Reverse Angle (2009) - full transcript

- And how's our
committee member?

- He's doing some pretty
serious soul-searching.

He's right on schedule
to reversing his position

on the big oil tax credit
bill before next week's vote.

- Good.
What else?

- My mole in the patent office
red-flagged something.

A car with no engine.

The inventor was a well-
respected MIT research scientist

a few years ago.

And he resigned his tenure
and now he fell off the map.

- A car with no engine
doesn't need gas or oil to run.



Do you know what happens to the
Ameristake Oil and Gas Company

if someone invents a car
that runs without an engine?

- I imagine it'd take
a hell of a hit.

- That's a bit of
an understatement, Barrett.

The company goes under,
along with 20,000 jobs,

retirement funds
are compromised,

political careers
are jeopardized

and most importantly,
I lose a fortune.

- I've already got
my 2 best men on it.

This thing will never see
the light of day.

- I don't want any loose ends
on this, OK?

It all gets erased:

Invention, inventor,
drawings, notes.

Are we clear?



- We're clear, sir.

- Good, because if anything
does show up,

your best 2 men
won't answer for it.

You will.

- Let's see what we got here.

That's right.

All right.

Damn it.

Why aren't you reading anything?

Let's see.
Now, there...

That's more like it.

Pegged you, you son of a bitch.

Yeah.

I'd classify that
as a good morning.

Yeah.

Damn good morning.

Morning, Janie!

- Morning, Ned!

- It's just junk.

- Yes.

Yeah. Yeah.

Awfully cheerful for so early!

Something tells me you got
some mail that wasn't junk.

- From your Alma Mater, Ned.

I got it!

Early admission to MIT!

- Yes!
- Ha! Ha! Ha!

- Cambridge will
never be the same.

Hey! I've got
some good news, too.

Come on, I'll show you.

- Where's Glen Pebble Road?

- You passed it.

- How far back?

- You guys looking
for Ned Larfield?

- How'd you guess?

- He's the only one who
lives on Glen Pebble road.

- So, what do you think, MIT?

- I think it's fantastic, Ned.

I mean, it's... it's
gonna change everything.

Does it really work?

- You bet it does.

- You know, the oil companies
are gonna pay you

a lot more to destroy this

than anyone will
to manufacture it.

- Well it's a good thing
I'm not after money then?

- You better patent this quick.

- I mailed my application
to the patent office

a couple months ago.

No word yet.

- Why don't you just
do it on-line?

All right.

You know, maybe you
should drive down there.

I mean, this is way
too important

to let some geek
bureaucrat screw it up.

- I'm not worried about it.

I mean, who else
would be stupid enough

to consider using paint
as a solar conductor?

Besides I've refined the process
a dozen times since then.

I filled out
another application.

Would you mind putting it
in the mail for me?

- Sure.
- That's a good girl.

I'm really proud of you, kid.

- Ned, I don't know how I can
ever thank you for all the...

You're gonna knock 'em dead.

- You better get going now.
You'll be late for school.

- Yeah. See you
tomorrow morning?

- Tomorrow morning, MIT.

- That's him.
Let's move in.

- Hold on.

Damn!

TV crew.

- What now?

- We watch and wait.

- Ned Larfield?

Hi, I'm Eve Pretson,
from KQAP News.

I understand you've got
something pretty special

you'd want to show us.

- Yeah.

- It doesn't look like
an uplink unit to me.

- It's not.

Whatever footage they took
is still in that van.

We deal with the TV crew first.

Our inventor's
not going anywhere.

- Whoa!

Buddy, come on.

Jeez! What the...

Whoa!
Whoa, whoa!

Dude!

- You boys lost or something?

- We're from
the U.S. Patent Office.

We'd like to talk to you
about the application

you recently filed.

- Sure, let's go inside.

- Excuse me.

Can you tell me where I am?

- Hey there!
You forget something?

- I guess I forgot
a lot of things.

- Damn! What happened to you?

- I don't know.
I can't remember.

Do you know me?

- Sure, yeah, we're old friends.

- Who am I?

- Look, I kind of got
my hands full here.

Just give me a minute.

Ladies is back there
if you want to clean up.

I'll be right with you.

- Thank you.

- Who am I?
Some ego on those TV people!

- Why can't I remember anything?

- You guys are back again, too.

Find Ned's place all right?

- Yeah, we found it just fine.

- Hey, don't mess
with that, all right?

He ever, show you
what he was working on?

- No, no.
He kept to himself.

- What did you mean,
we're back again too?

- That woman was...

- What the hell
did you do that for?

- He was a loose end.

- What if that woman
was our woman?

She was here earlier.
- She's dead.

That grease monkey could've
been talking about anybody.

Let's get outta here.
We already wasted enough time.

It's the compressor.

He was murdered and then robbed.

- Lousy 200 bucks.
Ouch!

- 911.
What's your emergency?

Hello?

Hello?

911. What's your emergency?

- Hey, Percy!

Where are you, man?

- Are you unable to talk?

- There is a balance
to the universe.

A balance that can be found

in all the broad sweeping
ideologies of mankind:

War to peace, love to hate,

good to bad, right to wrong.

And finding that balance...

well, it's not always easy.

But I can promise you
it's worth the effort.

To empower doubt
is to empower weakness.

