We see HOANG through a camera feed, he’s sitting quietly, but visibly stressed. Two plain-clothes officers enter and he straightens up. As they introduce themselves, HOANG shakes their hands. The officers sit down. DEVEREAUX sits directly in front of HOANG, while HULL sits to the side. HULL opens up a notepad.

HULL
Okay. We ran your ID and license. The material is valid, but there are no records of you here in Great Falls.

-------HOANG fidgets in his seat. DEVEREAUX notices and interjects.

DEVEREAUX
You also told us you play for the Great Falls Grizzlies. We have a junior A team here, but there is no Grizzlies.

HOANG
(with a sigh)
I understand. Look, I have no explanation for any of this, I got my ID here from the-

DEVEREAUX
We’re aware of the location, yes. We know you got the card there, but we have no record of you ever being there, is the problem.

-------HOANG takes the cup of coffee and slumps forward, tired and defeated.

HULL
You aren’t in trouble. There are questions we can't answer right now, and it’s really not worth our time to ask them.

-------HOANG meets his gaze.

HOANG
So what do I do now?

DEVEREAUX
What happens is we drive you to the motel near the DMV, we’re going to let them know of the situation, you’re going to apply for a new card, based on the info on this one.

-------HOANG nods and sighs. DEVEREAUX gives him his wallet, and HOANG takes it and puts it in his pocket.

HULL
I wish you luck, kid. If you have someone you can call, I'd call them.


-------We see HOANG driving in the backseat of a squad car, driving through the city. The car pulls into a motel, and we see HOANG get out and thank the cop.

INT. MOTEL ROOM - DAY

-------We see a montage of images of HOANG sitting in his room, exhausted, and him in line at the Secretary of State’s office (the DMV), in the process of him getting his ID. We see him sprawled out on the bed, calling his teammates and friends one by one, but we hear disconnects and messages. HOANG calls CHRIS VALENTINE, in his phone as “Captain”. Hoang springs up.

HOANG
Chris? Chris Valentine?

VALENTINE
Speaking, who’s this?

HOANG
This is Hai Nam Hoang, do you know who I am?

VALENTINE
(long beat)
I can’t say I do, no.

HOANG
Look, I’m calling because I have you in my phone because you were my teammate. All of a sudden, no one knows who I am and the team I’m on never existed.

VALENTINE
Um. Well, I can tell you I don’t know of a Hai Nam Hoang and I do not play hockey. Are you alright?

HOANG
Maybe, I don’t know. Just wanted to be sure. Thanks for picking up, I appreciate it.

VALENTINE
I’m happy to help you.

-------The phone disconnects. Hoang sits in silence again. His phone rings again.

HOANG 
Hello?
A cheery voice answers.

VOICE
Hello! This is Kim from the Vietnamese embassy in Washington? We’ve reviewed your case and have deemed your passport valid.

HOANG
(relieved)
Thank you very much.

-------We see HOANG at the DMV getting his ID, and we see him take a taxi to the airport. We see him disembark from a connection flight to Los Angeles. As he walks, BOBBY passes him by. HOANG does not recognize him, boarding a flight.

EXT. HO CHI MINH CITY - DAY

-------HOANG stands in front of a large office building. He exits an elevator, and heads to a front desk, where a receptionist is waiting for him. We see HOANG's FATHER sitting at his desk. A knock on the door draws his attention.

FATHER
Come in.

-------The receptionist lets HOANG in, and the two shake hands.

FATHER
And to who do I owe the pleasure of meeting?

HOANG
(pausing)
My name is Hai Nam Hoang. In what I can only describe as another life, you were my father.

-------The room falls completely silent. HOANG's FATHER straightens up, then goes to the windows and begins to close the blinds.

FATHER
I'm... not sure where that leaves me in this conversation. You're certain that I'm your father, as sure as you're sitting in that chair.

HOANG
Entirely. His voice is yours. His face is yours. The way you talk, the way you act, your work. You are my father.

-------HOANG'S FATHER sighs. On his desk is cup filled with toothpicks, he takes one out and puts it in his mouth.

FATHER
Is there something you want from me?

-------HOANG gets up in a huff.

HOANG
I don't know what I want out of this. No one knows who I am, my entire life is on hold, I just...

-------HOANG sighs and lowers his head. HOANG's FATHER moves to get up, but HOANG starts to speak again, freezing him.

HOANG
Why didn't you let me live?

FATHER
I didn't...

HOANG
(annoyed)
Not "you". When you took me to your parents' farm, and they put me to work out in the field, and I got to help repair the radio tower in the south of town... that was the happiest time of my life. That's what I wanted life to be. Instead, you put a stick in my hands, you sent me to camps. I have become one of the best at something I don’t want to do.

-------HOANG and the room go quiet.

HOANG
That's what I think of when I think of you.

-------A biting silence envelops the room. Suddenly, the phone rings. After a long, tense wait, the phone goes to voicemail, and HOANG's FATHER listens to it.

