A 10-year-old boy named Jo is asked by his father Franco to run an errand for the family business, picking up a duffel bag from a phone booth. Jo completes the task successfully. Franco is then shown duct-taping kilos of cocaine around Jo's torso under his clothes to smuggle. Franco tells Jo about the value of education but that this adventure will get them to Florida for a seafood feast. Jo and Franco then leave the bar together to continue their smuggling operation.

1. The Alibi
by
David Chrzanowski
Inspired by actual events
In 1980s Detroit, a ten-year-old boy comes of age when his father
decides he’s ready to run an errand for the family “business”.
Draft: 6/29/20

3. INT. ALIBI BAR - DAY
The first thing we see upon entering The old Alibi Bar, once
our eyes actually adjust to the lack of natural sunlight in
the joint, are the brass railings that adorn the serving
area. There's a Schmitt wall calendar behind the cashier
drawer — The date: June 16th, 1982.
The pièce de résistance is a cherry oak back bar that warmly
lights the pricey cordial bottles and highball glasses from
below.
Stranded in the corner sits the video game 'Asteroids'. The
metronome, with the base sound of a struggling machine, comes
into focus as the lights from the screen illuminate the
determined face of a boy, JO, 10, standing on a milk crate.
SCHULTZ, 30, a jovial 'ginger' recently discharged from the
navy, is tending to the bar.
SCHULTZ (O.S.)
Hey Redford....
An asteroid crashes into Jo's last ship. Game over. Jo
groans.
SCHULTZ (CONT'D)
Your old man'll be back soon. You
got your suitcase ready?
JO
Oh, I'm ready
(Imitating his dad)
"Pack your bags and be at the bar
promptly at 9:00: A Kozlowski is
never late-ski!"
SCHULTZ
(laughs)
Good. Let me hook you up with a few
more quarters since I ruined your
concentration.
JO
(lining quarters on the
edge of the screen)
Do you think I'll like Florida?
SCHULTZ
You like mosquitos the size of your
fist?
Jo shakes his head.

4. 2.
SCHULTZ (CONT'D)
Man-eating gators?
He shakes his head again.
SCHULTZ (CONT'D)
Poisonous blue jellyfish that sneak
up on ya, and paralyze you in
seconds?
Jo gulps, and approaches the bar — wide-eyed. He has to be on
his tiptoes to be seen on the other end.
JO
No...
SCHULTZ
Well, good. That was when it was
still a swamp! Florida ain't so
bad, kid. Long, warm nights, longer
beaches, white sand between your
toes...You know what you need,
Redford? A goodbye drink! That'll
perk up your spirits.
Schultz pours Jo a glass of sprite from the bar gun.
SCHULTZ (CONT'D)
To your new life of leisure.
JO
I think the 'good stuff' on the
rail is still half full. Some of
that, please.
Jo taps his fingers on the bar. Schultz laughs and adds a
shot of grenadine — topping it all off with a cherry
flourish.
SCHULTZ
Schultzie's famous Shirley Temple.
He slides it to Jo, and pours himself a shot of whisky. Down
the hatch. Jo gulps his in a similar fashion.
SCHULTZ (CONT'D)
Now go back to your game. You're
scaring off all the customers.
The bar is empty.
Jo goes back to the video game and inserts one the quarters
from the edge of the screen into the slot — but the game
doesn't begin.

5. 3.
Realizing the quarter didn't quite drop down — he hits the
dispenser with the heel of his hand — sending the other
quarters rolling onto the floor.
FRANCO
Where are these lads, where are
these hearts?
JO
Pop!
FRANCO, 30s charismatic and handsome, enters with his
sunglasses on and work bag slung over his shoulder. He leans
down to pick up a quarter. He hands it to Jo — then hugs him.
FRANCO
We've got to teach you how to play
chess. This stuff is rotting your
brain.
JO
I was trying to beat the high
score! Guess my hand got in the
way.
FRANCO
Well, endeavor without losing a
limb, but I admire your
perseverance. Endeavor to
persevere!
JO
What does that mean?
FRANCO
Ask me not 'what' - for if I tell
you I am no true father of yours.
Don't worry, It'll all make sense
when you turn 11.
(looks him over)
Did you sprout eight inches since
I've seen you? Skip a grade? Early
enroll in college?
Franco pulls out a purple crown royal bag and haphazardly
drops it on the bar with a thud, Schultz carefully scoops it
up.
JO
It's only been two days.
FRANCO
Ah, is that right?!

