Gossip (2000) - full transcript

Son of a bitch.

l'm looking for a student who may
have graduated a couple years ago.

Sure. What's the student's name?

Naomi Preston.

l'm sorry, we can't give out
information on any students.

What?

Excuse me.

l can't talk to you.

l'm trying to help Naomi Preston.

How'd you hear? No one's talked
about that in a long time.

l just heard about it.



Well, l don't know how you did.
Didn't even make the papers here.

Rich people.

With enough money,
you can make anything go away.

You got that right.

Stories l could tell.

The way these kids behave.
No consequences for any of them.

So can you tell me what did happen?

-Travis, l really need to talk to you.
-ln a minute.

Now, Travis!

He raped Naomi Preston in high school
and then he used us to do it again.

l think we could use a drink.

Don't try and deny it, Derrick.
l went to Danbury.

-We're back to Murder, She Wrote.
-l talked to someone who was there.

Someone who was there.
Which would be who?



A typist.

She's worked there a long time.
She knew everything about you.

You heard it in passing
from a complete stranger. . .

. . .and decided it had to be true.

Tell me what you did!

Naomi and l were together, all right?

l should've told you.

lt was finally the right time for
both of us, after waiting years.

And she wanted to.

We were both ready,
and it was wonderful.

Then somehow, she freaked.

You met her.
She's not the most stable person.

You raped her.

l swear to you, no matter
what she says, it was not rape.

Generally, women are perfectly
happy to sleep with me.

Or do you have second thoughts too?

That's not an answer, Derrick.

Wait!

l'm sure he has an explanation.

Right?

Thanks, Travis.
At least one person has an open mind.

Naomi is your classic
poor little rich girl.

She's desperate to grow up
and actually become a woman.

But she's afraid that Daddy's
going to find out about it.

l can deal with that.

But then she decided to ruin my life.

Everyone in my hometown. . .

. . .thinks l'm a rapist.

And l'm--

My family won't even speak to me.

"Here's the trust fund, Derrick.
Stay out of our lives. "

Why that rumor?

l admit spreading that rumor
wasn't the nicest thing to do.

l have some anger, okay?
l wanted to hurt her.

You say that like it's okay
to want to hurt people.

Did you spread that rumor out
of the goodness of your heart?

The idea of hurting Naomi
was entertaining.

Come on, man. This is what you did.

Travis, you did it too.

Look. . .

. . .none of us intended for
this to go as far as it did.

But that is simply not our fault.

Now, was the whole thing a mistake?

Maybe.

You know what? We're in college.
We're young.

These are the times we should be
making mistakes.

This is the problem with
being nice, Jones.

Nice people don't live life.

l don't want to go through life
being sweet and polite. . .

. . .then realize when l'm 80,
l'm just some nice dead person.

Travis, come on.

l don't know.

A couple of us. . . .

l mean, l spread a rumor
about Beau and Naomi.

l said they had sex during a party. . .

. . .and she knew she hadn't. . .

. . .so she thought what anyone
might think.

lt didn't really happen.

l just said it did.

That's not much of a story.

lf you want to help Beau,
do better than, "l made it up. "

l'm not doing this for Beau.
l don't even know him.

l heard that you had a crush on him.

No. l don't.

Have you ever heard of
obstruction of justice?

lmpeding an investigation?

-That's not--
-Listen to me.

Because l'm not a complete asshole,
l'm going to forget that we talked.

But if you start spreading this
around, l will not look kindly on it.

Didn't go so good?

See, that's the thing, Jones.

l lie much better
than you tell the truth.

We have to talk.

Jones, l was just--

We have to tell somebody.
You and me. l can't do this alone.

Maybe it'll blow over.

lt's not gonna blow over.
lf we don't do the right thing--

What's the matter with you?
You want to turn on Derrick?

After everything he's done for you?

You are nothing without him,
you know that?

You're pathetic.

Naomi?

lt's Cathy Jones.

No, please don't hang up!

Naomi!

Go away.

Listen, Jones.

You may not believe this. . .

. . .but l'm sorry you're hurting.

l'm a cynical guy. . .

. . .and it's no big surprise to me
that nobody cares about the truth.

But l know it's hard on you.

And l'm not proud to be
the one who taught you that.

Please don't talk to me.

Jones, l mean it.

