To Illustrate this point, two not current but not old great films will be used: Children of Men (2006) and Michael Clayton (2007). Both have well developed plots. “Children” is heavy on the futuristic action/adventure with lots of intrigue and double cross, while “Clayton” takes on the legal thriller genre. Both male protagonists start out as hard boiled cynical characters who see no merit in what they're doing or where they're at personally, but they change completely by the final act.
Some Points on Character Arc and Plot Development
Plot development is obvious to most. A standard movie script is usually in three parts or acts. The opening to introduce the characters and the situations. The second usually involves an event that changes everything or demands a new solution. That event in the second act is known as the plot point. Things usually change from that point. And of course the third is the pursuit of resolution, hopefully, that makes sense and ties all loose ends.
A really good character arc flows along with or on that pattern also. Someone upset in the opening scenes over his wife's murder and deciding on revenge is not a character arc. It takes most of the movie to get that fully if it is done well, and it becomes most apparent in or by the third act. The character begins with a certain weaknesses or strengths, runs into an episode, usually around that plot point in the second act, that stirs something within him or her, forcing an attitude change that often results in a life change in the character's essential being by the story's conclusion.
The Two Great Movies
Both Children of Men and Michael Clayton protagonists, Theo of “Children” and Michael of “Clayton”, respectively played superbly by Clive Owen and George Clooney, are characters whose lives have come to dead ends, lacking both meaning and purpose. They are dismally unhappy, cynical, bitter, have low self esteem and see very little hope for themselves on the horizon.
As each of those two films unfold their tightly tuned intricate plots, “Children” with more action and “Clayton” with more intrigue and great dialog, both characters find purpose in incidents they did not create. In other words, neither character set out to do anything about their personal situation as a quest for realization or even change.
They found themselves involved and led by chance to what became their salvations, their real selves coming out. Not for public attention or social accolades, but on a more personal level. One that left them both glowing from the inside out, even as one of them, Theo, was dying.
And in each of these two great films, the process of character change, or arc, was as much a part of the movie as the plot. In “Children” the action almost obscures the character arc, but it's very much a part of the story. With “Clayton”, it's a little more obvious. After all, the movie has his name!
Film Assignment for Observing Character Arc and Plot Combinations
If you like intrigue with lots of action and some good dialog, Children of Men has been tagged as a “thinking man's” action/adventure film, while Michael Clayton, with lots of great dialog, is a terrific legal firm and corporate malfeasance film with a social statement as background. Check out both of these movies and see for yourself how they combine well developed plots with perfect character arcs. There's nothing to lose as they both showcase great directing, writing, and editing as well.
Paul Louis - Paul Louis has written several articles for a variety of subjects. He has retired from the mortgage - real estate madness in the USA and ...
