A Latina Sex in the City style flick about 5 wildly funny, solidly loyal, best friends living in L.A.
Amigas
story and screenplay by Sara Gabriella
INT. BEDROOM. LATE AFTERNOON- DAY
Strewn across the bed is MARINA, a young, artsy Latina with a
short pixie cut wearing corduroy pants and a shirt which bares
the name of an obscure, underground band. She thumbs through
an issue of Latina magazine as VERONICA, a tall, lithe Latina
with long black hair and designer taste, busies herself by
running a comb through her hair. MARLENE, a light-skinned
Cuban with green eyes rummages through her closet, selecting, then discarding, various skirts, dresses and tops.
VERONICA
You passed up a trip Melrose so you
could freak out in front of your
closet? Que Loca.
MARLENE
I passed up Melrose because I don’t
like to shop; especially
with you two who never
leave a store till you’ve gone through every rack!
VERONICA
I love you in that long black skirt
and that green velvet top that
matches your eyes. Um… with some
conservative black pumps. That
would say sweet, yet sophisticated.
MARINA
She wants to say, “ I don’t have
sweaty, slutty sex with your son”.
Which outfit says that?
MARLENE
I’m gonna let that go since the
last time you met one of your
boyfriend’s parents, was at your
senior prom.
VERONICA
Ooh, didn’t see that coming from
you Marlene. Marina and I must be
having quite a good influence on
you.
MARINA
(To Marlene)
You have zero to worry about.
They’ll love you.
You’re a sweetheart, you’re a
brilliant nurse, you’re a wonderful
person. And with your looks…
you have the DNA to pop out some
beautiful grandbabies.
The friends show their agreement in laughter.
MARLENE
I know I’m a good catch, but so is
he. He treats me good …he’s
smart and sensitive and successful.
I’m just nervous cuz I’m really
starting to fall in love with this
one.
MARINA
Falling? Wake up, Mujer, you’re madly
blindly, head over your Minolos for this
guy. And if he’s as smart as you
say, then he’s just as crazy about
you.
MARLENE
(To Veronica)
Tonight is the big
bash your agency is throwing for
their VIPS, no?
VERONICA
Oh yes. All our clients with
Vitally Impressive Portfolios will
be there. Management went all out
for this one. We’re throwing it at
Blue.
MARINA
Ooh, the hotspot for Celebrity A-
List Power Players. I should tag
along so I can network a little. I’d
love to land my screenplay
in the hands of a few industry
types. I’m so over being a
tortured, starving artist. I’m
ready for the next step. I’m ready
to be exploited and appropriated
I’m ready for mass distribution.
VERONICA
Tonight is the night. There’s gonna
be more Hollywood Heavies than an
Oscar party
MARINA
But, there’s no way I can swing it.
I have that tight deadline for the
magazine. 7:00 sharp.
VERONICA
If you keep putting that dead end
editor job before your own
writing, you’ll never sell your
work. You’ll end up putting in 40
years playing with the punctuation on
other peoples’ work.
MARLENE
She’s right. You’re not cut out to
be a dreamer. You’re a doer. It’s
time you stepped up to the plate.
INT. UPSCALE. NIGHT CLUB. NIGHT
We open on an elegantly decorated nightclub with an exclusive
air floating above an array of beautiful people socializing
freely. The smell of money mixes with the scent of self-
importance and the aroma of celebrity. Veronica, looking
every bit the part of the young, hip, Hollywood socialite,
saunters through the entrance. She is greeted with an
occasional air kiss as slithers through the crowd. She
is greeted by a fiercely dressed, gay, Latino executive.
WALTER
Honey, honey, honey. I’ve been
waiting for you. You just have to
see what Dana is wearing! It’s
atrocious…ferocious. My God, it
had ruffles!
VERONICA
Witnessed it first hand. We met at the door.
WALTER
Am I telling the whole truth and
nothing but?
VERONICA
You are the one person I wouldn’t
challenge about fashion.(With a
searching glance)
WALTER
Ay, Vero…He’s here with the wife.
She’s wearing a dress cut like a
potato sack…real Russia circa
1958. Fits her personality though.
She would even bore a room in
Siberia.
VERONICA
You don’t have to go there.
I know you love me.
(Exchange
a real kiss on the cheek).
