Made of Honor
Tom and Hannah have been platonic friends for 10 years. He's a serial dater, while she wants marriage but hasn't found Mr. Right. Just as Tom is starting to think that he is relationship material after all, Hannah gets engaged. When she asks Tom to be her 'maid' of honor, he reluctantly agrees just so he can attempt to stop the wedding and woo her.
Despite a mid-range budget of $40.0M, Made of Honor became a solid performer, earning $106.4M worldwide—a 166% return.
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%)
Made of Honor (2008) demonstrates deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Paul Weiland's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 41 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.1, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Tom is a serial dater who sleeps with different women and has commitment-free relationships, while maintaining his platonic friendship with Hannah as his one constant.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Hannah announces she's going to Scotland for a six-week work trip, disrupting Tom's comfortable routine and making him realize how much he'll miss her.. 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 illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Hannah returns from Scotland and announces she's engaged to Colin, a wealthy Scotsman she met there. Tom realizes he's too late and must decide whether to reveal his feelings or support her., moving from reaction to action.
At 52 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 52% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. The analysis reveals that this crucial beat At the destination wedding in Scotland, Tom sees Hannah with Colin's perfect family and their perfect life together. The wedding becomes real, and Tom realizes he may actually lose her forever., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 76 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Tom confesses his feelings to Hannah the night before her wedding. She's hurt and angry that he waited until now, accusing him of being selfish. She tells him to leave, and their friendship appears destroyed., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 81 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Tom decides to fight for Hannah, realizing true love is worth the risk. He crashes the wedding ceremony to make a final stand, choosing courage over comfort for the first time., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Made of Honor's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Made of Honor against these established plot points, we can identify how Paul Weiland utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Made of Honor within the comedy genre.
Paul Weiland's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Paul Weiland films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.3, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Made of Honor takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Paul Weiland filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Paul Weiland analyses, see City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Tom is a serial dater who sleeps with different women and has commitment-free relationships, while maintaining his platonic friendship with Hannah as his one constant.
Theme
Tom's father or friend comments on how Tom has the perfect woman right in front of him but doesn't see it - establishing the theme that true love is often overlooked when it's closest to us.
Worldbuilding
Tom and Hannah's friendship is established through their Sunday basketball rituals, coffee dates, and Tom's rotating door of women. Tom is a successful player in every sense, while Hannah is his grounded best friend.
Disruption
Hannah announces she's going to Scotland for a six-week work trip, disrupting Tom's comfortable routine and making him realize how much he'll miss her.
Resistance
Tom struggles without Hannah during her absence, realizing his feelings for her. His attempts at dating feel hollow. He eagerly awaits her return, preparing to tell her how he feels.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Hannah returns from Scotland and announces she's engaged to Colin, a wealthy Scotsman she met there. Tom realizes he's too late and must decide whether to reveal his feelings or support her.
Mirror World
Hannah asks Tom to be her Maid of Honor (her "Made of Honor"), pulling him into the wedding world where he must confront what commitment and love truly mean while watching her marry someone else.
Premise
Tom navigates the absurd world of wedding planning - dress shopping, bridesmaid duties, bridal showers - while spending more time with Hannah and realizing she's making a mistake. The comedy of role reversal plays out.
Midpoint
At the destination wedding in Scotland, Tom sees Hannah with Colin's perfect family and their perfect life together. The wedding becomes real, and Tom realizes he may actually lose her forever.
Opposition
Tom tries to sabotage the wedding subtly and compete with Colin in Scottish games and traditions. His attempts backfire, and Colin proves himself worthy. Hannah begins to notice Tom acting strangely but misreads his intentions.
Collapse
Tom confesses his feelings to Hannah the night before her wedding. She's hurt and angry that he waited until now, accusing him of being selfish. She tells him to leave, and their friendship appears destroyed.
Crisis
Tom prepares to leave Scotland, believing he's lost Hannah forever. Hannah processes her feelings, realizing the wedding doesn't feel right but feeling obligated to go through with it. Both face their darkest moment separately.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Tom decides to fight for Hannah, realizing true love is worth the risk. He crashes the wedding ceremony to make a final stand, choosing courage over comfort for the first time.
Synthesis
Tom interrupts the wedding and makes his case. Hannah must choose between the safe, perfect life with Colin and the real, complicated love with Tom. She chooses Tom, finally seeing what was there all along.
Transformation
Tom and Hannah are together, with Tom now fully committed. A closing image mirrors the opening but shows Tom transformed - no longer a player, but a man ready for real love and commitment.