5 Plot Point Breakdown: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Screenplay Genre: Comedy / Drama / Romance

Movie Time: 122 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

Over at Ronnie and Victoria’s house for dinner, Pat looks up to see Veronica’s sister Tiffany enter: They lock eyes immediately. (00:24:30)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

Returning home from dinner with Tiffany, Pat searches for his wedding video. Unable to find it anywhere in the house, he goes hysterical, yelling, getting into a fight with his father, Pat Sr., waking up the neighborhood, and having Officer Keogh coming over to handle the situation.

Officer Keogh: Good luck. I gotta write this up.

Pat: Come on, don’t write it up! I don’t want her to see this!

Pat Sr.: It’s okay, everything is okay. We’re fine, thank you, we appreciate it. Thank you.

The family stands together in silence. (00:34:55)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

After agreeing to pass a letter on to Nikki, Tiffany goes back on her promise, telling Pat that she always does something for others but she never gets anything in return. Now, the only way she will give the letter is if Pat does something for her.

Pat: Tiffany, I’m not gonna do a dance with you.

Tiffany: All right, then I’m not giving her your fucking letter.

Pat: Wait a second! But you promised you would do this.

Tiffany: Think about it. (00:56:30)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Pat Sr. has just lost a bet to Randy, losing his money for his restaurant. An explosion of arguments breaks out when Pat, Jake, Ronnie, and Dr. Patel come home after getting into a fight at the Eagles game. Tiffany joins in when she barges into the house, explaining how Pat let her down, and how she was the good luck charm. Through it all, a new bet with Randy arises, double or nothing, that Pat says he will not take part of. He walks out the front door but something Tiffany said inside gets his attention.

Pat as he reads the letter.

Pat: (reading) “… but if it was me reading the signs …”

Pat reacts. He looks over his shoulder. He turns, looking at the letter. He just figured something out: Tiffany wrote the letter, not Nikki. (01:34:16)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

Everyone is at hotel, either watching the football game or the dancing competition. Pat signs in as Tiffany looks down over the railing at the lobby below. She sees: Nikki walking with Ronnie and Veronica. Oh no. (01:40:15)

Tiffany and Pat’s parents lied to Pat, telling him that his wife Nikki would be there, to get him to do the dance. However, the lie has become a reality. This upsets Tiffany, who is clearly in love with Pat.

Ronnie: Pat told me. He told me you should never throw a marriage out the window.

Tiffany: Pat did not say that. He didn’t say that. (01:40:55)

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