Plot break down of "Good Will Hunting"
In my ongoing quest to understand film script plot structure, I've broken down the plot of Good Will Hunting. My notes are my interpretation of the story. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck surely didn't break it down exactly as I did, but my version will still give you a functional understanding of film structure. If you look at my break downs of Avatar or Back to the Future, you'll notice the formats are slightly different. This is partly because I'm experimenting to find the best way to break movies down, but it's also because there is no one right way to approach structuring a plot. The trick is to find a method that works for you.
For example, Good Will Hunting has 83 beats. Avatar has 101 beats, and Back to the Future has 39. I define a "beat" as an action sequence where a character engages in a conflict or opportunity. The sequence always includes a setup, catalyst, response and outcome. The conflict is usually between two characters, but as my break down of the first episode of the Twilight Zone shows, the conflict can be between the hero and the absence of other characters.
One thing that is consistent in all three of these movies is that about every 10 beats there's a major conflict that changes the course of the plot. I refer to these 10-block chunks as Acts. Using this formula, Good Will Hunting has 8 Acts, Avatar has 10, and Back to the Future has 5. I refer to the final beat of an Act as the "threshold beat," because once the hero crosses the threshold, there's no going back.
In my breakdown of Back to the Future, I divided the storylines using the traditional "A-story, B-story and C-story" method. In my analysis of Good Will Hunting, I divided the beats into "quest chains" instead. I define quest chains as a series of beats in which a character is trying to accomplish a goal. Using this formula, Good Will Hunting has 11 quest chains. For your convenience, I've included a summary of the Acts, quest chains, and main characters at the beginning of my break down.
I only pasted my notes on the first two Acts of Good Will Hunting to this web page, because the whole document is 40 pages long, but you can download a Word document of the entire break down by clicking the link below. If you use the "find and replace" function in Word, you can change the names and tweak the story to make it your own to practice story structure.
View the original script on IMSDB.com
Download a complete Word document of my break down
Download a complete PDF document of my break down
P.S. Any feedback I can get on improving my plot break downs would be greatly appreciated. What works? What doesn't? Anything. Help!
CHARACTERS
Hero: Will
Hero’s signature strength: Genius
Hero’s signature flaw: Won’t leave his comfort zone
Hero’s life goal #1: Stay in a state of arrested development
Hero’s life goal #2: Be genius
Hero’s antagonist: Lambeau
Hero’s mentor: Sean
Hero’s best Friend: Chuckie
Hero’s love interest: Skylar
One-off bad guys:
Clark: An opponent who thinks he has more of the hero’s signature strength than the hero does, but the hero proves his mastery of their signature strengths is greater.
Judge: An authority figure who has the power to punish the hero for his signature flaw and is in a position to be swayed by the Antagonist.
Bobby Champa: An opponent the hero wants to fight, who is tailor made to receive the wrath of the hero’s flaw.
QUEST CHAINS
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development. (61 beats)
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius (14 beats)
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends (25 beats)
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love (31 beats)
Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development(19 beats)
Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail. (30 beats)
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius (10 beats)
Quest chain 8: Will wants to meet with Lambeau for math mentoring (8 beats)
Quest chain 9: Will wants to meet with a therapist for life mentoring (20 beats)
Quest chain 10: Lambeau wants to exploit Will (9 beats)
Quest chain 11: Will needs a real job. (18 beats)
ACTS
Act 1: Beats 1-12
Introduce all the main characters and give them each a strength, flaw and goal.
Act 2: Beats 13-22
The antagonist hunts for the hero while the hero meets his love interest.
Act 3: Beats 23-30
The antagonist traps the hero, and the hero fights back.
Act 4: Beats 31-39
The antagonist recruits a mentor for the hero, whom the hero rejects while getting closer to his love interest.
Act 5: Beats 40-51
The hero pulls away from the quest he should be on, but he’s no longer satisfied with his old life.
Act 6: Beats 52-59
The hero applies himself to his quest but pulls away again when he starts to make progress.