6. 4.
JENNIFER, 20, pretty but unkempt — like she perpetually surfs
from couch to couch — enters just behind Franco.
JENNIFER
This was in the car still. Heads
up, frog face.
She tosses a Frog Festival hat at Jo. He fumbles it.
FRANCO
Thanks, darlin'.
Franco pulls out several 20 dollar bills.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
You get yourself something to eat.
She takes the money, her hand lingering then she's out with a
tussle of Jo's hair.
Franco adjusts the hat on Jo.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
Looks great!
The phone rings. Franco looks at Schultz with a knowing look.
Schultz picks up the phone. He hands it to Franco.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
(Calmly and deliberately)
It's me.
(beat)
Right.
(beat)
Listen closely, ok? Good. You gotta
calm down, brother. Nothing can get
handled under duress. And this will
get handled, do you hear me?
(then..)
Here's what you're going to do: Put
the bag on the floor of the booth
and walk away. Here's what you're
not going to do — ask any
questions. I'll send someone down.
He hangs up without waiting for confirmation. His face has
gone dark, but he recovers quickly. He bends down to Jo.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
Buddy, I got an errand I'd like for
you to run. I'd go, but I have some
friends out there who showed up and
might not be happy to see me.
(MORE)

7. 5.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
So, I need my right-hand man to do
it. You think you're ready?
JO
Of course.
FRANCO
It's real important? Are you sure?
JO
Pretty sure. I'll do my best.
FRANCO
(With a moment of
sharpness)
Your best isn't good enough. I want
to hear that you'll get it done. I
need people around me who get
things done? Are you one of those
people, buddy?
JO
Yeah, Pop.
FRANCO
That's my boy. Do you remember the
phone booth at the end of the
street?
Jo nods.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
I want you to go to it. Don't walk
too fast, don't look too eager. You
understand? Once you get inside,
you'll see a duffle bag on the
floor.
JO
Bring it back, but like, real cool
right?
FRANCO
You got it, buddy! Here's another
important part: you were never in
here.
JO
Where?
FRANCO
(smiling)
Riiight.

8. 6.
Franco hands him a fifty from his thick billfold.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
Here. Make sure to get something
sweet on the way.
Jo starts to move to the front door.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
Remember: some were born great and
some have have greatness thrust
upon em- make me proud.
Franco watches him closely as Jo exits to...
EXT. FROG TOWN STREET FAIR — DAY
Jo's pupils constrict — he struggles to see in the bright
sun. In contrast to the bar, there are sounds everywhere —
street vendors struggling to be heard, music coming from
various tents, street performers, and the omnipresent smell
of beef kabobs and cannabis.
As Jo moves through the crowd, he remembers to get the cotton
candy first.
JO
What flavors do you have?
COTTON CANDY VENDOR
Cherry, Grape, Pina Colada, Green
Apple, and Strawberry,
JO
Strawberry please.
We see the heating and liquefying of the sugar as it mixes
with the red food coloring. The VENDOR spins it onto a stick.
O.S. VOICE (TRADITIONAL SON)
Kylie gets to have the easy bake
oven and a new doll but I only get
one?
Jo hears the voice of a BOY, about his age, at the vendor
tent next to him. The boy is holding a matchbox racetrack
alongside of a car and pouting.
TRADITIONAL DAD
You can buy both if you want to.
But that'll burn through all of
your allowance.
(MORE)

