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Antitrus.txt
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"ANTITRUST"
Screenplay by
Howard Franklin
SHOOTING DRAFT
2001
ON A BLACK SCREEN
it says: "The coolest thing?"
VOICE
Wow. That's hard. I'd have to say
it's the day we launched Outpost
'98.
We hear a (famous) Seattle alternative band.
EXT. OUTPOST CAMPUS - DAY (BEGIN MAIN TITLES)
Quick cuts, seductive angles: 70 hot-air balloons rise over
a vast, green corporate campus. Their mylar skins are
imprinted with Outpost '98 logos; their gondolas are dressed
in Outpost-colored bunting.
18,000 Outpost employees cheer. They're spread out over
rolling lawns, amid Arabian tents and costumed Acrobats.
Over the balloon-dotted sky, the graphic re-appears: "The
coolest thing?"
DIFFERENT VOICE (DARYL)
It's the beverages.
INT. OUTPOST OFFICE - DAY (CONTINUE TITLES & MUSIC)
A Programmer sits in his handsome office, forested landscape
out the window. The screen says: DARYL, M.I.T. '95
DARYL
Gary always makes sure we've got the
coolest stuff to drink.
JUMP CUTS of tall refrigerators: Snapples, Cokes, Fruitopias,
Zaps, Jolts, Barques & Sprites are lined-up behind glass
doors. "The coolest thing?"
DIFFERENT VOICE (DIANA)
Knowing your work means something.
INT. OUTPOST CAMPUS - DAY (CONTINUE TITLES & MUSIC)
A 24-year-old Korean-American Girl sits at the edge of a
plashing, post-modern fountain. DIANA, STANFORD '97
DIANA (V.O.)
Knowing everywhere in the world,
this is the software people use.
MONTAGE of world capitals & remote places: Stockbrokers &
Farmers, News Anchors & Students, CEO's & Eskimos boot-up
Outpost '98, or log-on with Outpost Internet Traveler.
DIANA (V.O.)
20 years ago, Gary had an idea, that's
all he had. And now the company's
bigger than IBM.
Over the last shot (a Ghetto Kid uses Outpost Word in the
library): "The coolest thing?"
VOICE (V.O.)
It's the people. Which is weird.
EXT. COFFEE HOUSE/TERRACE - DAY (CONTINUE TITLES & MUSIC)
A Programmer sits with two colleagues, drinking lattés at
the edge of Lake Washington. MITCH, BERKELEY, '98
MITCH
Big companies are s'posed to be
impersonal.
MONTAGE: Programmers play competitive games at an Outpost
picnic; Toddlers play on computers in an Outpost Day Care
Center; Geeks confer at a diagram-covered whiteboard;
Employees listen/dance to the Seattle band we've been hearing,
on-stage, at the Outpost '98 launch.
MITCH (V.O.)
There's this myth that doing a start-
up is cooler. But there's no community
with a start-up. No permanence.
BACK TO SCENE: COFFEE HOUSE/TERRACE (CONTINUE TITLES)
One of Mitch's colleagues is nodding. DONNY, HARVARD, '97
DONNY
It bums me out when the media say
we're cultish, or whatever. Why?
'Cause we care about each other?
Donny didn't mean to sound so mushy. Nobody knows where to
look for a second.
MITCH
'Love you too, bro.
As they laugh: "The coolest thing?"
VOICE (TERRY)
I'll tell you what's not cool.
TERRY
How Gary gets this superbad rap.
MONTAGE of magazine covers (Newsweek, Vanity Fair, WIRED)
featuring Gary Boyd. They say, eg: "Who Owns Cyberspace?" On
a Time cover, he's composited by the Capitol Dome: "ROBBER
BARON OR VISIONARY? Outpost's Antitrust Woes"
TERRY (V.O.)
There's this prejudice against super-
smart people. People like Gary.
GARY (early 40's) reads a statement before a Congressional
Sub-Committee. His voice is pleasant but firm:
GARY
A kid working in his garage can create
the next Outpost, the new IBM. All
it takes is a great idea.
