SCENES
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Scene Map 60
# PG SLUGLINE
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INT EXT INT/EXT hover for full slug
Scene Map
60
# PG SLUGLINE
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INT. SWEET SIXTEEN’S DANCEFLOOR - NIGHT A super-depressing dancefloor on a Thursday night. 2-For-1 shots and a sticky floor. The kind of last-resort place people end up after work having accidentally nailed ten “just one” drinks.
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INT. SWEET SIXTEEN’S UPSTAIRS BAR - MOMENTS LATER CASSANDRA is haphazardly looking through her purse. JEZ approaches. JEZ You ok? What are you looking for?
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INT. SWEET SIXTEEN’S UPSTAIRS BAR - LATER JEZ returns. No phone. JEZ No phone in there. I’m sorry. Are you going to be ok?
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INT. PICKUP - LATER The Pickup driver, MONTY, glances at CASSANDRA in the mirror. The window is down and the wind is in her face, she’s desperately trying to sober up. MONTY
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INT. JEZ’S APARTMENT - LATER A small, messy apartment, gaming cords tangled on the floor, dishes stacked up. JEZ comes in and turns the lights on, picking up a few things from the floor and throwing them on a chair. We’ve seen this move in many a bro movie: this could
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INT. JEZ'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER JEZ’s leads her to his bed and she falls down onto it. He looks down on her. A beat. Then he gets on the bed beside her. Trailing his fingers up and down her stomach. She closes her eyes.
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EXT. STREET - DAWN The music continues on bare feet walking down a disgusting sidewalk- unidentified puddles and cigarette butts. A spatter of what looks like blood hits the paving stones. As we pull out we reveal CASSANDRA, in last night’s clothes, high heels
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - LATER CASSANDRA sits behind the cashier’s desk of a multi-colored, hipster coffee shop. She stares at the wall. Her boss, GAIL, 40s, wonderful, is cleaning the coffee machine.
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - LATER Bored, CASSIE is cleaning a table at the back of the coffee shop. Two OLDER GUYS are sitting at a table, talking, colleagues having a coffee after work, nicely dressed- clean shaven. Respectable.
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - DAY CASSANDRA is looking after the coffee shop, reading an old copy of ‘Careful How You Go’ by Lily Ann Frith. She yawns. The bell jingles and a customer comes in- she ignores it. MAN (O.S.)
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INT. CASSANDRA’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT CASSANDRA is putting on make-up in the mirror. She’s wearing a tight slogan t-shirt, plaid shirt and tight jeans. Fake lip-ring. The deadpan hipster dream girl. Her laptop is open, and she is following a babbling make-up tutorial on youtube.
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INT. NEIL’S APARTMENT - LATER CASSANDRA sits precariously on the couch of a small, hipster apartment. The decorating style is Lit-Student-chic: a poster of a french movie, paperbacks stacked everywhere. 22
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INT. NEIL'S APARTMENT - LATER A few minutes later and NEIL is bringing back a glass of water. CASSANDRA is passed out face down on the couch. He looks at her, sleeping. He’s kind of annoyed. Then- He nudges her.
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INT. CASSANDRA’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT CASSANDRA adds a little line to her book. Writes the name “Neil”. She sighs. All those names. She looks over at a picture on her bedside table. Two young girls hugging each other. She smiles.
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - AFTERNOON CASSANDRA and GAIL are unpacking boxes. GAIL Woah. CASSANDRA
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY CASSANDRA is wearing a pretty, slightly-too-short floral dress. She creeps across the hallway, trying to avoid her parents who are watching tv in the tv room. SUSAN (O.S.)
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INT. THE HAWT DOG - DAY CASSANDRA and RYAN are mid-date and it’s going well. CASSANDRA How did she get a skeleton’s hand up there?
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EXT. RYAN’S APARTMENT - EVENING RYAN and CASSANDRA are walking down the street. There’s a somewhat awkward, expectant silence. RYAN You think we look like father and
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - MORNING Breakfast. Everyone in their spot. CASSANDRA looks hollowed out. STANLEY Did you and your friend have a nice
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - DAY CASSANDRA is staring into space, worrying she’s made a mistake with RYAN. A gorgeous COUPLE sit in the corner. They are laughing hysterically. GAIL
