Aspen Extreme (1993) - full transcript
T.J. and his friend Dexter quit their jobs in Detroit to become ski-instructors in Aspen. While T.J. advances to the most popular instructor of the school during the season, he has to take care for Dexter, who's future is less bright and who's eventually thinking about jobbing as drug courier - bringing their friendship to a test. Meanwhile the rich business woman Brice supports T.J. in his writing ambitions and invites him to live at her home. But in her absence he falls in love with the stunningly beautiful blond radio moderator Robin.
(SONG: "START THE CAR")
(INAUDIBLE)
(INAUDIBLE)
Hey, Teej. What's up?
- What's your worst day ever?
- I don't know.
- Today?
- No, really.
When I got arrested
for stealing telephone poles.
Why?
Remember that story
about the father and daughter?
- That drunk guy?
- Yeah.
- Did you like that?
- Yeah, it was very good.
They rejected it.
Forget them, Teej. Just...
And get this...
Wilson calls me in his office today.
They want to make me shop supervisor.
- Do you want to get out of here?
- I can't. I've got to string chairs.
No. I mean, get out of here.
Go someplace else.
- Where?
- It doesn't matter. Who cares?
As long as we're out of here.
Look at this place!
What's wrong with you, Burke?
Every day people do something with
their lives. It's never you or me.
We're from Detroit. We're
the best skiers on this mountain.
- This isn't a mountain.
- The Wings are going to the cup.
The Wings are never going to the cup.
And I'm about to close a deal
with Rita at Sal's Place.
- Just because you had her...!
- I never touched her.
She's got a tattoo
of Wile E. Coyote on her ass.
- How do you know that, then?
- That is not the point!
You're making five bucks an hour
working on a landfill.
- I'm on a list at the foundry.
- Oh, God...
Is that all you want out of life?
No, I got plans, but...
What are they?
I got my wants...
Things that I'm going to do.
What things?
What are your plans, Dex?
Why are you doing this to me?
Because I'm going to leave.
And I don't want to do this alone.
I want you to go with me.
OK...
Good.
- So I've got to quit my job?
- You got it.
That I can do.
- Jackson Hole looks cool.
- It's 40 below there.
We're from Michigan.
It'll be like living in Miami.
- Vail?
- What about it?
No, the guy who designed Wendy's
went nuts there.
- Steamboat Springs?
- What about Aspen?
"The most famous ski resort, Aspen
has many employment opportunities.
"Housing is in short supply.
Job competition is fierce.
- "Playground of the rich. "
- What do you think?
- We'd be like Beverly Hillbillies.
- It'll be like Mackinac Island.
You got a chick from Yale.
I slept in the car.
- She had a friend.
- A cousin.
Who could've made an onion cry.
That face still haunts me.
(RADIO ON)
(WOMAN) This is KHI Radio
in Aspen, Colorado.
Good morning, I'm Robin Hand...
Dex, wake up! That was Aspen.
- I heard it on the radio.
- Really?
Great, man.
Holy shit!
The lifts don't open till 9.
- We wanted to get first tracks.
- You guys must be new. Come on.
This is outrageous!
Anywhere around here will be fine.
- Where are you from?
- Detroit.
Out here to be ski instructors?
About a hundred a year show up.
Locals call it "Freshman Class".
You read about movie stars
and want to move here.
Yeah, that's all part of it.
I hope you guys are good.
(MUSIC: "FEEL LIKE A NUMBER")
On your ready, go!
.. three... four... five... six...
Come on, 25!
- These guys are good.
- But they're not from Detroit.
Go! Go! Go!
("FEEL LIKE A NUMBER" CONTINUES)
This isn't a circus. Stay on the ground!
For those of you still standing...
Welcome to the Aspen Ski School.
My name is Karl Stall.
I'm the ski school director.
- There are five positions open.
- Three!
- Where are you from?
- Mount Brighton.
- Do you have anything tougher?
- Shut up.
Yes, I have...
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
What's with these pants, Teej?
Everybody's got a good butt.
Must have a law against ugly women.
How are you?
Look, if...
If I don't make the cut...
- You'll make it.
- Then don't worry about me.
- I'll go back to Mount Brighton.
- You'll make it.
If I make it, you don't,
I'm staying here.
- You can't.
- Why not?
I can't leave you stranded
with women like that.
Is that money or what?
You'd hurt yourself.
- She's coming over here, Teej.
- She is.
- I don't speak American Express.
- Say you were in the Olympics.
Excuse me, my friend here
was not in the Olympics.
- No?
- No.
Why not?
I won $50 bowling
and lost my amateur status.
Bryce?
Check that out?
She was staring at you
like you're on the menu.
TJ Burke salad!
Her earrings are bigger than my nuts.
- Maybe she's a comparison shopper.
- They pay ski instructors, right?
Who cares?
Order me another beer.
I got to go to the john.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
It's open!
Mr Stall, can I talk to you?
I've posted the results.
- I know.
- Congratulations.
- I probably don't know you well...
- You don't know me at all.
No, that's true.
But I think you're making a mistake
not hiring Dexter Rutecki.
- He'd make a great ski instructor.
- How would you know?
I just know. He's a great guy.
Our clients pay
$400 a day for lessons.
They expect ski instructors
to be a certain type. Like you.
Part of the job is fulfilling
a fantasy. You're the fantasy.
But your friend is not.
You ski very well.
- So does he.
- Skiing is the easy part.
I can't take this job without him.
He's my best friend.
I can't just leave him.
Why not give him all the students
nobody else wants?
- Teej, are you awake?
- Yeah.
- I didn't make the cut, did I?
- You got the job, didn't you?
- My name looked a little funny.
- There's no room to get paranoid.
- And I was the sixth guy...
- Dex, you skied great.
Just go to sleep.
- I really made the cut?
- Yes!
- But you should get a different hat.
- What are you, the fashion police?
This is just great.
I told you to fill the propane!
- I was excited. I forgot.
- So we freeze to death?
- We'll find a place open.
- Where? It's 5am!
- Was that the one we heard?
- I hope so.
- Great, we know her. Come on.
- Dex, wait.
Can we come in?
- I'm on the air.
- We're out of propane.
- Actually, we're fine.
- He's lying. We're freezing.
- I'm not lying. We'll be fine.
- He's lying!
- We won't stay very long.
- Stay until you get warm.
My name is TJ.
This is my friend Dexter.
- We're new in town.
- There's a news bulletin (!)
- We were hired as ski instructors.
- 100 guys try. They only take five.
- Six!
- Six.
- Maybe two make it till spring.
- We'll make it.
Not sleeping in your car
at 36 below zero.
About 10 inches of new snow
will make you feel great.
- Actually, it's a van.
- What?
You said
we were sleeping in a car...
- Don't think that we're ski bums.
- You better find a place to live.
Do you know a place like...
$350 a month,
couple of bedrooms, view...?
Yeah... Missouri.
She's serious. We better go.
- How much for the coffee?
- Don't freeze to death.
Citizen of the day is Milt Phillips,
a 26-year veteran of the Fire Dept.
Congratulations, Milt! Good job.
(WOMAN) Every winter we do this,
even though I don't want to.
I get four weeks off.
You get two, and I get two.
- I take my two in Aspen.
- I'm a warm weather person. Bahamas!
Hi, there, I'm TJ.
I'll be your ski instructor.
What the hell. Marriage is
a compromise. We'll work it out.
I don't want to ski with Santa!
You didn't want to ski
with Hans or Mark either!
Daddy and I want to ski, Kimberly.
It'll be fun.
- I hate Santa!
- I'm sorry.
I wasn't nuts about him either.
I always got socks.
Good luck!
How are you guys doing?
So we got
Donner, Dancer, Prancer...
.. and Dumbo.
- He was an elephant!
- Elephants can ski.
- I want to be Blitzen!
- OK, you're Blitzen.
- And you're Dumbo...
- No!
All right... Donner, Dancer,
Prancer, Rudolf, Gumby,
Dumbo, Blitzen, Sneezy,
Burpy, Chewie and Cheesy.
You guys want to go skiing?
Let's go skiing. Follow me!
Ho-Ho-Ho!
Keep your knees bent.
That's it.
