Dylan/Hallie Break-up
From Rom Com
In this scene, Hallie starts to feel incredibly guilty over her cheating on Dylan with Nick and decides to admit that this happened to him. He is washing dishes (?) and doesn't seem to feel her confession worth stopping and paying attention to. She gets frustrated, and asks him if he even cares, to which his reply is to explain to her about his affair with Kati calmly and like it doesn't matter. Hallie gets very upset, and breaks up with him, telling him that she wanted to be with Nick all along. He still appears as though he doesn't care, but when she leaves he begins to fall apart and sing If I Loved You (reprise) from Carousel, along with a CD. She, on the other hand, appears very upset at first but as she's leaving Dylan's house she takes out her cell phone and calls Nick.
INT. House. Day.
Dylan, washing dishes. Long shot of dish-washing (there is a lot of soap). There is a portable CD player on the counter (Chadwick!). Eventually he turns on "If I Loved You", from Carousel. He may turn it on and off several times. Gentle knock on the door.
Come in.
As he is saying this, Hallie comes in the door. She looks sheepish. Dylan looks relieved to see her.
Oh, good, you're here. I've been meaning to see you for quite a while.
Hallie doesn't quite make eye contact. Dylan smiles at her. She comes forward and turns off the CD player.
Are you free to talk?
(Playfully.) We're talking right now, aren't we?
No, Toby, be serious. (Pause.) I cheated on you. With William.
Dylan abruptly turns away and goes back to washing dishes.
Hello?
Dylan mutters something inaudible under the rush of the water.
I'm sorry?
I said that's fine, because I cheated on you with Emily. I wasn't sure I should tell you about it.
When was this?
I don't think that's really your business.(Pause.) Recently.
Was it last weekend?
Honestly, I'm not asking you what you did with William.
But I would tell you!
I don't want to know! (Pause. Quietly.) I don't want to hear about it.
Well, what do you expect me to do?–I don't know– I.... (her voice trembles slightly)... I just thought this would... you know... at least be something we'd talk about...
Dylan passive agressively adjusts the sink so the flow of water is louder.
Hallie shuts off the sink. She looks angry.
Dylan turns to her and scowls.
Even in a time of crisis, I need to do dishes.
He turns the sink back on.
Look, (his tone becomes soothing to the point of condescending) I have an idea...Let's just forget this whole mess. Move on. We both had a little affair. But that's good– we both did! So let's just...(he pauses to scrub vigorously at some grime on a plate)...forget this mess.
Hallie places her head in her hands. She looks like she needs consolation. Maybe a pat on the back. Maybe a hug. Nothing Dylan will provide.
(meekly) Tobias–
I'll tell you what. After I'm done with the dishes, I'm going to review my Photinus pyralis tapes. Then, I'm going to watch "The Twilight Zone." Then we'll talk. Comprende?
Tobias, I just feel...distant. We don't talk any more.
Dylan looks mischevious.
We're talking now, aren't we?
Hallie's had enough.
(screaming) Why do you have to be so fucking juvenile? (will you saying fucking, Hallie? Yes. Also I laughed a lot a lot when I read that.)
(maintains his enfuriating cool; seems irritated. Says the following very matter-of-factly) This isn't my fucking problem, Hallie. Two months ago you would have found that comment funny.
(quietly) Two months ago you were only sleeping with me.
Dylan shrugs.
Hallie is fed up that Dylan refuses to take any responsibility for the distance in their relationship. She suddenly seems quite collected. She's quiet and pensive.
When I came here tonight, I thought I'd done a really bad thing. I kept telling William to leave me alone. Do you know why? I told Will that you'd be upset. That I cared about you.
Camera pans to Dylan. He doesn't even look at her. Continues scrubbing. What a bastard. His passiveness eggs her on.
Dylan face is devoid of emotion.
Tobias––?
Dylan looks at her, shrugs his shoulders slightly.
Let's just forget about it.
Well, you've made this decision a whole lot easier.
Hallie looks at him, and makes an abrupt move towards the door. Pan as she leaves in a huff. She slams the door behind her as we pan to Dylan standing in the kitchen. As Hallie leaves, she's calling Nick. Eventually Aimee slips in and at some point we cut to Aimee and Dylan sitting on the floor.
compulsion scene will follow
What about "If I Loved You"?
Yeah, and I thought that the compulsion scene would have been much earlier? Compulsion scene happens after Hallie leaves.
I thought it was going to be in the elevator after the cheating scene. Adds pathos.
Sorry, I should clarify. This is to be the second compulsion scene, where he delas with his accumulated anxiety.
Oh okay. that's perfectly fine, then. but I kind of want to talk about it first, okay?
Okay, is the rest fine? Yeah, I thought a lot of it was hilarious. I was like, choking. I'd like to minor-league rewrite a couple of lines, but that's it. Fucking excellent.
