Day 5 – Resolution Scene

[Karen Haas]

AMERICAN BEAUTY
What I learned: tying up loose ends and giving some type of meaning to the overall movie helps great a satisfying ending.

Basic scene components — Starts with blood splattered body recollecting last minute of life which lasted a long time…
Scene arc, remembering beautiful stars, leaves, good times and family members
situation, as he’s been shot and murderer is revealed through action
conflict, various family members hear the shot, or having seen the body, reacting
moving the story forward, wife is distraught,
entertainment value: we get closure for the mystery of who done it, and appreciation for a life well lived in the end… and
setups/payoffs: bloody body with gun and reveal at the end
Watch 2nd time for:

How does this scene bring the movie to a conclusion? We see the body and hopefully understand what happened to Lester and his family
How this shows the new status-quo. Distraught wife is now a widow, daughter now fatherless,
How it is a satisfying ending. Not really satisfying to me, but it does answer question who kills him, plus it gives a spiritual message to the overall movie… be grateful for your stupid life.
Delivering character. We see reactions of characters to either the shot or the body… and Lester’s reaction to being murdered is only appreciation for the gift of his life while it lasted.
Interesting dialogue, especially the last line of the movie. He realizes he wasted his time, “my stupid life” but he is grateful for everything nonetheless.

[Mary Albanese]

Scene Matery, Week 1 Day 5, Resolution Scenes
Se7en
Watch first time for:
Scene arc: Morgan Freeman opens the bloody box. Brad Pitt has gun on evil John Doe. Morgan Freeman sees something horrible. Rushes to Brad Pitt. Says put down the gun. SUSPENCE. What is in that box? Slowly John Doe brags – Brad Pitt’s wife’s head. He killed her, even though she was pregnant. Brad Pitt didn’t know. We find out when he does what’s in the box, and that his wife is dead, and that she was pregnant. Morgan Freeman begs him not to shoot evil John Doe or it will destroy Brad Pitt. “If you kill him, he will win.” But Brad Pitt can’t NOT shoot the evil John Doe.
Situation- Brad Pitt must choose – his future life, or his rage at this killer.
Conflict – Brad Pitt’s conflict is with himself. Can he ignore his wife’s murder? Will his anger need to be released on the bad buy?
Moving story along – The whole story was leading up to this moment, this confrontation.
Entertainment Value – Brad Pit is screwed. What will he do? What would we do? Whew! Glad WE are not in that situation, but so interesting to watch Brad Pit wrestle with it.
Setup-payoff – The box. What’s in it? We don’t see right away. We are kept in the dark as Brad Pit is. But then we find out when he does. We know John Doe has been planning this, to make Brad Pit go off his mind and kill him, destroying his own career. And John Doe does it so completely.
Watch 2nd time for
How this brings movie to conclusion – Yes, conclusion. Chopper police say, “somebody call somebody.” They know Brad Pit is screwed.
How it shows new status quo – Brad Pit will now go to jail. Maybe die. His life will be garbage from here on. While John Doe, shot, no longer feels any pain.
How it is satisfying ending – Brad Pit can’t NOT kill John Doe. His rage flames up. John Doe has succeeded in destroying boy scout cop Brad Pit completely. Yikes.
Delivering character – Brad Pit had no choice but to let his emotions go crazy at hearing of his wife and unborn child’s death.
Cool dialog and last line – “If you shoot him, he will win.” This is the whole crux of the story, with John Doe’s manipulation of Brad Pitt. It is complete. “Somebody call somebody.” Even the chopper cops know this is a horrible situation – they are all powerless to stop the horrible consequences John Doe has set in motion for Brad Pit.