Finding Paradise

Logline:

A family boating trip turns tragic when a surprise storm capsizes the boat and an eleven-year-old boy drowns. His grieving mom becomes preoccupied with fears of losing another child, fears that are magnified when her teenager rebels and pushes her away.


Pitch:


A family boating trip turns tragic when the boat capsizes in a surprise storm and Jill’s eleven-year-old son drowns. Preoccupied with keeping her other two boys safe to manage her guilt and blame, Jill tries to control their family life; but, the more family time she plans, the angrier teenage Jake becomes. Making matters worse, her husband always takes his side. 

Meanwhile, Jake thinks his mom only wants to spend time with him on her terms and he hates that she’s trying to pawn him off on a therapist. He starts sluffing school, stealing the car, and acting cagey about his whereabouts which fuels Jill’s worries that she’ll lose yet another child – especially when she learns Jake is hanging out with a kid who seems like a bad influence. When she confronts Jake, her accusation that he’s doing drugs infuriates him, and he runs away. Jill realizes she needs to ease up and trust Jake to make his own choices or risk losing him for good.



Line of the Week:


Nothing is worse than life continuing. Realizing you’re expected to be part of it. That’s what no one properly understands. That you’re not superhuman. You don’t have excess strength. You’re just pretending to be functioning, cloaked in a body that looks like you. But Real You is trapped inside, screaming, screaming, screaming to give you back your son.



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