2. 1
FADE IN..
INT. THE SOLITARIO. NIGHT
The SOLITARIO is a lonely restaurant. Square tables covered
with red sheets are scattered throughout the dining room.
The walls are the same color of red, but bare and lacking
artwork or anything creative. The doors to the kitchen stand
at the right of the room, perfectly still as if no one had
used them for a short while. ELIZA, late 20's, tired and
stressed, with black hair and blue jeans with a black
sweater, is the only soul in the room. She sits directly in
the middle, a cold steak and a glass half full of wine in
front of her. The steak looks untouched.
POV - ELIZA
We see the other half of the dining room, the square tables
stand before the entrance and front of the restaurant, made
entirely of glass. Snow is fluttering outside as dozens of
people flock both ways by car and on foot. Business men,
parents with children, single men and women. Some are
smiling and laughing while others are neutral, many carrying
briefcases, wrapped gifts or shopping bags. The
contradiction between the inside and outside is clear.
Across the street, we see an office building decorated in
Christmas lights.
MEDIUM SHOT - ELIZA
We go back to viewing ELIZA. She picks up her glass and gently
raises it, stopping halfway and hesitating. She turns her
head and looks around, maybe to distract herself. She stops
and looks at...
ECU - FISH TANK
A large fish tank in one corner of the room. The water
habitat fills the view, dozens of fish move about and
breathe ever so gently. Through the tank, we see a magnified
image of ELIZA, still holding her glass and staring either
directly at us or the fish moving comfortably in the tank.
It looks like her breathing isn't as comfortable and her
body slightly moves itself, like she struggles to breathe.
3. 2
MEDIUM SHOT - ELIZA
She looks toward the tank, still. The glass is still dormant
in her hand as if she's posing. She looks down at the glass
and then sets it back on the table. She slowly looks up as a
DARK CLAD MAN, mid 30's, walks into frame in front of her
table. Where did he come from? The entrance didn't even
sound opened? ELIZA doesn't seem at all surprised as we are.
Aside from a white shirt and pale face, everything about
this man is black from his hair and suit. His dark eyes look
on to ELIZA's.
DARK CLAD MAN
ELIZA....
ELIZA
Hi...
The DARK CLAD MAN takes his black wool pea coat off and
pulls the chair out from ELIZA's table. He sets the coat on
the back and sits down, eyes fixed on ELIZA the whole time.
DARK CLAD MAN I see
that the food hasn't even been
slightly penetrated.
ELIZA bites her lip with little force.
ELIZA
I'll eat it...
She quickly takes a quick sip of wine at last and sets it
down.
ELIZA (CONT'D)
Why do you keep coming here?
DARK CLAD MAN
You know why. Do I really have to
keep telling you? Or are you just
asking yourself over and over again
hoping to get a different answer?
ELIZA looks down, already feeling defeated. Could he be right?
Her breathing intensifies, appearing like she wants to say
something but either doesn't want to say or is too afraid to
say it. The DARK CLAD MAN stays as neutral as he's been.
4. 3
ELIZA
I don't want you here... I don't
want to see you.
DARK CLAD MAN
Well, ditto.
ELIZA looks down again, how can she take more of these
comments? She looks again at...
ECU - FISH TANK -
The fish are still swimming smoothly, their gills displaying
long and steady breaths. ELIZA is doing the opposite, seeing
the calm fish around her while she looks like she could be
gasping any second. To us it looks like she is drowning while
the fish move about and breathe freely.
DARK CLAD MAN
Get a hold of yourself, will you?
CU - ELIZA -
The almost startles her. She quickly looks forward again and
grabs her glass but does not lift it. The DARK CLAD MAN
looks down at her hand and glass with a raised eyebrow and a
look that says "well, what are you waiting for?" ELIZA
appears to catch onto this and takes a quick sip and sets it
down again, her hand still gripping iT. The DARK CLAD MAN
slightly chuckles under his breath.
ELIZA
I need the help...I know I do.
DARK CLAD MAN Come on we
both know that's too much effort.
No one understands what's going on
and everyone is already judging
you. Don't you think people will
judge you worse if you go out and
do that? The only one who knows
about this is me and I don't even
understand it.
ELIZA looks down at her wine glass and begins to move it in
a circular motion so it stirs.
CU - WINE GLASS (TOP)
5. 4
The wine stirs slowly. It begins to build up against
silence. It can't even keep up with her hand anymore.
CU - ELIZA'S EYES
She's fixated at the self-stirring drink.
CU - WINE GLASS (TOP)
The liquid, not the glass, is now spinning. Like a tire
wheel. ELIZA's hand isn't even moving it anymore. The speed
continues at a high rate.
ECU - ELIZA'S EYES -
She can't even blink. Her short and loud breaths amplify and
surround our ears.
CU - FISH TANK -
We see the same view of the free roaming fish breathing
comfortably. This time ELIZA is not looking at us, we see
her profile as she looks down. Her breaths are also worse.
From the looks of it it's exactly like she's drowning. She
moves her head around to the right and to the left. Our
image looks like her decapitated head is drowning in the
tank.
ECU - WINE GLASS (TOP) -
The liquid is still spinning madly.
CU - ELIZA'S EYES -
They are still fixated but her head is not moving like the
FISH TANK cut showed us.
ELIZA (O.S.)
When will it stop..?
DARK CLAD MAN
When will what stop?