And contrary to popular belief

The weak,
they don't inherit the earth.

They inherit 2 things:
low self-esteem and low income.

Hello.

Yes, this is Doctor Griggs.

- Sorry to bother you,

We're having a little trouble
with your credit card.

- Really? I'm not sure
why that happened,

I'll be down in a few moments
to straighten that out.

- Great. Thank you.

- Attaining wealth is like

attaining anything else
you want in life.

It all starts
with balance right here.

- Can I get a ride?

Thanks.

- So, when does
your seminar start?

- Ten minutes.

- Do you think it's a good idea
to be drinking?

- That's not drinking.
It's... it's liquid courage.

- Isn't your seminar about

self-confidence
and inner strength?

- You bet.

It comes in all forms.

- She's been getting speeding
tickets for this segment called,

"License, Registration
and Phone Number Please."

- I love her pieces.
Have you ever seen them?

- Speeding tickets are
a part of life for Americans,

especially those
with heavy feet...

- Um, yeah.

Yeah, I'm very familiar
with her work.

-During a routine traffic stop.

Pennsylvania State Trooper
James Slade

was doing his own version
of profiling.

That is,
if you're young, female,

driving a few miles over
the speed limit and westbound,

chances are Trooper Slade
pulled you over.

Those women who provided
their phone numbers

got off with a warning.

Other women,
including this reporter,

who did not cooperate
with Trooper Slade's request,

got speeding citations with
the highest dollar fine allowed.

There you have it.

To the list of
My Space and Face Book

you can now add Officer Slade's
stretch of route 322

for hot spots to meet hotties.

This is Eve Pretson
for KQAP's News at 5:00.

-Thanks, Eve...

- What I tell you?
She's great.

- Yeah, she's just wonderful.

Because to empower doubt
is to empower weakness.

And contrary
to popular belief, folks,

the weak don't
inherit the earth.

They inherit 2 things.

One, low self-esteem.

Two, even lower income.

If you were
searching for firewood,

would you go searchin' for it
on the streets of Philadelphia?

Or Boston? New York?
The answer to that is no.

I wanna hear you say it:
"No".

- No.

Louder like you mean it.

- No.
- With some confidence! No!

- No!

- That's right!

And similarly, when you
go searching for wealth

you do not go searching for it
among the poor.

Because attaining wealth

is like attaining anything else
you want in life

and it all starts
with balance right here.

I want you to picture with me.

Close your eyes.

Put your hands on your temple,

your two fingers, both hands,

and I want you
to picture a river.

A fast-flowing river

and you throw a stick
in that river

and the current takes it
wherever the river is going.

Now I want you to picture
what you want in life.

Do you want money?

Do you want power?

Do you want love?

Picture that as the river

and you are the stick.

And balance of the mind
will give you the confidence,

the power to throw yourself
into that river

and ride the current to success.

Because if you're unhappy
with your life,

I am here to tell you that
you have the power to change it.

- Yes!

- Thanks for the ride.

- Man, I can't wait
to get back to DC.

What time is our flight
in the morning?

- Early.
Too early.

- OK, that's one room,
one night.

Two queen beds

- Thank you.

Can you get someone
to return our rental, please?

We have an early flight.

- I'll be happy to take
care of that for you.

- Thank you
- Good night.

Dr. Griggs!

Could you stop at
the desk, please?

- Just gotta
get in the car, thanks.

- Doctor Griggs?
- You!

No comment.

- I need to talk to you!
- No comment.

- I, Sorry.
I'm not interested, thank you.

- I need to talk to you!

- Whoa! Watch it.
- Hey!

- Can we, um, set up
an appointment? Thanks.

- Hey!

- I need to talk to you.
Please, help me!

Please I need your help!

- Stop following me.

- I need to talk to you.

- I have nothing to say.
Go back to...

- Why do I have your card?

- I'm not listening.
Go back in the hotel.

- I need your help!
How did I get your card?

Please!

My God!

Drive!
- What?

- Drive! Drive!

- Now what?

The money's already been wired.
We've already been paid.

- Relax.

Technically we did our job.

We took out the old man
and destroyed the evidence.

She won't be hard to find.

- Let's get the keys.

- Who are those guys?
- They want to kill me!

- Yeah, I noticed. Why?
- I don't know!

I don't know who I am!

- What you talking about?

- I can't remember anything!

I... I saw those guys earlier,

but I have no idea
why they want to kill me.

- I knew you were obnoxious,

but I never knew
you were dangerous.

- So you do know me?

- You really don't
remember anything, do you?

- So why was I meeting you
at 7:00 o'clock tonight?

- You weren't
meeting me at 7:00.

I had a seminar
that started then.

- Then how did I get your card?

- I have no idea.

Hi.

- Hi, guys.
What can I get you?

- I will have a beer.
And what are you gonna have?

Make that two beers.

- You got it.
I'll be right over.

- Thanks.

- Thank you.

- No, no.
Don't thank me yet.

Ordering drinks for dates
has never been my strong suit.

- Am I a date?

- I should be so lucky.

So what do you remember?

- Nothing.

- Nothing?

Not even your name?
Nothing?

- No. I...

It's as if I was...

born on the side of
a mountain this morning.

You sure we don't
know each other?

I... I get the feeling that

there's some sort
of history or something.

