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Fan Casting Wayne

2:03h | RATED-R

by Based on John Wayne Gacy

Story added by otsutsuki on June 17, 2025

Story Plot

Based on true events, this crime drama follows the relentless investigation and trial of John Wayne Gacy, one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. Through the eyes of detectives, lawyers, journalists, and the victims’ families, the film explores the horrors hidden beneath a seemingly ordinary facade and the complex emotional battles fought to bring justice and remembrance to those brutally murdered. In a tense and sensitive narrative, the story reflects on the struggle between law, morality, and the enduring impact of evil, showing that even after conviction, some wounds never truly heal.

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  • otsutsuki

    ACT 1 FADE IN: SOUND: Absolute silence. BLACK SCREEN. Only a female voice begins to narrate — calm but heavy with meaning. GRACE TURNER (V.O.) " Kiss my ass… you’ll never know where the others are." PAUSE. One second of uncomfortable silence. GRACE TURNER (V.O.) (continues, reflective) "Those were the last words of John Wayne Gacy. A man who spent years deceiving everyone. A successful businessman. A helpful neighbor. A clown at children’s parties... and one of the most brutal killers in American history." SCENE 1 — MONTAGE OF ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE EFFECT: Yellowish tone, subtle grain. PHOTO: GACY shaking hands with a politician. PHOTO: GACY dressed as Pogo. NEWSPAPER CLIPPING: "Businessman hosts charity event." VHS FOOTAGE: children playing, Pogo in the background. GRACE TURNER (V.O.) "How does a man like that manage to hide his true nature? How did he convince everyone he was just another ordinary citizen?" SCENE 2 — PRESENT DAY. INTERIOR. PRISON — DAY Cold atmosphere. CLOSE-UP: Handcuffs. CLOSE-UP: Gacy (John Carroll Lynch), expressionless face. SOUNDTRACK STARTS: "Folsom Prison Blues" – Johnny Cash (instrumental). Gacy walks between two officers. Flashes go off. EXTERIOR. PRISON — DAY Gacy enters a car. A hostile crowd surrounds. SCENE 3 — FLASHBACKS (scattered with pacing breaks) During the ride in the prison car: Gacy at a barbecue with neighbors. Cut to present: moving car. Gacy dancing with his wife (Vera Farmiga). (pause in flow to maintain rhythm) SCENE 4 — INTERIOR. COURTROOM — DAY Absolute silence. JUDGE GARIPPO (John Goodman): "The State of Illinois versus John Wayne Gacy. Are you aware of the charges?" CLOSE-UP: Gacy smiles, unsettling. GACY: "Not guilty, Your Honor." Murmurs. QUICK CUT: FLASH: Gacy looking at himself in the mirror, putting on Pogo makeup. (Used here as psychological reinforcement of the "innocent" facade) CUT TO: TITLE ON SCREEN: WAYNE SOUND: Metallic handcuff clinks. SCENE 5 — INTERIOR. NEWSROOM — NIGHT Grace Turner (Rachel McAdams) types furiously. GRACE: "There’s something there... his eyes don’t lie. He wants to be remembered. But not for what he did — for what he hid." EDITOR (O.S.): "Grace, that’s already three stories." GRACE: "Not for me. I want to understand who he was before." SCENE 6 — FLASHBACK: GACY HOUSE — 1950s Sepia tone. Young Gacy (Julian Hilliard) with his mother (Sally Field). Father (Bryan Cranston) stumbles in drunk. GACY’S FATHER: "Where’s my dinner, woman?" GACY’S MOTHER: "It’s in the oven, dear. John, go to your room." FINAL FLASH: Basement door slamming shut violently. (This image comes here now as a symbolic closure of childhood trauma.) SCENE 7 — PSYCHIATRIC OFFICE — DAY DR. LECHTMAN (Willem Dafoe): "He was a patchwork quilt of traumas... but he knew what he was doing." GRACE: "Like a product?" DR. LECHTMAN: "Exactly. Premeditated. Controlled." SCENE 8 — FLASHBACK: GACY TEENAGER’S ROOM — 1960s (Shown now as a visual echo of Dr. Lechtman’s words.) Gacy draws in a notebook. Screams in the background. SOUNDTRACK: metallic, distorted sounds. QUICK MONTAGE: Debate club. Selling door to door. Someone called him a "faggot" — empty smile. SCENE 9 — INTERIOR. NEWSROOM — NIGHT Grace in front of the victim board. She studies the file: James Haakenson – 1976. GRACE (V.O.): "They’re not just victims. They’re echoes of a city that chose not to see." SCENE 10 — INVESTIGATION MONTAGE — DAY/NIGHT SOUNDTRACK: "Time Has Told Me" – Nick Drake (instrumental). Grace at the old house. Talking to a neighbor. Analyzing VHS tapes — freeze frame of Pogo staring at the camera. SCENE 11 — INTERIOR. NEWSROOM — NIGHT (new short scene) Grace alone. Reading interrogation transcript. SOUND: Only ambient noise, light tape hiss. She lingers on a phrase: “I felt in control.” (Breath before diving into the horror.) SCENE 12 — FLASHBACK: GACY’S BASEMENT — NIGHT Tracking shot. Flashlight, photos of young men on the wall. MUFFLED VOICE: "Help... someone help me..." GACY (whispering): "Shhh... you’ll ruin everything." SOUNDTRACK: heartbeats, dripping water. SCENE 13 — BACK TO PRESENT: COURTROOM — DAY Grace stares at Gacy. Time stops. SOUND: Clock ticking. Gacy blinks subtly. Grace swallows hard. SOUND: The ticking morphs into a deep rumble. FADE TO