LIFE OF PI
Written by
David Magee
Based on the original novel by
Yann Martel
1 EXT. PONDICHERRY ZOO, INDIA, 1961 - DAY 1
CREDITS OVER: a magical fairy tale world in collage - images
of fantastic creatures striped and spotted, hoofed and
horned.
Goats and warthogs mingle in an open field; a baby giraffe
tries to reach leaves over a fence; rhinos roll happily in
rich red mud, looking like giant muddy boulders, while
nearby, black and white Malayan tapirs cool themselves in
watering holes.
Exotic monkeys with comical faces cling lovingly to one
another, swing from trees, climb over one another, prance and
screech; a probiscus monkey with a 'Jimmy Durante' nose
pointing out through the plane of the screen. Flamingoes
strut about in the aviary, their pink feathers reflected in
the water.
A sloth droops lazily from a tree branch, unfazed, while a
nearby hummingbird zips manically from flower to flower like
Tinkerbell...
... the Pondicherry zoo is a children's paradise nestled in a
botanical garden.
WRITER (V.O.)
You were raised in a zoo?
3 EXT. PONDICHERRY ZOO, INDIA, 1961 - DAY 3
There's a flurry of activity in the animal clinic behind a
monitor lizard that wanders the main path. ZOO WORKERS gather
in the doorway, talking excitedly.
No one notices the lizard.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Born and raised in Pondicherry, in
what was the French part of India.
My father owned the zoo, and I was
delivered on short notice by a
herpetologist who was there to
check on the Bengal Monitor Lizard.
The zoo owner (FATHER - late 20s) hurries down the path as
quickly as his heavy leg brace will allow and hurries into
the animal clinic.
2.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Mother and I were both healthy...
The lizard crawls away.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
but the poor lizard escaped and was
trampled by a frightened
cassowary...
5 INT. PI'S HOME, KITCHEN, MONTREAL - DAY 5
A modest row house. There is a French influence to the decor,
along with books and artwork that celebrate the spiritual.
PI PATEL (50 - intelligent, Indo-Canadian) cooks an Indian
meal. The often-skeptical WRITER (late 30s, a disheveled
French Canadian), watches Pi.
ADULT PI
The way of karma; the way of God.
WRITER
I assumed your father was a
mathematician - because of your
name.
ADULT PI
Oh, far from it. I was named after
a swimming pool.
WRITER
There's a swimming pool named 'Pi?'
ADULT PI
(He chuckles.)
You see, my uncle, Francis, was
born with too much water in his
lungs. They say the doctor swung
Francis around by the ankles to
clear the water out and that's what
gave him the huge chest and skinny
legs that made him such a great
swimmer.
WRITER
(Amused.)
Is Francis actually your uncle? He
said he was friends with your
father.
3.
PI
I call him 'Mamaji,' my 'honorary
uncle' - my father's best friend,
my swimming guru.
6 EXT. ASHRAM SWIMMING POOL, PONDICHERRY, 1966 - DAY 6
ADULT PI (V.O.)
I trained with him three times a
week at the ashram. His lessons
would save my life in the end...
A young Indian boy - PI AT AGE FIVE - surfaces from a pool,
gasping. He looks up at the large chest and skinny legs of
Mamaji (late 30s). Mamaji reaches down to scoop Pi out of the
water.
MAMAJI
A mouthful of water will not harm
you - but panic will.
Mamaji carries Pi back over to the water's edge.
MAMAJI (CONT'D)
Remember to breathe. Don't hold
your breath. Good boy.
Mamaji unceremoniously tosses Pi back in.
7 INT. PI'S HOME, KITCHEN, MONTREAL - DAY 7
ADULT PI
(Regarding lunch:)
I hope you don't mind vegetarian.
WRITER
No, not at all... And your name?
ADULT PI
Hmm?
WRITER
You - you were going to tell me how
you got your name, I think.
ADULT PI
I got it from something Mamaji once
told my father. Most travelers
collect postcards or teacups on
their journeys - but not Mamaji.
Mamaji collects swimming pools.
(MORE)
4.
ADULT PI (CONT'D)
He swims in every pool he comes
upon...
8 EXT. THE PISCINE MOLITOR, PARIS, 1959 - DAY 8
Mamaji stands admiring the Piscine Molitor, a pool of
sparkling magnificence. Attractive French men and women in
bathing suits, the setting a celebration of idealized beauty.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
One day Mamaji said to my father
that of all the pools in the world,
the most beautiful was a public
pool in Paris. That the water there
was so clear you could make your
morning coffee with it, that a
single swim there changed his life.
Mamaji dives into the crystal clear water - and we follow,
taking in the divine miracle of his underwater journey across
the pool.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Before I was born, he said to my
father, "If you want your son to
have a clean soul, you must take
him one day to swim in the Piscine
Molitor." I never understood why my
father took this so much to
heart...
9 INT. PI'S HOME, MONTREAL - DAY 9
ADULT PI
... but he did, and I was named
"Piscine Molitor Patel."
10 EXT. PI'S PRIMARY SCHOOL, 1972 - DAY 10
PI (AGE 11) leans against the railing of a balcony, reading
"L'Ile Mysterieuse (The Mysterious Island)" by Jules Verne.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Imagine me trying to explain that
name to my schoolmates. I barely
made it to the age of eleven
before...
A boy (BULLY #1) calls up to him from the courtyard below.
5.
BULLY #1
Hey PISCINE!
Pi glances down, all the boys in the courtyard watching him.
BULLY #1 (CONT'D)
Are you Pissing right now?
Pi freezes. The other boys laugh uncontrollably.
ANOTHER BOY
Look at him he's Pissing!
ADULT PI (VO)
With one word my name went from an
elegant French swimming pool to a
stinking Indian latrine. I was
Pissing everywhere.
11 I/E. SCHOOLYARD, 1972 - DAY 11
BOYS in school uniform kick a ball. Pi attempts to join.
Bully #2 intercepts the pass.
BULLY #2
No Pissing in the schoolyard!
12 INT. SCIENCE CLASS, 1972 - DAY 12
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Even the teachers started doing it -
not deliberately, of course...
SCIENCE TEACHER
So then - what might occur if we
release gas too quickly? Pissing?
Pi is aghast. Several students splutter and howl, whispering
the slip to others. Laughter ripples around the room, all
eyes on Pi.
BOY
He said Pissing!
SCIENCE TEACHER
That's enough - order!
ADULT PI (V.O.)
When we returned the next year for
our first day of school, I was
prepared.
6.
SC. 13 INT. INDIAN HISTORY CLASS, 1973 - DAY 13
Class is held in a large open room. Roll call.
BOY
Present sir.
HISTORY TEACHER
Piscine Patel...
PI - AGE 12, rises, crosses to the front.
PI (AT 12)
Good morning. I am Piscine Molitor
Patel, known to all as...
(He writes "PI" on the
board.)
... "Pi," the sixteenth letter of
the Greek alphabet...
Pi writes , then quickly charts out a general notion of the
concept on the chalkboard.
PI (CONT'D)
... which is also used in
mathematics to represent the ratio
of any circle's circumference to
its diameter - an irrational number
of infinite length, usually rounded
to three digits, as...
(He writes "3.14.")
3.14. PI.
Pi underlines his name, faces the class.
HISTORY TEACHER
Very impressive, Pi. Now sit down.
WRITER (V.O.)
And from then on you were Pi?
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Well, no. Not quite ...
As Pi returns to his seat, Bully #2 leans forward,
whispering:
BULLY #2
Nice try, Pissing.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
But I still had the whole day ahead
of me. French Class was next...
7.
14 INT. FRENCH CLASS, 1973 - DAY 14
Pi repeats his act in French, 3.14159265 on the board.
PI (12)
Je m'appelle Piscine Molitor Patel -
dit'Pi'...
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Then Geography...
15 EXT. GEOGRAPHY CLASS, 1973 - DAY 15
Class is held out of doors in a courtyard. Pi, at a portable
chalkboard, writes and says: 3.14159265358979323846.
PI (12)
These are the first twenty decimal
places of Pi.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
My last class of the day was
Mathematics....
16 INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY, 1973 - DAY 16
A LIBRARIAN runs down the hall, a huge book tucked under his
arm, followed by dozens of students. He reaches Pi's class,
pushes his way through the crowd.
LIBRARIAN
Slowly, Slowly! Slowly, Slowly!
17 INT. MATH CLASS, 1973 - CONTINUOUS 17
Close on Pi writing digits. Pull back - the entire chalkboard
is filled with numbers. All watching are stunned. The
librarian compares Pi's writing to the math book.
LIBRARIAN
It is right... He's really doing
this!
Students clap and cheer - even the bullies. Several chant
along with him as he writes:
ALL
1! 4! 9! 3! 1! PI! PI! PI!
8.
ADULT PI (VO)
By the end of that day, I was Pi
Patel, school legend.
18 INT. PI'S KITCHEN - DAY 18
The writer laughs, then ventures onto a new topic.
WRITER
Mamaji tells me you're a legend
among sailors, too. Out there all
alone -
ADULT PI
I don't even know how to sail. And
I wasn't alone out there. Richard
Parker was with me.
WRITER
Richard Parker...? Mamaji didn't
tell me everything. He just said I
should look you up when I got back
to Montreal.
ADULT PI
So what were you doing in
Pondicherry?
WRITER
Writing a novel.
ADULT PI
By the way, I enjoyed your first
book. The new one, is it set in
India?
WRITER
No, Portugal, actually. But it's
cheaper living in India.
ADULT PI
Ah. Well, I look forward to reading
it.
WRITER
You can't. I threw it out. Two
years trying to bring it to life,
and then one day it sputtered,
coughed, and died.
ADULT PI
I'm sorry.
9.
WRITER
(Shrugs, making light of
it.)
I was in a coffee house in
Pondicherry one afternoon, mourning
my loss, when this old man at the
next table struck up a
conversation.
ADULT PI
Yeah, Mamaji. He does that.
WRITER
When I told him about my abandoned
book, he said:
(Imitating Mamaji:)
"So... a Canadian who's come to
French India in search of a story.
Well, my friend, I know an Indian
in French Canada who has the most
incredible story to tell. It must
be fate that the two of you should
meet."
ADULT PI
I haven't spoken about Richard
Parker in so many years... What has
Mamaji already told you?
WRITER
He said you had a story that would
make me believe in God.
ADULT PI
(Pi laughs.)
He would say that about a nice
meal. As for God, I can only tell
you my story; you will decide for
yourself what you believe.
WRITER
Fair enough.
ADULT PI
Let's see, then - where to begin?
CUT TO: MONTAGE
OF PONDICHERRY,
1954:
10.
19 EXT. PONDICHERRY, SHORELINE 1954 - DAY 19
- The SHORELINE - Bicycles and pedestrians; policemen in
round, flat-top French hats.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Pondicherry is the "French Riviera
of India." In the streets closest
to the ocean, you might think you
were in the South of France.
20 EXT. ASHRAM STREET, 1954 - DAY 20
- Grey ASHRAM buildings, which give way to images of...
21 EXT. PONDICHERRY CANAL, 1954 - DAY 21
- The CANAL, and just beyond it, INDIAN PONDI.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
A few blocks inland, there's a
canal; just beyond that is Indian
Pondicherry...
SC. 22 EXT. PONDICHERRY MUSLIM QUARTER, 1954 - DAY 22
- The MUSLIM QUARTER, women in head scarves pass men baking
flatbread over coals, the mosque in the background.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
And the Muslim Quarter is just to
the West.
18 INT. PI'S HOME - CONTINUED 18
ADULT PI
When the French handed Pondicherry
back to us in 1954, the town
decided that some sort of
commemoration was in order.
25 EXT. ZOO ENTRANCE, 1955 - DAY 25
The sign on the gate reads: "JARDIN BOTANIQUE DE
PONDICHERRY."
ADULT PI (V.O.)
My father, who was a clever
businessman, came up with one.
(MORE)
11.
ADULT PI (V.O.) (CONT'D)
He ran a hotel, and he got the idea
to open a zoo in the local
Botanical Gardens instead.
Father oversees a SIGN PAINTER as the painter who adds the
words 'AND ZOO' to the sign.
26 EXT. THE NURSERY - CONTINUOUS 26
WOMEN WORKERS plant and dig in the Botanical Gardens nursery.
As MOTHER (refined - 20's) passes by, she admonishes a worker
who pulls up a sapling with too much force.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
As it also happened, my mother was
a botanist in the Gardens. They
met, married, and a year later my
brother Ravi was born. I came two
years after that.
27 INT. PI'S HOME, OUTER ROOM, MONTREAL - DAY 27
WRITER
It sounds magical, growing up in-
The Writer stops, realizing that Pi's eyes are closed in
prayer. The Writer watches in awkward silence, his head
halfbowed.
ADULT PI
Amen. Let's eat.
WRITER
I didn't know Hindus said 'amen.'
ADULT PI
(As he serves food:)
Catholic Hindus do.
WRITER
Catholic Hindus?
ADULT PI
We get to feel guilty before
hundreds of gods instead of just
one.
WRITER
But you're a Hindu first?
12.
PI
None of us knows God until someone
introduces us. I was first
introduced to God as a Hindu. There
are 330 million gods in the Hindu
religion - how can I not come to
know a few of them?
28 EXT. OUTSIDE THE PATEL HOME, 1966 - NIGHT 28
YOUNG PI (5) and Ravi listen to Mother quietly singing a
gentle tune as she kneels before their home, using rice
powder to draw a Kolam pattern - a geometric design meant to
bring the home prosperity.
PI (V.O.)
I met Krishna first...
MOTHER (V.O., IN TAMIL)
Yashoda once accused baby Krishna
of eating dirt: "Tut, tut, you
naughty boy - you shouldn't do
that..."
29 INT. PI'S BEDROOM, 1966 - NIGHT 29
It is raining outside. Pan from the window; Mother lies in
bed with Pi as they continue sharing this story for the
thousandth time. Mother's voice plays over (Note: they speak
in Tamil throughout the following dialogue):
PI
...But he didn't!
MOTHER
That's what he told her. "I didn't
eat dirt!" "No? Well, then open
your mouth." So Krishna opened his
mouth.
Pi opens his mouth in imitation.
MOTHER (TAMIL) (CONT'D)
And what do you think Yashoda saw?
PI (TAMIL)
What?
MOTHER (TAMIL)
She saw in Krishna's mouth the
whole entire universe.
13.
30 PI AND RAVI'S BEDROOM, 1966 - NIGHT 30
Pi has made a tent of his blanket, a flashlight glowing
beneath the covers. In his tent, Pi flips through the pages
of a Hindu comic book, enthralled by the story of Krishna...
The panels of the comic book show Krishna's mouth falling
open, revealing stars and planets, the universe unfolding in
wondrous detail.
34 PONDI TEMPLE COURTYARD, 1966 - NIGHT 34
A tank ceremony is about to begin. The tank is a square
reservoir the size of a soccer field; Pi's family sits among
the crowd on the steps that lead down to the water.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
The gods were my superheroes
growing up. Hanuman, the monkey
god, lifting an entire mountain to
save his friend Lakshmana. Ganesh,
the elephantheaded, risking his
life to defend the honor of his
mother Parvati. Vishnu, the Supreme
Soul, the source of all things.
Vishnu sleeps, floating on the
shoreless cosmic ocean and we are
the stuff of his dreaming.
FATHER
(With quiet sincerity.)
Spectacle. Don't let the stories
and pretty lights fool you, boys.
Religion is darkness.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
My dear 'Appa' believed himself
part of the 'new India.' As a
child, he'd had polio; he used to
lie in bed, wracked with pain,
wondering where God was. In the
end, God didn't save him; Western
medicine did.
Below, Mother watches the ceremony, lost in contemplation.
14.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
My 'Amma' went to college and
thought her family was part of the
'new India' as well - until her
parents cut her off because they
thought she was marrying beneath
her. Her religion was the only link
she had to her past.
36 EXT. MUNNAR TEA FIELDS, 1973 - DAY 36
Rocky mountaintops jut up through a sea of clouds and mist.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
I met Christ in the mountains when
I was 12. We were visiting
relatives, tea growers in Munnar.
It was our third day there; Ravi
and I were terribly bored.
Ravi walks up to Pi, coins in hand, and whispers.
RAVI (14)
Challenge. I'll give you two
rupees. Run into that church and
drink the Holy water.
37 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1973 - DAY 37
Pi leans down to the font beside the door and drinks. He's
about to leave again when he notices the stations of the
cross depicted on plaques that encircle the church.
PRIEST
You must be thirsty. Here, I
brought you this.
Not knowing what else to do, Pi takes the glass and drinks.
An awkward pause as he searches for something - anything - to
say. He finally points up to one of the paintings.
PI
Why would a god do that? Why would
he send his own son to suffer for
the sins of ordinary people?
The Priest smiles down upon Pi.
PRIEST
Because He loves us. God made
Himself approachable to us - human -
so we could understand Him.
(MORE)
15.
PRIEST (CONT'D)
We can't understand God in all His
perfection, but we can understand
God's son and His suffering as we
would a brother's.
38 INT. PI'S DINING ROOM, MONTREAL - INTERCUT/CONTINUOUS 38
ADULT PI
That made no sense. Sacrificing the
innocent to atone for the sins of
the guilty? What kind of love is
that?
39 EXT. PLANTATION HOME, MUNNAR, 1973 - DAY 39
Ravi and other kids play cricket. Pi sits by a stream, lost
in thought.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
But this Son - I couldn't get Him
out of my head.
41 INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH, MUNNAR, 1973 - DAY 41 41
Pi stands quizzing the priest near the altar.
PI
If God is so perfect and we're not,
why would He want to create all
this? Why does He need us at all?
PRIEST
All you have to know is that He
loves us. "God so loved the world
that He gave His only Son." This
Son taught us to love one
another...
The priest's words continue as Pi leans in, listening.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
The more I listened to the priest,
the more I came to like this Son of
God.
42 INT. PI'S BEDROOM, 1973 - DAY 42
Pi kneels, smiling, in an attitude of worship.
16.
PI
Thank you, Vishnu, for introducing
me to Christ.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
I came to faith through Hinduism
and I found God's love through
Christ, but God wasn't finished
with me yet.
43 EXT. MUSLIM QUARTER, 1973 - DAY 43
As Pi wanders through the Muslim Quarter, the call to prayer
plays out over a loudspeaker affixed to the nearby mosque. Pi
watches as people pray.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
God works in mysterious ways - and
so it was He introduced Himself
again, this time by the name of
Allah.
Pi crosses inquisitively up the few steps of a mosque in the
Muslim quarter, looking inside, where dozens of the FAITHFUL
are lined up row upon row, praying.
A43 EXT. PONDICHERRY MOSQUE, 1973 - DAY A43
The speaker on top of the mosque plays the Muslim call to
prayer.
44 INT. PI FAMILY HOME, 1973 - DAY 44
Pi is out in front of the house kneeling on a prayer mat,
repeating a prayer. Father passes by with friends. He stops
to watch Pi.
45 INT. FAMILY KITCHEN/DINING ROOM, 1973 - DUSK 45
Father sits at the dinner table with his family. The servant
offers a dish of lamb to Father only. Father pops a bite into
his mouth, savoring it.
FATHER
This lamb is exquisite - it's best
dish on the table. You are all
missing out...
As he chews, Father notices Pi completing a blessing.
17.
FATHER (CONT'D)
You only need to convert to three
more religions, Piscine, and you
will spend your life on holiday.
RAVI
(Laughing:)
Are you going to Mecca this year,
Swami Jesus? Or to Rome, for your
coronation as Pope Pi-us?
MOTHER
You stay out of this, Ravi. Just as
you like cricket, Pi has his own
interests.
FATHER
No Gita, Ravi has a point, no? You
cannot follow three different
religions at the same time,
Piscine.
PI
Why not?
FATHER
Because believing in everything at
the same time is the same as not
believing in anything at all.
MOTHER
He's young Santosh - he's still
finding his way.
FATHER
And how can he find his way if he
does not choose a path?
(To Pi:)
Listen: instead of leaping from one
religion to the next, why not start
with reason? In a few hundred
years, science has taken us farther
in understanding the universe than
religion has in ten thousand.
MOTHER
That is true. Your father is right.
Science can teach us more about
what's out there -
(With a hand to her
heart:)
- but not what is in here. Art,
music, literature - they all spring
from our faith.
18.
FATHER
Some eat meat, some eat vegetable.
I do not expect us all to agree
about everything. But I would much
rather have you believe in
something I don't agree with than
to accept everything blindly. And
that begins with thinking
rationally. Do you understand?
Pi nods.
FATHER (CONT'D)
Good.
Pause.
PI
I would like to be baptized.
Father and Mother react. Ravi stifles a laugh.
46 EXT. PI'S STREET - DAY 46
Pi walks down the front steps of his row house, stretching
and rubbing his belly at the end of a good meal. The writer
follows.
WRITER
So you're a Christian and a Muslim?
ADULT PI
And a Hindu, of course.
WRITER
And a Jew, I suppose?
ADULT PI
Oh, well, I do teach a course on
the Kabbalah at the University. And
why not? Faith is a house with many
rooms.
WRITER
But no room for doubt?
ADULT PI
Plenty. On every floor. Doubt is
useful. It keeps faith a living
thing. After all, you can't know
the strength of your faith until
it's been tested.
19.
47 INT. THE TIGER FEEDING AREA, 1973, PART 1 - DAY 47
Pi (12) and Ravi (14) cross into a drab cement enclosure
behind the tiger exhibit. A hallway with closed gates at both
ends leads out to the exhibit.
RAVI
Where's Selvam? We shouldn't be in
here without him.
PI
Stop worrying. I have seen him do
this a thousand times. I want to
meet our new tiger.
He drops meat on the floor by the bars.
RAVI
Pi!...
PI
Hello! Richard Parker!
48 EXT. MONTREAL STREET - DAY 48
Pi and the writer walk along a Montreal street. The Writer
stares at Pi, bewildered.
WRITER
A tiger? Richard Parker was a
tiger?
ADULT PI
He got his name through a clerical
error. A hunter caught him drinking
from a stream when he was a cub and
named him Thirsty. When Thirsty got
too big, the hunter sold him to our
zoo - but the names got switched on
the paperwork. The hunter was
listed as Thirsty and tiger was
called Richard Parker. We laughed
about it and the name stuck.
47 EXT. THE TIGER FEEDING AREA, PART TWO 1973 - DAY 47
RAVI
Let's go. Before we get into
trouble.
PI
I want to see him close up.
20.
RAVI
You're not a zoo keeper. Come on!
An adolescent BENGAL TIGER appears at the other end of thE
hall. Ravi bolts, running out of the feeding area. Pi is
enchanted.
PI
(offering meat)
That's it, Richard Parker. It's for
you.
Pi holds the lamb through the bars, The tiger walks slowly
down the hallway, regarding Pi with a detached curiosity, as
unthreatening in his manner as a large housecat. Pi begins
trembling from sheer excitement.
He doesn't hear the approach of uneven footsteps - Father
appears, followed by Ravi. Just as Richard Parker approaches
the offering.
FATHER
No!!!
Father yanks Pi violently away from the cage, wrenching Pi's
hand through the bars. Richard Parker, startled, raises his
head, hissing. He turns and bounds back out through the gate
at the other end of the hallway, disappearing into the
exhibit area. Father spins Pi around and shoves him against
the wall.