- Um, history? No.

Um, not really a history.

- But you know me?

- I mean a lot of
people know you.

They know who you are.

You're, um, kind of a celebrity.

- I'm a celebrity?

- Yeah, I mean, you do
these news reports on TV.

- Do you think
those men wanna kill me

because of something
I reported on?

- It's possible.

I gotta be honest here with you.

Um, the stuff you do,

It's not all that hard hitting.

- What do you mean?

- You specialized
in lighter pieces

meant to mess up people's lives.

Like the cop who was trying to
pick up a girl at a traffic stop

or a horny husband
trying to work phone sex

into his monthly budget.

Or, an honest business men

trying to inspire people
to better their lives.

- That sounds pretty bleak.

- Um...

What do you do for
a living, Dr. Griggs?

- I'm an honest business man

trying to inspire people
to better their lives.

- No.

- Yes.

- These are on the house,
compliments of Seth over there.

He said he's a big fan of yours,

and anytime you want to do
a piece on hot bartenders,

he's your man.

- Thank you.

He's married with 2 kids.

- If he wants an autograph,
your name is Eve Pretson.

And I think we know
each other well enough

for you to call me Harry.

- Did I ruin your life, Harry?

- My piece hasn't aired yet.

Go on, drink up.

- I don't even remember
if I... I drink.

I guess I do.

- That's not drinking.

Tequila is drinking.

Your turn.

- Okay.

- Now tequila and lemon.

- Just like riding a bike?

- Let's throw it over

to field reporter
Eve Pretson on location

with an un likely gang of
desirable undesirables.

- Today I'm with
the cheerleading squad

of Springfield High School.

They're returning champions

to this weekend's
state cheerleader finals

to defend their title.

Trouble is, these girls have
had coaches this season.

All 3 have resigned.

According to many
in the high school community,

including faculty,
students, and parents,

these Pom-pom Prima Donnas
have taken over the school

through intimidation tactics.

- Pom-pom Prima Donnas!
That's great!

Where do you come up
with that stuff?

- Just think what I could do
with a real assignment.

- Are you kidding?
You're fantastic at this.

Your ratings are
through the roof.

- I want a shot at a desk, Bob.

- Everybody pays
their dues, Eve.

You know that.
Just be patient.

- Is that what
this affair is? My dues?

- You knew what the deal was
when we started this.

We're not hurting anyone here.
We're just having fun.

- It was fun when the lies
were just about your marriage.

But you told me that you'd...

- Hey!
I know what I told you, OK?

- No, it's not OK, Bob.
Promises were made.

You led me into
this relationship

with the understanding that
you'd give me the opportunity

to separate myself from the
other pretty faces on camera.

- What are you saying?

You're the most popular field
reporter we have.

That's gotta count
for something, doesn't it?

- I don't want to be popular.
I want a desk.

- Nobody gets a desk
if they're not popular.

- Nobody gets a desk unless
they're taken seriously.

And nobody will
take me seriously

interviewing cheerleaders.

If you're not gonna do
what you said you would,

you need to tell me.

The shelf life for journalists

is a lot shorter for women
than it is for men.

- OK.

What if I gave you a piece
down at City Hall?

Would that make me
a little more fun to be with?

- Maybe.

When?

- Tomorrow.

We'll talk about it in
the office and figure it out.

I gotta go. I'm late for
Linda's birthday party.

OK?

I promise.

- One new voicemail.

- Hi, Eve. Dan Hollanbeck
with KXUT in New York.

Hey, we really enjoyed
the material you sent in.

Great stuff,
but it's a little too soft

for what we're looking for.

We've decided to go
in another direction

for the weekend anchor spot.

Best of luck, though.

- I remember!

I remember who I am!

I... I'm Eve Pretson from KQAP!

- I thought alcohol was supposed
to have the opposite effect.

- No, I remember drinking
this very stuff.

It's tequila right?

I don't really like it,
but my... Bob does.

- Who's Bob?

- My boy...

My boss, I think.

Um, do you remember
anything else?

Like who's trying to kill you?

- No.

Just that one memory
popped into my head.

- Maybe another shot
will do the trick.

Seth!

- Hey Margo,

have we heard anything
from Eve yet?

- Nothing from her or Al.

- Did you try her cell?
- All day. No answer.

You don't think
anything happened?

- What could happen?

They're probably shacked up
in a Holiday Inn

running up the expense account.

I hate it when she does this.

- Does what, Bob?

- Tries to make a point
on company time.

Now, if she calls,
tell her I want to see her

first thing in the morning.

- Sure thing.

Bob!

- Yeah?

- A friend of mine
at KXUT in New York

tells me Eve made a run at
their weekend anchor spot.

Apparently she came up
a little light.

- Is that right?

- Just thought
you ought to know.

- Yeah.

- Have a good night.

- Yep.

- Bye!

- So you remember your car
going over the cliff

and climbing out of it?

- No, I assume I was in it.

I... Maybe it was my car.

And these guys,

you saw them kill
somebody at a gas station?

- No I... I came out
of the bathroom

and he was crushed
under the car.

It was horrible.

- So maybe they want to kill
you because you're a witness.

- They didn't see me
at the gas station.

- If they don't know
you're a witness

then they want to kill you
for another reason.

