Did You Hear About the Morgans?
New Yorkers Paul and Meryl Morgan seem to have it all -- except that their marriage is crumbling around them. But their romantic woes are small compared to the trouble they find themselves in after witnessing a murder. To protect them from an assassin, federal agents whisk away Paul and Meryl to a small town in Wyoming, where their marriage will crash and burn, or their passion will reignite.
Working with a respectable budget of $58.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $85.3M in global revenue (+47% profit margin).
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%)
Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) exemplifies meticulously timed dramatic framework, characteristic of Marc Lawrence's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 43 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Paul and Meryl Morgan are separated, living apart in Manhattan. He's a successful lawyer trying to win her back, she's a real estate agent resisting reconciliation after his infidelity. Both are consumed by their high-powered careers.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Paul and Meryl witness a murder on a Manhattan street - a hit by a professional killer. This violent intrusion into their world makes them material witnesses and puts them in mortal danger.. 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 26% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Paul and Meryl reluctantly agree to enter witness protection together and are relocated to Ray, Wyoming - the complete opposite of their Manhattan lifestyle. They must live together as a married couple in this foreign small-town environment., moving from reaction to action.
At 52 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Paul and Meryl genuinely reconnect emotionally and physically, rekindling their romance. This appears to be a victory - they've found each other again. But it's a false high because the external threat remains and they haven't truly resolved their underlying issues., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 78 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The killer finds them in Ray. Violence erupts, shattering their safe haven. The dream of their reconciliation seems impossible - their relationship appears doomed to fail again, and they may not survive physically. Everything they've rebuilt appears lost., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 83 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Paul and Meryl realize they truly have changed and that their love is worth fighting for. They choose to face the threat together, synthesizing their Manhattan resourcefulness with the Wyoming authenticity they've learned. They commit to each other fully, for real this time., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Did You Hear About the Morgans?'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 Did You Hear About the Morgans? against these established plot points, we can identify how Marc Lawrence utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Did You Hear About the Morgans? within the comedy genre.
Marc Lawrence's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Marc Lawrence films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Did You Hear About the Morgans? takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Marc Lawrence filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Marc Lawrence analyses, see Music and Lyrics, The Rewrite.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Paul and Meryl Morgan are separated, living apart in Manhattan. He's a successful lawyer trying to win her back, she's a real estate agent resisting reconciliation after his infidelity. Both are consumed by their high-powered careers.
Theme
Their marriage counselor or a friend suggests that sometimes what seems like the end is really a new beginning, and that stripping away distractions reveals what truly matters in a relationship.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of the Morgans' separated life in New York City. Paul desperately wants reconciliation while Meryl maintains boundaries. We see their therapists, careers, and the awkward dance of their attempted dinner date to discuss their relationship.
Disruption
Paul and Meryl witness a murder on a Manhattan street - a hit by a professional killer. This violent intrusion into their world makes them material witnesses and puts them in mortal danger.
Resistance
The FBI, led by agents, debriefs them about the murder and the dangerous criminal organization involved. Paul and Meryl resist the idea of witness protection, clinging to their New York lives and careers. They debate whether to accept the FBI's protection plan.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Paul and Meryl reluctantly agree to enter witness protection together and are relocated to Ray, Wyoming - the complete opposite of their Manhattan lifestyle. They must live together as a married couple in this foreign small-town environment.
Mirror World
Introduction to Sheriff Clay Wheeler and his wife Emma, the local lawkeepers who represent everything the Morgans are not: grounded, authentic, happily married, and connected to what matters. They embody the film's theme about real relationship values.
Premise
Fish-out-of-water comedy as the sophisticated Manhattanites struggle with rural Wyoming life. Forced proximity breaks down their walls. They attend a rodeo, learn to shoot, face a bear, and slowly reconnect while navigating small-town culture and their lost identities without phones and careers.
Midpoint
Paul and Meryl genuinely reconnect emotionally and physically, rekindling their romance. This appears to be a victory - they've found each other again. But it's a false high because the external threat remains and they haven't truly resolved their underlying issues.
Opposition
The hitman tracks them to Wyoming. Old patterns and insecurities resurface between Paul and Meryl despite their rekindled romance. External pressure from the killer and internal doubts about whether their change is real mount. They question if they can maintain this connection outside the bubble of Ray.
Collapse
The killer finds them in Ray. Violence erupts, shattering their safe haven. The dream of their reconciliation seems impossible - their relationship appears doomed to fail again, and they may not survive physically. Everything they've rebuilt appears lost.
Crisis
In the aftermath of the attack, Paul and Meryl face their darkest moment. They must confront whether their reconnection was real or just circumstantial. The question: Can they survive both the external threat and save their marriage, or will they lose everything?
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Paul and Meryl realize they truly have changed and that their love is worth fighting for. They choose to face the threat together, synthesizing their Manhattan resourcefulness with the Wyoming authenticity they've learned. They commit to each other fully, for real this time.
Synthesis
Paul and Meryl work with Clay and Emma to confront and neutralize the killer. They use both their New York smarts and newfound Wyoming grit. The external threat is resolved, and they return to New York transformed, ready to rebuild their marriage on a foundation of genuine connection.
Transformation
Back in Manhattan, Paul and Meryl are reunited and genuinely together. Unlike the opening, they're present with each other, having learned to prioritize their relationship over career ambitions. They've integrated their Wyoming lessons into their New York life - transformed individuals in a renewed marriage.