A bloated Senator looks hostile.
GARY
That's why nobody can have a monopoly
in a business built on ideas.
As we watch, CAMERA pulls back from the screen on which the
movie is being projected. REVERSE INTO:
INT. COLLEGE AUDITORIUM - EVENING (END MAIN TITLES)
Over an audience of 40 or so computer students we read:
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
We pick out MILO CONNOR, watching keenly. He's 21: clear-
eyed, alive, innocent. He sits with his best friend, TEDDY
CHIN, third-generation Chinese-American.
DIFFERENT VOICE (V.O.)
The coolest? Gary. He's like you or
me. If we happened t'be insanely
rich.
Some appreciative laughter in the auditorium. But behind
Milo, LARRY LINDHOLM squirms in his seat. He whispers:
LARRY
Can we go?
VOICE (FROM THE FILM)
For me? It's Seattle!
LARRY
'Starting to get nauseated.
BRIAN BISSEL, in front of Milo, twists in his seat:
BRIAN
Do you mind?
Larry gets up.
Two Outpost Recruiters, REDMOND PRICE, 31 (gray suit) and
DANNY BAYLOR, 29 (Outpost '98 golf shirt) note the walkout.
Danny scans headshots in a Stanford Yearbook. (On-screen
behind them we see Seattle: night streets wet-down &
shimmering; Young People entering a club; Young People
climbing Mt. Shasta.) Finding Larry's picture, Danny points
out the name to Redmond, who shrugs: unconcerned.
VOICE FROM THE MOVIE
Did anybody mention the beverages?
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS
The double-doors swing open (over them, a plate reads: THE
HEWLITT-PACKARD AUDITORIUM) and Larry comes out.
UP THE HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
ALICE POULSON, a very pretty girl of 21 (more hiply dressed
than the geeks) searches the hall, reading the names over
the doors (NEC Communications Classroom, Toshiba Computer
Lab, Mitsubishi Classroom). She spots Larry.
ALICE
Is it over?
LARRY
They still have to give 'em
refreshments laced with mind-altering
drugs.
ALICE
You are a fanatic.
LARRY
'Gonna wait outside.
EXT. STANFORD COMPUTER SCIENCE BLDG. - A MOMENT LATER
Tilting down the neo-classical edifice, we read the name
etched over the entrance: WILLIAM GATES COMPUTER SCIENCE
BUILDING. We find Larry and Alice sitting on the steps.
LARRY (AT FIRST O.S.)
Alice? You gotta make him do the
start-up with Teddy and me.
ALICE
"Make" him?
LARRY
(thoughtfully)
You know what I mean.
As we hear Larry speak, we cut back into:
THE AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS
The lights are on. Milo & Teddy stand by a table dressed in
Outpost bunting, laden with refreshments & giveaways:
mousepads, T-shirts, caps & books with the Outpost logo on
them (a simple contour drawing of a frontier outpost). While
most Students chat earnestly with Recruiters, Milo & Teddy
load their plates with pizza and tortilla chips.
LARRY (V.O.)
I'm not exactly worldly, but I'm the
Secretary of State next to him.
Milo puts some brownies on his plate.
LARRY (V.O.)
And they're all throwing this --
stuff at him. Stock options. Pay
packages.
Spotting a book on the table, Milo picks it up.
EXT. GATES BLDG. - CONTINUOUS
LARRY
I'm just screwed.
ALICE
(that's not true)
You know what he's like. He just
wants to work on stuff that's cool.
LARRY
You don't wanna move, do you?
ALICE
I can paint anywhere.
Larry looks at her: you didn't answer my question.
ALICE
I'd like to stay here, yeah. And I
kind of think he should be with Teddy.
THE AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS
Milo and Teddy discuss the book almost joyfully. (We see a
page of code: utterly indecipherable.)
ALICE (V.O.)
I mean, nobody else can follow what
they're talking about half the time.
MILO/TEDDY
(under Alice)
'Could be a condition-variable in
the locking code -- If it didn't seg
fault, first!