9. 7.
TRADITIONAL DAD (CONT'D)
(stern but gentle)
What do we say about money?
TRADITIONAL SON
A penny saved... is a penny saved.
TRADITIONAL DAD
That's it! Proud of you!
COTTON CANDY VENDOR
Kid...kid?
The vendor is waving the cotton candy in front of Jo's face,
annoyed.
JO
Oh. Sorry. Thank you.
Jo continues walking through the fair, briskly. He glances
back. The man from the cotton candy stand is now walking
behind him. Is he after him? Jo speeds up, looking nervous,
but then remembers his instructions. He purposely slows down
— lingers at a booth of fresh strawberries — looks at them as
if inspecting them while highly alert to the man coming his
way. Is he still coming? Yep. Jo slightly tenses.
The man just passes by though, not even glancing at Jo. Jo
breathes in relief. He makes his way back through the crowd.
Now though, he notices suspicious characters everywhere: a
slender, angular faced MAN WITH A HALF SMILE who looks in his
direction. A portly, POCK-FACED MAN looks down after catching
his eye, a WOMAN IN ARMY FATIGUES smoking, staring without
blinking. Jo makes his way through the sea of faces to a tall
free-standing phone booth. He opens the door and steps
inside. The door closes accordion style.
INT. PHONE BOOTH - DAY
Jo sees the bag. It's larger than he thought. He looks back
to see if any of the strange faces are still there. Not only
are they, they're all coming toward him at once. They loom,
menacingly. One reaches for what might be a GUN.
Jo quickly grabs the bag, dropping his cotton candy to the
floor — how is going to protect it? Should he get ready to
fight?
When he looks back up, the figures are gone. Were they ever
really there?
Jo grasps the bag tightly, inhales deeply, and pulls the door
open.

10. 8.
INT. ALIBI BAR — DAY
The door opens and Jo enters.
JO
(feeling accomplished)
Endeavor to persevere.
He drops the duffle bag on the bar triumphantly.
SCHULTZ
Kick ass!
FRANCO
(To Jo)
You're ready.
INT. OFFICE — DAY
Franco sits at the desk and opens the bag.
JO
How long will we be in Florida?
FRANCO
Until the job is done.
Franco pulls 7 kilos of cocaine from the bag and piles them
atop the desk. Then — he grabs scissors and duct tape from a
drawer.
JO
Will we get the job done before I
have to go back to school?
Franco pulls and rips several long strips of duct tape,
placing them carefully on the corner of the desk.
JO (CONT'D)
Just cause..I'm a little bored.
sitting in the classroom. You know,
I could skip school and run the bar
instead. Schultz says I'm a
natural. He's always telling me
that I'm trying to get his job.
Franco pulls off a few more long strips.
FRANCO
Mmm-hmm. Do you know what's more
noble than running a Michigan dive
bar, son?

11. 9.
JO
A Florida dive bar?
FRANCO
(hardly acknowledging the
joke)
Take off your shirt and try to
remember this: nothing noble ever
happens in a dive bar-
He casually lights a joint.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
especially after midnight.
Jo pulls his t-shirt off. He looks vulnerable — this skinny
kid in an undershirt.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
School is like a choose your own
adventure book, but where the
action takes place-
Taps Jo's temple
FRANCO (CONT'D)
here. And...
Places palm on Jo's heart
FRANCO (CONT'D)
Here.
As he talks, Franco begins to duct tape the kilos of cocaine
around Jo's middle.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
School keeps you curious. And being
curious is how the great thinkers
create.
Franco takes a deep drag from the joint
FRANCO (CONT'D)
You'll see, kid. A love of learning
is beautiful, ancient, communal.
As the adhesive takes hold, Jo winces but masks how
uncomfortable he is.
JO
What is communal?

12. 10.
FRANCO
It means shared, son. It's all an
adventure... you'll see.
Franco continues applying the kilos in neat rows around his
son's torso.
JO
The only adventure I go on is the
adventure of waiting in the lunch
line to find out what crappy food
will be served. Hint: it's always
the burger without cheese.
FRANCO
Tell ya what. Tonight, when we
land, there will be no cafeteria
lines. We're going first-class!
What do you say to a seafood feast,
will order one of EVERYTHING on the
menu?
Jo's eyes light up at the prospect of a dinner date with his
dad.
I might even give you a little
champagne, what do you think of
that?
Wrapping the last of the kilos onto him — Franco tustles Jo's
hair. He motions for him to pull his shirt back on.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
Someday you'll have your own little
protégé and you can share what
you've learned with them.
Franco pulls a parka over Jo, hands him his plane ticket and
backpack.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
My dad, now he was a mean, old
son-of-a-bitch. But he did better
than his old man. And he taught me
you can't rely on no-one but
yourself. I learned to make my own
way. I guess that's something.
He straightens Jo's shirt, pats the wrinkles down, and then
adjusts his hat.
FRANCO (CONT'D)
What do you say? You ready to make
your own way?

13. 11.
Jo firmly tucks his parka while putting his sunglasses on.
JO
I was born great, Dad.
FRANCO
Good boy. Let's go get it.
He takes his hand, and they walk out of the bar — into the
blinding light of day.