By Emily Ince. Dark Comedy. Feature. To read the full script please contact the writer. ince@chapman.edu
Logline:
The unconfident bass player of a female punk band struggles to find control while dealing with the stress of a tour in a male dominated music scene plus the murderous tendencies of her bandmate.
Synopsis:
In 1990 LA, Evie Davis is the shy, twenty year old bass player of a feminist punk band, The Graveyard Girls. Despite her lack of confidence, she’s a talented musician and the glue of the band which is made up of her controlling best friend and frontwoman, Vera, and their carefree drummer, Kris. Before their tour, a skinhead tries to sexually assault Evie. Vera smashes his head in with her guitar, killing him. The next day, a cop questions Evie but reveals that it was likely gang related. Relieved, Evie swallows her trauma and paranoia when she goes out with her boyfriend. Denny, who feels unsuccessful with his own life, is unsupportive of the tour and jealous of Hawk. Hawk is the self-important singer of Steep Slope, the band the girls are opening for, who incessantly flirts with Evie.
As the tour begins, the band is met with sexual harassment from the audience, making Vera angry and distant. The girls see a friend who mentions that the dead man raped one of her friends before. Evie feels less guilty. Hawk invites Evie to a party, and she panics when a man there grabs her to dance with him. The girls leave and get drunk. While in their van, they see the man from earlier peeing in the street, and Vera speeds up to hit him. Evie grabs the wheel, barely missing him. Later, Vera claims she was too drunk to remember. Hawk gives Evie advice about life on tour, reassuring her that he’s an alright guy. That night, Evie and Vera reminisce about their friendship as kids.
As the tour continues, Evie is hurt by Denny’s lack of support over the phone but is happy to see more female fans. After a show, a man from a record label says that he wants to sign the band. Evie is thrilled about the offer but can’t find Vera anywhere to tell her. Vera returns at 3am with blood in her hair. The next day, a roadie mentions a death at the last show. Before Evie can confront Vera, Hawk approaches Evie and asks her out. When she declines, he reminds her that she wouldn’t have a record deal without him and demands she reconsider. Denny shows up to surprise Evie, and is angry to see Hawk. After the show, Denny yells at Evie, prompting her to break up with him. He reacts violently, so Vera stabs him to death. Evie yells at Vera, finally standing up to her.
At the next show, Vera interrupts their set to play a new song she wrote about killing men called “Menocide.” Horrified, Evie goes to the roof of the club for air. Hawk appears and tells her that he knows Vera is a murderer, but he’ll stay quiet if Evie sleeps with him. Panicked, Evie pushes him off the roof, killing him. She tells Vera and Kris, and they try to drive off. However, the street is crowded by fans and blocked off by the police who demand the girls to exit the van. With no escape, Evie climbs onto the van’s roof and shouts the lyrics to their song, “Femifesto.” The fans in the crowd sing along as the cops climb onto the van to arrest Evie.