A WOMAN IN LOVE

After awakening from a muddled nightmare of an abusive relationship, a young woman, KATE (30s) inexplicably finds herself on a bus. She’s traveled across the country to Los Angeles, where she knows only one person – a childhood friend, MANDY (30s). But Kate doesn’t know how she got on the bus, or if Mandy even knows she’s in town. Soon after she arrives – and endures a frightening encounter with a cab driver – Kate finds Mandy, ready to walk Kate to Mandy’s apartment. News to Kate: she appears to have previously arranged to move to L.A. and stay with Mandy until Kate can afford her own apartment, yet she remembers nothing of making any such arrangements. Mandy also provides Kate with friendship, emotional support for the abusive relationship she’s fled, even an interview at the catering company where Mandy works. After landing the catering job, Kate discusses her star-crossed love life with Mandy. She laments how each relationship starts off beautifully, then each bizarrely hits a sudden breaking point; one day, all is perfect. The next, the romantic interests act like completely different people. As if their past relationship meant nothing. At Kate’s first catering gig – an outdoor party for a famous director – she meets HUGH (40s), a famous actor who happens to be Kate’s childhood crush. Hugh finds Kate’s awkward, shy nature refreshing and he flirts with her, but is immediately blocked by his talent agent, IRA (50s), who has arranged for Hugh to discuss playing the main part in the famous director’s upcoming epic war drama. Before parting ways, Hugh slips Kate his phone number. Later, Hugh shirks his planned appearance at an awards ceremony to meet Kate for a quick lunch date, but – just as things start going well – the date is interrupted by Ira and two of Hugh’s celebrity friends, JACK and VIN (30s). As Ira speaks privately with Hugh, Jack & Vin – with carefully chosen, saccharine words – attempt to convince Kate a relationship with Hugh is impossible. Ira convinces Hugh to leave with them for the awards show, but Hugh later texts Kate his address, along with an invitation to meet at his home later that evening. On her walk home, Kate falls victim to a purse snatching, her phone – and Hugh’s address – inside it. In desperation to find Hugh’s address to keep the date, Mandy and Kate engage in online sleuthing and eventually uncover Hugh’s address. Kate visits Hugh’s home and is let in by ROSITA (40s), Hugh’s housekeeper. Kate waits for Hugh until she falls asleep on his bed. Hugh awakens her in the night with a kiss, and they make love. Their torrid affair goes on for several days until, one day, Kate is photographed leaving Hugh’s home by paparazzi. The next day, she’s all over the tabloids. The next time Kate calls Hugh, he sounds distant. Strange. He invites her back to the house, but when she arrives, she is immediately arrested. At the police station, Kate learns from Detective GARDNER (50s) she is being held for Breaking & Entering, Burglary and Stalking. Everything she claims as to her relationship with Hugh has been duly refuted by Hugh. She asks to call Mandy, but Gardner informs Kate that Mandy is unreachable. In fact, she doesn’t appear to even exist. Kate tries calling her MOM (60s), but her mother refuses to engage in any further “drama” with Kate and hangs up. Gardner has Kate speak with DR. KAPLAN (50s) – a psychiatrist known for humming a certain tune. Kaplan determines Kate is mentally ill and has her committed. After a few days at the asylum, Kate starts to believe everything really is all in her head – until Mandy sneaks into the asylum and tells Kate how Ira, Jack and Vin pulled off one of the great scams in Hollywood – all to protect their moneymaker (Hugh) and get rid of the “hanger-on” (Kate). They devise a plan for Kate to escape, which succeeds. Kate regroups at Mandy’s and her apartment, where she finds further evidence to support that she actually is mentally ill. After an emotional breakdown, Mandy again appears, and again convinces Kate that what she and Hugh had was real. Kate resolves to remove all doubt. Later, at Hugh’s mansion, he and his starlet co-star, ABBY (30s), arrive to celebrate Hugh’s recent Academy Award nomination when Hugh receives a frantic call from Ira. He tells Hugh the “stalker girl” has escaped from the nuthouse and Hugh & Abby should leave the country for a few weeks, just to be safe. Hugh agrees, then turns to discover Kate stands before him. Kate, unhinged, demands Hugh tell her the truth – that he does, in fact, love her and that it was all just a ruse. Instead, Hugh attempts to flee, causing Kate to pull a dagger on him. Only then does Hugh soften and admit she is right about everything – from the relationship, to the police set-up, to Mandy – all a ruse designed by Ira. Hugh apologizes and invites her to join him as his guest later at the Academy Awards ceremony. She forgives him and they make love. After getting dressed for the awards show, Hugh escorts Kate to his limo, which drives away without him. Kate becomes worried when the driver starts to hum Dr. Kaplan’s trademark tune