The 34 Common Plot Patterns of Hollywood & American Independent Cinema (Part 2 of 3)

As promised, here is the second half of my list of the 34 common plot patterns of American cinema, featuring the final two groupings: Action-Centered Narratives and Dualist Narratives. In a few weeks, I plan to follow-up with some words on Hybrid patterns and Combo patterns: an increasingly-common practice where the elements or events of two patterns are mixed and matched; either to fit the needs of a particular story premise or to lend freshness to a film occupying a genre which has overused a pattern to the point of becoming a predictable formula.

scribble on.

ACTION-CENTERED NARRATIVES

Less intimate than Hero-centered narratives, Action-centered narratives emphasize plot actions over character. Meaning is chiefly conveyed through the twists and turns of physical events, their consequences, and the actions taken in response.

8. The Literal Journey

A protagonist undertakes a physical journey; either by will, by force, or to perform some crucial task. Though this journey may seem easy at first, characters encounter threats, obstacles, and complications that force them to continually rise above their limitations and take the actions necessary to finish the journey or achieve its ultimate objective.

• Subtype A: The Quest (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Saving Private Ryan, Children of Men, Midnight Run) – A protagonist is sent on a mission he or she first believes will be short-lived and require minimal effort. However, complications occur at each major turning point that require the protagonist to prolong the mission into increasingly dangerous or unfamiliar territory. With this, the protagonist must escalate his or her dedication and take on greater and greater risk, turning what was first a simple task into an epic adventure.
• Subtype B: There & Back Again (Apollo 13, The Wizard of Oz, Deliverance, Interstellar) – Whether for the thrill of adventure or in response to a legitimate concern, a protagonist leaves home on a journey into the unknown. Yet this journey soon goes awry when a surprise complication traps the protagonist in a situation that threatens his or her ability to return home. Many actions must be taken to overcome this complication, as well as later obstacles, before the protagonist can attempt a journey back to his or her former environment.
• Type C: The Long Perilous Road (Apocalypse Now, Finding Nemo, Little Miss Sunshine, Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, Stand By Me) – A worrisome development or possible reward motivates a long journey to a far off destination. Yet the road is filled with pitfalls, creating an episodic structure where each sequence presents a new obstacle that must be overcome for the journey to continue. Eventually, the characters reach their destination, shifting focus onto the actions necessary to resolve the initial problem or achieve the desired reward.

9. The Snowball of Complications

By choice or accident, a protagonist becomes wrapped up in a situation in which he or she should have no part. The protagonist’s meddling complicate matters further, creating new problems or stirring up conflict from opposing forces. This incites a series of escalating consequences that eventually trap the protagonist in a predicament spiraling out of control.

• Subtype A: The Involuntary Snowball (Back to the Future, The Big Lebowski, Insomnia, Wonder Boys, The Man Who Wasn’t There) – Dumb luck or a twist of fate places a protagonist into an environment or conflict where he or she does not belong. The protagonist then complicates this predicament through mistakes that entangle him or her in increasingly threatening consequences. The protagonist must undo his or her mistakes and restore things to their right order before he or she can hope to resolve the initial story problem and return to his or her former life.
• Subtype B: The Voluntary Snowball (Chinatown, Blue Velvet, Brazil, Raiders of the Lost Ark, WALL-E) – Lured by some mysterious person, situation, or thing, a protagonist willfully sticks his or her nose into a scenario he or she does not fully understand. The further the protagonist chases this lure, the more dangerous and complicated the situation is revealed to be. While it would be wisest to back out of the situation, the lure drives the protagonist onward, eventually entangling him or her in perilous consequences.

10. Rise & Fall

An ambitious but deeply-flawed protagonist obsessively pursues the highest levels of personal success. Yet these desires hold no rational limits, devouring all modesty or reason until they cause an inevitable downfall. The protagonist then fights to keep or regain his or her flawed glory. Eventually, the original ambition must be tempered or abandoned or else it brings the protagonist’s ruin.

• Subtype A: The Power Glutton (Citizen Kane, Goodfellas, The Doors, The Wolf of Wall Street) – Blessed with great wits, talent, or charisma, a protagonist attempts to conquer the world through the accumulation of wealth, power, or fame. The protagonist quickly rises to glory, but is unreasonably compelled to acquire more and more. This insatiable lust leads to a downfall. Failing to learn anything, the protagonist escalates his or her destructive behaviors to attempt a second rise. This inevitably ends in an even greater fall.
• Subtype B: The Overreacher (Scarface, Patton, 500 Days of Summer, Raging Bull, The Aviator) – Through guts and determination, a protagonist attempts to prove him or herself by chasing a lofty and often unreasonable status or goal. Though the protagonist climbs to a modest level of success, he or she is not satisfied, and wants more than others will allow. This habit of pushing beyond the reasonable eventually causes a backlash. Though he or she later receives a second chance, the protagonist often indulges his or her flaws once more, resulting in an ultimate fall.

11. Hero Against the System

A protagonist exists in an environment under the control of a corrupt or oppressive institution. The protagonist chooses to take action against this institution, either to right a wrong or regain personal freedoms. This creates a moral battle between the strong and the weak, with the renegade protagonist often becoming a symbol for social or personal ideals.

