Save the Cat Goes to the Movies

by Blake Snyder

  Final Image: Donald is called home, and as he breaks the news to Tom in surgery, we realize he hasn’t changed a thing. His “sacrifice” is he did nothing. “They” won. The madness of war goes on. He is just no longer part of it.

  DO THE RIGHT THING (1989)

  Torn between wanting to belong and the need to “do the right thing,” what is a more apt description of any dilemma of the “I” type than that found at the heart of writer/director Spike Lee’s critic’s fave. Featuring an all-star cast including such “unknowns” (at the time) as Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez, and standout performances from veteran actors Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, the film’s about the pull of the group versus listening to the “little voice” inside us all.

  At the center of the debate is Mookie (Spike Lee), poised between boyhood and manhood, old family and new family, peace (symbolized by Martin Luther King) and war (as represented by Malcolm X). He has loyalty to his proud boss and mentor Sal (Danny Aiello), but fears Sal’s sons and an uncertain future.

  On the hottest day of the year, a Bed-Stuy block will erupt in racial hatred. Despite the calming voices of Da Mayor (Davis) and Mother Sister (Dee), the friction creates sparks and finally fire. Setting it into motion are radical views represented by Buggin’ Out and Radio Raheem. Told to “do the right thing,” it will be loyalty to himself that changes Mookie’s life.

  I Type: Family Institution

  I Cousins: The Godfather, Boyz N the Hood, Goodfellas, Terms of Endearment, The Joy Luck Club, Liberty Heights, Avalon, American Beauty, The Royal Tenenbaums, Spanglish

  DO THE RIGHT THING

  Written by Spike Lee

  Opening Image: To Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power,” Rosie Perez dances. Beautiful and strong (Ernest R. Dickerson is the film’s cinematographer and MVP), she soon wears boxing gloves. We’re not just dancing; we’re warming up for battle.

  Set-Up: The forecast for New York’s Bedford-Stuyvesant is HOT this summer morning, according to neighborhood DJ Mister Señor Love Daddy (Samuel L. Jackson). We meet Mookie (Spike Lee), counting money. Spike is alone at the start, but by the movie’s finish (next morning), he is with Tina (Perez) and son Hector. Something will occur in the course of this day to make that transformation possible. We also see Sal (Danny Aiello) and sons, stalwart owners of Sal’s Famous Pizzeria, a Bed-Stuy landmark — and soon to be ground zero for racial antipathy. We also meet the stuttering Smiley (Roger Guenveur Smith), selling a photo of Martin Luther King with Malcolm X. These two leaders’ opposing views are the crux of Spike’s dilemma — and his community’s.

  Catalyst: At Minute 11, Spike walks into work and is told, “You’re late again” by “Company Man” Pino (John Turturro), Danny’s bigoted son. Stress between Danny and John sets the tone for the day. We also meet the boom box-carrying Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), a strong, silent man proclaiming “Fight The Power.” He will spark the fire.

  Debate: Where do Spike’s loyalties lie? Spike’s is a timeless “I” problem: being a Naif trapped in the system.

  Break into Two: At Minute 19, after getting static from Danny about his pizza, a Brando figure, Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito), looks up on the wall of Sal’s Famous and sees nothing but Italian-Americans. “Why ain’t you got no brothers up on the wall?” he protests. And since it’s primarily an African-American community, Buggin’ Out wants answers. Instead, Danny kicks him out, with Spike assisting. For now, Spike is trying to keep his boss happy.

  Theme Stated: At Minute 23, while on a delivery, Spike is told by Da Mayor (Ossie Davis) to “always do the right thing.” As we’ll see, this is Spike’s choice: to listen to his inner voice or not.

  B Story: Ossie is the spokesman for the neighborhood, its roving lifeguard and timeworn hero. His romance with Mother Sister (Ruby Dee), who hates him at first, is where we’ll discuss the older values of this community and the film’s theme. Like Spike, today will be a turning point for Ossie; he’ll not be alone tomorrow.

  Fun and Games: The city on a hot day is seen in “Fun and Games.” When kids open up the fire hydrants and play in the water, the cops come by to shut it down, but for the moment, they are well-meaning defenders of the status quo. A bicyclist (John Savage) with a “Bird” jersey (for basketball star Larry Bird) gets grief from the kids for being a Yuppie renovator of a brownstone. We see more friction when Korean owners of a market get hassled by “Sweet Dick Willie” (Robin Harris). And at Minute 48, we get a close-up of hate as several citizens complain to the camera.

