Imagine That
A financial executive who can't stop his career downspiral is invited into his daughter's imaginary world, where solutions to his problems await.
The film commercial failure against its respectable budget of $55.0M, earning $23.0M globally (-58% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its fresh perspective within the family genre.
1 win & 2 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%)
Imagine That (2009) exhibits meticulously timed dramatic framework, characteristic of Karey Kirkpatrick's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 47 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Evan Danielson
Olivia Danielson
Whitefeather
Tricia Danielson
Johnny Whitefeather
Main Cast & Characters
Evan Danielson
Played by Eddie Murphy
A workaholic financial executive who discovers his daughter's imaginary world holds the key to his success and reconnection with her.
Olivia Danielson
Played by Yara Shahidi
Evan's imaginative young daughter who uses her security blanket and imaginary princesses to help her father while seeking his attention.
Whitefeather
Played by Thomas Haden Church
Evan's eccentric rival at work who uses Native American mysticism and showmanship to win clients and compete for promotion.
Tricia Danielson
Played by Nicole Ari Parker
Evan's ex-wife and Olivia's mother, a singer who maintains a co-parenting relationship while pursuing her career.
Johnny Whitefeather
Played by Martin Sheen
Whitefeather's father and mentor, who provides spiritual guidance and traditional wisdom to his son's career pursuits.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Evan Danielson is introduced as a high-powered financial executive obsessed with work, competing for a major promotion. He's disconnected from his young daughter Olivia, who lives primarily with her mother after their divorce.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Evan's financial predictions fail spectacularly in front of clients and his boss, humiliating him and threatening his promotion. His rational, data-driven approach has suddenly stopped working, putting his career in jeopardy.. 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 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Evan makes the active choice to fully commit to using Olivia's imaginary friends for financial advice. He decides to enter her world of make-believe, setting aside his skepticism to save his career. This irreversible decision launches him into Act 2., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat False victory: Evan achieves major success with a big client win and appears to be winning the promotion. He's on top professionally, and his relationship with Olivia seems great. But he's still using her imagination as a tool rather than truly connecting. The stakes raise as his dependency on the blanket grows., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 80 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Olivia discovers that Evan has been using her and her imaginary friends just to make money, not because he actually cares about her world. She feels betrayed and shuts him out. The blanket/princesses stop working or she refuses to help. Evan loses both his daughter's trust and his secret advantage—everything collapses., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Evan has a realization: it was never about the princesses or the financial predictions. It was about imagination, play, and genuine connection with Olivia. He synthesizes what he's learned—that being present and valuing relationships matters more than career success. He chooses Olivia over the promotion., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Imagine That'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 Imagine That against these established plot points, we can identify how Karey Kirkpatrick utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Imagine That within the family genre.
Karey Kirkpatrick's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Karey Kirkpatrick films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Imagine That takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Karey Kirkpatrick filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional family films include The Black Stallion, The Bad Guys and Ella Enchanted. For more Karey Kirkpatrick analyses, see Over the Hedge.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Evan Danielson is introduced as a high-powered financial executive obsessed with work, competing for a major promotion. He's disconnected from his young daughter Olivia, who lives primarily with her mother after their divorce.
Theme
Olivia or another character suggests that imagination and play matter more than spreadsheets and numbers, hinting at the film's central question: What truly has value in life?
Worldbuilding
Evan's world is established: his corporate rivalry with Johnny Whitefeather (a Native American spiritual advisor who's winning clients), his strained relationship with Olivia, his relentless ambition, and his dismissal of anything non-rational. Olivia arrives for her weekend visit with her security blanket and imaginary friends.
Disruption
Evan's financial predictions fail spectacularly in front of clients and his boss, humiliating him and threatening his promotion. His rational, data-driven approach has suddenly stopped working, putting his career in jeopardy.
Resistance
Desperate to regain his edge, Evan resists the idea that his methods are flawed. In a moment of desperation with Olivia, he plays along with her imaginary world (involving princesses and her blanket). To his shock, her "princesses" provide accurate financial predictions. He debates whether to trust this impossible source.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Evan makes the active choice to fully commit to using Olivia's imaginary friends for financial advice. He decides to enter her world of make-believe, setting aside his skepticism to save his career. This irreversible decision launches him into Act 2.
Mirror World
Evan's relationship with Olivia deepens as they spend time together in imaginary play. She becomes the mirror character who embodies the theme: through her innocent perspective, she shows him what he's been missing—connection, wonder, and presence.
Premise
The promise of the premise: Evan uses the princesses' advice to make brilliant financial calls, impressing clients and regaining his competitive edge. The fun of watching a buttoned-up executive crawl around on the floor with a blanket, pretending to talk to imaginary creatures while making millions. Father and daughter bond.
Midpoint
False victory: Evan achieves major success with a big client win and appears to be winning the promotion. He's on top professionally, and his relationship with Olivia seems great. But he's still using her imagination as a tool rather than truly connecting. The stakes raise as his dependency on the blanket grows.
Opposition
Things get harder: Evan becomes obsessively dependent on the blanket and Olivia's access to the princesses. His ex-wife notices something's wrong. Johnny Whitefeather closes in professionally. Evan's manipulation of his daughter for financial gain becomes increasingly uncomfortable. His flaws—selfishness and using people—catch up with him.
Collapse
Olivia discovers that Evan has been using her and her imaginary friends just to make money, not because he actually cares about her world. She feels betrayed and shuts him out. The blanket/princesses stop working or she refuses to help. Evan loses both his daughter's trust and his secret advantage—everything collapses.
Crisis
Evan sits in the darkness of his failure, realizing he's repeated the same mistakes that cost him his marriage. He's pushed away the only person who truly matters. He processes the loss and confronts who he's become—someone who commodifies everything, even his daughter's love.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Evan has a realization: it was never about the princesses or the financial predictions. It was about imagination, play, and genuine connection with Olivia. He synthesizes what he's learned—that being present and valuing relationships matters more than career success. He chooses Olivia over the promotion.
Synthesis
Evan makes a grand gesture to win back Olivia's trust, likely involving genuine imaginative play without ulterior motives. He confronts his priorities publicly, perhaps sacrificing the promotion or professional standing to demonstrate his transformation. He proves through action that he's changed, choosing fatherhood over ambition.
Transformation
Closing image: Evan is shown genuinely playing with Olivia, fully present and engaged in her imaginary world—not for profit, but for joy and connection. The contrast with the opening shows his complete transformation from disconnected workaholic to present, loving father who values what truly matters.