- Yes! No.
I don't know.

- Eve, just go to the police.

- I'm afraid to.

There was a police officer
at the gas station

and I hid from him.

I don't know why.
It was just a feeling.

And it's like he was after me or
something, like those killers.

I got confused.
I came looking for you.

Your card was all I had.

- Well, I think it's amazing
you actually found me.

- Maybe my journalistic
instincts kicked in.

What I don't get is how
they found me at the hotel.

- They could've followed you.

- But I hitched
a ride in a truck

And why not shoot me
before I go inside?

It makes no sense.

I'm sorry I got you
into this, Harry.

I know I have no right to ask,

but can you please help me
find the station where I work?

- Of course, but what if...

- What if they beat me to it?

- I mean, you said it yourself
they found you at the hotel.

- The only way I survive this
is to find answers.

Who they are,
why they want to kill me,

who I am, what I did,
who I know.

I've gotta start somewhere.

Right now it's all I've got.

- For what it's worth,
you got me too.

All right, let's see
if we can find out

some dirty little secrets
about Eve Pretson.

- So these reports are
meant to ruin people?

- No, maybe not ruin people.

I they're meant to just expose
people for what they are.

You know, like con men and...

just taking advantage of people

who are less
fortunate than them.

- Then why would people
let me interview them?

- They don't.

You follow them around
with a hidden camera

and catch them
doing their thing,

and when they... when you
think you got enough footage

then you just confront them
right on camera.

- So then it was a good thing?

- I guess.
For the most part, yeah.

I mean it's popular anyway.

- Are you a con man, Harry?

- No.

No, I give seminars on
the power of positive thinking.

I really helped a lot of people.

- Then why did I think what
you were doing was bad?

- I don't know.

- Well, what did I say
when I confronted you?

- Um, I don't...
I don't really remember.

- You don't remember?

How can you not?
You must remember!

- Because I just don't remember.
Can we leave this?

- Why are you getting mad?

- I'm not! You see, this is the
way you handle your interviews.

You get in people's faces, then
you twist their words around,

make it seem like
they're lying to you

or they're trying to cheat you,
but I'm not trying to cheat you.

Wanna know what the difference
is between what we do?

I try to help people
better their lives,

using balance, trying to
raise their self-confidence,

you just use people to better
your own life. That's it.

- Wait! No, no, no, no, no.
That... That's it!

I must have done something
to piss someone off.

- That's a pretty safe bet.

- The men that are
trying to kill us.

I must have reported on
something. Something bad.

Something, something really bad.

- Eve, your reports
aren't like that.

You know, I'm pretty pissed off

about the report
you're doing on me,

but it doesn't
make me wanna kill you.

- Wow.

I must be a real jerk.

- No.

No, you're not.

- If... if I did what you said,

if you were helping people
and I messed that up for you...

- Can we just forget it, OK?
You were just doing your job.

All right?

- How do we get in?

- You're the talent.

Security guards always
recognize talent, right.

- I don't know what
we're gonna find in there,

but by the sounds of it,
it's not gonna be pretty.

- If it helps get your
memory back, it's fine by me.

- Harry I don't know how
to thank you for helping me.

And I don't mean
by just getting me here,

I mean by making me feel like
there's an end worth finding.

Thank you.

- Wow!

- What?

- You! It's like you're not
even the same person.

Yeah, you got the same
hair and the same eyes

and the same beautiful lips,

but the person that
I know on television,

that person...

I can't even imagine
the words "thank" and "you"

coming out of her mouth
in the same sentence.

- Now I'm thinking that
I shouldn't go in there

and discover whatever it is
I did or who I am.

- Let's make a deal.

Whatever we find in there,

that's just something we did.

It's not who we are.

Deal?

- OK.

- Let's go.

- Thanks.

- Good evening, Miss Pretson.

Here for some
late night editing?

- I am.
Is that alright?

- Sure thing.
I'll buzz you in.

- Thanks

- Look familiar?

- No.

All right, Let's find your desk.

There it is.

- Wow!

OK.

Password?

- Any ideas?

Um...

Do you believe in fate, Harry?

- If I don't I should.

- OK, according to this,
these are reports

that have already been
completed and have aired.

This one's called

"License, Registration
and Phone Number Please".

Speeding tickets are a part
of life for Americans,

especially those with
heavy feet.

But some lead foot drivers
got off easy recently.

During a routine traffic stop,
Pennsylvania State...

That's the cop that I saw
earlier at the gas station.

Maybe he was there
looking for me.

Maybe he's working
with the killers.

- That guy looks like
he does his own dirty work.

Plus, Eve, I saw this spot.

I think you probably helped him
with the ladies.

"Pom-pom Prima Donnas"?

These Pom-pom Prima Donnas
have taken over the school

through intimidation tactics.

These are embarrassing.

- Pom-pom Prima Donnas.
Good title.

- No, I remember this one.

This was playing
in the background

during an argument with my boss
about my career.

- Were you defending it?

- Thankfully no.

I think I was complaining
about having to do it.

- It's just a job.
It doesn't define who you are.

- What if it does?

What if all I am

is what's loaded into
these pitiful stories?

- I don't know anything
about your life.

But the woman that I see sitting
right in front of me now

is not the woman
in those segments.

- You make me wanna
take your seminar.