ELIZA's eyes look up and forward at last.
CU - WINE GLASS (TOP) -
The liquid is still. It looks as if it was never even
stirred.
6. 5
MEDIUM SHOT - ELIZA AND DARK CLAD MAN
ELIZA
I mean..uhm...I guess you're
right...
She lays back in her chair, looking to the side. Defeated.
ELIZA (CONT'D)
It's just..all I see any more
are those still and lifeless
eyes staring right at me.
CU - WINE GLASS
We see a reflection of ELIZA in the glass, looking directly
both of us.
MEDIUM SHOT - DARK CLAD MAN
He is as neutral as ever.
DARK CLAD MAN
Do everyone a favor..stop boring
them. I mean come on you don't
have the right. And you know what,
it doesn't give you the excuse to
be lazy.
MEDIUM SHOT - ELIZA
ELIZA
(looking on, a dead horse being
beaten)
I know...it's my own fault.
MEDIUM SHOT - ELIZA AND DARK CLAD MAN -
DARK CLAD MAN
(Somewhat upbeat)
That' right! You finally understand
what you're doing! You let everyone
down, you've been acting like a
burden, you've been lazy and you
know it. No one wants to be around
you. Do you finally get it?
7. 6
ELIZA
I've gotten it ever since it
happened...I need the punishment.
She pushes the plate of food aside.
DARK CLAD MAN
It tastes awful, anyway.
The DARK CLAD MAN checks his watch and casually stands up,
grabbing his pea coat and putting it on.
DARK CLAD MAN (CONT'D)
I'm leaving now, got a lot of
other people to see. Just remember
something....
ELIZA looks up at him, wanting mercy but not expecting it.
DARK CLAD MAN (CONT'D)
You did this to yourself.
ELIZA's eyes get watery. Tears are there but she refuses to
let them fall. The DARK CLAD MAN turns around and walks out
of frame. As he entered, there is again no door opening or
sound indicating an exit. ELIZA looks down at her wine glass
again.
CU - WINE GLASS -
It is halfway full again! Without her touching it the liquid
begins to stir.
MEDIUM SHOT - ELIZA -
ELIZA stands up and walks towards the front of the
restaurant. The camera follows her. She stops right at the
glass door, 4 inches of glass separating her from the dozens
walking outside. No one notices her. She lightly taps on the
glass with no outside reaction. She taps slightly harder
using two more fingers. Her eyes appear to be drowning now.
She slams her palm against the glass and smacks it again and
again. She gives up, the tears are now running down her
face. She uses her other hand to try and open the door but
it won't budge. She places both hands on the handle and
pulls with all her might to open but it doesn't move, still.
8. 7
She screams in despair as an endless stream of tears roll
down her face. She pounds the glass with both fists, the
thumping and sound of her hysteria deafening us but the
active passersby outside keep moving, never hearing or
seeing her. She stops screaming and lets some final tears
roll down her face. She faintly taps the glass a few more
times before finally giving up. She turns her back against
the glass and slides her body down into a sitting position
and cradles her knees to her chest.
POV - ELIZA -
We see the back half of the restaurant dining room. The
tables, including her's, stand still like seemingly like
critics. Suddenly one rectangular overhead light, the
furthest one out, goes out and turns the section of the room
black. The closest one after that goes out, followed by the
next as it gets closer to the front. Each light that goes
out swallows each section of the room in darkness. The one
directly over ELIZA's table goes out; disappearing from
view.
CU - ELIZA -
The tears are drying on her face. She looks directly at the
lights in front of her going out. She doesn't seem to be
phased, as if she's expecting it. The light on her face
grows dimmer after each click we hear of the lights going
out.
EXT. THE SOLITARIO. NIGHT
It looks the same outside as it did on the inside. People
and cars scurry past the building, not noticing it, the
lights, or ELIZA. We see ELIZA's back against the glass. The
final light above her goes out, engulfing her and the inside
into pitch black. We can't see tables or ELIZA, they are
surrounded by darkness. Above the glass doors, one the
cement roof, the neon sign reading "Solitario" buzzes and
its lights go out. As expected, nobody notices a thing.
FADE TO BLACK..
THE END.
9. 8
This is a metaphorical story for depression. From accounts I
found that people with Depression will sometimes have
alcohol problems and/or eating issues in which they do not
eat. "Solitario" is Italian for "lonely." The DARK CLAD MAN
represents ELIZA's Depression and how it bullies her and
convinces her she's worthless. Depression also affects
millions of people ("I have a lot of people to see"). People
have listed what it feels like their
Depression is telling them ("Everyone's already judging
you," "You brought this on yourself," "No one wants to be
around you" etc.). People have also listed what Depression
feels like to them and some of them include being alone in a
dark room (the lights going out), being in a glass box and
trying to get out but no one will see you (ELIZA pounding on
the glass entrance), feeling like you're drowning while
everyone around you is breathing (the shots of the FISH TANK
that makes it appear that ELIZA is struggling to breathe in
it while the fish are not struggling) as well as watching a
wheel spin rapidly and wondering if it will ever stop (the
wine spinning). These are examples of the metaphors for
Depression in "The Dinner."
10. 9
If you or someone you know if struggling with Depression,
there is always hope. Contact Depression Alliance or call
the Crisis Call Center at 1-800-273-8255 if you experience
feelings of despair and/or distress.
