Claudia and Jim Kurring

One of my favorite love stories come out of the weird P T Anderson movie: Magnolia. I wrote about it before, I think. I was reading the screenplay online last night, and remembered how I fell in love with John C Reilly after watching this movie. JCR has his first lead role in a new movie called Walk Hard: A Dewey Cox Story, and he's been on a multiple city concert tour right now with his rock star persona, Dewey Cox.

So, here's the interchange between Jim Kurring and Claudia (Gator), on a heartbreaking date.

The full script is available at IMSdB.com
_______________________________________________________________________
In a secluded table in this dark steak place. Jim Kurring and
Claudia. CAMERA does a slow push in on a 2-shot.

CLAUDIA
Did you ever go out with someone
and just....lie....question after
question, maybe you're trying to
make yourself look cool or better
than you are or whatever, or smarter
or cooler and you just -- not really
lie, but maybe you just don't say everything --

JIM KURRING
Well, that's a natural thing, two people
go out on a date, something. They want
to impress people, the other person...or
they're scared maybe what they say will
make the other person not like them --

CLAUDIA
So you've done it --

JIM KURRING
Well I don't go out very much.

CLAUDIA
Why not?

JIM KURRING
I've never found someone really that
I think I would like to go out with.

CLAUDIA
And I bet you say that to all the girls --

JIM KURRING
No, no.

CLAUDIA
You wanna make a deal with me?

JIM KURRING
ok.

CLAUDIA
What I just said...y'know, people
afraid to say things....no guts to
say the things that they...that are real
or something...

JIM KURRING
...yeah...

CLAUDIA
To not do that. To not do that that
we've maybe done -- before --

JIM KURRING
Let's make a deal.

CLAUDIA
Ok. I'll tell you everything and
you tell me everything and maybe
we can get through all the pi*s
and sh*t and lies that kill other
people....

He laughs a bit uncomfortable...repeats her line;

JIM KURRING
Wow....huh..."...pi*s and sh*t..."

CLAUDIA
What?

JIM KURRING
You really use strong language.

CLAUDIA
I'm sorry --

JIM KURRING
-- no, no, it's fine. Fine.

CLAUDIA
I didn't mean...it's seems vulgar
or something, I know --

JIM KURRING
It's fine.

CLAUDIA
I'm sorry.

JIM KURRING
...nothing. I'm sorry...

CLAUDIA
No, I'm sorry. I'm saying I'm sorry.
I talk like a jerk sometimes --

JIM KURRING
-- well I'm a real...y'know, straight
when it comes to that...curse words
I just don't use much --

CLAUDIA
I'm sorry.

BEAT.

CLAUDIA
I'm gonna run to the bathroom for
a minute...maybe just --

JIM KURRING
ok.

CLAUDIA
ok.

She goes.
________________________________________
CAMERA with Claudia, she snorts some coke off her hand in the stall.
She takes a quick look in the mirror, walks out --

CUT TO:

INT. BILLINGSLEY'S - THAT MOMENT

CAMERA tracks with Claudia as she walks back to the table...she
comes up from behind Jim Kurring and leans in quick...KISSES
HIM ON THE CHEEK and then quickly sits down across from him;

CLAUDIA
I wanted to do that.

Jim Kurring smiles, shaken a bit.

JIM KURRING
Well.

CLAUDIA
That felt good to do...to do what
I wanted to do.

JIM KURRING
Yeah.

CLAUDIA
Can I tell you something?

JIM KURRING
Yeah, of course.

CLAUDIA
I'm really nervous that you're
gonna hate me soon. That you're
gonna find stuff out about me
and you're gonna hate me --

JIM KURRING
-- no, like what, what do you mean?

CLAUDIA
You're a police officer. You have
so much, so many good things and
you seem so together...so all straight
and put together without problems.

JIM KURRING
I lost my gun.

CLAUDIA
What?

JIM KURRING
I lost my gun after I left you today
and I'm the laughing stock of a lot
of people. I wanted to tell you that.
I wanted you to know...and it's on my mind
and it makes me look like a fool and
I feel like a fool and you asked that
we should say things, that we should
say what we're thinknig and not lie
about things and I'll tell you that, this:
that I lost my gun and I'm not a good
cop...and I'm looked down at...and I know
that....and I'm scared that once you
find that out you might not like me.

CLAUDIA
Oh my god, Jim. Jim, that was so --

JIM KURRING
I'm sorry --

CLAUDIA
That was so great what you just said.

JIM KURRING
I haven't been on a date since I
was married and that was three years
ago....and Claudia...whatever you
wanna tell me, whatever you think
might scare me, won't...and I will
listen...I will be a good listener
to you if that's what you want...and
you know, you know...I won't judge you....
I can do that sometimes, I know, but
I won't...I can...listen to you and you
shouldn't be scared of scaring me off
or anything that you might think I'll
think or on and on and just say it and
I'll listen to you....

CLAUDIA
You don't how fu*kin' stupid I am.

JIM KURRING
It's ok.

CLAUDIA
You don't know how crazy I am.

JIM KURRING
It's ok.

CLAUDIA
I've got troubles.

JIM KURRING
I'll take everything at face value.
I'll be a good listener to you.

CLAUDIA
Ohhhh I started this, didn't I,
didn't I, didn't I, fu*k.

JIM KURRING
Say what you want and you'll see --

CLAUDIA
Wanna kiss me, Jim?

JIM KURRING
Yes I do.

They lean across the table and kiss each other.