You're wiping my eyes
with a cocktail napkin.

Now, how appropriate is that?

You know. . .

. . .what do l care about
Naomi Preston, right?

l mean, l'm not ruining
my life for her.

That's my girl.

What's funny is, she's
never gonna even know.

All this happened and she's
never gonna even know.

Beau!

How was jail?

-l heard what you did, asshole.
-What are you talking about?

You raped Naomi!

What if it's not true?
You heard l raped her?

Wait!

Wait.

ls it true you raped her?

The girl has a veracity problem.

Any guy who looks at her is a rapist.

This could help you, Beau.

You and me.
She did the same thing to both of us.

Can you give me a hand?

Can l tell you my side?

My side's really good.

Want to know what
really happened?

l saw you. l knew what was
going through your head.

She was saying no and
you were getting off on it.

-Go away.
-l just want to talk.

Go away.

Naomi, calm down.
l'm here to help, okay?

l'm calling security.

lf you do, you'll
never know what happened. . .

. . .between you and Beau.

What do you know about that?

My God.

You are still the most beautiful girl.

l swear to God, if you don't tell me
what you're here for and go. . .

. . .l'm gonna lose it.

All right. All right.
Okay. Don't be so emotional.

Pills?

What about Beau?

Beau.

You liked him, huh?

God, it was like d?j? vu,
watching you two.

Because you liked me too.
You loved me, as l recall.

What do you mean, you watched?

l watched.
l was in the bathroom.

Why are you here?

Why are you here?

Why did you come to my school
if you didn't want to see me?

Because l didn't know, that's why.

l wish you were dead.

Well, that's nice.

Wow, look at this.

The Wizard of Oz.

You remember that night?

Oh, l do.

Okay. Get out of here!
l'm fine now!

Well, l'm not fine!

lt wasn't my fault. l wasn't ready.

"l love you, Derrick. "
And then you ruin my life.

All of Danbury thinks l'm a rapist.

Just stop it!
Just tell me what you want and go!

We're even.

What?

You ruined my life back then.
l've ruined yours now.

We're even.

What are you talking about?

Beau never raped you.

l planted a rumor.

And l made you believe it.

He never touched you.

That's insane.

Yeah. lt is insane.

But the thing is, Naomi,
l still know you so well.

And l knew you'd fall for it.

You'd hear that story and your
imagination would start running.

And you'd think,
"l got raped again by my boyfriend.

Somebody l loved.
Somebody l trusted. "

You didn't know both times it was me.

Here you go.

Just like old times?

Mind if l keep this?
l have such fond memories.

Fucking asshole!

What happened to you?

What? Oh.

l had a little showdown with
the lovely Naomi Preston last night.

Things got a little heated.

You told her?

-Yeah.
-And what did she say?

She was cool with it.

l got something for your wall.
You'll love this.

Did you guys hear what happened?

No, we just got up.

Naomi Preston's dead.

What?

They found her body this morning.

She killed herself.

-Oh, my God!
-Wait. Shut up, Jones.

Are you sure about this?

lt's all over campus.

Shit.

They think maybe she. . . .

lt was an accident, because she was
drinking a lot and taking pills.

This is our fault.

Oh, please, Jones.

You can't drive a person
to kill themselves.

Naomi's weak.
She's always been weak.

-Yeah?
-l've been banging for five minutes.

l was in the bathroom.
Who are you?

l'm Detective Curtis.

You Derrick Webb?

Yeah, that's me.
What can l do for you?

-Can l come in?
-Absolutely.

l'd take the keys out of
the door if l was you.

Shit.

Roommates.

l'm here investigating the death
of a young student. . .

. . .Naomi Preston.

Naomi Preston, yeah.
l heard about that.

Can l make you some coffee?

Yeah, l'd like that.

So you didn't say.
Did you know her?

Well, we went to high school together.

Did you see her last night?

No.

Listen, l talked to a Beau Edson.

He says he saw you go into
her dorm last night.

He said that?
Well, Beau Edson's an asshole.

You know he's under investigation
for raping Naomi.

Yes, l know.

lf anyone pushed her
to commit suicide, it was him.

This is a homicide investigation.

Homicide?

l'm sorry.
l heard she killed herself.

We're not 1 00% sure what happened.

We have a dead body,
and there was a struggle.