BLACK. SCENE 14 — INTERIOR. POLICE DEPARTMENT — DAY The camera passes through a desolate environment, cold fluorescent light. Silence is heavy, atmosphere oppressive. Police work lacks vigor, just tired routine. The camera focuses on empty desks, piled-up files, cold coffee, crumpled papers — almost like an abandoned corpse. Time seems frozen here. KOZENCZAK (Mark Ruffalo) absorbed in an investigation file. He seems to be observing more than reading. His trembling hands show the work that once felt like a mission is now a burden. He stretches his fingers as if trying to wake from a nightmare. Mental exhaustion overtakes him. FRANK PIEST (Ethan Hawke) enters, posture defeated, having lost something important. His eyes betray fear and doubt. He holds a sweaty piece of paper, hesitant. KOZENCZAK (not looking away from the file) Did something happen, Frank? FRANK (voice shaky, almost convincing himself) It’s Robert... he disappeared last night... was supposed to deliver a quote at Gacy’s house... (pause) ...he was... at Gacy’s house. Camera zooms on Kozenczak, eyes narrowing. Something breaks inside him, as if the emptiness he felt is about to be filled with something far worse than he imagined. KOZENCZAK (throat tight) Gacy... (long silence, tension building) The same one who organized the charity event? Frank just nods. No need to say more. The weight of the statement hangs in the air. Kozenczak stays still. Camera focuses on his trembling hands holding Gacy’s photo. He feels the pressure of a truth beginning to unfold, but still far from the full extent of the evil behind it. KOZENCZAK (murmurs, almost revelation tone) Now… it’s personal. He sighs deeply and stands up. The sound of his body moving is the only noise. Frank makes no move. Both remain silent, as if sensing the weight of a decision they don’t yet realize they made. KOZENCZAK (murmurs) We have to stop him. Before anyone else is lost. FRANK (steady gaze, already knowing the answer, resigned) What if it’s already too late? FADE OUT. SCENE 15 — INTERIOR. GACY’S HOUSE — DAY The tone here is more intimate. Gacy’s house feels too small to hold the evil within. The atmosphere is stuffy, heavy curtains, old furniture, a smell of neglect. Gacy is in a dark room, lit only by a half-open window. He’s putting on Pogo makeup. Every move meticulous, like a morbid dance. Gacy watches his reflection in the mirror. A restrained smile, but his eyes hold a deep emptiness. He’s not preparing for a children’s party. He’s preparing for something darker. The ritual, almost an obsession, is more for himself than for others. Camera closes in on Gacy’s eyes, reflecting the character’s inner narrative. He smiles faintly, but the smile never reaches his eyes. GACY (whispering to himself, like repeating a prayer) I am Pogo. I am the savior... and the others will never see. PAUSE. The sound of the makeup brush touching the face is almost hypnotic. Each stroke seems to mark Gacy’s body as he transforms into something non-human. FADE OUT. SCENE 16 — INTERIOR. PSYCHIATRIC OFFICE — DAY Dr. Lechtman (Willem Dafoe) watches Gacy closely, now in a moment of extreme vulnerability. They sit in a small, unventilated room with harsh light and white walls adding to the claustrophobia. Camera focuses on a wall clock, the ticking sharp, almost deafening. GACY (reluctant, hesitating) I’m not a monster... I just... did what was necessary. LECHTMAN (calm, cold voice) But the question isn’t what you did, John. (silence) The question is why you did it. The camera stays still for a moment, letting the audience feel the tension of a response that never comes. Gacy, who was trying to convince himself of something, now senses the weight of the question. GACY (whispering, not looking at Lechtman) I was... I am... control. Nothing else. Lechtman watches Gacy with a calm that irritates. He knows Gacy’s control isn’t just a way of living but a way of dominating. LECHTMAN (lowering his tone, almost an echo of what Gacy needs to hear) Control... fear. Desire. And lives. (deep silence) All under your command, isn’t it? Gacy just nods, too weak to contest. Fragile, but somehow still believing in his power. Camera moves closer, face restrained but anguish visible in the eyes. FADE OUT. SCENE 17 — INTERIOR. NEWSROOM — NIGHT The camera slowly floats among pages of documents and photographs. Grace Turner is surrounded by evidence, yellowed photos, and newspaper clippings. She’s alone, eyes intense, as if entering Gacy’s mind. Grace picks up the photo of James Haakenson — 1976. She studies the young victim’s face. Camera follows as she carefully pins the photo on the board holding all the missing persons. She looks at each face as if trying to reconstruct the past and understand the city’s echoes. GRACE (V.O.) "They’re not just victims. They’re echoes... echoes of a city that saw nothing. Didn’t want to see anything." Ambient sound is quiet, but the ticking of a clock grows louder and louder. She loses herself in the timeline of events, each victim an extension of the same pattern. Something is revealed. Something is being unearthed. FADE OUT.