EXT. GATES BLDG. - CONTINUOUS
ALICE
Maybe you shouldn't push it so hard.
About Outpost. No offense, you sound
insane.
LARRY
I can't help it. I feel like they'd
do anything to keep their --
ALICE
Anything? That's not even credible.
If he wants to go up there? To check
it out? I think you should encourage
him.
(seeing Larry's
incredulity)
It's his life. But everybody's
treating him like this -- valuable
object. You're hurting your own case.
INT. AUDITORIUM - CONTINUOUS
Brian, already wearing one of the Outpost caps, effuses to
Redmond.
BRIAN
He's my god. I hear he actually calls
recruits sometimes. Or is that an
Urban Legend?
REDMOND
Gary's running the biggest software
company in the world, Brian. He's
being harassed by the Justice
Department, and he's got a new baby.
Across the room, Milo (eating chips, perusing code) reaches
for a napkin but unwittingly grabs some bunting. It unravels
in a long TP-like streamer -- just as Danny approaches,
peering at Milo's ID tag.
DANNY
Milo? I'm Danny.
MILO
Oh hi.
He tries to sluff the paper off his hand; Danny holds out a
cell phone.
DANNY
Gary would like to speak to you?
Milo and Teddy look at each other: right. But Danny looks
like he means it. Milo's grin fades. He takes the phone.
MILO
...Hello?
GARY (ON THE PHONE)
Milo? Gary Boyd. I'm hoping you and
your friend can come up here. We've
made some amazing strides in digital
convergence. I'd love to show them
to you.
MILO
You would? Wow. When would we come?
(he waits; he looks
up)
'Think he hung up.
Danny holds out two plane tickets, in 1st class folders.
INT. UNIVERSITY AVENUE DINER (PALO ALTO) - NIGHT
Alice examines one of the tickets almost suspiciously.
ALICE
But how does he know that's what you
guys're working on?
Larry, Teddy & Brian are at the table with Alice & Milo.
It's a student hang-out, with loud music.
MILO
All the companies know. The faculties
tell 'em. At the target schools.
LARRY
In exchange for endowments. They
should just drop the pretense and
name the schools after 'em.
BRIAN
(to Teddy)
I can't believe you refused a ticket!
TEDDY
My parents're already freaked-out
I'm staying here. 50 miles from
Chinatown.
BRIAN
Well maybe if you told 'em how much
money you'd be making --
(to Milo)
You're going up there. Right?
LARRY
I think you should go.
MILO
(amazed)
You do?
LARRY
I mean, it's your life.
As Alice predicted, Milo is pleased by Larry's remark.
"Empowered." Larry smiles conspiratorially at Alice.
INT. MILO & ALICE'S APARTMENT - MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
In a tidy, playfully decorated room, Alice stirs in bed,
sees the space next to her is vacant.
TINY ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Milo sits at a desk, thinking, agitated, in the dim light of
a PC. He looks up, sees Alice in the doorway.
MILO
I think I kind of lost it. I was
just so thrilled to be talking to
the richest, most powerful... 'Didn't
know I even cared about that stuff.
ALICE
C'mon, how often do you talk to
somebody who's been on the cover of
Time. Three of four times.
She picks her way through geek clutter (motherboards, code
manuals, Coke cans) sits next to him.
MILO
A lot of what Larry says is true.
They just clone stuff, or reverse
engineer it, and everybody gets stuck
with their inferior version cause
they --
ALICE
Then you've gotta ask him about that.
He looks at her: you've gotta be kidding.
ALICE
It's important.
MILO
If he's really a bully, he won't cop
to it, anyway.
ALICE
Bully? Are we talking about Gary
Boyd? Or your dad.
He doesn't deny it: she sees right through him.
MILO
When I was a kid? And he was moving
us all over the place? I spent all
my time writing stuff on Outpost
1.0. I thought Gary Boyd was the
greatest.
ALICE
But he's not quite the same guy
anymore. Don't get your hopes too
high?
INT. 737 - FIRST CLASS CABIN - DAY
In the cabin, everybody types on a notebook but Milo. He
looks out the window expectantly: at the Seattle skyline.
