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SCENE ONE:

EXP. NOISY ,CLUTTERED INNER CITY STREET, MORNING, CAMERA CLOSES IN ON A FRAME SHABBY TWO FLAT, ONE OF SEVERAL SET AMID URBAN RETAIL & COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, AND THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR UP DARK, NARROW STAIRWAY INTO TO INTERIOR OF LOLO’S MESSY KITCHENETTE

APARTMENT: This is the living space of someone who has given up on themselves  and on life. LOLO, 18 years old but looking younger, boyishly built with an average  face, is sleeping, joints akimbo, under a tangled mess of bedding. One eye opens grudgingly to sound (OC) of toddler wailing which changes into the screech of a jet engine in landing mode. FADE TO:

SCENE TWO:

EXT. O’HARE AIRPORT, DAY

 A jet has landed and passengers are disembarking.  ROBERTO DEMATEO (BOBBY), handsome, dark eyes and longish dark hair, late twenties, dressed in a rugged western-style clothing and looking slightly furtive is among them. He hurries thru the terminal without stopping for luggage and hops quickly into the first waiting taxi cab.  As the cab swings out into traffic exiting the airport, he casts a final look backwards and then relaxes a bit.

SCENE THREE:

INT. LOLO’S ROOM, DAY

LOLO’S eye closes and reopens as the child’s wailing continues. Resignedly LOLO drags herself up (her back to us) retrieves wrinkled Dago  T off floor and slips it on above her rumpled smiley face boxer shorts. She threads thru clutter to pick up wailing toddler, JOHNNY, from crib and absently pats him while staring out her window onto a bleak inner city landscape. LOLO smokes a cigarette and gulps a swig from a pop bottle that is lying sideways on a small table. Talking as much to herself as to JOHNNY, LOLO promises she will stop procrastinating and go down to welfare and sign up for benefits. Her musings are interrupted by loud knocking and with JOHNNY balanced on one hip LOLO opens door to be confronted by her LANDLORD, MANNY, a punchy, thirty something Hispanic man loudly dressed and sporting a backwards baseball cap. He informs LOLO that he cannot continue to carry her rent-free now that her mother has passed unless she wishes to offer him something in return for rent like her mother used to, he adds, leering at her.  LOLO, eyes downcast, mumbles she will come up with the rent money and closes the door on him.

SCENE FOUR:

EXTERIOR SHOT OF THE STREET OUTSIDE LOLO’S BUILDING, SAME MORNING:

CHICO is sitting on a ragged lawn chair on the porch of his mom’s house next to LOLO’S when a cab pulls up depositing LOLO’S brother ROBERTO out onto the street.  Chico recognizes him and goes to greet him.  They exchange back slaps and handshakes then CHICO asks ROBERTO when he got back into Chicago and attempts to purchase some of his “good” dope” ROBERTO informs him that he is unable to get anything right now and that he is back in town because he had some troubles with some “business associates” and is laying low for a while and is hoping his sister, LOLO, will let him crash at her place for a while. CHICO advises ROBERTO that LOLO left earlier to go down to Welfare to sign up for benefits and invites ROBERTO into his Mom’s to await her return. The two head into the house together laughing and roughhousing.

SCENE FIVE:

INTERIOR WELFARE OFFICE, AFTERNOON: Numerous downtrodden looking women, and a few men are scattered around a large government-issue waiting room — some dozing others, including LOLO, idly watching news  on a small  television  hanging from the ceiling in one corner of the room. CLOSE UP OF TV SCREEN as newscaster announces Chicago try outs for “FINAL ROUND,” a reality TV show featuring female boxers. No experience is necessary and tryouts will be held at St. Andrews Gym that weekend. CLOSE UP LOLO’s FACE as prize money of $10,000.00. is announced. Her interest is aroused. But just then her name is called and, resuming her usual downcast facial expression she hoists JOHNNY up onto her hip and follows the CASEWORKER towards the back of the welfare office.

SCENE SIX:

INT WEST SIDE BOXING GYM, DAY: Various young boxers, mostly male, are sparring and jumping rope and working the speed and the heavy bags. Old fighter and trainer FIN, “THE FORCE” FLANNERY, is talking, in a Taylor Street, Italian, (i.e. Damen Runion) vernacular, to a muscular, heavily tattooed female boxer MARIA “KNOCKOUT” DE JESUS, who tells him she is considering trying out for the TV show “FINAL ROUND.” FIN tells MARIA that he doubts the show will be much about boxing but that as long as it does not interfere with her training, or bring any disrespect onto the profession (here he goes into a tirade about the lack of respect, pension and medical benefits for boxers)  he is OK with her trying out for the show. She flashes a victory sign to one of the boxers training and jumps into the ring to spar with another of the guys there. She quickly tires him out and jumps around in the ring waiting for the next taker.