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  • otsutsuki

    ACT 2 SCENE 18: INTERVIEW WITH MARIAN PIEST – DOCUMENTARY ABOUT JOHN WAYNE GACY INT. LIVING ROOM – SOFT LIGHTING, INTIMATE TONE. MARIAN PIEST (JULIA ROBERTS), EMOTIONALLY RESERVED BUT FIRM, FACES THE OFF-CAMERA INTERVIEWER. GRACE TURNER (OFF): Mrs. Piest, thank you so much for having us. I know this isn’t easy. MARIAN PIEST: Nothing about this has been easy. From the moment Robert left home that night... nothing was the same. GRACE TURNER (OFF): What do you remember about that night? MARIAN PIEST: (takes a deep breath) It was an ordinary night. He was excited. He wanted to get a holiday job. Said he was just going to talk to a contractor near the pharmacy. Promised he’d be back soon for dinner. But... he never came back. GRACE TURNER (OFF): When did you realize something was wrong? MARIAN PIEST: Immediately. Robert wasn’t the type to disappear. I called the pharmacy, his friends, then the police. They looked at me like I was overreacting, but a mother knows. I knew. GRACE TURNER (OFF): What was it like when John Wayne Gacy’s name came up? MARIAN PIEST: (swallows hard) I’ll never forget. A common name. A man who seemed... normal. He’d been to the pharmacy before. Owned a construction company. Said he’d give my son a job. Then, silence. He vanished. GRACE TURNER (OFF): Did you have any direct contact with him? MARIAN PIEST: No. But I saw his face. In the newspapers. In court. I wanted to hate him... but it was more than that. It was... a bottomless pit. An emptiness. He took my son. And so many other families too. GRACE TURNER (OFF): And what about Robert? MARIAN PIEST: (holding back tears) He was good. He had a smile that could light up any room. Loved to write, wanted to be a veterinarian. He had dreams. He had a future. And that man... he destroyed it all. GRACE TURNER (OFF): What would you say to other mothers who have gone through something similar? MARIAN PIEST: Don’t let anyone silence you. Fight. Scream. Never let your child’s name be just a statistic. Robert wasn’t just a victim. He was my son. And he deserves to be remembered. CUT TO: Marian looks at a photo of Robert in a simple frame; her breathing mingles with subtle, melancholic music. SCENE 19 — INT. GACY’S INTERROGATION ROOM – NIGHT The setting is dark and oppressive. The only light is a buzzing fluorescent lamp overhead. The camera focuses on John Wayne Gacy (John Carroll Lynch), handcuffed at the interrogation table. His face is unreadable, a mask of calm and control. Dr. Robert D. Lechtman (Willem Dafoe), Gacy’s psychiatrist, enters and sits opposite him. The air is thick with tension. LECHTMAN (calm, with a probing gaze) John, you know why you’re here. GACY (smiling, but the smile is hollow, emotionless) Yes, Doctor. (pause, staring directly at Lechtman) And you know too, don’t you? (low chuckle, almost a sigh) Everyone knows. Or... wants to know. LECHTMAN (leaning slightly forward) You like playing with words, don’t you? (pause) But deep down, you know there’s no escape. Not now. GACY (soft, but cold tone) Escape? (looks at his handcuffs, then back at Lechtman) There’s no escape, Doctor. Only... acknowledgment. (Silence hangs, both aware of the meaning, neither willing to give in first.) LECHTMAN (sighing, almost resigned) What do you want, John? What are you waiting for? GACY (with a glint of amusement in his eyes) Waiting? (leans forward, as if sharing a secret) I just... watch. (pause, sarcastic smile) Watch those who try to understand me, trying to figure out where I went... or who I am. (shifts to a more enigmatic tone) But you don’t know. (dramatic pause) I am the mirror. (Lechtman stares, deeply unsettled but trying to maintain composure.) LECHTMAN (whispering, almost to himself) You see yourself as a puppeteer. But you’re just a... consequence. (pause, empty look) In the end, John... you’re only a reflection of what we all try to hide. (Gacy smiles twistedly and lets out a low laugh, almost amused by the observation.) GACY (raises an eyebrow, lets out a hoarse laugh) Or maybe... I was more honest. (pause, cold gaze) I showed what no one wants to see. (Gacy leans back silently, watching Lechtman, who seems on the verge of losing control. Lechtman takes a deep breath and stands, trying to distance himself emotionally from Gacy’s psychological game.) LECHTMAN (quiet but stronger tone) What you did goes beyond words. There is no excuse for what you did, Gacy. No matter how much you try to twist things. (Gacy, with a corner smile, leans back without hurry to reply. He seems to savor the discomfort in the air.) GACY (smiling with cold, calculated pleasure) Words... are always within reach. But what really matters? (pause) I’m just a reflection of all you fear. Of everything everyone wants to hide. FADE TO BLACK. SCENE 20 — INT. POLICE ARCHIVES — NIGHT The fluorescent lights hum, tension growing in the air. Grace Turner (Rachel McAdams) flips through reports, eyes sharp and focused. She reaches a folder labeled Jason Moran, missing since 1977. She holds a photo of the boy, young and innocent. She turns the page, reading intently, absorbing every detail. (John Wayne Gacy’s voice recording, distorted by age, begins to echo in the background.) GACY (RECORDING) “…some of them knew. Others... it was like they were already broken before me.” (Grace pauses, closes her eyes, feeling the weight of the words, the gravity of each case. She places Jason Moran’s photo on the table, her gaze fixed on the boy who was yet another victim. The recording blends with Grace’s tense breathing.) GRACE (V.O.) (narrating softly, introspective) "They weren’t just disappearances. They were erasures. One by one. (pause) And in the end, he didn’t just kill... he made the world forget." (The camera holds on Grace for a moment, then follows her fixed gaze on the photo, full of pain and determination.) FADE TO BLACK. SCENE 21 — INT. GACY’S CELL — NIGHT A bleak, raw scene. John Wayne Gacy (John Carroll Lynch) sits alone in his cell, lit only by a cold lamp. He holds a scrawled, stained letter. The camera zooms in on his impassive face as he looks at the letter, murmuring almost inaudible words. GACY (to himself, repeating like a mantra) "It wasn’t me. They wanted it. They provoked me. I was just a mirror." (He slowly stands and stares at the wall. His words fade as he begins murmuring again, now uncertain.) GACY (almost pleading, looking at the