- TOKYO -

ELDERLY ASIAN GENTLEMAN WALKS INTO TRAIN STATION CARRY BAG OF GROCERIES. AT THE TOP OF THE BAG LIES A CARTON OF EGGS.  MAN WALKS DOWN STEPS TO UNDERGROUND SUBWAY TRAIN AND ENTERS TRAIN CAR.

ASIAN MAN SITTING WITH GROCERY BAG IN HIS LAP.  ACROSS THE AISLE IS A YOUNG ASIAN BOY LOOKING AT THE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN.  TRAIN BEGINS TO MOVE.  NEXT STOP, TRAIN COMES TO A HALT.  ELDERLY GENTLEMAN GETS UP AND WALKS OUT OF TRAIN CAR.  YOUNG BOY WATCHES AS THE ELDERLY MAN LEAVES.  YOUNG BOY TURNS TO LOOK WHERE THE MAN WAS SITTING AND SEES 4 EGGS ON THE SEAT.  TRAIN BEGINS TO MOVE AGAIN, AND YOUNG BOY WATCHES AND LAUGHS WHILE THE 4 EGGS BEGIN TO ROLL AROUND ON THE SUBWAY SEAT.  EGGS ROLL OFF SEAT AND BREAK ON FLOOR.  YOUNG BOY CONTINUES TO WATCH AND WATCH AND LAUGH.   HIS MOTHER LEANS DOWN A LITTLE TO REPRIMAND HIM.

CAMERA SHOWS BROKEN EGGS ON FLOOR.

CAMERA FOCUSES BACK TO CHILD'S FACE.  BOY BEGINS TO FROWN. BLOOD BEGINS TO DRIP FROM BOY'S NOSE AND MOUTH.

CAMERA ON FEMALE PASSENGER STANDING IN TRAIN CAR, BLOOD BEGINS DRIPPING FROM HER MOUTH.  REACHES TO HER MOUTH. TOUCHES HER MOUTH AND LOOKS AT HAND.  SEE BLOOD AND SCREAMS.

CAMERA FOCUSES ON OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, EACH WITH BLOOD DRIPPING FROM EYES, MOUTH, AND NOSE, THE BACK TO BOY WHO LOOKS EXTREMELY ILL.

CAMERA POINT OUT OF LAST CAR IN TRAIN AND FOCUSES ON TUNNEL SHOWING RECEDING TRACKS AS TRAIN CONTINUES ON.

TRAIN STATION PLATFORM.  PASSENGERS WAITING AS TRAIN APPROACHES.

TRAIN STOPS SHOWING WINDOWS OF CAR COMPLETELY COVERED WITH DRIPPING BLOOD, WITH PERSON'S HAND ON WINDOW.

LISA AND MICHAEL (JOHN GOODMAN) IN BED.

LISA:
What are you doing?
(AS MICHAEL REACHES FOR LISA)

MICHAEL:
What? Huh?

LISA:
Mike, what are you doing?

MICHAEL:
Oh, Lisee. Lisee, come on, what's the matter?

LISA:
Michael, stop it.

MICHAEL:
What's the matter? What?

LISA:
Stop it.

MICHAEL:
Why?

LISA:
It's... you know why.

MICHAEL:
Why?

LISA:
It's a weekday.

WISEMAN KITCHEN

MICHAEL:
(SINGING, WALKING INTO KITCHEN)
It will be ecstasy, you and me... 
( GROWLS PLAYFULLY AS HE PASSES LISA )

VOICE FROM THE TV SITTING ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER
NEWS BROADCAST:  
...Japanese authorities are reporting an apparent nerve gas attack aboard a Tokyo subway...

MICHAEL:
(SITS AT KITCHEN TABLE NEXT TO DAUGHTER , HEATHER)
So... how's school?

HEATHER:
(HEATHER RESPONDS WITHOUT LOOKING UP FROM HER BREAKFAST)
Fine.

MICHAEL:
How's the geology situation?

HEATHER:
Fine.

MICHAEL:
How's, uh... the kid you went to the movies with Friday... Nick? How's Nick?

HEATHER:
Fine.

MICHAEL:
All right. I mean, is that all I'm going to get is "fine"?

HEATHER:
What else do you want?