SCENE SEVEN:

PAN  EXT  STREET  OUTSIDE  &  CUT TO  INTERIOR  LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT:

ROBERTO & LOLO are eating pizza from a box on the cluttered coffee table. ROBERTO periodically offers small pieces and sips of soda pop to JOHNNY who is sitting in his lap. LOLO is explaining how she would like to help him but has no money and is already in trouble with her landlord for herself and JOHNNY without adding another occupant. ROBERTO explains the trouble he is in and reminds LOLO how it was him that used to take care of her when they were kids and their mom was high or out with various “uncles” and that he has nowhere else to turn right now and must stay out of circulation for a while.  LOLO asks ROBERTO if he ever wonders what their lives would have been if their dad had stayed around and their mom had not used drugs and turned to men for money. He tells her that if anything would have changed their lives it would have been if their grandfather’s life hadn’t been cut short by a brain injury from a blow to the head in the boxing ring. He remembers how even though the hit was found to have been improper, there was no compensation for the family because boxers do not have the same kinds of pension funds or other benefits package as other athletes. He reminds LOLO how they always had money and nice things when their grandfather was alive. He walks up and stares at a boxing poster on the wall.  CLOSE UP OF POSTER. LOLO reluctantly agrees to let him stay, at least for a while and tells him as long as he is there he can watch JOHNNY for a while that weekend because she has some business she might want to take care of. ROBERTO happily agrees and boisterously roughhouses & shadow boxes with his nephew while LOLO looks on smiling tolerantly.

SCENE EIGHT:

PAN CROWDED DOWNTOWN CHICAGO STREET AND UP FRONT OF SLEEK GLASS HIGH RISE, CUT TO INT BENJAMIN (BENNY) EICHOFF’S CHROM & GLASS OFFICE WITH PANORAMIC SKYLINE VIEW, DAY: BENNY and his cousins, KENNETH (KENNY) EICOFF and LEONARD (LENNY) EICOFF, all immature, would-be cool dudes (right down to the red, alligator cowboy boots worn by BENNY) whose way in life has been paved by their parents’ money throughout their whole lives,  are playing video games on a wide screen TV and reminiscing about their past unsuccessful financial deals. It is clear they are sophomoric losers who have inherited their money and connections.  They act like a sort of younger, modern version of The Three Stooges. Clearly have never seen a hard day’s work in their lives.  As they play their video games, they are also discussing plans to promote BENNY’S latest “business venture” —  the reality TV show “FINAL ROUND.” KENNY asks how they can get more free press coverage so they don’t have to spend as much of their own money on PR. LENNY questions why they all have to pony up any front money when they all know BENNY only came up with this idea to impress his gold digging girlfriend YOLANTA, a boxing fan whose “personal trainer” boxes. BENNY admits this but justifies himself by pointing out that YOLANTA has skills, sexually, he never even knew existed before her. He also reminds them, again, of times he has invested in their looser schemes. They grudgingly agree to pitch in but demand he enlighten them about YOLANTA’s special talents.  BENNY opens his mouth to respond but before he can is interrupted.

AS IF ON CUE, YOLANTA, a brassy Eastern European, vampy gold digger bursts into the office with her crew of SKANKIE SIDEKICKS and her spectacularly hot “personal trainer, TYRONE, African American, weight-lifters physique, wearing his trademark ostentatious rhinestone studded athletic shoes. BENNY’S mousey SECRETARY brings up the rear apologizing for being unable to stop the group from barging in. YOLANTA is a loud mouthed, big-haired, overly made up, blond. But she is impressively endowed and has a hooker’s overtly sexual demeanor. She introduces KENNY and LENNY to her “personal trainer” and informs BENNY that she needs some extra cash. When he protests she licks her lips suggestively and promises him she will “thank” him later. BENNY gives her the money and she smirks and winks at the other two men before turning on her heal and departing. BENNY shrugs helplessly and, after YOLANTA departs, reminds them, once again, how he has financially backed their schemes in the past. They laughingly agree to help him promote his show: “What the f***, it’s only money and who knows, maybe the show will actually succeed. ” Then, like true old-school frat boys, they demand details of YOLANTA’s special sex skills. NO SOUND AS CAMERA PULLS BACK OFF THREE MEN LAUGHING AND ACTING SOPHOMORIC.

SCENE NINE;

INT. A LARGE HIGH SCHOOL GYM. A REGULATION SIZE BOXING RING, SURROUNDED BY ROWS OF BLEACHER SEATS, DOMINATES THE ROOM, DAY.

FIFTY OR SO YOUNG FEMALE WOULD-BE BOXERS, wearing cardboard numbers, move around the gym.  Some are greeting one another, adjusting their gear, wrapping their hands, shadow boxing and bouncing on their toes.  Others look more like actresses than boxers with their long nails, heavy make up and overly coiffed hairdos.  PAN CROWD AND CLOSE IN ON LOLO sitting alone in a corner looking shy and overwhelmed. An OLDER GENTLEMAN, with the characteristic stiff stance and gate of a former boxer, climbs up into the ring and announces that try outs for the new reality TV show “FINAL ROUND” are about to begin. Contestants, he explains, are to climb into the ring after their number is called and exchange a few punches with their opponent.   If chosen, he continues, they will compete in several weeks of televised elimination bouts following which the last two contestants will compete in the series finale in a final round. Contestants who make it past the first few weeks will receive cash and prizes with a $10,000 grand prize going to the winner of the final round and a $5,000 prize to the runner up.