wall) Mirror… (The camera watches silently. He slowly turns and starts laughing — a hollow laugh, lifeless. Just an echo in the cell’s emptiness.) FADE TO BLACK. SCENE 22 — INT. GACY’S CELL – NIGHT Gacy is back in his cell. The camera focuses on his blank expression as he holds the letter — now visibly crumpled and stained, carrying emotional weight. The handwriting is legible but distorted by time. NARRATION (GACY) (V.O.) (whispering) "I wasn’t the only one to fail. Everyone fails. They pushed me here." He begins reading the letter; the camera zooms closer. Words blur as the image melts into a flashback. SCENE 23 — FLASHBACK: ROBERT PIEST’S MOTHER (MARIAN) REMEMBERS ROBERT’S PHOTO Gacy’s flashback is interrupted by a visual confrontation. The camera focuses on Robert Piest’s (Noah Jupe) portrait held in a cluttered room filled with old letters. Marian Piest (Julia Roberts) looks at her son’s face in the photo she keeps. A heavy silence lingers. In the background, a muffled child’s scream echoes softly, blending with the silence, as if the film weaves memories of their last moments alive. SCENE 24 — INT. GRACE TURNER’S OFFICE — DAY Grace Turner (Rachel McAdams) watches Gacy’s recording, hands trembling slightly. Gacy’s distorted voice saying, "I am the mirror of all," makes Grace flinch, clenching her fist against the desk. She sighs deeply, closing her eyes briefly. She looks at the screen, but her shadowy reflection appears faintly behind it, echoing Gacy’s phrase. SCENE 25 — INT. DR. LECHTMAN’S OFFICE — DAY After interviewing Gacy, Dr. Lechtman (Willem Dafoe) sits at his desk with Gacy’s notes spread out. He picks up a sheet, staring deeply at Gacy’s handwriting. LECHTMAN (V.O.) (thinking aloud, voice echoing) "He’s trying to make it seem... like a choice. Like it was inevitable." A reflective moment shows quick flashes of past victims, including James Haakenson (Charlie Plummer), their faces filled with pain, before returning to reality. Dr. Lechtman looks deeply at a photo of Gacy, pondering his misjudgment. SCENE 26 — INT. POLICE OFFICE — DAY Detective Frank D. Piest (Ethan Hawke) studies reports about his son Robert, his face showing helplessness. He looks at Robert’s photo, Marian beside him with teary eyes. The camera angle conveys growing frustration in the police force as time runs out. DETECTIVE FRANK D. PIEST (frustrated, talking to another detective) "He was just a boy. This wasn’t just a mistake. It was a crime against humanity. I can’t let this go." SCENE 27 — INT. GACY’S HOUSE — FLASHBACK The film flashes back to Gacy’s home, beginning to draw parallels between Young John Gacy (Lucas Hedges) and early signs of abuse and psychological issues. The moment stretches, exploring his childhood and psychological traits that would shape the monster he’d become. Marion Gacy (Sally Field) appears symbolically, with the face of a mother losing control over her son. JOHN STANLEY GACY (Bryan Cranston) (cold tone, distant look at young Gacy) "It’s no longer about what you do, son. It’s about what people expect from you." SCENE 28 — INT. COURTROOM — DAY The film nears the end of Act Two. Tension rises as the courtroom is shown. Judge Louis B. Garippo (John Goodman) enters; suspense fills the air. The focus is on Gacy’s impassive face. He tries to maintain composure, but his eyes reveal inner unrest. Gacy, handcuffed, faces the court; Carole Hoff (Vera Farmiga) sits nervously beside him, trying to hold herself together. The weight of Gacy’s crimes begins to visually manifest through the victims’ faces, families, and society, echoed through the camera. SCENE 29 – EXT. CHICAGO SUBURB – NIGHT Close-up of Detective KOZENCZAK’s car parking discreetly on the corner. He watches the subtle activity at Gacy’s house. Night fog partially covers the street. A tense score by Ludwig Göransson rises, mixing heartbeat sounds and muffled noises. INT. GACY’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – CONTINUOUS GACY, sweaty, leans against the wall, staring at an empty chair. Voices overlap in his mind. He hears his father’s laughter and insults (Bryan Cranston’s voice), the sound of boots from the basement. GACY (whispering to himself) They don’t understand... I free them. They’re lucky... Abrupt cut to: SCENE 30 – INT. POLICE STATION – STRATEGY ROOM – DAY DETECTIVE KOZENCZAK, FRANK PIEST, and other investigators gather around a wall with photos of missing youths. A line connects all to a central image: JOHN WAYNE GACY. KOZENCZAK (tense) It’s no coincidence. All the missing worked with him or crossed his path. It’s time to treat him as the prime suspect. FRANK PIEST (lowering his voice) He’s a clown, Joe... A clown who does kids’ parties... and buries children in the basement. SCENE 31 – INT. DR. LECHTMAN’S OFFICE – DAY DR. ROBERT D. LECHTMAN (Willem Dafoe) reviews notes from a recorded session with GACY. He pauses, rewinds, listens to the same phrase twice: GACY (on tape) The clown doesn’t feel. The clown can do anything. The clown is invincible. The psychiatrist’s face hardens. DR. LECHTMAN (to himself) Dissociative personality... possible psychopathy. And no one did anything. SCENE 32 – INT. MARIAN PIEST’S HOUSE – NIGHT MARIAN (Julia Roberts) holds a framed photo of Robert. She places it on the table carefully, tears threatening to fall. MARIAN (softly) You’re not just a number, Robert. You’re my son. And I will find justice for you. SCENE 33 – FLASHBACK – GACY HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT – 1950s JOHN WAYNE GACY (Julian Hilliard), a child, tries to show a drawing to his father (BRYAN CRANSTON). The father tears the paper and spits on the floor. JOHN STANLEY GACY (angry) A real man doesn’t draw! You’re weak. A little wimp! MARION GACY (Sally Field) watches silently, holding a dish towel, crying quietly. SCENE 34 – INTERIOR – BAR IN CHICAGO – NIGHT CHUCK MILLER (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), DAVE HARPER (Paul Dano), and EDDIE COLLINS (Alex Wolff) talk about GACY. The tension rises. EDDIE (nervous) Man, he offered me money to “help dig a grave.” But there was no construction in the backyard. CHUCK (staring at his drink) One day... he trapped me in a magic trick. I laughed, but I swear, for a second, I thought I wouldn’t get out. SCENE 35 – INTERIOR – MARIAN PIEST’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – DAY MARIAN PIEST (Julia Roberts) stares at the turned-off TV. The silence is oppressive. A “MISSING” poster of ROBERT lies on the table. She picks up a box and pulls out childhood photos of Robert. The camera focuses on her expression — a mother who hasn’t cried all her tears yet. SCENE 36 – INTERROGATION ROOM Same setting: GACY is interrogated by KOZENCZAK and FRANK PIEST. GACY You think you know. But do you really? How many voices do you hear when you’re alone? KOZENCZAK I’m hearing yours right now. And it’s the sound of a monster trying to hide the truth. FRANK PIEST (staring intently at Gacy, breaking professional tone) My son trusted you. Said he’d be back in ten minutes. You wore clown makeup... but who’s really disguised here? Gacy flashes a slight smile, then blinks quickly. A microexpression of discomfort. Silence in the room stretches for two seconds — long enough to weigh tons. SCENE 37 – DEEP INVESTIGATION – UNRAVELING GACY’S PAST INT. POLICE OFFICE – NIGHT The tension is palpable in the investigation room. Detective Joseph Kozenczak (Mark Ruffalo) and Detective Frank D. Piest (Ethan Hawke) sift through a pile of evidence, while the dim room lights illuminate the tired faces of the investigators. They are deeply immersed in the details of John Wayne Gacy’s case (John Carroll Lynch), now the prime suspect in the disappearances. Kozenczak flips through a folder filled with records and photos, stopping at a picture of Robert Piest (Noah Jupe), the teenager who vanished mysteriously, linking him to the other missing youths. Kozenczak (thoughtful) This boy... he’s just another piece of the puzzle, but where’s the rest of them, Frank? Where’s the evidence that can really connect Gacy to these disappearances? Frank D. Piest (examining papers) Look at this. We have a list of names, and they all have something in common. They were involved with Gacy—some as his employees, others as work friends. We need to press him harder. Kozenczak (shaking his head) We can’t let him get away with this. We know he’s involved. Every clue leads to Gacy... but we need something solid. Flashbacks begin to emerge. Quick scenes of John Wayne Gacy in his youth, portrayed by John Wayne Gacy (child flashbacks – Julian Hilliard) and John Wayne Gacy (teen flashbacks – Lucas Hedges). We see a young Gacy being bullied by his father, John Stanley Gacy (Bryan Cranston), then as a teenager showing clear signs of a disturbed personality. He watches a young woman at a party, smiling strangely, before being pulled away by his friends. Back in the investigation room, Kozenczak continues examining the evidence. Kozenczak (to Frank) What about the psychologist who evaluated him? Dr. Robert D. Lechtman (Willem Dafoe)? Does he have anything that could help us? Frank D. Piest (shaking his head) Lechtman doesn’t believe Gacy is a psychopath, but we know he lied on many occasions. The way he manipulates people is impressive. Kozenczak (determined) We need Grace Turner (Rachel McAdams), the journalist, to do her part. The information she found could be vital to public opinion. Gacy’s trial needs to be fair and precise. Cut to Grace Turner (Rachel McAdams) in her newsroom, typing frantically while gathering information on Gacy. She looks at her screen, an open file on Gacy’s wife, Carole Hoff (Vera Farmiga). Grace Turner (V.O.) (thinking while typing) Carole Hoff... how didn’t she notice anything? Or did she know and just looked the other way? Gacy’s life hides behind a smile and a flawless facade. Back at the precinct, Kozenczak receives a phone call from David Cram (Rami Malek), a friend of Gacy’s who has revelations about the killer’s strange behavior. Kozenczak (on the phone) David, it’s important you tell us everything you know. Gacy has many secrets hidden, and you could be the key to finally stopping what he’s doing. David Cram speaks hesitantly, trying to recall details from when he was friends with Gacy. David Cram (hesitant) He always told me stories... strange stories, like he didn’t care about anyone. His behavior was... disturbing. I should have noticed, but no one wants to believe the worst, right? Meanwhile, John Wayne Gacy (John Carroll Lynch) remains impassive in his cell, awaiting the detectives’ next move. He tries to manipulate his public image, but evidence begins to pile up against him. The investigation advances, and with each passing day, the noose tightens around the killer. SCENE 38 – INTERIOR – GACY HOUSE – BASEMENT – NIGHT The investigators dig. A scream. The camera slowly rises as we see the horror silently revealed: the first body is found. Cut sharply to KOZENCZAK’s face, utterly pale. SCENE 39 – MONTAGE (MUSIC: “THE ONES YOU DIDN’T SEE”) Similar to before, but now includes: – GRACE, in a TV studio, trying to deliver a report. She sees the image of one of the boys displayed. She stops speaking. Her voice falters. Cut to the anchor quickly covering, embarrassed. – Later, she sits in the dressing room, crying, trembling, hands stained with ink from the soaked notepad. SCENE 40 – GACY’S CELL GACY sits in darkness, hearing imaginary laughter from the hallway. A rat scurries along the wall. He starts singing a children’s song. Stops. Goes silent. Looks at the camera or into nothing, unblinking. GACY (almost whispering, smiling sideways) If they had loved me... maybe I wouldn’t have needed to dig. Fade to black. SCENE 41 – FLASHBACK – GACY’S CHILDHOOD (ABOUT 8 YEARS OLD) Flashback to young GACY (played by Julian Hilliard). He’s playing in the yard on a sunny day. His mother, MARIAN GACY (Sally Field), watches from the doorway. The father, JOHN STANLEY GACY (Bryan Cranston), sits in a shaded chair, watching from afar. John approaches Gacy, expression blank. He pulls the boy close and places him on his lap, staring at him. JOHN STANLEY GACY (cold) I don’t know what you are, but you’ll learn what it means to be a man. Young Gacy says nothing, his vacant expression already forming — a reflection of his father’s emotional manipulation. JOHN STANLEY GACY (leaning toward his son’s ear, whispering) Real men don’t cry. No matter what you do. Young Gacy looks at his mother, but she’s absent, talking to someone from the neighborhood. Fear grows in his eyes. SCENE 42 – INTERROGATION ROOM – POLICE STATION GACY, now an adult, continues staring fixedly at the cell wall, as if absorbed in his own thoughts, reliving echoes of his childhood. Detective KOZENCZAK (Mark Ruffalo) approaches him. KOZENCZAK (stern tone) All I wanted was an answer. What kind of monster would do this to these