Stay on the centre of your skis.
- Is this great or what?
- Oh, yeah (!)
You're ski instructors.
I'm Santa Claus.
- How is the suit?
- Like a Porsche.
This woman was all over me...
You can't pick up women
when you're Santa Claus.
- Rutecki!
- Now what?
It's probably about
that Easter Bunny suit.
Kimberly's mother said thanks.
You did a good job.
A hundred bucks and away!
- Best restaurant in town?
- I've got a doctor's appointment.
I've got to dump this suit.
Good evening.
- Great atmosphere, huh?
- I wonder how much it is.
I got a hundred bucks. Relax.
- Bonsoir, messieurs.
- No, thank you.
Excuse me...
- How much is the shrimp?
- Scampi, white sauce, or cocktail?
- The cocktail.
- $7.
- How many shrimps do you get?
- One, а la carte.
OK, well, eh...
I think I'll have the cocktail.
- How many shrimps, sir?
- One.
Very good. Pour vous, monsieur?
- You got beef?
- Of course.
- What does "а la carte" mean?
- Taking the shrimp out of the shell.
- Think we got enough for a pizza?
- You should've had the beef.
Dexter, we live in a car.
- We did not order that.
- The lady said congratulations.
Drink...
- Very good.
- Should be. $600 a bottle.
It's good. A little tangy, but...
I could get used to that.
How was the wine?
Great...
But I think it's champagne.
I'm glad you liked it.
I'm Bryce Kellog.
I knew it would be
something like that. Ow!
Congratulations
on making the ski school.
I'm having some friends tonight.
Would you come?
Both of us?
Of course.
- Are we otherwise engaged?
- I think we're available.
Sure...
(INDISTINCT)
Come on, then!
Bryce...
- Hallo, Franz. Do you know TJ?
- I've been waiting for you.
- Are you sure you haven't met?
- I've seen your picture on a poster.
TJ's one of the new guys.
I can tell.
- If I'm in the way...
- Don't be silly.
No, be silly.
Du bist Gast hier, Franz.
Vergiss das nicht.
- Letzten Winter war ich nicht Gast.
- But seasons change.
- Do they?
- Yes.
Can I get a drink?
Do you know a Tequila Slammer?
- I went to high school, yes.
- Could I have one?
How much do you think
it costs to heat this place?
(SHE REPLIES IN RUSSIAN)
That much, huh?
- So you're new in town, TJ?
- Well, I...
- Yeah.
- He's beautiful.
Thank you.
- What do you do, TJ?
- The greatest job: ski instructor.
- I thought I had the greatest job.
- Henri's retired.
My dad is your age. He's still got
eight years before he hits pension.
(WOMAN) Hi...
Hi.
- Are you enjoying this party?
- Yeah.
- I'm Tina.
- Dexter Rutecki.
Rutecki? That is quite a mouthful.
My real name is David. When I was
a little kid I was real smart,
so everyone called me Poindexter.
They shortened it to Dexter.
That was better for me,
'cause it lowered my expectations.
- I'm being a moron. I'm nervous.
- Why?
Have you looked in the mirror? Your
boyfriend lets you go out like that?
- I don't have a boyfriend.
- Did I tell you I'm Dexter Rutecki?
- Where are you from?
- I'm Bryce's roommate.
- Bryce has a roommate?
- Bryce has a lot of rooms. And you?
- We've got a place by the mountain.
- Maybe I could see it some time.
Either that
or we could drive it over.
(GRUNTING)
Back it up!
Whoa!
Great.
- I don't know...
- No, no! It's got a great view.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
You can't park there.
- We can't?
- No, there used to be a sign there.
- Was there a sign?
- I didn't see a sign.
We've been kicked out
of every parking spot in town.
- Is there any overnight parking?
- No.
- It keeps the local population down.
- How did you become part of it?
- Easy... I was born here.
- We'll drive around all night.
I'll drive, you sleep.
You drive, I'll sleep...
Ask Mrs Harder at the gas station if
you can rent the place by the river.
- Tell her I sent you.
- Thank you!
It doesn't look like
you'll get to be locals on your own.
- We don't know your name.
- It's Robin.
- Go on.
- Hey, Robin...
Could I... buy you a drink
or something some time?
I stopped dating ski instructors
when I was 16.
Why?
- Because they always leave town.
- I just got here.
Give it a chance.
- It didn't go so good, huh?
- No.
- You got to be kidding. A caboose?
- Great, like living in a cartoon!
- Robin is doing this on purpose.
- She likes you.
- She thinks we're interlopers.
- What is this, Scrabble?
She gives you a hard time.
That's a good sign. Come on!
It's gonna be great!
All aboard!
I'm Andy Mill. Welcome to the Aspen
Annual Powder Eight Championships!
Teams have come to find out
who are the best skiers
on the mountain.
(WHIR OF HELICOPTER)
Dave!
- Who's that up there?
- Franz Hauser and Rudy Zucker.
That guy from the poster?
It doesn't look so tough.
It's not so hard.
They're the best skiers. Won the
Powder Eight three years in a row.
Teams of two ski figure eight
patterns through the fresh powder.
Whoever makes
the most perfect tracks wins.
- What do you say we win this thing?
- Sure.
You've got to be able to ski
anywhere, any conditions.
You've got to do it without getting
killed or caught. It is illegal.
They want to make changes, but they
do the same things over and over.
Insanity is doing the same things
and expecting a different result.
Like a fly trying to get out.
It keeps hitting the glass.
Motivation is not enough.
You've got to have a better strategy.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello?
Welcome to the 20th century.
You got a phone.
- Who is this?
- You're breaking my heart.
- Bryce?
- That's better. Are you busy?
No. We're not doing anything.
Why don't you come up to the house?
Alone.
Is Tina there? Your roommate.
I don't have a roommate.
Just come up to the house.
(SHE HANGS UP)
- Another party?
- She wants me to come up.
- Where's Tina?
- I don't think she lives there.
- Where does she live?
- I don't know.
- I don't have to go.
- We're not married. Go ahead.
I'll just say hi...
When I get back, we'll do something.
- All right?
- Yeah.
(KNOCKS - DOOR CREAKS)
Bryce?
Bryce!
Hello!
Bryce! Hello...?
Bryce, it's TJ!
- Hi.
- Hi.
I'm afraid
there isn't a lifeguard on duty.
- Can you swim?
- Like a fish.
(TV ON)
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello, Bryce's house... home.
No, I'm just a friend...
(PHONE RINGS)
Can you hold on one second?
(ANSWER MACHINE CLICKS ON)
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello, this is Bryce's house.
Please don't answer my phone.
- They were ringing.
- They'll do that. Sit down.
Ronnie, we'll have breakfast. Put all
calls through to the Denver office.
Aspen just brings out
the best in people.
What would you like it to bring out
in you? Who do you want to be?
- I'm being it: ski instructor.
- I want to know what you want to be.
- It's not a bad life, Bryce.
- What happens when you're 40?
Thanks!
- Nah. Forget it.
- What?
No, it's just...
One time I...
- I wanted to be a writer.
- Really?
I wrote some stuff and tried
to sell it to magazines, but...
I never went to college,
so I never learned how to do it.
Do you read?
Anything that isn't in paperback?
No. They're the only things
that fit in my ski parka.
"Remembrance of Things Past"
by Proust.
Maybe you shouldn't
read that just yet.
- I had a great time.
- So did I.
- Am I going to see you again?
- After you read these.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
(VAN PULLS UP)
Hey, Dex!
- Did you hold up a bookstore?
- Bryce got them for me.
Was your dinner conversation
boring her?
No...
We talked about writing, and...
She thought I should read these.
- TJ Burke Show, coming at you live!
- What's your problem?
I just spent the entire night
watching ping-pong.
- I'm sorry I left you alone.
- The Koreans are amazing.
- Where are you going?
- To practise for the Powder Eight.
Remember?
Wait.
(THEY PANT)
We've got to stop.
I'm going to trombone breakfast.
What are we doing without oxygen?
Planes above 10,000 feet carry it.
- What are we at, like 12,000?
- No... 14,000.
- You shouldn't smoke here.
- I've got to expand my lungs.
- This is beautiful, huh?