YOLANTA, surrounded by her crew SKANKIE SIDEKICKS, strolls into the gym. She is not wearing a number. Her personal trainer, TYRONE, follows behind sporting his trademark rhinestone kicks and exchanging flirtatious glances with various girls in the gym. TYRONE is hot but openly stupid. He is an obvious ladies man and he knows it. He also knows that YOLANTA is his meal ticket. So he is careful to keep his flirtations discrete. YOLANTA struts around disdainfully.  She clearly knows all this activity is ultimately for her benefit. Her entrance sets off many whispered comments within the room.

The qualifying bouts begin and various fighters enter the ring, throw a few punches and climb down to a ringside table where they sign out. Some are cocky, some obviously scarred, some highly skilled others with no skills. Many of the less skilled but more attractive girls are called over to the judges table and asked for their contact information whereas some of the less flashy but more skilled are excused. CLOSE UP on a “scoring” sheet being used by the three producers, BENNY EICOFF and his buffoonish cousins. We see a column for “boxing ability” with no check marks and one for “appearance” with smiley faces and other silly symbols for “big boobs” or “nice ass.”

CUT BACK TO RING where LOLO is climbing in at the same time as a monolithic, and somewhat psychotic looking, girl at least twice her size. KENNY and LENNY look at  BENNY as if to ask: “Should we let this happen?”  BENNY shrugs and nods to the  referee who allows the girls to “touch gloves and come out fighting.” It is immediately that neither girl has any idea how to box. BENNY is about to end the bout as a waste of time when he happens to glance at the list of contestant “names” and notices that number 20 (LOLO) has the last name DEMATEO. “Wasn’t there a DEMATEO who was a world contender,” he asks LENNY. LENNY shrugs. BENNY pulls out his i-phone and pulls up You-Tube. CLOSE UP OF I-PHONE YOU TUBE fight video of JOHNNY DEMATEO. The round over, BENNY calls LOLO to the judges table and asks her if she is any relation to the former boxer JOHNNY DEMATEO the former world contender who died from brain injury he got in the ring. “He was my grandfather,” says LOLO cautiously. BENNY tells her she will hear from them and as she walks away turns to his associates: “Gentlemen, there goes your free publicity.”

SCENE TEN:

INT. LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT. The place is in characteristic disarray. LOLO & ROBERTO are eating fast food which is laid out on the cluttered coffee table. Both LOLO and ROBERTO feed little JOHNNY bites of whatever they are eating. LOLO tells ROBERTO how she got a call from a reality TV show saying she has been chosen to appear but has been told to go get herself a few boxing “moves.” She asks if ROBERTO can help her. He reminds her he knows nothing about boxing and tells her if she really wants to get a few pointers she should go back to the old neighborhood and see if any of their grandfather’s friends are still around. He offers to watch little JOHNNY as long as he is there and exchanges some playful banter with the child.

SCENE ELEVEN:

INT. WEST SIDE BOXING GYM. DAY. The usual boxers, mostly male except for MARIA, are jumping rope, punching heavy bags and speed bags, shadow boxing and generally socializing and training. A few spectators (mostly gossiping girlfriends with tight cloths, heavy make-up and long finger nails) are scattered around on wooden benches surrounding the ring. FIN is shouting out pointers to two boxers sparring in the ring in. LOLO timidly enters the gym and looks around overwhelmed. She shyly approaches the female observers to ask if FIN, “THE FORCE” FLANNERY still works at the gym. One woman points a flawlessly (and ostentatiously decorated) nail in the direction of the old man and LOLO approaches him timidly, introduces herself and explains about FINAL ROUND. FIN explains that he has heard about the show but cannot merely show her some flashy moves for TV and that if she is going to train at his gym it has to be for real the right way with a training schedule and all. Reluctantly LOLO agrees and heads back outside where she catches a CTA bus.

SCENE TWELVE:

EXT. LINCOLN PARK ZOO, DAY: LOLO and ROBERTO are walking thru the zoo looking at animals and eating hot dogs and fries which they share with little JOHNNY who is in a rickety looking stroller. It is obvious that despite inappropriate dietary habits and child-safety seats, they love the little boy. LOLO expresses concern about the training she begins the following week. She wonders how hard FIN will make her train. ROBERTO reminisces about how hard their grandfather used to train and admits he would never be up to that, himself because he prefers an easier life. LOLO says she knows of no other way to get the money she needs to pay her rent and take care of JOHNNY and so even though she doesn’t really want to do all the training she has no choice. JOHNNY cries out in delight as he recognizes a zoo animal and all three laugh and mimic various animals.