- Yeah? Why don't you call
up what you're still working on?

Yep, that one right there.

- "The Doctor of Balance"?

Credit card debt piling up?
Car payment overdue?

Can't afford that
rising-arm interest rate?

Now you can make it all go away

through the power
of balancing the mind.

So says Dr. Harry Griggs,
master motivator.

But motivator of what?

Be it senior citizens
on fixed incomes

or people eyeball deep in debt,

the dubious doctor
never met a desperate audience

he couldn't convince to dig
a little deeper into debt

for the promise of mind-bending
powers to attract wealth

simply by thinking it.

Is this true?

Do you target people who
are desperate for money

and put them deeper in debt
by exploiting them?

- No, I offer hope
to people who need it.

- At what price?

You know what? I... I don't wanna
look at this anymore.

I mean, there's nothing here
that would warrant murder.

These are my keys.

- That means someone else
was driving the car.

- Somebody was driving.

There's gotta be something else.

These are my bills.
That's my home address.

- I know where that is.
Let's go.

- There's 219 right there.
You just passed it.

- Yeah, I know.

I just don't think it's
a good idea to park out front,

given the circumstances.

We'll park up there.

- OK.

- You know this amnesia thing
could be a blessing in disguise.

- Yeah?
How's that?

- Well, I could reinvent myself.

Only do interviews

that are positive
and inspiring, like you.

- Yikes, you will bore your
audience to sleep.

Who cares? I can't remember
any of them anyway.

- Um, I thought
you might be hungry.

- Yeah, I'm starving.
It looks great, what is it?

Eggs and stuff.

You know, my dad always said

in order to make
a really great breakfast,

you might find yourself
staying the night.

- OK, you just lost all
your inspiration points.

- You telling me
my dad was wrong.

If you wanna change.
I'll lend you something.

This is great.

I have to admit your father
must have been on to something.

- Yeah and he was also
a used car salesman

that could sell ice to Eskimos,

so you know, a grain of salt.

- Well, that explains
your gift with words.

But not your choice of product.

- What are trying to say?

- Well, you sell hope
instead of used cars.

- Larger target base.
Not everybody needs a used car.

- Are you gonna
charge me, Harry?

- For what?

- Hope.

You gave me hope
and it doesn't seem fair

to sell it to everyone else
and give it to me for free.

Let's see how many memories
this computer holds, shall we?

- Isn't this sweatshirt
a little large for you?

- It's was my...

Dad!
Dad, guess what I won?

- A million dollars?

- I got honourable mention

in the essay contest
at school today!

- You didn't get anything.

- Yes, I did!
Look, it says it right here.

- Why'd you do that?
- Because it says you lost.

What do want from
a piece of paper

that constantly reminds you
that you didn't come in first?

- That's not what it said, Dad.

That's exactly what it said.
You lost.

Is that how you're gonna
live your life, Eve?

Happy to lose?

Proud to cry?

You better toughen up,
little girl.

Life is hard and nobody's
gonna give you anything.

You take what you want

and you don't let
anybody get in your way.

You understand me?
Good girl.

Discipline, Eve.

Determination and discipline.

You build your life
around those principles

and there's nothing
you can't do.

- Eve?

Eve, you all right?

- Yeah.

- Good.

You were just telling me

who this fabulously large
sweatshirt belongs to

and then you zoned out.

- It was my father's.

I... I had this flash of memory.

He was a Marine.
He's dead now.

- I'm sorry.

Um, do you remember
anything else?

- No, I just remembered
seeing him in it

and it made me wonder
why I kept it.

- Did you like him?

- Like? I don't know
how to answer that.

I'm sure I loved him.

He was a proud man

who undoubtedly
made me what I am today.

- No, not today.

Maybe he made you
what you were yesterday,

but not today.

- You know, I don't understand

how I can get these isolated
flashes of memory

and then not remember
anything else.

- Yeah, I know. The brain's
funny that way, isn't it?

It's like something
simple, like a smell,

can trigger a memory

that you just can't
recall any other way.

Did that trigger anything?

- I'm remembering how I wanted
you to kiss me at the station.

- Like that?

- Looks like somebody's home.

♪♪My eyes are closed ♪

♪ But I can hear
your breathing ♪

♪ I feel you are a creation
of my mind ♪

♪ You're outside of the fog ♪

♪ I shiver as you softly blow
on my skin ♪

♪ I was sinking in icy waters ♪

♪ I had sabotaged
my whole life ♪

♪ Will you be there
when I open up my eyes? ♪

♪ Is this moment real? ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

- What's with that damn dog?

- Just ignore him,
he always does that when...

Wait a minute.

- What?

- Somebody's here.
- What?

The dog barks
when somebody's here.

Get your stuff.
Go, go.

Get your stuff in the car.
Let's go.

- They're gone.

- No, they're not.
You hear that dog barking?

- Any ideas?

- Well, she survived the crash.

Maybe the camera did too.

- Eve, we've got to go
to the police on this.

- No, I can't! For all I know
those guys are cops!

- These guys are gonna kill us.

- What can the police do?

I don't know how to
answer any questions

about who they are
or why they want to kill me.

- The police can protect you.

- No, I don't believe that!

It would a hell of a lot easier

for them to find us
under police protection.

You're the only one
I can trust right now!