FATHER (CONT'D)
What are you thinking?! Are you out
of your mind? Who gave you
permission to come back here? You
have just ignored everything I have
ever taught you!
PI
I just wanted to say 'Hello' to
him.
FATHER
You think that tiger is your
friend. He is an animal, not a
playmate!
PI
Animals have souls. I've seen it in
their eyes.
Father turns to Ravi, who stands by the gate.
21.
FATHER
Find Selvam!
50 EXT. THE FEEDING CAGES, 1973 - A SHORT TIME LATER 50
Father, Pi and Ravi watch as Selvam carries a goat into the
feeding area.
SELVAM
(In Tamil:)
You're sure, Mr. Patel? Pi's just a
kid.
FATHER
(In Tamil:)
Do it. Go ahead.
Selvam sets the goat down and ties a piece of rope around the
animal's neck.
FATHER (CONT'D)
(To the boys:)
Animals don't think like we do;
people who forget that get
themselves killed. That tiger is
not your friend. When you look into
his eyes, you are seeing your own
emotions reflected back at you -
nothing else.
Selvam ties the goat to the bars at the gate area where Pi
had been about to feed Richard Parker.
RAVI
(Quietly, to Pi:)
Don't be stupid! Say you're sorry.
Mother arrives at the gate with a WOMAN WORKER and rushes to
Pi's side.
MOTHER
What have you done, Piscine? You
know what your father said about
coming back here.
PI
I'm sorry. I was...
Mother turns to Father, quietly - referring to the goat:
MOTHER
What are you thinking?
22.
FATHER
This is between a father and his
sons.
(In Tamil:)
Selvam, the gate.
MOTHER
He said he's sorry. You want to
scar them for life?
FATHER
Scar them? That boy almost lost his
arm!
MOTHER
But he's still a boy!
FATHER
He will be a man sooner than you
think, and this is a lesson I do
not want them ever to forget.
(Turning to Selvam:)
Selvam.
Selvam opens the far gate. Richard Parker re-enters the
hallway. He sees the goat and slinks forward, lowering his
body, his ears flattening against his skull. The goat
freezes. Everyone watches in silence, transfixed by the
intensity of the tiger. Pi watches the animal spirit glowing
up within Richard Parker's eyes as instinct takes over.
In a sudden, single burst, Richard Parker bolts the length of
the hallway, claws reaching out through the bars of the cage
toward the goat.
We don't see what happens next - but the family does.
ON THE CAGE: Only a few seconds have passed, but Richard
Parker has already turned to go back into his enclosure, the
lifeless goat in his mouth. The family watches - Father is
impassive, Ravi traumatized; mother wraps her arms around Pi.
52 INT. PI AND RAVI'S BEDROOM, 1976 - MORNING 52
A rainy early morning in monsoon season. Pi (now 16) lies in
bed, reading "Notes from the Underground." Ravi is still
asleep. The radio plays in the other room.
NEWS ANNOUNCER (ON RADIO)
... and so has placed the country
in a State of Emergency.
(MORE)
23.
NEWS ANNOUNCER (ON RADIO) (CONT'D)
Under the directive, the states of
Gujarat and Tamil Nadu will be
placed under the direct authority
of the central government. Police
will be granted powers to arrest
and indefinitely detain citizens
responsible for the uprising.
Unauthorized...
Ravi's alarm goes off. Ravi reaches to shut it off.
55 55 EXT. PI'S SCHOOL, PONDICHERRY, 1977 - DAY 55 55
End of the school day. Pi, in raincoat, walks out to the
street, where student bicycles are lined up by the hundreds.
He gets his bike.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Things changed after the day of
Appa's lesson. The world had lost
some of its enchantment. School was
a bore - nothing but facts,
fractions and French. Words and
patterns that went on and on. I
grew restless, searching for
something that would bring meaning
into my life. And then I met
Anandi...
59 I/E. DANCE STUDIO, PONDICHERRY, 1977 - DAY 59
CLOSE ON ANANDI (15) radiant, graceful, eyes aglow, dancing
with passionate intensity.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Mother made me study music, and one
day my teacher came down with the
flu; he asked if I could take his
place one afternoon playing rhythms
for a dance class.
Pi watches her, hopelessly in love, absent-mindedly drumming
along. He is drumming for a class of a dozen female students;
a DANCE MASTER (female) accompanies the beat vocally -
"Tumtikita..." etc. The dance master claps her hands,
interrupting to teach.
DANCE MASTER
No. If you do not concentrate, you
cannot express your love of God
through dance. Feel the ground
beneath your feet;
(MORE)
24.
DANCE MASTER (CONT'D)
open your gaze out onto the
horizon, let that spiritual energy
pulse through you and out into the
world through abinea. Anandi, come
to the front; lead them.
Anandi obeys; Pi watches her, lost in admiration, until the
teacher taps a wood block to get his attention. The girls in
the class giggle - Pi blushes, embarrassed.
60 I/E. THE TOWN MARKET/THE BANYAN TREE, 1977 - DAY 60
Anandi walks with two of her FRIENDS through the town
market.ACROSS THE MARKET, Pi hides behind a flower seller's
stall. Gathering his courage, he peers out, searching for
Anandi. She is nowhere to be seen. He walks into an open area
of the market that surrounds a banyan tree. Suddenly, he
hears a voice behind him.
ANANDI
Why are you following me?
Pi turns - Anandi stands before him, her friends a short
distance behind her, eavesdropping.
PI
What?
ANANDI
You were following me.
PI
(After a beat, to cover
his evident guilt:)
What does this mean?
Pi vaguely imitates the hand gesture - pinching the tips of
his fingers together - that he saw Anandi use in the dance
rehearsal. Anandi stares at him, bewildered.
PI (CONT'D)
In the dance, you went from Pataka,
which means the forest, and then
you did-then you did Samputa, which
means something that is hidden, and
after that you did this... and then
you did Chatura.
Pi demonstrates her dancing. Anandi smiles, while her friends
giggle at his performance.
25.
PI (CONT'D)
But at the very end you did this...
(Repeating the gesture:)
None of the other dancers did that.
What did you mean? The God of love
is hiding in the forest?
ANANDI
No - that also means the lotus
flower.
PI
The lotus flower is hiding in the
forest? Why would a lotus flower
hide in the forest?
Anandi blushes. She has no answer.
62 EXT. THE ZOO EXHIBITS, 1977 - DAY 62
Pi and Anandi stand at the Bengal Tiger cage, Pi proudly
introducing Anandi to the zoo's finest exhibit.
PI
And this is Richard Parker. He's
the most magnificent creature we've
ever had here.
(Beat.)
Look at the way he's turning his
head. Showing off - like a dancer.
ANANDI
No, he heard something - he's
listening. You see?
Pi beams.
64 INT. PATEL DINING ROOM, 1977 - DUSK 64
Pi sits at dinner with the family, a half-smile on his face,
obviously lost in thoughts about Anandi. Father's voice
gradually breaks through into Pi's consciousness.
FATHER
So...you see? We have talked about
it for some time... Do you
understand what I'm saying? Pi?
Pi glances over.
PI
Sorry. You've been...
26.
FATHER
Worried. For my family. Our animals
are worth far more abroad than here
in India, and if the town council
stops supporting us, I don't know
where we'll be. So... it is what we
have to do. Do you understand?
PI
I'm sorry... what are we talking
about?
RAVI
We are leaving India.
PI
What??
MOTHER
We are selling the zoo.
FATHER
The zoo itself was never ours to
sell - the land belongs to the
town. But the animals are ours, and
if we sell them, we will have
enough to start a new life.
PI
But where would we go? Our life is
here Appa!
FATHER
Canada. I have some opportunities
for work in Winnipeg. I'll be
shipping most of the animals for
sale in North America; we can get
freighter passage for the whole
family. So, it is settled. We will
sail like Columbus!
PI
But Columbus was looking for India!
EXT. PONDICHERRY, BENEATH THE PIER, 1977 - DAY
Pi and Anandi sit together on the crossbeams beneath the
dock. Anandi takes a length of colored silken threads, tying
them around Pi's wrist to serve as 'Rakhi' - a sisterly
blessing for protection on his journey.
27.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
It takes a lot of work to sell a
zoo; before we left Anandi and I
had time enough to break each
other's hearts. Of course, I
promised I'd come back one day...
It's funny... I remember everything
else about our last day, but I
don't remember saying goodbye...
As she finishes, Pi reaches out impulsively to hold her hand.
67 EXT. CARGO SHIP DECK, 1977 - DUSK 67
Sunset. Pi stands at the railing of the cargo ship, staring
out at the Chennai shoreline. Mother approaches.
MOTHER
Pi, they're serving dinner below.
(Beat.)
Pi doesn't respond. Mother approaches and stands beside him.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
(After a beat.)
Piscine, You have a whole life
ahead of you. We're doing this for
you and Ravi. Come inside and have
some dinner.
68 INT. THE TSIMTSUM, MESS HALL, 1977 - DAY 68
The family stands in the mess hall line along with the CREW.
The FRENCH COOK, a grizzled and thoroughly unpleasant man,
loads a plate and slides it over the counter to Mother. The
meal consists of liver and onions, sausages, and rice soaked
in gravy. Mother points at her rice.
MOTHER
My sons and I are vegetarians. Do
you have anything - ?
The French Cook ladles ore gravy over her rice.
MOTHER (CONT'D)
No - no! Not more gravy.
FRENCH COOK
(Thick French accent:)
You don't want gravy?
28.
MOTHER
(Quickly switching to
French:)
No, I want something vegetarian. I-
The cook takes her plate, sets it on the counter in front of
Father. The following takes place in French (subtitled).
FRENCH COOK
There. No problems.
FATHER
She asked if you have something
vegetarian.
FRENCH COOK
Vegetarian - the cow that produced
this liver was vegetarian, the pigs
that went into these sausages were
vegetarian.
FATHER
Very funny. But she doesn't eat
liver.
FRENCH COOK
(Getting irritated:)
Then she can eat the sausages, the
rice, the gravy.
(To Mother:)
Or you can go cook your own food.
FATHER
How dare you talk to my wife like
that?
The cook shoves a plate of plain rice over the counter.
FRENCH COOK
Here's your rice. I cook for
sailors, not curry eaters.
Father grabs the cook's forearms, yanking him halfway over
the high counter.
FATHER
What did you call us??
FRENCH COOK
Let go of me!
FATHER
Who do you think you are? You're
nothing but a servant!
29.
FRENCH COOK
I feed people! You feed monkeys!
FATHER
I'll teach you respect!
Sailors descend on the two, pulling them apart.
A SHORT TIME
LATER -
69 INT. THE TSIMTSUM MESS HALL, 1977 - DAY 69
The family sits eating silently in the aftermath of the
scuffle. A TAIWANESE SAILOR comes alongside Pi carrying a
plate of rice with gravy. He speaks with a Taiwanese accent
and a gentle smile.
TAIWANESE SAILOR
Hello, I am happy Buddhist, so I
eat rice next to gravy. On ship,
gravy is not meat. Is taste. Okay?
You try?
Pi smiles in gratitude, but the gravy looks anything but
appetizing.
70 INT. TSIMTSUM CARGO HOLD, 1977 - DAY 70
Pi eats a banana from the food set aside for the animals in
the cargo hold. He sits next to the transport cage of ORANGE
JUICE, a female orangutan with a baby orang in her arms.
Animal crates and cages surround Pi, the air filled with
screeches and growls.
Father enters the hold, carrying food for the animals.
FATHER
(Noting Pi's banana:)
Don't worry - we will have plenty
of fresh supplies after we stop in
Manila.
Father mixes tranquilizer pills into food for the orangs.
PI
Why give O.J. a tranquilizer? She's
not going to cause any trouble.
FATHER
The stress of traveling is not good
for the animals.
(MORE)
30.
FATHER (CONT'D)
And it helps with the seasickness.
We don't want to be cleaning up
after a seasick orangutan, do we?
Pi looks up, notices Father watching him.
Father tries to smile along with his little attempt at humor,
but his manner is stiff, his eyes furtive and uneasy.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
My father was a businessman - he
had never handled the animals
himself. I realized that leaving
India must have been harder for him
than it was for me.
71 EXT. MONTREAL GARDENS - DAY 71
Adult Pi and the Writer sit on a bench in the gardens. Pi has
fallen silent, reflective.
WRITER
... So...
ADULT PI
Have I forgotten anything?
WRITER
I think you've set the stage. So
far we have an Indian boy named
after a French swimming pool on a
Japanese ship full of animals
heading to Canada.
ADULT PI
Yes. Now we have to send our boy
into the middle of the Pacific, and
-
WRITER
And make me believe in God.
ADULT PI
Yes. We'll get there.
72 EXT. A TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF THE PACIFIC, 1977 - DUSK 72
Moving in on the Mariana Trench, an ominous gash of darkest
blue...
31.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
It was four days out of Manila -
above the Mariana Trench, the
deepest spot on earth...
Zoom closer until the blue fills the screen...
ADULT PI (V.O.)
Our ship, the Tsimtsum, pushed on,
bullishly indifferent to its
surroundings. It moved with the
slow, massive confidence of a
continent.
DISSOLVE TO:
73 EXT. THE TSIMTSUM - NIGHT 73
Lightning and thunder. The freighter sailing in ominous
weather, the name Tsimtsum emblazoned on its hull. Choppy
seas, rains, a storm.
74 INT. CARGO SHIP, THE FAMILY CABIN - NIGHT 74
Darkness - the faint glow of a nightlight. Close on Pi's
sleeping face, the cabin swaying in the storm.
BANG. A loud, deep rumble breaks into his consciousness. The
ship shakes. Pi's eyes open. He looks around, listens.
Nothing. He leans over the side of his bunk and wakes Ravi.
PI
Ravi? Did you hear that?
(Pause)
Ravi?
RAVI
... I'm sleeping.
PI
It's a thunderstorm! Let's go
watch!
RAVI
Are you crazy? We'll get hit by
lightning.
PI
No, we won't. It'll hit the bridge
first.
32.
RAVI
Don't tempt a storm, Pi.
On the other side of the narrow room, Mother shifts
uncomfortably on the double bed she shares with Father.
75 INT. SHIP HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS 75
Pi heads upstairs to the deck.
76 EXT. THE CARGO DECK - CONTINUOUS 76
The deck of the ship is dark. Pi steps out into a bracing
rain and walks to the rail, wind whipping his hair. He
laughs, exhilarated, as rain splashes over his face. Throwing
arms wide, Pi dances in imitation of Anandi's dance, slipping
more than once on the rain-soaked deck, shouting in giddy
adolescent triumph.
PI
More rain, lord of storms! Let it
rage!
He finishes, laughing as he falls against the railing. The
deck lights suddenly all come on at once; a warning alarm
sounds over the loudspeakers.
Pi slips to the front of the deck and stands up, watching in
horror as a wave washes over the bow, carrying several
sailors overboard. He pushes himself away from the railing
and runs back down below.
INT. THE STAIRS TO THE CABINS/LOWER LEVEL - CONTINUOUS
Pi stumbles down the tilted staircase.
PI
AMMA! APPA! RAVI! GET OUT, GET OUT!
Halfway down, Pi hits water. He dives, searching for his
family. The hall lights flicker - the passage falls dark an
instant before the emergency lights come on in the water
below, which nearly reaches the ceiling. Pi dives, trying to
swim against the flowing current; he's astonished to find a
ZEBRA swimming toward him, passing overhead. He tries to swim
further, but the enormous force of rushing water and air is
too great; he scrambles backward, groping toward the
stairwell.
33.
EXT. THE CARGO DECK - CONTINUOUS
Pi bursts on deck, coughing and gagging for air.
PI
HELP!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!
Pi sees movement - animals running. He scrambles toward them,
the ship groaning as it lists sideways.
Oxen and deer are visible on the far side of the deck,
backlit by emergency lights; Pi hears monkeys screeching, the
clatter of hoofs pounding. In the distance, Sailors shout
orders in panicked voices.
Pi comes onto the lower deck, where he sees three men - the
Buddhist (Taiwanese Sailor) from the dining hall; the
JAPANESE CAPTAIN, and SAILOR #1 - arguing with the French
cook, who has climbed into the stern of one of the lifeboats
that hangs off the side of the ship. Pi runs to the Captain.
PI (CONT'D)
Please save my family!
JAPANESE CAPTAIN
Don't scare. Okay? Wait stay here.
He grabs a life vest and starts to put it on Pi.
JAPANESE CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
Here, put this on!
PI
You have to help them, please! Oh
no my family, please. You have to
help them, my family is back there.
JAPANESE CAPTAIN
We don't have time.
The Taiwanese Sailor jumps onto the ship.
TAIWANESE SAILOR
We help. You must go.
PI
Who let all the animals out?
They shove a life vest over Pi's head.
SAILOR #1
You have to go now.
34.
PI
No wait! My father - he can't swim -
JAPANESE CAPTAIN
This is your last chance--just go!
PI
No please!
They guide Pi to the side, where a section of the ship's
railing has been removed to give access to the lifeboat. They
push Pi over the edge; Pi falls onto the lifeboat, bouncing
on the protective tarp that is still stretched taut across
the bow. He grabs at the rope holding the bow, trying not to
slip off. The sailors are shouting at the French cook, who
stands at the stern.
SAILOR #1
Hey! You! What are you doing?!
FRENCH COOK
Loosen the lines! Bring it down!
SAILOR #1
Tie it down! Tie it down!
FRENCH COOK
(to the sailors:)
Jump! Jump!
The sailors look towards the upper deck. Pi follows their
looks and watches in horror as a zebra launches itself over
the side of the ship, careening through the air toward the
safety of the lifeboat. The French cook staggers backward and
jumps out of the way, falling to the water below. Pi throws
up his arms as the life boat starts to drop. The zebra arcs
through the air, missing the tarp, landing on the exposed
stern with a sickening thud, shattering the rear bench. The
force sends the rig lines spinning.
The lifeboat plummets to the water below. The impact spins it
around, nearly washing Pi overboard. He is left clinging to
the back of the tarp, the zebra on the floor of the lifeboat
before him. As the lifeboat drops down the side of the swell,
Pi slides to the front of the tarp. The Tsimtsum's propeller
rises behind him.
As Pi steadies himself, a swell lifts the lifeboat, crashing
it onto the deck of the Tsimtsum. It drops back into the sea,
rolling over completely. The vessel instantly rights itself -
the lifeboat is designed to be virtually unsinkable. Pi lands
on the lifeboat's floorboards, next to the zebra.
35.
Pi sees the Tsimtsum at an angle, it's bow dipping below the
water. As he tries to get up, Pi notices the orange emergency
whistle that dangles from the vest. He grabs it and blows,
shouting between blasts.
PI
HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY, HELP ME!
The deck lights of the freighter glow with a cheery,
unnatural brilliance. By the light of the ship, Pi can just
make out a distant figure in the water.
PI (CONT'D)
HEY! OVER HERE!
Pi spies a lifebuoy tied to a rope. He grabs it and heaves it
as far as he can across the water. OUT IN THE WATER, the
lifebuoy splashes a few yards away from the shadowy figure.
The moment Pi feels the tug on the line, he jumps into the
uncovered part of the boat, lies back and begins hauling the
rope in. Nearly finished, he lifts his head to peer over the
side and sees who he's rescued.
PI (CONT'D)
Richard Parker?
A beat - and then Pi realizes what he's done. He scrambles
backward in horror, trying to throw the rope overboard.
PI (CONT'D)
NO! GO AWAY!
Richard Parker paddles toward the boat. Pi grabs an oar,
wielding it against the approaching tiger. Richard Parker
tries to grab the oar. Pi yanks the oar away, falling onto
his back.
He listens as Richard Parker claws his way up the side of the
swaying boat, coughing and gagging water. Pi scrambles
backward, oar still in hand. He rises and jumps overboard.
79 EXT. THE OCEAN - CONTINUOUS 79
Pi plunges into the roiling water. An enormous wave rolls
toward Pi - filling his lungs with air, Pi dives under, away
from the assault of the raging storm.
80 EXT. BENEATH THE WATER - CONTINUOUS 80
Silence as Pi hangs below the surface, arms wide, groping for
focus and calm.
36.
Lightning casts a blazing white veil over the surface of the
water above him, backlighting fish and animals, waves frozen
in time like wrinkled bedsheets, their motionless texture
pocked and dimpled with raindrops. As the sky explodes in
white flashes, the scene is caught in surreal still shots.
A hippo swims past, it's heavy form moving gracefully.
Pi swims toward the camera - then freezes, reacting in horror
as...
A shark swoops past him and up toward the struggling animals
near the surface. Pi dives defensively - the camera follows.
Ahead, the Tsimtsum is visible, fifty feet beyond Pi, its
deck lights dipping below the surface, casting an eerie
underwater glow, bubbles flowing up to the surface; nearby,
Pi can make out the floating oar.
81 EXT. THE OCEAN/THE BOAT - CONTINUOUS 81
Pi bursts above water in total panic, throwing his arms
around the oar, coughing up sea water and bile. The lifebuoy
floats a dozen feet off; he swims toward it. He grabs the oar
moments before a huge wave sweeps him up and over the
lifeboat. He lands on the other side, the oar lost, and drags
himself onto the stern. He jumps over the kicking zebra and
scrambles onto the boat tarp.
An oar sticks out from under the boat cover, hanging out over
the front of the lifeboat. Pi climbs out on the oar, keeping
himself a safe distance from the tiger he assumes is beneath
the tarp. The air vibrates with a tremendous belching groan;
Pi looks over to the cargo ship, watching, astounded...
PI
Amma! Appa! Ravi! I'm sorry! I'm
sorry...!
WIDE SHOT - from top, looking down into the water: the
Tsimtsum abruptly keels and sinks beneath the surface. Pi
watches in horror as the Tsimtsum plummets into the depths of
the Mariana Trench, it's deck lights gradually fading. Pi
bursts into tears as waves from the sinking vessel buffet his
lifeboat.
Pi weeps uncontrollably.
EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAWN
The storm has passed, but the skies are still heavy with
disgusting grey clouds. Pi has hung the lifebuoy on the oar
and now sits on it, slumped in exhaustion and shivering.
37.
With what energy he still has, he weeps - his face is puffy
and swollen from a night of tears.
Pi watches a shark fin knife through the waves. His feet have
been trailing in the water; he quickly lifts them out. He
raises his head, looking at his new surroundings - water and
air, clouds and sky. Nothing on the horizon.
Pi creeps forward on the oar, pulling himself onto the
gunnels - the side of the boat. No sign of Richard Parker.
The zebra comes into view in the stern of the lifeboat,
injured legs folded beneath it, staring indifferently into
space.
CUT TO:
EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY
Pi stands a few feet away from the zebra, using an emergency
bucket to bail water out of the bottom of the boat, exhausted
from the effort. He pauses to catch his breath, then becomes
aware of a slight movement at one side of the tarp.
A SPOTTED HYENA lurches furtively into view from beneath the
tarp, then disappears again. Pi freezes, dumbfounded.
PI
Hari?
Hari, the hyena, with a sloping, bear-like forehead and the
nervous manner of a beaten dog, reappears. Pi instantly dives
across the tarp, scrambling for safety on the oar. The hyena
staggers and stumbles listlessly. Pi turns to face the
creature, struggling for calm.
