Manual of Love 2
Four episodes. Nicola, paralyzed after a car crash, falls in love for his physiotherapist Lucia. Franco and Manuela, a young couple unfit to have child, fly to Barcelona for a specialized treatment for fertility. Filippo and Fosco, two gays, decide to marry. Ernesto, waiter in an important restaurant has a liaison with Cecilia the new young Spanish help in cuisine.
The film earned $27.8M at the global box office.
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%)
Manual of Love 2 (2007) demonstrates strategically placed dramatic framework, characteristic of Giovanni Veronesi's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 5 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Opening credits establish the anthology structure exploring different phases of romantic relationships, setting the tone for interconnected stories about love's complexities.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 16 minutes when The inciting incidents disrupt each couple's equilibrium: wedding day disasters, discovery of infidelity, unexpected pregnancy news, and the challenge of rekindling passion in long-term relationships.. 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 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Each protagonist makes an active choice to confront their relationship challenges: committing to the wedding despite chaos, pursuing reconciliation, accepting new responsibilities, or actively working to reignite romance., moving from reaction to action.
At 63 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat False defeat as efforts seem to fail: the wedding spirals further into chaos, reconciliation attempts backfire, new parents face overwhelming stress, and romantic gestures fall flat, raising the stakes for all couples., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 94 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, All Is Lost moment as relationships hit rock bottom: the wedding appears doomed, separations seem inevitable, partnerships crack under pressure, and the death of romantic idealism threatens all the couples., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 100 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Breakthrough realization as characters synthesize what they've learned: understanding that love requires constant effort, forgiveness, acceptance, and choosing each other daily despite imperfections and challenges., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Manual of Love 2'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 Manual of Love 2 against these established plot points, we can identify how Giovanni Veronesi utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Manual of Love 2 within the comedy genre.
Giovanni Veronesi's Structural Approach
Among the 3 Giovanni Veronesi films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Manual of Love 2 represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Giovanni Veronesi filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Giovanni Veronesi analyses, see Manual of Love, Ages of Love.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Opening credits establish the anthology structure exploring different phases of romantic relationships, setting the tone for interconnected stories about love's complexities.
Theme
A character remarks that love constantly changes and evolves through different stages, stating the film's central theme about the transformative nature of relationships over time.
Worldbuilding
Introduction of the first segment's characters and their relationships, establishing the various couples at different life stages - from wedding preparations to marital crises to rediscovering love.
Disruption
The inciting incidents disrupt each couple's equilibrium: wedding day disasters, discovery of infidelity, unexpected pregnancy news, and the challenge of rekindling passion in long-term relationships.
Resistance
Characters debate how to respond to their relationship crises, seeking advice from friends and family, resisting change while contemplating whether to fight for love or walk away.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Each protagonist makes an active choice to confront their relationship challenges: committing to the wedding despite chaos, pursuing reconciliation, accepting new responsibilities, or actively working to reignite romance.
Mirror World
Introduction of the thematic counterpoint relationships - friends, family members, or new connections who embody alternative approaches to love and demonstrate what the protagonists need to learn.
Premise
The promise of the premise plays out as couples navigate their chosen paths: comedic wedding mishaps, attempts at reconciliation, adjusting to parenthood, and romantic gestures to revive passion.
Midpoint
False defeat as efforts seem to fail: the wedding spirals further into chaos, reconciliation attempts backfire, new parents face overwhelming stress, and romantic gestures fall flat, raising the stakes for all couples.
Opposition
Pressure intensifies as external forces and internal flaws create mounting obstacles: family drama escalates, trust issues deepen, exhaustion sets in, and couples question whether love is enough to overcome their problems.
Collapse
All Is Lost moment as relationships hit rock bottom: the wedding appears doomed, separations seem inevitable, partnerships crack under pressure, and the death of romantic idealism threatens all the couples.
Crisis
Dark night of the soul as characters process their losses and confront hard truths about themselves, their partners, and what love truly requires beyond initial passion or comfortable routine.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Breakthrough realization as characters synthesize what they've learned: understanding that love requires constant effort, forgiveness, acceptance, and choosing each other daily despite imperfections and challenges.
Synthesis
Finale as couples apply their newfound wisdom: salvaging the wedding with authentic joy, rebuilding trust through vulnerability, finding partnership in parenthood, and rediscovering intimacy through genuine connection.
Transformation
Closing image mirrors the opening but shows transformation: couples embrace love's evolving nature, having grown through their challenges and emerged with deeper understanding of commitment, resilience, and authentic partnership.