- Powder Eight. Let's go.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Aa-aa-aa-aah!
TJ! Burke!
Burke!
Burke! I'm coming, TJ!
Get an arm up! Pull! TJ, pull up!
(GROANS OF EFFORT)
- Slow down.
- You're going to the hospital.
We can't go to the hospital.
I'm fine.
(KNOCKING)
- We had a little accident.
- What happened?
He fell into a crevasse skiing.
You got any medical facilities?
Yeah... Come and sit over here.
- It's not that bad.
- Lay right down here.
Let's see what we got...
There's a wooden box in the top
drawer that I'm going to need.
- Thanks, Robin.
- He should have gone to hospital.
- If we get caught, we're fired.
- That's better off than being dead.
- I would've been if not for him.
- That was foolish.
I know. But if I let him die,
his old man would kill me.
- This is funny, isn't it?
- He doesn't think it's funny.
There's a reason
you're not supposed to ski up there.
We were practising for Powder Eight.
Something to risk your life for.
Come and pick TJ up in the morning.
How about I stay here,
and TJ picks me up tomorrow?
How about not?
- He might have a concussion.
- You get all the luck, TJ.
I know.
- I'm going to bed.
- Thank you.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah.
- Thanks.
- Want me to stick around?
- No.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
- All right.
(TV ON)
OK, guys, here's the deal...
First kid who can go
the whole day without crying
gets to ski behind the big kid. Me.
Who wants to be the first one
to not cry?
Me!
You get to wear my magic hat.
Hi, Ronnie. Is Bryce there?
- No, she's in Philadelphia.
- Till when?
Didn't she tell you?
I assumed that she'd let you know.
- Well, you'd think so.
- I'll tell her you called.
Burke! Franz is sick.
You take the Hanson family.
- I'm Franz's alternate.
- I'm the ski school director.
- If this is a big deal...
- It's a very big deal.
The Hansons will meet you
at the airport.
- What do you think of that spot, TJ?
- It looks outrageous!
- Lucky for you Franz got sick.
- Yeah. I feel a little bad.
Don't, man. Franz is a dick.
Those are my clients, Burke.
I'm sorry, but you were sick.
When the Hansons come back,
I won't be sick.
Do you want to split the tip?
I don't want to split the tip!
Franz, they already booked me.
Asshole! I'm not here
for the party. This is my job.
Some rookie is not going to take it
while skipping a semester at college.
You got nothing to worry about...
asshole. I don't go to college.
Dick.
- That isn't your swing.
- Nobody was using it.
You know something?
You ought to be a plastic surgeon.
There's almost no scar.
I'm glad you gave it time to heal.
I'm not the one with the rule
about not dating ski instructors.
- "Thank you" would have been nice.
- That's why I'm here.
Could I...
Could I take you to dinner?
- You think I've changed the rule?
- It's just dinner.
That's all it's got to be.
Just dinner.
Where?
Anywhere you want to go.
OK...
- OK?
- OK.
OK. Good.
I'll see you later, then.
Bye.
I majored in broadcasting. I was
going to be the next Jane Pauley.
- What happened?
- After graduation I got a dream job.
- Where?
- In L.A.
The station manager said if I slept
with him I could have my own show.
But he was lying, so I came home.
- Where did you go to college?
- Light truck assembly plant.
- I think Aspen is my college.
- Are you learning anything?
That I want to be more
than a ski instructor.
What?
If I had gone to college,
I wanted to be a writer.
Maybe I could become one here.
- Is that funny?
- No.
But everybody comes to Aspen
to be saved.
Oh, God... I don't want to be saved.
- What do you want to write?
- I've got to live first.
I got to live a big life,
read everything, meet people.
I have this friend who's been
helping me out. She's very bright.
It's not a person. It's Bryce Kellog.
She always gets the pick of
the litter. You should be flattered.
I know how it works. My dad was a ski
instructor. He's in the French Alps.
- I'm sorry.
- Don't be. They have great snow.
Me and my mum were shopping.
I guess I was about five.
This little kid started following us.
He wouldn't leave us alone.
He wouldn't tell us his name.
Nobody we talked to knew who he was.
He stayed with us for three days.
When his old man came, he got scared.
He ran and hid in my room.
When I asked him why, he started
crying. He stayed over after that.
- I've looked after him ever since.
- Who looks after you?
He does...
You'll get used to him.
I'm trying to concentrate.
Hold it down!
- When can I read something?
- There's nothing to read yet.
I get halfway through something
that's no good, and I throw it out.
Maybe I don't have anything
worth writing about.
I don't think that's true.
Can you smell that? Winter's coming.
- Are you looking forward to it?
- Yeah.
- And you?
- No.
- Why not?
- I kind of like the off-season.
- Really?
- Yeah...
Teej! Check it out, man!
You're on the cover
of "Powder Magazine"!
You're a star!
Another season in paradise.
Open the mountain.
Swanson, you take Mrs Franks.
Chris, you have a lesson
at the Jerome.
Gazzi... Mountain Masters.
Corbett is still in Arizona.
Rutecki!
Congratulations.
Your first private lesson.
- Thanks, Karl.
- Meet Mr Hayward at the bottom.
What? What? What...?
He's been through everybody else.
Good luck, Dex! I had him yesterday.
- Mr Hayward!
- Are you him?
- Probably. Dexter Rutecki.
- Mort Hayward.
- Where the hell have you been?
- How do you ski, Mr Hayward?
- Shitty.
- OK...
- What do you want to work on?
- What do you think?
Relax...
Push out!
Oh, shit! No!
Push your feet out!
Snowplough!
Just sit down!
(HORN HONKS)
Bail!
Rutecki, where's your student?
He was running
a stop sign on Aspen Street.
- Did he get hurt?
- No, he called from the hotel bar.
- You think it's funny?
- Relax. We're not curing cancer.
We're teaching people how to
slide down with sticks on their feet.
- I'm sorry.
- You're a professional instructor.
- I'm suspending you for two weeks.
- You serious?
Yes, I am.
(SONG: "THE WORLD IS FLAT")
Hi.
Jake, this is Dexter Rutecki.
- Let me take you to dinner.
- You took me last night.
- And when the season ends?
- I'll take you to Mexico.
KHI is looking
for a dachshund named Sasha.
Sasha has a cashmere sweater
and gold collar. Don't step on her.
- What do you think?
- It's good.
Really good.
If you write that for somebody, you
better be willing to go all the way.
Maybe I am.
- Can I talk to you?
- It's my first beer of the day.
It's not about the beer.
It's about Tina.
- What about Tina?
- Do you know what she does?
- I haven't asked.
- Maybe you should.
Don't tell me how to pick my friends.
I'm good at that. I picked you.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello.
- Hi!
- Bryce?
- Can I explain?
- You don't have to.
- Things are different now.
- Can I see you?
No. I have to go.
(HE HANGS UP)
You don't hate me, do you?
No... but you went to Philadelphia.
Someone has to make money
in this family.
Where are you going?
- I have a private lesson.
- I know. I hired you for the day.
I figured you'd be mad, and I
wanted to see you. And it worked.
You're on the cover and the poster.
You could get used to that.
They photographed all the guys.
I was the only one with my eyes open.
Would you like to come up
for a drink?
- This was a nice day, but...
- Please.
- I just want to talk.
- About what?
About maybe being friends again.
I just miss it very much, that's all.
Just a drink.
Just a drink! Come on.
- I just can't do it on my own.
- Why not?
Because my mother's coming
tomorrow. I have to pick her up.
Give this to a guy named Steve.
He'll know what you look like.
- What's in it?
- It doesn't matter.
If the police bust you,
you'll take a lie detector test.
You'll pass because
you don't know what's in it.
- You are full of shit.
- It's a shitty world.
How much?
A thousand bucks.
- I give this to a guy named Steve?
- If I wasn't busy, I'd do it myself.
I'll do it.
- Is that clock right?
- Yeah.
- Are you waiting for someone?
- Kind of.
You know a guy named Steve something,
Stevie Dee, the Stever?
Never heard of him.
- Are you Steve?
- I'm afraid not.
- Got some coffee for me?
- Black?
Can I get another one?
Maybe he's Steve.
- Are you Steve?
