28 Days
After getting into a car accident while drunk on the day of her sister's wedding, Gwen Cummings is given a choice between prison or a rehab center. She chooses rehab, but is extremely resistant to taking part in any of the treatment programs they have to offer, refusing to admit that she has an alcohol addiction.
Working with a respectable budget of $43.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $62.2M in global revenue (+45% profit margin).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
28 Days (2000) exhibits carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Betty Thomas's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 43 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Gwen Cummings
Andrea
Cornell Shaw
Eddie Boone
Jasper
Gerhardt
Lily Cummings
Oliver
Main Cast & Characters
Gwen Cummings
Played by Sandra Bullock
A chaotic party girl forced into rehab after crashing her sister's wedding while intoxicated.
Andrea
Played by Azura Skye
A talented soap opera actress struggling with addiction and denial in rehab.
Cornell Shaw
Played by Steve Buscemi
A tough love counselor at Serenity Glen who challenges Gwen's resistance to recovery.
Eddie Boone
Played by Viggo Mortensen
A professional baseball player in rehab dealing with pill addiction and anger issues.
Jasper
Played by Dominic West
Gwen's enabling boyfriend who shares her destructive party lifestyle.
Gerhardt
Played by Alan Tudyk
A kind German patient dealing with substance abuse who befriends Gwen.
Lily Cummings
Played by Elizabeth Perkins
Gwen's patient and caring sister whose wedding Gwen ruins.
Oliver
Played by Mike O'Malley
A gentle British patient at Serenity Glen who provides comic relief.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Gwen Cummings, a hard-partying New York writer, is shown drunk and high at her sister's wedding, stumbling through her maid of honor toast, establishing her rock-bottom baseline before change.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when The judge sentences Gwen to 28 days in rehab or jail. Her party lifestyle comes to an abrupt halt as she's forced to confront consequences for the first time.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Gwen reluctantly commits to participating in the rehab program after her initial resistance fails. She begins attending group therapy and following the facility's rules, crossing into the world of recovery., moving from reaction to action.
At 52 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Gwen has a breakthrough in therapy where she begins to confront painful childhood memories of her mother's alcoholism and her own role in perpetuating the cycle. The stakes deepen from just serving time to actual recovery., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 77 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Gwen nearly relapses when Jasper brings drugs to visiting day. She faces the metaphorical death of her old identity and enabling relationships, realizing she must let go of everything from her former life to survive., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 82 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Gwen fully commits to sobriety and recovery, breaking up with Jasper, reconciling authentically with her sister, and embracing the principles she's learned. She chooses recovery over her old life., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
28 Days's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping 28 Days against these established plot points, we can identify how Betty Thomas utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish 28 Days within the comedy genre.
Betty Thomas's Structural Approach
Among the 6 Betty Thomas films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.3, reflecting strong command of classical structure. 28 Days represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Betty Thomas filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Betty Thomas analyses, see Doctor Dolittle, I Spy and Private Parts.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Gwen Cummings, a hard-partying New York writer, is shown drunk and high at her sister's wedding, stumbling through her maid of honor toast, establishing her rock-bottom baseline before change.
Theme
After Gwen crashes her sister's wedding limo into a house, a judge or counselor tells her that she needs to take responsibility for her actions and get help, stating the film's theme about accountability and recovery.
Worldbuilding
Gwen's chaotic lifestyle is established: her enabling relationship with boyfriend Jasper, her party-girl routine, the wedding disaster where she ruins the cake and steals the limo, and the crash that lands her in court facing jail time.
Disruption
The judge sentences Gwen to 28 days in rehab or jail. Her party lifestyle comes to an abrupt halt as she's forced to confront consequences for the first time.
Resistance
Gwen arrives at Serenity Glen rehab facility in denial, resistant and sarcastic. She meets her counselor Cornell, roommate Andrea, and other patients. She refuses to accept she has a problem, planning to just get through 28 days.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Gwen reluctantly commits to participating in the rehab program after her initial resistance fails. She begins attending group therapy and following the facility's rules, crossing into the world of recovery.
Mirror World
Gwen connects with Eddie Boone, a baseball player also in recovery, and begins forming genuine relationships with her therapy group members who mirror different aspects of addiction and recovery.
Premise
Gwen experiences rehab life: group therapy sessions, recreational activities, bonding with patients like Andrea and Bobbie Jean, flirting with Eddie, and slowly beginning to open up while still maintaining emotional walls.
Midpoint
Gwen has a breakthrough in therapy where she begins to confront painful childhood memories of her mother's alcoholism and her own role in perpetuating the cycle. The stakes deepen from just serving time to actual recovery.
Opposition
Gwen's progress is tested: boyfriend Jasper visits and tempts her with pills, she confronts her damaged relationship with sister Lily, and she struggles with the difficulty of true emotional honesty and vulnerability in group therapy.
Collapse
Gwen nearly relapses when Jasper brings drugs to visiting day. She faces the metaphorical death of her old identity and enabling relationships, realizing she must let go of everything from her former life to survive.
Crisis
Gwen processes her near-relapse and the pain of confronting her deepest wounds. She hits emotional rock bottom, finally admitting her powerlessness and need for help in a raw, honest moment with her group.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Gwen fully commits to sobriety and recovery, breaking up with Jasper, reconciling authentically with her sister, and embracing the principles she's learned. She chooses recovery over her old life.
Synthesis
Gwen completes her 28 days transformed. She graduates from the program, says meaningful goodbyes to her rehab family, and prepares to face the world with new tools, support system, and self-awareness.
Transformation
Gwen leaves Serenity Glen sober and clear-eyed, attending her first outside AA meeting. In contrast to the opening wedding disaster, she's now present, accountable, and committed to her recovery journey.