- You're serious?

OK.

We do this alone.

Are you sure you that
you cannot remember

those guys in suits and the guns

anytime at all before
the gas station?

- I told you, no.

I... I climbed up the cliff
and walked to the gas...

Wait a minute!
I do remember something.

I remember the 2 guys
looking over the cliff

down at the burning car, and...

I couldn't see their faces,
but they had guns.

- That's it.
That that's gotta be it.

They saw you then
and they followed you since.

- Why didn't they
just kill me then?

- I don't know.

- No, I doubt it.

It had something to do
with the crash.

It wasn't you.

- No.

What? What are you
taking about?

- Your business card!
I... I didn't get it from you.

My business card?

- That seminar is actually
at 7:00 o'clock tonight

at the Airport Hotel.

And I wrote all the information
on the back of the card.

- Thanks Pam.

- So are you gonna do that
hidden-camera thing again?

- That's the plan. I think
I have enough footage already,

but I wanna get his reaction

when I bust him on
the $25 Ph.D. certificate

in front of his group
of gullible idiots.

- Sweet!

And Mr. Hoffman
stepped in a few minutes ago.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- That looked a
little too friendly.

- Don't get paranoid on me,
all right? Just walk with me.

There's a nut job

who lives halfway across
the state, all right?

This is some kind of inventor.

His place looks
like a junk yard.

All kinds of weird contraptions.

Anyway, I want you
to do a piece on him,

like the Rube Goldberg thing.

You know, eccentric
toiling away in solitude,

building a better mousetrap
for humanity, blah, blah, blah.

I need a filler piece to close
out the Friday 5:00 PM news, OK?

Something light and funny.

- What happened to City Hall?

- City Hall's not
going anywhere.

This is something I need now.

- You lied to me, Bob!

- I didn't lie to you, Eve.

I told you what you wanted
to hear. There's a difference.

- Really? Well, I didn't lie to
you about being a great lover.

I told you what
you wanted to hear.

- Don't bust my chops
this early.

I was late last night
getting home. Linda al...

Do your job, Eve.
All right?

Al's waiting for you
down at the motor pool.

- Bob, you can order me
to do any piece you want.

You're my boss, I get that.

And as far as sleeping
with you goes, I'm a big girl.

I can handle the consequences.

But don't think for a second

that walking into the men's
bathroom is gonna shut me down.

- Are you finished?

- Yes, I am.

- Good.

Then would you please go make
this guy look like a crackpot?

Something everyone
can laugh at over beers

at the corner bar
on Friday night.

You know the drill.

Nobody humiliates
better than you.

- This doesn't mean City Hall
is off the table.

What about CBS anchor
Connie Chung?

- What about Connie Chung?

- She never did this crap!

She went straight from college
to a local desk job.

- Well, let's see,
she was beautiful, exotic

and smart as hell

- Are you saying I'm not exotic?

God, I've gotta stop
drinking so much coffee.

- Maybe she slept with the
news director at her station.

What is bugging you
this morning?

- We were supposed to meet
for drinks last night.

- Well, I'm sorry.

I was going over a piece

about City Hall with Bob.

It couldn't be helped.

- Yeah, I'm sure you
were going over a piece.

Finish fixing your hair and
break out your hatchet.

Three, two, one.

- I'm Eve Pretson with KQAP News

at the home of
inventor Ned Larfield,

who is on a quest to
build a better mousetrap.

- Actually, I'm more concerned

with global warning
than mousetraps.

- And why is that?
- Well...

- Doesn't global
warming effect mice too?

- Yes, ma'am, it sure does...

- Perhaps you could have a look
at some of your inventions?

This one looks fascinating.
What does it do?

Well, now, um...

This isn't a working prototype.

It's a physical model
used to give proximity

to variables in
solar calibrations.

- I see!

How do you drive it
without wheels?

- Well, it's not
designed to drive.

A car not designed to drive?
What a novel idea.

- N-n-now, don't look
at this like it's a car

in the context of today's
conception of what a car is.

Think of it as
a horse-drawn wagon

before the automobile
as we know it was invented.

- Okay, I'll go with that.

- You see,
horsepower in an engine

comes from the idea of
power generated by horses.

One horse pulling a wagon was
one horsepower.

Four horses pulling a wagon
was four horsepower...

- And 350 horses pulling a wagon
would be 350 horsepower?

- Yes. I mean, 350 horses
pulling a wagon isn't practical,

but the P.R.C., the power ratio
construct certainly is.

- OK, but don't you need wheels

no matter how many horses
you use?

- Wheels?
I see.

You're still thinking
of this as a car.

This isn't a car.

- It's not?

- No. No, it's a... No!

It's a concept.

Like the horse-drawn wagon was a
concept for the horseless wagon.

See you have to think of
these large panels as horses.

- OK, what kind of horses, Ned?

- The kind of horses
don't matter.

It's just the
representational value

I'm equating the panels to
in terms of creating energy

for an automobile.

It's not feasible for 350 horses
to pull a wagon, now is it?

- I wouldn't think so.

- That's the concept
I'm working with.

You see, internal-combustion
engines are big and clumsy.

They waste a lot of energy
just carrying their own weight.

Here, let me show you something.

I have a better example of how

that mass-to-energy distribution
ratio works over here.