  Midpoint: At 1 Hour 15 Minutes, the lines are drawn and the conflict looms: Danny tells John he’s not moving, and Buggin’ Out decides to organize a boycott of Sal’s Famous. “Stakes are raised” more when Spike’s sister visits and Danny flirts with her as John and Spike watch. There is a B Story “false victory” as Ossie buys flowers for Ruby. At 1 Hour and 19 Minutes, the sun is going down and Spike tells his sister: “I’ll be making a move.”

  Bad Guys Close In: Tension increases between Danny and Spike over Danny’s attention to Spike’s sister. Later, Spike has a loving moment with Rosie but it seems to be the calm before the storm as the cops come by Sal’s, acting a little more aggressively. John and his younger brother have a fight in the storeroom with John saying Spike is not to be trusted. Maybe John is jealous of Danny’s relationship with Spike?

  All Is Lost: About to close for the night, and pleased to have gotten through another day, Danny is confronted by Radio Raheem and Buggin’ Out. With Radio Raheem’s boom box cranked up loudly, Buggin’ Out demands satisfaction, and the showdown boils over into violence. Danny grabs his bat and destroys the boom box. Raheem attacks Danny and the fight spills out into the street until the cops come. Arresting Buggin’ Out, the cops grab Radio Raheem and violently put him in a choke hold. He dies while everyone watches. At 1 Hour 35 Minutes, all are in shock.

  Dark Night of the Soul: Smiley wails while the cops take away the body. Danny pleads he had nothing to do with it. While Ossie tries to calm everyone, the neighborhood is about to tip. And the one who commits the “sacrifice” comes as a shock.

  Break into Three: Naif turns Brando: Spike grabs a trashcan, throws it through the window of Sal’s — and a riot starts.

  Finale: The neighborhood kids burn Sal’s Pizzeria down while A and B stories cross as Ossie whisks Danny to safety and comforts Ruby. The Korean market is next, but the owner manages to talk down the rioters by saying “Me black.” The comment defuses the violence and the neighborhood watches as firemen come to put out the blaze. In a note of Synthesis, Smiley puts his photo of King and Malcolm X on the wall of Danny’s burned-out restaurant.

  Final Image: Spike wakes the next day with Rosie and their son, but leaves to get his back pay from Danny. Danny’s business is destroyed, Radio Raheem is dead, and another day is starting — but has anything changed? Over credits we see quotes from both King and Malcolm X. Like the twin rings Radio Raheem wore — one saying LOVE, the other HATE — the conflict goes on.

  OFFICE SPACE (1999)

  In my opinion, Mike Judge is one of the great satirists of our age. When you think of the cultural malaise mixed with Jolt Cola that is Beavis and Butthead, and the good ol’ boys who hang out — along with their beer guts — in King of the Hill, the nuance of his animator’s eye is sharp. In his first live-action feature, which he wrote and directed, Judge proves that on film he can be just as cutting. With a few deft strokes, Judge captures a unique point in time: the cubicle-dwelling, commuter-numb, Fudruckers-plagued miasma that was the Silicon Valley ’90s.

  From the chirpy way the company receptionist greets callers, to the industrial-park dip in the grass when the three leads head back from a lunch spot where having “flair” is a part of the job, to the “Why don’t you go ahead and …” patois of the office manager, Judge nails it in ways any caveman would get.

  Ron Livingston has never been better than as mild-mannered Peter Gibbons, a guy who just doesn’t want to work — and doesn’t see why that’s a
bad thing. To find his bliss, he’ll have to gather his fellow cavemen and lead a revolt against TPS reports, six bosses, and two Bobs. But with help from a hypno-therapist — and Jennifer Aniston — he’ll be Synthesis Man by Act Three.

  I Type: Business Institution

  I Cousins: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 9 to 5, Network, The Hospital, Glengarry Glen Ross, Barbarians at the Gate, The Paper, Boiler Room, Pushing Tin, Ladder 49

  OFFICE SPACE

  Written by Mike Judge

  Opening Image: We meet our three wannabe “Brandos” stuck in traffic on the way to their corporate cubicles at Initech: Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) tries to changes lanes to get ahead, but finds it’s a losing game; Michael Bolton (David Herman) defies his namesake and sings to rap music; and Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu) vents by shouting in rage.