PI (CONT'D)
Looks as though your drugs haven't
worn off yet.
The screech of a terrified animal echoes across the water -
the hyena looks out to port, the hair rising on its back,
then staggers beneath the tarp.
Pi squints into the rising sun. An enormous bundle of bananas
bobs into view. The bundle twists and rolls - and Orange
Juice, the orangutan tries desperately to stay on top.
PI (CONT'D)
Orange Juice!! This way!
38.
Within moments, the bundle is within reach of the lifeboat;
Pi catches the oar handle in the netting that binds the
bananas together and pulls it against the side of the boat.
O.J. falls onboard in a stuporous fog.
PI (CONT'D)
Welcome to Pi's ark!
The netting, wrapped around the handle of the oar, pulls
loose from the bananas, which tumble out of reach. As Pi
reels the netting in, O.J. moans in distress. Pi throws a
banana to O.J. but she is too sick to react.
PI (CONT'D)
(A sudden realization)
Where is your boy, Orange Juice?
(Pause)
I'll bet Mother and Father found
him. They'll all be here soon.
O.J. turns to look at Pi, a look of inconsolable sadness in
her eyes - as though she knows better what lies ahead.
84 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 84
High noon. Intolerable heat. Flies circle the zebra, landing
on Pi's face and arms. He's too exhausted to brush them away.
The only sound is the incessant lapping of water against the
hull. Pi stares out across the ocean - no rescue in sight. He
pushes himself upright, calling over the waves.
PI
HELLO...! HELLO...! ANYBODY?
Pi kneels and bangs his bailing bucket against the hull. The
hyena emergees, shaking its head violently in an attempt to
clear its thoughts. It screams in frustration and begins
yipping. Pi picks up the oar and pokes the hyena to fend it
off. He watches with increasing alarm as the hyena paces in
frantic circles - whatever tranquilizers this animal received
are wearing off. The boy wraps his grip around the paddle,
prepared to defend himself.
The hyena abruptly stops pacing, coughing and retching - then
lies down, shaking from emotional and physical distress. It
sets its head on the edge of the tarp, predator eyes fastened
on Pi.
85 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DUSK 85
A boy, a hyena, a zebra and an orangutan silhouetted against
the last fading light of day.
39.
Pi has hung the paddle and lifebuoy off the end of the boat
and perches on the bow. The hyena's eyes seem to glow in the
last light, fixed on Pi. Pi stares back.
Pi fights fatigue as waves splash interminably against the
hull. He winces at each creak of the lifeboat; his eyes glaze
over as he stares out at the endless, dusky seascape. Pi sees
movement in the shadows. The hyena attacks the zebra; the
zebra barks and squeals. O.J. reacts to the violence, crying
out.
PI
No! Stop it! Stop it! No! Stop it!
Stop it! NO!!! NO!!! NO!!!
86 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAWN 86
Silence. Morning. Hazy. Pi slumps over the oar, eyes half
open, glazed. He has stayed up a second night for fear of
being attacked, and now he slowly nods sideways, giving in to
exhaustion despite himself, and tumbles into the water.
Pi gasps in shock as the water slaps him into full
consciousness. He climbs back onto the life ring - coughing,
tired, wet, sad and fearful.
The lifeboat rolls and growls beneath Pi's feet as he stares -
and then he notices O.J. The poor orang is sitting on a side
bench half-hidden by the tarp, and horribly seasick. Her
tongue lolls out of her mouth and she's visibly panting.
PI
I'm sorry, O.J.; I don't have any
seasickness medicine for you -
And then it strikes him.
PI (CONT'D)
Supplies! Ah, supplies!
Pi pulls up the edge of the tarp nearest the bow. A row of
benches with hinged lids curve around the bow. Pi opens the
rearmost bench and finds a "LIFEBOAT MANUAL AND NAVIGATIONAL
GUIDE" in a plastic bag along with a pencil lying on top of
bags of supplies. He pulls out the manual and flips through
it - an illustration shows that the boat is lined with
compartments. He opens the next bench - it's stuffed with
life jackets.
He tosses one of the life jackets to O.J., who has no idea
what to make of it. O.J. turns to watch him, utterly
bewildered.
40.
88 EXT. THE OCEAN, BEHIND THE LIFEBOAT/THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 88
An hour later. Pi finishes tying a knot in a piece of rope
that joins oars to the lifebuoy. Pull back to reveal that Pi
has built a makeshift raft, tying three oars into a triangle
around the lifebuoy and using the banana net to gather the
life vests into a bunch beneath.
Pi sits back, mopping his brow, then begins pushing and
dragging his raft over to the edge of the lifeboat to launch
it.
The hyena comes out from under the tarp to see what all the
noise is. As it paces, it gets too close to O.J., who
suddenly comes to life, rising up to her full height, pulling
back her lips and roaring. The hair on the hyena's neck and
shoulders stands up - suddenly, it launches an attack. Pi
cries out, flinching - but O.J. uses one of her long arms to
thump the beast on top of the head.
Pi cheers the blow -
PI
YES!
But the hyena gets up in an instant - it attacks again, this
time going for O.J.'s throat.
PI (CONT'D)
NO!! NO!! NO!! NO!!
O.J. gets pulled down to the floor of the boat, the battle
continuing out of view. Pi searches through the piles of
rope, finding a knife. He rises and dashes forward.
Pi reaches the end of the tarp. The hyena retreats. O.J. lies
in the stern, dead.
Pi, enraged, confronts the hyena.
PI (CONT'D)
Come on! Come on!! COME ON...!!!
Pi feels the tarp move under his feet... suddenly, Richard
Parker launches like a blur from under the canvas, going
straight after the hyena. Pi falls backward on the tarp,
stunned.
As the tiger clamps his jaws around the hyena, finishing it
off, Pi leaps back to the bow, shoving his makeshift raft
into the water. The raft splashes in the water and the tiger
turns; Pi looks back and comes face-to-face with Richard
Parker.
41.
The tiger stands with front feet on the crossbench, sniffing
the sea air, examining his surroundings for the first time,
agitated by this open air environment. As he turns to go back
under the tarp, his gaze falls on Pi. Richard Parker's ears
swivel, and his lip twitches, revealing a canine as long as a
finger.
Pi, terrified, grabs an oar and holds it out, trying to
prevent an attack. Unfortunately, he also blocks Richard
Parker's path back under the tarp. The tiger tries to go
around the oar, and when Pi blocks his way, the tiger swings
a paw, knocking the oar into the ocean with such force that
Pi is spun completely around with his back to the tiger. He
falls into a crouch, cowering, prepared to die.
Richard Parker's predator instinct takes over. He snarls and
pounces on the tarp, menacingly close to Pi - then hesitates,
unsettled by the softness of the tarp beneath his feet. The
tiger retreats, examining his surroundings.
Pi jumps toward the raft. He belly flops into the ocean and
rises in a panic, trying to scramble up onto the raft, only
to have it flip completely over his head.
A88 EXT THE RAFT - DAY A88
Grey, lifeless skies above the vastness of the ocean. Pi
shivers, his eyes glassy, his lips chapped and skin waxen
from hours of exposure. He tries various ways to re-shape the
raft.
A shark slips up alongside Pi and bumps him, sending Pi
scrambling back to the safety of the raft.
91 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 91
Pi pulls the raft to the back of the lifeboat, tying the rope
line on one of the tarp hooks. Hands appear on the gunnels.
Pi lifts his head over the bow. The tiger is nowhere in
sight. Pi quietly climbs aboard. He tries in vain to control
his chattering teeth and shaking limbs as he opens the
starboard bow storage bench.
He sees a duffel bag, zips it open and rifles through the
contents. It contains an array of survival supplies - as he
lifts it out, his eye falls upon a stack of cans marked
"Water." He pops a hole in a water can with the can opener
and drinks one, tilting his head back and closing his eyes in
ecstasy. He throws a few on the raft. He grabs a couple of
boxes marked "Baked Wheat Biscuits." Pi tears open a box and
stuffs a biscuit into his mouth.
42.
The biscuits are so dry that he is barely able to chew them -
crumbs fall from his lips into the supply hatch.
A rat skitters out from under the tarp, grabbing biscuit
crumbs, then retreating.
A low growl. Richard Parker charges out from his den and
bounds onto the tarp. Pi staggers in terror and falls
helplessly into the storage bench, with only his head poking
out above the tarp.
The tiger steps toward Pi, then hesitates - again, the
softness of the tarp unnerves him. He steps back off the tarp
and paces the stern.
Pi creeps out of the storage bench - then watches in horror
as Richard Parker swivels and charges him again, this time
beneath the tarp. The rat scurries back out of hiding and
Richard Parker's head follows, looming up out from the gap
between the tarp and the storage bench. Pi jumps onto the
tarp, out of the tiger's reach.
Richard Parker scrambles backward and reappears at the far
end of the tarp, roaring, prepared to attack from above -
then halts, watching in astonishment as the rat hops around
the lifeboat, finally running up Pi's shirt and landing on
Pi's head.
Pi grabs the rat by the tail and throws it. The rat sails,
paws and tail stretched wide, across the boat. Richard Parker
opens his mouth and the rat flies in, its tail disappearing
between the tiger's lips like a spaghetti noodle.
As Richard Parker enjoys his treat, Pi climbs backward over
the bow, unhooking the rope, grabbing the water cans and the
biscuits and slipping over the side, falling into the water.
He drops onto the raft and pushes himself back with his feet.
The raft floats back and hits the end of the ropeline with a
jerk. Pi remembers the rope and goes back to untie it.
Suddenly Richard Parker appears at the bow and lunges at him,
almost falling off the front of the lifeboat onto Pi. The
tiger scrambles back onto the boat and off the tarp, while Pi
paddles the raft away.
When he is finally at a safe distance, fear and stress
overwhelm Pi - he throws up what little food and water he has
taken.
43.
92 EXT. THE RAFT, BEHIND THE LIFEBOAT - NIGHT 92
A full moon, backlit clouds rolling through the skies,
reflected in the water below. Pi floats behind the lifeboat,
weeping, surrounded by nothing but terror and the abyss. A
thick range of clouds moves in, threatening to cut off the
light from the moon and stars.
Pi watches Richard Parker on the lifeboat, a shadowy
silhouette on the bow ahead. The tiger takes the zebra
carcass under the tarp. The clouds blot out the sky. Darkness
envelops them.
93 EXT. ABOVE THE RAFT - EARLY MORNING 93
Angle on Pi, the raft and boat from above, lost on an endless
ocean, the bright colors of morning light dancing on the
surface of the water.
Pi has taken out his pencil and now writes on the back page
of his survival manual, his voice heard over:
PI (WRITING V.O.)
"My name is Pi Patel. I have been
in a shipwreck. I am on a lifeboat
alone - with a tiger. Please send
help."
He tears the page out and stuffs it into an empty water can,
sealing the opening with a plastic lid. He tosses it as far
as possible; the can splashes down, rippling the water, then
bobs, going nowhere. Pi stares at the bobbing can, crushed as
he sees the futility of this plan.
A defeated pause, and then Pi looks up and sees the majesty
of his surroundings. The cloud cover breaks; dawn light glows
down on Pi.
A grunt from the lifeboat. Pi turns, surprised. He grabs the
tow line and reels into the lifeboat.
He lifts the tarp; Richard Parker's eyes glow out at him from
the shadows, greeting Pi with a low snarl. Pi gingerly lowers
the tarp and casts the raft back from the bow. He looks up.
PI (CONT'D)
(In awe, shuddering:)
God... I give myself to you. I am
your vessel. Whatever comes... I
want to know. Show me.
FADE TO:
44.
EXT. THE RAFT - DAY
Pi sits on his makeshift raft, flipping through his manual.
The foldout map of the manual shows the ocean's currents,
longitudes, latitudes, and depths. Pi stares at the chart,
bewildered by it all. He rises up on his knees, looking out
at the ocean around him, then sits back, hand to forehead.
PI
There are no lines!
95 EXT. THE RAFT - DAY - MONTAGE 95
Montage - Pi struggling with discomfort on his raft.
PI (READING - V.O.)
"Set your house in order and dig in
for the battle to survive.
Establish a strict schedule for
eating, keeping watch and getting
rest. Do not drink urine or sea
water.
Keep busy, but avoid unnecessary
exertion. The mind can be kept
occupied by playing card games,
Twenty Questions, or I Spy.
Community singing is another sure-
fire way to lift the spirits.
Telling stories is highly
recommended. Above all, don't lose
hope."
- Pi scratches marks into the side of the boat to indicate
the passage of time - it is his 11th day at sea.
A96 EXT. THE RAFT - A SHORT TIME LATER A96
Pi is still reading his survival manual. The waves pick up.
The lifeboat rocks. Somewhere beneath the tarp, the tiger
lets out a faint groan of discomfort. On Pi as he
contemplates this...
PI (READING V.O.:)
"Few things can sap the spirit
faster than seasickness. Waves are
more strongly felt when a boat
turns sideways to the current. A
sea anchor is used as a drag to
keep the boat's head to the wind.
(MORE)
45.
PI (READING V.O.:) (CONT'D)
Proper use of them can increase
control and reduce seasickness
during rough seas...
Pi takes a sea anchor from inside his life ring and tosses it
overboard. As soon as the sea anchor has been deployed, the
raft slows down and the anchor lines go taut.
97 EXT. RAFT - DAY 97
Pi has rigged an additional line between the open end of the
lifeboat and his raft.
PI (READING V.O.)
For castaways who must share their
lifeboats with large dangerous
carnivores it's advisable to
establish a territory as your own.
The following course of action is
recommended.
Step one: choose a day when waves
are moderate but regular.
Step two: with the lifeboat facing
into the waves, making the ride as
comfortable as possible, blow your
whistle soothingly.
Step three: turn the lifeboat
sideways to the waves, accompanied
by harsh aggressive use of the
whistle. With sufficient
repetition, the animal will
associate the sound of the whistle
with the discomfort of seasickness.
Similar methods have long been used
by circus trainers, though they
generally lack access to rough
seas.
He reels in this line, turning the boat sideways to the
waves. The rocking increases. Pi blows the whistle several
times harshly ("warning" signal) as the rocking increases.
From within the boat, he hears the tiger groan. He grabs the
original lifeline that connects the raft to the boat and
hauls himself in. Pi grins, spits out the whistle.
PI (CONT'D)
(A ringmaster's call:)
Let the trumpets blare, let the
drum rolls begin! Prepare to be
amazed! Here it is, for your
enjoyment and instruction, the show
you've been waiting for all your
life will soon begin!
(MORE)
46.
PI (CONT'D)
Are you ready for the miracle of
it? Well, then - I give to you...
Pi lets go of the second line, raising his hand with a
flourish.
PI (CONT'D)
... the ASTOUNDING BENGAL TIGER!
He pulls the raft next to the tarp end of the lifeboat. The
tiger crawls out from under the tarp, violently ill.
PI (CONT'D)
(Rocking the boat:)
Hello, Richard Parker. Sorry about
the choppy ride.
Pi pulls himself onto the bow. Richard Parker tries to lift
his head, then groans, giving it up. Pi lifts the whistle to
his mouth and blows it repeatedly as he advances to the front
edge of the tarp, opens his fly and pisses in a straight line
across the midpoint of the boat.
PI (CONT'D)
(Pointing:)
MINE! YOU UNDERSTAND? YOURS - MINE!
(He blows his whistle)
You understand?
He steps back to observe the effect of this provocation on
the seasick tiger. Richard Parker staggers to the edge of the
tarp. He takes a deep sniff and winces, groaning, his tongue
hanging out in distaste. The tiger turns away from Pi, facing
the stern. Pi thinks the battle is won - until the tiger
lifts his tail and sprays him with a tremendous burst of
urine.
PI (READING V.O.) (CONT'D)
Step four: disregard steps one
through three.
A97 EXT. THE RAFT - AFTERNOON A97
Pi pulls in the solar still. Pi bends down to suck fresh
water from the straw that protrudes from a water still,
delighted to discover that it works. He carefully pours some
of the water into a can for himself, then pours the rest into
a bucket.
47.
B97 EXT. THE RAFT/THE LIFEBOAT - A SHORT TIME LATER B97
Pi pulls himself up to the bow of the lifeboat, sets a bucket
of water in the boat and blows his whistle. Richard Parker
sticks his head out from under the tarp.
PI
Here, Richard Parker. I've got some
water for you.
Pi blows the whistle once more, casting the raft adrift
again. Richard Parker sniffs, then begins lapping greedily at
the water.
103 EXT. RAFT - INSERT 103
INSERT of Pi writing in manual - text on page reflects Pi's
accompanying V.O.
PI (VO)
In the zoo, we fed our tigers an
average of five kilos of meat a
day. Richard Parker will be getting
hungry soon.
104 EXT. RAFT - CONTINUOUS 104
Pi chews for a moment, then spits out a blob of biscuit and
presses the food ball onto his hook, savoring the crumbs that
remain in his mouth. He tosses the hook and biscuit onto the
water - the hook sinks, leaving the crumble of biscuit
floating uselessly on the surface. Pi watches helplessly as
fish rise to the surface to nibble at the soggy crumbs.
PI (V.O.)
Tigers are powerful swimmers, and,
if he gets hungry enough, I'm
afraid the little bit of water
between us won't be any protection.
I need to find a way to feed him.
God made tigers carnivores, so I
must learn to catch fish. If I
don't, I'm afraid his last meal
will be a skinny vegetarian boy.
Pi thinks a moment. He takes off one of his shoes, using the
knife to cut a sliver of leather off the side. He presses the
hook through the leather and tosses it in the water. Pi pulls
in his fishing line - the leather is gone.
A SHORT TIME
LATER -
48.
105 EXT. RAFT - DAY 105
Pi has cut his shoe into a dozen bits of leather and tried
fishing several times - Always with the same result. Richard
Parker, watching, mops at his jaw to wipe away drool - he's
clearly getting hungry.
PI
Patience!
EXT. THE LIFEBOAT/THE RAFT - DUSK
Pi still fishes with no success. Richard Parker stares in the
water at the dorado. He leans over the side of the boat,
pawing hungrily at the surface as fish streak past - but the
fish elude him. Richard Parker leans out further, striking
with both paws - and finally jumps in altogether.
Richard Parker strikes and splashes as fish streak past. Pi
grins at the tiger's predicament - but the moment Richard
Parker realizes he can't climb back aboard, he begins
swimming toward the raft. Pi snaps to, recognizing the danger
he's in. He reels the raft over to the lifeboat, practically
leaping onto the bow.
As he hauls the raft aboard, Richard Parker manages to catch
the netting on the raft with one paw. Pi leans back against
an oar with all his weight, trying to lever the raft aboard;
the weight of the tiger tips the entire bow lower in the
water. Pi is about to lose the struggle when the tiger's claw
rips through the netting, and the lifeboat springs back up in
the water; the momentum flips the raft up onto the boat.
Pi turns, watching as Richard Parker swims up behind him
alongside the bow. He digs into the supply box and rises with
a hatchet in his hand, crossing to stand over the tiger and
blowing the whistle threateningly.
Standoff. Pi pumps the axe a few times, but cannot bring
himself to kill the tiger. Richard Parker stares up at Pi a
long moment, then paddles to the stern, trying once again to
pull himself aboard at the other end of the boat.
PI
What am I doing?
Pi kicks at the side of the boat in frustration, and is
surprised to hear a metal clunk. He finds a rectangular
aluminum air box used for bouyancy: Pi then pulls the tarp
back fully for the first time and examines the contents
below.
49.
As he removes one of the floorboard panels, imagining new
uses for the wooden slats, he hears Richard Parker scratching
at the hull of the boat.
PI (CONT'D)
Wait - I'm thinking.
107 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - NIGHT 107
Pi has tied a bunch of the flotation boxes to his raft and
loaded it with all the provisions from the lifeboat. He
points a flashlight beam over the side at the exhausted
Richard Parker, the tiger's face and whiskers just above the
surface of the water, scratching at the side of the boat.
Pi backs to the other end of the boat, pushing his raft into
the water with one hand as he rocks the boat to help Richard
Parker climb in. The moment the tiger is aboard, Pi climbs
onto the raft and pushes off, retreating to safety, blowing
the whistle to remind Richard Parker who's in command.
As he floats away, Pi collapses, exhausted, on the raft.
A107 EXT. THE RAFT - DAY A107
Pi goes through the supplies listed in his survival guide,
matching supplies to the pile of booty he's just retrieved
from the lifeboat.
PI (WRITING - V.O.)
93 cans of water...
B107 EXT. THE RAFT - DAY B107
Pi removes all of the lifejackets from under the life ring,
stacking them onto his latest raft structure. The empty
banana netting now drapes beneath the raft; Pi notices that
dorado are attracted to the net and gets an idea.
One of the dorados gets very close to the net - Pi realizes
his opportunity. He hauls in the netting and wrestles the
dorado onto the raft, flailing against the creature's
strength and throwing his full weight onto the creature to
keep it from sliding back into the ocean, riding it like a
bucking bronco. Pi grabs a hatchet from the raft and strikes
the fish over and over again. As the fish begins to die, it
flashes all kinds of colors in rapid succession - blue,
green, red, gold and violet flicker and shimmer neon-like on
its surface. Pi starts back, watching this colorful display
in terrified wonder. Finally, the fish ebbs to grey,
lifeless.
50.
PI
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Pi is devastated. He weeps, bringing his hands together,
pressing them against his forehead, murmuring a prayer to
himself and bowing over the dead fish in abject grief.
PI (CONT'D)
Thank you, Lord Vishnu. Thank you
for coming in the form of a fish
and saving our lives. Thank you...
108 EXT. THE RAFT/THE LIFEBOAT - A SHORT TIME LATER 108
Pi reels himself over to the lifeboat. He moves around to the
side of the boat, grabs the dorado by the tail and throws the
entire fish over the side and into the stern. It lands with a
thud, and from somewhere inside the boat, Richard Parker lets
out a grunt of surprise.
After a moment, Pi hears the wet mashing noises of the tiger
devouring the fish. As Pi pushes away from the lifeboat, he
puts the whistle in his mouth, blowing a few sharp blasts to
remind Richard Parker who's in charge.
112A EXT. THE RAFT - NIGHT 112A
A full moon. All around the raft, the green surface of the
water glows with millions of flecks of glowing plankton - and
beneath the surface, fish swim past at multiple depths and in
multiple directions. Pi brushes his fingers over the surface
of the water. The surface ripples where he touched it, the
plankton glowing more brightly, the effect moving outward and
downward through the water, an ever-expanding ring.
Pi hears a faint, rapid succession of blows. He peers into
the encroaching darkness but can see nothing. Richard Parker
is nowhere to be seen. The blows stop and Pi returns his
attention to the light show below.
Pi senses movement deep within the water, a cone of rushing
energy pressing up toward the luminescent surface.
Suddenly, the glowing silhouette of a huge creature wrapped
in phosphorescent plankton - a HUMPBACK WHALE - streaks to
the surface nearby, its mouth gaping. Fifty feet in length,
it thrusts itself up into the air. Pi barely has time to
react, gripping the raft and holding on for his life as the
whale comes crashing back down into the water.
51.
