Downhill

The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Stanton family arrives at an Austrian ski resort. Billie manages logistics while Pete appears distracted. The family dynamic shows Billie as the organized planner trying to create a perfect vacation, while Pete seems disconnected from family responsibilities.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when During lunch on an outdoor terrace, a controlled avalanche goes wrong and snow cascades toward the family. In the chaos, Pete grabs his phone and flees, leaving Billie to shield their sons. The snow stops just short of them—no one is hurt, but Pete's abandonment is undeniable.. 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 21 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to At dinner with another couple (Zach and Rosie), Billie recounts the avalanche story. Pete continues to deny fleeing, but Billie contradicts him publicly. This is her active choice to stop enabling the lie—she enters the world of confronting uncomfortable truths about their marriage., moving from reaction to action.

At 44 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False defeat: During a heated therapy session, Pete finally admits he ran but immediately reframes it defensively. Rather than reconciliation, this admission makes things worse—the truth is out but brings no relief. Billie realizes the man she married may not exist. The stakes raise: can this marriage survive?., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 65 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Billie goes out alone, gets drunk, and nearly has an affair with a younger man. She calls Pete in tears, admitting she doesn't know who they are anymore. This is the death of their old marriage—the illusion they've maintained cannot be resurrected. Both hit rock bottom emotionally., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Second Threshold at 69 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Synthesis moment: Pete and Billie have a raw, honest conversation where Pete truly acknowledges his failure and fear, and Billie admits her own role in their dynamic—her need for control, her suppression of difficult truths. They choose to try again, but differently, with eyes open., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.