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INT. BATHORY HOSPITAL - WAITING ROOM - EVENING A red balloon floats in the corner of a ceiling. We reveal CASSANDRA looking up at it. She’s sitting in a hospital waiting room with a few patients. RYAN (O.S.)
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - DAY GAIL and CASSANDRA are cleaning the shop listening to the radio. CASSANDRA starts humming along. GAIL stares at her. GAIL Oh my god.
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - EVENING RYAN is waiting at a table a little awkwardly as GAIL scrutinizes him. CASSANDRA locks up. GAIL
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - LATER CASSANDRA is in her bedroom trying to avoid looking at the laptop on her desk. She’s trying to stay calm, but we can feel the tension building. To stop herself, she reaches for the book under the bed, and
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INT. HOTEL ST. JOAN RESTAURANT - DAY CASSANDRA sits in a upmarket hotel restaurant. She is dressed for success, her hair has been blown out. 51 A waiter, ALFRED, brings over a champagne bottle and a ginger
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INT. HOTEL ST. JOAN RESTAURANT - LATER The room is thinning out. ALFRED supervises as BUSBOY clears the table after what has obviously been a long lunch. MADISON is pretty drunk and gabbling. MADISON
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INT. HOTEL ST. JOAN RESTAURANT - BAR - MOMENTS LATER CASSANDRA walks up to TONY, a well-dressed, handsome young man who has been sitting at the bar. She gets an envelope out of her purse, and a room key. TONY
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - DAY On CASSIE’S phone vibrating. It’s MADISON. It rings off, and reveals: 13 MISSED CALLS. CASSANDRA looks down at the phone impassively. A few seconds as she thinks what to do. Then- She picks up her phone, and dials. Voicemail.
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EXT. FORREST UNIVERSITY - DAY CASSANDRA strides past a “Forrest University” sign, marching through GRAD STUDENTS toward the building’s doors. INT. FORREST UNIVERSITY WAITING ROOM - DAY CASSANDRA disdainfully reads the cheesy university’s
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INT. CAR - DAY Close on CASSANDRA. Wagner’s “Liebestod” play on the radio. She’s sitting with her face against the steering wheel. She’s almost in a fugue state. What the hell did she just do? Through the music, she becomes aware of a loud honking. It’s
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EXT. CASSANDRA’S HOUSE - EVENING CASSANDRA gets out of her car to find RYAN waiting outside her house. She’s still on the edge, in no state of mind to see him. CASSANDRA
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER SUSAN is sitting at the table, reading a magazine. CASSANDRA tries to creep past without stopping. No chance. 78 SUSAN
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EXT. BLUE STAR BAR - LATER PAUL, wearing a fedora, is walking CASSANDRA out, her head is lolling. PAUL looks at his phone. PAUL Fucking surge prices.
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INT. CASSANDRA’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY The following morning, and things are looking bleak in the cold light of day. CASSIE looks down at her book. She’s starting to look and feel a little scary. 85
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EXT. JORDAN’S HOUSE - DAY CASSANDRA steps up to the front door of a nice, suburban house. She doesn’t look so good, everything is starting to take a toll. She rings the doorbell. A good looking, middle-aged man opens the door. Unshaven, a
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INT. JORDAN’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER JORDAN leads CASSIE into his modern, expensive living room, which has seen better days. Curtains drawn, dead flowers, overflowing ashtrays. He notices her glance at a stack of dirty plates and coffee cups.
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EXT. JORDAN’S HOUSE - DAY CASSANDRA walks to her car. We reveal a timid, middle-aged man, SIMON, leaning against her car. He sees her. MAN Do I go in now?
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EXT. NINA’S HOUSE - DAY CASSANDRA is standing across the street from Nina’s house. It’s similar to her own, just another anonymous suburban street. She’s trying not to cry. 91
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INT. RYAN’S APARTMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY - EVENING CASSANDRA waits nervously in the hallway of RYAN’s apartment. He answers the door. Not pleased to see her. RYAN Oh great. You.
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT CASSANDRA stares at AL MONROE’S BACHELOR PARTY PAGE. She spots RYAN on his time line. “Sorry I can’t make it, bro! Have a great time.” She looks at AL’s stupid face, all his douchey friends. She
