In the Land of Women
After a bad breakup with his girlfriend leaves him heartbroken, Carter Webb moves to Michigan to take care of his ailing grandmother. Once there, he gets mixed up in the lives of the mother and daughters who live across the street.
Working with a modest budget of $10.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $17.6M in global revenue (+76% profit margin).
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 the Land of Women (2007) exemplifies deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Jon Kasdan's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 37 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Carter Webb is a Los Angeles softcore porn writer living a shallow but comfortable life, dating glamorous actress Sofia, believing himself to be in love and successful.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Sofia dramatically breaks up with Carter, claiming he doesn't truly know her and their relationship was empty. The breakup devastates him and shatters his comfortable illusions.. 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 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Carter actively chooses to leave Los Angeles and move to suburban Michigan to care for his grandmother, entering a completely foreign world far from his shallow LA existence., moving from reaction to action.
The Collapse moment at 72 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Everything falls apart: Sarah's family discovers Carter's involvement in their problems, Lucy feels betrayed, Sarah pushes him away to save her marriage, and Carter realizes he's repeated his pattern of superficial understanding despite good intentions., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 77 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Carter makes peace with the Hardwicke family, offering honest closure without drama. He says goodbye to his grandmother. He returns to LA genuinely transformed, ready to write something real and live authentically., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
In the Land of Women's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping In the Land of Women against these established plot points, we can identify how Jon Kasdan utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish In the Land of Women within the romance genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional romance films include South Pacific, Last Night and Diana.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Carter Webb is a Los Angeles softcore porn writer living a shallow but comfortable life, dating glamorous actress Sofia, believing himself to be in love and successful.
Theme
Carter's grandmother tells him about real connection and listening to women, foreshadowing his need to move beyond superficial relationships to genuine human understanding.
Worldbuilding
Establishing Carter's shallow LA lifestyle, his career writing forgettable erotica, his relationship with Sofia, and his family dynamics. We see a young man coasting through life without real emotional depth.
Disruption
Sofia dramatically breaks up with Carter, claiming he doesn't truly know her and their relationship was empty. The breakup devastates him and shatters his comfortable illusions.
Resistance
Carter spirals into depression and hypochondria. His mother and grandmother suggest he needs a change. He resists but eventually considers escaping LA to care for his sick grandmother in Michigan.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Carter actively chooses to leave Los Angeles and move to suburban Michigan to care for his grandmother, entering a completely foreign world far from his shallow LA existence.
Premise
Carter develops relationships with the Hardwicke women: genuine friendship with Sarah dealing with cancer and marital problems, mentorship with angsty teen Lucy, and caring for precocious young Paige. He learns to truly listen and connect.
Opposition
Complications intensify: Lucy's emotional dependence on Carter grows unhealthy, Sarah's husband becomes suspicious, Carter's feelings blur boundaries, and his grandmother's health declines. His good intentions create messy consequences.
Collapse
Everything falls apart: Sarah's family discovers Carter's involvement in their problems, Lucy feels betrayed, Sarah pushes him away to save her marriage, and Carter realizes he's repeated his pattern of superficial understanding despite good intentions.
Crisis
Carter withdraws, feeling he's failed everyone. He reflects on how he's changed but doubts whether he's truly grown or just created new problems. His grandmother's wisdom helps him process his pain and confusion.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
Carter makes peace with the Hardwicke family, offering honest closure without drama. He says goodbye to his grandmother. He returns to LA genuinely transformed, ready to write something real and live authentically.