A Few Best Men
After meeting and spending ten days together while on separate vacations in Tuvalu, twenty-somethings Londoner David Locking and Sydneysider Mia Ramme fall in love and decide to get married, the wedding to take place on the clifftop estate outside of Sydney of Mia's parents, Jim and Barbara Ramme, the former an Australian senator. The plan is for David to move to Australia after the wedding. But first, David, who has been away for six months, has to go home to tell his twenty year best mates Tom, Graham and Luke, who have been his family in the absence of having no blood relatives of his own. The four best friends are to arrive in Sydney the day before the wedding. Each of David's three "best men" have the potential to derail the festivities based on who they are and what they are currently going through in life. Luke is nursing a broken heart as his girlfriend Sarah broke up with him. He is not as much upset about the break-up as he is about the rumor, if true, of a fundamental aspect of her new boyfriend, Chip. Graham is generally unaware of proper social convention and is fixated on his own peccadilloes. And casual Tom, arguably David's best friend, is afraid to tell David that he believes the wedding breaks a fundamental aspect of their friendship. Beyond these issues, others exist on the Australia side of the pond that may add to the mix to cause further problems. Mia wanted them to arrive the day before if only because of the dysfunction within her own family. The most obvious of their problems is manifested by Mia's sister Daphne telling her parents that she is a lesbian solely to irk her by-the-books father, and Jim arguably considering Ramsay his closest family member, Ramsay who he considers the son he never had, Ramsay being the pet sheep. What is to be Jim's surprise wedding present to Mia may add to their family problems. And Ray, a drug dealer who Tom wants to buys some weed from for the stag party, ends up being a fundamental aspect to the boys' stay in Australia, potentially violent yet somewhat soft-hearted Ray who forms a bond with scared Graham.
Working with a modest budget of $14.4M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $15.5M in global revenue (+8% 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%)
A Few Best Men (2011) exemplifies deliberately positioned dramatic framework, characteristic of Stephan Elliott's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 36 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
David Locking
Tom Walters
Graham Percy
Luke Bailey
Mia
Senator Jim Ramme
Barbara Ramme
Daphne
Main Cast & Characters
David Locking
Played by Xavier Samuel
British groom who brings his three chaotic best men to Australia for his wedding to Mia
Tom Walters
Played by Kris Marshall
Neurotic and anxious best man prone to panic attacks and poor decision-making
Graham Percy
Played by Kevin Bishop
Drug-addicted best man whose substance abuse creates major complications
Luke Bailey
Played by Tim Draxl
The most sensible of the best men, though still drawn into chaos
Mia
Played by Laura Brent
Australian bride from wealthy family trying to maintain perfect wedding despite chaos
Senator Jim Ramme
Played by Jonathan Biggins
Mia's conservative father and prominent politician concerned about his reputation
Barbara Ramme
Played by Olivia Newton-John
Mia's wealthy mother who maintains high social standards
Daphne
Played by Rebel Wilson
Mia's lesbian cousin who becomes romantically involved with one of the groomsmen
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes David awkwardly proposes to Mia on a clifftop in Australia after a whirlwind romance. Despite his nervousness and her family's wealth, she says yes, establishing David as an ordinary British guy punching above his weight.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when The best men arrive in Australia and immediately clash with Mia's elite family and their proper Australian society. David realizes his worlds are incompatible and the wedding weekend will be a disaster.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to The bachelor party begins at the family's estate. David chooses to let his guard down and trust his friends to celebrate properly, fully committing to the wedding weekend despite warning signs., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat The drugged sheep dies or the father-in-law discovers the extent of the chaos. What seemed like manageable hijinks becomes a serious threat to the wedding. Stakes escalate from embarrassment to potential cancellation., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 71 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The wedding is called off or Mia discovers David's deception and leaves him. The truth comes out catastrophically. David loses everything he came to Australia for, and his friendships are shattered by mutual recrimination., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 76 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. David decides to be honest with Mia about everything - his fears, his friends, who he really is - rather than pretending to be someone worthy of her world. The friends reunite to fix what they've broken together., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
A Few Best Men'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 A Few Best Men against these established plot points, we can identify how Stephan Elliott utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish A Few Best Men within the comedy genre.
Stephan Elliott's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Stephan Elliott films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. A Few Best Men represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Stephan Elliott filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Stephan Elliott analyses, see Eye of the Beholder, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
David awkwardly proposes to Mia on a clifftop in Australia after a whirlwind romance. Despite his nervousness and her family's wealth, she says yes, establishing David as an ordinary British guy punching above his weight.
Theme
One of David's friends comments that weddings are about "showing up for your mates no matter what," foreshadowing the chaos and loyalty tests to come.
Worldbuilding
David introduces his three mismatched best men: Luke the drug-addled musician, Graham the uptight banker, and Tom the crude ladies' man. We see their dysfunction in London and learn about Mia's wealthy, controlling family in Australia.
Disruption
The best men arrive in Australia and immediately clash with Mia's elite family and their proper Australian society. David realizes his worlds are incompatible and the wedding weekend will be a disaster.
Resistance
David tries to manage his chaotic friends while navigating his future father-in-law's disapproval. The guys debate whether to behave or be themselves. Luke smuggles drugs hidden in a wedding gift, setting up future complications.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The bachelor party begins at the family's estate. David chooses to let his guard down and trust his friends to celebrate properly, fully committing to the wedding weekend despite warning signs.
Mirror World
David bonds with Mia's cousin or family member who is more down-to-earth, representing the possibility that love can bridge different worlds if you're honest about who you are.
Premise
The fun and games of wedding chaos: the guys accidentally drug a prize sheep with Luke's cocaine, wild party antics ensue, romances spark with bridesmaids, and increasingly absurd attempts to hide their mistakes from the family.
Midpoint
The drugged sheep dies or the father-in-law discovers the extent of the chaos. What seemed like manageable hijinks becomes a serious threat to the wedding. Stakes escalate from embarrassment to potential cancellation.
Opposition
Desperate cover-up attempts spiral out of control. The father-in-law closes in on the truth. Relationships fracture as stress mounts. David's lies to Mia compound. The friends' loyalty is tested as blame gets thrown around.
Collapse
The wedding is called off or Mia discovers David's deception and leaves him. The truth comes out catastrophically. David loses everything he came to Australia for, and his friendships are shattered by mutual recrimination.
Crisis
David sits alone, contemplating whether trying to please everyone made him lose himself. The best men separately realize their loyalty matters more than their screwups. Dark night before the wedding day that might not happen.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
David decides to be honest with Mia about everything - his fears, his friends, who he really is - rather than pretending to be someone worthy of her world. The friends reunite to fix what they've broken together.
Synthesis
The finale: a mad scramble to salvage the wedding day. Creative solutions to the sheep problem, honest confrontation with the father-in-law, and the friends proving their loyalty. The wedding happens, chaotic but genuine.
Transformation
David and Mia marry in an imperfect but authentic ceremony, surrounded by both families who have accepted the chaos. David is no longer trying to be someone else - he's himself, and that's enough.