Going in Style
Joe, Al, and Willie are three old men who have resigned themselves to dying. One night, Joe hatches a scheme to put a bit of excitement back into their lives: robbing a bank.
Despite its small-scale budget of $5.5M, Going in Style became a commercial success, earning $30.0M worldwide—a 445% return. The film's fresh perspective engaged audiences, confirming that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
1 win & 1 nomination
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%)
Going in Style (1979) exhibits strategically placed story structure, characteristic of Martin Brest's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 37 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 Three elderly men—Joe, Al, and Willie—sit on a park bench in Queens, watching life pass by. Their routine is monotonous, purposeless, filled with small talk and the slow passage of empty days.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Joe witnesses a bank robbery and is struck by how easy it appeared. The seed of an idea is planted: what if they robbed a bank themselves?.. 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 illustrates the protagonist's commitment to The three men make the active decision to go through with the robbery. They purchase disguises—sunglasses, fake noses, hats—and commit to the plan. There's no turning back., moving from reaction to action.
At 47 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 48% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat The bank robbery goes off perfectly. They walk out with the money, untouched, unrecognized. It's a false victory—they've succeeded, but the consequences are still to come., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 71 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Al dies suddenly of a heart attack. The adventure that was meant to give them life has brought death. The surviving men are devastated, confronting their own mortality., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 77 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Joe and Willie realize that what mattered wasn't the money, but the act of living fully, of choosing adventure over resignation. They decide how to honor Al's memory and complete their journey., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Going in Style'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 Going in Style against these established plot points, we can identify how Martin Brest utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Going in Style within the comedy genre.
Martin Brest's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Martin Brest films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Going in Style takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Martin Brest filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Martin Brest analyses, see Meet Joe Black, Midnight Run and Beverly Hills Cop.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Three elderly men—Joe, Al, and Willie—sit on a park bench in Queens, watching life pass by. Their routine is monotonous, purposeless, filled with small talk and the slow passage of empty days.
Theme
During a conversation about their circumstances, one character remarks on the indignity of growing old without purpose or excitement, suggesting that a life without risk isn't really living at all.
Worldbuilding
We see the men's daily routines: their cramped living situations, meager social security checks, patronizing treatment from younger people, and the institutional feel of their lives. They are invisible, waiting to die.
Disruption
Joe witnesses a bank robbery and is struck by how easy it appeared. The seed of an idea is planted: what if they robbed a bank themselves?
Resistance
Joe floats the idea to Al and Willie. Initial skepticism and debate ensue—they're too old, too slow, it's crazy. But the excitement of the possibility begins to override their fear. They research, observe banks, and tentatively plan.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The three men make the active decision to go through with the robbery. They purchase disguises—sunglasses, fake noses, hats—and commit to the plan. There's no turning back.
Mirror World
The men experience a renewed sense of camaraderie and purpose. Their friendship deepens as they prepare together, rediscovering vitality and agency they thought was lost.
Premise
The fun of the heist preparation: buying suits, rehearsing their moves, feeling alive for the first time in years. They scout the bank, practice their timing, and experience the thrill of rebellion against their invisible status.
Midpoint
The bank robbery goes off perfectly. They walk out with the money, untouched, unrecognized. It's a false victory—they've succeeded, but the consequences are still to come.
Opposition
The men struggle with what to do with the money. They take a trip to Las Vegas, living it up, but the initial thrill begins to fade. The police investigation inches closer. Internal tensions emerge about the morality of what they've done.
Collapse
Al dies suddenly of a heart attack. The adventure that was meant to give them life has brought death. The surviving men are devastated, confronting their own mortality.
Crisis
Joe and Willie mourn Al, processing the loss and questioning whether it was all worth it. They sit with the reality that their time is limited and their friend is gone.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Joe and Willie realize that what mattered wasn't the money, but the act of living fully, of choosing adventure over resignation. They decide how to honor Al's memory and complete their journey.
Synthesis
The surviving men resolve the aftermath of the heist. They distribute the money in ways that honor their late friend, face whatever consequences come, and make peace with their choices.
Transformation
Joe sits alone on the park bench where we first saw the three men. He's older, sadder, but also more alive—someone who chose to act rather than fade away. The bench is a mirror of the opening, but he is transformed.