SON
Hey Dad! Calling in at the normal time, but I guess you're at a meeting. I want to let you know that classes are going well. I'll be calling Mom next, but I want to let you know that I love you both. I... don't get to say it as often as I want to, but I appreciate you, and helping me get to where I want to be, I can't love you more than I already do for that. Talk to you soon!

-------The end of the call is met with silence from both men. HOANG gets up and storms out the door without a word. We see him disembarking from a flight back to Los Angeles. While he waits for his bags, he gets a call from Chris VALENTINE

HOANG
Chris?

VALENTINE
Look, I want to talk with you in San Diego. I want you to head over so I can understand your situation better, because I can't stop thinking about it. Will that be too much trouble?

HOANG
Not at all.

EXT. SUBURBAN HOUSEHOLD - DAY

-------HOANG greets VALENTINE at the door. Both are smiling. Both laugh as they head into the house. We see them sitting on the couch both drinking coffee.

VALENTINE
You're still dodging the question of whether or not I was good.

HOANG
You were. Wasn't why you were the captain, you were just good.

VALENTINE
So nobody has recognized you since whatever caused all this?

HOANG
No, the people that have returned my calls don't recognize me. My father does not recognize me.

VALENTINE
Hmm. What are you going to do now?

-------HOANG loosens up, but grabs his coffee tighter.

HOANG
(voice shaken)
I... don't know. I thought talking with my dad would give me some closure, but now I'm not sure where I stand. There are things I wanted to do with my life, but I've spent it all training for a sport I wasn't familiar with, and now the person that made the decisions for me doesn't know me. I want to do a lot of things, but none of them seem like the right thing to do right now.

-------HOANG is now blinking back tears. Valentine started the conversation leaning back in his seat, but now he's fully hunched, head towards HOANG.

VALENTINE
Look, when I see you, I see something a lot of people wish they could have. That's a clean slate. I don't pretend to know what caused this, but what you do with this... opportunity, is all up to you.

HOANG
(still in tears)
But what can I do? My father...

VALENTINE
(interjecting)
Isn't your father. What you do with your life isn't on him anymore. You are not a product of his sins.

-------HOANG perks up at this. He sniffles, and then we see him say something to VALENTINE, and then leave.

EXT. CITY - DAY

-------We see HOANG wandering the city when he finds a rink, and decides to go in, rent some skates, buys a stick, and goes out onto the ice. As he skates, practicing, we hear echoes of his father, yelling at him. As he practices, we see a man, likely a scout, watching him practice. When HOANG goes to the locker room, the man follows him in.

DANDENALT
Do you mind if I talk to you?

HOANG
(straining with his skates) 
Not at all.

DANDENALT
I've never seen you around here, skating like that. Whoever you are, however you blew in, you're one of the best players I've ever seen.

HOANG
Thanks.

DANDENALT
My name's Matt Dandenalt, I'm a scout for the San Diego Gulls of the American Hockey League. I'd like to talk to you about playing professional hockey.

-------HOANG does not answer him. DANDENALT gives him his card, and HOANG puts it in his pocket. HOANG blankly stares. He begins to retie his skates, and continues to practice. We see DANDENALT turn at the noise of HOANG continuing to practice. He smiles, and turns away.

-------HOANG practices for several hours. When he leaves, it's night, and the parking lot is completely empty. HOANG receives a call from a number of origin in Vietnam. He answers the call.

HOANG
Hello?

FATHER
Hello? I never got your name, but you gave your number to the receptionist. I felt you deserved a call.

-------HOANG does not respond.

FATHER
Look, I want you to know that I empathized with you, you are my son, somehow. That much, I understand. I want you to know that I love you. Whatever you want to do, know that you should have had the freedom to do what you want to. I'm sorry whoever your father was couldn't give that to you.

-------We do not see HOANG's face, as we see him in shadow, all we hear is HOANG's answer along with the harsh sounds of the city.

HOANG
Thank you.

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

-------We see DANDENALT sitting in a shop, drinking coffee, and looking at his phone, when someone sits beside him. HOANG is dressed in a hoodie.

DANDENALT
So you want to try your hand at this type of hockey?

HOANG
(smirking)
I guess I do.

-------HOANG's smile fades when DANDENALT pulls out a contract.

DANDENALT
Now, I want you to understand, this means you only play for us, no one else.

HOANG
I understand how this works.

-------There's a long pause. HOANG pulls out a pen.

HOANG
I’ve been here before.

INT. HOCKEY LOCKER ROOM - DAY

-------Rushing activity obscures HOANG. He sits in his locker, drenched in sweat. No expression sits on his face, but he’s attentively listening to his COACH, talking.

COACH
(loud)
I want you guys to hop on these guys fast. Don't lose the pace.

-------HOANG is quiet. His teammates get up and start to line up. Someone pats him on the helmet.

TEAMMATE
Up and at them, rookie.

-------HOANG nods, grabs his stick and gloves, and stands up.

END. (Word Count: 2557)



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Breakaway - A Short Script Written for A Class Starring the S69 Great Falls Grizzlies - by eddiesnothere - 05-03-2023, 03:11 PM



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