But I’m
a big girl and I know my rich,
sophisticated, hot-as-hell, lover
has a wife. (Giving in to the mud-
slinging). A shapeless wife who
would bore a village of Russians in
a frozen wasteland. (They share a delicious smile).
WALTER
(Takes the stunning Veronica by the
arm and leads her toward the bar )
Let’s go get
you a strong drink. I love to see
you work that vivid smile and
feline grace when you get a good
buzz goin’.
(She scratches at the air and they laugh)
CUT TO:
INT. UPSCALE. NIGHT CLUB. LATER THAT NIGHT
Veronica is mixing and mingling, while gracefully fluttering
a gin and tonic in one hand, as WALTER approaches
WALTER
(Flashes a smile at the trio
Veronica is entertaining with her
natural charm and slips his arm
into hers) You simply must let me
steal this beautiful woman away for
a moment.
VERONICA
(Allowing Walter to lead her away)
What’s up? Need some fresh air?
Let’s take a breather on the patio.
WALTER
That’s not it this time. Follow me.
You have to see this yourself.
There are no words. There just
aren’t words! This is primetime, 60
seconds during the Superbowl,
major.
VERONICA
(Beginning to comprehend the
severity of the situation) 60
seconds of ad time during the
Superbowl? That’s…a mil…easy.
Walter halts abruptly. He nods in the direction of an
expensively dressed man whispering into the ear of a platinum,
buxom blonde sparkling with diamond jewelry. The
couple is seated in a round leather booth. She laughs
seductively as he runs lusty fingers up her thigh.
VERONICA (CONT’D)
Poor Marlene. Fuck Walter, what am
I gonna tell poor Marlene?
WALTER
Girrrrl, she’s sweet as a lamb. She
can’t handle this. But I did tell
you I’d heard about him. You know
my data comes from reliable
sources.
VERONICA
I was hoping you were wrong about
this one…for Marlene’s sake.
WALTER
Wrong, uh uh. My information may be
insufficient sometimes, but usually
accurate. My hairdresser’s sister’s
husband was in his class at USC.
They still keep in touch. He’s as
dirty as they come.
VERONICA
(Tips her glass and consumes it’s
contents in one long gulp) Find me
a cigarette, sweety. And I need
another one.
She places the empty glass on a nearby table as they head
toward the patio to bum a pair of cigarettes.
EXT. COFFEE SHOP. PATIO. DAY
Veonica, Marina, MARISOL and YOLANDA sip overpriced coffee
while seated at a patio table in front of a franchise coffee
shop chain.
MARINA
Drinking coffee outside makes me
yearn to be in Paris, smoking a cigarette, eating a
croissant and discussing art and philosophy.
(The other girls give her an “Ay Dios Mio” eye roll)
YOLANDA
(A golden skinned Latina with big,
dark brown eyes framed by long
eyelashes. She is dressed in
stylish cargo pants and a sporty
tank top) None of us drinks the same
thing, I wonder what our coffee
choices say about us
I mean, I’m drinking a
pumpkin spice latte. What’s that say?
VERONICA
You stick to the marginal choices.
Even when it comes to coffee you
aren’t mainstream.
MARLENE
Yeah, you’re like, in the ten
percent minority of coffee
drinkers.
They laugh.
MARISOL
(A dark-skinned, raven haired
Latina in a velvet sweat suit and
adidas tennis shoes)My glass of
regular coffee with milk and sugar
shows I refuse to spend three bucks
on a cup of coffee cuz it has a
fancy name. The 7-11 on Chavez has
the best coffee and they charge a
dollar. They even have those
flavored creamers. I like the
Hazelnut…Kahlua’s good too.
VERONICA
Double non-fat, sugar free carmel macchiato, extra
hot. That’s me. I want what I want.
I want plenty of it. And I don’t
want to pay the consequences.
MARINA
White chocolate mocha. I don’t get
it. What does it reveal about me?
YOLANDA
Coffee and chocolate… that’s easy.
You have all the responsibilities
of an adult, but there’s still a
part of you that isn’t ready to
grow up.
VERONICA
Alright, Mujures. Time to handle
business. I flirted with the
bouncer at Blue and found out
Marlene’s boyfriend is there every
other Friday.
MARISOL
When Marlene has her turnaround at
the hospital and pulls a double…
Que Cabron!
