Arbitrage
Robert Miller is a successful financial businessman with a loving wife and a smart daughter ready to take over the family business. Professional secrets involving illegal fraudulent activities start coming out at the same time that Robert's personal secrets take a turn for the worse and threaten to derail everything he has achieved.
Despite its small-scale budget of $12.0M, Arbitrage became a box office success, earning $35.5M worldwide—a 196% return.
4 wins & 6 nominations
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%)
Arbitrage (2012) exhibits carefully calibrated story structure, characteristic of Nicholas Jarecki's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 40 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.7, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Robert Miller
Detective Michael Bryer
Ellen Miller
Brooke Miller
Jimmy Grant
Julie Cote
Main Cast & Characters
Robert Miller
Played by Richard Gere
A wealthy hedge fund magnate desperately trying to cover up fraud and a fatal accident before selling his company.
Detective Michael Bryer
Played by Tim Roth
A tenacious NYPD detective investigating the death of Julie Cote and determined to prove Miller's involvement.
Ellen Miller
Played by Susan Sarandon
Robert's intelligent and devoted wife who slowly discovers her husband's lies and betrayals.
Brooke Miller
Played by Brit Marling
Robert's daughter and chief investment officer who uncovers financial fraud in her father's company.
Jimmy Grant
Played by Nate Parker
A young man who helps Robert cover up the accident, risking his own future out of loyalty and debt.
Julie Cote
Played by Laetitia Casta
Robert's young mistress and aspiring artist who dies in a car accident while with him.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Robert Miller celebrates his 60th birthday surrounded by his family and business associates, appearing as the epitome of success - a powerful hedge fund manager with a loving family and impeccable reputation.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when The French buyer delays the acquisition deal, threatening to expose Miller's fraud. His carefully constructed world begins to crack as the deadline approaches.. 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 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Miller falls asleep at the wheel while driving with Julie. The car crashes, killing her instantly. He makes the active choice to flee the scene and cover up his involvement rather than face the consequences., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Detective Bryer discovers Miller was in the car and intensifies his investigation. Simultaneously, the business deal appears ready to close. False victory on one front, false defeat on another - the stakes are raised on both storylines., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Bryer arrests Jimmy, who faces prison unless he testifies against Miller. Miller's moral bankruptcy is complete - an innocent young man who helped him now faces destruction. The "whiff of death" is Jimmy's potential life in prison and the death of Miller's soul., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 80 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Miller synthesizes his skills as a manipulator with new information - he arranges for his lawyer to provide Jimmy with an alibi witness (paying off a cop). He chooses to save Jimmy but not through redemption - through more corruption., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Arbitrage's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Arbitrage against these established plot points, we can identify how Nicholas Jarecki utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Arbitrage within the drama genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Robert Miller celebrates his 60th birthday surrounded by his family and business associates, appearing as the epitome of success - a powerful hedge fund manager with a loving family and impeccable reputation.
Theme
Miller's daughter Brooke questions the numbers in the company books, introducing the theme of truth versus appearances and the cost of maintaining illusions.
Worldbuilding
We learn Miller is desperately trying to sell his company before his fraudulent $412 million loan is discovered. He maintains parallel lives - his legitimate family and business, and his mistress Julie. The clock is ticking on the deal.
Disruption
The French buyer delays the acquisition deal, threatening to expose Miller's fraud. His carefully constructed world begins to crack as the deadline approaches.
Resistance
Miller frantically tries to hold everything together - pressuring the buyers, hiding the fraud from his daughter, managing his mistress Julie who wants more commitment. He debates whether to come clean or double down on the deception.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Miller falls asleep at the wheel while driving with Julie. The car crashes, killing her instantly. He makes the active choice to flee the scene and cover up his involvement rather than face the consequences.
Mirror World
Miller calls Jimmy Grant, the son of his former driver, for help. Jimmy represents the mirror world - he is honest, working-class, and reluctant to lie, contrasting with Miller's world of privilege and deception.
Premise
Miller attempts to maintain his double cover-up: hiding the car accident from detective Bryer while simultaneously concealing his financial fraud from the buyers. He manipulates everyone around him, using his wealth and charm to stay ahead of both investigations.
Midpoint
Detective Bryer discovers Miller was in the car and intensifies his investigation. Simultaneously, the business deal appears ready to close. False victory on one front, false defeat on another - the stakes are raised on both storylines.
Opposition
Bryer closes in on Jimmy, pressuring him to testify against Miller. Brooke discovers evidence of her father's financial fraud. Miller's daughter and wife begin to see through his lies. The walls close in from all sides - legal, familial, and moral.
Collapse
Bryer arrests Jimmy, who faces prison unless he testifies against Miller. Miller's moral bankruptcy is complete - an innocent young man who helped him now faces destruction. The "whiff of death" is Jimmy's potential life in prison and the death of Miller's soul.
Crisis
Miller sits with his moral failure. His daughter confronts him with evidence of the fraud. He must choose between saving himself and saving Jimmy, between continuing the lies and accepting responsibility.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Miller synthesizes his skills as a manipulator with new information - he arranges for his lawyer to provide Jimmy with an alibi witness (paying off a cop). He chooses to save Jimmy but not through redemption - through more corruption.
Synthesis
The deal closes successfully. Jimmy is freed when the alibi holds up. Bryer is defeated but knows the truth. Miller appears to have won everything - his wealth, his freedom, his family. But at what cost?
Transformation
Miller sits alone in his study, outwardly victorious but spiritually hollow. His wife knows the truth and turns away from him in disgust. He has kept his empire but lost his soul - a corruption arc completed. The final image mirrors the opening but shows a man isolated by his own deception.