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INT. RYAN’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT MONTAGE: CASSIE and RYAN watching movies in bed eating the pharmacy snacks, as Paris Hilton serenades us. INT. RYAN’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY MONTAGE:
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INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - DAY MONTAGE: CASSIE and RYAN kissing as CASSIE sits on the counter. INT. MAKE ME COFFEE SHOP - DAY MONTAGE: CASSIE, RYAN, and GAIL are eating cupcakes. GAIL
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INT. CASSANDRA’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT SUSAN brings a big bowl of salad from the kitchen and sets it down on the dining room table. Where CASSANDRA, RYAN and STANLEY are waiting somewhat nervously, bowls full of spaghetti in front of them. It’s a little awkward.
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INT. CASSANDRA’S HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATER SUSAN and STANLEY are doing the dishes. We hear the front door close, and CASSANDRA reappears. CASSANDRA He says he wants the sauce recipe,
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INT. RYAN’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY CASSIE and RYAN are in bed. RYAN Your mom’s pretty hot. CASSANDRA
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EXT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - DAY CASSANDRA, in an incredibly good mood, is walking to her house with groceries, when a woman gets out of her car and walks across the street to her. It is MADISON MCPHEE. CASSIE had completely forgotten.
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATER MADISON follows CASSIE into the living room nervously. She’s dreading this. CASSANDRA You need some water or something?
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATER CASSANDRA looks at the blackberry in her hands. She has to watch it. She knows she has to. She starts to play the video. We can hear it but not see it: we stay on her face. It is terrible, horrifying.
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INT. BATHORY HOSPITAL - LATER A small smear of blood on an industrial floor. We reveal CASSIE, in the waiting room, staring down at it. She’s waiting for RYAN. He appears. RYAN
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INT. BATHORY HOSPITAL - RYAN’S OFFICE - LATER RYAN takes CASSANDRA into his office. RYAN What’s going on? CASSANDRA looks at him, heartbroken.
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY CASSANDRA puts her head around the door. SUSAN is gluing shells onto a box. CASSANDRA Hey, Mom. I’m going away for the
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EXT. CABIN HOUSE - EVENING We follow CASSANDRA as she walks up to a isolated house in the middle of the woods. Her high heels are in her hands. EXT. CABIN HOUSE - EVENING/NIGHT CASSANDRA finishes putting on her shoes on and rings the
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INT. CABIN HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT A peeling bedroom. Plaid, old mouldering boar heads, and a needlepoint sign which reads “Yeeeh Haw!” above the bed. We can hear the music thumping from downstairs. AL MONROE
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INT. CABIN - BEDROOM - MORNING We are in the exact same place at the night before. A shaft of light on the bed from above. AL is still on the bed, one hand still handcuffed to a post. He’s been up all night, unable to get out of it: his wrist is bleeding. A scratch
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EXT. WOODS - DAY “Something Wonderful” from The King And I plays over the next few scenes. A thick plume of black smoke rises above the trees. EXT. WOODS - DAY
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INT. CASSANDRA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY Two cops, LINCOLN, a kindly, seasoned detective and TODD, his smart, young partner, are interviewing a terrified SUSAN and STANLEY. SUSAN
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INT. BATHORY HOSPITAL - RYAN’S OFFICE - DAY RYAN is working when he hears a knock on the door. It’s LINCOLN. LINCOLN Are you Dr. Cooper?
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EXT. LAWN - DAY A beautiful day. A beautiful “artisan” woodland wedding. AL gazes at his beautiful wife. We can just see a band aid on his neck above his collar. He and ANASTASIA exchange vows to a ukulele version of
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INT. JORDAN’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY MONTAGE: Jordan opens a package. Inside is MADISON’s blackberry. He reads the letter that accompanies it. We catch a couple of sentences. “In the event of my disappearance...Friday May
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EXT. LAWN - DAY - MOMENTS LATER “No Regrets” still playing, RYAN opens the scheduled text. “Lucky I got insurance!” He looks up, sirens are coming into the drive. A line of police cars. The beautiful guests all turn to look, confused.
INT EXT INT/EXT tap to expand