INT. SEA-TAC AIRPORT - GATE 13 - DAY
Milo comes off the plane. Danny and Redmond greet him.
INT/EXT. HIGHWAY/CAR - DAY
Redmond drives his black Lexus 85 m.p.h. Danny leans forward
from the backseat.
DANNY
'Couldn't convince Teddy to come?
MILO
He's pretty tight with his family.
DANNY
We could move 'em up here.
MILO
He just likes to write code. He's
bummed there's so much secrecy and
competition, everybody trying to own
everything.
REDMOND
Who do you mean by "everybody."
Milo almost blushes. He makes an awkward segue.
MILO
So -- how far are we from the campus?
REDMOND
Oh we're not going to the campus.
EXT. GARY BOYD'S COMPOUND - LAKE WASHINGTON - DAY
Beyond a rocky beach, buildings are cunningly carved into a
wooded hillside. Glass walls are framed in rich wood. The
main house is 28,000 sq. ft. Then there's the guest house,
pool building, reception hall, library...
EXT. GATEHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Redmond pulls up. A discreet Guard in a Mr. Rogers cardigan
recognizes him. The gates swing open.
EXT. BOYD HOUSE - DAY
They pull up by a Lexus SUV with a baby seat. Another Man in
a cardigan stands in the open front door.
MILO
Who's that?
DANNY
I think they call him the "Houseman."
'Cause "guard" sounds too weird.
Milo just sits there, eyeing the monumental residence.
DANNY
Don't be nervous. The house is the
weirdest thing about him.
REDMOND
It's like he knows everybody expects
him to be this worldly, colorful
zillionaire. But he's just a guy who
likes software.
INT. BOYD MANSION - DEN-LIKE ROOM - DAY
Milo and the Houseman cross a long room with a lake view. We
hear music by Satie. The Craftsman furniture and lamps are
custom-made. A Cezanne hangs on the wall.
ANOTHER DEN-LIKE ROOM WITH A VIEW
There's a Craftsman crib here, stuffed animals, another
Cezanne. Even the toys seem arranged. They enter an
ANTEROOM/CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
HOUSEMAN
Have a seat. He won't be long.
Milo sits on a bench. He tries not to look, but his childhood
hero is partly visible through a glass panel in the door:
Gary (in a suit and tie) has an open American face. But
something goes on behind his pleasant features and self-
possessed mien: his desire (or need) to solve the problem at
hand is so intense it makes him appear vexed -- even
vulnerable.
CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Gary concentrates, two Outpost Senior Managers speak:
PHIL TATE, 40 (bald); and RANDY GRIMES, 36, (gray eyes).
PHIL
We tried the big vaporware number,
Gary, it's no-sale.
RANDY
Can we buy into their IPO? Or is
that a Justice Dept. problem?
PHIL
There is no public offering. The guy
who wrote it joined some freakazoid
cult in San Luis Obispo. 'Wrote this
just to run their web site.
ANTEROOM - CONTINUOUS
Gary speaks with precise hand gestures: settling the matter.
Phil and Randy gather their papers, and stand. They exit,
nodding at Milo as they pass. Then Gary comes out.
GARY
Milo? Excuse the tie. I was on TV.
Milo is a little dazzled as they shake hands: such a fam-
iliar face, such a big figure in his young life.
MILO
...That's okay.
INT. DEN-LIKE ROOM - MOVING
Now New Age music plays. They move back through the same
room, but the Cezanne has been replaced by a Hieronymus Bosch
(bodies roiling in Hell). Milo is -- puzzled.
GARY
The house knows the paintings I like,
it knows my favorite music. Same for
anybody else who's in the system.
NEXT ROOM - STILL MOVING
As they walk, Milo watches a Cezanne "original" digitally re-
configure to a Bosch, brushstrokes and all.
MILO
Cool!
GARY
Would you like a Coke or something?
MILO
(too shy, too nervous)
Oh. No thanks.
He opens a glass-doored refrigerator, scans a shelf with
rows of Snapples -- in alphabetical order.