How'd you get the scratch
on your face?

l was in a fight.

With Beau.

He looks worse than you do.

l was defending myself.
l mean, he jumped me.

ls that how you got
the bite on your hand?

Yeah, it is.

So you're saying Beau
may have done this?

No, l didn't say that.

l'll get back to you.

They can't really think
he did anything.

Then why are they asking questions
about where he was?

lf he needs our help,
let's give it to him.

Travis, we could be named accessories!

What's going on?

They talked to me.

That detective asked where you were
the night of Naomi's murder.

-They don't know it was a murder.
-lt's what they think!

What'd you tell him?

l told him you were over there.
You told me.

What?!
Are you a complete idiot, Jones?

How was l supposed to know you lied?

-He says you said you weren't there.
-You should have told him--

What?

l should've lied for you?
Which lie was l supposed to tell?

You told so many. lf you'd bothered
to tell the truth, maybe--

Thank you for taking the position
of righteous indignation.

Why didn't you say you were there?

Your fingerprints have to be
all over the room.

Let's not forget who started
this little rumor.

You sent Naomi into a tailspin.
Curtis might like to know that.

You're such an asshole.

l didn't kill her, Jones.

Then it won't matter that
l didn't lie for you.

Fuck!

What did you tell him?

l didn't tell him anything.

They called and l'm supposed
to go down there.

Okay. Okay.

All right.

You tell them you went to see her
after l did, and she gave you this.

Why would she do that?

Just tell them that you were. . . .

You told her about your art
and she wanted to help out.

So she gave you this picture.
Then you and l met for a drink.

What if they think l did it?

They're gonna-- Are you serious?

No, there's no way.
You have absolutely no motive.

Travis, Naomi killed herself!

lt's a suicide. We both know this is
an insane misunderstanding. We just--

lt's too weird.

Wait, Travis. Listen to me.
Listen.

Do you trust me?

l do a lot for you, don't l?

Yeah.

The cops are making some serious
wrong accusations here.

You know? l mean, l just. . . .

-l need your help.
-All right.

Will you help me? Cool. All right.

Enter!

Miss Jones.

Can l talk to you for a moment?

Well, as we all know,
the campus is abuzz. . .

. . .with the news of Naomi Preston's
untimely demise.

Now there's a juicy story.

A girl is raped by her boyfriend.

He's arrested, and she can't
take the pressure. . .

. . .so she drinks herself to death
with sleeping pills. . .

. . .or something tawdry and useless.

lt's a real shocker.

We've all been having
quite a time with it.

You'll love this, because today we'll
talk about the genesis of these tales.

Where they get started,
why they get started.

Mr. Webb.

Perhaps you have some insights.

How do these stories get going?

l don't know. They just happen.

They just happen?
ls that the best you can do, Webb?

Lives are ruined, the campus is in
an uproar, and all you can say is:

"Shit happens"? l have to say,
usually you're a little more glib.

All that deep theory about. . .

. . .the Bible and human nature
and "Gossip is fun. "

Usually you have plenty to say.

l'd think you'd be proud of your
accomplishment, even brag about it.

l don't know what
you're talking about.

So what you're saying
is he made it up.

That's the rumor.

The date-rape scenario was
Mr. Webb's imagination. . .

. . .and we fell for it.

That's not what happened.

Why don't you tell us what happened.

Jones is the one who
started that rumor.

l was completely uninvolved.

She's dead, you asshole.

That's not my fault.

Murderer. He's a murderer.

Listen to you people.

You told that story. Passed it around,
having the time of your lives.

You're the ones who are responsible.

ldiots.

l think you've proven your thesis.

"Gossip is loads of fun. "

Get out here, Jones.

What's going on here?

Warrant.

Are my roommates here?

Up on the roof.

-You told Goodwin?
-Yeah, l did.

-Do you know what this does?
-Cops know about Danbury.

They knew l asked about her.

-You got yourself into this!
-l won't take the fall for this.

lf we had anything to do with
Naomi's death, we have to admit it.

You want to go it alone, okay.

But then get the hell
out of my apartment.

-Have you seen that before?
-Yeah, of course.

l saw this in Naomi's bedroom.

Officer Stevens just found
this in your sock drawer.

ln my sock drawer?

No. This is my room up here.
That's my room.

