by Greg DePaul
27 Dresses *
Fool’s Gold 2H
Role Models 2H
Forgetting Sarah Marshall *
Baby Mama *
2007
Wild Hogs Ens
Knocked Up 2H
Rush Hour III 2H
Superbad 2H
I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry 2H
Blades of Glory 2H
Evan Almighty *
The Game Plan *
2006
Talladega Nights *
Click *
The Break Up 2H
Failure to Launch 2H
The Santa Clause III *
Pink Panther *
Nacho Libre *
2005
Wedding Crashers 2H
Hitch *
The Pacifier *
Fun with Dick and Jane 2H
The 40-Year-Old Virgin *
2004
Meet the Fokkers *
50 First Dates 2H
Dodgeball *
Starsky & Hutch 2H
Along Came Polly 2H
Mean Girls *
Anchorman *
White Chicks 2H
2003
Bruce Almighty *
Elf *
Cheaper by the Dozen *
Bad Boys II 2H
Bringing Down the House 2H
Something’s Gotta Give 2H
Freaky Friday 2H
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days 2H
American Wedding Ens
Daddy Daycare *
Legally Blonde II *
School of Rock *
Old School Ens
2002
My Big Fat Greek Wedding *
Austin Powers in Goldmember *
Men in Black II 2H
The Santa Clause II *
Sweet Home Alabama *
Mr. Deeds *
Maid in Manhattan *
Two Weeks Notice 2H
Barbershop Ens
2001
American Pie II Ens
Legally Blonde *
America’s Sweethearts 2H
The Wedding Planner 2H
Saving Silverman Ens
2000
What Women Want *
Meet the Parents *
Rush Hour II 2H
About This List
Obviously, “successful” is a relative term. I don’t know the profit margin of each of these films. For the most part, movies made it onto this list because they earned over $50 million at the domestic box office.
Again, notice all the two-handers and ensemble comedies. Hollywood seems to be making more of both. Something to keep in mind.
11
Movie Diagrams
As I’ve said, you should write your own diagrams. That being the case, you might as well have these, which I just happened to have sitting around. Please don’t check every scene and page number to make sure I’ve correctly described them; you’d only be missing the point. I wrote them to help myself research and write comedy screenplays. I also wrote them to remind myself—over and over—that every scene needs action, that every comedy screenplay needs creative set pieces, and that I’ll have to screenwrite my butt off to compete with the talented writers of these movies.
The Heat (2013)
Written by Katie Dippold
Act 1
FBI agent Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) FIGURES OUT where drugs and guns are hidden in a bust, but EMBARRASSES herself by being too cocky.
Ashburn TRIES to get a promotion from her boss, but he SAYS she’s arrogant. He ASSIGNS her to a case in Boston and OFFERS to promote her if she does well.
Police Detective Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) JOKES while BUSTING a john for hiring prostitutes, despite him BEGGING her not to.
Mullins JOKES AROUND while BUSTING a drug dealer despite the john ESCAPING.
Ashburn INVESTIGATES a bad guy, then arrogantly tries to ACT cool despite almost causing a car accident.
Ashburn STEALS a parking space from Mullins despite Mullins BERATING her.
Ashburn DEMANDS access to the drug dealer Mullins busted despite the chief REFUSING.
Ashburn INTERROGATES him while Mullins STRUGGLES to park her car. (17)
Mullins DEMANDS Ashburn stop questioning her prisoner, but Ashburn REFUSES and they FIGHT.
The Captain GIVES the case to Ashburn despite Mullins BULLYING him.
Ashburn LECTURES Mullins about why Ashburn must lead the investigation. Mullins PRETENDS to agree, then STEALS documents from Ashburn.
Mullins DEMANDS her brother Jason give her information on her target, but he CLAIMS he has none.
Ashburn CONFRONTS Mullins about stolen documents and DEMANDS she leave the investigation.
Mullins REFUSES. Ashburn TRIES to get Mullins removed, but her boss MAKES her work with Mullins and THREATENS to deny her the promotion if she doesn’t.
Act 2
Mullins FORCES Ashburn to admit she needs her, and they AGREE to go forward as a team.
Ashburn INTERROGATES a suspect the nice way, then Mullins INTERROGATES her the nasty way, but she REFUSES to tell them anything. Ashburn cleverly GRABS a piece of evidence. (33)
Mullins tries to MAKE NICE with Ashburn by SHOWING Ashburn her home despite the fact that it’s a pit.
