Nothing in Common
A successful advertising executive finds his freewheeling life crashing to a halt when his parents end their longtime marriage.
Despite its small-scale budget of $12.0M, Nothing in Common became a box office success, earning $32.3M worldwide—a 169% 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%)
Nothing in Common (1986) exhibits carefully calibrated narrative architecture, characteristic of Garry Marshall's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 58 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.5, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
David Basner
Max Basner
Lorraine Basner
Cheryl Ann Wayne
Charlie Gargas
Andrew Woolridge
Donna Mildred Martin
Main Cast & Characters
David Basner
Played by Tom Hanks
A successful advertising executive whose carefully constructed life unravels when his parents announce their divorce after 36 years. He must navigate career pressures while becoming a reluctant caretaker for his difficult father.
Max Basner
Played by Jackie Gleason
David's stubborn, old-fashioned father who struggles with diabetes and the loss of his marriage. A former traveling salesman whose neglect of his family catches up to him.
Lorraine Basner
Played by Eva Marie Saint
David's mother who finally leaves Max after 36 years of an unhappy marriage. She seeks to reclaim her independence and find happiness.
Cheryl Ann Wayne
Played by Sela Ward
A beautiful airline executive and David's love interest who represents the Colonial Airlines account. She challenges David to be more than a charming ad man.
Charlie Gargas
Played by Hector Elizondo
David's boss and mentor at the advertising agency who pushes him on the Colonial Airlines account while observing his personal struggles.
Andrew Woolridge
Played by Barry Corbin
The demanding CEO of Colonial Airlines who David must impress to land the account. He represents corporate authority and high stakes.
Donna Mildred Martin
Played by Bess Armstrong
David's ex-girlfriend, a self-absorbed actress who briefly reenters his life and highlights his pattern of shallow relationships.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (2% through the runtime) establishes David Basner at peak of success: charming advertising executive living carefree bachelor life in Chicago, surrounded by beautiful women and professional accolades. His world is superficial but comfortable.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when David's mother Lorraine announces she's leaving his father Max after 36 years of marriage. This shatters David's comfortable compartmentalization of family and forces him into the middle of their crisis.. 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 30 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to David reluctantly agrees to take responsibility for his father Max when it becomes clear Max is alone, deteriorating, and has serious health problems (diabetes). He can no longer avoid family duty., moving from reaction to action.
At 60 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat False victory: David successfully balances career and family. He lands a major account while seemingly making progress with his father. He believes he can manage everything without truly changing himself., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 89 minutes (76% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, David has emotional breakdown/explosive confrontation with his father after Max refuses medical treatment. Years of resentment surface. The relationship seems destroyed. Whiff of death: Max's literal mortality and death of David's old identity., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 94 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. David chooses love and duty over comfort. He synthesizes his creative talents (from career) with newfound emotional maturity (from Mirror World). He commits to being present for his father regardless of difficulty., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Nothing in Common'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 Nothing in Common against these established plot points, we can identify how Garry Marshall utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Nothing in Common within the drama genre.
Garry Marshall's Structural Approach
Among the 14 Garry Marshall films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Nothing in Common represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Garry Marshall filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Garry Marshall analyses, see Raising Helen, New Year's Eve and The Princess Diaries.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
David Basner at peak of success: charming advertising executive living carefree bachelor life in Chicago, surrounded by beautiful women and professional accolades. His world is superficial but comfortable.
Theme
During family dinner, someone (likely mother Lorraine) makes a comment about family being there when you need them, or about children owing their parents. David dismisses it, foreshadowing his coming reckoning.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of David's world: his advertising career, creative process, dating life, and superficial relationship with parents Max and Lorraine. We see the dysfunction in his parents' marriage and David's avoidance of real emotional connection.
Disruption
David's mother Lorraine announces she's leaving his father Max after 36 years of marriage. This shatters David's comfortable compartmentalization of family and forces him into the middle of their crisis.
Resistance
David resists involvement, trying to maintain boundaries while dealing with both parents separately. He attempts to mediate but wants to keep family drama from interfering with his career and personal life. Meets Cheryl, a potential love interest.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
David reluctantly agrees to take responsibility for his father Max when it becomes clear Max is alone, deteriorating, and has serious health problems (diabetes). He can no longer avoid family duty.
Mirror World
David's developing relationship with Cheryl Ann deepens. She represents the possibility of authentic emotional connection, contrasting with his superficial dating life and mirroring the parent-child relationship theme.
Premise
David navigates dual worlds: maintaining his advertising success while managing his father's life. Comedic and touching moments as the stubborn father and impatient son clash. David learns about his father's past, struggles, and humanity.
Midpoint
False victory: David successfully balances career and family. He lands a major account while seemingly making progress with his father. He believes he can manage everything without truly changing himself.
Opposition
Everything intensifies: Max's health worsens significantly, requiring amputation of his foot. Work demands increase. Cheryl needs more commitment. David's selfish habits and emotional unavailability catch up as he tries to handle everything with his old superficial approach.
Collapse
David has emotional breakdown/explosive confrontation with his father after Max refuses medical treatment. Years of resentment surface. The relationship seems destroyed. Whiff of death: Max's literal mortality and death of David's old identity.
Crisis
David processes what he's learned. Dark night of soul as he confronts who he's been versus who he needs to become. Realizes his father is human, flawed, mortal—and so is he.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
David chooses love and duty over comfort. He synthesizes his creative talents (from career) with newfound emotional maturity (from Mirror World). He commits to being present for his father regardless of difficulty.
Synthesis
David reconciles with Max, provides genuine care and support. Handles work with new perspective. Makes peace with family imperfection. Shows up authentically for both father and Cheryl. Resolves major career challenge with maturity.
Transformation
Final image: David with his father, no longer the superficial bachelor from opening. He's become a man capable of genuine connection, sacrifice, and love. The carefree boy has become a responsible adult.