One Sheet ‍ ‍Pitch Deck‍ ‍Location‍ Characters ‍

EXT. RIVER – MORNING

Big, cinematic wilderness.

River cutting through mountains. Mist hanging in the trees. Old-growth forest.

An ORANGE JEEP winds upriver, towing a matching aluminum DRIFT BOAT. Fly rods stick out the back.

They pass the old highway sign: PACIFIC WONDERLAND

INT. ANDERSONS VEHICLE

WOODROW "WOODY" ANDERSON, late 30's, blond hair, blue eyes, an outdoorsman straight out of a Patagonia catalog drives. MELISSA ANDERSON, early 40's, long dark hair, glasses, in sportswear still creased from the package, is in the passenger seat. SAHALIE, in the back seat,11, who looks just like her dad, watches the bars disappear from her PINK PHONE. There is a cheerleading sticker on the back.

SAHALIE

One bar, LAME!

Melissa's phone dings.

MELISSA

Shoot, the boss just texted, slow down. I need to...

WOODY

Nope

MELISSA

Woody...

WOODY

You don't catch fish with a cell phone, Hales. There is no work on our first anniversary, Melissa.

He reaches out and holds Melissa's hand. He gives her a quick kiss.

SAHALIE

Gross. Why did you bring me?

WOODY

(to Sahalie)

Because we are a family now, Hales, this is a family adventure.

(to Melissa)

Phones down.

Melissa looks at him and tosses her phone into her open purse on the floor board.

SAHALIE

Meliss.. Mom, aren't you Dad's boss at work?

At the same time:

MELISSA/WOODY

Yes/We are in different departments.

MELISSA

I run the Clubhouse, your dad keeps everything running.

Melissa looks out the window, enjoying the view.

MELISSA

I wish we could do this every day.

Sahalie waves her phone around looking for a signal.

SAHALIE

No way. I have friends. The stores are like hours away. I'll die.

MELISSA

(To Woody)

You should be a guide.

Woody gives her a look.

MELISSA

Woody's Guide Service. It's got a ring to it.

SAHALIE

No cell service, Mom. Do you hate me? Do you want me to hate you?

WOODY

I'd never be able to put up with Sports all day.

MELISSA

I'm basically a Sport.

WOODY

Yeah, but you are a pretty Sport, and you fish better than most of those guys.

SAHALIE

What is a sport?

MELISSA

Someone that only fishes with a guide but still considers themselves a pro fisherman, Sahalie.

WOODY

A cheater.

SAHALIE

How are they cheating?

WOODY

They don’t put in the work. Study the river. Do the research. Tie their own flies.

MELISSA

Or maybe they have to actually work so they pay someone for their knowledge so they can actually catch fish.

WOODY

Like I said, cheaters.

They pass another sign: WELCOME TO THE NATIONAL FOREST

And disappear into the trees.

EXT. GROUNDS - SAME MORNING

The river flows down the canyon. It curves and flows towards the historic RIVER LODGE. Gardens. Cabins tucked into the trees.

INT. RIVER LODGE – DINING ROOM

SAM, late 60's in worn, wet, and flour dusted apron, sits alone at the BIG TABLE, a massive antique made from a single slab of sugar pine. She keeps wiping a spot that's already clean. She's rehearsed something. HUNTER, the lodge's massive, fluffy grey Maine coon cat, is on the table, looking for attention.

In the background a very short cook is in the kitchen. Servers bustle around. The front desk lady is clearly eavesdropping.

KATHY, early 40's, housekeeping manager, a dip in her lip, comes in first, entering from the cabins below, laundry basket on her hip. She plops it on the bench, pets Hunter, and swings a leg over. 

KATHY

What's up, Boss Lady?

SAM

Let's wait for the others, Kathy.

Sam gives her a tight smile.

AUTUMN ASPEN, 35, the lodge's landscaper, braids, dirty overalls, pruning shears sticking out of a side pocket, tracks in dirt through the front door. She clocks Sam's face, then the empty table: no coffee, no clipboard.

KATHY

(pointing to the now dirty floor)

You going to clean that up Autumn?

AUTUMN

No, you are.

She lifts Hunter off and sets him on the floor.

