“Death of an Ortolan: A Gripping Tale of Guilt, Gourmet Secrets, and Redemption in the Shadows”
Even though I just went on this entire rant about “easy reads” vs. complex ones, you can still use “easy read” tools in your complex stories. For example, this script has a great ticking time bomb – Reed’s looming execution. This adds our urgency. It adds our stakes. And it also gives us our goal – Walter must convince his political contacts to let Reed go free.
This is basic dramaturgy and it works! It’s a very compelling premise.
My only issue with the script is the same issue I remember having with Justin’s other script, Stakehorse. Which is that the ending got messy. Spoilers follow. Walter is recruited by the newly elected president to cook for her and her team. This pulls him away from the prison during Reed’s execution and uses his big moment to screw over the president.