- Steve who?
- Steve who?
- I don't know his last name.
Good morning.
- You OK there, cowboy?
- I'm fine.
- Anybody in there?
- Yeah.
If you want to frisk me, go ahead.
I got nothing.
Are you sure you're OK?
(QUIET CHATTING)
Are you Dexter?
- Why?
- I'm Steve.
We might have a little problem.
Can I talk to you?
No.
Please?
Till the end of this song.
- I had a private lesson.
- All night?
- Were you with Bryce?
- Can I explain?
- That's explanation enough.
- Yes, I was.
(Oh, shit...)
- She hired me for the day.
- And you can't say no?
She's just interested in my work.
She's trying to help me.
- To be what?
- To be more than a rivet-head.
Whether you ever make anything
of yourself is completely up to you.
- And so far, it isn't much.
- It might be.
A writer. How romantic. It goes
well with being a ski instructor.
It works great with the ladies.
But writing isn't making people
feel things that aren't true.
I meant every word.
Aspen citizen of the day
is TJ Burke.
Ladies, if you got a big house
and lots of money, he's available.
Goodbye, TJ. You'll fit right in.
Dex... Jesus.
(BEEPS THE HORN)
(DEX SCREAMS AND GROANS)
Get out...!
Get out!
- No more!
- Dex, it's me. It's TJ.
Teej, I screwed up!
They're gonna kill me!
This guy is gonna kill me.
I thought I could make some money.
I just thought, one time.
What happened?
Tina's friends...
I thought I'd make some money.
How much do you owe?
Ten grand...
This guy is gonna kill me, Teej.
Next time,
I'll expect you to say goodbye.
A friend of mine's in trouble.
I need $10,000.
- Is that an apology?
- This isn't easy for me, Bryce.
You're doing just fine.
- I'll pay you back.
- How?
I don't know.
It doesn't have to be this hard.
Do you know that?
Yeah.
- Who are you?
- A friend of Dexter Rutecki's.
He owes you ten grand.
Now you leave him alone.
This is exactly like the time
I found the boomerang!
- We were 11 years old!
- I thought we were friends!
- So did I!
- I am sorry! I will pay you back.
- It's already been paid back.
- The guy was gonna kill me.
- So now he's not.
- So now you leave?
- I would've done the same for you!
- It wouldn't have happened to me!
TJ Burke Show, live every night
banging an uphill bitch, gigolo!
You're going to screw your way
out of the working class?
Take a fucking look at yourself!
Is this what you want?
I'm tired of picking up after you.
You don't have to pick up after me!
(TV - NO SOUND)
(INAUDIBLE)
Aspen citizen of the day is Steve
Temple, ski instructor and bartender.
Ed Goulow is 31 years old today.
He's an Aspen lift operator,
an avid fly fisherman,
artist and entrepreneur.
(NOISY COMMOTION)
Robin?
Lovely...
- What are you doing?
- What does it look like?
No! Put it...
- Get up!
- No!
- Yes!
- No... Ow!
What's your problem? Shit!
- It's freezing!
- Good.
- What are you doing?
- We're going jogging.
I don't jog.
I'll drag you behind my car!
- Now shave!
- Why are you doing this?
I met two guys, and I liked them.
But I hate what's happened to them.
Now wash!
(SONG: "THE BEST INSIDE YOU")
Could I talk to you?
Sure.
Well, I missed you.
How are you doing?
I'm OK.
- How are you doing?
- Good.
That's good.
I'm going to go home. To Detroit.
Put my name on the list at Ford.
Maybe get your old job.
I don't want to go back empty-handed.
I wanted to ask a favour.
I want to win the Powder Eight.
I want you to be my partner.
Sure.
I'll see you.
- Should I call you?
- Tomorrow.
- I'll see you.
- In the morning.
- Do you remember this place?
- I will always remember it.
- It's been a hell of a ride, huh?
- Yeah, it has.
Let me ask you a question.
When we made the ski school,
did you put my name on that list?
Yeah.
How did you get it past Karl?
I told him I wouldn't work
unless he hired you.
How about I open them,
and you close them?
Give me, say, 20 feet.
Then you drop in.
I've been following you around
for two years.
There's no one
I would've rather followed.
Today, you're going to follow me.
Try and keep up.
(LOUD CRACKING)
Avalanche!
Dexter!
An avalanche yesterday claimed the
life of Aspen local Dexter Rutecki.
Rutecki was swept into the slide
while practising for Powder Eight...
His partner, TJ Burke,
was treated for minor injuries.
TJ, come on. Take the day off.
I've got to clean out his locker.
There's a reason
no one's ever skied that mountain.
I should have called in for
the avalanche report, but I didn't.
I guess Dex would say
it's a little late for that.
Go home, TJ. Get some sleep.
Nine o'clock line-up. You're late.
I'm just...
getting his things together,
so I can send them back
to his mum.
I... can't find one of his gloves.
I came to tell you I'm very sorry.
I know you loved him a lot.
Things happen, TJ. To everyone.
- It didn't happen to me.
- Yeah, it did.
I was afraid to come out here
without him.
It's not your fault.
Take care of yourself.
(SONG: "THE WORLD IS FLAT")
Are you going to get dressed?
- No.
- We have guests coming over.
You got a big house.
There's a lot of room.
You're very depressing lately.
Put on the cashmere sweater
and black pants.
You look beautiful in that.
- He was my best friend.
- Oh, was he?
What does that mean?
I'm sorry he died. I am.
But you wanted more, and he didn't.
And now you have it.
You? Till when?
- Until it's over.
- Then what?
- Then we change partners.
- Just like that?
Yes.
We're the same, TJ.
No, we're not, Bryce.
Goodbye.
Mr Burke. I'm one of the new guys...
Todd Pounds.
- That'll disappoint a lot of kids.
- You do this when you're new.
- Yeah, I remember.
- I just wanted to meet you.
OK...
Nice to meet you.
They say you're the best skier
on the mountain.
- I don't know.
- I plan on being that, too.
I mean second best, of course.
If you don't mind.
It's a big mountain, Todd.
Have you a partner for Powder Eight?
No.
- You want one?
- No.
I was an Olympic hopeful.
I ski pretty good.
I'm not looking for a partner, Todd.
- If we win, we're the best.
- I'm not looking for a partner!
OK...
I was just asking.
See you later, Mr Burke!
Hey, you!
We got a renegade going O.B.
We're after him.
TJ, you son of a bitch!
- Were you trying to make the news?
- No.
I'm supposed to fire anyone
who skies out of bounds.
- How am I supposed to handle this?
- Any way you want.
Stop blaming yourself for Dexter.
I'm not. I just miss him.
- This is a good-time business.
- Take my picture off the poster.
It'd be better if you could
straighten yourself out. Can you?
You were the best skier
on the mountain.
Skiing's the easy part, Karl.
They say you're the best skier
on the mountain.
- How are you doing?
- Good. Where have you been?
- You got a partner for Powder Eight?
- No.
- Do you want one?
- Me and you?
- Me and you.
- Absolutely.
Good.
(TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENTS)
I'm cranking these down.
You marker out, we don't win.
- What if I crash and burn?
- You won't.
Hey, Burke.
Try not to kill him, too.
The Vail Team
is putting on quite a show.
They're down! Tough break.
Reigning champions
Franz Hauser and Rudy Zucker.
They've won the Powder Eight
for the last three years.
They're going
for a fourth straight win.
They're among the best in the world.
The rhythm's perfect, the turns...
This team is going to be
very hard to beat.
It's a perfect 10, 10, 10!
An unprecedented fourth title
for the team from Aspen!
- What's going on?
- We haven't gone yet.
- Nobody ever beats these guys.
- You tell them we're going.
Even though this event has been won,
there's a team demanding to compete.
TJ Burke and his partner
Todd Pounds.
- No matter what I do, you follow me.
- If I can.
We can...
.. his partner
was tragically killed.
Watch these guys.
Unbelievable!
Burke has led Pounds off course!
They're skiing off the back side!
They've gone off our monitors!
They have won the Powder Eight!
All right, T J!
So how does it feel?
It feels good.
Dexter would have liked it.
I'm sorry...
.. for everything. For all of it.
