Title: The Rhythm of Us Genre: Coming-of-age, Drama, Family Setting: 1990s, Chicago, Illinois Logline: In the vibrant streets of 1990s Chicago, 14-year-old Maya Johnson navigates friendship, identity, and family as she discovers the power of self-expression through music, dance, and her community. Along the way, she learns that growing up means finding your own rhythm, even when it’s hard to hear over the noise of the world. ACT 1: INT. MAYA'S APARTMENT - MORNING Maya (14), a creative and thoughtful Black girl, stands in front of her full-length mirror. She fidgets with her hair and clothes, trying to find her style. Her bedroom walls are covered with posters of R&B and hip-hop artists like TLC, Aaliyah, and Nas. A cassette player on her desk plays Mary J. Blige’s Real Love. MAYA (V.O.) (reflective, nostalgic tone) Chicago’s got a rhythm all its own. It’s loud. It’s raw. And it’s mine. But sometimes I wonder if I’m dancing to the wrong beat. Her mother, GLORIA (late 30s), enters the room holding a laundry basket. GLORIA Maya, I told you we need to leave in 15 minutes for your doctor’s appointment. MAYA (groans) I don’t need to go, Mom. I feel fine. GLORIA That’s not the point. We’re going, whether you like it or not. Maya rolls her eyes as she walks toward the closet. She grabs a flannel shirt and pair of baggy jeans, nodding to herself in approval before walking out. EXT. CHICAGO STREETS - DAY The sounds of busy Chicago life fill the air: street vendors, the distant hum of the "L" train, kids playing basketball on a cracked court. Maya walks beside her mother, absorbed in the sights and sounds around her. Her eyes catch a group of kids standing by the corner, breakdancing to a boom box. Maya stops and watches, transfixed by the movement and the music. MAYA (V.O.) It’s always been like this. People on the street making something out of nothing—spinning, stepping, and dancing like nobody’s watching. Like they’re making the world their stage. She looks at the breakdancers, her eyes lingering on a girl about her age, TINA (14), who spins effortlessly on her back. Maya’s eyes widen in awe. INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - LATER Maya fidgets in the waiting room, staring at the posters of healthy eating habits on the walls. Gloria flips through a magazine. Maya’s eyes drift out the window, watching the street below. MAYA (V.O.) My mom says I should be a doctor. But I don't know... all I feel is music in my bones. I just can't sit still. I want to be like Tina. She dances like she owns the world. INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY Maya walks through the crowded hallway, carrying her books. She sees TINA at her locker, chatting with friends. Maya hesitates for a moment, then walks up to her. MAYA (nervous) Hey, I saw you dancing yesterday. You were... amazing. Tina looks up, a little surprised but smiles. TINA Thanks! You ever dance? MAYA (hesitates) I mean... not really. But I like watching. I don't think I could do what you do. Tina raises an eyebrow, intrigued. TINA You should try. Maybe I can teach you some moves. MAYA (smiling nervously) Maybe... I’ll think about it. INT. MAYA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT Maya watches a music video on TV, Aaliyah’s Back & Forth playing. Maya’s mom enters the room, looking at her with a mixture of concern and affection. GLORIA You been spending a lot of time on that TV. You thinking about schoolwork? MAYA (distracted) Yeah, I’ll get to it. But... can I talk to you about something? GLORIA Sure, baby. What’s on your mind? MAYA I... I wanna dance. I mean, really dance, like the girls I see on the street. I don’t know... I just feel like I could do something more. GLORIA (pauses, looking concerned) Maya, dancing's not going to pay the bills. You need to focus on your studies, not wasting time on fantasies. MAYA (defensive) It’s not a fantasy, Mom. It’s who I am. Gloria looks at her daughter, torn. She wants to support Maya but fears she’s being unrealistic. GLORIA You’re a smart girl, Maya. You could be anything you want. But you gotta take care of business first. EXT. CHICAGO PARK - DAY Maya stands at the edge of the park, watching as Tina and a group of other kids breakdance. The rhythm of the music pulses through the air. Maya steps forward hesitantly. Tina notices her and waves her over. TINA You gonna try or what? Maya swallows her nerves and steps forward. She tries to mimic Tina’s moves, stumbling awkwardly at first. But slowly, she gets into it. There’s a moment where she feels free, alive. She’s no longer thinking about anything else, just the music and the movement. ACT 2: EXT. SOUTH SIDE CHICAGO - NIGHT Maya and Tina walk down a dimly lit street after a breakdancing session. The neighborhood is vibrant but also tough, with boarded-up windows and the constant hum of sirens in the distance. Maya looks around, feeling the weight of the environment. MAYA (V.O.) South Side Chicago—gritty, raw, and real. It’s like you’ve gotta hustle just to keep up. But somehow, in the middle of all this, you find your own rhythm. A way to stay afloat. A way to be heard. Tina senses Maya's unease. TINA You alright? MAYA (nods, trying to be brave) Yeah. Just... sometimes I feel like I don’t fit in. Like I’m dancing to the wrong song. TINA (laughs softly) We all feel like that sometimes. But the rhythm’s always there. You just gotta listen. INT. COMMUNITY CENTER - NIGHT Maya, now more confident, performs at a local talent show with Tina and other kids from the block. The crowd cheers as Maya nails a solo dance move to a Janet Jackson song. She smiles, feeling the applause, and catches her mother’s eye in the audience. Gloria, proud but still unsure, nods. MAYA (V.O.) I always thought there was only one way to be. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe I can make my own rhythm. ACT 3: EXT. CHICAGO STREETS - NIGHT Maya walks home, the streets buzzing with life. She feels at peace, the music still in her heart. Her mom walks beside her, silently, but there's a shift in the air. Maya has found her voice. She smiles, knowing that even though her journey isn’t easy, it’s her own. MAYA (V.O.) Sometimes, life moves in a way that you can’t predict. But I know one thing’s for sure. It’s all about finding the rhythm that fits you, and making it count. FADE OUT. THE END. By setting the story in Chicago, the screenplay taps into the city’s rich cultural history, from its music scene to the grit of neighborhoods like the South Side. This reimagined version of the original story incorporates Chicago's distinct soundscape and urban atmosphere, grounding Maya's coming-of-age journey in the complex yet vibrant reality of growing up in this iconic city.