GIFT HORSE (5-page short thriller screenplay) by Anthony Cawood

What seems like a chance encounter turns out to be something much more sinister when a muscle-bound gym-rat crosses paths with a bartender who’s grieving the death of his twin sister.

Today’s review was an entry from Week 3 of the annual Writer’s Tournament here at Simply Scripts. Though this one wasn’t the top-rated script that week (based on writer votes), it was right up there. And while it’s probably the easiest to shoot out of all the entries from that week, it was also one of my favorites.

This one-location revenge tale takes a place at a dingy little bar where we meet the bartender, Dominic, who’s grieving the death of his twin sister. It seems like they’re closing up – by the looks of it, it’s been a slow night. Empty. But when a customer named Stevie knocks on the door asking if they’re open, Dominic decides to let him in.

Stevie, a muscle-bound gym-rat, shows up with a coupon he found in his windshield – “Happy Hour: First Five Drinks On Us”. Hell of a deal, right? Maybe TOO good of a deal. Don’t know many bars that give away drinks like that. But business does seem slow, and what better way to bring more patrons in than giving away free booze?

As the two chat alone at the bar, Dominic brings up his late, twin sister, Sinead, who died tragically – oddly, Stevie recognizes the name.

As their conversation continues and we find out more and more about Sinead’s demise, we begin to realize that this encounter at the bar didn’t happen by chance.

Cleverly dark, this taut, tense, one-location revenge thriller would be very easy to film during social distancing and play very well on screen.

BUDGET: Shoe-string. Two actors, one location.

ABOUT THE WRITER: Anthony Cawood is an award-winning screenwriter with one feature produced and a further four features optioned or in pre-production. In addition to features, he has over forty short scripts produced/sold/optioned – including ten filmed. Also occasionally pens screenwriting articles, interviews with writers and filmmakers, and even a short story or two. He can be reached on his website AnthonyCawood.co.uk.

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About the Reviewer: Michael J. Kospiah is the award-winning screenwriter of critically acclaimed indie-thriller, The Suicide Theory (79% Rotten Tomatoes – available on Amazon Prime, Itunes, Google Play, etc) and 2020’s upcoming Aussie thriller, Rage. His horror feature, They Never Left is currently in development.

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