young men? What led you to this point? GACY (slowly, with a slight smile) You don’t understand, Kozenczak. I’ve always been prepared. I was trained from a young age to be invisible. Everyone saw me, but no one really saw me. KOZENCZAK (irritated, trying to keep control) You were a monster from the start, John. Gacy chuckles softly, as if the word “monster” was something he’d already accepted and even liked. GACY (with a sad smile) Being a monster... is being the only one who sees what the world is really seeing. They didn’t love me, never loved me. If they had loved me... maybe I wouldn’t have needed to dig. SCENE 43 – EXTERIOR – GACY'S HOUSE PERIMETER – NIGHT Marian Piest (Julia Roberts) is there again, her face marked by pain and despair. She is pushing through the police cordon once more. She doesn't know what to do, she just wants to know where her son is. She looks at the officers and, for the first time, can no longer hide the devastation in her eyes. MARIAN PIEST (screaming, but her voice cracking, fragile) You don’t understand! My son is inside, he’s still there. I need to find my son! He’s one of you now! She starts crying, and some officers try to control her, but no one can really stop her. GRACE TURNER (Rachel McAdams) watches from a distance, her notepad trembling in her hands. She sees Marian’s face twisted by anguish, and it makes her question her own stance as a journalist. Grace begins walking toward the police line, hesitates, and then decides to turn back. She feels powerless, more than ever. She looks at the officers surrounding Marian, but there’s nothing she can do. GRACE (thinking to herself) How far am I willing to go to do the right thing? SCENE 44 – INTERIOR – HOSPITAL – DR. LECHTMAN’S OFFICE (Willem Dafoe) Gacy sits in a therapy room, staring intently at Dr. Lechtman. The environment is cold and sterile. The doctor watches him closely, emotionless. DR. LECHTMAN (calmly) John, you’ve never felt loved, have you? That relationship with your father... How did you feel when he... rejected you? What made you want that power over others? GACY (smiling faintly, in a confessional tone) What do you want to know? The truth? I knew that if I didn’t take control, no one would. My father... he made me feel like I was nothing. And what did I learn? That to be someone, you have to be unforgettable. And I made myself unforgettable. SCENE 45 – INTERROGATION ROOM – END OF ACT II We return to the interrogation. Gacy is back in his cell. He smiles with a slight sadness, as if preparing for what’s coming next. His gaze is disconnected, no longer carrying any emotion about the situation. GACY (speaking to himself, distant) If they had loved me... maybe I wouldn’t have needed to dig. He sits on the cell bench, his hands slightly dirty. The camera slowly pulls away from him, leaving him in the shadows. Cut to black.
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  • otsutsuki

    ACT 3 SCENE 46 – POLICE DEPARTMENT – INVESTIGATION ROOM – NIGHT Fluorescent lights flicker slightly. The atmosphere is one of exhaustion and tension. We see papers, audio tapes, and folders piled up on the desk. The camera slowly zooms in on KOZENCZAK (Mark Ruffalo), who is standing in front of a wall covered with photos of victims and possible missing persons. He rubs his face with his hands. He is visibly shaken. KOZENCZAK (voice trembling, almost a whisper) How many more? FRANK D. PIEST (Ethan Hawke) enters the room. He brings a cup of coffee and watches his partner in silence for a few seconds. FRANK Did you get any sleep? KOZENCZAK (not looking at him) The time it took Gacy to kill one more. Ten minutes, maybe. FRANK (approaching) You’re going to destroy yourself if you keep going like this. KOZENCZAK (looking at the wall) He’s burying the boys like they’re trash. And we still have to dance around the legality to pull every damn inch of evidence out. FRANK I understand. But if we cross the line now, what separates us from him? Kozenczak looks at Frank, his eyes hard. A tense moment. But he takes a deep breath and turns his back. KOZENCZAK (low voice) We don’t have time to philosophize, Frank. Cut to: SCENE 47 – FLASHBACK – GACY'S CHILDHOOD HOME – LATE AFTERNOON The color palette is muted, aged. YOUNG JOHN WAYNE GACY (Lucas Hedges), around 17 years old, is cleaning the yard, dragging heavy trash bags. His father, JOHN STANLEY GACY (Bryan Cranston), watches with disdain from the porch, holding a beer bottle. JOHN STANLEY Faster, you little faggot. Or do I need to teach you again? Gacy stiffens his shoulders but continues working. MARIAN GACY (Sally Field) appears in the doorway, concerned but hesitant. MARION Stanley, he already understands. Why don’t you let the boy inside? JOHN STANLEY I didn’t raise a man. I raised a rat. And rats deserve to live in the sewers. The camera focuses on young Gacy's face. He squints his eyes, swallows hard, and continues dragging the bags. A shadow starts to take over his gaze. Cut to: SCENE 48 – CAROLE HOFF'S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT Carole (Vera Farmiga) is sitting on the couch, watching the news. The TV shows footage of Gacy's house being surrounded by police. She holds a cup, but her hands are shaking. Her daughter, standing on the stairs, watches in silence. REPORTER (V.O.) The investigation against John Wayne Gacy is ongoing, with indications that human remains may be buried under his residence. Families of the missing are awaiting answers. Carole turns off the TV. She slowly turns to her daughter. CAROLE (voice choked) He used to smile. He told jokes. He... made pancakes on Sundays. DAUGHTER (quietly) He deceived you, Mom. Carole tries to smile, but she can’t. Her eyes fill with tears. She embraces her daughter, in silence. The hug lasts for a few seconds before the cut. Cut to: SCENE 49 – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY Back in the cell. GACY is standing, looking at the ceiling. KOZENCZAK enters. He slams the door shut. KOZENCZAK Are you ready to tell us where the bodies are? Gacy slowly turns, a smile almost gentle on his face. GACY You already know where they are. That’s not what you want. What you want... is to know why. KOZENCZAK No. I want to bury them properly. Give peace to the mothers. And I want to see you die with that truth in your mouth. Gacy slowly approaches the bars. His eyes fixed on Kozenczak. GACY Do you have children, detective? KOZENCZAK (doesn’t respond) GACY