Act 7: Beats 60-73
With pressure mounting, the hero rides the fence and is even less satisfied with his old life. His allies finally help him overcome his signature flaw.
Act 8: Beats 74-83
Denouement
BEAT 1
Summary:
Will and his friends sit at a bar telling jokes and laughing.
Beat functions:
Prologue
Introduce the hero
Introduce the hero’s goal
Introduce the hero’s flaw
Introduce the setting
Introduce the hero’s allies
Demonstration of character
Metaphor for the hero’s life
Begin Quest chain 1.
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 1: Introduction
BEAT 2
Summary:
Will is reading books at home while waiting to get picked up for work by Chuckie. .
Beat functions:
Introduce hero’s signature strength (Genius)
Introduce hero’s signature weakness (Won’t leave his comfort zone.)
Introduce hero’s home
Introduce here’s life goal #1 (Stay in a state of arrested development.)
Introduce hero’s life goal #2 (Be genius.)
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 2: Demonstrate how the hero is accomplishing his goals (Self-study and working a menial job)
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 1: Introduce Will and Chuckie’s routine
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 1: Prologue
BEAT 3
Summary:
Lambeau challenges his students to solve an advanced math problem.
Beat functions:
Introduce the antagonist
Backstory/setup of Quest Chain #1’s inciting incident
Begin Quest chain 2.
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius
Step 1: Introduction
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 2: Antagonist creates an opportunity for the hero
BEAT 4
Summary:
Will and Chuckie goof around at their favorite hangout spot and make plans to go to a Harvard bar.
Beat functions:
Begin Quest Chain 4.
Character development
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 3: Will’s normal life
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 2: Will’s normal life
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 1: Prologue/setup to meeting Skylar
BEAT 5
Summary:
Sean sits on his roof looking morose, avoiding going to his college reunion.
Beat functions:
Introduce the mentor
Establish mentor and antagonist as foils of each other
Begin Quest chain 5.
Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development
Step 1: Introduction
BEAT 6
Summary:
At his class reunion, Lambeau’s students tell him someone has solved his math challenge.
Beat functions:
Progress Quest chain 2
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius
Step 2: Setup Lambeau discovering Will
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 3: Will has used his genius secretly
BEAT 7
Summary:
Will and his team goof off and see Bobby Champa, a person who beat up Will in the past. (metaphor for Will’s father)
Beat functions:
Setup to Will’s arrest
Demonstrate Will’s flaw (misplaced anger)
Introduce a little of Will’s backstory of abuse
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 4: Show will’s flaw holding him back
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 3: More of Will’s normal life
BEAT 8
Summary:
Lambeau tries and fails to find out who solved his math challenge by searching among his students in the hallway of MIT. Then he issues a new challenge.
Beat functions:
Antagonist fails to achieve his goal. (find the next big genius)
Antagonist creates a new, escalated challenge.
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius
Step 3: Fail first attempt. Begin second attempt.
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 4: Antagonist creates a new challenge for Will.
BEAT 9
Summary:
Will, Chuckie, Morgan and Billy ride in Chuckie’s Cadillac talking about first world poor people’s problems.
Beat functions:
Setup Will getting arrested
Character development
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 5: Show will’s flaw holding him back
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 4: More of Will’s normal life
BEAT 10
Summary:
Chuckie convinces Morgan to backup Will in a fight.
Beat functions:
Character development
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 5: Chuckie demonstrates he’ll do anything for Will.
BEAT 11
Summary:
Will, Chuckie, Billy and Morgan fight Bobby Champa and his crew, ending with Will being arrested
Beat functions:
Fight scene
Act 1 threshold
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 6: Will demonstrates he can’t control his flaw , and it is destroying his life.
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 6: Chuckie continues to demonstrates he’ll do anything for Will.
BEAT 12
Summary:
Sean sits morose on his roof having skipped his class reunion.
Beat functions:
Demonstrate mentor’s flaw (arrested development)
Quest chain 5: Sean wants to stay in a state of arrested development
Step 2: Sean fails to confront the past, which is holding him back.