The animal slips back into the ocean, creating a wave that
sends the raft swirling across the water's surface,
submerging for a moment, then bouncing off the side of the
lifeboat.
Pi's neatly-stacked water cans and biscuits tumble over the
side of the raft and into the ocean.
The whale disappears into the night, leaving Pi open-mouthed
and shaken.
PI (V.O.)
Of course, I brought all the
biscuits and water on the raft with
me to keep them safe. Idiot.
116 EXT. THE RAFT/LIFEBOAT - LATE AFTERNOON 116
A calm day; gentle waves. Afternoon, the sun beating down. Pi
wears his shirt wrapped around his head to hold off the heat.
PI (V.O. - CONT'D)
Hunger can change everything you
ever thought you knew about
yourself.
Pi uses his knife to cut another scratch into the hull. There
are 38 scratches on the side of the lifeboat. He glances
down, staring longingly at the fish that swim just beneath
the raft, then looks across the lifeboat, where the gaff lies
hooked in the tarp close to the tiger's end of the boat.
Richard Parker is nowhere to be seen.
Pi reaches out with the boat hook to try to snag the gaff,
but it is hooked deeply into the tarp. He lays the boat hook
on the tarp and climbs aboard, crawling forward to free the
gaff. As he wiggles the hook free, Richard Parker's head pops
out from beneath the tarp only a few feet away.
Pi's winces, prepared for an attack. In an instant, he's
struck hard across the face - a stunning blow that sends him
backward onto the tarp.
Pause. Pi opens one eye. Richard Parker hasn't moved. Pi
looks down - a slender grey-blue fish with wings is flopping
about on the tarp. Pi has been hit by a flying fish.
Richard Parker has seen the flying fish as well. He rises to
his haunches. Pi grabs the flying fish and tosses it to
Richard Parker.
PI (CONT'D)
Here, it's yours.
52.
The tiger stands, jaws opening in anticipation...
And then the fish extends its wings, veering at the last
second and dropping into the water. Richard Parker tries to
bat the fish down, but it's too quick for him. The tiger
turns back toward Pi with a questioning glare.
The air around the boat whirs to life as they are struck from
all directions by a school of flying fish that descends upon
them like a swarm of locusts. Some sail clear over the boat;
a number crash into the side. Other, less fortunate fish land
in the boat, where they start a racket of flapping and
flailing. Pi yelps in anguish as he is struck repeatedly.
The school of fish is being pursued through the ocean by
tuna. It is a feeding frenzy - the ocean boils with jumping
fish and snapping jaws.
Richard Parker becomes totally absorbed in the kill, leaping,
blocking, and batting down as many of the fish as he can.
A fat, three-foot long yellowfin tuna lands onboard, cracking
hard against the center bench and falling, stunned and
twitching, into the boat.
Pi sees Richard Parker's head swivel in his direction. In a
moment of insanity brought on by hunger, Pi reaches back and
grabs the boat hook from the tarp, shoving it aggressively
into the tiger's face just as Richard Parker launches
forward.
The boat hook catches Richard Parker square in the mouth; the
tiger staggers back in shock and growls in outrage. Pi rises
up to his full height, staring directly into the tiger's eyes
and shouting in fury, his gaze wide, his posture defiant.
PI (CONT'D)
MINE!!!! MINE!!! AHHH!!
AAAAHHHH!!!!
Boy and tiger face off for several seconds, both panting,
neither blinking nor showing fear, as the rain of fish
gradually slows around them.
Richard Parker turns his focus from Pi and takes in the
situation around him. Realizing that he stands up to his
knees in a pile of flying fish, he turns his attention to a
more convenient meal.
Pi uses the gaff to snag the tuna, shoving it to the farthest
edge of the bow. As he rises, late afternoon light casts
golden flames across the surface of the water, throwing Pi
into backlight.
53.
Pi picks up the boat hook and turns to face Richard Parker.
EXT. THE RAFT - SUNSET
Pi takes a small piece of tuna and gingerly raises it to his
lips, tasting flesh for the first time. A pause as he savors
the taste, considering... and then hunger takes him over. He
grabs at the tuna, stuffing pieces into his mouth, devouring
it.
A132 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY A132
Pi uses a bandage from the first aid kit to wrap a cut on his
leg. As he works, he glances back toward the boat, deep in
contemplation.
PI (V.O.)
I can't risk my life every time I
have to climb onto the boat for
supplies. It's time to settle this.
If we're going to live together, we
have to learn to communicate.
B132 EXT. THE RAFT - DAY B132
Pi reaches into the stern, prying loose a seven-foot strip of
wooden molding that lines the front edge of the seats.
PI (V.O.)
Maybe Richard Parker cannot be
tamed, but with God's will, he can
be trained.
Pi works intently with his knife, whittling the strip of
molding into a long tapered wand with a handgrip on one end.
133 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 133
Pi crosses the tarp, approaching Richard Parker with his new
training stick.
The tiger backs off as Pi approaches - curious and annoyed.
Pi uses the stick to probe into the tiger's territory,
testing his limits; Richard Parker gets angry, batting at the
stick. Pi looks away, tries again, then turns to face Richard
Parker, who growls, angry and begins batting at the stick.
PI
NO!
54.
Pi gives the tiger a stern glare. RP stops, stares back, then
backs off.
PI (CONT'D)
Good.
Pi reaches into a pouch behind his back, taking out a piece
of fish. He places it on the end of the stick and reaches
out, offering it to Richard Parker, who sniffs the air.
Pi puts the fish on the bench. Richard Parker eats the fish,
then backs up, growing calmer.
Pi takes out another fish, reaches out to tap the bench, then
tosses the fish on the bench. Richard Parker takes the fish,
eats.
Pi tosses the next piece near the edge of the tarp and taps,
encouraging Richard Parker to follow his direction.
PI (CONT'D)
Go Richard Parker. Go. Go on home;
I'll leave you alone. I'll respect
that. I promise. Go, c'mon.
Richard Parker stares at Pi. Pi raises his arms and yells,
chasing Richard Parker around the bench and under the tarp.
PI (CONT'D)
Yes!
Pi sits, the battle over.
137 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT/THE RAFT - DAY 137
The sun is high. Pi raises the adjustable canopy he has
rigged on his raft and sits beneath it. He feels the wind on
his face and watches Richard Parker lounge in the stern of
the lifeboat. Pi smiles, for a moment genuinely happy.
He uses his knife to carefully sharpen his pencil, then
begins writing in the margins of his survival manual, which
are covered with journal entries...
`LIFE IS GOOD' MONTAGE - Pi's raft has transformed again.
Fish strips dry on lines; he has fashioned new tools, rigged
an elaborate water collection system out of turtle shells,
and a collapsible shade umbrella.
- Pi trims his fingernails, a fish bone toothpick in his
mouth.
55.
PI (WRITING - V.O.)
I never thought a small piece of
shade could bring me so much
happiness. That a pile of tools - a
bucket, a knife, a pencil- might
become my greatest treasures. Or
that knowing Richard Parker was
here might ever bring me peace. In
times like these, I remember that
he has as little experience of the
real world as I do. We were both
raised in a zoo by the same master.
Now we've been orphaned, left to
face our ultimate master together.
Without Richard Parker, I would
have died by now. My fear of him
keeps me alert. Tending to his
needs gives my life purpose.
138 EXT. RAFT - DAY 138
A school of dolphins, hundreds of them, pass in the distance,
the blue sea roiling.
PI
Dolphins, Richard Parker!
Just beyond the school of dolphin, something else catches
Pi's attention on the horizon - a freighter, much like the
Tsimtsum, is within a few miles of their position.
PI (CONT'D)
Hey! HEY!! WE'RE HERE!! OVER HERE!!
Pi scrambles to the storage locker, pulling out the flare
gun. He loads and fires - the flare arcs high up into the
air, a miniature white star leaving a bright trail of fire
and smoke as it falls to the earth.
LATER -
139 EXT. RAFT - SUNSET 139
It's grown noticeably darker. The freighter is far off now.
140 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - NIGHT 140
It is late now. Pi loads the last flare into his gun and
raises it into the air - then stops. The freighter, now a
fleck on the horizon, hasn't seen them. Pi watches as the
dark form of the boat sinks from view.
56.
Pi fires one last time, staring up at the archways of smoke
and the darkening sky. Pi lowers the flare gun. Richard
Parker yawns and turns away.
PI (WRITING - V.O.)
Above all, don't lose hope...
The flare burns a hole into the night.
141 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT, MONTHS LATER - DAY 141
HIGH ANGLE ("book cover" shot) - looking down on the boat,
adrift in the middle of the ocean. Pi lies curled on the tarp
in the bow; Richard Parker lies in the stern. Beneath the
boat, the ocean swirls with traffic, including an enormous
whale shark. It passes beneath the boat, the creature's form
blotting out the depths.
A141 ONBOARD - A141
A series of shots to show that Pi has grown gaunt, his eyes
wild from exhaustion and endless solitude. The tarp has
faded; the paint on the boat has become sun-bleached and
weather- beaten. Pi's hair has grown long; his skin has
darkened from olive-caramel to cocoa. The shirt has begun to
take on a look of thread-worn transparency.
He taps on the aluminum hull of the boat with his thumb in
time with his recitation:
PI
...645682948602814931815602496...
EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - NIGHT
Richard Parker gazes into the distance; Pi stares intently
at the tiger.
PI
What are you looking at...? Tell
me. What do you see?
The tiger turns and looks over the side of the boat into the
water; Pi rises and looks over the side as well, staring into
the depths...
57.
RP'S POV - starting on his own reflection in the water and
traveling downward, through schools of darting tuna, squid
and lantern fish, past fleeting memories of a storm and zoo
animals struggling to survive in churning waters and into the
darkest recesses of the sea, Pi finding a broken ship and
memories of a former life lying dormant on the ocean floor...
OUT OF POV - Richard Parker looks over at Pi as he gazes into
the water.
Cut to an extremely wide shot of the boat floating in a sea
of stars.
PI (WRITING - V.O.) (CONT'D)
Words are all I have left to hang
onto...
147 EXT. LIFEBOAT - DAY 147
Pi's fingers tremble as he writes in his manual, the tiny
cramped letters barely legible, every white surface of the
page covered.
PI (WRITING - V.O.)
Everything mixed up, fragmented.
Can't tell daydreams, night dreams
from reality anym --
The lead in his tiny stub of a pencil runs out, worn to a nub
of wood. Pi slowly puts down his pencil, brooding.
148 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 148
Pi lies on the tarp, his position nearly unchanged, beating a
drum rhythm on the hull, a wreck of conflicted thoughts and
frayed nerves.
We hear a distant rumble of thunder. Pi raises his head. Dark
thunderclouds rise up over the horizon blackening the
heavens. Another rumble of thunder, this one closer.
PI
Storm! Storm, Richard Parker!
149 EXT. LIFEBOAT - DAY 149
Pi takes down the canopy on the raft. Pi begins quickly
stowing his gear in the storage bench, beneath the tarp.
Richard Parker flees to the safety of his den under the tarp.
As Pi stows gear, he remembers his manual and takes it out
from his waistband.
58.
The storm front sweeps across the ocean in a squall line,
high winds and rain striking Pi and the lifeboat with
tremendous force. The manual slips from his hands and Pi is
knocked off his feet and into the water. He lifts his head
out of the water in time to watch the manual flying off into
the storm.
PI
No!
The manual is gone. Pi ties himself to the lifeboat with a
rope from the raft.
150 EXT. LIFEBOAT - DAY 150
a stunning display of clouds and lightning fills the sky, as
Pi looks on in awe. The sky lights up, a vivid white splinter
of lightning crashing down from the sky, puncturing the water
near the lifeboat. The water is shot through with what looks
like the white roots of an enormous celestial tree; the clap
of thunder is tremendous.
PI
Praise be to God, Lord of All
Worlds, the Compassionate, the
Merciful!
A wave washes Pi off of the tarp and onto the floor of the
boat. Pi climbs onto the bench. He looks up in wonder at the
sky, overwhelmed by the magnificence of the roiling clouds.
PI (CONT'D)
It's beautiful... Where are you,
Richard Parker? You have to see
this!
Another angle: he begins unbuttoning the tarp, calling
excitedly to Richard Parker.
PI (CONT'D)
Come out Richard Parker! Come see
the hand of God!
Pi continues to unfasten the tarp.
PI (CONT'D)
Don't hide yourself! He's come to
us! It's a miracle!
A huge wave envelopes the lifeboat, submerging the craft
completely - and then the boat pops to the surface like a
cork. Pi resumes opening the tarp. He tears it aside,
exposing the terrified animal to the storm.
59.
PI (CONT'D)
COME OUT AND SEE GOD RICHARD
PARKER!
The sky lights up all around them. The tiger begins roaring,
pawing at the air, eyes wide, crazed with fear. Pi turns to
face the storm.
PI (CONT'D)
WHY ARE YOU SCARING HIM! I'VE LOST
MY FAMILY - I'VE LOST EVERYTHING! I
SURRENDER! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?
A wave washes Pi overboard, and the raft comes crashing down
on top of the lifeboat, then slides away. Pi climbs back on
board. He lies on the bench, coming to his senses, realizing
the extent of the danger they face. He sees Richard Parker
cowering miserably at the stern.
PI (CONT'D)
I'm sorry Richard Parker!
Pi crawls to the bow in time to see the raft, no longer tied
to the lifeboat, drifting away. Pounded by rain and surf, he
works his way around the edge of the boat, re-hooking the
tarp to tarp hooks. With only four left unfastened along one
side, he pulls himself under the tarp.
151 INT. THE LIFEBOAT, UNDER THE TARP - CONTINUOUS 151
Thunder, rain and surf hammer the tarp from above; Pi pulls
himself under the tarp. Richard Parker's grunts and labored
breathing can be heard, but man and beast are only fully
visible when lightning strikes, Pi trying to stay as far away
from the tiger as he can manage. Before long the boat is
tossing Pi and the tiger as though in a washing machine, the
two helplessly colliding with one another, Pi choking as
water splashes in.
152 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 152
Pi wakes in the sloshing water under the tarp. Sunlight
filters in from above. The storm has passed. Richard Parker
lies listlessly in the side bench. Pi climbs out of the
waterlogged hull. A double rainbow pierces majestic clouds,
the sun breaking through.
153 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - DAY 153
The gentle sound of water lapping at the side of the
lifeboat; the breeze rattling the tarp. Time has passed;
60.
life on the boat has grown tougher for Pi, his supplies more
meager, since the raft was lost.
Pi lies in the bow, exhausted, delirious. He pulls himself
upright, takes a drink of water and looks around, confused.
Richard Parker lies in the stern of the boat, severely
emaciated, his coat dull, his eyes clouded. Shivering, Pi
uses the last of his strength to drag himself over to the
tiger. The animal's body is curled, his tail flat. Some of
his fur has fallen away from his shoulders and haunches. He's
a skeleton in an oversized bag of fur. Pi reaches out to
place a hand on the tiger. He gently touches him on one spot.
PI
We're dying, Richard Parker. I'm
sorry.
Pi sits and places the tiger's head on his lap.
PI (CONT'D)
Amma, Appa, Ravi - I'm happy I'm
going to see you soon.
(Pause)
Can you feel the rain?
Richard Parker raises his head slightly; his tail twitches.
PI (CONT'D)
God, thank you for giving me my
life. I'm ready now.
158 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT/THE ISLAND - DAY 158
Pi lies, unconscious, in the bow of the lifeboat. Waves lap
at the sides of the boat, which presses against the shore of
an island.
A gust of wind blows across Pi's face, tousling his hair. Pi
gradually opens his eyes. A beat. He tips his head back.
Pi's POV - above and behind him, the tops of trees.
Pi turns, looking at the island, amazed. The trees have a
pale bark with an amazing profusion of leaves, their color
burning with a neon-like intensity. There is no sand; instead
the ground is an intricate, tightly webbed mass of tube-
shaped seaweed, about two fingers in diameter.
Pi turns to look back to the stern; he calls under the tarp.
PI
Richard Parker?
61.
Pi rises, stepping out of the boat. The seaweed is rubbery -
uncertain ground. His legs are wobbly. He hooks the gaff on a
root and falls to the ground. Pi tears up a piece of the
seaweed and examines it. He takes an experimental bite. Soon
he's grabbing handfuls of the seaweed, eating as fast as he
can.
Pi climbs the ridge on unsteady legs. A forest comes into
view with nearly symmetrical ponds dotting the island here
and there, many of them reaching 40 feet in diameter.
Half the island seems to be covered with meerkats - thousands
of them standing together in groups all over the island. The
moment the first of the meerkats notices Pi, it turns and
stands on its hind legs - and the others immediately follow
suit.
EXT. THE ISLAND - DAY
Pi walks slowly forward, taking in the meerkats and the
island. Gradually, the meerkats return to all fours - their
squeaking and barking noises coming and going in waves
throughout the herd. They pay him so little attention that Pi
has to shove them aside with his legs in order to walk.
PI
Excuse me... Go on, move!
Pi walks beyond the throng of meerkats toward a pond, pausing
to examine the fish bones that litter the edge of one of the
ponds. The edge is steep; he gets too close, slips down the
side and into the water. Pi tastes the water. He begins a
gentle, blissful breaststroke across the pond.
Pi hears a commotion. He lifts himself up to peer over at the
meerkats. In the distance, Richard Parker blazes a trail
through the meerkats, catching, pinning and eating as many as
he can. Pi smiles, watching the tiger.
LATER:
164 EXT. THE TREE - SUNSET 164
Pi sits cradled in a nest of branches, rigging a hammock. As
the last rays of the sun disappear, he hears a commotion
below on the island and pushes aside branches to see better.
The meerkats are abandoning the ponds, scurrying up onto land
and running for the forest, their collective stampede noisier
than a herd of elephants. Richard Parker, in the meantime,
runs for the shoreline, scrambling down the ridge as fast as
possible and leaping into the lifeboat.
62.
The trunk beneath Pi is swarmed as meerkats settle upon all
the branches in the tree. Several invade Pi's hammock,
sitting on him, climbing over him, making themselves
comfortable at his expense.
PI
Hey! Hey! Hey c'mon. Hey! Hey-get
away. This is my bed!
Pi shoves them off as best he can and settles in for the
night.
165 EXT. UP IN THE TREE - NIGHT 165
Pi sleeps, nestled in the branches of the tree.
Meerkats snore - at least one of them in the branches beneath
Pi does. Pi wakes up, staring grumpily into the darkness at
the noisy offender.
He is amazed to discover that what he can see of the island
from his perch is bioluminescent. The leaves of the tree
around him and the seaweed below all glow in gentle greens,
while the ponds beneath seem to shimmer like liquid silver -
it is a scene at once beautiful and threatening.
Pi hears a burbling noise coming from the pond at the center
of the tree. He looks down; fish bubble to the surface. One
of the larger fish writhes in agony at the surface before
falling still along with the others.
Pi watches as the water below begins churning with the bodies
of the dead fish, the surface of the water aswirl with the
flash of fins - then gradually the fish begin to disappear,
as though slowly dissolving in the water. Pi stares at the
mysterious pool, then looks out over the island to where the
lifeboat is anchored along shore -
Richard Parker is visible, sitting in the boat, staring up at
the island.
166 EXT. THE LIFEBOAT - NIGHT 166
CLOSE ON RICHARD PARKER staring into the night.
168 EXT. LIFEBOAT - NIGHT 168
WIDE ANGLE - looking over the tiger's shoulder, taking in the
entire island. From this distance, it looks - and sounds - as
though the island is gently expanding and contracting with
the tides... as though it is breathing.
63.
169 EXT. UP IN THE TREE - NIGHT 169
Pi notices fruit growing on one of the branches above his
head. He looks around at the rest of the tree, but the fruit
only seems to grow along the one branch. Pi plucks one of the
fruits and examines it. Each stem that he pulls causes a leaf
to peel off. He reaches the center of the ball, peeling back
the last of the leaves, to reveal a tooth.
FLASH FORWARD
TO:
170 INT. PI'S HOME, MONTREAL - LATE AFTERNOON 170
WRITER
It was human tooth?
ADULT PI
Don't you see, the island was
carnivorous.
WRITER
Carnivorous? Like... a Venus
flytrap?
ADULT PI
Yes, the whole island - the plants,
the water in those pools, the very
ground itself. During the day,
those pools held fresh water, but
at night, some chemical process
turned the water in those pools
into acid - acid that dissolved
those fish, that sent the meerkats
scurrying into the trees and
Richard Parker running to the boat.
WRITER
But where did the tooth come from?
ADULT PI
Years ago, some poor fellow just
like me must have found himself
stranded on that island.... And
like me he thought he might stay
there forever. But all that the
island gave him by day, it took
away again by night. To think - how
many hours spent with only meerkats
for company? How much loneliness
taken on?
(MORE)
64.
ADULT PI (CONT'D)
All I know is that eventually he
died, and the island digested him,
leaving behind only his teeth. I
saw how my life would end if I
stayed on that island. Alone and
forgotten. I had to go back to the
world, or die trying.
171 EXT. ISLAND/LIFEBOAT - DAY 171
Pi loads the boat with water and meerkats; the tarp is piled
high with roots and seaweed.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
I spent the next day preparing the
boat. I filled my stores with fresh
water, ate seaweed until my stomach
could take no more, and brought as
many meerkats as I could fit into
the storage locker for Richard
Parker. I couldn't leave without
him, of course - it would mean
killing him. And so I waited for
his return. I knew he wouldn't be
late.
He blows his whistle, calling:
PI
RICHARD PARKER!
172 EXT. THE ISLAND/LIFEBOAT - SUNSET 172
Richard Parker runs down the ridge and jumps into the stern.
Pi climbs aboard and shoves off.
CUT TO:
173 EXT. OCEAN NEAR ISLAND - LIFEBOAT - SUNSET 173
Pi and the tiger watch as the island recedes into the
distance, lit by the late afternoon sun.
PI (V.O)
No one has ever seen that floating
island since; you won't read about
those trees in any nature book. And
yet if I hadn't found those shores,
I would have died. And if I hadn't
discovered that tooth, I would have
been lost, alone forever.
(MORE)
65.
PI (V.O) (CONT'D)
Even when God seemed to have
abandoned me, He was watching.
Even when He seemed indifferent to
my suffering, He was watching. And
when I was beyond all hope of
saving, He gave me rest, then gave
me a sign to continue my journey.
177 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 177
Pi leans over the side of the lifeboat. He falls overboard.
We follow him underwater, his feet - hit a sandy bottom.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
By the time we reached the Mexican
shore, I was afraid to let go of
the boat. My strength was gone. I
was so weak. I was afraid that in
two feet of water, so close to
deliverance, I would drown. I
struggled to shore and fell upon
the sand. It was warm and soft,
like pressing my face against the
cheek of God. And somewhere two
eyes were smiling at having me
there.
An empty coastline, nothing but sand, rocks and jungle. Pi
struggles to bring the lifeboat ashore. Richard Parker is
hiding under the tarp, nowhere to be seen. Pi pulls the
painter line until the boat is on the beach, then collapses
on the sand.
177 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 177
Pi collapses on the beach. He hears Richard Parker coming a
moment before he sees him; Pi turns, looking up as the tiger
jumps over the boy, stretching in the air above him and
landing in the water ahead of him.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
I was so spent I couldn't move. And
so Richard Parker went ahead of me.