Promising young woman

A woman on a mission to expose the hypocrisy of men who prey on intoxicated women finds her own life irrevocably changed. Other loglines ›

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Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

What sets 'Promising Young Woman' apart is its fearless approach to addressing the themes of sexual violence and societal complicity through a darkly comedic lens. The protagonist's journey of revenge is both relatable and unsettling, making it compelling for audiences who seek narratives that challenge societal norms and provoke thought. The screenplay's unique blend of genres—thriller, drama, and dark comedy—ensures it appeals to a wide audience while delivering a powerful message.

AI Verdict

How to read these: in industry coverage, Pass is the default outcome for the majority of professional scripts, and Consider means the reader stayed in the room. Industry-wide, the median professional evaluation sits at a 6 — scores of 8+ are rare everywhere, on purpose.

Synthesis Where readers agree and split
7.9

A championable elevated commercial thriller anchored by a distinctive tonal inversion and a structurally bold posthumous payoff, requiring targeted work on midsection causality and third-act setup before it can secure a strong recommend.

Read as Elevated commercial Specialty
Genres Thriller5 Drama5 Comedy2 Crime1 Dark comedy1

An elevated commercial revenge thriller that uses dark satire and a controlled, predatory protagonist to test complicity, balancing genre momentum with thematic inquiry and emotional weight.

Why not lower

The script's distinctive voice, tonal control, and structurally bold opening and closing sequences clear the Recommend band on craft alone.

Why not higher

The middle act's causal looseness and the late reliance on unseeded contingency mechanics prevent the read from sustaining the intensity required for a higher verdict.

Rewrite map

A script with a distinctive tonal inversion and a structurally bold posthumous payoff that needs targeted work on midsection causality and third-act setup to sustain its forward pull.

Read as Elevated commercial / Specialty

Start here

Introducing a single compounding constraint or visible consequence after sequence 9 addresses both the middle act's episodic repetition and the Ryan relationship's lack of pressure, making the campaign feel cumulative rather than additive.

What's working 1
Nina's intimate presence and moral complexity

The script grounds the revenge plot in specific, ordinary memories and shared artifacts, while allowing secondary targets moments of genuine remorse that complicate the desire for simple punishment.

Protect while fixing 2
Reversed predatory gaze and tonal control

Tightening the middle act's causal chain risks proceduralizing the encounters and flattening the deliberate tonal friction between dark satire and genuine menace.

Keep the confrontations anchored in the protagonist's performed vulnerability and the script's visual inversion of the male gaze, resisting the urge to over-explain the thematic mechanics in action lines.

Posthumous structural payoff

Clarifying the contingency plan's mechanics could over-explain the ending and soften the tragic impact of the protagonist's absence.

Seed the trigger mechanism subtly without detailing the full chain, ensuring the final sequence remains a thematic culmination of her legacy rather than a procedural wrap-up.

Fix first 3
Midsection encounters lack causal accumulation

The reader loses forward pull as intense confrontations resolve in isolation without altering the protagonist's situation or raising the stakes for the next sequence.

Root cause

The encounters are designed as thematic variations rather than a causal chain, so each sequence resets to a similar tactical and emotional baseline instead of compounding pressure.

One direction

Thread a visible consequence or changing constraint through the middle act so each encounter forces a tactical shift or raises the personal cost for the next.

Ryan relationship setup and complicity reveal

The reader's emotional investment in the final betrayal wavers because the relationship's foundation and the reveal's setup feel either underdeveloped or conveniently delivered.

Root cause

The script establishes Ryan as a genuine romantic alternative without planting a pattern of subtle avoidance or complicity, making the video reveal land as an external twist rather than an earned rupture.

One direction

Seed one or two deniable moments of Ryan's discomfort or deflection around the past incident earlier, so the reveal feels like a pattern the reader missed rather than a sudden plot turn.

Third-act contingency and climax mechanics

The reader's sense of catharsis at the wedding arrests is undercut by uncertainty about how the protagonist's disappearance converts into police action, making the payoff feel convenient rather than inevitable.

Root cause

The posthumous contingency plan is withheld until the final montage, leaving the evidentiary chain and trigger mechanism unestablished before the protagonist leaves for the cabin.

One direction

Plant a brief, early glimpse of the contingency trigger or evidence chain so the final arrests read as the execution of a visible plan rather than a late-stage convenience.

