You Can Count on Me: A Screenplay

by Kenneth Lonergan

Acclaimed playwright Kenneth Lonergan’s You Can Count on Me is one of the most highly praised independent films of recent years, earning many of the major screenplay awards.This is the lovingly drawn story of a sister and brother’s complicated, fragile, but somehow enduring bond. Sammy and Terry Prescott were orphaned as children. Sammy, now the single mother of a young son, has stayed in their hometown and is an officer at the local bank. Terry has become something of a drifter, surfacing only when he needs money. Sammy’s own life has its she puts off an old boyfriend’s proposal and begins an affair with her new boss. Together in their family home, Terry’s charming irresponsibility collides with Sammy’s confusion over her own actions. What remains unspoken is what they’ve known since they were left with only each other sixteen years before.

Genres: Drama

128 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2002

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember when we were kids, remember what we always used to say to each other...? Remember when we were kids?
Of course I do...

[Nick Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i feel sorry for them (77:00)

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent script!

[Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Your Mom’s gonna live in this town for the rest of her life, and you know why? Because she thinks she has to.”

[Chelsey Cosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated the slice of life in a dysfunctional broken home that screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan depicted in his critically acclaimed screenplay. His words flow beautifully and his dialogue is natural. You can understand how You Can Count On Me received an Oscar nomination. It deservedly touts that title. I disliked the conclusion -- too abrupt, in my humble opinion -- and yet I enjoyed the experience of reading the script all the same. If you're willing to just go along for the ride and accept it as is, I think most will equally enjoy this screenplay. I would recommend it.

[Rob Kotaska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have to see the film again.