Ashburn and Mullins INVESTIGATE with help from another FBI agent, who HITS ON Ashburn despite her IGNORING him.
A guy tries to romantically CONNECT with Mullins, but Mullins DISSES him despite Ashburn CRITICIZING her for it.
Ashburn BOASTS about solving a previous case, but Mullins MOCKS her.
Ashburn PLANS to plant tracking device on suspect but FAILS.
They PLAN to act like bar girls to get information, but Ashburn is uptight so Mullins GIVES Ashburn a makeover despite Ashburn RESISTING.
Ashburn DANCES her way into the target’s arms.
A rival DEA Agent DETAINS them and TELLS them to drop the case but Ashburn and Mullins REFUSE. (50)
Ashburn NOTICES Mullins’s brother Jason meeting with the main suspect in a video.
Ashburn ASKS Mullins to help her find Jason, but Mullins REFUSES.
Mullins BREAKS into Ashburn’s house to LEARN more about her, and they BOND. (54)
They go to Mullins’s family’s house to find Jason. Mullins’s family BERATES Mullins. Mullins BERATES them back.
Mullins DISCOVERS bad guys have tortured Jason. She FORCES Jason to TELL her that the bad guys killed a guy.
Ashburn and Mullins INVESTIGATE the dead body with the help of the Coroner and FIND a clue.
Other FBI guy GIVES them a clue and TELLS Ashburn to be nice to him.
Ashburn and Mullins SNEAK into bad guy’s hideout and see a murder. Bad guys CAPTURE them, but they ESCAPE, KILL one bad guy, and ARREST the top bad guy.
Ashburn and Mullins DEBATE how to interrogate bad guy, but Mullins THREATENS him with a gun until he talks. (67)
Ashburn TELLS Mullins to back down, HURTING her feelings.
Mullins CONSOLES Ashburn by TAKING her to a bar. Mullins totally DISSES a sweet ex-lover she sees there. Ashburn CONFESSES to Mullins that she’s divorced and has trouble meeting guys because she’s so dedicated to her job. They BOND by PARTYING hard. (73)
Somebody BLOWS UP Ashburn’s car. They DECIDE there is a mole giving information to bad guys. Ashburn LEARNS bad guys are THREATENING Mullins’s family so they GO to Mullins’s house without telling any higher-ups because of the mole.
They EVACUATE Mullins’s family despite them FIGHTING each other.
They ARGUE about what to do next when guy in restaurant CHOKES on food and Ashburn GIVES him tracheotomy despite not knowing how to do it.
Jason GIVES them information about bad guys despite Mullins FIGHTING Ashburn because she wants him to come home and stop taking risks.
Ashburn ATTEMPTS a big bust, but she’s wrong and there’s no drugs so FBI Chief FIRES her from case.
Ashburn GOES to SUPPORT Mullins, but Mullins REJECTS her help.
Th
ey both separately INVESTIGATE case.
Act 3
Ashburn STICKS UP for Mullins in front of other agents.
Mullins BUSTS some bad guy, but bad guys get the drop on her until Ashburn SAVES her and they REUNITE to SEARCH for bad guy Larkin.
They BULLY suspect into giving them information.
They try to BUST the bad guys, but bad guys CAPTURE them and TORTURE Ashburn. Ashburn CONFESSES that her big bust from years ago was a mistake; a guy in prison must be innocent. They DISCOVER who the mole / bad guy is and ESCAPE, and they LEARN the bad guys will kill Jason.
They RUSH to hospital to SAVE Jason. Bad guy is about to kill Mullins, but Ashburn SAVES her.
They BOND as Ashburn goes to get treatment for a wound.
Everybody celebrates as Mullins gets award, and Ashburn DECIDES to stay in Boston. They BOND as sisters.
Identity Thief (2013)
Story by Jerry Eeten & Craig Mazin
Screenplay by Craig Mazin
Act 1
Diana (Melissa McCarthy) STEALS Sandy’s (Justin Bateman’s) identity and wildly PARTIES at a bar on his credit card until the bartender STOPS her and she ASSAULTS him, getting arrested under Sandy’s name.
At home with family, Sandy WORRIES about money and HOPES to get promoted.
Sandy’s boss INSULTS him and makes him cut checks for other people to get bonuses.
Sandy CUTS the checks then FINDS OUT somebody in Florida is making appointments in his name.
Other employees OFFER him more money to leave the company and he AGREES.
