Christopher Nolan - Inception - The Shooting Script

(Fischer nods)

Think of the strangeness of the weather, the shifts in gravity. None of this is real…

(MORE)

COBB (CONT’D)

(beat)

We’re in a dream.

Fischer looks at the room around them. Back to Cobb. All through the bar, patrons turn to look at Cobb IN UNISON.

COBB (CONT’D)

The simplest test of what I’m saying is for you to try and remember anything about the way you arrived in this hotel… okay?

Fischer stares at Cobb, trying to process this. All around them, people STARE at Cobb. Several get up as if to approach.

COBB (CONT’D)

Breathe. Remember the training. Accept the fact that we’re in a dream. That’s why I’m here protecting you.

As Fischer considers this we—

CUT TO:

INT./EXT. VAN ON RAINY STREETS — DAY

Yusuf STRAIGHTENS UP the van, RACING down the street, swerving through traffic and we—

CUT TO:

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BAR — EVENING

The building gradually EASES BACK INTO ALIGNMENT—

FISCHER

So you… you’re not real?

The bar patrons start to ignore Cobb again.

COBB

No. I’m a projection of your subconscious. I was put in place to protect you in the event that extractors pulled you into a dream. I believe that’s what has happened.

Fischer takes this in. Then looks at the Security Men approaching across the crooked floor, he nods at Cobb—

INT. HOTEL LOBBY — EVENING

Cobb escorts Fischer across the lobby. As he does so, he walks past the two CHILDREN, backs to us — Cobb ignores them— The two Sub-security fall in behind. Cobb hurries Fischer up the stairs — then PUSHES him into—

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BATHROOM — CONTINUOUS

Fischer stumbles in — turns to Cobb, angry—

FISCHER

Hey—

Cobb reaches into his jacket — the First Man BURSTS in — Cobb KICKS him to the ground — DRAWS his gun as the SECOND MAN comes through the door, moving towards Fischer—

BLAM! Cobb BLASTS the Second Man in the back — TURNS and SHOOTS the First Man.

FISCHER (CONT’D)

Jesus Christ! What are you doing?!

Cobb turns to Fischer, calm. Convincing.

COBB

Look at the gun in his hand.

Fischer looks: the Second Man was holding a pistol. Cobb opens the First Man’s jacket to show Fischer his holster and sidearm.

COBB (CONT’D)

These men were sent to abduct you.

Cobb pulls out the gun and HANDS it to Fischer.

COBB (CONT’D)

If I’m going to help you, I need you to be calm.

Fischer remembers something.

FISCHER

If this is a dream, I have to kill myself and wake up—

Fischer raises the gun towards his head—

COBB

I wouldn’t do that — they’ve probably got you sedated. If you pull that trigger, you might not wake up, you might drop into a lower dream state.

(MORE)

COBB (CONT’D)

Mr. Fischer, you know all this, you just have to remember it…

Fischer lowers his gun.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR — CONTINUOUS

Saito walks down the corridor, followed by a Security Man.

Saito DUCKS around the corner, moves to a GARBAGE CHUTE and DROPS Fischer’s WALLET into it. He SLIPS into the stairwell as the Security Man comes abreast of the chute and pauses.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR — CONTINUOUS

Arthur leads Ariadne to a particular room: 491.

INT. ROOM 491 — CONTINUOUS

Arthur leads Ariadne in. He opens the closet, opens the room safe, pulls our FOUR BRICKS OF PLASTIC EXPLOSIVE.

ARTHUR

So, if everything’s correct, this room should be directly below 528.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY BATHROOM — CONTINUOUS

Cobb looks reassuringly at Fischer.

COBB

What do you remember from before this dream?

FISCHER

(thinking)

Rain… gunfire… Uncle Peter.

(looks up)

Christ — we’ve been kidnapped.

COBB

Where were they holding you?

FISCHER

They had us… in the back of a van…

COBB

Your body’s bouncing around in the back of a van right now — that explains the gravity shifts.

FISCHER

It was… to do with a safe… Christ, why’s it so hard to remember?

COBB

It’s like trying to remember a dream after you’ve woken up. It takes years of practice to do it easily. So, you and Browning have been pulled into this dream so they can steal something from your mind. What?

FISCHER

They wanted a combination to a safe… they demanded the first numbers to pop into my head.

COBB

That’s them extracting a locator.

FISCHER

A locator?

COBB

A number from your own subconscious. It can be used any number of ways…

(thinking)

This is a hotel. Room numbers. What was the number you gave them?

FISCHER

5, 2… something… it was a long number. 528… 528, 4 something.

COBB

(opens phone)

Well, we know where to start.

(into phone)

Fifth floor.

INT. ROOM 491 — CONTINUOUS

Arthur hangs up the phone. He is standing on a chair, attaching the explosives to the ceiling.

ARIADNE

Do you use a timer?

ARTHUR

No, I have to judge it myself. Once you’re all asleep up in room 528, I wait ’til Yusuf starts his kick…

ARIADNE

How will you know?

ARTHUR

His music warns me it’s coming, then the van hitting the barrier of the bridge should be unmistakable — that’s when I blow the floor out from underneath us and we get a nice synchronized kick. Too soon, and we won’t get pulled out; too late and I won’t be able to drop us.

ARIADNE

Why not?

ARTHUR

The van will be in free fall. I can’t drop us with no gravity.

Arthur finishes setting the charges.

INT. HOTEL LOBBY — CONTINUOUS

Saito moves through the lobby. Browning is coming in the other direction. Saito assumes him to be Eames.

SAITO

I see you’ve changed.

BROWNING

I’m sorry?

Eames comes up behind Browning, catching Saito’s eye.

SAITO

I’m… I mistook you for a friend.

BROWNING

Good-looking fellow, I’m sure.

Browning moves off. Saito approaches Eames.

EAMES

That’s Fischer’s projection of Browning. We’ll keep an eye on how he behaves—

SAITO

Why?

EAMES

How he acts will tell us if Fischer’s starting to suspect his motives the way we want him to.

INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR, FIFTH FLOOR — MOMENTS LATER

Cobb leads Fischer around a corner. Arthur and Ariadne are waiting in the corridor.

COBB

They work for me.

Fischer starts looking at room numbers. Stops at 528. Cobb draws his gun, steps back from the door and KICKS it open.

INT. ROOM 528 — CONTINUOUS

Cobb JUMPS into the room, gun up. The room is empty. Arthur and Ariadne search the room. Saito and Eames arrive. Eames shuts the door. Arthur FINDS something—

ARTHUR

Mr. Charles!

Arthur holds up a MECHANISM CASE. Cobb shows it to Fischer.

COBB

You know what this is?

Fischer’s eyes roam over the dials and plungers.

FISCHER

I think so. But I don’t understand.

COBB

They were going to put you under.

FISCHER

I’m already under.

COBB

Under again.

FISCHER

A dream within a dream?

ARTHUR

Shhhh!

Arthur is at the door. Someone is there. A key goes into the lock- the door starts to open— Arthur REACHES OVER and GRABS the person entering, THROWS THEM TO THE FLOOR — puts his gun in their face. IT IS BROWNING.

Fischer stares, disbelieving, at his own godfather.

FISCHER

Uncle Peter. What’s going on?

Cobb pulls the key from Browning’s hand: ROOM 528.

COBB

You said you were kidnapped together?

FISCHER

Not exactly, they already had him. They’d been torturing him…