Here are the first 6 pages of the screenplay from 4-13-23. See the Introduction here. Text version below…
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Logline: A brave Marine battles his internal demons when a war injury forces him home to Los Angeles where his depraved family wants his military tactics to battle rival gangs and cops. A wounded-warrior story about overcoming gang violence with forgiveness, toxic shame with compassion, and family loyalty with The Marine Code of Honor. The drama of Crash and the thrill of End of Watch.
Run Cholo Run is a wounded warrior story based on this story about Dan Luckett, a double amputee who rehabbed and redeployed.
Now that the WGA Strike is in force, we will pause on rewriting, but want to start sharing with you, our new superfans. Feel free to comment, and we’ll take your thoughts into consideration when we can.
Enjoy,
Ian Max
RCR Pages 1-6: see below
SUPER: Based on true events.
EXT. AFGHANISTAN STREET - DAY
Combat boots crunch rubble. Two Marines, JUAN "JUANCHO"
RAMIREZ, 21, Latino, handsome, muscles hard as nails,
military buzz cut, and DUANE, 20, African American, fit and
lean with a full beard, walk the bullet-riddled province.
SUPER: Khost Province, Afghanistan
A MANGY DOG crosses their path. AFGHAN CIVILIANS step around
crumbled buildings. Signs are in Pashto script.
A SCORPION
Defends itself against a stick, prodded by cheering CHILDREN.
JUAN
Smirks at the torturous kids.
JUAN
Sometimes I feel like that, G.
DUANE
The scorpion or the kids?
Duane chuckles. Juan shrugs apathetically.
JUAN'S POV, SLOWLY FADE OUT SOUND AND COLOR:
An AFGHAN BOY, 7, juggles a worn soccer ball with his knees,
bouncing it up and up with perfect balancing skills.
DUANE
Couple more days and you're home on
leave, homeboy.
END POV:
Juan stays silent.
WINDOW ABOVE, A SNIPER'S RIFLE SCOPE POV:
Tightly follows the two men on patrol.
DUANE (O.S.)
I can't wait to go home, G. I hope
my momma got my letter. Today's
Mother's Day, homie.
END POV:
STREET LEVEL
Juan bites his lip.
DUANE
You know what I miss the most, eh?
(waits for response)
Church. Family, friends and momma.
JUAN
Church?
DUANE
Yeah. And momma's fried chicken. I
know, I sound real black about now,
ese.
JUAN
Ahhhh. Hmmm.
(lifts his eye brows)
Yeah, the smell of...perfume when
you pass them at church. Those
females be fine as hell, mm mm mm.
DUANE
G. You need Jesus for real.
(smirking)
But you right.
The men laugh together. A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
Vehicle (MRAP) slowly RUMBLES around the corner behind them.
AFGHAN PEOPLE clear the street. Juan goes on complete alert.
The top of a head and a metal tube appear behind a rock pile.
Juan puts his hand on Duane's chest as he raises his weapon.
JUAN
RPG. RPG.
Juan shoves Duane to the side. SHEWWW! A Rocket Propelled
Grenade (RPG) whips by.
KABOOM! The MRAP explodes. Rubble showers them!
BRAATT! INSURGENTS fire machine guns from various directions.
They duck for cover. Duane pulls shrapnel from his side. Juan
spots the Afghan Boy and turns to pull him to safety.
WINDOW ABOVE, SNIPER'S RIFLE SCOPE POV:
Sights on Juan as he runs, pulling the boy -- BLAM.
STREET LEVEL
CLIP! The bullet bisects, SPLITS Juan's left knee. He buckles
onto the ground. He turns his head to see --
The Afghan Boy lies dead, holding the deflated ball, a few
feet away from him.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MILITARY HELICOPTER - FLYING - DAY
A HELICOPTER ROTOR, MACHINE GUN SHOTS and EXPLOSIONS saturate
the air. Juan lies on a gurney in the belly of the chopper.
His face oozes with gashes. Gang tattoos cover his bloody
chest. His name tag reads "RAMIREZ".
A "USMC" tattoo on his arm, a scorpion 2" above his wrist.
He screams as a MEDIC puts pressure on his bloody, shredded
left leg. Blood seeps through and drenches the gauze.
Duane hovers over him, holding a bloody rag to his side. Juan
takes hold of his hand; he shakes, his grip is fierce.
Duane looks into Juan's eyes and throws up a gang sign. Juan
struggles with his free hand then throws up a gang sign.