  Set-Up: Ron sits in his cubicle as the receptionist answers the phone like a mynah bird. We also meet Milton (Stephen Root), the quiet worker (and the film’s inspiration) who’s been lost in the system, but at the moment he’s just annoying. The day gets worse when “Company Man” and boss Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole) tells Ron he’s filling out his TPS reports all wrong. Ron, David, and Ajay go to Chotchke’s, where waitress Joanna (Jennifer Aniston) is seen briefly. Ron’s girlfriend (Alexandra Wentworth) wants him to see a therapist for his work avoidance, and David introduces his solution: a computer virus that would wreck the company.

  Theme Stated: “What if we’re still doing this when we’re 50?” Ron asks his pals at Chotchke’s in a Stasis = Death beat.

  Catalyst: At Minute 11, on their way back from their coffee break, the guys learn two “efficiency experts” are coming to Initech. This can only mean one thing: a lot of firings.

  Debate: How will Ron deal with this new threat? At his thin-walled apartment, he talks to neighbor Lawrence (Diedrich Bader), a construction worker who has the carefree life Ron wants.

  Break into Two: At Minute 20, Ron is taken to the therapist by his girlfriend and asks: “Is there any way you can zonk me out so I feel like I’m not at work?” The shrink hypnotizes Ron and promptly has a heart attack — with Ron still under. At home the next day, Ron wakes up and has 17 messages from Lumbergh asking why he’s not at work. He does pick up the phone for his girlfriend, who — frustrated by his zombie-like calm — admits she’s been cheating and breaks up with him. But Ron doesn’t care. He is a new man.

  B Story: Still in a hypnotic state, and now a re-born Brando, Ron skips work and heads straight to Chotchke’s to ask Jennifer out. While at work, the axe falls as we meet the “Two Bobs” (one played by hilarious John C. McGinley), who are revealed as down-sizers. On his date with Jennifer at Flingers, Ron’s honesty is attractive but she will ultimately teach him what real honesty is all about.

  Fun and Games: Back in the office, Ron wows the Bobs by admitting he does no work! Still in a daze, he knocks over his cubicle walls, pulls down a company motivational banner, and parks in Lundbergh’s spot to the Geto Boys’ “Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta.” This is truly the “promise of the premise.” Ron is on a roll, and has even won Jennifer’s heart. But his pals think he’s crazy.

  Midpoint: In a perfect “false victory”/“raising of stakes” one-two, Ron learns he’s being promoted, but at a cost: His friends are being fired. We also find out poor Milton is going to be processed out; seems he was let go years ago, but a computer glitch kept him on the payroll. Starting to come down off his pink cloud, Ron tells David and Ajay the news of their firing, and they decide to fight back. “It’s not just about me and my dream of doing nothing, it’s about all of us,” says Ron. “Human beings were not meant to sit in cubicles.” At Minute 49, David vows: “Let’s make that stock go down.” Ron agrees: “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of being pushed around.”

  Bad Guys Close In: The plan to loose the computer virus on Initech and rob the company by an eighth of a penny at a time is set into motion. The trio loads the virus into the system and trouble begins almost immediately. In further insurgency, Ron steals David’s archenemy, the office printer, and the three beat on it in a field, then celebrate by dancing in Ron’s apartment. On the way to a company party, Ron tells Jennifer about the virus and she calls him on it: “So you’re stealing.” Despite Ron’s explanation of eighths and quarters of pennies — she’s right. Friction between them is furthered when Ron believes a rumor that Jennifer slept with Lumbergh. The party is for Ron’s other boss, Tom (Richard Riehle), whose accident gave him a huge insurance settlement. Now a happy man, Tom advises, “If you hang in there long enough, good things can happen in this world.” But Ron can’t hang in … or forget Jennifer’s alleged transgression.

  All Is Lost: The plan begins to unravel and Ron and Jennifer break up. Ron has a dream about “Company Man” Lundbergh drinking coffee and having sex with Jennifer. Jennifer is so upset, she flips off her boss at Chotchke’s and gets fired. To make matters worse, Ron discovers he and his buds have stolen $300,000 and there are only four days to put the money back.

