Lost & Found
A comedy about finding your true love at any price. Dylan Ramsey resorts to snatching his beautiful neighbor's dog so he can spend time with her while they go on a phantom dog hunt. Succeeding in his plan, Dylan goes to return the pooch, only to discover that it has hidden Dylan's best friend's diamond ring.
The film box office disappointment against its respectable budget of $30.0M, earning $6.6M globally (-78% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its compelling narrative 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%)
Lost & Found (1999) exemplifies strategically placed narrative design, characteristic of Jeff Pollack's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 35 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Dylan Ramsey
Lila Dubois
Wally
René
Jack Frost
Main Cast & Characters
Dylan Ramsey
Played by David Spade
A lonely restaurant owner who becomes obsessed with winning the affection of his new neighbor, resorting to increasingly desperate schemes.
Lila Dubois
Played by Sophie Marceau
A beautiful French cellist who moves in next door, becoming the object of Dylan's affection while remaining largely unaware of his manipulations.
Wally
Played by Patrick Bruel
Dylan's loyal best friend and restaurant employee who reluctantly helps with his schemes while providing comic relief and occasional moral guidance.
René
Played by Artie Lange
Lila's boyfriend, a sophisticated Frenchman who becomes Dylan's romantic rival and the target of his sabotage attempts.
Jack Frost
Played by Animal Actor
Dylan's loyal Jack Russell terrier who becomes central to his scheme when Dylan kidnaps him to create situations to interact with Lila.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Dylan Ramsey lives alone in his apartment, a lonely restaurant owner whose inability to connect emotionally keeps him isolated from meaningful relationships.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Dylan meets Lila, a beautiful Frenchwoman who has just moved into his building. He's immediately attracted but she seems uninterested, creating his romantic goal.. 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 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Dylan makes the active choice to kidnap Jack, crossing a moral line and committing to his deceptive scheme. He enters the world of lies., moving from reaction to action.
At 48 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False victory: Dylan and Lila become romantically involved. She's falling for him, and everything seems perfect, but the foundation is built on his lie. The stakes raise as the relationship deepens., 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 (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The truth is revealed: Lila discovers that Dylan kidnapped Jack. She feels betrayed and manipulated. The relationship dies. Dylan loses everything he gained through deception., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 76 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Dylan gains new understanding: real love requires honesty and vulnerability, not manipulation. He decides to pursue Lila authentically, accepting he may fail but choosing integrity over strategy., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Lost & Found's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping Lost & Found against these established plot points, we can identify how Jeff Pollack utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Lost & Found within the comedy genre.
Jeff Pollack's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Jeff Pollack films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Lost & Found represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jeff Pollack filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Jeff Pollack analyses, see Booty Call.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Dylan Ramsey lives alone in his apartment, a lonely restaurant owner whose inability to connect emotionally keeps him isolated from meaningful relationships.
Theme
Dylan's friend or colleague mentions something about honesty being the foundation of real connection, foreshadowing Dylan's journey from deception to authenticity.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Dylan's world: his restaurant business, his loneliness, his desperation for love. Lila moves into his apartment building with her dog Jack, and Dylan becomes instantly smitten.
Disruption
Dylan meets Lila, a beautiful Frenchwoman who has just moved into his building. He's immediately attracted but she seems uninterested, creating his romantic goal.
Resistance
Dylan debates how to approach Lila. He discovers she loves her dog Jack deeply. Dylan formulates his misguided plan: kidnap the dog, then "find" it to become her hero.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Dylan makes the active choice to kidnap Jack, crossing a moral line and committing to his deceptive scheme. He enters the world of lies.
Mirror World
Dylan "finds" Jack and returns him to Lila, who is grateful and relieved. She begins to warm to Dylan, and a relationship subplot begins that will teach him about authentic connection.
Premise
The fun of the premise: Dylan and Lila grow closer through their shared "love" of Jack. Dylan must maintain the lie while falling genuinely in love. Comedic complications as he manages the deception.
Midpoint
False victory: Dylan and Lila become romantically involved. She's falling for him, and everything seems perfect, but the foundation is built on his lie. The stakes raise as the relationship deepens.
Opposition
Complications mount as Dylan struggles to maintain his facade. Lila's ex-boyfriend or other romantic rival appears. The web of lies becomes harder to manage. Dylan's guilt intensifies.
Collapse
The truth is revealed: Lila discovers that Dylan kidnapped Jack. She feels betrayed and manipulated. The relationship dies. Dylan loses everything he gained through deception.
Crisis
Dylan confronts his dark night: he realizes his manipulative approach to love has destroyed his chance at genuine connection. He must decide who he wants to be.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Dylan gains new understanding: real love requires honesty and vulnerability, not manipulation. He decides to pursue Lila authentically, accepting he may fail but choosing integrity over strategy.
Synthesis
Dylan makes a grand gesture of authentic apology and love. He demonstrates genuine change, proving he's learned to connect honestly rather than manipulate. The final confrontation with Lila.
Transformation
Dylan and Lila reunite, now on honest footing. The closing image shows Dylan capable of authentic connection, transformed from the lonely manipulator of the opening into someone worthy of love.