Now and Then
Four childhood friends, now in their thirties, are having a reunion. Their lives have gone separate and very different ways. Together again they reminisce about their younger years, especially the eventful period when they were 12 years old.
Despite its limited budget of $12.0M, Now and Then became a box office success, earning $27.4M worldwide—a 128% 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%)
Now and Then (1995) reveals precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Lesli Linka Glatter's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 40 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Samantha Albertson (Young)
Roberta Martin (Young)
Chrissy DeWitt (Young)
Teeny (Tina) Tercell (Young)
Samantha Albertson (Adult)
Roberta Martin (Adult)
Chrissy DeWitt (Adult)
Teeny (Tina) Tercell (Adult)
Scott Wormer
Johnny
Main Cast & Characters
Samantha Albertson (Young)
Played by Gaby Hoffmann
An introspective tomboy struggling with her parents' divorce, she becomes obsessed with understanding death and the supernatural after discovering a local tragedy.
Roberta Martin (Young)
Played by Christina Ricci
A tough, athletic tomboy who lost her mother and covers her grief with bravado. She tapes down her developing chest and takes dangerous risks.
Chrissy DeWitt (Young)
Played by Ashleigh Aston Moore
A sheltered, naive girl raised by an overprotective religious mother. She is innocent about facts of life and serves as the group's voice of caution.
Teeny (Tina) Tercell (Young)
Played by Thora Birch
A glamorous, boy-crazy aspiring actress who stuffs her bra and practices kissing. She comes from a wealthy but emotionally distant family.
Samantha Albertson (Adult)
Played by Demi Moore
Now a successful science fiction author, she narrates the story and returns to her hometown for Chrissy's baby's birth.
Roberta Martin (Adult)
Played by Rosie O'Donnell
Became a doctor, having channeled her fascination with death into healing. She remains practical and grounded.
Chrissy DeWitt (Adult)
Played by Rita Wilson
Now pregnant and still somewhat naive, she reunites her friends for the birth of her first child.
Teeny (Tina) Tercell (Adult)
Played by Melanie Griffith
Achieved her dream of becoming a famous Hollywood actress, maintaining her glamorous persona.
Scott Wormer
Played by Devon Sawa
A neighborhood bully who torments the girls throughout the summer but has a softer side that emerges.
Johnny
Played by Brendan Fraser
The older Wormer brother and the cruelest of the bullies, he leads the boys' harassment of the girls.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Adult Samantha drives through her Indiana hometown, narrating how the summer of 1970 changed everything. The small-town Americana establishes a world of innocence about to be examined.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when During a seance in the cemetery, the girls encounter what they believe is the ghost of Johnny, a boy who died in the 1940s. This supernatural encounter disrupts their ordinary summer and plants the mystery that will consume them.. 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 25 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to The girls make a pact to solve the mystery of Johnny's death, pooling their allowances to buy supplies and committing to see it through together. They choose to pursue the truth no matter where it leads, marking their active entry into the investigation., moving from reaction to action.
At 50 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat The girls discover that Johnny's death wasn't an accident but was connected to Crazy Pete. They find old newspaper clippings revealing Pete was there when Johnny died. This false victory of solving the mystery raises the stakes as they realize they must confront Pete directly., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 75 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, After a near-drowning incident at the lake, Roberta's fears about death consume her. Simultaneously, the girls have a major falling out, with accusations and hurt feelings splintering the group. The friendship that sustained them appears broken, and the mystery seems unsolvable., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 80 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Samantha reaches out to reconcile with the others, and they decide together to finally confront Crazy Pete. They realize that facing the truth about Johnny's death—and their own fears—requires doing it together. Friendship is the answer to both mysteries., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Now and Then'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 Now and Then against these established plot points, we can identify how Lesli Linka Glatter utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Now and Then within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Adult Samantha drives through her Indiana hometown, narrating how the summer of 1970 changed everything. The small-town Americana establishes a world of innocence about to be examined.
Theme
Young Samantha's mother tells her "Things change, honey. That's the way life is." This foreshadows the film's exploration of how childhood friendships and innocence transform through confronting mortality and growing up.
Worldbuilding
The four friends are established: Samantha the thoughtful writer dealing with her parents' separation, tomboyish Roberta obsessed with death since losing her mother, naive Chrissy sheltered by her overprotective mother, and glamorous Teeny dreaming of Hollywood. Their treehouse serves as their sanctuary.
Disruption
During a seance in the cemetery, the girls encounter what they believe is the ghost of Johnny, a boy who died in the 1940s. This supernatural encounter disrupts their ordinary summer and plants the mystery that will consume them.
Resistance
The girls debate whether the ghost was real and begin investigating Johnny's death. They visit the library, encounter the Wormers (local bullies), and Samantha struggles with her parents' impending divorce. Crazy Pete, the town outcast, emerges as a mysterious figure connected to the past.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The girls make a pact to solve the mystery of Johnny's death, pooling their allowances to buy supplies and committing to see it through together. They choose to pursue the truth no matter where it leads, marking their active entry into the investigation.
Mirror World
Roberta opens up about her mother's death and her fear of losing people she loves. The girls' bond deepens as they share vulnerabilities in their treehouse, establishing the emotional throughline that true friendship means being there through pain and loss.
Premise
The summer adventures unfold: the girls investigate Johnny's death, have slumber parties, deal with first crushes, confront the Wormers in an epic confrontation, and navigate the confusing waters of puberty and changing bodies. Teeny practices her acting, Chrissy learns facts of life, and Sam writes in her journal.
Midpoint
The girls discover that Johnny's death wasn't an accident but was connected to Crazy Pete. They find old newspaper clippings revealing Pete was there when Johnny died. This false victory of solving the mystery raises the stakes as they realize they must confront Pete directly.
Opposition
The investigation intensifies while personal crises mount. Samantha's parents finalize their separation, causing her deep pain. Roberta becomes more withdrawn. The Wormers escalate their harassment. The girls' friendship is tested as they disagree about whether to confront Crazy Pete and as their individual problems threaten to pull them apart.
Collapse
After a near-drowning incident at the lake, Roberta's fears about death consume her. Simultaneously, the girls have a major falling out, with accusations and hurt feelings splintering the group. The friendship that sustained them appears broken, and the mystery seems unsolvable.
Crisis
The girls are separated, each dealing with their pain alone. Samantha watches her father leave, Roberta isolates herself, Chrissy feels abandoned, and Teeny questions whether growing up means growing apart. The summer that promised adventure has delivered heartbreak.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Samantha reaches out to reconcile with the others, and they decide together to finally confront Crazy Pete. They realize that facing the truth about Johnny's death—and their own fears—requires doing it together. Friendship is the answer to both mysteries.
Synthesis
The girls visit Crazy Pete and learn the truth: Johnny was his brother, and Pete has carried the guilt of not saving him for decades. This revelation transforms their understanding of grief and loss. In the present day, Chrissy gives birth with her friends by her side, and they reaffirm their bond across the years.
Transformation
Adult Samantha narrates as the four women walk together with the new baby, just as their younger selves once walked through that same town. The image mirrors the opening but now shows women who understand that friendship endures through loss, change, and time—childhood's end was also friendship's deepening.