MICHAEL:
Well, I don't know, maybe a complete sentence? A little smile? Some eye contact?

HEATHER:
(HEATHER LOOKS AT HER FATHER WITH A BIG SMILE)
Daddy, do you have any money I can borrow?

MICHAEL:
You give me a little kiss.

HEATHER:
(HEATHER LOOKS BACK AT HER FOOD WITH NO EXPRESSION ONCE AGAIN)
Forget it.

EXTERIOR SUBURBAN TRAIN STATION, MICHAEL WAITS FOR TRAIN.

MICHAEL LEAVING NEW YORK TRAIN STATION

INTERIOR - MICHAEL IN HIS OFFICE.

( KNOCK ON DOOR , ROGER ENTERS ROOM)
ROGER:
Hey.

MICHAEL:
(MICHAEL GOES AROUND DESK AND SITS ON FRONT OF HIS DESK FACING TOWARD ROGER.)
Hey, old buddy. Give me news, give me news, give me news.

ROGER:
Uh... they just decided. Craig Spence is going to run the division.

MICHAEL:
Wow.

ROGER:
Yeah, I know.

MICHAEL:
Well, he's 27. He's been here... a minute.

ROGER:
Come on, Michael. We both know he's good. You trained him. I fought for you, Mike. I really did. But it just doesn't cost out.

MICHAEL:
What are you talking about, "cost out"? I've been here 17 years.

ROGER:
It's not just the money, Michael, you know that.

MICHAEL:
What are you talking about? Buffalo?

ROGER:
Well, you know these guys. They're like a dog with a bone.

MICHAEL:
Mr. Fitzgerald told me himself at last year's Christmas party. He even made a joke about it. Water under the bridge.

ROGER:
Well, what's he going to say? "You ruined my fiscal year, I'm ruining your life"? These guys hate you, Michael.

MICHAEL:
The bridge went down. People died. We're the insurers. We have to pay. It's not a judgment call.

ROGER:
Act of God. Act of God. Act of God!

MICHAEL:
Bad steel is not an act of God. It's an act of negligence. What if it had been your wife or your kid in one of those cars?

ROGER:
Don't tell me about wives and kids. I am always thinking about my wife and kid. That's why, when I got on that stand I said "Act of God" and if you had been thinking about your wife and kid, you would have done the same thing, and right now you would be sitting in that corner office instead of that cocky kid.

MICHAEL:
(MICHAEL GETS UP FROM DESK AND SITS IN HIS CHAIR BEHIND HIS DESK)
All right, that's it. Now I work for Craig.

ROGER:
Well... you're on his team, yeah.

MICHAEL:
His team? I'm on his damn team? What is this, gym class? Who started this team crap, anyway? Say it. I work for him. I report to him.
(MICHAEL  TURNS  HIS CHAIR AWAY FROM ROGER  AND RUBS IN FACE IN FRUSTATION)

ROGER:
Michael, come on. Well, the good news is we're still working. Look, I know you know this but the ice is really thin for all us dinosaurs, Michael. Hey, after work, let's get a drink. Let's get drunk. Let's get really plastered.

CAMERA FOCUSES ON MICHAEL  WITH HANDS LOCKED BEHIND HIS HEAD, FACE SHOWING DISAPPOINTMENT AND FRUSTRATION.    HE SIGNALS AN OKAY SIGN TO ROGER AS ROGER LEAVES MICHAEL'S OFFICE.

EXTERIOR - NIGHT - STREETS OF NEW YORK

MICHAEL:
(SINGING LOUDLY, A LITTLE DRUNKENLY) Keep on spending sunny days this way

ROGER:
(SINGING ALSO DRUNKENLY) Ooh...

MICHAEL:
(SINGING) ...ramblin' on whenever you're away

ROGER:
(SINGING) ooh...

MICHAEL:
(SINGING) I'll keep on comin' closer day by day...

MICHAEL and ROGER:
(SINGING) life would be ecstasy, you and me endlessly

ROGER:
(SINGING) groovin'... ooh

MICHAEL:
I am the consummate insurance man, you know that?

ROGER:
I know that.

MICHAEL:
Oh, you don't know that. You don't know what I mean. I mean, I... I love my life like it's an insurance company.

ROGER:
Well, what are you talking about life? You mean, like whole life? Term life?

