FEATURE SCREENPLAY | COMEDY | DRAMA

THE LOGLINE

A cynical flooring salesman reluctantly becomes his painfully shy teenage nephew’s unlikely dating coach, only to discover that teaching the kid how to find confidence may force him to confront the failures, regrets, and lost sense of purpose in his own life.

THE STORY

Sometimes the person who needs a second chance isn’t the one you think.

Gallows Humor is a sharp, character-driven comedy about second chances, unlikely mentorship, and the messy business of growing up – at any age.

A cynical flooring salesman has spent years hiding behind sarcasm, bad habits, and deliberately low expectations. But when his painfully shy nephew finds himself facing the terrifying world of first love, his uncle reluctantly steps in to offer some questionable advice.

What begins as a misguided crash course in confidence quickly becomes an unexpected friendship.

As a teenager slowly learns to step outside his comfort zone, his uncle discovers that helping someone else become the person they want to be can force you to take an uncomfortable look at the person you’ve become.

Their relationship becomes a journey of mutual discovery – one learning how to take a chance on himself, the other rediscovering the connection, purpose, and possibility he thought he’d left behind.

Blending uncomfortable humor with genuine heart, Gallows Humor is a story about family, friendship, second changes, and the unexpected ways we can change one another.

Because sometimes the person you set out to help is the person who saves you from giving up on yourself.

WHY THIS STORY SHOULD EXIST

I’m drawn to characters who are imperfect, complicated, and often their own worst enemies – and to stories that can find humor in the places where life gets uncomfortable.

Gallows Humor came from an interest in the strange, often hilarious relationship between confidence and insecurity, and the idea that growing up doesn’t necessarily end when you become an adult.

At its heart, the story is about two people at completely different stages of life who discover they have more in common than they realize.  One is learning how to take his first real chances; the other is learning that it may not be too late to take his own.

It’s a comedy about dating, awkwardness, and bad advice – but underneath it is a story about connection, purpose, and realizing that a second chance doesn’t always look like the one you expected.

CURRENT STATUS

Completed Feature Screenplay