Diana CHARGES lots of stuff on Sandy’s cards.
Sandy LEARNS his cards don’t work and his bill is huge.
Cops ARREST Sandy for Diana’s crime in Florida, but the truth comes out and Sandy LEARNS it could take a year to stop Diana.
Sandy’s new boss THREATENS to fire him, but Sandy MAKES a deal whereby he has one week to bring Diana to face charges to save his job.
Act 2
Sandy GOES to Florida and FOLLOWS Diana, but she CRASHES into his car. He CONFRONTS her, but she PUNCHES him and ESCAPES.
Sandy’s wife GIVES him a clue and Sandy LEARNS where Diana lives.
Sandy SNEAKS into Diana’s house, and they FIGHT until a bad guy BREAKS IN and they ESCAPE. (31)
Sandy DEMANDS that Diana come back with him to talk to his boss, and he PROMISES not to tell the cops.
A Drug Lord in jail TELLS the bad guys to kill Diana and Sandy.
Diana MAKES Sandy REALIZE they can’t both fly since they have the same identity so he DECIDES to drive home with her. (37)
A skip tracer is hired and SEARCHES for Sandy.
At a restaurant Sandy TELLS Diana not to order much to save money, but she LIES to waitress to get more food.
Diana FLIRTS with a guy named Big Chuck and BRINGS him back to their hotel room for a threesome despite Sandy TELLING her not to.
Diana PLANS to drug Chuck and steal his car until he TELLS her he’s a widower and needs love, TOUCHING her. So Diana HAS SEX with Chuck then STEALS his car until his kids CALL on phone and she breaks down and RETURNS his stuff.
The skip tracer CAPTURES Diana and DRIVES AWAY. Sandy CHASES in his car, and, to free her, Diana PUSHES Sandy to RAM the skip tracer’s car and they CRASH. Sandy FREES Diana, and they CAPTURE the skip tracer and DRIVE away in his van.
A bad guy FORCES Big Chuck to POINT them to Sandy and Diana.
Sandy and Diana LEAVE skip tracer and WALK the road. Diana tries to BEFRIEND Sandy, but he RESISTS.
They CAMP OUT in the woods. A snake bites Sandy so he THROWS his pants away and Diana CARRIES him to a bus station.
They BUY a car and DRIVE.
The skip tracer and the bad guys FOLLOW them.
In the car Diana keeps YAPPING so Sandy SHAKES car to SHUT HER UP. (75)
They DECIDE to steal his old boss’s identity to get money to keep traveling. They GO to the local branch of Sandy’s employer and STEAL important records.
With the boss’s credit card, Sandy PREPARES to drive home, but she DEMANDS to take a break, so they LIVE it up at a hotel. Diana GETS a makeover. Sandy and Diana BOND. Sandy PUSHES her to reveal stuff about herself and she REVEALS she had a rough life and never even knew her real name so he feels sorry for her and EXPRESSES affection for her despite her RESISTING his affection.
Police ARREST them for fraud. (89)
Act 3
The bad guys FIGHT each other.
Diana BUSTS her and Sandy out of the cop car, and they ESCAPE.
Cops CATCH the skip tracer and the bad guys.
Sandy THANKS her for helping him, and they DRIVE home.
Diana CHARMS Sandy’s family.
Diana TELLS Sandy’s wife he loves her, and wife is touched. Sandy CONSIDERS turning Diana in for her crimes, and wife URGES him not to. Sandy DECIDES not to turn Diana in, but Diana SURRENDERS to cops and CLEARS Sandy’s name.
A year later, Sandy and family VISIT Diana in jail and she’s studying to improve her life. Sandy GIVES Diana her birth certificate so now she knows who she is. Diana PUNCHES a guard.
Neighbors (2014)
Written by Andrew Cohen & Brenden O’Brien
Act 1
Mac (Seth Rogan) and Kelly (Rose Byrne), married, try to HAVE SEX while their baby watches.
Mac and Kelly HOPE a nice couple moves in next door.
Mac’s boss PRESSURES him to work faster. Mac and his friend Jimmy SNEAK OFF and GET HIGH at work. (5) Jimmy BOASTS of singlehood, which makes Mac feel old.
Jimmy’s ex-wife PUSHES Mac and Kelly to go to a dance club, and they DECIDE to bring the baby. PREPARING to go with baby takes forever, and they fall asleep and miss going out. (10)
Teddy (Zac Ephron) and his rowdy fraternity MOVE IN next door. Mac and Kelly DEBATE how to tell them to keep it down.