  Dark Night of the Soul: Milton’s moved to the netherworld of the basement and is finally fed up. And Ron knows he’s going to jail.

  Break into Three: Ron writes a letter to the company taking the blame as his “sacrifice,” then meets Jennifer, who’s now working at Flingers. A and B stories cross as he apologizes. “I don’t know why I can’t just go to work and be happy,” he says. “But I think that if I could be with you I could be happy.”

  Finale: Ron pushes an envelope under Lumbergh’s door with the $300,000, but Milton goes into Lumbergh’s office and finds the cash. While Ron packs, Milton blows up the building. Initech is destroyed as the “Cathy” cartoons go up in flames, along with evidence that could convict our heroes.

  Final Image: The world after the inferno: Ron works construction and has Jennifer in his life along with his two friends, while Milton gets away with the money. They’ve accomplished what they wanted all along. Ron’s been transformed. He and Jennifer are together. And Milton’s on the beach in Cabo … but in a coda, we see things haven’t changed for him — he still gets no respect.

  TRAINING DAY (2001)

  In a good example of the “Mentor Institution” tale, this Antoine Fuqua-directed slice-of-thug-life shows what happens when a student trusts a false teacher. It’s one of the most primal stories we tell. We’ve all been there on our first day on the job, not sure what the rules are — or if we can make the grade. And the more eager we are to be accepted, the more open we are to manipulation from someone who means us harm.

  Pity the sheep that meets a wolf in these circumstances.

  Ethan Hawke plays one such ewe, an ambitious cop and Naif who lives in LA’s San Fernando Valley. With a wife and baby to support, he wants to be part of a group of elite detectives, and puts himself in a position where his eagerness to succeed makes him vulnerable. When he agrees to learn at the feet of veteran narc and “Company Man,” Denzel Washington, he finds there are no rules — except survival. Sanctioned by appearances from Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Macy Gray, the film is billed as a genuine look at LA’s gang world. But for our purposes, Ethan’s training of the “I” kind is about realizing any mentor can be corrupt … and insane. If he is to survive, he’ll have to swear allegiance to a higher power: the inner guide that never lets him down.

  I Type: Mentor Institution

  I Cousins: Wall Street, Dead Poet’s Society, Swimming with Sharks, Mentor, Mona Lisa Smile, Apt Pupil, The Emperor’s Club, In Good Company, The Devil Wears Prada, The Departed

  TRAINING DAY

  Written by David Ayer

  Opening Image: The alarm sounds and Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) wakes, his wife and baby already up. They are his “Save the Cat” foundation; we are rooting for him because of them.

  Set-Up: Ethan arrives at a coffee shop and meets new boss Alonzo (Denzel Washington makes this movie). At first, it’s puppy dog Ethan versus big dog Denzel, as Ethan shows eagerness by interrupting
Denzel’s reading of his newspaper. But Denzel puts puppy in his place when he says …

  Theme Stated: …”Today’s a training day, Officer Hoyt. You got today to show me who and what you’re made of.” Who is Jake? His mettle will be tested in the next 24 hours, and it will be life or death. We’ll also see who gets trained — it may not be the puppy!

  Catalyst: They roll. Ethan rides shotgun in Denzel’s street car. From the start, it’s obvious that Denzel’s an undercover cop who skirts between legitimate and criminal behavior. “This is the office,” he informs Ethan. At first Ethan is committed. “I will do anything you want me to do,” he tells Denzel. Ordered to “take off your wedding band,” he does so. Today will include a series of fraternity hazing-style tests to see if Ethan will obey (and make us wonder what we would do).

  Debate: How far is Ethan willing to go? As if to press the point, at Minute 14, after watching a drug buy, they stop the buyers — a car full of suburban kids. Guns drawn, Ethan and Denzel relieve them of their cash, pot, and paraphernalia. Then Ethan is offered a new “choice,” one of many that force him to question his decision to join the group. Denzel stops the car, pulls a gun on him, and says: Smoke the pot or quit. Ethan knows he’ll be fired if drug-tested; what should he do?

  Break into Two: At Minute 17, needing to belong, Ethan makes a big mistake and says: “Give me that thing.” He wants to be “part of,” and trusts his mentor. But as the effect hits Ethan, Denzel laughingly tells him the pot is laced with angel dust. Ethan has entered the “upside-down world” of Act Two.