I just wanted to tell you that.
- Before you left town?
- I'm not leaving. I'm staying.
Why?
To see if I can become a real writer.
I think you already are one. I read
your story. I think it's great.
And because I love you.
(INAUDIBLE)
(INAUDIBLE)
Hey, Teej. What's up?
- What's your worst day ever?
- I don't know.
- Today?
- No, really.
When I got arrested
for stealing telephone poles.
Why?
Remember that story
about the father and daughter?
- That drunk guy?
- Yeah.
- Did you like that?
- Yeah, it was very good.
They rejected it.
Forget them, Teej. Just...
And get this...
Wilson calls me in his office today.
They want to make me shop supervisor.
- Do you want to get out of here?
- I can't. I've got to string chairs.
No. I mean, get out of here.
Go someplace else.
- Where?
- It doesn't matter. Who cares?
As long as we're out of here.
Look at this place!
What's wrong with you, Burke?
Every day people do something with
their lives. It's never you or me.
We're from Detroit. We're
the best skiers on this mountain.
- This isn't a mountain.
- The Wings are going to the cup.
The Wings are never going to the cup.
And I'm about to close a deal
with Rita at Sal's Place.
- Just because you had her...!
- I never touched her.
She's got a tattoo
of Wile E. Coyote on her ass.
- How do you know that, then?
- That is not the point!
You're making five bucks an hour
working on a landfill.
- I'm on a list at the foundry.
- Oh, God...
Is that all you want out of life?
No, I got plans, but...
What are they?
I got my wants...
Things that I'm going to do.
What things?
What are your plans, Dex?
Why are you doing this to me?
Because I'm going to leave.
And I don't want to do this alone.
I want you to go with me.
OK...
Good.
- So I've got to quit my job?
- You got it.
That I can do.
- Jackson Hole looks cool.
- It's 40 below there.
We're from Michigan.
It'll be like living in Miami.
- Vail?
- What about it?
No, the guy who designed Wendy's
went nuts there.
- Steamboat Springs?
- What about Aspen?
"The most famous ski resort, Aspen
has many employment opportunities.
"Housing is in short supply.
Job competition is fierce.
- "Playground of the rich. "
- What do you think?
- We'd be like Beverly Hillbillies.
- It'll be like Mackinac Island.
You got a chick from Yale.
I slept in the car.
- She had a friend.
- A cousin.
Who could've made an onion cry.
That face still haunts me.
(RADIO ON)
(WOMAN) This is KHI Radio
in Aspen, Colorado.
Good morning, I'm Robin Hand...
Dex, wake up! That was Aspen.
- I heard it on the radio.
- Really?
Great, man.
Holy shit!
The lifts don't open till 9.
- We wanted to get first tracks.
- You guys must be new. Come on.
This is outrageous!
Anywhere around here will be fine.
- Where are you from?
- Detroit.
Out here to be ski instructors?
About a hundred a year show up.
Locals call it "Freshman Class".
You read about movie stars
and want to move here.
Yeah, that's all part of it.
I hope you guys are good.
(MUSIC: "FEEL LIKE A NUMBER")
On your ready, go!
.. three... four... five... six...
Come on, 25!
- These guys are good.
- But they're not from Detroit.
Go! Go! Go!
("FEEL LIKE A NUMBER" CONTINUES)
This isn't a circus. Stay on the ground!
For those of you still standing...
Welcome to the Aspen Ski School.
My name is Karl Stall.
I'm the ski school director.
- There are five positions open.
- Three!
- Where are you from?
- Mount Brighton.
- Do you have anything tougher?
- Shut up.
Yes, I have...
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
What's with these pants, Teej?
Everybody's got a good butt.
Must have a law against ugly women.
How are you?
Look, if...
If I don't make the cut...
- You'll make it.
- Then don't worry about me.
- I'll go back to Mount Brighton.
- You'll make it.
If I make it, you don't,
I'm staying here.
- You can't.
- Why not?
I can't leave you stranded
with women like that.
Is that money or what?
You'd hurt yourself.
- She's coming over here, Teej.
- She is.
- I don't speak American Express.
- Say you were in the Olympics.
Excuse me, my friend here
was not in the Olympics.
- No?
- No.
Why not?
I won $50 bowling
and lost my amateur status.
Bryce?
Check that out?
She was staring at you
like you're on the menu.
TJ Burke salad!
Her earrings are bigger than my nuts.
- Maybe she's a comparison shopper.
- They pay ski instructors, right?
Who cares?
Order me another beer.
I got to go to the john.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
It's open!
Mr Stall, can I talk to you?
I've posted the results.
- I know.
- Congratulations.
- I probably don't know you well...
- You don't know me at all.
No, that's true.
But I think you're making a mistake
not hiring Dexter Rutecki.
- He'd make a great ski instructor.
- How would you know?
I just know. He's a great guy.
Our clients pay
$400 a day for lessons.
They expect ski instructors
to be a certain type. Like you.
Part of the job is fulfilling
a fantasy. You're the fantasy.
But your friend is not.
You ski very well.
- So does he.
- Skiing is the easy part.
I can't take this job without him.
He's my best friend.
I can't just leave him.
Why not give him all the students
nobody else wants?
- Teej, are you awake?
- Yeah.
- I didn't make the cut, did I?
- You got the job, didn't you?
- My name looked a little funny.
- There's no room to get paranoid.
- And I was the sixth guy...
- Dex, you skied great.
Just go to sleep.
- I really made the cut?
- Yes!
- But you should get a different hat.
- What are you, the fashion police?
This is just great.
I told you to fill the propane!
- I was excited. I forgot.
- So we freeze to death?
- We'll find a place open.
- Where? It's 5am!
- Was that the one we heard?
- I hope so.
- Great, we know her. Come on.
- Dex, wait.
Can we come in?
- I'm on the air.
- We're out of propane.
- Actually, we're fine.
- He's lying. We're freezing.
- I'm not lying. We'll be fine.
- He's lying!
- We won't stay very long.
- Stay until you get warm.
My name is TJ.
This is my friend Dexter.
- We're new in town.
- There's a news bulletin (!)
- We were hired as ski instructors.
- 100 guys try. They only take five.
- Six!
- Six.
- Maybe two make it till spring.
- We'll make it.
Not sleeping in your car
at 36 below zero.
About 10 inches of new snow
will make you feel great.
- Actually, it's a van.
- What?
You said
we were sleeping in a car...
- Don't think that we're ski bums.
- You better find a place to live.
Do you know a place like...
$350 a month,
couple of bedrooms, view...?
Yeah... Missouri.
She's serious. We better go.
- How much for the coffee?
- Don't freeze to death.
Citizen of the day is Milt Phillips,
a 26-year veteran of the Fire Dept.
Congratulations, Milt! Good job.
(WOMAN) Every winter we do this,
even though I don't want to.
I get four weeks off.
You get two, and I get two.
- I take my two in Aspen.
- I'm a warm weather person. Bahamas!
Hi, there, I'm TJ.
I'll be your ski instructor.
What the hell. Marriage is
a compromise. We'll work it out.
I don't want to ski with Santa!
You didn't want to ski
with Hans or Mark either!
Daddy and I want to ski, Kimberly.
It'll be fun.
- I hate Santa!
- I'm sorry.
I wasn't nuts about him either.
I always got socks.
Good luck!
How are you guys doing?
So we got
Donner, Dancer, Prancer...
.. and Dumbo.
- He was an elephant!
- Elephants can ski.
- I want to be Blitzen!
- OK, you're Blitzen.
- And you're Dumbo...
- No!
All right... Donner, Dancer,
Prancer, Rudolf, Gumby,
Dumbo, Blitzen, Sneezy,
Burpy, Chewie and Cheesy.
You guys want to go skiing?
Let's go skiing. Follow me!
Ho-Ho-Ho!
Keep your knees bent.
That's it.
Stay on the centre of your skis.
- Is this great or what?
- Oh, yeah (!)
You're ski instructors.
I'm Santa Claus.
- How is the suit?
- Like a Porsche.
This woman was all over me...
You can't pick up women
when you're Santa Claus.
- Rutecki!
- Now what?
It's probably about
that Easter Bunny suit.