That's Officer Stevens.

l have to show you something.

l admit, l should've told you
about this from the beginning. . .

. . .but l have a weakness
for my friends.

l wanted to protect Travis.
But he's clearly-- He's just off.

Come look at this.

This guy has been obsessed with Naomi.

l think he's stalking her.

Now he's trying to put
the blame on me.

l've always helped Travis,
but l'm not going down for this.

Look at this wall.

How sick and demented are you to
come up with something like this?

l mean, the guy's a sociopath.

There's Naomi. Oh, my God.

Look what he did to her face.

Who would do something like this?

This isn't a sane person.

-Where is he?
-He bolted.

Go out there, see if you can find him.

You want me to take this down?

Let me keep it.

Wait, you don't need this.

l mean, this is mine. lt's my brush.

l want to find Travis.
He's got a very interesting hobby.

But you know what l see?

l see someone who had a motive.

l can put him
at the scene of the crime.

His fingerprints are there,
and he's got a scratch on his face.

The dead girl's got skin
underneath her fingernails.

And l'm betting that the DNA
from your hair, it's gonna match.

Get out of my face.

l can't touch you without a warrant. . .

. . .but it won't be hard to get one.

l'm gonna leave a car out front.
Don't try to go anywhere.

Son of a bitch!

Come on. Come on.

Where are you going?

Hey!

l'm going skiing in Switzerland,
thanks to you.

Planting that picture
in my sock drawer. . .

. . .that was a super idea.

l was gonna tell them.

Then l woke up.

You must think l'm stupid.

That was your idea, your plan,
to make them think l did it.

l betrayed you?

-Perfect.
-You get away with everything!

What is that?

You're not getting away
with it this time, man!

Get inside!

You're a freak.

Yeah, l'm a freak!

l'm crazy! l'm a menace!
ls that right?

Get inside!

-What's the point?
-Get inside!

What's the point of this? l'm not
going to jail! They got no case.

That's why you're running, right?

ln the hands of a really expensive
lawyer, it'll all go to shit.

Derrick! l saw Travis. He has a gun.

-Thanks for the news.
-Shut up!

-Sit down.
-What are you doing?

-He was gonna get away.
-l didn't do anything!

Derrick, shut up.

Give me the gun.

You know he killed her.

l know if you shoot him,
they'll arrest you.

Are you listening to me?
Put it down!

No, then he will get away with it.

Well, then let him.

Travis, we don't need to be
a part of this anymore.

l know you.

You can be better than he is.

Travis, put it down.

Come on.

Call somebody.

91 1 , Travis.

Look at me. You'll be okay.

lt's okay. lt's okay.

Breathe, breathe.

We need an ambulance.
Someone's been shot.

-Am l gonna be okay?
-Yes.

Absolutely.

Absolutely. Come on.
Breathe.

No, no, no!

Come on. Come on, Jones.

The cops are downstairs.
They probably heard the shot.

-They're probably coming.
-Wait!

Wait.

What are we gonna tell the cops?
Let's get our stories straight.

Our story?
What's the matter with you?

We just got to tell them
what happened, because. . .

. . .this was an accident.

You know what? l should tell them
you killed her!

Don't be nuts now!
We just got to tell them--

Tell them the truth? Why?
You don't! Lying, raping Naomi!

Wait! lf you want me to tell
the cops everything l did, l will!

But tell them l didn't kill Jones!

l'm gonna let them in.

Shit!

All right!

l raped Naomi!

And that bitch deserved it!
But l didn't kill anybody!

I raped Naomi!

And that bitch deserved it!
But I didn 't kill anybody!

Will wonders never cease?

Derrick Webb tells the truth.

What is this?

Hello, Derrick.

Naomi?

When Jones brought this to us
l never thought it would work.

And then when you were pounding
the shit out of me. . .

. . .l thought, "This had better work. "

You know what? lt was worth it.

lt worked better than l could
have ever possibly imagined.

Who's the victim now?

Derrick, this is Matt Curtis.

He does a little driving
for Naomi's dad.

This is Mark. He's in my calc class.

Thanks for your help, professor.

See you at the Plaza.

lt turns out, just this once,
l did lie better than you.

What are people going to think?

What are they gonna say about me?

lt's only words. How bad could it be?

English Subtitles by
Gelula/SDl

2 CD version by army