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Week 4 Day 1 – Attack / Counterattack — GROSS POINTE BLANK
1. Please watch this scene and provide your insights into what makes this scene great from a writing perspective.
2. Read the other writers comments and make notes of how you will use reveals in your script.
3. Rethink or create a Attack / Counterattack scene for your script using your new insights and rewrite the scene. Then post the answer to the question, “What I learned rewriting my scene…?” and post it in the 6 PM daily post here.
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4 Replies
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William Whelan – Attack/Counterattack
What I learned from doing this assignment is to make scenes of my screenplay fascinating by Attack/Counterattack in my dialogue.
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- Scene arc: Therapist tells
Martin he can no longer be his therapist; Martin tells therapist he knows
where he lives. Therapist has anxiety, Martin tells therapist his dream,
therapist tells Martin the time is up for their therapy session and that
Martin should go to the reunion.- Situation: Therapy session.
- Conflict: Therapist no longer
wishes to treat Martin.- Entertainment value: What will
be the resolution of the dispute between martin and the therapist.- Moving the story forward
Suspense over conflict resolution.- Setup/payoffs: Therapist no longer wishes
to treat Matin; therapist tells Martin to attend reunion to get rid of
him.<ul type=”disc”>
- What makes this scene great?
Back and forth dialogue between therapist and Martin.- How almost every response is an
Attack / Counterattack. For every statement therapist makes Martin either
questions the reasoning or motivation.- How this is a natural part of
their relationship. Adversarial relationship.- How Attack / Counterattack
comes from opposing perspectives. Therapist cures people; Martin kills
them.- What insights did you have
about Attack/Counterattack dialogue? Moves the scene forward with conflict
expressed in dialogue. - Scene arc: Therapist tells
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What I learned rewriting my scene is to use attack/counterattack in the dialogue of my scene which creates tension and reveals are used to move the story forward.
The scene opens with Martin (John Cusack) in Dr. Oatman, (Alan Arlin) his therapist’s office. Tension builds as Martin (assassin) shares how he’s doing. Dr. Oatman is scared, anxious, and doesn’t want to be Martin’s therapist. When Martin tells him, “I know where you live” Oatman is even feeling worse about the relationship. The conversation veers to a dream Martin had about a rabbit to sharing that he’s thinking about going to his 10 year H.S. reunion and seeing his old girlfriend. Dr. Oatman tells him to go to get him out of the office.
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The entire scene is built on the conflict between Martin and Dr. Oatman. Martin seeks psychological help, and Dr. Oatman, knowing Martin’s criminal background, is conflicted about treating him. This conflict creates tension that sustains the scene.
The dialogue is structured as a series of attacks and counterattacks, showcasing the opposing perspectives of Martin and Dr. Oatman. Martin attacks Dr. Oatman’s reluctance to treat him, while Dr. Oatman counters with ethical concerns and fear for his life. This dynamic makes the dialogue sharp, engaging, and filled with tension.
Each character’s personality shines through their dialogue. Dr. Oatman’s deadpan humor and sincere fear, combined with Martin’s nonchalant attitude towards his criminal life and desperation for help, make the characters distinct and memorable.
Martin’s veiled threats and attempts at intimidation inject an undercurrent of danger into the scene. The dialogue keeps the audience on edge, wondering how far Martin might go and whether Dr. Oatman is truly safe.
The scene serves as a crucial point for the story’s progression. Martin discusses his conflicting emotions about attending his high school reunion, and his past relationship with Debi, setting up his internal struggle and the potential for character development.
The dialogue feels natural and flows smoothly, capturing the rhythm of a real conversation. The interruptions, reactions, and pauses contribute to the authenticity of the scene.
The scene elicits a range of emotions, from humor to tension to moments of sincerity. This emotional rollercoaster keeps the audience invested in the characters and their evolving relationship.
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This scene has a lot of opposition: fear vs. desperation, moral stance vs. anything for money, decision vs. indecision. The Dr.’s objections mean nothing to Martin because of his disregard for respect, acceptance of others and life itself. Martin’s real need for help traps the Dr.’s goal of helping people. The vast differences in perspectives sometimes result in humor. After the Dr.’s rejections and Martin’s persistence, the advice to attend the reunion moves the action forward.
Despite the disparity of perspectives, each character reveals their dilemma in a serious and character revealing manner. As a viewer, my heart went out to both of them. These were not stereotypes; they were believable, vulnerable men.
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