Kajillionaire
A woman's life is turned upside down when her criminal parents invite an outsider to join them on a major heist they're planning.
The film earned $830K at the global box office.
4 wins & 9 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%)
Kajillionaire (2020) exhibits meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Miranda July's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 45 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Old Dolio and her parents time their arrival at their office space to avoid the landlord, ducking under pink foam that regularly leaks from the bubble factory next door. This establishes their life of survival through scams and complete emotional disconnection.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when On the flight back from the luggage scam, the family meets Melanie, a bubbly, warm stranger who charms Robert and Theresa. When Melanie discovers their scam, instead of being repulsed, she's intrigued and wants in. The parents invite her to join them.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. 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 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Old Dolio agrees to continue working with Melanie despite her discomfort, choosing to stay in the family system rather than break away. This is a reluctant threshold - she enters Act 2 not with hope but with quiet desperation to maintain her parents' approval., moving from reaction to action.
At 53 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Old Dolio and Melanie share an intimate moment during an earthquake preparedness class where they practice rescue breathing. The physical closeness and care represents a false victory - Old Dolio feels connection but hasn't yet confronted the dysfunction of her family or her own needs., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 79 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Old Dolio discovers her parents are planning to run a scam on a dying man without her, intending to replace her with Melanie. The symbolic death: the final death of hope that her parents will ever truly love her as a daughter. She confronts them and they show no remorse, only transactional coldness., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 84 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Old Dolio chooses to leave her parents and pursue a real relationship with Melanie. She synthesizes her survival skills with her new understanding of love and connection. She realizes she deserves to be loved for who she is, not for what she can provide., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Kajillionaire's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Kajillionaire against these established plot points, we can identify how Miranda July utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Kajillionaire within the comedy genre.
Miranda July's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Miranda July films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Kajillionaire takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Miranda July filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Miranda July analyses, see The Future.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Old Dolio and her parents time their arrival at their office space to avoid the landlord, ducking under pink foam that regularly leaks from the bubble factory next door. This establishes their life of survival through scams and complete emotional disconnection.
Theme
Robert mentions that they don't "do friends" - establishing the family's complete isolation and transactional approach to all relationships. The theme of what constitutes real family and human connection versus exploitation is introduced.
Worldbuilding
We observe the Dyne family's elaborate scams: mail theft, fake injuries, sweepstakes fraud. Old Dolio has been raised as a tool for her parents' cons, treated more like an employee than a daughter. She receives no affection, only assignments. The family owes three months rent and plans an airline luggage scam to get money.
Disruption
On the flight back from the luggage scam, the family meets Melanie, a bubbly, warm stranger who charms Robert and Theresa. When Melanie discovers their scam, instead of being repulsed, she's intrigued and wants in. The parents invite her to join them.
Resistance
Melanie begins joining the family on scams. Old Dolio watches as her parents shower Melanie with the affection and attention they never gave her. Melanie represents everything Old Dolio was never allowed to be - expressive, warm, connected. Old Dolio debates whether to accept this new dynamic or resist it.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Old Dolio agrees to continue working with Melanie despite her discomfort, choosing to stay in the family system rather than break away. This is a reluctant threshold - she enters Act 2 not with hope but with quiet desperation to maintain her parents' approval.
Mirror World
Melanie and Old Dolio have their first real conversation alone. Melanie asks Old Dolio personal questions and shows genuine interest in her as a person, not as a tool. This relationship will teach Old Dolio what real human connection feels like.
Premise
Old Dolio and Melanie grow closer as they execute scams together. Melanie teaches Old Dolio about emotional expression, physical touch, and what she's been missing. The premise promise: watching Old Dolio discover human connection for the first time while navigating jealousy over her parents' affection for Melanie.
Midpoint
Old Dolio and Melanie share an intimate moment during an earthquake preparedness class where they practice rescue breathing. The physical closeness and care represents a false victory - Old Dolio feels connection but hasn't yet confronted the dysfunction of her family or her own needs.
Opposition
Old Dolio's jealousy intensifies as her parents continue to favor Melanie. She becomes aware of how deeply unloved she's been her entire life. Her parents plan to cut her out and continue scamming with Melanie instead. Old Dolio's emotional walls begin to crack as the gap between what Melanie offers and what her parents withhold becomes unbearable.
Collapse
Old Dolio discovers her parents are planning to run a scam on a dying man without her, intending to replace her with Melanie. The symbolic death: the final death of hope that her parents will ever truly love her as a daughter. She confronts them and they show no remorse, only transactional coldness.
Crisis
Old Dolio processes the grief of her loveless upbringing. She sits with the pain of realizing her parents are incapable of change. In her darkness, she must decide: return to the only family she knows, or choose herself and the possibility of real connection with Melanie.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Old Dolio chooses to leave her parents and pursue a real relationship with Melanie. She synthesizes her survival skills with her new understanding of love and connection. She realizes she deserves to be loved for who she is, not for what she can provide.
Synthesis
Old Dolio finds Melanie and opens up emotionally for the first time, expressing her feelings and needs. She breaks the family pattern by choosing connection over survival. She and Melanie begin a genuine relationship built on mutual care rather than exploitation.
Transformation
Old Dolio and Melanie lie together in a storefront window filled with moving wooden arms, allowing themselves to be touched and held. Where the opening showed Old Dolio as isolated and emotionally vacant, she now accepts love and physical affection, transformed by choosing real human connection.