Despicable Me
In a happy suburban neighborhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn. Unbeknownst to the neighbors, hidden beneath this house is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru (Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon. Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle-ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen: a potential Dad. The world's greatest villain has just met his greatest challenge: three little girls named Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier), and Agnes (Elsie Fisher).
Despite a mid-range budget of $69.0M, Despicable Me became a massive hit, earning $543.3M worldwide—a remarkable 687% return.
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award3 wins & 41 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%)
Despicable Me (2010) demonstrates precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Chris Renaud's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 35 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 Gru is introduced as a villain who steals a jumbotron while buying coffee, showing his pride in being "the world's greatest villain" living in his black fortress surrounded by minions.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when The Bank of Evil refuses to fund Gru's moon heist because Vector has stolen the shrink ray needed for the plan, and Perkins dismisses Gru as washed up, crushing his villainous ambitions.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. 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 24% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Gru commits to adopting Margo, Edith, and Agnes from the orphanage, crossing into a new world where he must pretend to be a parent despite having no interest in children and only wanting to use them for his scheme., moving from reaction to action.
The Collapse moment at 71 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Gru returns home after successfully stealing the moon to find the girls gone - Dr. Nefario reveals he sent them back to the orphanage. Gru's greatest villain achievement is hollow without the girls, and he learns they've been adopted by someone else., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 76 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Gru and the minions assault Vector's fortress using all their villain gadgets and skills, but now motivated by love rather than ego. Gru trades the moon for the girls, then defeats Vector in aerial combat, choosing to save the girls as they fall rather than reclaim the moon., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Despicable Me's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Despicable Me against these established plot points, we can identify how Chris Renaud utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Despicable Me within the animation genre.
Chris Renaud's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Chris Renaud films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Despicable Me takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Chris Renaud filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional animation films include The Bad Guys, The Quintessential Quintuplets Movie and Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. Presage Flower. For more Chris Renaud analyses, see The Lorax, The Secret Life of Pets 2.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Gru is introduced as a villain who steals a jumbotron while buying coffee, showing his pride in being "the world's greatest villain" living in his black fortress surrounded by minions.
Theme
Mr. Perkins at the Bank of Evil tells Gru "You just don't have it anymore" and later the orphanage director says family is about love and sacrifice - establishing the theme that being "great" isn't about villainy but about connection and care.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Gru's world: his villain lifestyle, his minions, his rivalry with Vector who stole the pyramid, his relationship with his elderly evil scientist Dr. Nefario, and his desperation to be the greatest villain by proposing to steal the moon.
Disruption
The Bank of Evil refuses to fund Gru's moon heist because Vector has stolen the shrink ray needed for the plan, and Perkins dismisses Gru as washed up, crushing his villainous ambitions.
Resistance
Gru tries multiple times to break into Vector's fortress to steal the shrink ray but fails repeatedly. He observes that three orphan girls can get inside easily by selling cookies, leading him to devise a plan to adopt them as tools for his heist.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Gru commits to adopting Margo, Edith, and Agnes from the orphanage, crossing into a new world where he must pretend to be a parent despite having no interest in children and only wanting to use them for his scheme.
Premise
The "villain becomes a dad" premise plays out: Gru uses the girls to steal the shrink ray from Vector, begins reluctantly participating in their lives (bedtime stories, ballet class, carnival), while secretly preparing the moon heist, creating comedic tension between his two worlds.
Opposition
The pressure mounts as Gru realizes the girls' dance recital conflicts with the moon heist launch window. Dr. Nefario, seeing Gru distracted from villainy, returns the girls to the orphanage without telling Gru, forcing him to choose between his old dream and his new family.
Collapse
Gru returns home after successfully stealing the moon to find the girls gone - Dr. Nefario reveals he sent them back to the orphanage. Gru's greatest villain achievement is hollow without the girls, and he learns they've been adopted by someone else.
Crisis
Gru sits alone in the girls' bedroom surrounded by reminders of them, fully realizing he's lost what actually mattered. He processes that his life's dream of being the greatest villain means nothing compared to being their father.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Gru and the minions assault Vector's fortress using all their villain gadgets and skills, but now motivated by love rather than ego. Gru trades the moon for the girls, then defeats Vector in aerial combat, choosing to save the girls as they fall rather than reclaim the moon.