Daily Dialogue — February 25, 2013

INT. KATIE’S OFFICE — CONTINUOUS

The office is small, cold and emotionless — with stacks of psychology books and files strewn about. An attractive young woman, KATIE (24), sits behind a desk reading a file while she eats a rather messy sandwich. Katie takes her job very seriously, but has not quite mastered the art of speaking without sounding like a rigid grad student. Katie looks up as she takes a bite of her sandwich.

KATIE: (mouth full of food) Can I help you?
ADAM: I have an appointment with Dr. McRae.

Katie puts down the sandwich, rises from her seat and puts her hand out to shake Adam’s.

KATIE: Please call me Katie.
ADAM: (confused) You’re Dr. McRae?
KATIE: Katie McRae. You were expecting someone else?

Katie wraps up her sandwich and puts the rest away.

ADAM: Aren’t you supposed to be like sixty-five and wear earth-toned sweaters?
KATIE: (slightly defensive) Why? Did someone say that’s what I look like?
ADAM: No, no, no. I was just expecting someone older.
KATIE: Sorry to disappoint you.
ADAM: So, how old are you?
KATIE: Twenty-four.
ADAM: Twenty-four? What are you like Doogie Howser?
KATIE: Who?
ADAM: Doogie Howser…

Off Katie’s blank look.

ADAM: (CONT’D) …The teenage doctor.
KATIE: Does he work here?

— 50/50 (2011), written by Will Reiser

This week’s Daily Dialogue theme is boy meets girl suggested by TaraPhelps. Today’s suggestion by Teddy Pasternak.

Trivia: While being interviewed by Terry Gross on her National Public Radio program “Fresh Air,” Will Reiser said that he gave Adam’s character a job at a Seattle NPR station because Reiser is a big fan of NPR but he hadn’t ever donated any money to one of their pledge drives.

Dialogue On Dialogue: This scene marks the beginning of three story/character arcs: Adam goes from denial, thinking he is fine mentally, to having a nervous breakdown and realizing he is not fine after all. Katherine goes from being confident that she can handle her new job to accepting that it was too much for her to handle. It is also the beginning of their relationship that goes from professional to personal during the course of the film. It all culminates in this scene that was featured during the confessions of love theme week.