Bounce
Buddy (Affleck) has just signed an airline in Chicago as a big client, but is ironically delayed at the airport waiting for a flight to LA on that same airline. He meets fellow passenger Greg, who opts to be bumped, even though it means missing an activity with his older son. When the flight gets resumed, Buddy thinks he's doing a good deed by swapping tickets with Greg so he can get home to his son. Sadly, the flight crashes. Buddy conspires with his friend, the ticket agent that night, to take his name off the passenger list and put Greg's on. Once he's back in LA, his new client dictates that the company run a series of feel-good ads about the crash. Buddy feels very hypocritical, and completely loses it when the commercials win a Cleo. After going through re-hab, he decides he needs to check on Greg's widow. But he doesn't plan on falling in love with her.
Working with a moderate budget of $35.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $36.8M in global revenue (+5% profit margin).
2 wins & 2 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%)
Bounce (2000) showcases precise narrative design, characteristic of Don Roos's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 47 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.5, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Buddy Amaral
Abby Janello
Mimi
Greg Janello
Jim Willer
Main Cast & Characters
Buddy Amaral
Played by Ben Affleck
A charming advertising executive struggling with alcoholism who gives away his plane ticket, leading to guilt when the plane crashes.
Abby Janello
Played by Gwyneth Paltrow
A real estate agent and widow of the plane crash victim, struggling to rebuild her life while raising two sons.
Mimi
Played by Natasha Henstridge
Buddy's girlfriend, a successful businesswoman who supports him through his recovery but eventually grows frustrated with his behavior.
Greg Janello
Played by Tony Goldwyn
Abby's deceased husband who took Buddy's plane ticket, a caring father and advertising professional.
Jim Willer
Played by Joe Morton
Buddy's AA sponsor and friend who provides guidance and support through his recovery journey.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (2% through the runtime) establishes Buddy Amaral, a successful advertising executive, is at the airport working deals and flirting with women. He's confident, charming, and living a shallow, self-centered life focused on career success and casual relationships.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Buddy gives his plane ticket to Greg Janello so Greg can get home to his family while Buddy stays behind with Mimi, a woman he just met. This seemingly generous act will become the catalyst for everything that follows - the plane crashes, killing everyone aboard including Greg.. 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 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Buddy actively decides to seek out Greg's widow Abby. This is his choice to enter a new world - instead of staying away and living with guilt, he chooses to find her, ostensibly to help her but really to ease his own conscience. He crosses into morally ambiguous territory., moving from reaction to action.
At 55 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False victory: Buddy and Abby consummate their relationship and fall deeply in love. Buddy lands a major advertising account. Everything seems perfect - he's found redemption through love and success. But the audience knows the secret will destroy everything, raising the stakes., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 79 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Abby discovers the truth - Buddy gave away the ticket that put her husband on the doomed plane. She feels utterly betrayed. The relationship dies. Buddy loses everything - the woman he loves, the family he'd found, his chance at redemption. The "death" is the death of the relationship and Buddy's hope., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 85 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Buddy realizes he can't undo the past or control whether Abby forgives him. He synthesizes his growth: he must be honest, accept consequences, and love her enough to let her go if needed. He chooses to make a grand gesture not to manipulate her, but to show genuine love without expecting anything in return., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Bounce's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Bounce against these established plot points, we can identify how Don Roos utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Bounce within the drama genre.
Don Roos's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Don Roos films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Bounce represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Don Roos filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Don Roos analyses, see The Opposite of Sex.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Buddy Amaral, a successful advertising executive, is at the airport working deals and flirting with women. He's confident, charming, and living a shallow, self-centered life focused on career success and casual relationships.
Theme
At the airport bar, Greg Janello mentions to Buddy how important it is to get home to his family, showing a photo of his wife and kids. This plants the thematic seed about what really matters in life - genuine connection versus surface-level success.
Worldbuilding
Setup of Buddy's world: his advertising career, his casual approach to relationships, his confident persona. The airport is snowed in, flights delayed. Buddy meets Greg Janello, a stranger desperate to get home. We see Buddy's lifestyle and values - superficial charm masking emptiness.
Disruption
Buddy gives his plane ticket to Greg Janello so Greg can get home to his family while Buddy stays behind with Mimi, a woman he just met. This seemingly generous act will become the catalyst for everything that follows - the plane crashes, killing everyone aboard including Greg.
Resistance
Buddy learns about the plane crash and is devastated by guilt. He spirals into alcoholism and self-destruction. He goes to rehab and begins recovery, wrestling with his responsibility for Greg's death. He debates whether he can ever make amends or find peace.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Buddy actively decides to seek out Greg's widow Abby. This is his choice to enter a new world - instead of staying away and living with guilt, he chooses to find her, ostensibly to help her but really to ease his own conscience. He crosses into morally ambiguous territory.
Mirror World
Buddy meets Abby Janello and her sons. Abby represents everything Buddy's life lacks - genuine warmth, family, real emotional connection. She's struggling but authentic. This relationship will force Buddy to confront what kind of man he wants to be - honest or self-serving.
Premise
The "promise of the premise" - Buddy helps Abby with her real estate business, they grow closer, and romance develops. Buddy gets to play the hero, helping the widow while keeping his secret. The relationship deepens, and Buddy experiences genuine connection for the first time, but it's built on a lie.
Midpoint
False victory: Buddy and Abby consummate their relationship and fall deeply in love. Buddy lands a major advertising account. Everything seems perfect - he's found redemption through love and success. But the audience knows the secret will destroy everything, raising the stakes.
Opposition
The pressure of the secret builds. Buddy's friend Jim warns him he must tell Abby the truth. Abby grows closer, making plans for the future. Buddy's guilt intensifies - the better things get, the worse his deception becomes. He keeps almost telling her but can't find the courage.
Collapse
Abby discovers the truth - Buddy gave away the ticket that put her husband on the doomed plane. She feels utterly betrayed. The relationship dies. Buddy loses everything - the woman he loves, the family he'd found, his chance at redemption. The "death" is the death of the relationship and Buddy's hope.
Crisis
Buddy's dark night of the soul. He processes the loss, faces his own cowardice and selfishness. He realizes he approached the relationship trying to fix his guilt rather than genuinely loving Abby. He must decide whether to give up or find a way to truly make amends - not for himself, but for her.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Buddy realizes he can't undo the past or control whether Abby forgives him. He synthesizes his growth: he must be honest, accept consequences, and love her enough to let her go if needed. He chooses to make a grand gesture not to manipulate her, but to show genuine love without expecting anything in return.
Synthesis
Buddy executes his plan to truly help Abby - using his advertising connections to save her business without taking credit or expecting reconciliation. He demonstrates he's learned what real love means. Abby processes her own journey, recognizing Buddy's transformation and facing her own choice about forgiveness.
Transformation
Abby chooses to forgive Buddy and they reunite. The final image shows Buddy integrated into Abby's family, no longer the shallow bachelor from the opening but a man who has learned genuine connection, honesty, and that redemption comes through accepting consequences and choosing love over self-interest.