If you did... you’d understand. It’s not about killing. It’s about the silence after. The peace. KOZENCZAK (sarcastically) You have no idea what peace is. GACY And you have no idea what it’s like to live being invisible. Until one day... someone looks. And then you’re everything. At least for a moment. Kozenczak approaches, breathes deeply, and stares at Gacy for a few seconds. KOZENCZAK That moment is over. Cut to: SCENE 50 – GACY'S HOUSE – BASEMENT – MORNING The wooden stairs creak. The camera descends slowly, following the heavy steps of police officers with flashlights. An unbearable smell seems to saturate the air. Absolute silence, only the sound of shovels in the dirt. Suddenly, one of the officers stops and carefully drives the shovel deeper. Something resonates with a hollow sound. He crouches down, digging with gloved hands. He pulls out a tarp. Bones appear, wrapped in rags and mud. POLICE OFFICER 1 (whispering) We’ve got something here... Another officer approaches. The flashlight reveals a child’s skull. POLICE OFFICER 2 (shocked, voice cracking) This was a child... My God... Just a child. Everyone freezes. The youngest of the officers turns his face and cries silently. A shovel falls to the ground. POLICE OFFICER 3 (whispering to himself) How many more? The camera slowly rises, showing the basement as a hidden, silent, and cruel graveyard. Cut to: SCENE 51 – INVESTIGATION ROOM – NIGHT Kozenczak is alone. A lamp hangs over the desk. He breathes deeply, picks up the recorder, and presses RECORD. Silence. He hesitates. Runs his hand over his face, clearly exhausted. His voice comes out hoarse and heavy. KOZENCZAK (recording) December 15. We’ve confirmed human remains under John Wayne Gacy’s house. So far... 11 identified. Estimate: over twenty. Maybe more than thirty. He stops. His finger hesitates over the button. He looks into nothing, as if wanting to escape the moment. He speaks again. KOZENCZAK (recording, now more personal) I said I’d bring peace, but... there’s no peace when the truth is this horrible. All that’s left is the weight. The weight of our inability to have seen it before. He turns it off. Resting his forehead on the desk. The silence of the room seems to swallow everything. Cut to: SCENE 52 – CHURCH – NIGHT A dark, silent interior. The soft light from the cross illuminates Marian Piest (Julia Roberts), sitting alone on the pew. She holds her son's jacket as if it were the last thing left. Her eyes are fixed on the altar. MARIAN (thinking, voice-over) He always loved the smell of coffee in the morning... (pause) The house will never smell like life again. Grace Turner (Rachel McAdams) enters slowly and sits next to her, in respectful silence. Marian doesn’t look at her. GRACE (quietly) I’m so sorry. Truly. Marian takes a deep breath. No tears — only absence. GRACE (still kind) Do you want me to write about him? MARIAN (whispering) But not as just another number. (pause) I want the world to know who he was... what the world lost. Grace just holds her hand. They both stay there, without words. The cross in the background shines. Cut to: SCENE 53 – FINAL INTERROGATION – NIGHT A cold environment. Gacy is handcuffed to the table. Sweat-stained shirt, pale face, but the same calm expression. Kozenczak enters and throws a folder on the table — photos of the victims. Gacy’s eyes scan them. KOZENCZAK The names. The families. They have faces now. GACY (no irony, looking at the photos) Beautiful. Almost all of them seemed happy. KOZENCZAK (contained anger) They were alive. Gacy lifts his gaze, as if about to philosophize. Kozenczak approaches, staring him in the eyes. KOZENCZAK (more aggressive) Do you think this hole is going to swallow you? No. It’s going to be your grave, Gacy. GACY (smiling calmly, almost sadly) The hole... is what we all dig. Each one of us. You, me... the world. Kozenczak loses control. He punches the wall. The anger finally overflows. KOZENCZAK (yelling) You killed children! And you want to hide behind philosophy? GACY (looking down at his hands) I tried to stop. But when you start burying... you learn to dig better. Silence. Kozenczak leaves, trembling. Gacy, alone, watches his reflection in the mirror. For the first time, he seems small. Cut to: SCENE 54 – GACY'S HOUSE – EXTERIOR – DAWN The sun begins to rise on the horizon, but the scene is far from peaceful. The street is cordoned off. Journalists, residents, and onlookers watch in silence. Kozenczak walks slowly to the front of the house. He sees the bulldozers working as if they were digging up the very soul of the town. Among the debris and earth, bags containing human remains are pulled out, one by one. Absolute silence. GRACE (V.O., reading for the newspaper) "And there, beneath the ground that once held parties and forged smiles, were the missing children. The suburb slept in silence, and beneath it hid hell itself." Kozenczak watches everything in silence. He doesn’t cry. He doesn’t scream. He just stares at the house as if Gacy’s presence is still there. As if it’s still possible to smell the rot. Marian, from a distance, is with other families. She holds a newspaper against her chest, where the first victim was identified: Michael Piest. GRACE (V.O.) "The bones have a voice. And today, they finally spoke." A slow cut to the demolition starting. A wall gives way. The house begins to crumble. The sounds of hammers and machines cover the invisible lament of the victims. Cut to: SCENE 55 – INTERROGATION ROOM – NIGHT (FLASHFORWARD) Gacy is alone, handcuffed. Cold light. Time has passed — he looks more broken, but still tries to maintain a firm appearance. Kozenczak enters, looking more aged. He shuts the door. No words for a moment. KOZENCZAK (serious, restrained) Twenty-nine. Confirmed. GACY (doesn’t react immediately) And the ones still down there? KOZENCZAK We’ll find them. GACY (whispers) They dreamed, you know? They talked about their parents... the future. Kozenczak is taken aback by the sincerity. But he doesn’t give in. KOZENCZAK And you buried all of it. (pause) The parents will never hear those dreams again. Just silence. GACY (looking at his hands) Silence... is worse than screams. Kozenczak stands up, walks to the door, and stops before leaving. KOZENCZAK When this trial is over... you won’t hear any sound anymore. Not even your own name. He leaves. Gacy stays there. Absolute silence. Only his breathing. For the first time, he seems truly alone.