Kimberly's mother said thanks.
You did a good job.
A hundred bucks and away!
- Best restaurant in town?
- I've got a doctor's appointment.
I've got to dump this suit.
Good evening.
- Great atmosphere, huh?
- I wonder how much it is.
I got a hundred bucks. Relax.
- Bonsoir, messieurs.
- No, thank you.
Excuse me...
- How much is the shrimp?
- Scampi, white sauce, or cocktail?
- The cocktail.
- $7.
- How many shrimps do you get?
- One, а la carte.
OK, well, eh...
I think I'll have the cocktail.
- How many shrimps, sir?
- One.
Very good. Pour vous, monsieur?
- You got beef?
- Of course.
- What does "а la carte" mean?
- Taking the shrimp out of the shell.
- Think we got enough for a pizza?
- You should've had the beef.
Dexter, we live in a car.
- We did not order that.
- The lady said congratulations.
Drink...
- Very good.
- Should be. $600 a bottle.
It's good. A little tangy, but...
I could get used to that.
How was the wine?
Great...
But I think it's champagne.
I'm glad you liked it.
I'm Bryce Kellog.
I knew it would be
something like that. Ow!
Congratulations
on making the ski school.
I'm having some friends tonight.
Would you come?
Both of us?
Of course.
- Are we otherwise engaged?
- I think we're available.
Sure...
(INDISTINCT)
Come on, then!
Bryce...
- Hallo, Franz. Do you know TJ?
- I've been waiting for you.
- Are you sure you haven't met?
- I've seen your picture on a poster.
TJ's one of the new guys.
I can tell.
- If I'm in the way...
- Don't be silly.
No, be silly.
Du bist Gast hier, Franz.
Vergiss das nicht.
- Letzten Winter war ich nicht Gast.
- But seasons change.
- Do they?
- Yes.
Can I get a drink?
Do you know a Tequila Slammer?
- I went to high school, yes.
- Could I have one?
How much do you think
it costs to heat this place?
(SHE REPLIES IN RUSSIAN)
That much, huh?
- So you're new in town, TJ?
- Well, I...
- Yeah.
- He's beautiful.
Thank you.
- What do you do, TJ?
- The greatest job: ski instructor.
- I thought I had the greatest job.
- Henri's retired.
My dad is your age. He's still got
eight years before he hits pension.
(WOMAN) Hi...
Hi.
- Are you enjoying this party?
- Yeah.
- I'm Tina.
- Dexter Rutecki.
Rutecki? That is quite a mouthful.
My real name is David. When I was
a little kid I was real smart,
so everyone called me Poindexter.
They shortened it to Dexter.
That was better for me,
'cause it lowered my expectations.
- I'm being a moron. I'm nervous.
- Why?
Have you looked in the mirror? Your
boyfriend lets you go out like that?
- I don't have a boyfriend.
- Did I tell you I'm Dexter Rutecki?
- Where are you from?
- I'm Bryce's roommate.
- Bryce has a roommate?
- Bryce has a lot of rooms. And you?
- We've got a place by the mountain.
- Maybe I could see it some time.
Either that
or we could drive it over.
(GRUNTING)
Back it up!
Whoa!
Great.
- I don't know...
- No, no! It's got a great view.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
You can't park there.
- We can't?
- No, there used to be a sign there.
- Was there a sign?
- I didn't see a sign.
We've been kicked out
of every parking spot in town.
- Is there any overnight parking?
- No.
- It keeps the local population down.
- How did you become part of it?
- Easy... I was born here.
- We'll drive around all night.
I'll drive, you sleep.
You drive, I'll sleep...
Ask Mrs Harder at the gas station if
you can rent the place by the river.
- Tell her I sent you.
- Thank you!
It doesn't look like
you'll get to be locals on your own.
- We don't know your name.
- It's Robin.
- Go on.
- Hey, Robin...
Could I... buy you a drink
or something some time?
I stopped dating ski instructors
when I was 16.
Why?
- Because they always leave town.
- I just got here.
Give it a chance.
- It didn't go so good, huh?
- No.
- You got to be kidding. A caboose?
- Great, like living in a cartoon!
- Robin is doing this on purpose.
- She likes you.
- She thinks we're interlopers.
- What is this, Scrabble?
She gives you a hard time.
That's a good sign. Come on!
It's gonna be great!
All aboard!
I'm Andy Mill. Welcome to the Aspen
Annual Powder Eight Championships!
Teams have come to find out
who are the best skiers
on the mountain.
(WHIR OF HELICOPTER)
Dave!
- Who's that up there?
- Franz Hauser and Rudy Zucker.
That guy from the poster?
It doesn't look so tough.
It's not so hard.
They're the best skiers. Won the
Powder Eight three years in a row.
Teams of two ski figure eight
patterns through the fresh powder.
Whoever makes
the most perfect tracks wins.
- What do you say we win this thing?
- Sure.
You've got to be able to ski
anywhere, any conditions.
You've got to do it without getting
killed or caught. It is illegal.
They want to make changes, but they
do the same things over and over.
Insanity is doing the same things
and expecting a different result.
Like a fly trying to get out.
It keeps hitting the glass.
Motivation is not enough.
You've got to have a better strategy.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello?
Welcome to the 20th century.
You got a phone.
- Who is this?
- You're breaking my heart.
- Bryce?
- That's better. Are you busy?
No. We're not doing anything.
Why don't you come up to the house?
Alone.
Is Tina there? Your roommate.
I don't have a roommate.
Just come up to the house.
(SHE HANGS UP)
- Another party?
- She wants me to come up.
- Where's Tina?
- I don't think she lives there.
- Where does she live?
- I don't know.
- I don't have to go.
- We're not married. Go ahead.
I'll just say hi...
When I get back, we'll do something.
- All right?
- Yeah.
(KNOCKS - DOOR CREAKS)
Bryce?
Bryce!
Hello!
Bryce! Hello...?
Bryce, it's TJ!
- Hi.
- Hi.
I'm afraid
there isn't a lifeguard on duty.
- Can you swim?
- Like a fish.
(TV ON)
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello, Bryce's house... home.
No, I'm just a friend...
(PHONE RINGS)
Can you hold on one second?
(ANSWER MACHINE CLICKS ON)
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello, this is Bryce's house.
Please don't answer my phone.
- They were ringing.
- They'll do that. Sit down.
Ronnie, we'll have breakfast. Put all
calls through to the Denver office.
Aspen just brings out
the best in people.
What would you like it to bring out
in you? Who do you want to be?
- I'm being it: ski instructor.
- I want to know what you want to be.
- It's not a bad life, Bryce.
- What happens when you're 40?
Thanks!
- Nah. Forget it.
- What?
No, it's just...
One time I...
- I wanted to be a writer.
- Really?
I wrote some stuff and tried
to sell it to magazines, but...
I never went to college,
so I never learned how to do it.
Do you read?
Anything that isn't in paperback?
No. They're the only things
that fit in my ski parka.
"Remembrance of Things Past"
by Proust.
Maybe you shouldn't
read that just yet.
- I had a great time.
- So did I.
- Am I going to see you again?
- After you read these.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
(VAN PULLS UP)
Hey, Dex!
- Did you hold up a bookstore?
- Bryce got them for me.
Was your dinner conversation
boring her?
No...
We talked about writing, and...
She thought I should read these.
- TJ Burke Show, coming at you live!
- What's your problem?
I just spent the entire night
watching ping-pong.
- I'm sorry I left you alone.
- The Koreans are amazing.
- Where are you going?
- To practise for the Powder Eight.
Remember?
Wait.
(THEY PANT)
We've got to stop.
I'm going to trombone breakfast.
What are we doing without oxygen?
Planes above 10,000 feet carry it.
- What are we at, like 12,000?
- No... 14,000.
- You shouldn't smoke here.
- I've got to expand my lungs.
- This is beautiful, huh?
- Powder Eight. Let's go.
(DRAMATIC MUSIC)
Aa-aa-aa-aah!
TJ! Burke!
Burke!
Burke! I'm coming, TJ!
Get an arm up! Pull! TJ, pull up!
(GROANS OF EFFORT)
- Slow down.
- You're going to the hospital.
We can't go to the hospital.
