Black or White
A grieving widower is drawn into a custody battle over his granddaughter, whom he helped raise her entire life.
Despite its tight budget of $9.0M, Black or White became a solid performer, earning $21.6M worldwide—a 140% return.
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%)
Black or White (2014) reveals strategically placed story structure, characteristic of Mike Binder's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 1 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.9, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Elliot Anderson
Rowena Jeffers
Eloise Anderson
Reggie Davis
Ellie Anderson
Jeremiah Jeffers
Rick Reynolds
Main Cast & Characters
Elliot Anderson
Played by Kevin Costner
A widowed grandfather struggling with alcoholism who fights for custody of his biracial granddaughter.
Rowena Jeffers
Played by Octavia Spencer
The paternal grandmother who seeks custody of her granddaughter to give her a connection to her African-American heritage.
Eloise Anderson
Played by Jennifer Ehle
Elliot's late wife and Ellie's grandmother who dies at the beginning of the film.
Reggie Davis
Played by Andre Holland
Ellie's biological father with a troubled past who wants to be part of his daughter's life.
Ellie Anderson
Played by Jillian Estell
The seven-year-old biracial girl at the center of the custody battle.
Jeremiah Jeffers
Played by Anthony Mackie
Rowena's brother and a successful businessman who supports the custody case.
Rick Reynolds
Played by Bill Burr
Elliot's attorney who represents him in the custody battle.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Elliot Anderson drives home drunk after his wife Carol's sudden death, establishing his grief-stricken state while caring for his biracial granddaughter Eloise alone.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Rowena Jeffers, Eloise's paternal grandmother, arrives with her lawyer brother Jeremiah to challenge Elliot for custody of Eloise, forcing the private family situation into a legal and racial battleground.. 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 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Elliot actively chooses to enter the custody battle by hiring attorney Rick Reynolds and filing legal responses, committing himself to a court fight that will expose his life and force him to confront his own prejudices., moving from reaction to action.
At 61 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat In court testimony, Elliot's drinking problem and controlling behavior are exposed, while he makes racially insensitive comments that damage his case - a false defeat where his perceived moral high ground crumbles publicly., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 92 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Elliot has a public meltdown during a school event, drunkenly confronting Reggie and creating a scene that demonstrates he's unfit as a guardian - his worst fears about losing Eloise becoming reality through his own actions., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 97 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Elliot has a breakthrough realization that his love for Eloise must transcend his need to control her life and his racial prejudices - understanding that she needs both families and he must find common ground with Rowena., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Black or White'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 Black or White against these established plot points, we can identify how Mike Binder utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Black or White within the drama genre.
Mike Binder's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Mike Binder films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Black or White represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Mike Binder filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Mike Binder analyses, see The Upside of Anger, Reign Over Me.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Elliot Anderson drives home drunk after his wife Carol's sudden death, establishing his grief-stricken state while caring for his biracial granddaughter Eloise alone.
Theme
Eloise's tutor Duvan tells Elliot that family isn't about blood or color, it's about love and commitment - stating the film's central theme about transcending racial divisions through genuine care.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Elliot's wealthy but lonely life in his Brentwood home, his close bond with granddaughter Eloise, his drinking problem, his work as a lawyer, and the absence of Eloise's father Reggie (a drug addict) while her mother (Elliot's daughter) died in childbirth.
Disruption
Rowena Jeffers, Eloise's paternal grandmother, arrives with her lawyer brother Jeremiah to challenge Elliot for custody of Eloise, forcing the private family situation into a legal and racial battleground.
Resistance
Elliot resists the custody challenge and debates whether to fight legally, consults his lawyer colleague Rick, and navigates initial confrontations with Rowena's family while trying to maintain normalcy for Eloise.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Elliot actively chooses to enter the custody battle by hiring attorney Rick Reynolds and filing legal responses, committing himself to a court fight that will expose his life and force him to confront his own prejudices.
Mirror World
Deepening relationship with Duvan, Eloise's kind tutor, who becomes a moral compass showing Elliot what cross-racial understanding and compassion look like, embodying the theme of seeing beyond color.
Premise
The custody battle unfolds with depositions, legal maneuvering, and family tensions escalating. Elliot navigates the court system while both families' flaws are exposed, and Reggie attempts to get his life together to claim his daughter.
Midpoint
In court testimony, Elliot's drinking problem and controlling behavior are exposed, while he makes racially insensitive comments that damage his case - a false defeat where his perceived moral high ground crumbles publicly.
Opposition
Pressure intensifies as Rowena's case strengthens, Reggie's involvement complicates matters, Elliot's behavior deteriorates with increased drinking, and the court-appointed evaluator scrutinizes both households while Eloise becomes caught in the middle.
Collapse
Elliot has a public meltdown during a school event, drunkenly confronting Reggie and creating a scene that demonstrates he's unfit as a guardian - his worst fears about losing Eloise becoming reality through his own actions.
Crisis
Elliot faces the consequences of his breakdown, contemplates his failures as a guardian and father, processes his grief over Carol and his daughter, and sits in the darkness of potentially losing Eloise forever.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Elliot has a breakthrough realization that his love for Eloise must transcend his need to control her life and his racial prejudices - understanding that she needs both families and he must find common ground with Rowena.
Synthesis
Elliot reaches out to Rowena to find a solution outside court, confronts Reggie with compassion instead of contempt, proposes shared custody arrangements that honor both families, and demonstrates his growth by putting Eloise's needs above his own fears.
Transformation
Final image shows Elliot, Rowena, and both families together at Eloise's event, united in supporting her - a stark contrast to the opening isolation, showing Elliot transformed from a grief-stricken, controlling grandfather into someone who understands that love transcends race and blood.