SCENE THIRTEEN:

EXT. CHICAGO STREET IN FRONT OF BOXING GYM, DAY, LOLO, steps down from a

CTA bus in a rumpled sun-dress. Denim shorts and an ordinary Keds sneaker are poking out of a plastic garbage bag hanging off one arm. She is balancing a donut on top of a coffee cup in  the opposite hand. CAMERA FOLLOWS HER INTO:

INT. WEST SIDE BOXING GYM, DAY: As she enters a few of the male boxers glance at her curiously.  When she drops her donut and stoops to retrieve it and then takes a bite, a couple of boxers roll their eyes and shake their heads. FIN watches all this intently before lumbering over to greet LOLO and point her towards the girl’s locker room from which she emerges, a few seconds later, in uncomfortably tight denim shorts which are riding up her ass and a loose man’s T-Shirt with wrist length sleeves. Her sun dress is now hanging out of her garbage bag. FIN calls MARIA over and introduces LOLO as “another contender from that lady boxing TV show” and tells LOLO that MARIA also got picked for “Final Round.”   He asks MARIA to step into the ring with LOLO and spar for a couple of minutes to assess her skill level.   He admonishes her to take it easy as LOLO is inexperienced.

SCENE FOURTEEN:

CLOSE UP OF THE RING:

Leaving her donut and coffee on a bench, LOLO clumsily climbs into the ring where someone helps her into head gear and gloves. She begins sparring with MARIA and is so incompetent that, at one point, she moves directly into the path of an oncoming punch which lands squarely on her nose. Nose bleeding profusely, LOLO immediately stops and begins pulling off her head gear and gloves. She is sweating and crying.  MARIA watches helplessly as she never intended to hurt LOLO and is embarrassed that it might look like she went against the instructions she was given by FIN. Unwilling to discuss anything, LOLO climbs out of the ring grabs her food and leaves the gym without looking back. FIN, patting MARIA on the shoulder, watches her sadly.

SCENE FIFTEEN:

EX. CHICAGO STREET IN FRONT OF BOXING GYM, DAY, LOLO, still bleeding,

stands waiting for an approaching CTA bus. When it arrives, she climbs up putting her head down in embarrassment as other bus riders openly stare at her bloodstained face and cloths.

SCENE SIXTEEN:

INT LOLO’S CLUTTERED APARTMENT, NIGHT: LOLO and ROBERTO are sharing a

giant bottle of pop and a pizza feeding little JOHNNY bites as well. A loud knock announces the return of the LANDLORD. ROBERTO hides in the closet while LOLO tells him she will have the rent money soon if he can just be patient. He says she has one week more then she is out. After he leaves, ROBERTO offers to go to a nearby dance club he noticed down the street and see if they need a bartender or a bouncer or something so he can help earn money to cover rent. LOLO tells him if she can just last to the last show on FINAL ROUND they will have enough money to cover rent for a while they each figure out what to do with their futures. He tells her if she wants to last, she should probably start taking training seriously and then they wistfully imagine what they will do with the money if LOLO wins.

SCENE SEVENTEEN:

INT.  THE DANCE CLUB, “CORNER,” NIGHT.  YOLANTA & TYRONE are sitting with

a group of drunken, unruly patrons. It is crowded and busy. Nevertheless, TYRONE is questioning YOLANTA about why she has not gotten her “producer boyfriend” to give him an on-camera spot in FINAL ROUND especially because he “took that acting class one time.” She says she can only do so much and that he needs to be patient.  Once she gets the $10,000.00 prize money, which she has been promised will be hers, they can loose BENNY and head out to the West Coast where YOLANA will pay for TYRONE to get his screen test. YOLANTA, who obviously shares TYRONE’S inflated fantasies, asks him if he will still stick with her after he becomes a famous star. He responds by giving her a long, slow, groping kiss while winking at an attractive, passing cocktail waitress. YOLANTA says they should get out of there and go back to her place and TYRONE agrees exchanging lewd winks with a couple of other guys in their group.  They stand up and head towards the front door being greeted along the way by various club employees and regular patrons.

At the front door, ROBERTO, appearance altered in an over-the-top way (bleached hair, fedora, sun glasses at night) is standing with OTHER BOUNCER carding incoming club goers at the door. TYRONE greets the OTHER BOUNCER and rolls his eyes, smirking,  in ROBERTO’S direction, as if to say: “Who’s the freak.” OTHER BOUNCER shrugs and lip syncs: “New guy.”

SCENE EIGHTEEN:

INT. WEST SIDE BOXING GYM, DAY: LOLO enters, appropriately dressed to work out, carrying a carton of milk and a banana. She seems more energetic than before and greets MARIA directly asking if they can try sparing again. MARIA agrees and this time LOLO is more focused and asks for, and receives, help from MARIA and FIN, who notice a big change in her attitude. CAMERA PULLS BACK on the two girls exchanging information, laughing & bonding AND THEN FOLLOWS LOLO, still in workout gear and tennis shoes, outside into street where an approaching CTA Bus slows to pick her up. Waiving the driver on, LOLO smiles and sprints off down the street.

SCENE NINETEEN:

INT. LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT. LOLO and JOHNNY are playing with some toys on the newly cleaned up coffee table. There is newfound order throughout the tiny studio apartment and even a drinking glass containing wild picked flowers sitting on the window sill. LOLO is cheerfully eating an apple and little JOHNNY IS drinking out of a sippy cup. LANDLOARD arrives and LOLO opens the door, smiling, and pushes a handful of bills at him then closes the door in his face. CUT TO HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT where LANDLORD, looking surprised, counts the money shaking his head then pockets the money and saunters off down the stairs whistling.