I'm fine.
(KNOCKING)
- We had a little accident.
- What happened?
He fell into a crevasse skiing.
You got any medical facilities?
Yeah... Come and sit over here.
- It's not that bad.
- Lay right down here.
Let's see what we got...
There's a wooden box in the top
drawer that I'm going to need.
- Thanks, Robin.
- He should have gone to hospital.
- If we get caught, we're fired.
- That's better off than being dead.
- I would've been if not for him.
- That was foolish.
I know. But if I let him die,
his old man would kill me.
- This is funny, isn't it?
- He doesn't think it's funny.
There's a reason
you're not supposed to ski up there.
We were practising for Powder Eight.
Something to risk your life for.
Come and pick TJ up in the morning.
How about I stay here,
and TJ picks me up tomorrow?
How about not?
- He might have a concussion.
- You get all the luck, TJ.
I know.
- I'm going to bed.
- Thank you.
- Are you all right?
- Yeah.
- Thanks.
- Want me to stick around?
- No.
- Are you sure?
- Yeah.
- All right.
(TV ON)
OK, guys, here's the deal...
First kid who can go
the whole day without crying
gets to ski behind the big kid. Me.
Who wants to be the first one
to not cry?
Me!
You get to wear my magic hat.
Hi, Ronnie. Is Bryce there?
- No, she's in Philadelphia.
- Till when?
Didn't she tell you?
I assumed that she'd let you know.
- Well, you'd think so.
- I'll tell her you called.
Burke! Franz is sick.
You take the Hanson family.
- I'm Franz's alternate.
- I'm the ski school director.
- If this is a big deal...
- It's a very big deal.
The Hansons will meet you
at the airport.
- What do you think of that spot, TJ?
- It looks outrageous!
- Lucky for you Franz got sick.
- Yeah. I feel a little bad.
Don't, man. Franz is a dick.
Those are my clients, Burke.
I'm sorry, but you were sick.
When the Hansons come back,
I won't be sick.
Do you want to split the tip?
I don't want to split the tip!
Franz, they already booked me.
Asshole! I'm not here
for the party. This is my job.
Some rookie is not going to take it
while skipping a semester at college.
You got nothing to worry about...
asshole. I don't go to college.
Dick.
- That isn't your swing.
- Nobody was using it.
You know something?
You ought to be a plastic surgeon.
There's almost no scar.
I'm glad you gave it time to heal.
I'm not the one with the rule
about not dating ski instructors.
- "Thank you" would have been nice.
- That's why I'm here.
Could I...
Could I take you to dinner?
- You think I've changed the rule?
- It's just dinner.
That's all it's got to be.
Just dinner.
Where?
Anywhere you want to go.
OK...
- OK?
- OK.
OK. Good.
I'll see you later, then.
Bye.
I majored in broadcasting. I was
going to be the next Jane Pauley.
- What happened?
- After graduation I got a dream job.
- Where?
- In L.A.
The station manager said if I slept
with him I could have my own show.
But he was lying, so I came home.
- Where did you go to college?
- Light truck assembly plant.
- I think Aspen is my college.
- Are you learning anything?
That I want to be more
than a ski instructor.
What?
If I had gone to college,
I wanted to be a writer.
Maybe I could become one here.
- Is that funny?
- No.
But everybody comes to Aspen
to be saved.
Oh, God... I don't want to be saved.
- What do you want to write?
- I've got to live first.
I got to live a big life,
read everything, meet people.
I have this friend who's been
helping me out. She's very bright.
It's not a person. It's Bryce Kellog.
She always gets the pick of
the litter. You should be flattered.
I know how it works. My dad was a ski
instructor. He's in the French Alps.
- I'm sorry.
- Don't be. They have great snow.
Me and my mum were shopping.
I guess I was about five.
This little kid started following us.
He wouldn't leave us alone.
He wouldn't tell us his name.
Nobody we talked to knew who he was.
He stayed with us for three days.
When his old man came, he got scared.
He ran and hid in my room.
When I asked him why, he started
crying. He stayed over after that.
- I've looked after him ever since.
- Who looks after you?
He does...
You'll get used to him.
I'm trying to concentrate.
Hold it down!
- When can I read something?
- There's nothing to read yet.
I get halfway through something
that's no good, and I throw it out.
Maybe I don't have anything
worth writing about.
I don't think that's true.
Can you smell that? Winter's coming.
- Are you looking forward to it?
- Yeah.
- And you?
- No.
- Why not?
- I kind of like the off-season.
- Really?
- Yeah...
Teej! Check it out, man!
You're on the cover
of "Powder Magazine"!
You're a star!
Another season in paradise.
Open the mountain.
Swanson, you take Mrs Franks.
Chris, you have a lesson
at the Jerome.
Gazzi... Mountain Masters.
Corbett is still in Arizona.
Rutecki!
Congratulations.
Your first private lesson.
- Thanks, Karl.
- Meet Mr Hayward at the bottom.
What? What? What...?
He's been through everybody else.
Good luck, Dex! I had him yesterday.
- Mr Hayward!
- Are you him?
- Probably. Dexter Rutecki.
- Mort Hayward.
- Where the hell have you been?
- How do you ski, Mr Hayward?
- Shitty.
- OK...
- What do you want to work on?
- What do you think?
Relax...
Push out!
Oh, shit! No!
Push your feet out!
Snowplough!
Just sit down!
(HORN HONKS)
Bail!
Rutecki, where's your student?
He was running
a stop sign on Aspen Street.
- Did he get hurt?
- No, he called from the hotel bar.
- You think it's funny?
- Relax. We're not curing cancer.
We're teaching people how to
slide down with sticks on their feet.
- I'm sorry.
- You're a professional instructor.
- I'm suspending you for two weeks.
- You serious?
Yes, I am.
(SONG: "THE WORLD IS FLAT")
Hi.
Jake, this is Dexter Rutecki.
- Let me take you to dinner.
- You took me last night.
- And when the season ends?
- I'll take you to Mexico.
KHI is looking
for a dachshund named Sasha.
Sasha has a cashmere sweater
and gold collar. Don't step on her.
- What do you think?
- It's good.
Really good.
If you write that for somebody, you
better be willing to go all the way.
Maybe I am.
- Can I talk to you?
- It's my first beer of the day.
It's not about the beer.
It's about Tina.
- What about Tina?
- Do you know what she does?
- I haven't asked.
- Maybe you should.
Don't tell me how to pick my friends.
I'm good at that. I picked you.
(PHONE RINGS)
Hello.
- Hi!
- Bryce?
- Can I explain?
- You don't have to.
- Things are different now.
- Can I see you?
No. I have to go.
(HE HANGS UP)
You don't hate me, do you?
No... but you went to Philadelphia.
Someone has to make money
in this family.
Where are you going?
- I have a private lesson.
- I know. I hired you for the day.
I figured you'd be mad, and I
wanted to see you. And it worked.
You're on the cover and the poster.
You could get used to that.
They photographed all the guys.
I was the only one with my eyes open.
Would you like to come up
for a drink?
- This was a nice day, but...
- Please.
- I just want to talk.
- About what?
About maybe being friends again.
I just miss it very much, that's all.
Just a drink.
Just a drink! Come on.
- I just can't do it on my own.
- Why not?
Because my mother's coming
tomorrow. I have to pick her up.
Give this to a guy named Steve.
He'll know what you look like.
- What's in it?
- It doesn't matter.
If the police bust you,
you'll take a lie detector test.
You'll pass because
you don't know what's in it.
- You are full of shit.
- It's a shitty world.
How much?
A thousand bucks.
- I give this to a guy named Steve?
- If I wasn't busy, I'd do it myself.
I'll do it.
- Is that clock right?
- Yeah.
- Are you waiting for someone?
- Kind of.
You know a guy named Steve something,
Stevie Dee, the Stever?
Never heard of him.
- Are you Steve?
- I'm afraid not.
- Got some coffee for me?
- Black?
Can I get another one?
Maybe he's Steve.
- Are you Steve?
- Steve who?
- Steve who?
- I don't know his last name.
Good morning.
- You OK there, cowboy?
- I'm fine.
- Anybody in there?
- Yeah.
If you want to frisk me, go ahead.
