I love the opening of this movie. In the first scene you find out everything you need to know about the main characters (Parker and Longbaugh). The script opens with them leaning on a random car setting off the alarm. A hipster, his smartass girlfriend and his friends come out. Parker and Longbaugh aren't looking for a fight but they're not going to back down either. The girlfriend keeps saying things to rile Parker and Longbaugh, so when the inevitable fight happens Parker dodges the hipster's punch and punches the girlfriend breaking her nose. After this they proceed to get their asses kicked by the hipster's friends. This shows us that our heroes are really anti-heroes - morally grey and not above hitting a girl.
The opening scene as shot is similar but a little different and actually funnier:
Another thing that's interesting about the screenplay is that after this scene it goes into a sequence that no one could ever expect to make it into the film, but it informs the tone of the story and the backstory of the characters, but isn't really necessary, but makes for a fun read.
This movie is worth it for the opening alone, and it shows the power of a strong opening. I would have long forgotten about this movie, if it wasn't for Sarah Silverman getting her nose broken in the opening. That's not to say the rest of the script isn't great, because it is, but without that opening I'm not sure I would have gone back to read it as part of the 30 days, but whenever I think of a strong opening it's this movie and Silence of the Lambs as the films I use as examples of openings that really inform character. Silence opens with Starling running through the obsticle course, when she gets the call. She gets into an elevator and she is surrounded by men who are all head and shoulders taller than her.
Oddly enough yesterday and today's script have both featured Benecio Del Toro in the opening sequence.
Way of the Gun: http://www.sendspace.com/file/bvj12b
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