SCENE TWENTY:

INT TELEVISION STUDIO, DAY: (Note: CAN TV could possibly be used for TV studio scenes.)

Female boxers, including MARIA & LOLO are milling around talking, stretching, shadow boxing and gossiping about who will make the next cut and go on to the paid rounds. They are excited because those who are not eliminated today will receive their first checks. There Nonetheless, what we are stating generic viagra tab is that our product is formulated based on common sense. Inflammatory biomarkers in depression: an viagra soft tablet opportunity for novel therapeutic interventions. What to buy then viagra ordination or viagra? Before answering that it’s important to ask yourself how much does viagra ordination? It’s considerably more affordable to buy generic versions of devensec.com. Person who is affected from this disease is not able to get enough erection in buy pfizer viagra his penis for sexual intercourse. is a general consensus that MARIA will be chosen to stay because “she’s so good.” There are also some guarded comments about YOLANTA, who is never there and rumors that she has already been chosen as the winner of the final round. A hush comes over the room as BENNY EICOFF and his slapstick cousins enter the room, as usual squabbling about something in a “Three Stooges” sort of way. BENNY is carrying a sheet of paper and explains that he will be calling names of those boxers who have not made it past the third round and who should, after their name is called, leave the studio. All others will, he explains, be given their first “prize” money today. KENNY and LENNY start handing out checks as BENNY calls names of those who have been eliminated. When LOLO’s is handed a check CAMERA CUTS TO CLOSE UP OF CHECK.   It is for $500.00. We see she is ecstatic. Then, to everyone’s surprise, MARIA’S name is called and she, along with others who have not been chosen (in general, the less fashionable girls) dejectedly exit the studio.     Those chosen (who with the exception of LOLO are the flashier, sexier girls) watch in disbelief as MARIA quietly exits the room. Glances of disbelief are exchanged.

SCENE TWENTY ONE:

INT. LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT:

LOLO enters carrying full grocery bags, sticking out from which we see celery, spaghetti and bananas. She is also carrying a huge stuffed animal. She happily hugs ROBERTO  and JOHNNY and gives JOHNNY the stuffed animal before setting about to put away groceries in her tiny kitchenette and straighten up the apartment. ROBERTO hurries out the door saying he is late and must get to the club right away. Humming, LOLO starts warming milk for JOHNNY, who is playing with his new toy, and tells ROBERTO she will try to bring him some dinner later.

SCENE TWENTY TWO:

INT HALLWAY IN FRONT OF YOLANTA’S APARTMENT:  

BENNY is approaching the doorway to YOLANTA’S apartment holding his hand in front of his mouth to check his breath then spraying breath freshener and otherwise engaging in foolish appearance related antics (like spitting on his hand  and smoothing down his bangs). He raps on YOLANTA’S front door and YOLANTA, pulling on a diaphanous robe as she opens the door a crack, looks at him with obvious surprise. BENNY cheerfully reminds her they had plans to go out that evening and pushes past her into the living room. YOLANTA, looking guilty, starts to offer an explanation for something but then stops and relaxes as BENNY surveys the empty room smiling and offers to watch TV while she throws on some cloths. She hurries out of the room into the bedroom to dress and BENNY flips on the TV. But his eye catches TYRONE’S signature rhinestone sneakers under one of the end-tables. Recognition of the situation dawns upon him as he quietly sits down on the couch and glances at the closed bedroom door. YOLANTA reemerges from the bedroom and the two depart with YOLANTA slathering an uncharacteristically unresponsive BENNY, with her usual bombardment of sexually loaded banter.  She tells him that they can grab a quick, early dinner but then she must get back home for a very important telephone call.  After they exit, we see TYRONE, quietly let himself out of the apartment.

SCENE TWENTY THREE:

INT. LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT:

LOLO is putting the finishing touches on a healthy meal for two. She has placed a little scarf like a table cloth on a folding table and there is a coffee cut with fresh cut tulips in the middle of the table. JOHNNY looks on from the crib, blabbering happily.

A knock announces the arrival of LOLO’s guest who turns out to be MARIA. MARIA thanks LOLO for inviting her for dinner and tells her it was not necessary. She is fine about being eliminated and had suspicions all along that FINAL ROUND was “fixed.” LOLO agrees but indicates she really needs the money so she is going to go as far as they allow her to go. She admits she would not have had any chance without MARIA’S help and says everyone knows MARIA was the best boxer of them all. Then she offers to split her first prize money with MARIA. MARIA says it’s not necessary and promises to continue helping LOLO. LOLO presents MARIA with a present, a new pair of boxing gloves…pink. During dinner, MARIA becomes enchanted with little JOHNNY and he with her.  After dinner LOLO asks MARIA if she would mind watching JOHNNY for about 15 minutes while she runs down to the CORNER CLUB to bring her brother some food and some change from the rent money so he will not be walking around broke. MARIA says sure and starts a lively exchange with little JOHNNY who is happy to be the center of attention.