AUTUMN

Go outside and earn your keep, and your name, Hunter.

BILLIE, late-70's, kitchen manager, tiny and sweet in her dated floral dress and ruffled apron, stops in the open doorway between the kitchen and dining room with a wooden spoon and mixing bowl, still stirring something. She doesn't sit.

Sam looks at the three women. This isn't easy.

SAM

I wanted to tell you all first.

(A beat)

SAM

The lodge is for sale.

Silence. Shock.

AUTUMN

Sam! What? Is this a joke?

Billie glares and puts down her mixing bowl. Kathy cries a little but tries to hide it.

SAM

I have been doing this for forty years. That is enough.

AUTUMN

Just take a vacation. Take a long one.

KATHY

(wiping her eyes)

Good for you Sam. You deserve a rest.

AUTUMN

Yes, rest. Not a sale. What about me?

KATHY

(To Autumn)

What about you, Autumn?

AUTUMN

(To Sam)

I thought we had an agreement? I would be taking this over.

SAM

You are welcome to buy it.

AUTUMN

Haven’t you made enough? I could just take it over. I'm the closest thing you have to a kid.

Sam and Kathy both give her an astounded look. Billie lets out a short, dry laugh.

SAM

Made enough? Do I look rich to you? I've worked twelve-hour days for decades. I can't give away the thing I spent my life building.

(beat)

I'm selling it so I can finally have one.

Kathy spits into an empty paper cup, hiding her face, pulling herself together.

KATHY

Just let me know what I need to do, but it will be weird. You have been my boss since I was 15.

Billie finally approaches, leans forward and puts her hands on the table. She looks directly at Sam.

BILLIE

I was here before you, Samantha, and I’ll be here after you.

SAM

Great Billie, the new owners will need your help.

BILLIE

Oh, fuck them already.

EXT. DRIFT BOAT - LATER THAT MORNING

Woody, standing barefoot in the back of the boat, casts a fly rod but isn't seriously fishing. He is just enjoying the morning. Melissa and Sahalie lounge in the front seats.

SAHALIE

Why aren’t you fishing mom?

MELISSA

I don’t fly fish. I like to actually catch fish, not stand in the river waving a stick.

SAHALIE

No type of fishing is fun. You know what is fun? Cheerleading.

WOODY

A lot of hate coming from people who are enjoying the day in my boat.

MELISSA

This is the best day I have had in a long time.

WOODY

Stupid work, always paying the bills.

MELISSA

Why don't we quit and do something for ourselves.

WOODY

Wouldn’t that be nice.

MELISSA

It would be. Let’s do it.

SAHALIE

Hello. Adorable child to evil stepmother. I like the Country Club.

WOODY

We can't afford to quit. It's too risky.

MELISSA

Come on, Woody, our boss is a dick and they won't ever let me be the GM because I don't have one.

WOODY

True...

SAHALIE

Mom, language.

Melissa gives Sahalie a whatever look.

MELISSA

I already do all of my job and half his job without half his paycheck. And none of the respect. I'm not doing that anymore. Besides, you say you are going to quit everyday.. What's stopping us?

WOODY

Money. Responsibility. Reality.

The boat rounds a bend. Suddenly the water levels drop and it gets rocky. Woody drops his rod in the boat and grabs the oars.

WOODY

Hang on everyone, it's about to get bumpy.

The family jostles through the rocks. There is a big screech as a rock scratches Woody's precious boat. He winces.

EXT. RIVER LODGE GROUNDS, RIVER SIDE

Through the trees—THE RIVER LODGE. AUTUMN is seen with her back to the river. She is looking down glaring at something. She turns and looks as she hears the screech of the boat on the rocks. Melissa and Sahalie wave. Autumn raises her middle finger but moves her arm so it looks like she is waving. She stomps off, revealing the FOR SALE sign.

Melissa sits up.

Woody sees it too. Then sees Melissa seeing it. He knows that look.

WOODY

No.

MELISSA

I didn't say anything.

WOODY

You didn't have to.

SAHALIE

She’s going to ruin everything.

Woody keeps the boat drifting downstream. Melissa looks back at the lodge. Sahalie looks at her.

For the full script contact

Melinda Woodward