My Super Ex-Girlfriend
When New York architect Matt Saunders dumps his new girlfriend Jenny Johnson—a smart, sexy, and reluctant superhero known as G-Girl—she uses her powers to make his life a living hell.
The film earned $61.1M 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%)
My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) showcases meticulously timed plot construction, characteristic of Ivan Reitman'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 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Matt Saunders is an ordinary, struggling architect at a New York firm, timid and unlucky in love, living a mundane life going through the motions.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Matt meets Jenny Johnson on the subway after helping retrieve her purse from a thief. She drops her phone, giving him an opportunity to contact her, sparking a potential romance.. 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 26% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Matt commits to a relationship with Jenny and they become sexually involved. He actively chooses to enter this new world of dating an intense woman, unaware she's G-Girl., moving from reaction to action.
At 48 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Matt breaks up with Jenny after her jealousy and controlling behavior become unbearable. False victory: he thinks he's free, but he's actually triggered a superhero scorned. Stakes raise dramatically., 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, G-Girl throws Matt's car into space with him nearly in it, then threatens Hannah directly. Matt realizes he's completely powerless and has endangered everyone he cares about. Total defeat., shows 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. Matt learns about Professor Bedlam, Jenny's ex-boyfriend and nemesis, who lost his powers in the same meteor accident that gave her powers. He realizes he can fight superpowers with superpowers., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
My Super Ex-Girlfriend'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 My Super Ex-Girlfriend against these established plot points, we can identify how Ivan Reitman utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish My Super Ex-Girlfriend within the comedy genre.
Ivan Reitman's Structural Approach
Among the 14 Ivan Reitman films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. My Super Ex-Girlfriend represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Ivan Reitman filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Ivan Reitman analyses, see Fathers' Day, Twins and Ghostbusters II.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Matt Saunders is an ordinary, struggling architect at a New York firm, timid and unlucky in love, living a mundane life going through the motions.
Theme
Matt's friend Vaughn advises him about relationships: "Sometimes what you think you want isn't what you need." Theme of authenticity vs. fantasy in relationships.
Worldbuilding
Establishing Matt's world: his mundane job, his friendship with womanizer Vaughn, the city backdrop, and his general passivity in life. Introduction of G-Girl saving people as a mysterious superhero.
Disruption
Matt meets Jenny Johnson on the subway after helping retrieve her purse from a thief. She drops her phone, giving him an opportunity to contact her, sparking a potential romance.
Resistance
Matt debates pursuing Jenny, gets encouragement from Vaughn, nervously calls her, and they begin dating. He discovers she's neurotic and intense but is charmed by her beauty and interest in him.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Matt commits to a relationship with Jenny and they become sexually involved. He actively chooses to enter this new world of dating an intense woman, unaware she's G-Girl.
Mirror World
Matt meets and develops chemistry with his coworker Hannah Lewis, who represents a genuine, down-to-earth alternative to Jenny's intensity. She embodies authentic connection.
Premise
The fun premise: Matt dates a superhero without knowing it. Jenny becomes increasingly possessive and controlling. Matt discovers Jenny is G-Girl, experiences the thrill and terror of dating someone with superpowers.
Midpoint
Matt breaks up with Jenny after her jealousy and controlling behavior become unbearable. False victory: he thinks he's free, but he's actually triggered a superhero scorned. Stakes raise dramatically.
Opposition
G-Girl unleashes revenge on Matt: throwing sharks at him, ruining his career, destroying his apartment, humiliating him publicly. Matt tries to fight back while pursuing Hannah. Pressure intensifies relentlessly.
Collapse
G-Girl throws Matt's car into space with him nearly in it, then threatens Hannah directly. Matt realizes he's completely powerless and has endangered everyone he cares about. Total defeat.
Crisis
Matt despairs in the darkness of his situation, feeling helpless against a superhuman force. He processes that normal solutions won't work and he needs to think differently.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Matt learns about Professor Bedlam, Jenny's ex-boyfriend and nemesis, who lost his powers in the same meteor accident that gave her powers. He realizes he can fight superpowers with superpowers.
Synthesis
Matt teams with Professor Bedlam to restore his powers and stop G-Girl. Final confrontation where Bedlam fights G-Girl, Matt stands up to Jenny, and he must choose between fantasy (superpowers) and reality (Hannah).
Transformation
Matt, now empowered and confident from his ordeal, is with Hannah in a genuine relationship. He's transformed from passive and timid to someone who stands up for himself and chooses authentic love over fantasy.