MICHAEL:
No, no, life-- my life. I mean, my life. I imagine all these-- it's like I'm an actuary. I imagine all these different scenarios. I-I-I try to run them through my brain so that no matter what happens to me in life I won't be shocked.

ROGER:
That's good. That's a good idea.

MICHAEL:
Ah, yeah, no, I don't know because no matter what scenario I imagine no matter how good I think I'm thinking I think it's like I never know. It's just like it runs backwards. It's just like, I mean division vice president, I figured. Senior vice president, maybe, you know? But me working for this kid... I never figured that.

ROGER:
Yeah... yeah. Look it, are you going to be okay to go home?

MICHAEL:
Oh, I got to be okay. I got to be okay for the team. Thanks for the company, old buddy.

ROGER:
I'll see you in the morning, okay, Mike?

MICHAEL:
Give me a head butt. See you in the morning.

ROGER:
Yeah.

MICHAEL and ROGER:
(SINGING) Life would be ecstasy you and me endlessly.

INTERIOR - TRAIN STATION.

MICHAEL STANDING AT PLATFORM EDGE WAITING FOR TRAIN, LOOKING VERY DEPRESSED.

TRAIN STATION STAIRS.
THREE TEENAGE BOYS COME DOWN STAIRS KIDDING AROUND PUSHING EACH OTHER.  WALKING TOWARD TRAIN PLATFORM.

TEENAGE BOY 1:
You didn't even touch her, man.

TEENAGE BOY 2:
You didn't touch her, man.

TEENAGE BOY 1:
What? You don't like girls? I don't think he likes girls.

( TRAIN APPROACHING)

TEENAGE BOY 1:
What are you looking at me for? I'm a boy. You like boys?

TEENAGE BOY 3:
Look, man, she was fat and ugly, all right.

TEENAGE BOY 2:
You lose $50, man.

BOY 1 PUSHES BOY 2 INTO PASSENGERS WAITING AT PLATFORM.

INTERIOR - LARGE WHITE ROOM

CAMERA PANS TO CHAIR FOCUSING IN ON A WELL DRESSED, ELEGANT GENTLEMAN SITTING IN CHAIR ACROSS THE ROOM.  CAMERA ANGLE FROM HOSPITAL BED, FOCUSED TOWARD GENTLEMAN.  GENTLEMAN SPEAKS.

DR. MORRIS:
Hey. I see those eyes opening. How you doing? How do you feel?

MICHAEL:
(JOHN GOODMAN'S VOICE OVER)
( YAWNING )

DR. MORRIS:
It's okay. Don't feel you have to say anything. You've got a lot to absorb. I understand. First and foremost, let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Theodore Morris.

MICHAEL:
Where am I?

DR. MORRIS:
You're in a hospital receiving the finest medical care that money can buy. Courtesy of your Uncle Sam, I might add. Which reminds me, before I forget let me be the first to tell you, you had a beautiful funeral, Mr. Wiseman.

MICHAEL:
I did?

DR. MORRIS:
Absolutely. Day before yesterday. I certainly hope when it's my time to go that my loved ones send me off in as spectacular a fashion.

MICHAEL:
Help me. I don't understand. Is this a hallucination? How can I be in the hospital if I already had my funeral? Am I alive? Am I dead? What am I?

DR. MORRIS:
Well... right now what you are is a middle-aged brain hooked up to some extremely sophisticated computers that let me hear what you think you're saying. The United States government-- our government-- has, since the conclusion of World War II spent billions of dollars researching all sorts of biochemical and bioengineering techniques in the hopes of one day actually being able to build a man. An American man. A man who could do those things mere mortal American men are loathe to do-- travel in dangerous places, take risks, wage war.

MICHAEL:
Excuse me, I'm thirsty. Could you maybe give me a glass of...?