• Subtype A: The Social Reformer (Braveheart, Erin Brockovich, Good Night & Good Luck, The Post) A social injustice motivates a protagonist to become the champion of a righteous cause. Opposed by a powerful institution, the protagonist can only succeed by uniting many individuals in a common alliance. However, counter-actions by the institution, along with personal flaws, cause these alliances to fall apart. The protagonist must either continue a hopeless fight alone or take the actions necessary to unify the alliances once more.
• Subtype B: The Insurrectionist (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Spartacus, Serpico, 12 Years a Slave, Chocolat) Here, the protagonist does not wish to change the world. The protagonist merely wants the freedom to live or do as he or she pleases. Unfortunately, the character exists in a corrupt or oppressive environment that expects a strict conformity to harsh and often unfair rules. The protagonist rebels, inciting an aggressive response from the system. Ultimately, the protagonist realizes the system will never yield and takes action to escape or defeat it for good.

12. The Vengeance Narrative

(Kill Bill, Gladiator, The Godfather, Part II, The Revenant, Deadpool) A protagonist is betrayed or unfairly victimized by a ruthless individual or social power. The protagonist then returns to seek revenge. For the first half of the story, the hero pursues this vengeance in relative secrecy. Yet the situation inevitably complicates when the target of this revenge becomes aware of the hero’s intentions. Through the ensuing escalations, the protagonist is eventually forced to confront the difference between justice and revenge, and make a choice between the two.

13. The Big Mission

(Inception, Oceans 11, The Dirty Dozen, Argo, The Sting) A protagonist chooses or is forced to undertake an elaborate mission of great size or complexity. The intricate nature of this mission requires extensive planning, preparation, and a large team of allies working in coordination. The plot’s structure tends to follow a predictable pattern: the assembling of the team, preparation for the mission, the launch of the mission, a major complication (though these last two events may be reversed), and the mission’s ultimate success or failure.

DUALIST NARRATIVES

Rather than focus upon a single lead character, Dualist narratives revolve around a relationship between two characters, often (but not always) given equal dramatic weight. Whether friendly or antagonistic, this relationship expresses the story’s meaning through the characters’ conflicting goals, attitudes, duties, or beliefs.

14. Reconciled Rivals

A personal desire or dramatic situation causes two characters of contradictory natures to band together as a team. Due to profound differences in personality, narrative development revolves around the pair’s ability (or inability) to cooperate. Obstacles and complications test the alliance, requiring that the characters overcome their personal differences before they can achieve any greater objective.

• Subtype A: The Odd Couple (Rain Man, Scent of a Woman, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Philadelphia, Tommy Boy) A dramatic predicament attaches a protagonist to a stranger with a wildly-conflicting personality. At first, the protagonist finds it impossible to cooperate with this partner. However, the characters eventually gain a respect for one another and learn to act as a team. Commonly, one character takes a significant action to help the other in a time of need. This prompts the other to return the favor, solidifying a bond of true love or friendship.
• Subtype B: Coming Together (When Harry Met Sally, Anchorman, True Grit, Knocked Up, The King’s Speech) – One or more encounters between characters of conflicting personalities lead to a decision to form a tentative partnership. At first, this seems to go well as both characters make an effort to overlook sources of interpersonal conflict. However, the relationship’s flaws are eventually revealed, creating arguments or outcomes that sever the partners. For a positive end, emotion or necessity must compel the characters to reunite and pledge their full dedication.

15. Loving Alliance

Two characters share an intimate bond that acts as a source of love, value, or support. Unfortunately, social pressures or flawed personal desires challenge this bond. With the increasing strain of these forces, the characters must make crucial decisions regarding commitment and sacrifice that ultimately decide the fate of the relationship.

• Subtype A: The Tragic Alliance (Titanic, Brokeback Mountain, The Insider, Lost in Translation, The Iron Giant) – Two characters meet and find in one another the comfort or strength they need to combat the problems of their individual lives. Unfortunately, outside forces vie to pull this bond apart. Though the pair fight to remain together, these pressures escalate to a point where this seems impossible. This often means the characters are doomed to surrender the relationship and go their separate ways.
• Subtype B: The Toxic Alliance (Bonnie & Clyde, Days of Heaven, Superbad, Dumb & Dumber) – In contrast with the Tragic Alliance, the separating factors of the Toxic Alliance come from inside the relationship rather than outside. While both characters feel a deep love or respect for one another, flawed personal desires create internal conflicts that cause this bond to erode. If the relationship is to survive, the characters must abandon selfish concerns and reset the relationship on a healthier course.

16. Yin & Yang

These stories contain a hero and an anti-hero—dual protagonists who are often mirror opposites in terms of morals, attitudes, or personal allegiances. Whether first strangers or friends, conflicting goals or ethical inclinations create an enmity between the two parties, often forming a dynamic where every action by one character becomes a threat to the other. With this unity of opposites, only one protagonist can succeed, forcing an ultimate confrontation between the two sides.

• Subtype A: Moral Mirrors (The Departed, Heat, There’s Something About Mary, Touch of Evil, Captain America: Civil War) Through separate and independent action, a hero and an anti-hero pursue what turn out to be directly-opposing goals. This essentially makes each protagonist the other’s antagonist. At first, the characters are unaware of the opposing party’s actions. Once discovered, the protagonists engage in an escalating contest of action and counter-action, culminating in a direct confrontation.
• Subtype B: The False Friendship (Training Day, Fight Club, The Master, Ex Machina) A hero meets an anti-hero and attaches him or herself as a follower or protege. Though initially amicable, the relationship sours as the hero finds reason to question the anti-hero. Eventually, a split occurs, turning the characters into adversaries – often demanding a final confrontation where one side must defeat or permanently disown the other.
  
  (On to PART 3 --> )