SCENE TWENTY FOUR:

EXT. CITY STREET IN FRONT OF CLUB “CORNER,” NIGHT:

LOLO waives to ROBERTO who is working the front door. She pulls some money out of her pocket and waves it towards him. He is shaking his head in refusal, as he cards the throngs of wildly dressed young people waiting in queue to enter the club, when a cab pulls up and deposits YOLANTA and TYRONE onto the sidewalk. They move directly towards the front of the line. As the OTHER BOUNCER waives them on, YOLANTA notices LOLO talking to ROBERTO with the money in her hand. She calls out to her stating that she should not get a “swelled head” over the fact that she was not eliminated because the only reason she is still in the show is because of her name and the free publicity it is bringing the show. LOLO turns away embarrassed by this unwanted attention and gently pulls back on ROBERTO’s arm as he moves toward YOLANTA angrily. YOLANTA, who is clearly drunk or high, continues to trash talk LOLO until she gets board at which point, while a slightly embarrassed TYRONE and other curious onlookers watching her, she staggers on into the club. CUT TO:

SCENE TWENTY FIVE:

INT. LOLO’ S APARTMENT, SAME TIME FRAME:

MARIA, playing with JOHNNY, gets up to answer a knock at the door. She looks up at TWO GAY LATINO MEN dressed head to toe in biker leather, JOAQUIN, hyper-macho, covered in ink with bulging muscles and RIKKI,  aggressive/bitchy and feminine.  (Think one of the Q Brothers or John Leguizamo playing a female character.)  As soon as they begin speaking it is clear that they are a couple. They push past MARIA into the tiny apartment and ask if ROBERTO DEMATEO lives there. MARIA says she is just baby sitting for a friend and knows nothing about any ROBERTO. JOAQUIN begins to flip furniture and trash putting the little apartment into worse shape than it was ever in even before LOLO took up housekeeping. RIKKI seems almost apologetic in a bitchy way.  (“He’s  doing you a favor to slash up that quilt, Sweetheart, it totally clashes with the walls”.) RIKKI also seems drawn, in a maternal way, to JOHNNY – telling the more JOAQUIN that they should get one of those. CAMERA PULLS BACK as JOAQUIN finishes his toss and advises MARIA to have ROBERTO “call CHUE” before it’s too late. Then they exit. EVERYTHING SILENT & STILL FOR A FEW BEATS. Then the door opens and LOLO, sounding very upset from her encounter with YOLANTA enters. She takes in the trashed apartment and looks questioningly at MARIA who asks: “Is your brother in some kind of trouble?”

SCENE TWENTY SIX:

INT. RECEPTION AREA BENNY SIEGLE’S OFFICE, DAY:   LOLO enters and BENNY’S

SECRETARY looks up from a magazine she is reading. Where before, when YOLANTA burset into BENNY’S office, she was apologetic and obsequious, now she is officious. She informs LOLO that “Mr. Eicoff is in an important meeting and can’t see her.” LOLO offers to wait and BENNY’S SECRETARY returns indifferently to her magazine as LOLO sits poised, timidly, on the edge of a seat in the reception area waiting. The clock shows time passing. Eventually, the door to BENNY’s office bursts open and BENNY, KENNY & LENNY burst out – verbally tumbling over one another about who won the last round of some video game they have been playing. BENNY sees LOLO and stops. She haltingly greets him and thanks him for allowing her to be part of the show and then asks if it is true that the “winner” has already been chosen and that it will be YOLANTA. BENNY brushes her off telling her that she is getting money and prizes and that this show is entertainment and if she wants “pure boxing” she should sign up for Golden Gloves if they would take her and leave “show business” to producers such as himself. Head down, LOLO leaves the office and BENNY, KENNY & LENNY return to their argument about who won the last round of the video game.

SCENE TWENTY SEVEN:

EXT. CITY STREET IN FRONT OF WEST SIDE GYM, LATER THAT DAY: CTA BUS PULLS UP TO CURB AND LOLO EMERGES.  CAMERA FOLLOWS HER INTO  WEST

SIDE GYM: The gym is uncharacteristically quiet and FIN is sitting on a bench. LOLO approaches him and asks if he can spare a few minutes to talk. He assures he always has time for her. She informs him that FINAL ROUND is fixed and that she does not feel there is any point in going on since she has no chance of winning. FIN (who speaks in old-school, Talor Street, Italian accented English) tells her that: “There ain’t no guarantees in life and that if “youse all didn’t know at first you shoulda known when MARIA got cut that sometin wasn’t right.” LOLO agrees that MARIA should never have been cut and that she was the best boxer there and that she is going to quit the show herself. FIN tells her that quitting is never the answer. “Lotsa matches in this world are fixed inside and outside da ring. If ya give up every time the match is fixed, ya might never get a chance to fight at all.” He then tells LOLO about her grandfather, who was known as the “Philosopher Boxer.” “One time he was about to fight a really big fight, a title match, that the other guy was suppose’ta win.   He sat right there on that bench you’re sittin on now and he said to me: ‘Fin, boxing is like life. It ain’t over till it’s over. Even when the fight’s suppos’ta be set. You still gotta keep punching. You ain’t got no choice.’ And, he won that fight.  And he was a one’a da greatest until  that time, he took dat bad hit. Then it was over and it wasn’t right. But that’s another story.” LOLO tells FIN  she will think about it and heads out of the gym. CAMERA FOLLOWS HER TO EXT. STREET OUTSIDE WEST SIDE BOXING GYM : LOLO sees CTA bus approaching the corner, glances back at the gym and then back at the bus and takes off down the street jogging.

