Loose Cannons
Mac, the two-fisted, savvy cop finds that he's being saddled with a new partner, a known burnout, to work with him on a new and difficult case. The new partner is Ellis, an amazing detective, one who puts Sherlock Holmes to shame with his lightning-fast deductions. But he keeps assuming the personalities of entire casts of Television shows. This can be a problem when people begin shooting at them.
The film financial setback against its mid-range budget of $15.0M, earning $5.6M globally (-63% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its distinctive approach within the comedy genre.
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%)
Loose Cannons (1990) reveals deliberately positioned narrative design, characteristic of Bob Clark's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 34 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.5, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Mac Stern
Ellis Fielding
Riva
Harry Gutterman
Main Cast & Characters
Mac Stern
Played by Gene Hackman
A tough, by-the-book D.C. homicide detective partnered with an unstable cop suffering from multiple personality disorder.
Ellis Fielding
Played by Dan Aykroyd
A brilliant but mentally unstable detective who shifts between various personalities under stress, complicating their investigation.
Riva
Played by Donna Dixon
A key witness and love interest connected to the central case involving pornography and murder.
Harry Gutterman
Played by Dan Hedaya
A criminal involved in the illegal pornography operation that drives the investigation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Detective Mac Stern is established as a by-the-book, serious, no-nonsense Washington D.C. Cop working on a pornography case, showcasing his traditional, disciplined approach to police work.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Mac is assigned to partner with Ellis Fielding, a detective with a bizarre psychological condition causing him to assume different personalities under stress - completely disrupting Mac's orderly professional world.. 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 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Mac makes the active choice to commit to the partnership and the investigation despite Ellis's condition, accepting they must work together to solve the murder case connected to Nazi war criminals., moving from reaction to action.
At 47 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 51% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat A false victory as Mac and Ellis make a major breakthrough in the case, uncovering key evidence about the Nazi conspiracy and appearing to be close to solving the murder - but the real danger is just beginning., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 71 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The investigation falls apart, their lives are threatened, the department loses faith in them, and Mac faces the failure of his rigid approach - a metaphorical death of his old methods and worldview., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 75 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Mac has a breakthrough realization that he must combine his disciplined skills with Ellis's creative chaos; he fully accepts his partner and gains new insight to crack the case., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Loose Cannons'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 Loose Cannons against these established plot points, we can identify how Bob Clark utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Loose Cannons within the comedy genre.
Bob Clark's Structural Approach
Among the 8 Bob Clark films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Loose Cannons takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Bob Clark filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Bob Clark analyses, see Porky's, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 and From the Hip.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Detective Mac Stern is established as a by-the-book, serious, no-nonsense Washington D.C. cop working on a pornography case, showcasing his traditional, disciplined approach to police work.
Theme
A superior discusses the importance of partnership and trust in police work, hinting at the central theme that unconventional methods and accepting differences can lead to success.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Mac's world of organized, methodical detective work in D.C., the pornography investigation that hints at something larger, and the established police procedures and hierarchies.
Disruption
Mac is assigned to partner with Ellis Fielding, a detective with a bizarre psychological condition causing him to assume different personalities under stress - completely disrupting Mac's orderly professional world.
Resistance
Mac resists and debates working with the unpredictable Ellis, witnessing his personality shifts firsthand and questioning whether this partnership can possibly work on their murder investigation.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Mac makes the active choice to commit to the partnership and the investigation despite Ellis's condition, accepting they must work together to solve the murder case connected to Nazi war criminals.
Mirror World
Ellis, in his various personalities, represents the thematic opposite to Mac's rigidity - showing that flexibility, spontaneity, and unconventional approaches have value in both work and life.
Premise
The "odd couple" investigation unfolds with Mac learning to work around Ellis's unpredictable personality shifts while pursuing leads about Nazi war criminals and a conspiracy involving high-level officials.
Midpoint
A false victory as Mac and Ellis make a major breakthrough in the case, uncovering key evidence about the Nazi conspiracy and appearing to be close to solving the murder - but the real danger is just beginning.
Opposition
The conspirators fight back aggressively, the case becomes more dangerous, Mac's traditional methods prove insufficient, and his inability to fully embrace Ellis's unconventional approach creates setbacks.
Collapse
The investigation falls apart, their lives are threatened, the department loses faith in them, and Mac faces the failure of his rigid approach - a metaphorical death of his old methods and worldview.
Crisis
Mac confronts his failure and realizes that his inability to adapt and embrace Ellis's unpredictable nature has been his weakness; he processes this dark moment of self-doubt.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Mac has a breakthrough realization that he must combine his disciplined skills with Ellis's creative chaos; he fully accepts his partner and gains new insight to crack the case.
Synthesis
Mac and Ellis work as a true team, combining their strengths to confront the Nazi conspirators, execute their plan, and bring the villains to justice in a finale that proves their partnership works.
Transformation
Mac is shown as a transformed detective - still professional but now flexible, accepting of differences, and able to work with unconventional partners, mirroring but contrasting his rigid opening state.