Christopher Nolan - Inception - The Shooting Script

MAL

If I go without you, they’ll take them away, anyway.

COBB

What do you mean?

MAL

I filed a letter with our attorney. Explaining how I’m fearful for my safety, how you’ve threatened to kill me…

Cobb looks back at the wrecked hotel suite, PANICKING…

MAL (CONT’D)

I love you, Dom. I’ve freed you from the guilt of choosing to leave them. We’re going home to our real children.

COBB

Out children are here, Mal.

Mal CLOSES HER EYES. Cobb looks for some way to reach her…

MAL

You’re waiting for a train…

COBB

NO! MAL, NO, I CAN’T!

MAL

A train that will take you far away…

COBB

DON’T DO THIS!

MAL

You know where you hope this train will take you, you can’t know for sure…

COBB

DON’T!

MAL

But it doesn’t matter…

COBB

NO!

MAL

Because you’ll be together…

Mal SLIPS FORWARD INTO SPACE. Cobb SCREAMS after her. Then tries to bury his face in the wall…

INT. OFFICE, WAREHOUSE — DAY

Cobb stares as he remembers.

COBB

He letter to the authorities refuted all the claims about her sanity that she knew I’d make…

INT. COBB AND MAL’S KITCHEN — DAY (FLASHBACK)

Cobb stands with the Thin Man, who has a piece of paper.

COBB (V.O.)

She’d had herself declared sane by three different psychiatrists.

Cobb hears a SHOUT- turns to the garden. James CROUCHES, Philippa joins him, examining the ground, FACES UNSEEN…

COBB (V.O.) (CONT’D)

It was impossible for me to explain the nature of her madness…

The Thin Man thrusts the paper into Cobb’s hand.

THIN MAN

Right now. Or never, Cobb.

Cobb turns back to the window — about to call out — James and Philippa RUN OFF. Cobb turns from the window. Looks at the paper in his hand. It is an AIRPLANE TICKET.

COBB (V.O.)

So I ran. And I’ve been running ever since, trying to buy my way back to my family…

INT. OFFICE, WAREHOUSE — DAY

Cobb looks across at Ariadne.

ARIADNE

Psychiatrists judged her sane?

COBB

She was sane. She was just lost in the labyrinth.

ARIADNE

Then why should you blame yourself?

COBB

Because we were a family. And we had a life I would do anything to get back to now. But that reality wasn’t enough for me then.

ARIADNE

It might have been your idea to push the limits, Cobb. But you’re not responsible for the idea that destroyed her. The idea that her world wasn’t real… that was her own idea from her own mind.

Cobb says nothing.

ARIADNE (CONT’D)

Your guilt defines her. Powers her. If we’re going to succeed in this, you’re going to have to forgive yourself, and you’re going to have to confront her. But you don’t have to do it alone.

COBB

You don’t have to do this for me—

ARIADNE

I’m doing it for the others. They don’t know the risk they’ve taken coming in here with you.

Cobb looks at the rooftop opposite, sees a SNIPER take up a position. Cobb shakes his head, frustrated.

COBB

We can’t stay here. Arthur?!

INT. BATHROOM, WAREHOUSE — CONTINUOUS

Browning puts his hand on Fischer’s shoulder.

BROWNING

These people are going to kill us if we don’t give them the combination.

FISCHER

They won’t, they’ll try to ransom us—

BROWNING

I heard them — they’re going to lock us in and run the can into the river.

FISCHER

What is in the safe?

BROWNING

Something for you. Maurice always said it was his most previous gift… a will.

FISCHER

Maurice’s will is with Port and Dunn.

BROWNING

It’s an alternate. It supersedes the other only if you want it to.

FISCHER

What does it say?

BROWNING

It splits all the component businesses of Fischer Morrow into individual companies, transferring ownership to the boards of those companies…

FISCHER

Leaving me nothing?

BROWNING

A basic living. Nothing more. The entire empire would cease to exist.

FISCHER

Destroy my own inheritance? Why would he suggest such a thing?

BROWNING

I don’t know, Robert.

Cobb OPENS the door. Arthur is behind him.

COBB

Come to your senses?

FISCHER

Let us go. I don’t know the combination. Not consciously.

Cobb considers this. Opens his phone. Pulls out his gun.

COBB

Let’s try instinctively. I have someone standing in your father’s office ready to tap in a combination.

He holds the phone to Fischer’s mouth.

COBB (CONT’D)

First six numbers that come into your head. Right now.

FISCHER

I have no idea—

Cobb SWINGS the gun onto Browning—

COBB

RIGHT NOW!

FISCHER

Five, two, eight… four, nine, one.

Cobb lowers his weapon. Listens to the phone. Shakes his head. Shuts the phone.

COBB

You’ll have to do better. Bag ’em.

Arthur puts SACKS over their heads.

INT. WAREHOUSE — CONTINUOUS

Cobb and Arthur drag Fischer and Browning to the van—

FISCHER

We’re worth much more to you alive…

Arthur places Fischer on the back seat — uses a DROPPER to drop LIQUID onto Fischer’s mask — his head SLUMPS FORWARDS. “Browning” yanks the sack from his head- it is now EAMES.

EAMES

(excited)

His relationship with his father’s much worse that we thought.

ARTHUR

That helps us?

Arthur pulls a SNIPER RIFLE from a case by the van.

COBB

The stronger the issues, the more powerful the catharsis.

Cobb motions for Yusuf to follow his upstairs.

ARTHUR

But how do you reconcile them if they’re that estranged?

EAMES

I’m working on that.

Arthur lines up a shot through the window—

ARTHUR

Well, work fast — Fischer’s projections are closing in quick, we need to break out of here before we’re totally boxed in…

Arthur SHOOTS two snipers. Cobb and Yusuf gently load Saito into the van. He groans. Ariadne straps him in, checks his bandages. Arthur can’t get the last sniper — he’s too hidden behind a wall—

EAMES

Shouldn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, Arthur—

Eames lines up a shot with a grenade launcher. Fires — the sniper EXPLODES into the air— Arthur looks at Eames.

EAMES (CONT’D)

Shall we?

They climb into the van—

INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY STREETS — CONTINUOUS

The van pulls out into the rain-drenched streets. Arthur opens the mechanism case and hands out tubes—

COBB

Shifting Fischer’s antipathy from his father onto Browning should work.

EAMES

We need the imagery, the words…

ARIADNE

So you destroy his one positive relationship?

COBB

No. We repair his relationship with his father and expose his godfather’s true nature.

EAMES

Hell, we should be charging Fischer as much as Saito.

ARTHUR

What about his security? It’s going to get worse as we go deeper.

COBB

We bring in Mr. Charles.

ARTHUR

No.

EAMES

Who’s Mr. Charles?

ARTHUR

A bad idea.

COBB

Arthur, the second we approach Fischer in that hotel, they’re gonna mow us down — we run with Mr. Charles like on the Stein job.

EAMES

So you’ve done it before?

ARTHUR

Sure. But it didn’t work. The subject realized he was dreaming and his subconscious tore us to pieces.

Eames takes this in.

EAMES

You learned a lot, though. Right?

COBB

(to Eames)

I’ll need a decoy.

EAMES

No problem. How about a pretty young lady I’ve used before?