Summaries

Synopsis

"Rubbernecking a.k.a. Accidents Don't Happen" is a dramatic comedy about diverse characters stuck in a major traffic jam.A unique "Robert Altman-esque" ensemble film where everyone is on a different level in life with different agendas, but are experiencing the same feelings.An unusual farce that makes light of traffic and how people react to it, allowing the viewer to realize that people really are all the same on the road of life.The traffic jam is a symbol of the congestion in their lives. The characters have the time to reflect and contemplate where they're going, at what speed, and what vehicle they're using.Log Lines: ENGLISH: Accidents happen for a reason. A dramatic comedy about diverse characters stuck in a major traffic jam.SPANISH: Accidentes nunca son accidental. Una comedia dramatica sobre diversos personajes atrapado en un gran embotellamiento.GERMAN: Unfälle passieren aus einem Grunde. Eine dramatische komedie über verschiedene personen, die in einen Verkehrsstau gerieten.

Character SynopsisMr. JONES (Corbin Bernsen - Major League, The Dentist, L.A. Law) is an edgy businessman on his way to a meeting that will make or break his career, if he can get there.A single guy, KENT, talking into his cellular phone, spies a single girl, ASHTON (Renee O'Connor - Xena: Warrior Princess, Darkman 2), also on a cellular phone. Kent holds up a sign, giving her his phone number. She dials the cute stranger and a relationship begins.TOMMY (Arye Gross - Hexed, Ellen) and JULIA (Debra Wilson - Mad TV) try to take on their edgy co-dependent relationship to a serious level. They learn to share their passionate energy instead of using it against each other.Two young screenwriters on their way to pitch a war script debate the good and bad of war. They exit their car and roam the traffic jam, SEAN (Sean Kinney) questions random passengers on their views of war.STEVE and CHARLIE, two ex-collegiate football players, on their way to a reunion with their teammates, talk seriously about their post-football careers. Their wives, KELLY and HEATHER, at home, remember their glory days as cheerleaders by watching the game longing for the time when 50,000 young boys yelled for them.Two HITMEN are taking their friend, BOBBY, for 'a ride.' Bobby, a fast talking, joke cracking, Joe Pesci type, from New York, thinks the guys are treating him to a baseball game. Traffic puts their 'ride' on hold.The BUMBLEMEYERS; A 'Griswald' type family going away for the weekend to Grandma's house. Between the son's bladder problems and the daughters uncontrollable screaming, the family finds entertainment in the dad's frantic bumbling antics and the mom's car games.A spirited group of Deadheads on their way to a music festival in their VW van consist of two fun loving female hippies: MISTY and SPRING; DENNY, a philosopher of sorts; BRIAN (Steve Van Wormer - Groove, Meet the Deedles), a downhearted dude; and TRIPPER, whom has hallucinations from Jerry Garcia to cows, all relating to traffic. They realize that seeing a concert is not their source of happiness, but it is camaraderie and friendship that counts in the end.They all suggest that perhaps 'accidents happen for a reason.' These are eight main groups of characters that congregate on the freeway. Other quirky characters such as a Catering truck chef that opens for business and a philosophical HITCHHIKER join in on the freeway madness. The road eventually opens up and so do the possibilities.