DR. MORRIS:
You, sir, have an opportunity to be the beneficiary of all that money and all that research. You see, we're at the point in our work where we need... well, we got everything pretty well figured out expect... the mind thing. Can't lick the mind thing. I mean, we're all ready to go except for that. I mean, ready to try anyway. Build a man with the speed of Michael Jordan-- the strength of Superman and the grace... of Fred Astaire. A guy who's going to look good, be young, be omnipotent. Wild, huh? We just can't lick the mind thing. Just can't build a mind. You really have to... harvest one, you know what I mean? And that's a problem. We were just about to give up hope and then you had your unfortunate run-in with the F-train. And well, just seemed like kismet to us. That thirst thing is in your imagination, by the way. You don't have a skull, let alone a mouth. I know what you're thinking. What's the catch? And, of course, there is a catch. A pretty big catch. Not huge, but formidable. In return for saving your life-- and let me remind you that for all intents and purposes you are already dead and buried, Mr. Wiseman-- in return for the gift of sight, mobility and tactile sensation-- for being able to walk, talk, breathe, taste and touch all your government asks in return is that you stay dead. By that, we mean you may have no contact of any kind with anyone who you knew in your first life. Ever. That's all. We know you didn't choose to die, Mr. Wiseman. We know there were no good-byes. And we're sure your desire to let friends and loved ones know you're here, and know you're well... well, like I said, I saw your family. I know how precious they must be to you. But your government can't let anyone know about the existence of this technology. You reaching out to anyone from your past absolutely guarantees your immediate and final death and the death of whomever you confided in. I need you to tell me you understand and agree to that.

MICHAEL:
And what if I say no? What if I won't do it?

DR. MORRIS:
Well, hey, this is America. That's your right. Of course, we'll have to take our $3 billion worth of logic sensors, voice emulators computer-driven neuron transfer generators and assorted other doodads and go home. Let nature take its course. I figure it will take about 16 seconds for you to turn into a memory. Aw, forget memory. It will take about 16 seconds for you to turn into waste. But please, do think about it. I'll check back.

GENTLEMAN WALKS OUT OF HOSPITAL ROOM, SMILING.

INTERIOR - WISEMAN HOME

LISA LYING ON BED WITH EYES OPEN STARING INTO SPACE.

INTERIOR - MICHAEL WISEMAN'S OFFICE

LISA IS BEHIND DESK PACKING,  ROGER STANDS NEARBY WATCHING HER.

ROGER:
Now I know how hard this must be for you. It's just... well, it has been a month and...

LISA:
You need the office. I understand.

ROGER:
I am sorry, Lisa.

LISA:
Don't apologize, Roger. I should have been in last week or the week before or just had you pack it all up and send it to the house. I'm just...

ROGER:
What?

LISA:
You'll laugh.

ROGER:
Promise?

LISA:
Deep, deep down I just can't make myself believe that he's gone. No body in the grave. Nothing to say good-bye to at the funeral home. It's like went to work one morning and then just didn't come home. So why clean up his office? Why empty out his things? He's coming back. He's just lost or late or... you're not laughing.

ROGER:
I need to talk to you about the insurance.

INTERIOR - RESTAURANT

LISA AND ROGER SITTING AT TABLE.

LISA:
Suicide?

ROGER:
Lisa, shh.

LISA:
How could they assume Michael committed suicide? There were witnesses. People that were there said that they were jostled, too. Nobody said that he jumped.

ROGER:
I know that, but an insurance company never takes anything at face value....

LISA:
Why would he jump? He had everything to live for. He loved his family. He loved his work.

ROGER:
I know.

LISA:
He was up for that big promotion.

ROGER:
The thing is he didn't get it. He didn't get it. He'd just gotten the news that afternoon and he'd been out drinking. We... had been drinking and his... his blood alcohol level was, uh... well, the point is that if they want to fight about it they've got some pretty good ammo. This is not the time, but at some point you might want to call your lawyer and see if he doesn't want to start talking settlement.

LISA:
My lawyer?

ROGER:
Lisa, I am telling you... I am pleading with you. Talk to your lawyer. 50 cents on the dollar. That's the kind of thinking that's going to move this thing along.

INTERIOR - HOSPITAL ROOM

MICHAEL (JOHN GOODMAN) LAYING ON HOSPITAL BED.   MICHAEL SLOWLY GETS OUT OF BED AND WALKS OVER TO SICK , VERY SLOWLY, VERY HALTINGLY.  IN THE BACKGROUND WE HEAR.

