Summary of Production Script

After receiving his annual employee evaluation from his new, young, boss, twenty-year factory veteran Karl Reynolds is ready for any solution to help him keep his job. A flyer left on his windshield provides him with one possibility a new business called "Solutions by Hellinger," promising "permanent solutions to pressing problems."

Karl decides to look into it. Though his best friend and co-worker, Eddie Kerrigan is skeptical, he goes along to prove to Karl that the whole thing is a con. By the time the owner of the company, the beautiful Miss Hellinger, has finished her sales pitch, they're ready to sign up.

The men stop by their favorite watering hole, Pauly's Place, to grab a bite to eat and visit Eddie's sister, Donna, a waitress at Pauly's and Pauly's fiance. They walk in on problems. Business is so bad at Pauly's that Donna has applied for a job with Pauly's rival, leading them to the verge of a break-up. Karl and Eddie convince Donna to get a solution from Miss Hellinger as well. 

Miss Hellinger does indeed provide her customers with solutions to their problems, but not necessarily in the manner they were expecting.

Excerpt from Production Script

MUSIC: LOW MUSIC THROUGHOUT SCENE IN BAR

KARL:
Your sister's a pretty nice girl. Maybe that Hellinger guy can help her and Pauly.

EDDIE:
Who?

KARL:
Hellinger. From the ad on the windshield.

EDDIE:
Karl, will you forget about that garbage.

KARL:
It was just a thought.

EDDIE:
I'm tellin' you, it's a stupid book or something. It's just a come-on.

PAULY:
(APPROACHING) What's just a come-on?

SFX: DISHES PLACED ON TABLE

EDDIE:
Show Pauly the ad. He'll tell you the same thing I did. Go on. Show him.

KARL:
All right. It's right here in my pocket.

SFX: PAPER RUSTLING

EDDIE:
It's an ad for some fake self-help guy or something.

PAULY:
Hey, you know, I got one of these ads this morning.

KARL:
Really?

PAULY:
Yeah. It was taped to the door when I got here to open.

EDDIE:
This Hellinger guy gets around.

PAULY:
I don't know about that. Nobody else on the block got one.

KARL:
That's weird.

PAULY:
Yeah. Look, Donna's putting up an order. I'd better go before I lose whatfew customers I got left. See you later.

KARL:
You see, Eddie, it's just like at the plant. My car was the only one with the ad.

EDDIE:
So what? Hellinger sees Pauly's new competition and figures he might be a ripe sucker. Don't prove a thing.

KARL:
What about my car? He couldn't have known about me and Weston.

EDDIE:
He probably took one look at your heap and figured you could use all the help you can get. 

KARL:
(DRYLY) Very funny. You're a heck of a comedian.

EDDIE:
Think, Karl. We was parked by the gate.

KARL:
Yeah?

EDDIE:
And, he probably only got one flyer put out before the guard chased him off.

KARL:
Could be, but I'm keeping the ad.

EDDIE:
Why?

KARL:
In case it's legit.

EDDIE:
You're hopeless, Karl. Hopeless.

KARL:
You don't understand, Eddie. Ever since my Gladys died, my job is all I'vegot left. I'm not losing it because of Weston.

EDDIE:
(LOSING PATIENCE) Okay, Karl. All right. You're so sure this is fate or somethin'. I'll tell you what. You call Hellinger and tell him your problem. And, if he's got some real solution to dealing with Weston, and I mean areal solution, then I'll split the cost with you. After all, I'm not on Weston's Christmas card list either. Deal?

KARL:
Deal. Why are you doing this?

EDDIE:
Just to prove to you how idiotic this idea is.

KARL:
Maybe it's not idiotic.

EDDIE:
Come on, Karl. It's got to be a fraud. After all, hit men don't advertise with flyers.

MUSIC: BRIDGE

KARL:
Push the button for the elevator.

EDDIE:
I still can't believe we're doin' this.

KARL:
Look, the lady on the phone said this wasn't a course or a book. That it's legit.

EDDIE:
Then what is it?

KARL:
She said we'd find out only if we came in.

SFX: ELEVATOR INDICATOR BELL

SFX: ELEVATOR DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING

EDDIE:
I still say this is crazy. And a waste of a perfectly good Sunday afternoon.

KARL:
We're not out anything yet. Let's just see what he has to say.

EDDIE:
We're just about to the fourth floor. Are you sure you want to go through with this?

KARL:
(IMPATIENTLY) For the last time, I'm sure.

SFX: ELEVATOR HUM STOPS, DOORS SLIDE OPEN

SFX: TWO SETS OF FOOTSTEPS

KARL:
There's the office. Let's go.

EDDIE:
Yeah, before I change my mind.

SFX: OFFICE DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING

KARL:
(SOFTLY) Look at this place. Nice, huh?

EDDIE:
Yeah. Too nice. It's a con, Karl. Let's get out of this place.

KARL:
(FIRMLY) No.

HELLINGER:
Hello, gentlemen. Can I help you?

KARL:
Uh, we have an appointment to see Mr. Hellinger.

HELLINGER:
Your names?

KARL:
Karl Reynolds and Eddie Kerrigan.

HELLINGER::
Come on back, gentlemen.

EDDIE:
(WHISPERING) Good lookin' secretary, huh?

SFX: DOOR CLOSING

HELLINGER:
Now, then, why don't you tell me what brings you here on this beautiful Sunday afternoon?

KARL:
We'd rather tell Mr. Hellinger himself.

HELLINGER:
I'm Hellinger. Only I'm obviously not a mister

EDDIE:
Obviously not.

HELLINGER:
So, gentlemen, what problem can I help you with?

KARL:
Well, it's about my boss.

HELLINGER:
And his name?

KARL:
Brad Weston. He's making our lives miserable down at the plant.

HELLINGER:
How so?

EDDIE:
For one thing, he outlawed smokin' anywhere in the buildin.' By the time we get outside for a cigarette, break time's over.

HELLINGER:
That's too bad, but, somewhat trivial for the type of service I provide.

KARL:
It's not just that, Miss Hellinger. He's constantly riding our case. Everybody's case really. At least, all of us who's been there a long time.

HELLINGER:
I see. Just how serious is this?

KARL:
To most people, it's probably not very serious. But my job is all I have left. My wife passed away a couple of years ago. I don't have anything else.

HELLINGER:
I understand, and I think I can help you. Now, you should understand, my services are fairly expensive.

EDDIE:
Naturally.

HELLINGER:
My services are expensive, but I've never had a dissatisfied client.

EDDIE:
Can you name some of your happy clients. Just so we can prove it to ourselves.

HELLINGER:
I'm sorry, Mr. Kerrigan, but my client list is confidential.

KARL:
That's okay, Miss Hellinger. I think we can trust you.

EDDIE:
Just remember, we don't get a lot of money.

HELLINGER:
We'll work out the financial details later. (FADING OUT) First, how wouldyou gentlemen like to go on a little trip?

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