Probably the most tempting thing to do in a script is create a scene where two characters banter back and forth.  It just seems so easy. You set up some kind of conflict and let them talk.

But does that entertain readers and audiences?

Most of the time, “talking heads” scenes don’t deliver anything close to a scene with meaningful action.  But there are some exceptions.  For this article, we’ll focus on one exception and what makes it so entertaining…for a talking heads scene.

In GROSSE POINTE BLANK, Martin Blank (John Cusak) is a “hit man” who has major concerns about returning to his high school reunion and seeing the woman he left on Prom Night 10 years earlier.

In this scene, he is at Dr. Oatman’s office in a therapy session with Oatman (Alan Arkin) and it is a 100% talking heads scene, but it delivers some great drama and comedy.

The script was written by Tom Jankiewicz, D.V. DeVincentis & S.K. Boatman & Steve Pink & John Cusack.

As you read this scene, notice three things:

1. How the dramatic situation gives the dialogue more entertainment value.
2. How both characters are acting out of their own needs and desires.
3. How the banter keeps the scene interesting and funny.

>From the first Act:

NOTE:  Here’s a hook.  Martin has just told us his sad story that ended with a punchline (…killed the President of Paraguay with a fork, how have you been?) and someone is supposed to be taking notes.  Why would be taking notes and why?

NOTE:  We got our answer to the hook, but this has just created more story questions — If he isn’t Martin’s doctor, why would Martin be there telling the sad story?

But there is something more important going on here.  Look at that setup.  Our hit man is forcing a therapist to listen to his problems. But not with a gun.  He has a psychological hold on his therapist. So the scene is done with irony.

30 seconds into the scene, the unique twist gives us a situation and relationship that is interesting from a dramatic and comedic perspective.

This simple twist is a structural tool that gives the dialogue a deeper meaning.  Sometimes, the solution to a dialogue problem is to change the structure of the scene.  In an early draft of this script, they has a normal therapy session where Martin discussed his problems and the therapist replied in a very standard fashion. Their change improved the quality of the scene by ten times or more.

NOTE:  Understatement:  How could someone let a little thing like murder interfere with the therapeutic dynamic?  But also, notice how Martin is having to deal with the issues of his therapist. And it doesn’t stop there.

NOTE:  Martin doesn’t want to be withholding.  It is the opposite of what you would assume of a hit man.  And the subtext line “and I know where you live” tells us why Dr. Oatman has to continue taking these sessions.

NOTE:  Now, the therapist is discussing his own emotions. Again, the opposite of the normal therapy situation, but it makes total sense with this situation.

NOTE:  Finally, check out relationship between these two.  A patient who is truly committed to his therapy is holding the therapist hostage…psychologically.    While the therapist is “withholding” treatment and babbling about his own performance anxiety.

These two are great together!

The scene concludes with Dr. Oatman recommending that Martin go to his high school reunion, but tells him not to kill anybody, which is the primary reason that Martin is going back to Grosse Pointe.

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Dialogue isn’t just about the words.  For banter to work, you need to combine different levels of storytelling.   In this case, they used a structural twist, irony, subtext, conflict, relationship, character, comedy, and interesting words.

Next time you need to solve a dialogue problem, look beneath the surface.  Your solution could come from a stronger plot, structure, conflict, character, or any number of other screenwriting techniques.

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Hal Croasmun is a writer/producer in Los Angeles. http://www.screenwritingu.com/screenwriting-articles