Family Business
Jessie is an aging career criminal who has been in more jails, fights, schemes, and line-ups than just about anyone else. His son Vito, while currently on the straight and narrow, has had a fairly shady past, and is indeed no stranger to illegal activity. They both have great hope for Adam, Vito's son and Jessie's grandson, who is bright, good-looking, and without a criminal past. So when Adam approaches Jessie with a scheme for a burglary he's shocked, but not necessarily uninterested.
The film earned $12.2M at the global box office.
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%)
Family Business (1989) exhibits carefully calibrated narrative architecture, characteristic of Sidney Lumet's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 50 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 Vito McMullen, an aging career criminal, walks the streets of New York with pride and swagger, representing a life of crime without regret.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Adam approaches his family with a scheme to steal valuable scientific research from a laboratory, disrupting Jessie's hope that his son would stay legitimate.. 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 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Jessie reluctantly agrees to help with the heist to protect Adam and keep him from going it alone with just Vito, crossing the line back into the criminal world he left behind., moving from reaction to action.
At 55 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat The heist itself appears successful. The three men work together, pulling off the theft of the scientific research with apparent precision. False victory - they believe they've gotten away with it., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 83 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Adam is arrested and faces serious prison time. The dream of easy money dies, and Jessie confronts the devastating reality that his attempt to protect his son has instead destroyed Adam's future., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 88 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Jessie decides to take responsibility and finds a way to help Adam, synthesizing his understanding of both the criminal world and legitimate life to navigate the legal consequences., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Family Business's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Family Business against these established plot points, we can identify how Sidney Lumet utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Family Business within the crime genre.
Sidney Lumet's Structural Approach
Among the 15 Sidney Lumet films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Family Business represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Sidney Lumet filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Batman Forever and 12 Rounds. For more Sidney Lumet analyses, see Guilty as Sin, Dog Day Afternoon and Murder on the Orient Express.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Vito McMullen, an aging career criminal, walks the streets of New York with pride and swagger, representing a life of crime without regret.
Theme
At a family gathering, discussion about the value of honest work versus the allure of easy money hints at the generational conflict over criminal lifestyle versus legitimate success.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to three generations: Vito (grandfather, unrepentant thief), Jessie (son, went straight), and Adam (grandson, MIT graduate). Family tensions over their different paths are established at Adam's graduation celebration.
Disruption
Adam approaches his family with a scheme to steal valuable scientific research from a laboratory, disrupting Jessie's hope that his son would stay legitimate.
Resistance
Jessie resists the plan, warning Adam about the criminal life. Vito enthusiastically supports the heist. Debate over whether to proceed, with Adam insisting this is a one-time opportunity and Jessie torn between protecting his son and respecting his choices.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Jessie reluctantly agrees to help with the heist to protect Adam and keep him from going it alone with just Vito, crossing the line back into the criminal world he left behind.
Mirror World
Jessie's relationship with his wife Elaine deepens as she represents the honest life he built and the family stability he risks losing by returning to crime.
Premise
The three generations plan and prepare for the heist together. Vito teaches old tricks, Adam provides scientific knowledge, and Jessie coordinates. Moments of bonding mixed with tension over methods and motivations.
Midpoint
The heist itself appears successful. The three men work together, pulling off the theft of the scientific research with apparent precision. False victory - they believe they've gotten away with it.
Opposition
Complications arise as the buyer proves unreliable, police investigation closes in, and family tensions escalate. Jessie and Vito clash over how they've influenced Adam. The consequences of the crime begin mounting.
Collapse
Adam is arrested and faces serious prison time. The dream of easy money dies, and Jessie confronts the devastating reality that his attempt to protect his son has instead destroyed Adam's future.
Crisis
Jessie suffers in the dark night aftermath, blaming himself and Vito. The family fractures as they process Adam's arrest and face the consequences of their choices across three generations.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Jessie decides to take responsibility and finds a way to help Adam, synthesizing his understanding of both the criminal world and legitimate life to navigate the legal consequences.
Synthesis
Resolution of the legal situation and family reckoning. Vito must confront how his romanticizing of crime affected his grandson. Jessie works to repair the damage while Adam faces the consequences of his choices.
Transformation
Final image shows the family changed by the experience - the illusion of glamorous crime stripped away, relationships damaged but with possibility of healing, contrasting with the swagger of the opening.