GARY
When we started, I just hired my
smart friends. That was great. We
got a little bigger, I had to hire
smart strangers. Much harder.
He selects a Kiwi-Raspberry, they walk on.
GARY
Now I don't get to hire anybody. But
I know you're the guy to write
Skywire.
INT. GARY'S WORKROOM (LAKE VIEW) - MOMENTS LATER
They enter. An entire wall is taken-up by a Bosch triptych.
As Gary crosses to the other side of the room, Milo stands
by a table covered in art books -- hundreds of them (Soutine,
Chinoiserie, Roy Lichtenstein...)
MILO
You know a lot about art, I guess.
GARY
There's a rumor going around, maybe
you've heard it.
Gary heads back, carrying something spherical.
GARY
There's more to life than computers?
I'm looking into it.
Glancing down at the daunting display of books, Gary looks
vaguely afflicted. He mutters:
GARY
'Once I start looking into something.
Looking up now (and much more at ease) he holds up a shiny,
detailed metal object: model satellite.
GARY
I've only shown this to three other
people. I bought 200, we've launched
12 so far. I keep the coordinates in
this room.
(as Milo takes it,
carefully)
It's left over from SDI. Reagan's
Star Wars technology? They orbit 426
miles up.
MILO
Low enough to relay internet traffic.
GARY
(he smiles: exactly)
Among other things... We know
convergence is the real super-highway:
all the PC's, TV's, phones, etc.
linked together. Why cram it into a
cable if you can use the whole sky?
MILO
(turning the sleek
object)
Skywire.
INT. GARY'S WORKROOM - LATER
Milo and Gary peer at a monitor, side-by-side. Milo sips his
own Snapple now. Gary speaks his language.
GARY
The content filer has t'be written
into the media files so bits coming
off the satellite can be read by
multiplatforms. Really, omniplatforms.
Including whatever new hardware
emerges.
MILO
It needs a more object-oriented
language. This doesn't scale, does
it?
GARY
You'd have to start practically from
scratch. But this is all you'd be
working on. No marketing meetings,
no product seminars. We can't waste
the time. Half the Valley's working
on convergence. So're media
conglomerates, cable companies, phone
companies. 'Can't finish second,
Milo. There is no second... Now what
would you like to ask me?
Milo has a deer-in-the-headlights look.
MILO
...Ask you?
INT. GARY'S HOUSE - ANOTHER ROOM - DUSK
As they walk, Milo chides himself for his reticence. Gary
seems to read his mind.
GARY
I know what people say, and not just
the Justice Department. We clone
ideas, inflict our second-rate
versions on the world, we haven't
done anything original since 1.0.
Milo's amazed by Gary's acuity. And his candor.
GARY
Do I think that's fair? No. I'd put
some of our apps up against anybody's.
But is there some truth to it?
They have come to a stop in a windowed entryway. Milo watches
Gary keenly. Gary nods. He knits his brow.
GARY
When you get to a certain age, you
start wondering. About your legacy.
I doubt you even remember Outpost
1.0 --
MILO
I do!
GARY
(pleased)
Yeah? I wanna feel like I did when I
wrote that. But I'm 42, that's 100
in cyber-years. I look at you and
see the things that got me here.
(the furrows deepen)
But somehow got away.
EXT. CUPERTINO HILLS (SILICON VALLEY) - NIGHT
A block of floodlit "tract mansions," Taco Bell palaces of
the Valley's newly rich. Milo & Alice cross a vacant lot to
where the lights twinkle below. Their '89 Honda Civic is
parked nearby. Milo is excited.
MILO
If my dad'd leveled with me like
that even once... The weird thing
is, my fantasy he could somehow be
like the old Gary? It's his fantasy,
too.
ALICE
I think that's great, Milo. I do.
MILO
...But?
ALICE
Didn't you visit the campus?
MILO
I forgot. That's why you have to
help me decide.
ALICE
No way. You have this -- destiny.
MILO
C'mon, I wouldn't have a destiny
without you. My destiny would be
dying at 20. From eating --
ALICE
Don't bring that up. Like a different
girlfriend would'd've let you die?
