In a town known for food trucks , strip clubs, and cannabis shops, a couple down on their luck, fakes an application to host rich, highly sheltered Japanese exchange students in exchange for money.

SYNOPSIS:

The Exchange Students is a comedy, coming of age script that is written along the lines of “ Ferris Bueller’s Day Off ”. It has a strong cast of highly diverse characters.

Dolly Saylor’s life is going nowhere. She is 33, and works at a cannabis place in SE Portland. After getting fired from “ Robert’s Plants” she wonders the street looking for any kind of work.

with the threat of getting evicted on her mind she applies for a job stripping at The Cracker Bare- All Gluten Free Strip Club. After she gets the job she notices a flyer for PDX Exchange Student Academy hosting Japanese exchange students for $500.00 a week.

Mickey Hooker , Dolly’s boyfriend has always been a happy underachiever. He works for the Portland Parks and Recreation mostly picking up dog poop and garbage. When he hears about the $500.00 a week he is doubtful they will get their application accepted.

After much falsifying information, their application is accepted and they will be in charge of Sho a 17 year old student from Japan and Kanata a 16 year old student. The Japanese boys have lead a life in Japan of hard work, strict rules and discipline. All of that is about to go out the window when they are living in Lents with no supervision, and total freedom for them to do anything they want for the month they are in America.

Keep Portland Weird just got a lot more real.

I believe this has universal themes of family, friendships and adventure and would appeal to a broad audience.

The Exchange Students was a quarter finalist for the Portland Screenplay Awards Summer 2021.