The Medic eyes the hand gesture as he attempts to switch out
a fresh gauze. BLOOD SPURTS from a hole in Juan's kneecap.
JUAN
I can't go home. Send me back in. I
can still fight.
Juan screams deliriously with shock.
MEDIC
You're going home, bro.
The Medic shoots Juan up with morphine, he passes out.
EXT. RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, GERMANY - DAY
SUPER: Ramstein Air Base, Germany
A C-17 military transport lands.
INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT SHOWER - NIGHT
Juan rests on the floor, water raining down over him. His leg
protrudes out of the shower keeping his bandaged leg dry. He
weeps like a baby.
INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - DAY
An Air Force DOCTOR, 30's, rank of Major, checks an x-ray.
JUAN'S POV, SLOWLY FADE OUT SOUND AND COLOR:
DOCTOR
Sergeant Ramirez, we can try to
save your leg ...
JUAN
Take it off.
DOCTOR
We can try cast it and see what ...
JUAN
Take it off.
END POV:
Doctor takes in his request, then nods and leaves Juan alone.
INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - DAY
Juan sits in a chair, watches Low Riders on the MUTED TV. The
show switches over to a commercial with a sexy woman in a
bikini, advertising car products.
A NAVY CHAPLAIN, 52, kind face, sits directly in front of him
with one hand on Juan's injured leg the other on a Holy
Bible. The Chaplain has his eyes closed, lips moving.
Juan shakes the Chaplain off his leg, shoes him away annoyed,
with no respect.
INT. HOSPITAL - OPERATING ROOM - DAY
GRATING SOUNDS OF AN OSCILLATING SAW cuts through Juan's left
leg. ZZZZZZZ!!! CRACK!!! ZZZZZZ!!! Blood sprays across the
surgeon's smock.
INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - MORNING
Juan lies in bed, his leg bandaged. Next to him is a tray of
uneaten hospital food. His eyes are low and bloodshot as he
stares into space.
He looks over to the bed next to him. A TRIPLE-AMPUTEE lies
across from him. He's missing two legs and one arm.
They make eye contact -- long and uncomfortable eye contact.
He tears up, then hardens as he turns away.
INT. HOSPITAL - PATIENT ROOM - ANOTHER DAY
Juan lies in bed, his gashes are healing.
Duane marches in, flanked by TWO AMPUTEE SOLDIERS (one male,
one female) with high tech prosthetics.
DUANE
Atten-tion.
Duane and the Soldiers salute. Juan glances apathetically as
Duane pins a homemade "Medal of Honor" onto his gown.
DUANE
For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his
life, thinking of your fellow man
above and beyond the call of duty,
on behalf of the President of the
United States of America, I present
to Sergeant Juan Ramirez the Medal
of Honor.
Duane and the Soldiers break their salute. Juan smiles and
returns the salute comically. The Two Soldiers relax,
encourage him and thank him, shake Juan's hand and exit.
Duane comes close to Juan compassionately.
DUANE
How you doin', OG?
(silence)
Did you hear?
Command is going to recommend you
for a Silver Star, maybe a Medal of
Honor on the real.
JUAN
Serio? Thanks, G. What about you?
DUANE
Well, I'm going back in, gotta get
matching scars.
JUAN'S POV, SLOWLY FADE OUT SOUND AND COLOR:
Duane lifts his shirt to point proudly at his side.
DUANE
Like earrings, know what I mean?
I'm completing my tour, then going
home. I want another direction in
my life. Plans. Start a new life,
no gang shit no more. I'm out.
END POV:
Juan stares, tunes out, smiles into oblivion. SILENCE.
INT. HOSPITAL AMPUTEE REHABILITATION ROOM - DAY
Juan sits on an exercise ball. A THERAPIST, gentle-looking
lady, throws a medicine ball to him. Juan throws it hard and
knocks her back. She snaps and curses him under her breath.
THERAPIST
Who broke your heart? A little
angry, huh?
Juan doesn't care. She stands with the ball under her arm.
INT. HOSPITAL - PROSTHETICS ROOM - ANOTHER DAY
Juan holds onto a balance support bar from a wheelchair while
a PROSTEHTICS DOCTOR, no-nonsence Chola Latina, brings in a
prosthetic leg with a new tennis shoe tied to the foot.
PROSTHETICS DOCTOR
So you're Juan. Don't be throwing
any balls at me, ese. I throw 'em
back.
She smiles at him with attitude.