The three-act structure includes the introduction, the complication, and the resolution. The introduction usually takes up the first 30 minutes of the film while the complication develops in 30-60 minutes. The resolution takes place in the last 30 minutes of the movie. The plot line basically involves a series of riskier and riskier decisions or mini-climaxes that lead up to the final climax and resolution.
Mean Girls is a comedy about high school social cliques and how they affect girls. The introduction sets up Cady Heron as a new high school student who had just moved from Africa to Evanston, IL. Having been home-schooled for 16 years, she was unfamiliar with the social customs of high school life. Cady meets Janis Ian and Damien, who teach her the social ropes and become her friends. One day, the school's popular trio Regina, Gretchen, and Karen (the Plastics) invite Cady to sit at lunch with them every day. The movie hits its first plot point when Janis and Damien convince Cady to spy on Regina and pretend to be her friend around 12 minutes in. As Cady continues this friendship, the movie transitions into the complication around minute 28:17 when Cady realizes how "evil" Regina is and plans to take down Regina with the help of her two friends.
The complication is the middle portion of the movie, which lasts anywhere from 30-60 minutes. During this time, Cady's hate for Regina gradually builds up, and she starts to lose her identity to the one that Regina invented for her. The second mini-climax occurs when Cady finally destroys Regina's reputation and alienates her from Gretchen and Karen approximately 54 minutes into the film. Cady becomes the new "queen bee," and things finally get out of hand at her party when her love interest Aaron as well as Janice and Damien confront her about the person she had become: Regina George.
The resolution comes in and the plot thickens as Regina shows her Burn book to the principal and accuses Cady, Gretchen, and Karen for writing it. Regina also exposes the book to the rest of the high school, and the girls begin to physically assault one another after reading the rumors and gossip written in there. Thereafter, the movie climaxes when Cady owns up to writing the Burn book at minute 69, and problems begin to be resolved. Cady makes up for her mistakes by competing with the math athletes, and she makes a speech at the Spring Fling Dance to apologize for her actions. The movie concludes with the main cast finding their niche in high school while playfully introducing the new junior "plastics."
Picture Source: http://www.impawards.com/2004/posters/mean_girls.jpg
No comments:
Post a Comment