The Meeting
A tense negotiation between two rival mafia bosses takes place in a seedy motel room.
Who doesn’t love a good crime drama?
Just as linguine must be dressed in just the proper red sauce, so must mob stories marinate in conflict to get things (cue the chef hand signal) “just” right.
As Armand Arekian’s The Meeting opens, mob bosses Vincent and Salvatore face off in a seedy motel room. From the start, it’s a territorial pissing contest. Their crime dominions have overlapped. Someone’s guaranteed to get hurt. As to who, that depends: who has bigger cojones? In this particular struggle for dominance, which alpha male will blink first?
As the two negotiate, one thing’s clear: neither of these men are push overs.
On the table is a bottle of whiskey and an open backpack full of cash. Vincent glances at his watch, impatient, then looks up at Salvatore.
VINCENT
You're late, Sal. Time is money,
and I don't have either to fucking waste.
Salvatore smirks, taking a slow sip of his whiskey and glancing at the backpack.
SALVATORE
You always were a fucking stickler for time, Vincent.
But we're here now. Let's get down to business.
Vincent eyes Salvatore warily, leaning back in his chair.
VINCENT
We've been at this shit for too long, Sal.
Our territories are overlapping,
and it's causing problems for both our families.
Hmmm – perhaps it’s finally time for a truce? Or a pay-off?
Or… maybe a doublecross?
What will happen next? And… will Martin Scorsese or Francis Ford Coppola be involved?
Or… will YOU be the next director to usher in a crime/mob gem?
Single location with a deliciously effective surprise twist, The Meeting is a very budget friendly short that mob-focused directors should take an interest in… ‘cause ignoring a cinema gem like this would be a crime!