5 Plot Point Breakdown: Carnage (2011)

Screenplay Genre: Comedy / Drama

Movie Time: 80 Minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

NANCY COWAN (Kate Winslet) and ALAN COWAN’s (Christopher Waltz) son Zachary hits PENELOPE LONGSTREET (Jodie Foster) and MICHAEL LONGSTREET’s (John C. Reilly) son Ethan in the face with a stick. After a conversation between the two couples starts to go sour, Michael invites the Cowan’s in for coffee to patch things up. (00:09:04)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

After a verbal disagreement breaks out between the two couples because both blame the others child, Nancy vomits all over the couch and coffee table. (00:30:08)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

After neither couple feels they can resolve the issue, Nancy and Alan decide to leave. But another verbal disagreement about a hamster Michael tosses onto the street re-engages the couple to re-enter the apartment and continue arguing. (00:43:51)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Nancy is so sick of Alan talking on the phone that she tosses his phone into a vase of water. The men take one side of the ensuing argument and the women take the other. (01:01:48)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

After Nancy suggests that both children should apologize and share the blame, Penelope gets infuriated and throws Nancy’s purse across the room, spilling its contents everywhere. (01:09:30)

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