MARINA
I see where you’re going with this,
Vero. We set that cheating dog up. I like it.
MARISOL
We tell Marlene to take next Friday
off. We come up with an excuse. Lay
on a guilt trip. Tell her she has
to go out with us.
YOLANDA
Your promotion, Vero. We’ll go out
to celebrate your new account with
Prada.
MARISOL
She’ll see for herself how dirty
her slick-as-baby-oil boyfriend
really is.
INT. UPSCALE. NIGHT CLUB. NIGHT
The five friends enter the same nightclub where Veronica
spotted Philip with another woman the week previous. Veronica
stops to exchange a few words with a bouncer working the club,
as the other four make a beeline to the bar. She joins them a few minutes later.
YOLANDA
(To Veronica who has just caught
the attention of the bartender) I
got you covered– Saphire and
tonic, with a twist.
VERONICA
That’s my girl
MARISOL
(Passing out drinks, she nods to
Marlene) What’s up with that?
MARLENE
I’m the designated level-head
tonight.
As she grabs a bottled water from Marisol, a large diamond
sparkles.
VERONICA
I was referring to the…
(Gaze fixated on Marlene’s engagement ring)
MARINA
Oh, shit. That’s my jam…
She motions to the girls with her empty hand as she hurries
to the dance floor.
CUT TO:
EXT. PATIO. NIGHT CLUB.
Gathered in a semicircle are Marlene, Marisol and three
strangers in a discussion. In the corner are Yolanda and
Marina laughing with two other club guests.
Veronica enters the patio from inside the club, rapidly scans
the patio, then heads for Marina and Yolanda. She interrupts
with a look and a nod, Marina and Yolanda immediately follow
to where Marlene and Marisol are posted by the DJ booth
inside.
VERONICA
Hey, Ladies. Come on, we gotta
get back on the floor one last time,
before the DJ calls it a night.
Veronica leads the women around the parameter of the club.
They approach the rounded leather booths where Walter and
Veronica eyed Philip only a week earlier. Sure enough,
he’s seated with the platinum blonde. This time, he’s joined
by an entourage of fellow Hollywood types. Marlene reacts;
quick as light. Before the other four turn to gauge her
reaction, she is already in front of the booth directly
facing her fiance. He senses someone and
looks up. He is dumbstruck .
MARLENE
(Keeping her cool) You’re such a
workaholic, Philip, you poor thing.
You should really learn how to
loosen up and have a good time once
in a while. All work and no play,
you know what they say about that.
Here’s an idea, stop working so
late on Friday nights. I’m sure
your fiance would appreciate the
chance to spend more time with you.
(Taking her ring off her finger) ON
second thought, it would do you
some good to spend more time alone.
Marlene is just about to send the ring flying toward Philip’s
face when Marina steps in an yanks the ring out of Marlene’s
ready hand. Without hesitation, she grabs a drink off the
table and splashes that in Philip’s face instead. The women
stroll away together, leaving Philip to smooth things over
with the friends and colleagues at the table.
INT. LIVING ROOM. SOMETIME EARLY THE NEXT MORNING.
The girls are still in their club attire, minus their
constrictive shoes. They sip wine and recount the night’s events.
VERONICA
I’ve never seen you like that. The
look in your eyes, girl, it was…
fierce.
YOLANDA
You were so calm. I don’t know what
I woulda done. But I can tell you
this, I woulda lost it. Lost it
real BIG. But you maintained. You
are all class, Marlene. The real
thing, girl.
MARISOL
It woulda been over for Jesse
for real. That place woulda been
torn apart, starting with my man.
YOLANDA
And another one who maintains under
pressure. (Nods toward Marina)
This one. The thing with the ring.
Solid move. I’m feeling way
impressed with my girls.
MARINA
I wasn’t about to let her give up
the only thing from him
that was genuine. Return the man,
but keep the ring, that’s my motto.
VERONICA
Did you get it appraised?
MARLENE
Philip and I got it appraised
together when we took it to get
sized. It’s definitely worth enough
for five friends to take a week long
cruise. What do you guys think
about the Bahamas?
The four women erupt in screams. A few glasses are almost knocked to the floor as they assail Marlene with hugs.
MARLENE (CONT’D)
Back up off me. Thank Philip. He’s
fronting the tab.
FADE TO BLACK