The Shirley Brothers Comeback by Alana Gerdes | Script Revolution

The Shirley Brothers Comeback

A former child star is forced to reboot his career with the help of his no-good brother to settle his debt to the mob, finding that dirty money goes a long way in Hollywood.

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Page Count: 
92pp

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Synopsis/Details: 

In present-day Beverly Hills, former child star Jackie Shirley spends his days hanging out with his no-good brother Roddy, being a pain in his famous neighbors’ butts, and occasionally getting stalked by quick-witted paparazzi Lola. One day the brothers get kidnapped by cartel boss Hector who demands to be paid back the money Roddy owes him. Despite being broke, Jackie helps his brother out by striking a deal whereby he makes a movie to launder Hector’s dirty money to pay off the debt.

Jackie and Roddy manage to pull together a cast and crew, including a 1980s action movie star, an aspiring starlet, and a cowardly stuntman, and begin to shoot. While Jackie enjoys his return to the spotlight, Roddy gets pushed back into the shadow of his famous baby brother. One night Roddy acts out, involuntarily bringing Jackie into danger once again. Fed up with his shenanigans, Jackie kicks him out for good. To make ends meet, Roddy starts working outside the studio lot where he overhears a cartel member mentioning their plan to kill Jackie on the night of the premiere to cash in his life insurance and use his death as an excuse to pull back his movie and use it as a tax write-off. Roddy warns his brother, and together with Lola, who by that time found out about their dealings with the cartel, decide to take matters into their own hands.

On the night of the star-studded premiere the Shirley brothers and Lola set up a trap to catch the cartel in the act. However, Hector manages to use a hidden explosive device to shoot a bullet at Jackie, who luckily survives. Hector escapes, and Roddy, finding his chance to shine, follows him on an exhilarating car chase through Hollywood until he catches him with the help of some famous friends. As Roddy proves that you don’t have to be in a movie to be a star, Jackie comes to accept that despite all the fortune and fame, family matters the most.

All Accolades & Coverage: 

Quarterfinalist, Table Read My Screenplay Competition Hollywood 2023
Semifinalist, Scriptation Showcase - Features + Shorts Category 2023
Quarterfinalist, Filmmatic Comedy Screenplay Awards Season 8
Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition Quarterfinalist 2024

Submitted: August 17, 2023
Last Updated: January 5, 2024

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This Script Is Loved By 3 Readers

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The Writer: Alana Gerdes

Alana is a Swiss-Australian citizen with a background in financial crime compliance who specializes in writing feature film scripts in the genres of crime, action, comedy, and romance. Her stories are driven by complex yet relatable characters, engaging the audience with sharp dialogues and current themes. Self-motivated and committed to developing original material, she gained recognition in multiple screenwriting competitions. Go to bio

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