It's What's Inside
A group of friends gather for a pre-wedding party that descends into an existential nightmare when an estranged friend arrives with a mysterious game that awakens long-hidden secrets, desires and grudges.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Shelby
Cyrus
Forbes
Nikki
Reuben
Maya
Brooke
Dennis
Main Cast & Characters
Shelby
Played by Brittany O'Grady
Anxious protagonist struggling with self-image and relationship issues with her boyfriend Cyrus
Cyrus
Played by James Morosini
Shelby's boyfriend who becomes frustrated with their stagnant relationship
Forbes
Played by David Thompson
The mysterious friend who brings the body-swapping machine to the party
Nikki
Played by Alycia Debnam-Carey
Social media influencer obsessed with her appearance and online presence
Reuben
Played by Devon Terrell
The groom-to-be hosting the pre-wedding party
Maya
Played by Nina Bloomgarden
Reuben's fiancée who is initially hesitant about the body-swapping game
Brooke
Played by Reina Hardesty
Forbes's artist sister who was ostracized from the friend group
Dennis
Played by Gavin Leatherwood
Nikki's laid-back boyfriend who enjoys the chaos of the game
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Shelby and Cyrus are shown as a couple preparing to attend Reuben's pre-wedding party, establishing their strained relationship and Shelby's insecurities about Cyrus's past with Nikki.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Forbes, Reuben's estranged sister, arrives unexpectedly with a mysterious suitcase. She was uninvited and brings an unsettling energy, hinting at the chaos she'll unleash.. 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 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to The group collectively agrees to play the body-swapping game. Each person takes a photo with the machine, committing themselves to the dangerous experiment and leaving their normal identities behind., moving from reaction to action.
At 52 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat A major secret is revealed during a swap—Cyrus's ongoing emotional connection to Nikki becomes undeniable. The playful game takes a dark turn as real consequences of the swapping emerge, and trust begins fracturing within the group., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 77 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, A character dies—their body destroyed while their consciousness was swapped into someone else, meaning that person is now permanently trapped. The "game" reveals its lethal stakes. The whiff of death becomes literal., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 83 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Shelby realizes the machine can be used one final time. She makes a crucial choice about which body—and which life—to claim, synthesizing what she's learned about identity and self-worth throughout the night., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
It's What's Inside'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 It's What's Inside against these established plot points, we can identify how Greg Jardin utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish It's What's Inside within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Shelby and Cyrus are shown as a couple preparing to attend Reuben's pre-wedding party, establishing their strained relationship and Shelby's insecurities about Cyrus's past with Nikki.
Theme
A character remarks on how people present false versions of themselves and wonder who they really are underneath—foreshadowing the literal exploration of identity through body-swapping.
Worldbuilding
The friend group arrives at Reuben's mansion for his wedding weekend. We meet the ensemble: Shelby, Cyrus, Dennis, Nikki, Brooke, Maya, and others. Their complicated histories and tensions are established through awkward reunions.
Disruption
Forbes, Reuben's estranged sister, arrives unexpectedly with a mysterious suitcase. She was uninvited and brings an unsettling energy, hinting at the chaos she'll unleash.
Resistance
Forbes reveals her body-swapping machine and explains how it works. The group is skeptical but intrigued. Rules are established: participants swap consciousness when photographed together. Tension builds as they debate whether to play.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The group collectively agrees to play the body-swapping game. Each person takes a photo with the machine, committing themselves to the dangerous experiment and leaving their normal identities behind.
Mirror World
The first swaps occur, and characters experience being in each other's bodies. Shelby, now in another body, gains a new perspective on how others see her and Cyrus, setting up her thematic journey about authentic self-worth.
Premise
The party becomes a chaotic guessing game as characters swap bodies multiple times. Secrets emerge, attractions manifest in unexpected combinations, and the thrill of anonymity leads to increasingly reckless behavior. Characters exploit their temporary bodies for personal agendas.
Midpoint
A major secret is revealed during a swap—Cyrus's ongoing emotional connection to Nikki becomes undeniable. The playful game takes a dark turn as real consequences of the swapping emerge, and trust begins fracturing within the group.
Opposition
Paranoia escalates as characters struggle to track who is in which body. Alliances shift, betrayals multiply, and someone begins manipulating the game for sinister purposes. The machine malfunctions or is sabotaged, trapping people in wrong bodies.
Collapse
A character dies—their body destroyed while their consciousness was swapped into someone else, meaning that person is now permanently trapped. The "game" reveals its lethal stakes. The whiff of death becomes literal.
Crisis
Survivors grapple with the horror of what's happened. Some are trapped in wrong bodies permanently. Accusations fly about who caused the death. Shelby must decide what matters more: returning to her original body or accepting who she's become.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Shelby realizes the machine can be used one final time. She makes a crucial choice about which body—and which life—to claim, synthesizing what she's learned about identity and self-worth throughout the night.
Synthesis
The finale unfolds with characters making final swaps and confrontations. The truth about Forbes's motivations is revealed. Some characters achieve redemption while others face consequences. The body-swapping nightmare reaches its resolution.
Transformation
The final image reveals the unsettling new status quo: characters are trapped in bodies not their own, living other people's lives. The transformation is literal—they have become different people, for better or worse, with identity permanently altered.