Alone
"ALONE" tells the story of Pim who moved from Thailand to Korea to escape the guilt of being the surviving half of a conjoined twin. Flashbacks to Pim's childhood show how the bittersweet relationship with her sister, and their commitment to stay together forever, transforms into a repressive bond that ultimately leads to a separation. After she returns to visit her dying mother, the spirit of her dead sister angrily thrusts herself into Pim's life.
The film earned $9.6M at the global box office.
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%)
Alone (2007) exemplifies precise plot construction, characteristic of Banjong Pisanthanakun's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 30 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.5, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Pim
Ploy
Wee
Mother
Main Cast & Characters
Pim
Played by Marsha Wattanapanich
The surviving conjoined twin who returns to Thailand haunted by guilt over her sister's death. Struggles with psychological trauma and supernatural encounters.
Ploy
Played by Marsha Wattanapanich
Pim's deceased conjoined twin sister whose spirit haunts Pim. Represents unresolved guilt and the bond between the sisters.
Wee
Played by Vittaya Wasukraipaisan
Pim's caring boyfriend who supports her through her psychological crisis and tries to help her confront her past.
Mother
Played by Ratchanoo Boonchuduang
Pim and Ploy's mother who cared for the conjoined twins and witnessed the tragedy that separated them.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Pim arrives at Bangkok airport from South Korea with her husband Wee, establishing her new life abroad before returning to confront her past.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when First clear supernatural encounter: Pim sees or experiences her dead twin sister Ploy's ghost, disrupting her attempt to maintain distance from her traumatic past.. At 12% 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 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Pim makes the choice to stay and confront what happened, investigating her past rather than fleeing back to Korea. She commits to facing Ploy's ghost and uncovering the truth., moving from reaction to action.
At 45 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False defeat: Full revelation of the separation surgery and Ploy's death. The stakes raise as Pim realizes Ploy's ghost won't leave her alone—the haunting intensifies and becomes more violent., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 68 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, All is lost: Pim's mother dies (whiff of death), and/or Ploy's ghost achieves maximum terror, or Pim has complete psychological breakdown. Her last connection to the past severs; she's utterly alone with her guilt., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 72 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Major twist revelation: The film reveals crucial truth about the twins' identity—potentially that Pim is actually Ploy, or another identity-shattering revelation that reframes the entire narrative., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Alone's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Alone against these established plot points, we can identify how Banjong Pisanthanakun utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Alone within the drama genre.
Banjong Pisanthanakun's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Banjong Pisanthanakun films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Alone represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Banjong Pisanthanakun filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Banjong Pisanthanakun analyses, see The Medium.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Pim arrives at Bangkok airport from South Korea with her husband Wee, establishing her new life abroad before returning to confront her past.
Theme
Wee or a family member mentions "we can't escape our past" or questions about family bonds and what we owe to those we've lost, foreshadowing the guilt theme.
Worldbuilding
Setup of Pim's world: her mother in a coma, her avoidance of Thailand, her relationship with Wee, and the family home filled with memories. Subtle hints of supernatural presence.
Disruption
First clear supernatural encounter: Pim sees or experiences her dead twin sister Ploy's ghost, disrupting her attempt to maintain distance from her traumatic past.
Resistance
Pim resists confronting the truth, debates leaving Thailand early, experiences escalating supernatural phenomena. Wee tries to help but doesn't understand. First flashbacks hint at Ploy's existence.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Pim makes the choice to stay and confront what happened, investigating her past rather than fleeing back to Korea. She commits to facing Ploy's ghost and uncovering the truth.
Mirror World
Extended flashback introduces young Pim and Ploy as conjoined twins, showing their bond and conflict. This relationship mirrors the theme of guilt, identity, and what we sacrifice for independence.
Premise
The "haunted by guilty past" premise plays out: supernatural scares escalate, flashbacks reveal the twins' relationship, Ploy's desire to stay conjoined vs. Pim's desire for separation. Classic Thai horror atmosphere.
Midpoint
False defeat: Full revelation of the separation surgery and Ploy's death. The stakes raise as Pim realizes Ploy's ghost won't leave her alone—the haunting intensifies and becomes more violent.
Opposition
Ploy's ghost becomes increasingly aggressive. Pim's guilt overwhelms her. Her relationship with Wee strains. The past closes in: hospital visits, family secrets emerge, physical and psychological terror escalate.
Collapse
All is lost: Pim's mother dies (whiff of death), and/or Ploy's ghost achieves maximum terror, or Pim has complete psychological breakdown. Her last connection to the past severs; she's utterly alone with her guilt.
Crisis
Dark night: Pim processes the loss and confronts the depth of her guilt and responsibility. She must face the truth about what really happened during the separation and who she really is.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Major twist revelation: The film reveals crucial truth about the twins' identity—potentially that Pim is actually Ploy, or another identity-shattering revelation that reframes the entire narrative.
Synthesis
Final confrontation with the truth. Resolution of the haunting based on the revealed identity. Pim/Ploy must accept what happened and who survived. Emotional catharsis or tragic acceptance.
Transformation
Closing image shows the transformed state: either acceptance of identity and guilt, or a tragic ending where the protagonist remains trapped by the past. Mirrors opening but shows psychological journey completed.