Richard Parker walks along the beach, his gait clumsy and
uncoordinated from so much time spent at sea.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
He stretched his legs and walked
along the shore.
66.
Richard Parker stops, staring ahead into the forest, his back
to the boy. Pi watches the tiger from behind, Richard
Parker's ribs gently rising and falling as he smells the
jungle air.
ADULT PI (V.O.)
At the edge of the jungle, he
stopped. I was certain he was going
to look back at me, flatten his
ears to his head, growl - that he'd
bring our relationship to an end in
some way. But he just stared ahead
into the jungle.
178 INT. PI'S HOME, DINING ROOM, MONTREAL - SUNSET 178
On Adult Pi alone:
ADULT PI
And then Richard Parker, my fierce
companion, the terrible one who
kept me alive, disappeared forever
from my life.
181 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 181
Pi lies on the sand a few yards from the water. A group of
six MEXICAN LOCALS hurry down the beach to him.
ADULT PI
After a few hours, a member of my
own species found me. He left and
returned with a group who carried
me away.
Pi sobs uncontrollably as they carry him to safety.
ADULT PI (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I wept like a child, not because I
was overwhelmed at having survived,
although I was. I was weeping
because Richard Parker left me
so... unceremoniously. It broke my
heart.
174 INT. PI'S HOME - DINING ROOM - MONTREAL - NEAR SUNSET 174
It is near sunset, the light from the windows casting theroom
in a golden hue - the same lighting we have just seen as Pi
was leaving the island.
67.
ADULT PI
You know, my father was right.
Richard Parker never saw me as his
friend. After all we'd been
through, he didn't even look back.
But I have to believe that there
was more in his eyes than my own
reflection staring back at me. I
know I felt it - even if I can't
prove it. I just wish...
(Beat. He sighs.)
You know, I've left so much behind.
My family, the zoo, Anandi, India -
I suppose in the end the whole of
life becomes an act of letting go.
But what always hurts the most is
not taking the moment to say
goodbye. I was never able to thank
my father for all I learned from
him, to tell him that without his
lessons I would never have
survived...
And I know he's a tiger, but I wish
I'd said: 'It's over. We've
survived. Thank you for saving my
life. I love you, Richard Parker.
You will always be with me. May God
be with you.'
The Writer shakes his head, astonished.
WRITER
I don't know what to say.
ADULT PI
Hard to believe, isn't it?
A pause as the writer decides how to respond.
WRITER
It is a lot to take in, to figure
out what it all means.
ADULT PI
If it happened, it happened. Why
should it have to mean anything?
WRITER
Well, some of it is pretty
incredible.
Pi nods - a half-smile - then rises, crossing to the
bookshelf.
68.
ADULT PI
I was the only one who survived the
shipwreck, so the Japanese shipping
company sent two men to talk to me
in the Mexican hospital where I was
recovering. I still have a copy of
their report.
Pi takes a tattered notebook out of the bookcase.
ADULT PI (CONT'D)
They had insurance claims to
settle, and they wanted to find out
why the ship sank. They didn't
believe me either.
Pi hands the notebook to the Writer. On top, there is a
newspaper article with the headline "BOY RESCUED: 227 DAYS IN
THE PACIFIC." The Writer unclips the article, revealing the
insurance report beneath. We hear Okamoto's first line over
the report.
A175 INT. INFIRMARY - MEXICO, 1978 - DAY A175
OKAMOTO
Thousands of meerkats? On a
floating carnivorous island? And no
one has ever seen it?
YOUNG PI
Yes. Just like I told you.
CHIBA
Bananas don't float.
OKAMOTO
(In Japanese:)
Why are you talking about bananas?
CHIBA
You said the orangutan floated to
you on a bundle of bananas. But
bananas don't float.
OKAMOTO
(In Japanese:)
Are you sure about that?
YOUNG PI
Of course they do. Try it for
yourself.
69.
OKAMOTO
In any case, we are not here to
talk about bananas or meerkats.
YOUNG PI
I've just told you a long story.
I'm very tired.
OKAMOTO
We're here because a Japanese cargo
ship sank in the Pacific.
YOUNG PI
Something I never forget. I lost my
whole family.
Pause.
OKAMOTO
(In Japanese:)
Get him some water.
(In English:)
We don't mean to push you. And you
have our deepest sympathies. But
we've come a long way. And we're no
closer to understanding why the
ship sank.
YOUNG PI
Because I don't know. I was asleep.
Something woke me up. It may have
been an explosion; I can't be sure.
And then the ship sank. What else
do you want from me?
CHIBA (OFF)
A story that won't make us look
like fools.
OKAMOTO
We need a simpler story for our
report. One our company can
understand. A story we can all
believe.
(Chiba gives Pi a glass of
water.)
YOUNG PI
So.... a story without things you
never seen before.
OKAMOTO
That's right.
70.
YOUNG PI
Without surprises. Without animals
or islands.
OKAMOTO
Yes. The truth.
B175 INT. PI'S HOME, MONTREAL - DAY B175
WRITER
So what did you do?
ADULT PI
I told him another story. Four of
us survived...
YOUNG PI (V.O. - OVERLAPPING)
Four of us survived...
C175 INT. INFIRMARY, MEXICO, 1978 - DAY C175
YOUNG PI
...The cook and the sailor were
already onboard. The cook threw me
a lifebuoy and pulled me aboard.
Mother held onto some bananas and
made it to the lifeboat. The cook,
the cook was a disgusting man. He
ate a rat. We had food enough for
weeks, but he found the rat in the
first few days - and he killed it,
and dried it in the sun and ate it.
He was such a brute, that man. But
he was resourceful. It was his idea
to build the raft to catch fish. We
would have died in those first few
days without him. The sailor was
the same man who brought rice with
gravy, the Buddhist. We didn't
understand much of what he said,
only that he was suffering. I can
still hear him - the happy Buddhist
who only ate rice with gravy. He
had broken his leg horribly in the
fall. We tried to set it as best we
could, but the leg became infected
and the cook told us we had to do
something or he'd die. The cook
said he'd do it, but mother and I
had to hold the man down. And I
believed him - we needed to do it.
(MORE)
71.
YOUNG PI (CONT'D)
So... I kept saying, "I'm sorry, I'm
sorry", but he just kept.. looking
at me, his eyes so... I'll never
understand the point of that man's
suffering. We didn't save him, of
course. He died. The morning after,
the cook caught his first dorado,
and I didn't understand what he'd
done at first, but Mother did, and
I'd never seen her so angry. 'Stop
whining and be happy,' he said. "We
need more food or we'll die. That
was the whole point.' 'What was the
point?' Mother asked. "You let that
poor boy die in order to get bait?
You monster!' The cook got furious.
He started towards her with his
fists raised, and Mother slapped
him hard, right across the face. I
was stunned. I thought he was going
to kill her right then. But he
didn't. The cook didn't stop at
bait either, no. The sailor, he
went the same way the rat went -
the cook was a resourceful man. It
was a week later that he... Because
of me. Because I couldn't hold onto
a stupid turtle. It slipped out of
my hands and swam away and the cook
came up and punched me on the side
of the head and my teeth clacked
and I saw stars. I thought he was
going to hit me again, but then
Mother started pounding on him with
her fists and screaming, "MONSTER!
MONSTER!" She yelled at me to go to
the raft - "Nee poda!" I thought
she was coming with me or I'd never
have... I don't know why I didn't
make her go first. I think about
that every day. I jumped over and
turned back just as the knife came
out. There wasn't anything I could
do; I couldn't look away... He
threw her body overboard. Then the
sharks came. I saw what they... I
saw. The next day I killed him. He
didn't even fight back. He knew he
had gone too far, even by his
standards. He'd left the knife out
on the bench. And I did to him what
he did to the sailor. He was such
an evil man, but worse still, he
brought the evil out in me.
(MORE)
72.
YOUNG PI (CONT'D)
I have to live with that. I was
alone in a lifeboat, drifting
across the Pacific Ocean. And I
survived.
176 INT. PI'S HOME - DINING ROOM - MONTREAL - SUNSET 176
ADULT PI
After that, no more questions. The
investigators didn't seem to like
the story, exactly - but they
thanked me, they wished me well,
and they left.
Pause. The Writer speaks his thoughts aloud as the
realization strikes.
WRITER
So... the stories... Both the zebra
and the sailor broke their leg. And
the hyena killed the zebra and the
orangutan. So ... the hyena is the
cook. And the sailor is the zebra,
mother is the orangutan... and
you're... the tiger.
ADULT PI
Can I ask you something?
WRITER
Of course.
ADULT PI
I've told you two stories about
what happened out on the ocean.
Neither explains what caused the
sinking of the ship, and no one can
prove which story is true and which
is not. In both stories, the ship
sinks, my family dies, and I
suffer.
WRITER
True.
ADULT PI
So which story do you prefer?
WRITER
The story with the tiger. That's
the better story.
73.
ADULT PI
(Heartfelt:)
Thank you. And so it goes with God.
WRITER
(Pause. He looks up.)
Mamaji was right. It is an amazing
story. Will you really let me write
it?
ADULT PI
Of course. Isn't that why Mamaji
sent you here, after all?
They hear a car pulling into the alleyway alongside the
house.
ADULT PI (CONT'D)
My wife is here. Would you like to
stay for dinner? She's an
incredible cook.
WRITER
I didn't know you had a wife.
ADULT PI
And a cat, and two children.
WRITER
So your story does have a happy
ending.
ADULT PI
Well, that's up to you. The story's
yours now.
The Writer smiles. Outside, car doors slam; we hear voices as
Pi's wife and children cross around to the front. Pi rises
and moves to the door. The Writer glances one final time at
the report. He flips the page and hesitates, reading the last
few lines aloud.
WRITER
(Reading:)
"Mr. Patel's is an astounding story
of courage and endurance
unparalleled in the history of
shipwrecks. Very few castaways can
claim to have survived so long at
sea, and none in the company of...
(He looks up at Pi)
...an adult Bengal tiger."
74.
PI
(Off:)
We have a guest. Let me introduce
you...
THE WRITER stands and faces Pi. We see his POV - on Pi,
holding his daughter in arms, surrounded by his family,
smiling...
DISSOLVE TO:
183 EXT. THE MEXICAN COAST/THE JUNGLE - DAY 183
YOUNG PI'S POV of Richard Parker from behind as he stares
into the jungle, the tiger's ribs gently rising and falling
as he smells the jungle air - and then he walks forward and
disappears into the swaying trees.
The moment that the tiger is out of view, all the color
drains out of Pi's world; his view of the trees loses all
dimension and fades to black and white as we...
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END
Pi - By Darren Aronosfsky
Pi
by
Darren Aranofsky
Originally featured at: Screensource
Shooting Script
September, 1996
TITLES EXPLODE TO WHITE
SLOW FADE TO:
EXTREME CLOSE-UP of MAXIMILIAN COHEN'S eyes popping open.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT -CHINATOWN FLAT � NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT
Max jolts his head from his desk and tries to orient him-self
in the darkness. He has intelligent eyes set in an exhausted,
good-looking face.
Then he notices the blood dripping from his nose. Max wipes
it.
Max's voiceover begins:
MAX (V.O.)
Monday, September first.
Six-fifteen.
INT. BATHROOM - DAWN
A pull-string light flips on. Max examines his bloody nose in
the mirror.
MAX (V.O.)
The alchemist awakes.
(Imitating)
"Turn lead into gold, Max,
lead into gold." Today, I find it.
TIGHT ON
Max's hand as three unmarked, circular pills hit his palm.
Then, he slams the pills into the back of his mouth.
Max replaces the cap on a plastic bottle of unmarked
prescription drugs. He drinks from the sink and splashes a
generous amount of water onto his head and face, cleaning his
nose.
He wipes his nose and examines the last remnants of blood on
his fingertip. Then, he dips his finger under the tap.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - MAIN ROOM - DAY
Max's room is constantly dark because the windows are blacked
out. He flips on his desk lamp.
A tiny ANT crawls across his desk. He looks at it for a moment
before getting angry and squashing it.
Sitting on the desk are three computer monitors, which Max
flips on.
Then he pops on more lights and more switches. We pull back
revealing that Max's apartment looks more like the inside of a
computer than a human's home.
The room is knee-high in computer parts of all shapes and
sizes. The walls are covered with circuit boards. Cables hang
from the ceiling like vines in a Brazilian rain forest. They
all seem to be wired together forming a monstrous homemade
computer.
This is EUCLID, Max's creation. The computer is alive with
sounds and lights.
Max works on Euclid with his solder and drill. He cares for
the machine as if it were his dream car
MAX (V.O.)
Heat's been getting
to Euclid. Feel it most in
the afternoon when I run the
set. Have to keep the fans on
all night from now on.
Otherwise, everything is
running topnotch. The stack
of 286's is now faster than
Columbia's computer science
department. I spent a couple
hundred dollars. Columbia's
cost? Half a million?
(Small snicker)
Ha...
Max checks the peephole on His front door. No one is there. He
unbolts the five lock and slides into the hall.
INT. APARTMENJ HALLWAY - DAY
As he secures his apartment, a Young girl named JENNA runs up
to him. Her MOM, down the hall, looks apologetic.
Jenna's eyes light up and she pulls out her Fisher Price
calculator.
JENNA
Max, Max! Can we do one?
MOM
(Over and over again)
Jenna! Jenna!
MAX
Oh, no.
JENNA
What's three hundred
and twenty-two times four
hundred and ninety-one.
Jenna types it into her calculator. Max finishes locking his
door.
MAX
(instantly)
One hundred fifty-eight thousand,
a hundred two. Right?
JENNA
(Eyes light up)
Right.
Max heads down the staircase.
MOM
Jenna...
Jenna screams after him.
JENNA
Okay, seventy-three
divided by twenty-two.
MAX
(instantly again)
Three point three one eight one
eight one eight...
EXT. CHINATOWN - DAY
Max watches people bustle through the busy intersections of
Chinatown. The streets are clogged with people.
MAX (V.O.)
Somewhere in there.
Somewhere. I know it's right
in front of me. The pattern.
They say it's chaos, it can't
be understood, too much
complexity.
EXT. ELECTRONIC MEGADUMP - DAY
Max scavenges electronic parts as he carefully navigates an
endless dump for old and rotting computers.
MAX (V.O.)
History it's there.
Lurking, shaping.
structuring, hiding, right
beneath the surface.
He unscrews a random IBM Board from a keyboard and slides it
into his pocket.
EXT PLAYGROUND � DAY
MOVE IN
on Max looking up at something as he reclines on a public
bench.
MAX (V.0.)
The cycling of disease epidemics,
the wax and wane of Caribou populations
in the Arctic, sunspot cycles,
the rise and fall of the
Nile and yes! the New York Stock
Exchange, they are all the
same.
MOVE IN
on a tree branch - shaking gently in the wind.
SLOW DISSOLVE TO EXTREME CLOSE-UP OF STOCK TICKER
Bright stock quotes drift across the screen.
MAX (V.O.)
I'll find this structure,
this order, this perfection.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
Max stares intensely at the ticker on the small TV that sits
next to his monitors.
MAX (V.O.)
Turn lead into gold.
The first. Right here. Right
here. With math. The numbers
of the stock market are my
lead. When I find the
pattern, then I will find
gold.
Max watches the right edge of the screen where the numbers
appear. He wants to see what's before that edge...
Max slaps the RETURN button on his computer.
The phone starts ringing.
Max eyes it suspiciously.
Just then, Euclid starts printing results on an old dot-
matrix printer.
Max suspiciously answers The phone.
MAX
Hello?
WOMAN'S VOICE
Maximilian Cohen, please.
MAX
Yeah?
WOMAN'S VOICE
Mr. Cohen?
MAX
Who's this?
WOMAN'S VOICE
Hi. my name is Marcy Dawson.
I'm a partner with the predictive
strategy firm Lancet-Percy. Can I
speak with Mr. Cohen, please?
MAX
I told you...
The printer finishes printing.
MARCY DAWSON
Mr. Cohen! How
are you? It's been a long
time. Sorry I haven't been in
touch. But I was hoping you
would allow me to take you to
lunch tomorrow, say one
o'clock?
MAX
Sorry, I can't.
MARCY DAWSON
We're very anxious to talk
with you, sir
MAX
I can't.
MARCY DAWSON
I'm prepared to
make you a generous...
Max hurries to wrap up the conversation.
MAX
I don't take offers for
my research. You know that.
Sorry, I Couldn't help you.
MARCY DAWSON
Mr. Cohen, give
me a moment...
But before Marcy finishes, Max hangs up. He rips off the
printout and heads to the front door.
He checks the peephole, His landlady. MRS. OVADIA, is sweeping
the hallway stairs humming a turn-of-the century (the last
one, not this one) tune.
Max waits a moment. He tousles his hair. Then he checks again.
She's gone. He opens his locks and releases several bolts.
INT.MAX'S BUILDING HALLWAY - DAY
Max locks his front door. Meanwhile, his next-door neighbor,
DEVI MINSTRY, a sexy young Indian woman, is just getting home.
Max looks away and tries to get his door locked.
She's weighted down by a bunch of bags filled with food.
DEVI
Max, good!
MAX
Hi, Devi.
DEV1
I grabbed you some
somosas.
MAX
Great.
Devi heads over to Max with her bags of food. She looks up at
Max.
DEVI
Your hair.
Devi hands the bags to Max. Then she goes to pat down his
Hair. Max retreats.
MAX
What are you doing?
DEVI
Your hair, you can't go
out like that. Don't worry.
MAX
It's fine. It's fine.
Devi pats down his hair. Max is humiliated.
DEVI
You need a mom.
Max hands back the bags and heads quickly for the stairs.
MAX
I have to go.
DEVI
Your somosas!
An embarrassed Max takes the bag.
MAX
Thanks.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
At the counter, Max stirs cream into his coffee. Then he takes
three pills from the plastic bottle and drops them in his
coffee.
Max flips past a full-page ad in the paper that reads
LANCET-PERCY 86% ACCURACY (ONLY GOD IS PERFECT).
Max flips the page before he or we can absorb it. He compares
stock quotes in the Wall Street Journal against his printout.
MAX (V.O.)
Sixteen, twenty-seven. Results: Euclid
shows tomorrow's Dow closing
up by four points. Anomalies
include PRONET at sixty-fire
and a quarter, a career high.
Possible explanations, either
A, an error in the June fifth
algorithm, or B, Euclid's
main processor is running a
recursion...
Max marks up the paper with lines and diagrams as he ponders
his bits and misses.
Then a puff of cigarette smoke drifts by and succeeds in
bothering Max. He fans it away when�
VOICE FROM OFFSCREEN
Oh sorry, am I bothering you?
Max shrugs and looks over.
The voice belongs to LENNY MEYER�a bearded man in his late 20s
sucking on a cigarette.
On closer inspection, something is off. It seems that Lenny is
an Orthodox Jew. His yarmulke sticks out Slightly from his
wide-brimmed hat and the fringes from his tsi-tsis hang out
from the bottom of his untucked shirt.
LENNY MEYER
I'll put it out.
(Which he does)
The name's Lenny Meyer
Lenny sticks out his hand. Max responds with a small nod.
LENNY MEYER
And you are?
MAX
Max.
LENNY MEYER
Max?
MAX
Max Cohen.
LENNY MEYER
Cohen!
(Judging)
Jewish?
Max shrugs and turns back to his work.
LENNY MEYER
It's okay.
(Joking)
I'm a Jew, too.
(Serious)
Do you practice?
MAX
No, I'm not interested
in religion.
LENNY MEYER
Have you ever
heard of Kabbalah?
MAX
No.
LENNY MEYER
Jewish mysticism.
MAX
I'm sorry, I'm very busy.
LENNY MEYER
I understand...it's just that
it's a very exciting time in
our history. Right now is a
critical moment in time.
MAX
(Sarcastic)
Really?
LENNY MEYER
Yes, it's very exciting.
Have you ever put on Tefillin?
Max has no idea what Lenny's talking about. Lenny pulls a
leather box with black leather straps from his pocket.
LENNY MEYER
Tefillin. You know Tefillin.
I know it looks strange.
But it's an amazing
tradition that has a
tremendous amount of power.
It's a mitzvah for all
Jewish men to do. Mitzvahs,
good deeds, are spiritual
food for our hearts and our
heads.
And then Max notices that his thumb is twitching He grabs it
self-consciously.
LENNY MEYER
They purify us and bring us
closer to God. You want to try it?
Just then, Max pays his bill and prepares to leave.
MAX
I gotta go...
LENNY MEYER
Are you okay? Max? Max?
MAX
I'm sorry, bye.
LENNY MEYER
Well, maybe some other time.
INT. MAX'S BATHROOM - NIGHT
Max splashes water on his face.
MAX
Please God, Let it be a
small one.
He pulls a metal vaccinating gun out of the medicine cabinet.
Then be loads it with a small bottle of medicine. He rolls up
his sleeve, dabs alcohol on his arm, and fires the gun into
his arm.
MAX (V.O.)
Sixteen thirty-five.
Second headache in under
twenty-four hours. They're
getting more frequent
now...more painful, too. Drugs
don't work, just take the
edge off of it. Just gotta
wait for the nosebleed.
Relief comes from my nose.
Next door, he hears Devi and her boyfriend talking.
FARROUHK (O.S.)
So I gotta make this drop off
in Harlem and on the way down
there's these three kids
hailing me.
Max slaps himself in the face a few times.
DEVI (O.S.)
You stopped?
FARROUHK (O.S.)
I was tight, so...
Max watches his thumb twitch. And then pain shoots through
him. He grabs the right side of his head, massages it, and
pushes it in with his fingers.
In the mirror, he examines the right side of his scalp. He
sees nothing
MAX
Ahh...
Max walks back into the
MAIN ROOM
and sits down in a chair. The lamp is blinding so he
snaps it off. Only the bathroom light lights the room. He
takes a few breaths.
MAX
Leave me alone.
His neighbors conversation begins to build in volume
and distortion.
FARROUHK (O.S.)
So I drop them off in the
Village and they dart.
DEVI (O.S.)
Oh God...
Max gags and rubs his head.
FARROUHK (O.S.)
I get out, grab my bat and
start running. One of the kids,
maybe sixteen, I catch a block
later he's cursing at me, calling
me a Paki bastard. So I whacked him,
right in the head.
DEVI (O.S.)
Farrouhk!
The pain seems to disappear. Max looks at his hand that was
rubbing his bead.
Then he looks at the front door. The doorknob seems to
move.
Something begins knocking on Max's door. The knocking gets
louder and louder then the locks begin to unlock.
FARROUHK's words begin to overpower Max.
FARROUHK (O.S.)
I'm kicking the bastard in the
ribs banging his ass, knocking his
head against the curb, harder
and harder, I fucking lost
it. A hot dog guy starts
screaming "You're cracking his
skull, you're cracking his
skull." So they pulled me off
of him and calmed me down.
Cops said he had it coming to
him.
Then something starts pounding the door. The doorknob quivers,
the locks unbolt. The chains are the only thing keeping out
the intruder. The door shakes and the chains are strained.
MAX is paralyzed with terror.
MAX
No! No!
