City Island
The Rizzos, a family who doesn't share their habits, aspirations, and careers with one another, find their delicate web of lies disturbed by the arrival of a young ex-con (Strait) brought home by Vince (Garcia), the patriarch of the family, who is a corrections officer in real life, and a hopeful actor in private.
Working with a small-scale budget of $6.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $7.9M in global revenue (+31% profit margin).
3 wins & 4 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%)
City Island (2009) demonstrates meticulously timed narrative design, characteristic of Raymond De Felitta's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 44 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Vince Rizzo sits in his car on a stakeout as a corrections officer, maintaining his routine life of secrets and isolation from his family.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Vince encounters Tony Nardella at the prison, a young inmate who turns out to be his illegitimate son from a past affair, disrupting his carefully compartmentalized life.. 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 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Vince makes the active choice to bring Tony home to live with the family, claiming he's a former inmate who needs help, crossing into a new world of deeper deception and potential exposure., moving from reaction to action.
At 51 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Vince gets a callback for a Martin Scorsese film, a false victory that seems like his dreams are coming true, but the web of lies is becoming unsustainable. Stakes raise as family tensions peak., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 77 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The entire family explodes in confrontation at the dinner table, with all secrets exposed simultaneously. Joyce storms out, the family unit dies, and Vince faces the complete collapse of his compartmentalized world., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 82 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Vince finally tells Tony the truth that he's his biological father, synthesizing the theme that honesty is the only path forward. This act of vulnerability gives him the courage to pursue complete authenticity., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
City Island'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 City Island against these established plot points, we can identify how Raymond De Felitta utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish City Island within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Vince Rizzo sits in his car on a stakeout as a corrections officer, maintaining his routine life of secrets and isolation from his family.
Theme
Vince's acting classmate Michael Malakov states "You can't lie in this class" during their first acting session, establishing the theme that honesty and authenticity are essential.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the Rizzo family's web of secrets: Vince secretly takes acting classes, wife Joyce secretly smokes, son Vinnie Jr. has a secret girlfriend, daughter Vivian has a secret eating problem. Everyone lies to each other while living under one roof.
Disruption
Vince encounters Tony Nardella at the prison, a young inmate who turns out to be his illegitimate son from a past affair, disrupting his carefully compartmentalized life.
Resistance
Vince wrestles with what to do about Tony, debating internally while continuing his double life between acting class and home. He investigates Tony's background and considers the implications of revealing the truth.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Vince makes the active choice to bring Tony home to live with the family, claiming he's a former inmate who needs help, crossing into a new world of deeper deception and potential exposure.
Mirror World
Molly, Vince's acting teacher, encourages his talent and pushes him toward authenticity, representing the thematic counterpoint to his life of deception. Their relationship embodies the possibility of truth.
Premise
The "fun and games" of escalating secrets: Tony develops attraction to Vivian (not knowing she's his sister), Vinnie Jr. sneaks around with his older girlfriend, Joyce's suspicions grow, and Vince juggles acting auditions with family chaos.
Midpoint
Vince gets a callback for a Martin Scorsese film, a false victory that seems like his dreams are coming true, but the web of lies is becoming unsustainable. Stakes raise as family tensions peak.
Opposition
Everything unravels: Joyce discovers Vince's acting classes and feels betrayed, Vinnie Jr.'s girlfriend is revealed to be a stripper he's been supporting, Vivian's feeding fetish is exposed, and Tony's presence creates increasing tension and near-incestuous danger.
Collapse
The entire family explodes in confrontation at the dinner table, with all secrets exposed simultaneously. Joyce storms out, the family unit dies, and Vince faces the complete collapse of his compartmentalized world.
Crisis
The family sits in the wreckage of their revelations. Vince must confront the deepest secret: Tony's true identity. The dark night where each family member processes their shame and broken trust.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Vince finally tells Tony the truth that he's his biological father, synthesizing the theme that honesty is the only path forward. This act of vulnerability gives him the courage to pursue complete authenticity.
Synthesis
The family begins healing through truth: Tony accepts Vince, Joyce returns and they reconcile, Vinnie Jr. commits to his relationship honestly, Vivian gets support. Vince goes to his Scorsese audition and performs authentically, no longer hiding.
Transformation
The Rizzo family sits together on their porch, now honest with each other, secrets revealed but still together. Vince is no longer isolated in his car but connected to his family through truth.