- What's this over here, Ned?

That's nothing.
It's just junk.

Never even made it to prototype.

I, I think you'll find
this device over here

quite fascinating
and a little sexy.

This way.

Th-th-this way, camera guy.

- Watch the news
on Friday evening

and you'll see yourself
on television.

- I don't own a television.

- That's great.

Once I edit out all that
technical mambo-jumbo,

this guy gonna be solid gold.

My god!
Al is dead.

He must have died in the crash!

- Um, it sounds like
a miracle that you didn't.

- We must have shot something
out there we weren't suppose to,

but I have no ideas what it was.

We have to find
that place, Harry!

- OK.

- We have to talk to Ned
and find out what it was!

- OK. Do you remember
how to get there?

- No, I...

Let's find a coffee shop
with internet access.

- OK.

Here you go.

- Thanks.
Listen to this:

"MIT professor and research
scientist Ned Larfield

"resigned from his tenured
position to retire in seclusion

"after his research partner,
Steven Blakely, was killed in

"a freak automobile accident."

It goes on with some gory
details,

but it looks like
they partner were working on

alternatives
to combustible engines

to combat global warming
before it was fashionable.

- Not threatening to anyone.
- Except gas and oil companies.

I don't think
his partner's accident

was any freakier than mine.

We need to find
Ned Larfield's place.

- We're in luck.

Finding people
is my field of expertise.

- My god!
They killed him!

- Along with everything else.

Al and I were just
here yesterday.

I remember it all!
His crazy inventions...

- Don't.
It's not safe.

If they come back while we're
down there, we're sitting ducks.

This place is in
the middle of nowhere.

- Two dead research scientists,
secret inventions,

hit men, car chases,
a murdered cameraman.

There's a hell of
a story out here.

Hell, it's even chasing me
and I can't find it.

Some journalist.

- Being a little hard
on yourself, aren't you?

You didn't even know
your name a day ago.

- We both know what kind
of a journalist I am.

Let's go back to Philly.

Do you see someone?

- No, it's just I don't want
any surprises. That's all.

- Harry, you know, I'd be dead
right now if it wasn't for you.

- I'm not so sure it's not
the other way around.

- Sorry I got you into this.

When we get back to Philly,
we should go our separate ways.

They're not after you.

I appreciate that,

but I think I'm gonna stick
around a little longer, OK?

Beside I'm a doctor, remember?
You've had a nasty head injury.

I need to keep you
under observation.

- My god!

- What is it?

- Can I help you?

- You can fill it with regular

and point me towards
the ladies room.

- There at the back.

Key's in the office on the wall.

- Thanks.

What's the matter?

- It's not right.

You know that, don't you?

- Aw, jeez, Al, are you still
pissed about last night?

- I'm talking about
Ned Larfield.

He's not a Pom-pom Primadonna.

He's an old man trying
to make a difference.

If you ask me,
he should be taken seriously.

- Come on! You saw what
he was putting together.

I half expected to see hamsters
under one of the hoods.

- Some journalist you are.

- What the hell is
that supposed to mean?

What you did out there isn't
journalism. It's offensive.

What you plan on doing in
the editing room is criminal.

- I was given an assignment.

My job is to give
my boss what he wants.

- Yeah, you're real
good at that.

- Screw you, Al!

- No thanks.

You're dance card's
a little too full

for my taste.

- I guess that means I'm looking
for another cameraman.

- That's fine with me.

I'd rather shoot weddings

than watch you pretend
to be a journalist!

- You want the receipt?

- Give it to the jackass
in the bathroom.

Screw you.
I can edit this myself.

Al's still alive!

- Police are still baffled
by what they're calling

a mob-style homicide.

Former MIT Professor
Ned Larfield

was found dead
at his home yesterday.

He was shot twice in the head
execution-style

and his compound
was incinerated.

There are currently no suspects.

In an unrelated story,
police raided...

- Bob Hoffman.

Eve! Where the hell are you?

- I'm driving back to Philly.
I need to talk to Al now

- Forget it! He's not here.
What the hell is going?

- Look, I can't explain
anything right now.

I need to get a hold of Al now!

- You need to give me answers.

The nut job
got killed yesterday.

Did you even know that?

- Yeah, I do now!

- Where's the footage?

What the hell were you
doing out there?

- You know what?
Don't even go there.

- What do you want me to think?

People are dying there

and my cameraman
and reporter have nothing.

Did you even talk to the guy?
- Yes, we got an interview,

but I can't say anything
right now!

I need to get a hold of
Al first. He could be dead!

- He's not dead.
- How do you know?

- He left a message for you
this morning.

- What did it say?

- "I'm sorry. Call me".

What the hell were
you two doing out there?

- Where the hell
is that other body?

- Well, maybe an animal ate it.

Nice.

What have we here?

- What you got?

- You have 5 new messages.

- First message
received yesterday at 12:01 pm.

- All right, Eve.
I'm sorry I didn't mean it,

I was just jealous, OK?

Now get your lovely
ass back down here

to this godforsaken gas station
and pick me up.

And you can't edit
without me. I pulled the P2.

- That means the woman,
the cameraman and the footage

are all still out there.

Let's go.

Let's go.

- Hello? Eve!
What the hell is going on?

- Al! Thank God you're OK!
Where are you?