And then the door smashes open. Blinding light fills the room
and we crash into the
BLINDING WHITE VOID
A moment of silence, then we
CUT TO
INT. BATHROOM - DAWN
A phone rings incessantly. Max's eyes pop open. He's scrunched
up in a corner of the room, squashed beneath the sink.
His nose is bleeding.
Max, crawls into the
MAIN ROOM
and picks up the phone. He pinches his nose and tilts his head
back.
MARCY DAWSON
Mr. Cohen. Marcy
Dawson here again I was just
looking over my schedule and
I realized I'll be in your
neighborhood tomorrow around
three.
Max heads to the
FRONT DOOR
and checks the locks. He is barely listening to Marcy
MAX
(Groggy)
Who is...
The locks seem secure.
MARCY DAWSON
Marcy Dawson from
Lancet-Percy I'm so anxious
to meet you. It will be worth
it�for both of us I promise.
See you at your house at
three, okay?
MAX
My house...how do...
MARCY DAWSON
Oh, don't worry,
I got your address from
Columbia. So three it is.
Looking forward to it.
Max tries to stop her but, before he can Marcy hangs up.
A bewildered Max slowly hangs up.
MAX
Damn.
Max checks the peephole - all clear.
Then, he opens his -
CLOSET
which is filled with random computer parts and boxes.
He pulls a thick neuroscience book from a shelf in the back of
the closet. He almost knocks over an old dusty brass
microscope on the shelf.
Max flips through the book. It contains old plates
illustrating the brain. Max examines some of the diagrams.
EXT. S0L'S HALLWAY - DAY Max rings the bell on an apartment
door.
A few moments pass, and then SOL ROBESON opens the door.
Sol is a wise-looking man in his early 70's. He walks with
difficulty, leaning out of breath on a wooden cane.
His arms are covered with faded Russian prison tattoos and he
speaks with a thick Eastern European accent, He's happy to see
Max.
S0L
Max! How are you7
Max is happy to see Sol, but he's a bit bashful and
intimidated.
MAX Okay.
EXT. SOL'S STUDY - MOMENTS LATER
TIGHT ON the Japanese game of Go being played. Sol is white
and Max is black. Sol's moves are secure and controlled while
Max is hesitant.
SOL
Stop thinking, Max, just
feel. Use your intuition.
It's the only way to get into
the flow.
(Beat)
What did you think of Hamlet?
MAX
I didn't get to it.
SOL
It's been a month.
(Knowingly)
You haven't taken
a single break.
MAX
I'm so close, Sol. I'm
so close but I just can't
grab it.
Sol changes the subject. He feeds his goldfish and points to
one of them.
SOL
Have you met the new
fish my niece bought me? I
named her Icarus. After you.
My renegade pupil. You fly
too high, you'll get burned.
Max looks up at Sol.
SOL
The more I see you, the
more I see myself thirty
years ago. My greatest pupil.
Published at 16, Ph.D. at 20.
MAX
We'll see.
SOL
But life isn't just
mathematics. I spent forty
years looking for patterns in
Pi, I found nothing.
MAX
You found things...
SOL
I found things, but not a
pattern.
INT. MOVING TRAIL - DAY
Max sits in the corner of a rickety New York City subway car.
The train is almost completely deserted.
Max looks down at his hand. He opens his palm and reveals a
black Go chip.
MAX (V.O.)
Tuesday, September
second, eighteen twelve. If
Sol hadn't gotten sick who
knows where math would be. He
spent years in the numbers of
Pi. Searching for meaning, for
order.
Max notices a SKINNY MAN in a business suit staring at him.
The man catches Max's eye and looks away, but then he quickly
looks back, making Max turn away.
He looks down at his Wall Street journal and draws a circle
with its diameter then he writes "A=pir2" and "C=2pir." Next
he writes "pi=3.14159..."
MAX (V.O.)
Three point one
four...off into infinity
and maybe insanity. Somewhere
in there he wanted sanity.
Sanity like he found in the
circles Pi represented.
Simple, sane circles. If only
the stock market had circles.
Some type of sanity. Some
type of form, of shape.
Suddenly, Max hears someone singing. Max looks up. It is the
Skinny Man and he's singing with passion. It's all very
strange to Max, who nervously looks away.
And then the singing stops�
mid-verse Max looks up and the man is gone. Vanished. Max
looks around�no one in Sight.
INT. APARTMENT STAIRCASE - DAY
Max heads up the stairs to his apartment. Just then, a toy
SLINKY appears from nowhere marching down the stairs.
Max stops and waits until the Slinky hits his foot. He picks
it up and looks at it.
He looks around wondering what's going on. Then Jenna leans
out over a railing and starts laughing at Max.
INT. COFFEE SHOP-DAY
Max sits at the counter frantically looking at the Wall Street
Journal. He plops three pills into his coffee.
He draws circles and other shapes across the page.
Max is interrupted by a puff of smoke. At the same time,
someone touches his shoulder and says:
LENNY MEYER
Hey, Max, how you doing?
MAX
Oh, okay.
LENNY MEYER
Lenny Meyer.
(Motioning to the cigarette)
I'll put it out.
(Which be does)
So, what do you do?
MAX
Um, I work with computers
...math.
LENNY MEYER
Really? What type of math?
MAX
Number theory. Mostly
research.
LENNY MEYER
Number theory? No
way, I work in theory, too.
Not traditional, though...
(Points to his yarmulke)
I work with the Torah.
(Awed by the coincidence)
Amazing.
MAX
(Passing it of as a coincidence)
Yeah...
LENNY MEYER
Yeah. You know Hebrew is
all numbers. It's all math.
MAX
Hm.
Lenny pulls out a worn' dog-eared Bible from his pocket. There
are paper slips marking what seems like every other page. When
he opens it up,
Max sees that the pages are marked up by highlighter pens,
notes and diagrams.
Lenny points to the text. EXTREME CLOSE-UP of Hebrew letters.
LENNY MEYER
Here, look...the ancient
Jews used Hebrew as their
numerical system. Each
letter is a number.
Lenny pulls out a pen and grabs Max's Journal. He writes on it
as he talks.
LENNY MEYER
You see...The Hebrew "A," the
number 1. The Hebrew "B,"
Bet, is two. You can take any
Hebrew text and turn them into
a long string of numbers.
The waitress refills Max's coffee.
LENNY MEYER
The Torah is just
a long string of numbers.
Some say that it's a long
code sent to us from God.
Satisfied, Lenny lights up a cigarette and takes a drag.
MAX
(Mildly impressed)
Kind of interesting.
LENNY MEYER
(Proud of himself)
Yeah, like take the
Hebrew word for, say, the
Garden of Eden, Kadem. Kuf,
Dalei Mem...Kuf is a
hundred. Daled, four Mem,
forty. They equal one hundred
and forty-four. Then take the
tree of knowledge...in
the garden, Aat Ha Haim, it
equals two hundred and
thirty-three. Now you can take
that number and...
MAX
They're Fibonacci numbers.
LENNY MEYER
Huh?
MAX
The Fibonacci sequence.
Italian mathematician, thirteenth
century. If you divide
a hundred and forty-four into
two hundred and thirty-three,
it approaches theta.
LENNY MEYER
Theta?
MAX
The Greek symbol for the
golden ratio. The golden
spiral.
Lenny exhales the smoke. Max quickly graphs the number on his
Wall Street Journal.
LENNY MEYER
You're right, I never saw
that before. That's the series
you find in nature. Like the
face of a sunflower.
MAX
Wherever there's spirals.
LENNY MEYER
You see, there's math everywhere.
Lenny's smoke drifts by Max's eyes.
SLOW MOTION: MAX'S POV of smoke spirals spinning in front of
him.
MAX
Math everywhere...
SLOW MOTION: Max looks down at his coffee cup. He pours cream
into his coffee. It shoots up and mixes with the black coffee
forming spirals in the mug.
MAX
(Serious)
Everywhere...
SLOW MOTION: Max looks at the spiral he just drew on the Wall
Street Journal.
NORMAL SPEED Suddenly, Max stands up.
MAX
Oh my God...
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
Max draws spirals all over his Wall Street Journal. Then he
takes a thick black marker and draws a giant spiral across the
entire page.
Max is ecstatic as he pounds code into the computer takes
moments to wake up, drops pills, and drinks a Ginseng soda.
MAX (V.O.)
Simple shapes!
Tuesday, September second.
Twenty-twenty-two. Sol! Sol!
Sol! Shapes in the market.
Why not? And they're spirals!
Spirals!
Max traces a big circle on the journal. Then, he cuts it out
with an X-acto blade. He cuts out the middle of the circle so
that be has a thin loop like one of those futuristic frisbees.
He tears part of the loop and stretches the circle out in
front of him into a spiral.
MAX (V.O.)
A circle spread out overtime.
It's open-ended. It has a
beginning and it grows and
changes through time. If I
can find where it fits, if I
can spin it and lock it into
a group of numbers, then I
can calculate the future.
Lead into gold. Chaos into
order Madness into sanity. Pain
into bliss. Perfection.
Max is about to slap RETURN but he stops himself�he's nervous.
Next door, Devi and her boyfriend are making love. He looks at
the wall with disdain. Then he looks back at the screen,
shrugs and confidently slaps RETURN on his keyboard.
Stock prices float across the screen. Max can't believe his
eyes�the quotes are absurd.
MAX
What the...
And then, Euclid crashes. The electricity in Max's room flips
off. The numbers on Max's screen fade to black. In near (minus
streetlights) darkness:
MAX
Shit!
TIGHT ON A FUSE BOX
Max removes a fuse. He replaces it with a penny.
MAX'S ROOM
Max tries to reboot Euclid, but nothing happens. He tries a
second time, but nothing happens.
Devi and Farrouhk are still at it.
Max puts on a pair of latex gloves. He dons a surgical mask.
He climbs up to a loft above his monitors. A glass case, fed
cool air by a vent tube, encases some computer parts. He
carefully removes the front glass cover.
Then he gets it off he's stunned. Not only have the chips
melted down, but a strange flaky substance covers the board.
MAX
What the...
Max grabs his face, frustrated.
Deri and Farroakk are giggling, having a great time. Max
stares at the wall.
Then he angrily throws Euclid's mainframe onto the ground It
lands with a SMASH!
Under the mainframe is a small city of ANTS. They scramble for
cover. Max furiously attacks them, stomping them out with his
bands.
Then he jumps on the smashed mainframe. He slides to
the ground and covers his face.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. PLAYGROUND - DAY
TIGHT ON a tree branch shaking manically in the wind.
Max sits on a park bench watching the branch shake. It
terrifies him.
He pulls out the printout of his picks and examines them.
MAX (V.0.)
Wednesday, September third,
seven-fifteen. Results: AAR
at fourteen and a half�low,
very low. ABR at six and a
half�jeez. Six and a half, ABR
hasn't been beneath twenty in
ten years. Conclusion:
Simple. There is no pattern.
No pattern. Chaos, chaos, all
chaos.
He crumples up his picks and tosses them into a public trash
can.
INT. SOL'S STUDY - DAY
Sol and Max play Go. Sol is peaceful while Max is distant.
Max plays a piece absently. Sol counters with a deafening
atari. Max whispers:
MAX
Euclid crashed. I lost
all my data, my hardware.
SOL
Your mainframe?
MAX
Burnt...
SOL
What happened?
MAX
I don't know, first I got
these horrible picks. Then
Euclid spits out some
numbers. Never saw anything
like it and then it fries.
The whole machine just
crashed.
SOL
You have a printout?
MAX
Of?
SOL
The picks, the number?
MAX
I threw it out.
SOL
What was the number it
spit out?
MAX
I don't know, just a long
string of digits.
SOL
How many?
MAX
I don't know.
SOL
(Intense)
What was it, a
hundred and fifty, a
thousand, two hundred
sixteen!? How many?
MAX
I don't know. Probably
around two hundred.
(Wondering)
Why?
SOL
(Beat)...
I dealt with
some bugs back in my Pi days.
I was wondering if it was
similar to one I ran into.
Sol begins to feed his fish. He points to one.
SOL
Have you met Archimedes.
The one with the black spot.
You see?
MAX
Yeah.
SOL
Remember Archimedes of
Syracuse? The King asks
Archimedes to determine if a
present he's received was
actually solid gold. Unsolved
problem at the time. It
tortures the great Greek
mathematician for weeks.
Insomnia haunts him and he
twists and turns on his bed
for nights on end. Finally,
his equally exhausted wife,
she's forced to share a bed
with this genius, convinces
him to take a bath, to relax.
While stepping into the tub
he observes the bathwater
rise as he enters. Displacement.
A way to determine volume.
And thus, a way to
determine density, weight
over volume. And thus,
Archimedes solves the
problem. He screams
"Eureka!"�Greek for "I found
it!"�and is so overwhelmed he
runs dripping naked through
the streets to the King's
castle to report his
discovery. Now, what's the
moral of the story.
MAX
That a breakthrough will
come...
SOL
Wrong. The point of the
story is the wife. Listen to
your wife, she will give you
perspective. Meaning, you
need a break, Max, you have
to take a bath, otherwise
you'll get nowhere. There will
be no order, only chaos.
Go home and take a bath.
PUBLIC BENCH - MOMENTS LATER
Max waits for his train on an empty platform.
Just then, he hears a DRIPPING sound. Max looks up and notices
something across the tracks on the other platform. He can't
quite make it out because his vision is blocked by columns.
He gets up and spots a Young Hasidic Man standing at him.
Blood drips from the Man's hand. Max doesn't know what to make
of it
A TRAIN SWISHES BY -
INT. MOVING TRAIN - LATER
Max reads an ad that says In big block letters 'MOSHIAC IS
COMING!' He checks out a few of the other passengers. Then he
notices a man reading a newspaper across from him.
The headline reads: 'MARKET TAKES NOSE-DIVE. Max jumps up and
approaches the man.
MAX
Hey, excuse me, can I see
that?
The man hands Max the paper. Max scans the article. Then He
quickly turns to the listings. His finger barrels down a
column. It stops at ABR.
MAX
Six and a half.
Max looks up the column for AAR.
MAX
Fourteen and a half. Oh,
my...
Max stumbles toward the doors. He looks out the window: into
the darkness of the tunnel.
MAX
(Out of breath)
My God. My God.
(Gets pumped to himself)
Yes! Yes!
SKINNY MAN (V.O.)
Hey, paper, please!
Max hands the paper back and looks at the man for the first
time. It is the Skinny Man he saw earlier.
Max gets suspicious and moves into the next car.
AT GRAND STREET
Max exits. He notices that the Skinny Man gets off - one car
down - as well.
He hustles toward the exit. As he's about to turn a corner he
looks back. The man seems to be following him.
He dodges around a corner and heads up a staircase.
EXT. TRAIN STATION - DAY
He seems to have lost him, when he notices a business-woman
with a pretty face heading right toward him. It is MARCY
DAWSON.
MARCY DAWSON
Mr. Cohen! Perfect timing.
Marcy sticks out her hand. Max, not knowing what else to do,
shakes it.
MARCY DAWSON
I was just waiting for you.
I thought you stood me up,
so I was going to head home.
MAX
Who are you?
MARCY DAWSON
Oh...Marcy Dawson. From
Lancet Percy. We were
supposed to meet at three.
MAX
I'm sorry, I don't...
Marcy hasn't let go of Max's hand.
She guides him toward a large black street limo that's just
pulled up.
MARCY DAWSON
I can't tell you what a
pleasure it is to finally
meet you. I've studied
your papers for years.
MARCY DAWSON
I have something
you won't be able to say no
to. Why don't we take a spin
in the limo?
MAX
No, no, no, really, I
can't.
MARCY DAWSON
We're excited by your work.
We can't wait to discuss...
Max attempts to pull away but Marcy is firm on leading him to
the car. Meanwhile, the Shinny man is heading right at them.
The CHAUFFEUR reaches out to him. Max yanks his arm free and
runs away. He whips around a corner.
INT. BODEGA - DAY
Max barrels into the grocery store and buys a Journal. He
heads to the back of the store and lays the paper across the
juice section. He checks the listing.
MAX
On the nose. On the damn nose.
Max turns the page on the Journal and sees the Lancet-Percy
ad. Then he notices one of the bodega owners staring at him.
EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
Max scouts his front door. The coast is clear.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
Max examines the smashed Euclid mainframe. He uncovers some of
the strange filo-like substance. He carefully touches it. Then
he grabs a small pinch of it.
He examines it near a light bulb. He can't guess what it is.
He sniffs it. He carefully tastes it with the very tip of his
tongue. He still doesn't have a clue.
Max opens his closet. He pulls out his dusty brass microscope.
He dusts it off. Next, he pulls out a slide Kit.
Max places the instrument on the windowsill. He grabs an old
glass slide and puts some of the flaky stuff on it. He slides
it under the microscope. He looks into the lens, but doesn't
see anything.
He gets up quickly and heads for the
HALLWAY
where he looks at Devi's door, nervously. He gathers his
courage and knocks on her door. Through the door hears.
DEVI (O.S.)
Farrouhk?
MAX
Um, no, it's Max from next door.
Devi opens the door wearing a sexy nightshirt.
DEVI
Max, is everything all
right?
MAX
Do you have any iodine?
DEVI
(concerned, she reaches for Max's hands)
Iodine...did you cut
yourself?
MAX
(Pulling his hands away)
No. I just need it to stain a
slide.
DEVI
Ah, science, the pursuit
of knowledge. One second.
She heads to her bathroom. Max waits impatiently.
DEVI (O.S.)
Here we are. What are you
examining�
(At the door)
a potato!?
She hands Max a bottle of iodine.
MAX
Just something with my
computer.
MAX'S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Max uses his pinky to drip a drop of iodine on the slide.
Through the wall he hears Farrouhk arriving home.
DEVI (0.S.)
The neighbor's up
to his old science...
FARROUHK (O.S.)
What neighbor?
DEVI (O.S.)
Next door.
Max listens to the conversation for a few moments.
FARROUHK (O.S.)
Why are you talking to that dork!
DEVI (O.S.)
Shh! I just helped ...
FARROUHK (O.S.)
Pounds on wall. Hey, dork, leave
my girlfriend alone!
DEVI (0.S.)
Farrouhk!
Max shakes his bead. Then he finishes preparing the slide and
slips the glass under the turret.
Max catches the low-hanging sun in the microscope's mirror and
reflects it through the sample and up the turret
into his eye.
MAX'S POV DOWN THE TURRET of some strange
Substance.
Max pulls out the slide and looks at it.
FARROUHK (0.S.)
I don't give a shit.
DEVI (0.S.)
(Laughing)
Shh! C'mon, Farrouhk.
FARROUHK (0.S.)
I'll kill the dork.
(Exploding again)
You hear me! I'll kill you.
I'll fucking kill you!
Then an idea comes to him. He takes out his brain book. He
looks through it until he finds a picture of neurons. He
compares the image to the view through the turret. They look
different but there are similarities.
DEVI (O.S)
Shh! Baby! Come here, baby!
Max rushes out.
EXT. PLAYGROUND - LATE AFTERNOON
Max sifts through the trash can where he threw his picks from
yesterday. Frustrated, he dumps the trash onto the sidewalk
and starts looking through it Mrs. Ovadia watches him.
Max sees her and is embarrassed for a moment.
MAX
I just threw out something.
I didn't realize I needed it.
MRS. OVADIA
Humph.
MAX
Just a printout. I, uh,
lost my data...
Max looks back at the trash And forgets about Mrs. Ovadia.
Soon, Max gets up and kicks the trashcan. He heads home.
IN FRONT OF MAX'S APARTMENT BUILDING
Max watches Marcy get out of the limo and call to Mrs. Ovadia.
Max backs away when he smacks into someone.
It's Lenny Meyer - the young Jewish man.
Max jumps back in fear.
LENNY MEYER
Max! How you doing? Lenny
Meyer.
MAX
Oh, hey...
Max tries to quickly pass him.
LENNY MEYER
Hey, where you going? You
got a few moments to do Tefillin?
Max turns around and notices Marcy talking to Mrs. Ovadia.
Mrs. Ovadia points up the street
toward him.
LENNY MEYER
I gotta car, we can cruise
over to my...
MAX
You gotta car?
LENNY MEYER
Yeah, right there. That's
Ephraim, my friend.
We swing around with Max and see a station wagon.
EPHRAIM sits in the passenger Seat. He's a big-boned, bearded,
Orthodox Jew.
MAX
All tight, lets go.
LENNY MEYER
Great...
They head for the station wagon.
INT. BASEMENT SHUL - NIGHT
The synagogue is a claustrophobic, fluorescent-lit room in
general disarray. Two rows of imitation-wooden pews face a
makeshift altar and Ark. Young Hasidic Men study texts. Some
work alone, reading and dovening. Others are in small groups
sharing in heated discussions.
Lenny wraps the Tefillin around Max's arm. Max just wants to
get out of there. Ephraim prays in the background.
MAX
Lenny, I don't really
want to do...
LENNY MEYER
Do it for me? It
means a lot, having someone
of your stature performing a
mitzvah in my presence.
(Beat)
When you told me your name was
Max Cohen, I didn't realize you
were the Max Cohen. Maximilian Cohen.
MAX
You know me?
LENNY MEYER
0f course, I've
followed your research since
your Columbia days. It's
revolutionary. You've inspired
the work we do.
MAX
I have?
LENNY MEYER
Yes, very much
so. The only difference is,
we're not looking at stocks.
We're searching for a pattern
in Torah.
Lenny finishes wrapping Max's arm. He reaches for another box
and strap.
MAX
What kind of pattern?
LENNY MEYER
We're not really
sure. Our calculations have
shown us that there is a
number encoded in the text.
MAX
What sort of number?
LENNY MEYER
We don't know.
All we know is that it's two
hundred and sixteen digits long.
Max, stunned looks at Lenny.
LENNY MEYER
Don't worry. This one just
goes over your head.
Lenny places the other Teffilin over Max's head. Max collects
himself.
MAX
(Coolly)
Two sixteen?
LENNY MEYER
Yes. Now we have to say a
small prayer, repeat
after me.
Bewildered, Max does. After the prayer...
LENNY MEYER
That's it. Wasn't
so bad, was it? You feel
anything?
Lenny starts removing the Teffillin from Max.
MAX
What is it?
LENNY MEYER
It's a prayer about our
dedication to our one and
only God.
MAX
(Attempting calmness)
No, I mean the number, the
two sixteen number? What is
it?
LENNY MEYER
Oh. We don't know. We just
know that it's the most
common number encoded in
the text. It might be some
type of linguistic pattern.
If we could figure out what
the number is we could maybe
answer that.
MAX
Tell me more.
EXT. SOL'S APARTMENT - DAWN
Max firmly rings SOL's bell.
In a few moments, Sol answers the door in his pajamas.
SOL
Max?
MAX
What's going on, Sol!?
SOL
Relax, it's early.
INT. SOL'S KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Max sits at the kitchen table while Sol heats up a pot of tea.
Max is shaking.
SOL
Now, what's up?
MAX
What's the two hundred
and sixteen number, Sol?
SOL
Excuse me?
MAX
You asked me if I had
seen a two hundred and
sixteen digit number, right?
SOL
Oh, you mean the bug. I
found it working on Pi.
MAX
What do you mean by "found it"?
SOL
What's this all about,
Max?
MAX
Well, there's these
religious Jews who have...
SOL
Religious Jews?