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  • otsutsuki

    ACT 4 SCENE 56 – COURTROOM – DAY The room is packed. Cameras. Murmurs. Gacy enters handcuffed and smiles when he sees Grace Turner sitting among the reporters. He winks at her, the same wink from the first scene. The music of the era begins subtly (instrumental version of “Sympathy for the Devil,” creating an ironic contrast). SCENE 57 – DEFENSE ROOM – NIGHT KAREN CONTI (Gillian Anderson) argues with Gacy. She is tired, but determined to do her job with integrity. KAREN Plea of insanity could save your life. I don’t need to like you to do my job. But you have to let me fight. GACY (calm, unsettling) Why do you want to save me...? KAREN Because if I don’t, I’m just like you. (changes tone, more firm) But don’t be mistaken, John. Saving your life isn’t absolving your soul. Gacy smiles, almost admiring her firmness. SCENE 58 – TESTIMONIES – DAY Surviving victims, family members. An elderly woman speaks about the absence of her son. Her voice cracks. Karen watches with a contained expression. Gacy is drawing something on a piece of paper: a distracted clown’s face. The judge watches him with disapproval. SCENE 59 – WITNESS STAND – GRACE TURNER Grace gets up to testify. A silence falls over the room. GRACE I will never forget the smell of that house. Nor his eyes. Empty. As if he were watching us... even behind the walls. (looks at Gacy) He saw me as a game. But every bone there... every forgotten name... it’s no game. They are stories that will never be told. Karen watches her with empathy. A slight nod, recognizing the pain. SCENE 60 – DEFENSE OFFICE – NIGHT Karen is alone. Reviewing files. Listening to tapes. She hears Kozenczak’s recording: KOZENCZAK (recording) "I said I would bring peace, but there’s no peace when the truth is this horrible. All that’s left is the weight..." Karen pauses the tape. Closes her eyes, visibly shaken. She already knows she’s going to lose, but she continues. SCENE 61 – GACY’S CELL – DAWN Gacy is lying down. His voice is cold as he talks to the psychiatrist. GACY Everyone is hungry for something. Some for justice. Others for blood. I was just hungry for silence. SCENE 62 – COURTROOM – DAY – FINAL SENTENCING The courtroom is silent. The atmosphere is tense. 1980s cameras, families, journalists. Judge Louis B. Garippo (John Goodman) adjusts his glasses, his expression serious. He stares at John Wayne Gacy before reading the sentence. A restrained murmur spreads through the room. Karen Conti, beside Gacy, holds her posture, but her gaze is one of deep exhaustion. JUDGE GARIPPO (with a firm voice, unhurried): Mr. John Wayne Gacy... This court finds you guilty of 33 first-degree murders. A brief pause. Garippo leans slightly on the bench, his voice growing in weight. JUDGE GARIPPO (cont.): Thirty-three lives interrupted. Thirty-three families shattered. And no sign of remorse visible in this courtroom. He looks directly at Gacy, who keeps the same disturbing smile. Garippo takes a deep, controlled breath. JUDGE GARIPPO (cont.): Justice, Mr. Gacy, is not revenge. It is memory. It is society’s attempt to remind the victims that they mattered. And to the world... that silence protects no one. Karen lowers her eyes, swallowing her emotion. Grace watches, emotional, but firm. Kozenczak watches the scene with clenched fists. JUDGE GARIPPO (cont.): This court sentences you to death, by lethal injection. The date will be set according to due process. May the system you manipulated now offer you what you denied so many: dignity in death. Gacy leans toward Karen, whispering cynically: GACY I think they enjoyed the show. KAREN (without looking at him, firm): This is not a stage. It’s a tomb. Garippo concludes with one last look at the room, then bangs the gavel. The sound echoes. A sharp cut.
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  • otsutsuki

    Epilogue FINAL SCENE – GACY'S EXECUTION (LETHAL INJECTION) – NIGHT The execution setting is impersonal, almost clinical. The cameras are positioned coldly, without any dramatization. Gacy lies on the gurney, his arms extended. He shows no remorse. His expression remains cold and defiant. The sound of the machine prepares for the lethal injection. GACY (looking at the officers and the camera, with a cynical smile): Death won’t make me disappear. It will never be the end of a story like mine. The sound of the plunger being pressed. Gacy slowly closes his eyes, without any expression of fear or remorse, and the monitor begins to beep. He dies in an impersonal and distant manner. The camera focuses on the reactions of the officers and surviving victims outside the room, showing no visible emotion, as if the coldness of the execution were a reflection of the coldness of their actions. SCENE 63 – GRACE TURNER – ALONE IN THE CAR – NIGHT Grace is alone in her car, parked in an isolated spot. She watches the city lights in the distance. Her expression is tired, empty. She picks up her phone, stares at the screen for a moment, but does nothing. Silence surrounds her. After a few seconds, she sighs. GRACE (thinking to herself): Is this it? Does Gacy’s death erase what he did? I tried, but he never regretted it. Justice was served... but was it enough? She glances around quickly, as if searching for something on the horizon. Something that would bring her peace, but she knows it's not there. She starts the car and drives off, silent. SCENE 64 – MARIAN PRIEST – CEMETERY – DAY Marian Piest walks slowly towards her son Robert’s grave. A soft breeze sways the trees. She is in mourning, but her posture conveys a quiet acceptance. She gazes at the gravestone and, for a moment, remains silent. Then, she pulls a small teddy bear from her pocket, places it on Robert’s grave, and watches it for a moment, as if saying a final goodbye. Her eyes are filled with pain, but there is a lightness in her expression. MARIAN (in a low whisper, only to herself): I love you... and now, you are at peace. She gives one last glance at her son’s grave, then walks away with firm but calm steps. The camera observes Marian walking away, showing that, despite the pain, she has found a way to move on. SCENE 65 – GRACE AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD – DAY Grace is at a press conference, but the scene is blurry and distant. She is surrounded by journalists, but her gaze is far away. She gives one final statement, without truly connecting with the words. The camera focuses on her tired face. GRACE (emotionless): What happened will never be erased. Gacy is dead, but his victims, they remain. Their families remain. The impact of all this will never disappear, no matter how hard we try. The scene cuts to an image of Grace leaving the conference, heading toward a busy street. She disappears into the crowd, alone, without any more words. A sense of emptiness. FINAL SCENE – BLACK SCREEN Text appears on the screen, accompanied by the soft and melancholic sound of Billie Eilish’s song "The Ones You Didn’t See." TEXT ON SCREEN: "Between 1972 and 1978, John Wayne Gacy murdered at least 33 young men. Not all were identified. Not all returned home. This film is for them. And for all those still missing."
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  • misterwolf

    What in the world did I just read?! This was a crazy movie. Needless to say, you did great! 10/10!
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