Radio:
All news, all the time. This is 1010 wins. You give us 22 minutes, we'll give you the world. It's 28 minutes past 8:00 53 degrees this Tuesday morning. I'm Lee Harris, and here's what's happening. Legislators remain deadlocked along party lines in the latest round of budget talks, with minority leaders threatening a filibuster this afternoon. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests not all good cholesterol is actually good and not all bad cholesterol is actually bad. The news watch never stops, and this is 1010 wins. Give us 22 minutes, we'll give you the world. 31 past the hour. That means it's time for traffic and weather on the ones. We can look forward to a clear and breezy Tuesday with highs in the low 50s. It's going to cool off considerably this evening with temperatures bottoming out at 43 here in the city. As low as 35 in the northern suburbs. No rain in the forecast for the next week. 

MICHAEL GETS TO SICK AND BENDS OVER OUT OF VIEW OF MIRROR.

RADIO CONTINUES:
That means the Easter bunny should have an easy time of it this Sunday...

MICHAEL:
(MICHAEL STANDS UP QUICKLY AND FACE APPEARS IN MIRROR AS HE SAYS IN A STARTLED VOICE)
Easter?

RADIO CONTINUES:
...with temperatures expected to remain seasonably cool...

MICHAEL (ERIC CLOSE) SEES HIS NEW SELF LOOKING BACK IN MIRROR. THE NEW MICHAEL CANNOT BELIEVE HIS NEW BODY AND CHECKS HIMSELF CLOSELY.  HIS FACE, HIS TEETH, HIS HAIR,  HIS NEW BODY.  WHILE MICHAEL LOOKS OVER HIS NEW BODY WE HEAR DR. MORRIS SINGING "CLOSE TO YOU."

INTERIOR - ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 2 WAY MIRROR.

DR. MORRIS STANDS WITH SEVERAL OTHER TECHNICIANS, ALL WATCHING MICHAEL.

DR. MORRIS:
(SINGING) Why do birds suddenly appear every time you are near? Just like me they long to be close to you why do stars fall down from the sky every time you walk by? Just like me they long to be close to you on the day that you were born the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true so they sprinkled moondust in your hair and golden starlight in your eyes of blue.

MICHAEL CONTINUES TO LOOK OVER HIS BODY.  HIS HAND STOPS AT HIS WAIST BAND.  HE SMILES.

DR. MORRIS:
Call it mother's intuition but I think our boy's about to check his package.

MICHAEL PULLS HIS WAIST BAND OUT AND LOOKS DOWN.

MICHAEL:
Holy crap!

DR. MORRIS:
Damn right. Made in America, baby. Made in America.

TECHNICIANS BEHIND MIRROR BEGIN CLAPPING, SMILING.

INTERIOR - HOSPITAL ROOM.

MICHAEL GETTING DRESSED.

MICHAEL:
(PUTTING ON A PAIR OF PANTS)
What size are these?

DR. MORRIS:
30-waist, 32-inseam.

MICHAEL:
Damn!

ORDERLY:
(WALKS IN WITH WHEELCHAIR)
Somebody waiting to be discharged?

DR. MORRIS:
Right over here.

MICHAEL:
(DOING HANDSTAND)
Hey, Doc, you want to see something? Take a look at this. I've never done one of these before. Never been able to.

DR. MORRIS:
Mr. Wiseman?

MICHAEL:
Uh-oh.

INTERIOR - HOSPITAL HALLWAY.

ORDERLY PUSHING WHEELCHAIR MICHAEL DOING HAND STAND ON WHEELCHAIR

EXTERIOR - OUTSIDE OF HOSPTIAL

MICHAEL IN WHEELCHAIR, DR. MORRIS AND 2 AGENTS STANDING BEHIND THEM.

DR. MORRIS:
Look, Mr. Wiseman, do you understand you're supposed to be a secret?

MICHAEL:
Lighten up, man.

DR. MORRIS:
Have you forgotten you're dead?

MICHAEL:
I know, but...

DR. MORRIS:
No buts, dead! So let's not re-stage the special Olympics every time we're out in public, okay? And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't strike up a conversation with every Tom, Dick and Harry who pushes your wheelchair or opens a door for you. You're not selling insurance anymore. I'm going over there to sign him out. If he utters a word to anyone, shoot him.

INTERIOR - LIMOUSINE

MICHAEL AND DR. MORRIS.
MICHAEL LOOKING OUT WINDOW UP INTO SKY.

Part 2
Synopsis
Pictures 1 2 3 4
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