Hearts in Atlantis
A widowed mother and her son change when a mysterious stranger enters their lives.
The film struggled financially against its moderate budget of $31.0M, earning $24.2M globally (-22% loss).
2 wins & 8 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%)
Hearts in Atlantis (2001) demonstrates precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Scott Hicks's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 41 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.5, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Bobby Garfield (Young)
Ted Brautigan
Liz Garfield
Carol Gerber
Bobby Garfield (Adult)
Main Cast & Characters
Bobby Garfield (Young)
Played by Anton Yelchin
An 11-year-old boy experiencing a pivotal summer in 1960, befriending a mysterious lodger who opens his eyes to deeper truths about life and loss.
Ted Brautigan
Played by Anthony Hopkins
A mysterious elderly man with psychic abilities on the run from shadowy government agents, who becomes a mentor and father figure to young Bobby.
Liz Garfield
Played by Hope Davis
Bobby's emotionally cold and self-centered mother, struggling financially while remaining bitter about her life circumstances.
Carol Gerber
Played by Mika Boorem
Bobby's childhood friend and first love, a spirited girl who shares his adventures during that fateful summer.
Bobby Garfield (Adult)
Played by David Morse
The adult Bobby reflecting back on the transformative summer of 1960 that shaped his understanding of love, loss, and betrayal.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Adult Bobby receives news of a childhood friend's death, triggering memories. Flashback to 1960: 11-year-old Bobby lives with his struggling single mother in a small Connecticut town, longing for a bicycle and his absent father.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Ted offers Bobby a job reading him the newspaper daily for one dollar a week. This unusual offer disrupts Bobby's summer plans and introduces the mentor relationship that will change his life.. 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 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Bobby actively chooses to help Ted watch for the low men, despite not fully understanding the danger. He commits to the mentorship and accepts responsibility beyond his years, entering a more adult world of secrets and stakes., moving from reaction to action.
At 49 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Bobby spots the first clear signs of the low men - lost pet posters and symbols Ted warned about. The threat becomes real. Simultaneously, Carol is beaten by bullies. The darkness of the adult world intrudes on the summer's magic., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 74 minutes (73% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Bobby's mother, motivated by greed and fear, betrays Ted to the low men. Ted is captured and taken away. Bobby realizes his mother chose money over protecting his friend, shattering his remaining innocence about her and about loyalty., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 80 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Bobby receives a final message/gift from Ted through psychic connection, showing Ted is still thinking of him. Bobby synthesizes Ted's lessons about seeing truth with acceptance of loss, gaining the wisdom to carry forward., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Hearts in Atlantis'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 Hearts in Atlantis against these established plot points, we can identify how Scott Hicks utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Hearts in Atlantis within the drama genre.
Scott Hicks's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Scott Hicks films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Hearts in Atlantis represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Scott Hicks filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Scott Hicks analyses, see The Lucky One, No Reservations and Shine.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Adult Bobby receives news of a childhood friend's death, triggering memories. Flashback to 1960: 11-year-old Bobby lives with his struggling single mother in a small Connecticut town, longing for a bicycle and his absent father.
Theme
Ted Brautigan tells Bobby: "Sometimes when you're young, you have moments of such happiness, you think you're living in someplace magical, like Atlantis must have been. Then we grow up, and our hearts break into two." The theme of lost innocence is established.
Worldbuilding
Bobby's ordinary world: his distant relationship with his materialistic mother Liz, friendship with Carol and Sully, desire for a Schwinn bike for his birthday, the arrival of mysterious new tenant Ted Brautigan upstairs.
Disruption
Ted offers Bobby a job reading him the newspaper daily for one dollar a week. This unusual offer disrupts Bobby's summer plans and introduces the mentor relationship that will change his life.
Resistance
Bobby debates whether to trust Ted. Ted begins teaching Bobby to see beyond surface appearances, to read people and notice details. Ted reveals he's running from "low men" and asks Bobby to watch for signs of them. Bobby learns and earns money for his bike.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Bobby actively chooses to help Ted watch for the low men, despite not fully understanding the danger. He commits to the mentorship and accepts responsibility beyond his years, entering a more adult world of secrets and stakes.
Mirror World
Bobby's relationship with Carol deepens as they share their first kiss. This innocent romance parallels and counterpoints the darker education Ted is providing, representing the childhood Bobby is about to lose.
Premise
The magical summer unfolds: Ted teaches Bobby to see auras and read minds, Bobby earns money and grows closer to Carol, the three friends have adventures. Bobby experiences the "Atlantis" moments Ted described - pure childhood joy mixed with growing awareness.
Midpoint
Bobby spots the first clear signs of the low men - lost pet posters and symbols Ted warned about. The threat becomes real. Simultaneously, Carol is beaten by bullies. The darkness of the adult world intrudes on the summer's magic.
Opposition
Pressure mounts from all sides: Ted's pursuers close in, Bobby's mother grows suspicious and hostile toward Ted, Carol recovers but the violence has changed things, Bobby realizes Ted must leave soon. Bobby tries to protect Ted while navigating his mother's demands.
Collapse
Bobby's mother, motivated by greed and fear, betrays Ted to the low men. Ted is captured and taken away. Bobby realizes his mother chose money over protecting his friend, shattering his remaining innocence about her and about loyalty.
Crisis
Bobby confronts his mother in rage and grief. He processes the loss of Ted, the betrayal, and the end of the magical summer. He sits alone with the devastation of learning hard truths about the people he loved.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Bobby receives a final message/gift from Ted through psychic connection, showing Ted is still thinking of him. Bobby synthesizes Ted's lessons about seeing truth with acceptance of loss, gaining the wisdom to carry forward.
Synthesis
Return to adult Bobby, who reconnects with Carol at their friend's funeral. They share memories of that summer and acknowledge how it shaped them. Bobby has carried Ted's lessons throughout his life, accepting both the magic and the loss.
Transformation
Adult Bobby and Carol walk together, having survived their losses and betrayals. Bobby has integrated the lesson: Atlantis exists in those perfect moments of youth, and though we lose it, the memory and wisdom remain. He is no longer the innocent boy, but a man who can see truth and still choose connection.