Mac and Kelly meet Teddy and try to ACT cool by smoking pot before asking him to keep it down.
The frat guys CELEBRATE their history of partying and BOND.
Mac and Kelly COMPLAIN about the noise, and Teddy ASKS them into party to get them on his side.
Teddy and the frat PARTY hard with Mac and Kelly despite their baby being left alone next door.
Teddy MAKES Mac and Kelly PROMISE to call him before calling cops if the frat gets too loud and rowdy.
Act 2
The frat PARTIES hard. Mac and Kelly CALL the cops, but Teddy CONVINCES the officer to ADMONISH Mac and Kelly by SHOWING video of Mac and Kelly partying from the night before, and the cop SAYS don’t call us again.
Teddy and the frat HARASS Mac and Kelly in a variety of ways (montage).
Mac and Kelly try to RALLY other neighbors, but the frat CURRIES favor with the neighbors to stop them.
Mac and Kelly try to SELL their house, but the realtor SAYS nobody will buy it because of the frat house next door.
Mac and Kelly SEEK help from the dean, but she SUPPORTS the frat.
Mac and Kelly DECIDE to SABOTAGE the frat house.
Mac secretly BREAKS a pipe at the frat house causing a flood that the frat can’t afford to fix.
Teddy COMES up with an idea to sell sex toys and MAKE money to pay for repairs, which works and allows them to BUY a hot tub and have bigger parties.
Kelly COMES UP with a new plan to destroy the frat.
Kelly, Mac, and their friends go to a frat party and try to TRICK the guys into fighting over women.
Kelly MAKES Pete (Teddy’s second-in-command of the frat) KISS Teddy’s girlfriend while Mac DIVERTS Teddy in a dance-off.
The plan works, and Teddy and Pete FIGHT.
Mac PROMPTS them all to throw stuff off the porch, and they HURT some guy walking past.
Mac and Kelly CELEBRATE by having sex.
Kelly starts to FEED baby, but Mac STOPS her because she has alcohol in her system, and she DEMANDS he MILK her and he DOES.
The Dean PUTS the frat on probation for hurting the guy on the street.
Teddy and Pete BOND as friends ag
ain.
Teddy tries to GET a job, but his grades suck so he fails. (53)
Teddy TEASES Mac in the front yard.
Mac and Kelly CONVINCE their friend to help them sabotage the frat despite his reluctance.
Mac and Kelly CONVINCE a frat pledge to wear Google glasses to record secret hazing rituals, but Teddy FINDS OUT and FOILS the plan.
The frat guys BOOBY TRAP stuff and HURT Mac and his buddy.
Kelly DEMANDS they stop the war, but Mac REFUSES and she WALKS OUT.
Pete QUESTIONS if the frat is going too far. (63)
Teddy REFUSES to back down and ADMIT he’s scared to graduate and grow up despite Pete trying to REASON with him.
Teddy TELLS Mac and Kelly that even after he graduates the next frat guys will still torment them.
Mac and Kelly DECIDE they must get rid of the frat house.
Act 3
Mac and Kelly CONVINCE Teddy the probation was lifted.
Teddy PLANS a big party, and Mac and Kelly INVITE street people to ruin it.
Teddy DISCOVERS he’s been duped and tries to BREAK UP the party.
Mac calls the cops, but when they get there there’s no party so Mac SNEAKS into house to turn stuff back on. Teddy CATCHES him and they FIGHT.
Kelly BRINGS the cops back, and they BUST the party.
Teddy TELLS Pete to LEAVE the frat because Pete has a future.
Months later, Mac and Kelly ENJOY being old parents.
Get Him to the Greek (2010)
Written by Nick Stoller
Act 1
Rock star Aldous (Russell Brand) and wife Jackie PROMOTE his new album, African Child.
Fans REJECT the album. Jackie REJECTS Aldous for being sober and boring, DIVORCES him, and GAINS custody of their son.
Aldous’s dad PUBLISHES a book taking credit for his success. Aldous DRINKS and PARTIES, making the media WONDER if he’s washed up for good. (5)
Aaron (Jonah Hill), a young record company executive, tries to CHEER UP his overworked girlfriend, Daphne.
Sergio, Aaron’s record company boss, BERATES his employees for not bringing him any good ideas. Aaron PITCHES the idea of an Aldous comeback concert, but Sergio REJECTS it. (10)