MILO
(shrugs)
You saved my life in alot of ways.
He's sweet. She kisses him. He holds onto her.
ALICE
It's not just Gary that makes you
wanna go there? 'Cause it's a big
place. You might not even see him
again.
He'd hate to think that's true. But he manages a smile.
MILO
I know.
EXT. MILO & ALICE'S APARTMENT - DAY
The Honda is loaded with luggage and boxes, some of which
are tied to the roof. Milo & Alice stow a final piece.
MILO
When's Brian coming for the TV?
ALICE
Prob'ly waiting by the phone for
Outpost to call. We'll leave it for
him?
As they head back in, they see a Toyota park at the curb.
ALICE
'Give you guys some time alone.
She continues inside. He waits, watches Teddy cross the
sidewalk to join him.
MILO
...You got my E-mail?
TEDDY
And your phone messages. You wanna
do what you do, it's not a crime.
MILO
Is that how Larry feels?
TEDDY
Uh. Not exactly.
A brown Buick parks behind Teddy's car. As they speak, a
rumpled, 50ish MAN in an off-the-rack suit gets out.
MILO
Wanted to say goodbye to him...
TEDDY
Hey, we got seed money for the
startup! A million-five!
Milo grins, he high-fives Teddy.
TEDDY
We rented a loft in Sunnyvale.
(he gives Milo the
number)
You know what's the bad part? We
can't talk about work anymore. We're
competitors! The venture capitalists
made us sign like 100 confidentiality
forms.
MILO
Outpost made me sign 1,000. 'Guess
we'll find out what else we have to
talk about. Life stuff.
They embrace. It's awkward, but it's heartfelt.
INT. MILO & ALICE'S APARTMENT - A MOMENT LATER
Milo enters, reading Teddy's phone number.
MILO
Guess what? They got their --
The rumpled Man sits on a radiator, watching CNN on a TV,
the last remaining piece of furniture. Alice enters, holding
a jam jar filled water, hands Milo a business card.
ALICE
Milo, this is Mr. Barton from the
Justice Department.
(gives Barton the
water)
Sorry about the glass.
Milo reads the card: Lyle Barton, Asst. Prosecutor, DOJ,
Seattle Branch Office. Milo's a little spooked.
BARTON
Don't worry, Milo. I'm here as a
friend. Or maybe a supplicant.
MILO
Right... What's that mean again?
BARTON
Beggar. We're at a disadvantage with
Outpost. Our experts aren't as smart
as theirs. Sometimes we can't tell
which technologies pose the threat
of a monopoly. We need a really smart
guy to help us pick our fights. I'm
taking a shot in the dark, here. I
can offer you 32,000 a year, a Buick.
I'm hoping you've got a feeling it's
the right thing to do.
MILO
(fiddling with the
card)
It's just -- I kind of feel the need
to do something with my ability.
Create something...
BARTON
Like I said: shot in the dark.
Milo tries to give back the card.
BARTON
If you see something there that rubs
you the wrong way? Do the right thing.
And he goes.
MILO
That took some fun out of --
ALICE
We're not gonna let it.
She kisses him. They head out. We linger. On TV a graphic
says: SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA: MASS SUICIDE - LIVE. Emergency
Medical Personnel roll gurneys with bodies out of a new
Mediterranean mansion. Footage shows bodies (including a few
children) on bunkbeds, uniformly shod in black Nikes.
CNN VOICE
-- ingested the fatal mixture of
sedatives crushed in apple sauce.
According to the cult's eerily
professional website, it was "time
to move on..."
EXT. OUTPOST CORPORATE CAMPUS - DAY
Crane past identical, low, steel & glass buildings, amid the
vast lawns & fir trees... Past a building under
construction... To find Redmond's Lexus, cruising.
INT./EXT. REDMOND'S CAR/CAMPUS - CONTINUOUS
Milo looks out the window, Redmond gives the tour:
REDMOND
There're 20 buildings, I mean not
counting the Gyms, the Day Care,