I got nothing.
Are you sure you're OK?
(QUIET CHATTING)
Are you Dexter?
- Why?
- I'm Steve.
We might have a little problem.
Can I talk to you?
No.
Please?
Till the end of this song.
- I had a private lesson.
- All night?
- Were you with Bryce?
- Can I explain?
- That's explanation enough.
- Yes, I was.
(Oh, shit...)
- She hired me for the day.
- And you can't say no?
She's just interested in my work.
She's trying to help me.
- To be what?
- To be more than a rivet-head.
Whether you ever make anything
of yourself is completely up to you.
- And so far, it isn't much.
- It might be.
A writer. How romantic. It goes
well with being a ski instructor.
It works great with the ladies.
But writing isn't making people
feel things that aren't true.
I meant every word.
Aspen citizen of the day
is TJ Burke.
Ladies, if you got a big house
and lots of money, he's available.
Goodbye, TJ. You'll fit right in.
Dex... Jesus.
(BEEPS THE HORN)
(DEX SCREAMS AND GROANS)
Get out...!
Get out!
- No more!
- Dex, it's me. It's TJ.
Teej, I screwed up!
They're gonna kill me!
This guy is gonna kill me.
I thought I could make some money.
I just thought, one time.
What happened?
Tina's friends...
I thought I'd make some money.
How much do you owe?
Ten grand...
This guy is gonna kill me, Teej.
Next time,
I'll expect you to say goodbye.
A friend of mine's in trouble.
I need $10,000.
- Is that an apology?
- This isn't easy for me, Bryce.
You're doing just fine.
- I'll pay you back.
- How?
I don't know.
It doesn't have to be this hard.
Do you know that?
Yeah.
- Who are you?
- A friend of Dexter Rutecki's.
He owes you ten grand.
Now you leave him alone.
This is exactly like the time
I found the boomerang!
- We were 11 years old!
- I thought we were friends!
- So did I!
- I am sorry! I will pay you back.
- It's already been paid back.
- The guy was gonna kill me.
- So now he's not.
- So now you leave?
- I would've done the same for you!
- It wouldn't have happened to me!
TJ Burke Show, live every night
banging an uphill bitch, gigolo!
You're going to screw your way
out of the working class?
Take a fucking look at yourself!
Is this what you want?
I'm tired of picking up after you.
You don't have to pick up after me!
(TV - NO SOUND)
(INAUDIBLE)
Aspen citizen of the day is Steve
Temple, ski instructor and bartender.
Ed Goulow is 31 years old today.
He's an Aspen lift operator,
an avid fly fisherman,
artist and entrepreneur.
(NOISY COMMOTION)
Robin?
Lovely...
- What are you doing?
- What does it look like?
No! Put it...
- Get up!
- No!
- Yes!
- No... Ow!
What's your problem? Shit!
- It's freezing!
- Good.
- What are you doing?
- We're going jogging.
I don't jog.
I'll drag you behind my car!
- Now shave!
- Why are you doing this?
I met two guys, and I liked them.
But I hate what's happened to them.
Now wash!
(SONG: "THE BEST INSIDE YOU")
Could I talk to you?
Sure.
Well, I missed you.
How are you doing?
I'm OK.
- How are you doing?
- Good.
That's good.
I'm going to go home. To Detroit.
Put my name on the list at Ford.
Maybe get your old job.
I don't want to go back empty-handed.
I wanted to ask a favour.
I want to win the Powder Eight.
I want you to be my partner.
Sure.
I'll see you.
- Should I call you?
- Tomorrow.
- I'll see you.
- In the morning.
- Do you remember this place?
- I will always remember it.
- It's been a hell of a ride, huh?
- Yeah, it has.
Let me ask you a question.
When we made the ski school,
did you put my name on that list?
Yeah.
How did you get it past Karl?
I told him I wouldn't work
unless he hired you.
How about I open them,
and you close them?
Give me, say, 20 feet.
Then you drop in.
I've been following you around
for two years.
There's no one
I would've rather followed.
Today, you're going to follow me.
Try and keep up.
(LOUD CRACKING)
Avalanche!
Dexter!
An avalanche yesterday claimed the
life of Aspen local Dexter Rutecki.
Rutecki was swept into the slide
while practising for Powder Eight...
His partner, TJ Burke,
was treated for minor injuries.
TJ, come on. Take the day off.
I've got to clean out his locker.
There's a reason
no one's ever skied that mountain.
I should have called in for
the avalanche report, but I didn't.
I guess Dex would say
it's a little late for that.
Go home, TJ. Get some sleep.
Nine o'clock line-up. You're late.
I'm just...
getting his things together,
so I can send them back
to his mum.
I... can't find one of his gloves.
I came to tell you I'm very sorry.
I know you loved him a lot.
Things happen, TJ. To everyone.
- It didn't happen to me.
- Yeah, it did.
I was afraid to come out here
without him.
It's not your fault.
Take care of yourself.
(SONG: "THE WORLD IS FLAT")
Are you going to get dressed?
- No.
- We have guests coming over.
You got a big house.
There's a lot of room.
You're very depressing lately.
Put on the cashmere sweater
and black pants.
You look beautiful in that.
- He was my best friend.
- Oh, was he?
What does that mean?
I'm sorry he died. I am.
But you wanted more, and he didn't.
And now you have it.
You? Till when?
- Until it's over.
- Then what?
- Then we change partners.
- Just like that?
Yes.
We're the same, TJ.
No, we're not, Bryce.
Goodbye.
Mr Burke. I'm one of the new guys...
Todd Pounds.
- That'll disappoint a lot of kids.
- You do this when you're new.
- Yeah, I remember.
- I just wanted to meet you.
OK...
Nice to meet you.
They say you're the best skier
on the mountain.
- I don't know.
- I plan on being that, too.
I mean second best, of course.
If you don't mind.
It's a big mountain, Todd.
Have you a partner for Powder Eight?
No.
- You want one?
- No.
I was an Olympic hopeful.
I ski pretty good.
I'm not looking for a partner, Todd.
- If we win, we're the best.
- I'm not looking for a partner!
OK...
I was just asking.
See you later, Mr Burke!
Hey, you!
We got a renegade going O.B.
We're after him.
TJ, you son of a bitch!
- Were you trying to make the news?
- No.
I'm supposed to fire anyone
who skies out of bounds.
- How am I supposed to handle this?
- Any way you want.
Stop blaming yourself for Dexter.
I'm not. I just miss him.
- This is a good-time business.
- Take my picture off the poster.
It'd be better if you could
straighten yourself out. Can you?
You were the best skier
on the mountain.
Skiing's the easy part, Karl.
They say you're the best skier
on the mountain.
- How are you doing?
- Good. Where have you been?
- You got a partner for Powder Eight?
- No.
- Do you want one?
- Me and you?
- Me and you.
- Absolutely.
Good.
(TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENTS)
I'm cranking these down.
You marker out, we don't win.
- What if I crash and burn?
- You won't.
Hey, Burke.
Try not to kill him, too.
The Vail Team
is putting on quite a show.
They're down! Tough break.
Reigning champions
Franz Hauser and Rudy Zucker.
They've won the Powder Eight
for the last three years.
They're going
for a fourth straight win.
They're among the best in the world.
The rhythm's perfect, the turns...
This team is going to be
very hard to beat.
It's a perfect 10, 10, 10!
An unprecedented fourth title
for the team from Aspen!
- What's going on?
- We haven't gone yet.
- Nobody ever beats these guys.
- You tell them we're going.
Even though this event has been won,
there's a team demanding to compete.
TJ Burke and his partner
Todd Pounds.
- No matter what I do, you follow me.
- If I can.
We can...
.. his partner
was tragically killed.
Watch these guys.
Unbelievable!
Burke has led Pounds off course!
They're skiing off the back side!
They've gone off our monitors!
They have won the Powder Eight!
All right, T J!
So how does it feel?
It feels good.
Dexter would have liked it.
I'm sorry...
.. for everything. For all of it.
I just wanted to tell you that.
- Before you left town?
- I'm not leaving. I'm staying.
Why?
To see if I can become a real writer.
I think you already are one. I read
your story. I think it's great.
And because I love you.