In Her Shoes
Irresponsible party girl Maggie is kicked out of her father's and stepmother's home—where she lives for free—and is taken in by her hard-working sister, Philadelphia lawyer Rose. After Maggie's disruptive ways ruin her sister's love life, Rose turns her out as well. But when their grandmother, who they never knew existed, comes into their lives, the sisters face some complicated truths about themselves and their family.
The film earned $83.1M at the global box office.
1 win & 7 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%)
In Her Shoes (2005) reveals deliberately positioned dramatic framework, characteristic of Curtis Hanson's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 10 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Maggie Feller
Rose Feller
Ella Hirsch
Simon Stein
Lewis Feldman
Main Cast & Characters
Maggie Feller
Played by Toni Collette
A responsible Philadelphia lawyer struggling with dyslexia who lives a structured life until her irresponsible sister disrupts everything.
Rose Feller
Played by Cameron Diaz
Maggie's beautiful, free-spirited younger sister who is irresponsible, impulsive, and constantly seeks validation through men and attention.
Ella Hirsch
Played by Shirley MacLaine
The estranged grandmother of Maggie and Rose who lives in a Florida retirement community and reconnects with her granddaughters after years of separation.
Simon Stein
Played by Mark Feuerstein
A kind, patient attorney who works with Rose and becomes her romantic partner, seeing past her workaholic exterior.
Lewis Feldman
Played by Norman Lloyd
A retired professor living in Ella's retirement community who befriends Maggie and encourages her to pursue her dreams.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Maggie drunkenly performs karaoke at a bar while Rose works late at her law firm. Establishes their contrasting lives: Maggie is wild and irresponsible, Rose is uptight and responsible. Both are incomplete.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Maggie sleeps with Rose's love interest Jim after a party. This betrayal disrupts the fragile equilibrium of their codependent relationship and sets the central conflict in motion.. 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 33 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Maggie discovers their grandmother Ella's contact information and decides to go to Florida to meet her (entering a new world). Rose simultaneously chooses to take a leave of absence from work and cut Maggie out of her life (her own threshold into independence)., moving from reaction to action.
At 65 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False victory: Maggie gets a meaningful job helping a blind professor and discovers she's good at something (reading aloud). Rose and Jim become serious. Both sisters seem to be thriving independently. The stakes raise: can they be complete without reconciling?., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 96 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Rose calls off her engagement to Jim, recognizing she was still just playing it safe. She hits bottom emotionally, realizing that without confronting her relationship with Maggie, she'll never be whole. Maggie simultaneously faces that she's been running from her pain and guilt., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 103 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Breakthrough: Ella reveals she's been keeping their mother's poems, helping Maggie understand her mother's love despite her illness. Rose realizes she needs to forgive to move forward. Both sisters gain the insight needed to synthesize their old selves with their new growth., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
In Her Shoes'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 In Her Shoes against these established plot points, we can identify how Curtis Hanson utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish In Her Shoes within the comedy genre.
Curtis Hanson's Structural Approach
Among the 9 Curtis Hanson films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. In Her Shoes represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Curtis Hanson filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Curtis Hanson analyses, see The River Wild, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and 8 Mile.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Maggie drunkenly performs karaoke at a bar while Rose works late at her law firm. Establishes their contrasting lives: Maggie is wild and irresponsible, Rose is uptight and responsible. Both are incomplete.
Theme
Rose's stepmother Sydelle makes a cutting remark about the sisters needing to take care of each other and find their own paths. The theme of family connection and individual identity is introduced.
Worldbuilding
We see the sisters' dysfunctional dynamic: Maggie crashes with Rose after losing another job, borrows her clothes without asking, and creates chaos. Rose enables her while resenting it. Their father is passive, their stepmother hostile. Maggie has learning disabilities she hides; Rose has no social life.
Disruption
Maggie sleeps with Rose's love interest Jim after a party. This betrayal disrupts the fragile equilibrium of their codependent relationship and sets the central conflict in motion.
Resistance
Rose discovers the betrayal and throws Maggie out. Maggie resists taking responsibility, bouncing between their father's house and desperate schemes. Rose debates whether to cut Maggie off completely. Both sisters struggle with their new reality apart.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Maggie discovers their grandmother Ella's contact information and decides to go to Florida to meet her (entering a new world). Rose simultaneously chooses to take a leave of absence from work and cut Maggie out of her life (her own threshold into independence).
Mirror World
Maggie meets Ella, their estranged grandmother, at her retirement community in Florida. Ella represents the possibility of family connection and unconditional love. Meanwhile, Rose begins exploring life outside her sister's shadow.
Premise
The promise of the premise: two separate journeys of growth. Maggie learns responsibility working odd jobs in the retirement community and bonds with Ella. Rose discovers her own identity, pursuing romance with Jim and learning to prioritize herself. Both explore who they are without each other.
Midpoint
False victory: Maggie gets a meaningful job helping a blind professor and discovers she's good at something (reading aloud). Rose and Jim become serious. Both sisters seem to be thriving independently. The stakes raise: can they be complete without reconciling?
Opposition
Complications mount. Ella wants to reunite the sisters but Maggie refuses to apologize. Rose becomes engaged to Jim but feels something is missing. Maggie discovers painful truths about their mother's mental illness and death. Rose realizes she's still not living authentically. The past closes in on both.
Collapse
Rose calls off her engagement to Jim, recognizing she was still just playing it safe. She hits bottom emotionally, realizing that without confronting her relationship with Maggie, she'll never be whole. Maggie simultaneously faces that she's been running from her pain and guilt.
Crisis
Dark night: Rose grieves the life she thought she wanted. Maggie processes the truth about their mother and her own learning disability. Both face their deepest fears about being unlovable and inadequate. Ella provides wisdom but can't force reconciliation.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Breakthrough: Ella reveals she's been keeping their mother's poems, helping Maggie understand her mother's love despite her illness. Rose realizes she needs to forgive to move forward. Both sisters gain the insight needed to synthesize their old selves with their new growth.
Synthesis
The finale: Rose tracks down Maggie in Florida. The sisters have an honest confrontation, expressing their hurt and ultimately forgiving each other. They attend a retirement home event together where Maggie reads poetry. Rose returns to law with new confidence. Maggie pursues a career in literary assistance. Both have integrated their experiences.
Transformation
Final image mirrors the opening but transformed: The sisters together at Rose's wedding, Maggie reads a poem by their mother. Where they once were divided and incomplete, they are now connected and whole, each having found their own path while preserving their bond.