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Old School (2003)

By Pam Glazier · June 16, 2011

Screenplay Genre: Comedy

Movie Time: 91 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

After finding out that his girlfriend Heidi (Juliette Lewis) is a crazy cheating sex-fiend, Mitch Martin (Luke Wilson) moves out into a new house near the University. His friend Beanie Campbell (Vince Vaughn), in an attempt to get him out of his funk and back into the social scene, throws a huge housewarming party for him—Snoop Dogg performs, the party is off-the-hook. (00:13:57)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

Mitch’s unlucky streak continues when he gets an eviction notice from Dean Pritchard (Jeremy Piven), who still holds a grudge against him for being a bully. Pritchard says they must leave because the house is zoned for school related groups. But Beanie won’t allow it. He wants the crazy party house, and he knows that Mitch needs it. He talks a doubtful Mitch into starting a fraternity so that they can stay. (00:31:36)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

Mitch, who has been unlucky and depressed, starts to really get into the fraternity that he has formed with his friends, and it affects other aspects of his life. At Beanie’s son’s birthday party, Mitch confesses to Nicole (Ellen Pompeo) that he had a crush on her in high school, but he was always too intimidated to act on it. She says the feeling was mutual and that he should have acted on it; the chemistry is obvious. (00:49:55)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Just as Mitch is getting back into the swing of things, Pritchard has the frat’s charter revoked and the house boarded up. They can appeal, but academic, athletic, and community service requirements must be met in order to be reinstated. Here is where Mitch is put to the test. It’s up to him to “rally the troops” and save the frat by inspiring the guys to beat Pritchard at his own game. (01:08:49)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

Even though the frat passed, Pritchard fails them on a technicality, but Mitch gets hold of a tape that proves he bribed the student body president to get them kicked out. The frat is reinstated, and Pritchard is fired. (01:22:38)