MAX
Well, you know,
Hassidim. I met one in the
coffee shop. The guy's a
number theorist. The Torah is
their data set. The thing is,
they're searching for a two
hundred and sixteen digit
number in the Torah.
SOL
Really? What's it mean to
them?
MAX
They say they don't
know, but that's crazy. I
mean what are the odds...
SOL
It's just a coincidence.
MAX
But hold on, there's
something else. You remember
those strange picks I got.
SOL
Yesterday's stock picks?
MAX
Right. Well, it turns out
that they were correct. I hit
two picks on the nose. Smack
on the nose.
SOL
(Surprised)
Hmmm.
MAX
Something's going on, and
it has to do with that
number. The answer is there.
SOL
Max, it's a bug.
MAX
No. it's a pattern. A
pattern is in that number
SOL
Come with me.
INT. SOL'S STUDY - MOMENTS LATER
Sol and Max sit on either side of a half-played Go board.
SOL
Listen to me. The Ancient
Japanese considered the Go
board to be a microcosm of
the universe. Although when
it is empty it appears to be
simple and ordered, in fact,
the possibilities of game play
are endless. They say that no
two Go games have ever been
alike. Just like snowflakes.
So, the Go board actually
represents an extremely complex
and chaotic universe. That is
the truth of our world, Max.
It can't be easily summed up
with math. There is no simple
pattern.
MAX
But as a Go game
progresses, the possibilities
become smaller and smaller.
The board does take on order.
Soon, all moves are
predictable.
SOL
So?
MAX
So, maybe, even though we're not
sophisticated enough to be aware
of it, there is an underlying
order...a pattern, beneath every
Go game. Maybe that pattern is
like the pattern in the market,
in the Torah. The two sixteen
number.
SOL
That is insanity, Max.
MAX
Or maybe it's genius. I
have to get that number.
SOL
Hold on, you have to slow
down. You're losing it, you
have to take a breath. Listen
to yourself. You're connecting
a computer bug I had, a
computer bug you might have
had, and some religious
hogwash. If you want to find
the number two sixteen in the
world, you'll be able to pull
it out of anywhere. Two
hundred and sixteen steps
from your street comer to
your front door. Two hundred
and sixteen seconds you spend
riding on the elevator. When
your mind becomes obsessed
with anything, it will filter
everything else out and find
examples of that thing
everywhere. Three hundred and
twenty, four hundred and
fifty, twenty-three.
Whatever! You've chosen two
sixteen and you'll find it
everywhere in nature. But
Max, as soon as you discard
scientific rigor, you are no
longer a mathematician. You
become a numerologist. What
you need to do is take a
break from your research. You
need it. You deserve it
Here's a hundred dollars, I
want you to take it. If ,you
won't take it, borrow it.
Either way, take a break.
Spend it however you like as
long as it falls in the
category of vacation. Real
world stuff, okay. No math.
Max looks at his bands.
SOL
Just try it. In a week
you'll laugh about this.
C'mon, Max. Think about it!
Max gives a half nod.
EXT. SOL'S APARTMENT - MORNING
Max rushes to the subway when a honking horn stops him. A limo
pulls up next to him. Marcy Dawson jumps out of the car
MARCY DAWSON
Mr. Cohen? Mr.
Cohen? Please stop for a
second Mr. Cohen?
Max stops and faces Marcy.
MAX
Damn it already! Stop
following me. I'm not
interested in your money. I'm
searching for a way to
understand our world. I'm
searching for perfection. I
don't deal with mediocre
materialistic people like
you!
MARCY DAWSON
I'm sorry. I'm very sorry.
I admit I've been a bit too
aggressive. But all I ask is
for five minutes of your time.
Here...
Marcy hands Max a metal stopwatch.
MARCY DAWSON
...a stopwatch.
Already ticking. Allow me the
four and a half minutes left
Let me tell you what I want.
Let me tell you what I can
offer you. Afterwards, if you
don't want to talk to me, then
fine, we part as friends and
I promise that you will never
see me again. That's fair,
isn't it?
MAX
(After a moment, he looks at the stopwatch)
Go.
MARCY DAWSON
Good. It's funny,
even though we have different
aims and different goals
we're actually incredibly
alike. We both seek the same
thing�perfection. I know...
clearly we're seeking
different types of
perfection, but that is what
makes us perfect candidates
for a fruitful partnership.
If you let me, I can be your
greatest ally. Take the
acacia tree...in East
Africa. It is the most
prevalent plant in all of
Kenya because it has managed
to secure its niche by
defeating its major predator,
the giraffe. To accomplish
this, the tree has made a contract
with a highly specialized red ant.
The tree has evolved giant spores which
act as housing for the ants
In return for shelter, the
ants supply defense. When a
giraffe starts to eat the
tree's leaves, the shaking
branch acts like an alarm. The
ants charge out and secrete an
acid onto the giraffe's
tongue. The giraffe learns its
lesson and never returns.
Without each other, the tree
would be picked dry and the
ants would have no shade from
the brutal African sun Both
would die. But with each
other, they succeed, they survive,
they surpass. They have
different aims, different
goals but they work together.
Max, we would like to establish
a mutually benefiting alliance
with you.
MAX
(handing back the stopwatch)
I'm not interested.
MARCY DAWSON
Allow me to dose.
The chauffeur pulls a black suitcase out of the limo and
brings it over.
MARCY DAWSON
As a sign of good faith we
wish to offer you this.
MAX
I told you I don't want money.
MARCY DAWSON
The suitcase isn't filled with
fifties or gold or diamonds. Just
silicon. A Ming Mecca chip.
MAX
(Yeah right!)
Ming Mecca. They're not declassified.
Max starts to move away.
MARCY DAWSON
You're right. They're not. But
Lancet-Percy has many friends.
Come here, take a look.
MAX
(Stuttering)
What do...do...
But then, Max notices that his thumb is twitching.
MARCY DAWSON
Beautiful, isn't it? You know
how rare...are you okay?
MAX
Yeah, I got to go.
MARCY DAWSON
But what about...
MAX
Let me think about it...
Max trots off.
MARCY DAWSON
What? Mr. Cohen!?
INT. SUBWAY STATION - PUBLIC BENCH - NIGHT
The station is strangely silent. It is also extremely rundown.
The tracks are rusted and fucked up. All we hear is the sound
of DRIPPING WATER. The sound is warped and grows and morphs
until it's downright scary.
Max sits on a bench sucking down pills. His head begins to
hurt. He touches the right side of his scalp and nubs it.
As the blood surges through his head it brings him waves of
pain. He gags several times. Then the pain lets loose and all
Max wants to do is die. He smashes the side of his head with
his fist.
Across the tracks on the far platform he sees someone.
For a moment Max's pain dissipates. His view is obscured by
the columns. Max gets up and sees the Young Hasidic Man - from
earlier - staring at him.
The Man stares at Max without any emotion. Max notices blood
dropping from the Man's right hand.
Max looks at the Man's face and sees for a split second his
own face staring back.
MAX
Hey!
Max charges up a flight of stairs. He crosses a passage over
the tracks and flies down the stairs to the other side of the
platform.
The Man is gone. A pool of blood sits where the Man was. Max
touches it with his toe. It's sticky. He notices a trail of
blood leading off from the pool.
He follows it around a corner where it leads into a corner.
He notices something strange in the shadows. He carefully
advances on it. Hiding in the shadows is what looks like a
small piece of brain. It seems to be moving slightly.
Max uses a pen in his jacket to carefully touch it.
Suddenly, Max hears a train's HONK HONK behind him. Max spins
around. Nothing is there but silence.
He turns back to the gray matter. He touches it again. Once
again, he hears the deafening HONK HONK. Max spins around, but
nothing is there.
Frustrated, he pushes his pen deep into the brain - fiber
ripping apart.
Suddenly, a TRAIN is barreling down on Max. Seconds from
impact, Max SCREAMS!!!
DISSOLVE TO
BLINDING WHITE VOID
We hear two deep, long sleep-filled breaths and then we CUT
TO:
INT. SUBWAY TRAIN - DAY
Max's eyes pop open. A TRANSIT COP is sticking him with a
nightstick.
TRANSIT COP
Up, buddy Coney Island, last stop.
Max sits up. His nose is bleeding. The cop hands him a tissue.
TRANSIT COP
Your nose.
Max wipes his nose and looks around nervously.
He sees the rides of Coney Island in the distance.
EXT. CONEY ISLAND BEACH - DAY
Max sits on a boulder on a Coney Island jetty. He watches the
sea.
Then Max sees an old man dressed like KING NEPTUNE scanning
the shore with a rusty metal detector. The old man picks up
something. He admires it for a moment before gently setting it
back on the ground. Then Neptune continues his search.
Max wanders over to the place where the old man exam
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
MAX'S POV through the microscope. Max sees the brain
structures.
Just then, there's a KNOCK on the door. The knock startles him
and his hand bumps the turret of the microscope. The lens
moves and he realizes that the magnification can be changed.
A KNOCK again.
Max looks out the peephole and sees nothing. Confused,
Looks down at his thumb. It's not shaking. He heads back to
his microscope.
There's a knock again. Max angrily unlocks the door and whips
it open.
IN THE HALLWAY is Jenna with her calculator.
JENNA
Max, Max, can we do one.
MAX
Jenna. I can't now, Jenna.
JENNA
Please, Max.
MAX
I'm working now, later okay?
Max shuts the door and returns to the microscope. He changes
the magnification. At a weaker magnification, the
mathematician sees that the cells are grouped in spirals.
Max is stunned, He grabs the phone and pulls a business card
out of his pocket He quickly dials a number.
Someone answers with a "Shalom" on the other end of the line.
Max asks for Lenny Meyer and is put on hold.
LENNY MEYER
Hello, this is Lenny?
MAX
Lenny, it's Max Cohen.
LENNY MEYER
Max! How are you?
You want to come down?
MAX
I've been thinking about
our conversation earlier.
Max looks into the microscope. He stares at the spirals.
LENNY MEYER
That's good...
MAX
I want to help.
LENNY MEYER
Excellent.
MAX
Do you have the Torah in
digital form?
DISSOLVE FROM TURRET TO:
SATELLITE IMAGE OF SPINNING TORNADO
Start in tight on the epicenter and pull out to reveal the
entire storm.
MAX (V.O.)
Thursday, September
fourth, sixteen forty-five.
The alchemist awakes. All of
my ideas, work and dreams are
spinning together It all has
to do with spirals. It began
with spirals and the answers
are thee.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT � DAY
EUCLID'S INNARDS
Max uses a drill to rip out some old parts. He lays new wire
and does a bunch of soldering.
He rips down a bunch of old papers and does a general
housecleaning.
He also goes to school on the ant population in his apartment.
He plants some ant motels and sprays the room with. a pest
killer.
MAX (V.0.)
The most I can
remember about their
significance is from
Schneider's class. That
bullshit core for majors.
Schneider's fascination with
mystical geometry made him a
bit of a quack...but...then again,
look at Kepler. He was really into
Pythagoras. The leader of an
ancient sect which believed
the entire universe could be
represented by numbers.
Pythagoras' greatest contribution
was the golden ratio, which ended up
influencing art and science
for thousands of years,
arguably all the way up to
today.
TIGHT ON MAX writing a : b : : b : a + b.
He draws it over a copy of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous
drawing of man s anatomy.
MAX (V.0.)
The golden ratio,
if I recall, is this unique
relationship between the length
and width of a special
rectangle called the golden
rectangle.
TIGHT ON MAX carefully measuring out a golden rectangle.
The rectangle fits perfectly over Leonardo Da Vinci's Man.
MAX (V.O.)
If you take the
width of this rectangle and
use it to form a square within
the rectangle, the part left
over is a rectangle that has
the same ratio as the
original rectangle. au can
continue squaring the
rectangle, over and over
again, making the
rectangles smaller and smaller
to infinity.
TIGHT ON MAX squaring rectangle after rectangle. Then he draws
the golden spiral through the rectangles.
MAX (V.0.)
Then, if you
connect a curve through these
rectangles you get the golden
spiral. The Pythagoreans
loved this shape because
they found it everywhere
in nature.
MONTAGE OF IMAGES
The images mirror what Max talks about. We see NAUTILUS
SHELLS, SUNFLOWERS, PLANTS, RAM HORNS, HUMAN FINGERPRINTS, THE
MILKY WAY, and DNA STRANDS.
MAX (V.0.)
It really is amazing. In the sea,
on land, in air, our basic building
block DNA and even our home.
EXT. CHINATOWN - DAY
Max wanders through the crowded streets of Chinatown.
MAX (V.O.)
If we're built from
spirals, while living within
a giant spiral, is it
possible that all of human
behavior, if it could be
quantified, is in the form of
a spiral. Then, maybe,
extensions of our behavior
like the stock market. maybe
even the writing of The
Torah, is infused with the
spiral pattern.
DISSOLVE TO
PAN ACROSS NEW EUCLID
We start on the stock ticker and pull out to reveal a leaner,
meaner and more exciting machine.
MAX (V.O.)
Friday, September
fifth. Seven twelve. It's
fair to say, I'm stepping out onto a
limb. But I'm on the edge and
that's where it happens.
He holds two wires apart from each other as he contemplates
what will connect them.
EXT. ELECTRONIC MEGADUMP - DAY
Max wanders helplessly through the dump. There's nothing but
junk and more junk.
EXT. PUBLIC PAY PHONE - DAY
Max eyes Marcy Dawson's business card, suspiciously He dials
the number. A man answers on the other line.
MAN'S VOICE (OS.)
Three, eight, two.
MAX
Marcy Dawson.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Who's calling?
MAX
Max Cohen.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Hold on.
Max is put on hold. He notices a man in a business suit
watching him. Max turns away.
MARCY DAWSON
Mr. Cohen? I'm so
Happy...
MAX
Look what do you want for the chip?
MARCY DAWSON
You tech guys. I think you
know what we want.
MAX
No, I don't.
MARCY DAWSON
C'mon, Mr. Cohen. We can work
together We can both profit
from this information. We both
need each other to get it, so why
not work with us?
MAX
I don't know if I'll find
anything useful.
MARCY DAWSON
We're willing to take the risk.
MAX
Okay. First, I want you
to call off the surveillance.
MARCY DAWSON
(Beat)
Done. Anything else?
MAX
Yeah, I'm a very private
person. Knock on my door and
leave the suitcase outside.
I don't want to talk to Anyone.
MARCY DAWSON
How do I know you're home?
MAX
I'll knock back.
MARCY DAWSON
Fair enough.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
Max sits at the counter. The POST headline in front of him
reads MARKET DOOMED. PRESIDENT IN PANIC, WORLD LEADERS MEET.
Max flips to the stock quotes. He can't believe how far things
have dovetailed. He shakes his head in disbelief when an
envelope appears in front of him. It belongs to Lenny Meyer.
LENNY MEYER
The Torah.
MAX
What is it?
LENNY MEYER
In Hebrew characters and numbers.
MAX
No, what is it? The two
hundred and sixteen digits.
LENNY MEYER
I don't know.
(Beat)
If you get it, maybe
we can figure it out.
(Changing subject)
Can you really find it?
MAX
If the number's in there,
I'll find it.
EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DUSK
Max marches into his foyer when he's suddenly ambushed by
Devi's boyfriend, Farrouhk. Farrouhk is a little guy with a
big sadistic smile.
He grabs Max by the collar and slams him against the wall. His
fist butts up against Max's chin.
FARROUHK
There you go, dork.
Been thinking about my
girlfriend. Haven't you?
MAX
Wha...
FARROUHK
You want to fuck her, don't you?
MAX
No, no..
FARROUHK
You calling my girlfriend
ugly!? Why don't you want
to fuck her? You think she's
ugly?
MAX
No, no, I just. It's that
she's your girl...
FARROUHK
So you do want to
fuck her. You think about
fucking her in the mouth,
don't you?
MAX
No, no, sir, please. I've
never touched Devi...I
never will.
FARROUHK
Give the fucking
genius a Mars bar. Stay away,
or I'll slice off your balls.
Farrouhk tosses Max against the wall. Max whimpers off to his
apartment. Farrouhk has enjoyed this and to end his game be
gives Max a small slap on the butt.
INSIDE HIS APARTMENT Max bolts the front door.
At his desk he rips open the envelope Lenny Meyer gave him. He
pulls out a BLACK DISK and eyes it expectantly.
Next door, he hears Farrouhk and Devi talking.
FARROUHK (O.S.)
Damn dork.
DEVI (O.S.)
He's just a bit unique.
FARROUHK(0.S.)
Unique?! Unique?! He's a dork!
Then, Max carefully slips the DISK into Euclid's drive. Hebrew
characters pop onto Euclid's screen. Max pounds in several
strings of code lightning fast.
The Hebrew letters suddenly switch to their numerical
counterparts. Max toggles between Hebrew and numbers a few
times�impressed.
Max nods. Then there's a knock at the door.
MAX
(To himself)
Okay.
Max peeks through the peephole. Two well-dressed large men,
BRAD and ABE THE BABE, wait for the signal. MAX knocks and the
suits leave.
Then Max shyly opens up his front door and quickly grabs the
black attach� case in front of his door
Donning a surgical mask and latex gloves, Max opens the black
attach� case. Sitting in foam is a tiny but beautiful chip.
Max studies it with awe.
MAX (V.O.)
Friday, September
fifth? Lots of work to be
done. But I'm close, so
close. Today is the day Might
have cost me my soul, but
down the line I'll work it
out. Just keep them in the
dark, let them beg. A damn
Ming Mecca chip. It's like
giving a desperate junkie a
syringe filled with junk.
Defense uses them to nun
nuclear sub reactors. Me? I'm
going to dissect the market.
Max carefully carries the chip over to the new leaner Euclid.
He welds it into Euclid's waiting wires.
MAX
Happy birthday, Euclid.
Then he lifts his hand to slap the RETURN button, but a sudden
wave of fear stops him.
He gets up and grabs a Ginseng soda from the fridge He drops
eight pills in the can. He calmly takes a sip from the soda
and places it on the counter.
Max can hear Devi and Farrouhk starting to make love. Their
gentle sounds
drift through the wall.
MAX (V.O.)
Eighteen thirty. Press return...
Max darts over and smacks
the RETURN. Moments later we
see what Max sees
ON THE SCREEN is a long string of zeros.
At the bottom of the screen Euclid's cursor blinks, waiting
for instructions.
He smacks RETURN again Max gets the same empty result.
Euclid's cursor blinks, waiting. Max starts to laugh. He
laughs and laughs and laughs.
MAX
Oh God. Damn religious
freaks.
(Sarcastic)
The holy Torah...
But then he notices his thumb twitching. He rubs his scar.
MAX
Ah God...
His neighbor's love sounds start to get rough. They're having
fun.
Max almost throws up.
THE BATHROOM
Max dry heaves in the sink. Then he forces himself to stand in
front of the mirror.
MAX
Too much...too soon.
He grabs the gun and tries to roll up his sleeve. He can't get
it to roll up. Suddenly he's overwhelmed by pain. He quickly
rips his shirt and fires the gun into his arm.
Nothing happens. He checks the barrel�its empty
MAX
Ohh...
He grabs a bottle of medicine but knocks them an into the
sink.
He cuts his finger as be grabs one of the broken bottles. He
loads the gun and fires the medicine into his arm. A wave of
pain and nausea floods in. He grabs another bottle and fires
it into his arm. Then he fires another and another.
Frustrated he collapses into the mirror.
MAX
Stop, please, stop.
Slightly sobbing he examines his scalp pulling his hair apart.
He sees something.
MAX
What the?
So he takes out a scissors and starts removing some hair.
Meanwhile his neighbors' lovemaking gets more intense. Their
screams carry into Max's head.
Max finishes removing a patch of hair from the right side
of his head. He has uncovered a light scar on his head. He
examines it in the mirror.
MAX
What is it!? What is it!?
Then his neighbors' lovemaking turns outright evil. It
sounds like Sodom and Gomorrah next door and Max
can barely stand it.
A jolt of pain surges into his head. He grabs his scar as he
vomits blood into the sink.
He starts banging his head against the mirror. He bangs
his head again and again until the mirror CRACKS!
His neighbors are cumming and their cries of joy are twisted
and agonizing.
The mathematician looks at himself and begins to sob. He
reloads the gun and fires it right into the scar on his head,
where the pain is coming from.
Max collapses to the ground in complete agony until the bare
bulb in the bathroom starts blinking on and off.
Suddenly the pain is gone.
Then he hears something. It's Euclid, buzzing with life. He
gets to his feet and head's into Euclid.
The main monitor is screaming with numbers. The lights in the
room flicker on and off like on a disco dance floor. A
filo substance billows out of Euclid.
And then a number pops onto the screen. Max estimates how many
digits are on the screen.
MAX
Two...two hundred. That's it! That's it!
Max grabs a piece of paper and a pencil. He starts writing
down the number. He mumbles each digit as he sees it.
But then be stops writing. Power surge! He stares at the
number. Something clicks in his head. His eyes go wide. He
barely musters a�
MAX
Oh...
We move closer and closer into the number, deeper and deeper
into the screen. Until finally a single pixel fills the screen
and we're in the
BLINDING WHITE VOID where we hear several deep peaceful
breaths.
Then, a fuse blows and we cut to:
BLACK
A phone ringing...once...
twice...then we hear
MRS. OVADIA(O.S.)
He's alive. His eyes are moving.
DEVI (0.S.)
Yes, hello?
FADE BACK INTO THE MAIN ROOM Max's eyes slowly open.
DEVI (0.S)
(On the phone)
He's busy right now I'm sorry.
Max is sprawled out in front
of Euclid. A large amount of
blood, from his nose, is
semi-dried on his chin and
chest. Devi hangs up the phone.
The landlady, Mrs. Ovadia, and Farrouhk, brandishing a
crowbar, stand over him.
MAX
What happened?
DEVI
You were screaming...
MRS. OVADIA
Who told you you can put extra
locks on the door.
FARROUHK
(To Mrs. OVADIA)
Shhh!
MAX
(Suddenly jolting up and remembering)
The number, the number.
Max looks at Euclid. The screen is blank. He looks at the
mainframe. It is covered with the filo substance. Then be
looks at the piece of paper he wrote the number on. Only a few
dozen numbers are on the page. The last number be wrote is
barely a scribble.
MRS. OVADIA
You're out, you hear me, you're out.
I've had enough of you. Look at all
this junk.
He starts reciting the numbers. Then Max suddenly realizes
something. He continues reciting the numbers from memory.
MAX
Four...zero...
seven...It's in my head,
it's in my head. Somehow I
memorized it. I got it up
here!
He points to his head.
MAX
But what is it?
Mrs. Ovadia starts looking at all the junk in the room.
DEVI
Are you okay?
MRS. OVADIA
What is this stuff? What does it do?
Max finally realizes that all these strangers are in his womb.
He flips.
MAX
0ut, out, you have to get
out. Get out, get out it's my
room!
FARROUHK
(To Devi)
Let's go.
The phone starts ringing again.
MRS. OVADIA
That's it, no way. You're
the one out of here, mister.
MAX
Out! 0utt
The three neighbors retreat to the front door.
DEVI
Are you okay?
MAX
Out! Get out!
Max slams the door in their faces.