Your decisions 1
Posthumous payoff: concealed surprise vs. seeded inevitability Consequential
Side A

Committing to seeded inevitability means planting the contingency trigger early, which strengthens causal clarity but risks telegraphing the protagonist's fate.

Side B

Committing to concealed surprise means withholding the mechanism until the final montage, preserving the tragic shock but asking the reader to accept a late-stage logistical leap.

Quick credibility wins 1
Strip authorial commentary and overwritten action emphasis

Remove explanatory action lines that name the genre joke or emotional shift, and replace capitalized exclamations with clean, behavior-driven staging that trusts the scene to land.

Ask AI about this read
Would readers champion it · Rewrite depth · Voice · Score stability
What's working All 5 readers agree

The script's distinctive tonal inversion and controlled performance of vulnerability establish a clear, championable identity that survives skeptical discussion.

What's blocking All 5 readers agree

The middle act's episodic repetition and the late-stage contingency ambiguity prevent the script from sustaining the cumulative pressure required for a higher advocacy call.

Would readers champion it?
Not yetNot yetReaders wouldn’t actively push for it.
Early interestEarly interestMentioned, but no real push behind it.
ModeratelyModeratelyMentioned favorably to the right buyer.
StronglyStronglyActively championed across their network.
ClaudeStronglyGeminiStronglyDeepSeekModeratelyGPT5ModeratelyGrokModerately
How much rewrite does it need?
Start from scratchStart from scratchPremise or core engine isn’t working. Page-one rebuild.
Structural rewriteStructural rewriteSpecific acts or zones need rebuilding — not starting over, but significant revision work on those sections.
Targeted rewriteTargeted rewriteSpecific scenes or threads need rework. ~1 month.
Just polishJust polishLines and pacing tweaks. A few weeks.
ClaudeTargeted rewriteDeepSeekTargeted rewriteGPT5Targeted rewriteGrokTargeted rewriteGeminiJust polish
How distinctive is the voice?
GenericGenericReads like other scripts in the genre.
EmergingEmergingHints of a distinctive voice, not yet locked in.
DistinctiveDistinctiveA clear, recognizable authorial voice.
One-of-a-kindOne-of-a-kindA voice that couldn’t be anyone else’s.
ClaudeDistinctiveDeepSeekDistinctiveGPT5DistinctiveGrokDistinctiveGeminiOne-of-a-kind

On the score: The score sits at the high edge of its band — a focused revision could push it to the next verdict.

Story Facts
Genres:
Drama 50% Thriller 30% Romance 20% Comedy 10% Crime 15%

Setting: Contemporary, Various locations including a bar, coffee shop, university, suburban homes, and a cabin in the woods

Themes: Justice and Revenge, Trauma and Healing, Identity and Self-Discovery, Societal Pressures and Expectations

Conflict & Stakes: Cassandra's struggle to confront her traumatic past and seek justice for her friend Nina, with her own safety and mental health at stake.

Mood: Tense and introspective, with moments of dark humor.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The protagonist's transformation from a troubled young woman to a figure seeking justice for her friend.
  • Major Twist: Cassandra's confrontation with Al Monroe reveals deep-seated issues of consent and accountability.
  • Distinctive Setting: The contrast between urban settings and the isolated cabin in the woods enhances the tension.
  • Innovative Ideas: The screenplay explores the impact of social media on personal relationships and trauma.
  • Unique Characters: A diverse cast that includes complex female characters navigating their own struggles.

Comparable Scripts: Promising Young Woman, The Nightingale, Girls, Fleabag, The Virgin Suicides, Revenge, Sharp Objects, The Handmaid's Tale, Little Fires Everywhere

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 8.65
> Go to Screenplay Insights
Story Critique
Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.
> Go to Story Critique
Characters
Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.
> Go to Characters
Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

> Go to Emotional Analysis
Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.
> Go to Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Themes
Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.
> Go to Themes
Logic & Inconsistencies
Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.
> Go to Logic & Inconsistencies

Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
Hover over the graph to see more details about each score.
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Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice
Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.
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Writer's Craft
Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.
> Go to Writer's Craft
Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
> Go to Memorable Lines
Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
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World Building
Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.
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Correlations
Identifies patterns in scene scores.
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Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.
> Go to Loglines

Script•o•Scope