BEAT 13
Summary:
Chuckie picks up Will from the courthouse after being arrested.
Beat functions:
Begin Quest chain 6
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 7: Will suffers the consequences of his failure at the end of Act 1.
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 7: Chuckie helps Will while enabling his self-destructive behavior.
Quest chain 6: Will wants to stay out of jail.
Step 1: Introduction
BEAT 14
Summary:
Lambeau and his students gather in class to learn who solved the second math challenge. They fail to achieve their goal. Lambeau creates a new goal for Will.
Beat functions:
Antagonist fails his second attempt.
Antagonist begins new, escalated attempt.
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius
Step 4: Fail second attempt. Begin third attempt.
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 5: Will has used his genius in secret again, and the antagonist creates a new challenge for him.
BEAT 15
Summary:
Lambeau catches Will solving the third math challenge, but Will runs away.
Beat functions:
Hero’s refusal of the call
Antagonist makes progress in Quest chain 2
Antagonist and hero meet for the first time
Hero’s flaw negatively impacts his life again (Will feels the need to quit his job.)
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 8: Refusal of the call
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius
Step 5: Lambeau succeeds at finding his genius, but it’s a false victory as Will runs away.
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 6: Refusal of the call
BEAT 16
Summary:
Will, Chuckie, Billy and Morgan go to Casey’s bar as discussed in Beat 4. Will says he lost his job and Chuckie says he can get him a new job.
Beat functions:
Progress in all Quest chains present
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 9: Will suffers the consequences of his refusal of the call
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 8: Chuckie helps Will while enabling his self-destructive behavior again.
Quest chain 2 : Lambeau wants to find the next big genius
Step 6: Will makes it harder for Lambeau to find him by quitting his job.
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 2: Travel to where the hero will meet his Skylar
BEAT 17
Summary:
Chuckie hits on Skylar and Lydia at a Harvard bar.
Beat functions:
Introduce Skylar
Setup for Will helping Chuckie like Chuckie has been helping Will.
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 9: Chuckie sets himself up for trouble in a way that Will is perfectly suited to save him.
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 3: Introduce the Skylar
BEAT 18
Summary:
Chuckie gets humiliated intellectually by Clark.
Beat functions:
Introduce a conflict for Will to demonstrate his strength and impress his Skylar
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 10: Chuckie’s flaw (ignorance) gets in trouble.
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 4: Clark creates an opportunity for Will to impress Skylar.
BEAT 19
Summary:
Will saves Chuckie by humiliating Clark intellectually.
Beat functions:
Demonstration of hero’s signature strength (genius)
State the stakes (Staying in arrested development leads to perpetual poverty.)
Fight scene
Act 2 threshold
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 10: Will glorifies his poverty and is reminded of the consequences
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 11: Will saves Chuckie.
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 5: Will impresses Skylar
Quest chain 7: Will wants to use his genius
Step 7: Will uses his genius successfully
BEAT 20
Summary:
Skylar gives Will his prize for beating Act 2 threshold beat-antagonist (Clark)
Beat functions:
Act 2 prize (Skylar’s number)
Progress Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 6: Skylar gives Will her phone number.
BEAT 21
Summary:
Will taunts Clark with Skylar’s phone number.
Beat functions:
Victory dance
Quest chain 4: Will and Skylar want to fall in love
Step 7: Will demonstrates that he’s kept Skylar’s phone number.
BEAT 22
Summary:
Chuckie takes Will home from the bar.
Beat functions:
Transit/transition
Demonstrate the quality of Will’s life
Quest chain 1: Will wants to stay in a state of arrested development.
Step 11: Will returns from Harvard to his poverty stricken neighborhood
Quest chain 3: Will and Chuckie want to be best friends
Step 12: Chuckie helps Will by taking him home.
If you liked this plot break down, you may like these other break downs:
Avatar
Back to the Future
Avengers Assemble S01E05: Blood Feud
Twilight Zone S01E01: Where is Everybody
Note: I also posted this break down on my main site, thewisesloth.com.