Max rubs his chin and looks around the room. He starts
saying the number to himself He gets more and more
excited as he reads each digit.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT
Max stirs cream into his coffee. Then he pulls out the
Journal.
A phone continues to RING.
In the clouds of the Lancet-Percy ad - in The Journal Max
writes down the two hundred and sixteen digit number. He
studies it, examines it, draws on it, tries to figure out what
it is.
MAX (V.O.)
Saturday? Dark outside. There
was a moment there...when, I don't
know...when I didn't exist. What? What?
We hear a phone being picked up. The ringing stops. Silence,
then:
MARCY DAWSON (O.S.)
Max, is that you? Max?
(Pleading)
Max, just talk to me. Things
are a bit out of hand down
here. People are getting
desperate.
(Suddenly firm)
We had a deal, Max. A deal.
Talk to us, Max.
We hear the sound of a phone hanging up.
At the coffee counter, Max pops a handful of pills and
crumples the paper.
INT. MAX'S BATHROOM - LATER
Max stares at his BALD head in the mirror. All of his hair has
been removed. A fleshy scar sits on his scalp above his right
ear.
Max ignores the incessantly RINGING phone.
Max flips through an old neuroscience book. He examines a few
illustrations and finds the part of his brain that's killing
him.
MAX (V.0.)
Must be an explanation, must be a
reason. Must.
With a thick black marker, he carefully outlines the part of
his head that is causing the pain.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT-LATER
Max sits in his chair staring at the stock market monitor. The
phone continues to RING.
Numbers drift by.
A single beam of sunlight leaks through the window and shines
on the edge of the screen. Walking along the edge in the
sunlight is a tiny ant.
MAX
Bastard.
Max gets up to squash it. But as he gets closer he suddenly
feels mercy. He looks at the ant in awe.
And then, his attention switches to the ticker.
MAX
Two and a quarter, twelve
and an eighth, six and two
eighths.
Max states the numbers right before they enter onto the
screen.
MAX
I know these...Seven
and a quarter. Two and a half
...oh...oh...
Max strains to figure out what is going an. Suddenly, he's
overwhelmed with fear.
MAX
My God. It's gonna
crash, it's gonna fucking
crash.
INT. SOL'S APARTMENT - DUSK
Max charges into the room. Sot is looking at his Go board. Sol
looks up when Max comes in.
SOL
You're early. I was just
studying our...
(Noticing ,Max's head)
What did you do to yourself?
MAX
You lied to me.
SOL
I thought you were going
to take a break.
MAX
You found the two sixteen
number in Pi, didn't you? You
saw it.
Sol doesn't respond.
MAX
I saw it, Sol. I don't
know what happened, but I
know things. The market is
going to crash. It's going to
crash. It hasn't yet, but I
know it will. I saw it, Sol.
What is it, Sol? What's the
number?
Sol sighs. He looks down at the board and collects himself.
SOL
You have it?
MAX
It's in my head!
SOL
(Leveling with Max)
Okay, sit down.
Max does.
SOL
I gave up before I
pinpointed it. But my guess
is that certain problems
cause computers to get stuck
in a particular loop. The loop
leads to meltdown, but
right before they crash they...
they become "aware" of
their own structure. The
computer has a sense of its
own silicon nature and it
prints out its ingredients.
MAX
The computer becomes conscious?
SOL
In some ways...I guess...
MAX
(To himself)
Studying the pattern made Euclid
conscious of itself. Before it died it
spit out the number That consciousness
is the number.
SOL
No, Max, it's only a
nasty bug.
SOL
A door in front of a cliff.
You're driving yourself over
the edge. You need to stop.
MAX
Stop? How can I stop? I'm
this close.
SOL
The bug doesn't only
destroy computers.
MAX
What are you saying?
SOL
Look what it did to your
computer. Look what it's doing
to you.
Max doesn't respond.
SOL
It's killing you. Leave it
unknown.
MAX
(Clarity)
You were afraid of
it. That's why you quit.
SOL
Max, I got burnt.
MAX
C'mon, Sol.
SOL
It caused my stroke.
MAX
That's bullshit. It's
math, numbers, ideas.
Mathematicians are suppose to
be out on the edge. You
taught me that!
SOL
Max, there's more than
math! There's a whole world...
MAX
That's where discoveries
happen. We have to go out
there alone, all alone, no
one can accompany us. We have
to search the edge. We have
to risk it all. But you ran
from it. You're a coward.
SOL
Max, it's death!
Max stands up and screams down at Sol.
MAX
You can't tell me what it
is. You don't know You've
retreated to your goldfish,
to your books, to your Go,
but you're not satisfied.
Sol grabs his cane and whacks the Go board.
SOL
Get out! Max, get out!
MAX
I want to understand it.
I want to know!
Sol swings his cane as Max heads for the door.
SOL
Out!
INT. SUBWAY - PORT AUTHORITY - NIGHT
Max paces on a downtown train as it pulls into 42nd Street.
Through the open doors, Max notices a YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHER in
jeans and a leather jacket photographing him from the uptown
platform.
Max is enraged and screams at him. The man ducks behind a
column, but a few moments later he's back snapping pictures.
The doors start to shut, but Max uses his body to get
off the train.
The Photographer sees him coming and flees.
Max follows the man's movement on his platform. When the young
man shoots up the exit stairs, Max does so as well.
Max catches a glimpse of his foe entering the catacombs
heading toward Times Square. Max pursues.
Max chases him down a looooong passage.
But he loses him at an underground five-way fork in the road.
One staircase is Uptown and Queens...
another is Brooklyn...one other is unlabeled.
Still enraged, Max marches forward Just then, he catches a
glimpse of the Photographer exiting the station.
SMASH TO
EXT. TIMES SQUARE - NEON NIGHT
In the heart of New York, Max spins around searching for his
foe.
His frustration mounts until out of the comer of his eye he
sees a strange reflection. Not knowing what it's of, he turns
around to see the source The reflection is from a giant,
brilliant stock ticker - 50 yards long and luminous.
Max stares at the quotes They are hypnotizing and Max is
suddenly calm.
Then, Max has a premonition. He turns and spots the
Photographer in front of a porn shop on Eighth and 42nd.
EXT. PORN SHOP - 42ND STREET - NIGHT
Max whacks the Photographer against a back-lit image of a
Hustler Centerfold. The man screams.
MAX
Who are you working for?
PHOTOGRAPHER
Here, here.
The photographer hands Max his wallet.
MAX
I don't want your wallet. Who sent you?
Max grabs the kid's camera.
MAX
Who the hell sent you!?
PHOTOGRAPHER
Wha...I'm sorry...
MAX
Who are you?!
PHOTOGRAPHER
I'm...a...student I've got
an assignment for class.
The Photographer pulls out his student ID. Max looks at it.
Then he rips out the film-exposing it.
MAX
Leave me alone, damn it.
Leave me alone.
Max hands the man back his camera and leaves.
EXT. MAX'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Max heads home in a furious state. Suddenly, he sees two of
Marcy's men blocking his path. It's Brad and Jake, yet another
tough guy, and they don't look happy. Max spins around and
sees Marcy Dawson blocking his exit.
MAX
Marcy? What's up?
Max retreats.
MARCY DAWSON
Let's take a ride, Max.
MAX
I can't, I got work...
Max looks back at the tough guys who are almost on top of him.
MARCY DAWSON
We had a deal! NOW get in the limo!
Marcy releases a vicious slap that nearly knocks Max down. Max
whimpers.
MAX
Don't ever hit...
He pushes Marcy aside and darts.
EXT. CITY STREETS - NIGHT
Max flees. Jake and Brad charge after him. They're right on
him - he has a meter or so on them.
He scurries through a construction site and over a footbridge.
Then, he runs into an all-night
BODEGA
The tough guys chase after him and he gets a bit of a
lead in the narrow aisles. He pleads with the owners for
help - nothing doing.
Jake heads him off and uses his body to block the aisle. But
Max grabs a can of beans and slams it down on the tough guy's
nose. The guy goes down and Max shoots out the exit.
EXT. UNDERNEATH CAR - NIGHT
Max dives under a car and crawls for terror. He sees two sets
of feet nun by. Max starts to relax when he notices a pair of
heels on the other side of the car. Marcy bends down and looks
at him.
MARCY DAWSON
Enough, Max, c'mon out.
MAX
Leave me alone. I don't
know anything.
Max retreats in the opposite direction. Suddenly Jake and Brad
grab him and drag him out.
MAX
Hey! Hey! Hey!
They search him, taking his wallet, keys, everything.
Marcy looks at the guys, who shake their heads. She walks over
to Max and shows Max the front page of the Wall Street
Journal. It reads, "MARKET CRACHES"
MARCY DAWSON
You're responsible for this.
MAX
I didn't do anything. I
didn't play the market.
MARCY DAWSON
But we did.
Marcy pulls out a folded, worn piece of paper. She opens it.
It's Max's stock pick that he threw out. Part of THE number is
on the page
MARCY DAWSON
You have to be careful
where you throw out your trash.
MAX
How could you do that?
MARCY DAWSON
You gave us faulty information.
You gave us the carrot, the right
picks, but then you only gave us
part of the code.
MAX
You selfish, irresponsible
cretins. How could you be so
stupid!?
Marcy jabs Max in his stomach. Max falls to the ground. The
tough guys sit on him.
MARCY DAWSON
C'mon, Max. This isn't a
game anymore. We're playing
on a global scale. We used
your code. Foolish...I admit.
But we can fix things if we
make some careful picks. Give
us the rest of the code so
we can set things right.
MAX
C'mon! I know who you are.
You're not gonna save the world.
MARCY DAWSON
Look, Max...
Marcy nods to Jake, who pulls out a gun and points it at Max's
head.
MAX
My God, what are you doing?
MARCY DAWSON
Information is
the private language
of Capital. We tried to
establish a symbiotic
relationship but if
you choose to compete and
enter our niche we are forced
to comply with the laws of
nature.
Max thinks for a second. Max thinks hard. He realizes be
can't give them the number.
MAX
You can't kill me!
MARCY DAWSON
C'mon, Max. You
don't get it. I don't
give a shit about you. I only
care about what's in your
fucking head. If you won't help
us help yourself, then I'll
have only one choice. Destroy the
competition. I'll take you
out of the game. Survival of the
fittest, Max. And we've got
the gun.
Jake cocks the gun. Max starts to cry.
MAX
You bastards! You stupid
bastards!
Suddenly, Jake is whacked with a sawed-off baseball bat.
He smashes into the sidewalk.
It is Farrouhk, Max's neighbor, who's just pulled up in his
taxicab.
MAX
(Spotting his savior)
Farrouhk!
Farroukh threatens Marcy and the other tough guy, who
retreat in fear. Farroubk is afraid as well, so he doesn't
quite leap on them. He just keeps swinging the bat.
FARROUHK
He's sick! He's sick!
Max gets to his feet and runs behind Farrouhk.
Just then a station wagon screeches up to the curb. Lenny
Meyer, Ephraim, and a bunch of other his burly Jews jump out.
LENNY MEYER
Max!
Max looks at Farrouhk and then he looks at Lenny. Ephraim
grabs Max and pulls him toward the station wagon.
MAX
(To Farrouhk)
C'mon...
Farrouhk heads for his cab. Ephraim helps Max into the
backseat of the wagon and climbs in after him.
Lenny Meyer jumps into the passenger seat and the gray-bearded
YISRAEL slams on the gas Pedal.
Farrouhk jumps into his cab.
INT. LENNY MEYER'S CAR - MOVING - NIGHT
Yisrael yanks the steering wheel to the left, the old station
wagon skids around a corner.
MAX
Farrouhk what about Farrouhk!?
LENNY MEYER
Stay down!
Ephraim pushes Max's head down. Yisrael takes another
corner sharp.
MAX
Go back!
LENNY MEYER
He's okay, he got
in his cab. We've been
looking for you.
MAX
What's going on?
LENNY MEYER
Do you have the number?
MAX
What's going on?
LENNY MEYER
Do you have the number?
MAX
Yeah, I have it!
LENNY MEYER
You have it. Where is it?
You have it written down?
MAX
What is it?
Lenny nods to Ephraim, who starts scanning through
Max's pockets. Max resists. The other guys hold him down.
MAX
What are you doing!? What
the hell are you doing!?
LENNY MEYER
We're not joking
around, Max? Where's
the number?
MAX
(Pushing Ephraim away)
It's not on me. It's in my
head.
LENNY MEYER
You memorized it?
Did you give it to them?
MAX
Who?
LENNY MEYER
Who!? Those
Wall Street bastards.
MAX
Why do you care?
LENNY MEYER
Just answer me!
MAX
Screw you!
LENNY MEYER
(In Hebrew)
Hit him!
Yisrael screeches the car to a halt. He spins around in his
seat and looks Max in the face.
LENNY MEYER
You're dealing with something
really big now, Max. I don't
want to hurt you, so answer
me. Did you give it to them?
MAX
They've got part of it
Now get off me!
LENNY MEYER
Damn it! Damn it!
They're using it.
MAX
Using what?
LENNY MEYER
Shut up!
MAX
Let go!
Max chews into Ephraim's hand which is pinning him. Ephraim
screams and lets loose a punch to Max's jaw.
LENNY MEYER
No, don't!
But Lenny is late, and Max's world - as well as ours goes
black.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Max stares suspiciously at the bathroom. He slowly picks up
his drill. Wielding it like a hammer, he carefully advances
into the
BATHROOM where he looks into the sink. He almost vomits when
he sees a piece of human brain sitting above the drain. Ants
swarm across its surface.
Max becomes furious. He whacks it with the drill. Blood flies
up into his face. In a wild rage, he smashes it and punches
it.
Then he drops the drill and uses his bare hands to shove it
down the drain. Screaming like a madman, he jams it until it
is gone.
INT. BASEMENT SHUL - DAY
A wise-looking, bearded Hasidic man with benevolent, piercing
eyes stands tenderly over Max. He wears traditional black
clothes. Lenny Meyer paces nervously in the background.
As Max comes through, RAV COHEN speaks.
RAV COHEN
Max, Max. You're
okay I'm Rabbi Cohen. Cohen
like you. I'm sorry for what
Lenny did, he's been
reprimanded. It is not our way
Are you okay?
MAX
Yeah, yeah
RAV COHEN
Everything will be
fine, Max. You need to give
us the number. Do you have
it?
MAX
What is it?
LENNY MEYER
(Charging over)
I told you we don't know
MAX
You wouldn't be so
flipped out if you didn't
know. What's happening to me?
LENNY MEYER
Give us the number!
MAX
Screw you!
RAV COHEN
Okay, okay! Lenny,
easy! Max, I'll tell you
what's going on. Just calm
down.
(Deep breath, then)
The Talmud tells us it began two
thousand years ago, when the
Romans destroyed the second
temple.
MAX
What are you...
RAV COHEN
Just give me a chance.
You'll understand everything
if you listen.
Max takes out his pills and starts feeding himself some.
RAV COHEN
The Romans also
murdered all of our priest-
hood�the Cohanim�the Cohens,
and with their deaths they
destroyed our greatest
secret. In the center of the
great temple was the holy of
holies which was the heart of
Jewish life. This was the
earthly residence for our
God. The one God. It
contained the ark of the
Tabernacle which stored the
original Ten Commandments
that God gave to Moses. Only
one man could enter this
space once a year on the
holiest day of the year, Yom
Kippur On the Day of
Atonement, all of Israel
would descend upon Jerusalem
to witness the High Cohen's
trip into the holy of holies.
If the holy man was pure he
would reemerge a few moments
later and Israel was secured
a prosperous year. It meant
that we were one yea r closer
to the messianic age. Closer
to the return of the Garden
of Eden. But if he was
impure, he would die
instantly and it meant that
we were doomed. The High
Cohen had a single ritual to
perform in the holy of holies.
He had to intone a single
word.
Rav Cohen takes a dramatic pause. Max is anxious to hear the
end of the story.
MAX
So?
RAV COHEN
That word was the true name of God.
MAX
Yeah...
RAV COHEN
The true name, which only
the Cohanim knew, was two
hundred and sixteen letters
long.
A long beat.
MAX
(Incredulous)
You're telling me that the number in
my head is the name of God!?
Wondrously, Max rubs the scar on his head.
RAV COHEN
(Passion building)
Yes...it's The key into
the messianic age. As the
Romans burned the temple, the
Talmud says, the High Cohen
walked into the flames. He
took his secret to the top of
the burning building. The
heavens opened up and took
the key from the priest's
outstretched hand. We've been
searching for the key ever
since. And you may have found
it. Now let us find out.
MAX
That's what happened. I
saw God.
RAV COHEN
No, no, Max.
You're not pure. You can't
see God unless you're pure.
MAX
It's more than God...
it s everything. It's math
and science and nature...
the universe. I saw the
Universe's DNA
RAV COHEN
You saw nothing.
MAX
I saw everything.
RAV COHEN
There's much more.
We can unlock the door with
the key. It will show God
that we are pure again. He
will return us to The Garden.
MAX
Garden? You're not pure.
I'm the one who has the
number
RAV COHEN
Who do you think
you are? You are a vessel
from our God. You are
carrying a delivery that
needs to be made to us.
MAX
It was given to me. It's
part of me. It's changing me.
RAV COHEN
It's killing you.
Because you are impure.
LENNY MEYER
It will kill you!
MAX
And what will it do to
you?
LENNY MEYER
We're pure. Give
us the number!
MAX
The number is nothing.
You know that!
RAV COHEN
We can use it. We
can wield it.
MAX
It's just a number. I'm
sure you've written down
every two hundred sixteen number.
You've translated all of
them. You've intoned them
all. Haven't you? But what's
it gotten you? It's not the
number! It's the meaning.
It's the syntax. It's what's
between the numbers. If you
could understand you would.
But it's not for you! I've
got it. I understand it. I'm
going to see it!
(Whispers to Rav Cohen)
Rabbi...I was chosen.
EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY
Max races through the streets of New York. He is wide-eyed.
MAX (V.0.)
Suddenly, it's all there.
It all makes sense. I
can crack it. I can know it.
I know what it is. Sol knows,
too. I need to tell him. I
need to show him. I need to
bring him with me.
People fly by. Max in a spiraling whirlwind.
EXT. SOL'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
A pumped and excited Max paces the hall as he rings the bell.
The door opens. But it isn't Sol. It's a young, beautiful
woman wearing a simple black dress. Her name is JENNY ROBESON
and she is Sol's niece.
JENNY ROBESON
Can I help you?
MAX
(Confused)
Sol?
JENNY ROBESON
Were you a friend?
MAX
What do you mean?
JENNY ROBESON
He had a second stroke.
MAX
Where is he?
Jenny's eyes drop.
MAX
No.
Max rushes into Sol s study. The room is covered with Sol's P,
research books. It seems Sol had recently come out of
retirement. Max looks at a few of Sol's books. Then he finds a
piece of paper with Sol's handwriting on it. On the paper is
THE number. Max slides it into his pocket.
Max looks at the Go board. The pieces are arranged in a giant
spiral across the board.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY
Max sits on his bed staring at Sol's handwritten number.
Then he notices that his thumb is twitching. He drops Sol's
note.
MAX
Stop it, please!
He dumps the contents of the bottle of pills into his hand.
Max stops as he prepares to shove the pills down his throat.
He looks at the pills. Then he looks at Euclid around him. He
throws the pills and the bottle to the floor. They fall to
earth in SLOW MOTION.
The room rushes in on Max and so does the pain. It throws him
to the ground and he bashes his head against the floor.
MAX
(Courageously)
No. No. I'm ready. I'm
ready! Show me!
Max recites THE number and uses it to get to his feet. The
pain rips apart his voice.
Max's pain and anger transform into violence. He attacks
Euclid furiously. He recites the number with rage in his
voice.
MAX
Three, seven, two...
He smashes the old computer apart. He tosses his step stool
through the mainframe.
Then he goes to the window and tries to rip off the cardboard
covering the glass panes. Nothing doing, so he yanks the
entire window wide open.
Sunlight floods the room and throws Max into the
BLINDING WHITE VOID
where Max looks around starry-eyed. The pain is gone.
Everything is new to Max - even his hands. The stress leases
from his brow and his shoulders sag.
Max continues to recite the number His voice becomes tender
and peaceful. As he starts to become part of the void, his
voice turns into a whisper and his eyes start to close.
Then he hears Devi.
DEVI (O.S.)
Max. Max! Are you
okay!? Oh my God, Max!
Her voice reaches into the void.
DEVI (O.S)
Max! Breathe, Max. Breathe!
Max looks toward her voice.
DEVI (O.S.)
Yes, Max. Listen to me...
We cut back to
...THE MAIN ROOM
where Devi leans over Max. Max's eyes are open while he
continues to recite the number.
DEVI
Breathe, Max! Breathe.
Focus.
Max turns away from Devi and we return to the
BLINDING WHITE VOID
where Max continues to recite the number.
DEVI (O.S.)
No, Max. No.
Stay with me Max. Stay with
me.
And then we cut back to
THE MAIN ROOM
where Devi grabs Max's palm. Max's fingers wrap around her
hand. We return to
THE BLINDING WHITE VOID
where Max stops reciting the number. He suddenly opens his
fear filled eyes.
MAX
Where am I? What is
this? This is wrong, Sol.
Sol!
Max lets out a 'SOL!, and reaches out into the void. We match
cut back to
THE MAIN ROOM
where Max grabs Devi and hugs her. He gasps for air as
he collapses into her arms, sobbing.
MAX
Sol! You were right Sol!
He was right.
DEVI
That's right Max. That's
Right. Breathe. Breathe.
MAX
He was right. I want to
breathe. Breathe.
DEVI
Yes, breathe, Max.
Breathe...
Max sobs. He holds onto her for dear life
And then be realizes that Devi is not in his arms. He is
holding onto himself.
Then Max notices Sol's note on the ground. He looks at the
number. He collects himself and catches his breath.
INT. MAX'S BATHROOM � DAY
Max looks at Sol's note. He lights a match and burns it.
Next, he prepares something in the sink.
We hear the WHINE of a motor. Then it stops, Max looks at
himself in the mirror, He smiles. Then he gets solemn.
He takes a deep breath. Then we hear the motor again. Max
lifts up his arm. He's holding a drill. He places the bit
against the math section of his scalp.
He applies pressure and drills into his brain.
Max collapses as we quickly
CUT TO
EXT. CITY PLAYGROUND - DAY
TIGHT ON
a tree branch gently blowing in the wind.
Max watches it with peaceful, understanding eyes. He wears a
hat on his head.
He listens to the wind in the trees.
Just then, Jenna surprises him with her Fisher Price
calculator on hand.
JEHNA
Max, Max!
Max smiles at Jenna. He's glad to see her.
JENNA
Can we do one, Max, can
we?
Max shrugs, not able to say no.
JENNA
How about two hundred
and fifty-five times a
hundred and eighty-three.
Jenna types m the number.
Max is about to say "no" to Jenna, but then be decides to give
it a shot.
Max thinks, he really thinks.
Jenna presses the EQUALS button.
JENNA
I got it! I got it!
What's the answer?
MAX
(Smiling and then laughing)
I don't know. I really don't
know. What is it, Jenna?
JENNA
Forty-six thousand six
hundred and sixty-five.
MAX
Oh.
The trees blow gently in the wind as we slowly
FADE TO WHITE which brings us to
THE END