- I was hiding out
in a cheap motel

after I heard someone killed
Ned Larfield.

I freaked when I couldn't get
you on your cell.

- They tried to kill me too.

They got the cell
and the camera, but missed me.

I think we shot something
that we weren't supposed to.

- No, they didn't get
the footage.

I got the P2 right here.

In this digital age,
a good cameraman

always pockets his footage.

Where are you now?

- I'm on my way
to the bus station.

Got a ping on his cell phone.

Triangulating...
it's about 20 miles from here.

- We'll meet you at
the bus station.

Bring the P2 card.

- He's heading west.

- Al!

- I thought they got you.

- You have the P2 card?

- Yeah.

- Hi. Harry.

- Al.

- Hi.

- Thank you.

- solar calibrations...

-I see!

Um, how do you drive it
without wheels?

- Well,
it's not designed to drive.

- A car not designed to drive
What a novel idea!

This can't be it.

What's this over here, Ned?

- That... that's nothing.
It's just junk.

Never even made it to prototype.

I think you'll find this device
over here quite...

- He was awful weird
about that piece.

- and a little sexy.

- Look at that. The car.
Is that all we have?

- No, I shot some other stuff.

- Look at all that junk!

Wait, are those
solar panels on the hood?

- Do you have anything else
from inside the tent?

- Yeah.

Wires, meters, more wires.
All looks the same to me.

- It's gotta have something
to do with that car.

Wait a minute!
What... what did he say earlier?

- It's a concept.

Like the horse-drawn wagon was a
concept for the horseless wagon.

See you have to think of
these large panels as horses.

- He was talking
about horsepower.

Those panels supply power
to the car.

- But he said it wasn't
designed to drive.

- But this one was.

- That... that's nothing.
It's just junk.

Never even made it to prototype.

- Sure as hell looks
like a prototype to me.

- this device over...

- That's it. It has to be.

Look at how he's hiding it.

- and a little sexy.
This way.

- Look at the paint.

Large silver patches in
the exact same location

as the panels on the other car.

It's the paint.

- What?

- Look at the way
the light hits the paint.

You see it?

- Yeah, it's weird.

- The panels are horses.

My god, it's solar!

I think he invented a paint
that acts as a solar panel.

- Is that possible?

- Listen, everything
was impossible

until someone did it
for the first time.

Watch out!

- Come on.

- Go!

- What do we do now?

- You wouldn't object

to police intervention
now, would you?

- No. I welcome it.

- Come here.

- If I can get a strong
enough signal,

I can send this P2 clip
to the station.

- Are you crazy?

Harry, his is important.

They killed Ned Larfield and
that poor man at the gas station

to keep this thing quiet.

If I can't honour that,
then I'm a fraud.

The signal is too weak.

We need to get closer.

- We've got company on foot.

All right, Here's the plan.

I'm gonna head that way
and draw their attention

so you can get closer
and do your reporter thing.

- Harry, I don't know if this
story's worth dying for.

- You are.

- Did you see the girl?

- No, but I'm sure
they're still here.

- Yes!

OK.

- Hey, tough guy,
where's your girlfriend?

- Are you all right?

- I've been better.
Did you send it?

- I don't know if
it went through.

- Too bad.

- Are you two alright?

Man down, man down.

- It's been said that genius
is 10% inspiration

and 90% perspiration.

If that's true,

then Ned Larfield spent
a lifetime sweating

to make this world a better,
cleaner, safer place

for all of us.

And what did it get him?

I'm standing here
on the burned-out area

that used to be
Ned Larfield's compound.

The MIT professor and research
scientist was murdered here

a few days ago
by a pair of hired killers.

Hired by whom,
we may never know,

for the veils
of corporate secrecy run thick

and are guarded well.

Some speculate that the motive
for the killings

was Larfield's invention of
an alternative energy.

All known evidence
of this invention

was thought to be destroyed.

Although Larfield had claimed

that he filed patent
applications for all his work,

the U.S. Patent Office
indicates that

there is no record of such
an application by Larfield.

I had a chance to spend time
with this brilliant man

just a few hours
before he was killed

and during that time,

Ned Larfield revealed
a side to human nature

that changed this reporter's
life for the better.

- Like most everybody,
there's nothing I like more

than the sound of
a finely-tuned engine.

And I'll be the first to
admit that, gallon for gallon,

gasoline is the hands-down
queen of all liquid fuels.

But the fact of the matter is,

if you stand inside
a closed garage

with any internal-combustion
engine running,

it will kill you.

Now, consider the earth
and its atmosphere

a huge, closed garage.

You get the same result.

- We may never know what Ned
Larfield discovered out here

on his isolated farm.

But it's clear that in these
troubled times

that this world needs
more people like Ned.

People who aren't afraid to
fight for what's right,

no matter what the cost,

and in doing so,
inspiring others to do the same.

This is one reporter
so inspired.

Eve Pretson with KQAP News.

- Well, don't forget
your cameraman

when the offers
start flooding in.

- Not a chance, partner.

- Nice! That sounded like
you were picking a fight.

- I hope so.

- Let's go back to the station.

I have a little editing to do

on a piece called
"The Doctor of Balance."

- I've got a new
title for that one:

"The Doctor of No Balance".

Closed captions:
Vision Globale