SCENE TWENTY EIGHT:

INT. BENNY SIEGLE’S BEDROOM, NIGHT: BENNY & YOLANTA are in bed. The bed is covered with absurd over-the-top sex toys and it is clear BENNY needs a lot of help and YOLANTA is doing all the work.  BENNY, ridiculously, asks YOLANTA, who has her back to him, if she was telling the truth before when she said he was the best lover she ever had. She verbally reassures him but we see  her face and her manner that she is lying. BENNY’S expression as he suddenly pulls  the covers up around himself shows that he too suspects the truth. YOLANTA then tells BENNY that she will not be around the next night because she is getting together with her sister for a girl’s night out. BENNY resignedly agrees and offers to drive her, which offer is refused.

SCENE TWENTY NINE:

EXT.   STREET  IN  FRONT  OF  LOLO’S  HOUSE,  DAY:

ROBERTO and  JOHNNY  are walking towards the house talking about the animals they just saw at the ZOO.  JOHNNY is carrying a balloon that says: “Lincoln Park Zoo.” Just as they start to turn into the walkway thru the tiny front yard leading to the front door, a motorcycle pulls up and the JOAQUIN & RIKKI, the guys who previously trashed LOLO’S apartment, hop off and confront ROBERTO. They ask where the money is and he explains it was taken from him when he went to pick up the “product.” They ask where the “product” is then. He says that when he opened the package it was filled with talcum powder and that’s why he got scarred and left town.   ROBERTO promises he will pay Chuy back if his sister LOLO wins “FINAL ROUND.”  RIKKI, becomes very excited at the mention of “FINAL ROUND,” one of his favorite TV shows. He rambles on about how he has been watching and FINAL ROUND from the first day and absolutely loves the show and is a big fan of LOLO.  When he hears LOLO is ROBERTO’S sister, he tells him to wish LOLO good luck.  Then, almost apologetically, he advises ROBERTO that they will still need collateral. Then he scoops up JOHNNY and, an almost maternal way, promises him toys and ice cream.  He tells ROBERTO they will hold the child till he comes up with either the missing money or the drugs.

They will take good care of him, they promise.  After “FINAL  ROUND” ends if LOLO wins and gives them the money to pay off ROBERTO’S debt, they will bring him back. As they carefully place  JOHNNY onto the back of the motorcycle between them, he looses his grip on his balloon and as the bike pulls away the balloon floats up into the sky.

SCENE THIRTY:

EXT. CITY STREET IN FRONT OF LOLO’S APARTMENT BUILDING, NIGHT:

BENNY is sitting in a rental car in front of the building ridiculously and only partially disguised with a pair of binoculars in his hand. BENNY’S POV: The doorman opens the door and YOLANTA and TYRONE burst out laughing and groping each other and generally acting very intimate. CUT TO BENNY’S FACE: He looks first hurt then angry.

SCENE THIRTY ONE:

INT. LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT:

LOLO is crying as ROBERTO tells her that the guys who previously trashed the place, JOAQUIN & RIKKI,  have taken JOHNNY but promised he will be safe with them and they will not hurt him as long as no police are involved in the matter. She cries harder and tells ROBERTO that there is no way she can win FINAL ROUND because it’s a TV show not a true boxing match so even if she had the skills to win the winner is going to be the girlfriend of the producer who has already been chosen to win and that the rest is all for show. ROBERTO reminds her that the bouts are being filmed before a live television audience and that maybe once they are in the ring, it will be difficult to control the outcome. He asks her if she thinks she can make it to the final round and she says yes. He asks her if she thinks she can beat YOLANTA if she does get to the final round and she says she doesn’t know because no one has ever seen her fight. He asks her what choice they have and she says: NONE.

SCENE THIRTY TWO:

EXT. CITY STREET OUTSIDE T.V. STUDIO, DAY:

A gigantic sign announces the live taping of the final rounds of FINAL ROUND. A huge mob of colorfully accented people is waiting to get into the studio including JOAQUIN, RIKKI  &  LITTLE JOHNNY.    However JOAQUIN & RIKKI

are barely recognizable as they are dressed in preppy style cloths.  JOHNNY too is in a

preppy little outfit, carrying a new toy, eating a snack and is being pampered and fawned over by RIKKI  who he is calling: “Tio Rikki.” JOAQUIN expresses concern about them attending FINAL ROUND but RIKKI brushes off his concerns. (“Honistly, Mijo, do ju think anyone will recognize us in this crowd…dressed like this? Don’chu believe the boy should see his mama fight? Etc.) As they quibble amicably, the line moves forward into the studio.

