CARL BERKOWITZ, ESQ.

Carl is the kind of guy who thinks he’s smarter than everyone in the room, though he rarely proves it. For example, he frequently identifies “tells” or subtle clues his opponents expose that may give him insight into decisions they might make or strengths (or weaknesses) they might have. But he’s often wrong about those tells – such as when he sees Steingold with a frayed suit and assumes it’s because he’s cheap or lacks real wealth. Carl is very likeable, but often stumbles into situations where the odds quickly stack up against him. He lives life by a set of rules that he often breaks without realizing the irony of his inconsistency. Carl dreams of becoming a respected and well-known entertainment attorney, but his background is real estate law and he’s only been able to snag low profile entertainment clients. He also sometimes fails to see his own failings in the judgment he places on others. For example, when he’s at the Hollywood party where he first meets Hannah, he talks about how every single person is there to get something – no exceptions. He says it as if that rule doesn’t apply to him, but what he doesn’t realize is that he’s there to get something just like everyone else. In an endearing way, he’s also willing to swing for the fences when all odds are stacked against him. You see this play out in his recollection of little league baseball in his childhood, as well as in him believing he can actually win against Rebellious Future Studios. Carl’s character arc takes him from believing that rules are never meant to be broken to realizing that sometimes convictions are more important than rules, which require us to act with all values we hold dear, even if against our rules. Carl is also torn by the loss of his love, Kate Lively, who left LA for a job in DC. When she returns to LA, he wants to be around her almost like longing for his first love, but also wanting to become a part of her world where morality serves a goal greater than one’s self. Carl frequently looks back on his past, finding ways to connect the dots with decisions and experiences from his past to circumstances and difficulties in his present. This is reflected in his relatively constant recollections of childhood experiences when he’s literally in a crisis moment in present time.