SCENE THIRTY THREE:

INT. T.V. STUDIO, DAY:

STUDIO AUDIENCE is rowdy and loudly cheering for their favorites. LOLO is finishing off a match. She is obviously tired. When she is declared winner, she raises up her opponents hand as well. The announcer then tells the audience that the moment they have all been waiting for has come and that after a short break they will be holding the final round. CUT TO:

SCENE THIRTY FOUR:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE STUDIO, SAME TIME:

YOLANTA and TYRONE, standing intimately close together,  are talking.  He is trying to pump her up for the upcoming fight – reminding her, selfishly, how his screen test depends on the prize money. She is her usual arrogant self, saying it’s all set up already and the final round is just for show. BENNY comes around the corner calling YOLANTA’s name and the two jump guiltily apart but not before BENNY sees them.  BENNY  tell YOLANTA it’s time to go on. Then he looks YOLANTA and TYRONE up and down  and then walks on into the studio.

SCENE THIRTY FIVE:

INT. T.V. STUDIO, A FEW MINUTES LATER:

LOLO is already in the ring. She looks tired and is alone. YOLANTA enters to great fanfare, over dressed with a crown on her warm up jacket, trash talking LOLO and trailed by her clique of SKANKS who set up camp outside her corner.  The round begins and YOLANTA does much more strutting than punching.  She is so sure of  her position that she hardly bothers to fight at all, mainly posturing and strutting around the ring. LOLO lands a  couple of good blows and YOLANTA, clearly believing it is all for show, is unfazed. The bell sounds and both girls return to their respective corners LOLO alone and YOLANTA surrounded by her fawning clique. She makes rude gestures to LOLO  and raises her arm a couple of times as if to say “I am the winner.” LOLO takes a sip of water out of a bottle in her corner and the next round begins. Suddenly LOLO is fighting in earnest. YOLANTA is thrown off guard and we see CLOSE UP YOLANTA’S

FACE that she realizes LOLO is fighting for real. She lands some hard punches and the bell sounds. YOLANTA limps over to her corner and looks towards BENNY for assistance with a “what gives” expression. CAMERA SWITCHES TO BENNY, KENNY & LENNY:

SCENE THIRTY SIX:

INT. JUDGES TABLE IN T.V. STUDIO, SAME TIME:

LENNY asks BENNY why he is not taking some action to help YOLANTA when he knows she can’t really fight and is getting her ass badly whipped. Didn’t you promise her the win? BENNY glances over to where TYRONE is standing and then back towards the ring where the final round of the FINAL ROUND is commencing. “You can’t believe everything someone tells you,” he says by way of explanation, as LOLO lands a smashing blow to YOLANTA’S face and YOLANTA falls down, legs & arms splayed totally out  for the count. The referee walks over towards the judges table and after speaking to BENNY, steps up into the ring and announces LOLO the winner and given the check.

SCENE THRITY SEVEN:

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE T.V. STUDIO, DAY:

JOAQUIN, RIKKI & JOHNNY are standing with the crowd waiting to see the contestants leaving the studio. When JOHNNY sees his mother he cries out,  breaks loose and starts running toward LOLO. When she sees JOHNNY she runs towards him. Mother & son are overjoyed to see one another and JOHNNY is babbling about all the fun he has been having with his new TIOS.  LOLO holds out her check to RIKKI who declines to take it.   JOAQUIN looks at RIKKI and asks: “Now what are we going to do when we have to go back to Chui without the money the drugs or the kid. RIKKI tells him he worries too much and that he knows how to deal with CHUI. CHUI is just going to have to let this one go. Then JOAQUIN & RIKKI walk away quibbling good naturedly.

SCENE THIRTY EIGHT:

EXT. CITY STREET OUTSIDE T.V. STUDIO, LATER SAME DAY:

YOLANTA is departing the studio, alone to meet her new sugar daddy.   One of her skankier sidekicks is leaving on the arm of TYRONE. She is telling him how she feels sure she can help him get his screen test better than YOLANTA did because she has a relative in Hollywood.  It is clear that all YOLANTAS friends are all disloyal losers.

SCENE THRITY SEVEN:

INT. LOLO’S APARTMENT, NIGHT:

LOLO, ROBERTO & JOHNNY are eating a healthy dinner. JOHNNY is regaling them with tales of his adventures with the TIOS and it is clear he was well cared for and actually had fun with them. LOLO AND ROBERTO are talking about what they plan to do next. ROBERTO will stay in Chicago and help LOLO with JOHNNY. He has also been offered a assistant manager’s spot at the Corner Club and he is going to take some accounting classes at the local junior college…just to see if he likes them. Meanwhile, a large donation has been made to MARIA & FIN’s gym which will enable them to implement many programs for area youth. Because of the huge success of “FINAL ROUND,” BENNY has been given the green light for a new Reality T.V. Show called “POSER” in which contestants don the clothing props of their dream job or profession and try to convince unsuspecting strangers that they actually are employed in that field. Random strangers are asked to score their job performance.  Following a “candid camera” reveal, contestants scoring highest are given job training and education and introduced to mentors in their chosen career. LOLO, who is now dating BENNY, has been asked to assist with this new show.