Old Dogs
Charlie and Dan have been best friends and business partners for thirty years; their Manhattan public relations firm is on the verge of a huge business deal with a Japanese company. With two weeks to sew up the contract, Dan gets a surprise: a woman he married on a drunken impulse nearly nine years before (annulled the next day) shows up to tell him he's the father of her twins, now seven, and she'll be in jail for 14 days for a political protest. Dan volunteers to keep the tykes, although he's uptight and clueless. With Charlie's help is there any way they can be dad and uncle, meet the kids' expectations, and still land the account?
Despite a moderate budget of $35.0M, Old Dogs became a commercial success, earning $96.8M worldwide—a 176% 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%)
Old Dogs (2009) showcases meticulously timed plot construction, characteristic of Walt Becker's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 28 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Dan Rayburn
Charlie Reed
Vicki
Zach Rayburn
Emily Rayburn
Craig
Jimmy Lunchbox
Amanda
Main Cast & Characters
Dan Rayburn
Played by John Travolta
A workaholic sports marketing executive who discovers he has seven-year-old twins from a brief marriage he had annulled years ago.
Charlie Reed
Played by Robin Williams
Dan's best friend and business partner, a carefree bachelor who helps Dan navigate sudden fatherhood while dealing with their biggest business deal.
Vicki
Played by Kelly Preston
Dan's ex-wife who reappears in his life to inform him about their twins before she must serve a brief jail sentence.
Zach Rayburn
Played by Conner Rayburn
Dan's seven-year-old son who is energetic and mischievous, initially wary of his father but eventually bonds with him.
Emily Rayburn
Played by Ella Bleu Travolta
Dan's seven-year-old daughter who is sweet and perceptive, helping bring her father and family together.
Craig
Played by Seth Green
A friend and employee who assists Dan and Charlie with various schemes involving the children.
Jimmy Lunchbox
Played by Bernie Mac
A children's entertainer and friend who helps Dan and Charlie with their parenting challenges through unconventional advice.
Amanda
Played by Lori Loughlin
A love interest for Charlie who works at the camp and provides a romantic subplot.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Dan and Charlie are successful sports marketing partners living carefree bachelor lives, focused entirely on their business deal with a Japanese client.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Vicki reveals to Dan that he has seven-year-old twins (Zach and Emily) from their brief marriage, and she needs him to watch them for two weeks while she goes to jail.. 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 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Dan commits to taking care of the twins and enters the world of fatherhood, agreeing to watch them for the two weeks despite his fears and inexperience., moving from reaction to action.
At 43 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Dan experiences a false victory as he bonds with the twins at a zoo trip and begins to feel confident as a father, while the Japanese business deal seems secure., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 65 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The business deal falls apart and the twins prepare to leave with their mother, making Dan realize he's失going to lose his children just as he's learned to love being their father., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 70 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Dan realizes he must fight for his children and commits fully to being their father, choosing family over business and accepting the responsibilities of parenthood., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Old Dogs's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Old Dogs against these established plot points, we can identify how Walt Becker utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Old Dogs within the comedy genre.
Walt Becker's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Walt Becker films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.3, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Old Dogs takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Walt Becker filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Walt Becker analyses, see Clifford the Big Red Dog, National Lampoon's Van Wilder and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Dan and Charlie are successful sports marketing partners living carefree bachelor lives, focused entirely on their business deal with a Japanese client.
Theme
Charlie mentions how they've avoided responsibility and family commitments, hinting at what's missing in their lives - the theme of fatherhood and growing up.
Worldbuilding
Establishment of Dan and Charlie's bachelor lifestyle, their business partnership, and Dan's encounter with his ex-wife Vicki at a friend's wedding.
Disruption
Vicki reveals to Dan that he has seven-year-old twins (Zach and Emily) from their brief marriage, and she needs him to watch them for two weeks while she goes to jail.
Resistance
Dan debates whether he can handle fatherhood, tries to avoid the responsibility, and Charlie reluctantly agrees to help him learn to be a parent while maintaining their business deal.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Dan commits to taking care of the twins and enters the world of fatherhood, agreeing to watch them for the two weeks despite his fears and inexperience.
Mirror World
The twins Zach and Emily represent the mirror world - they embody the family life and responsibility Dan has avoided, forcing him to confront what it means to be a father.
Premise
Dan and Charlie bumble through parenting misadventures - school events, birthday parties, camping trips - while trying to maintain their business deal, delivering the comedy the audience expects.
Midpoint
Dan experiences a false victory as he bonds with the twins at a zoo trip and begins to feel confident as a father, while the Japanese business deal seems secure.
Opposition
The challenges intensify: the twins' needs conflict with business obligations, mistakes pile up, and Dan fears losing both the kids' respect and the crucial business deal.
Collapse
The business deal falls apart and the twins prepare to leave with their mother, making Dan realize he's失going to lose his children just as he's learned to love being their father.
Crisis
Dan faces his dark night, confronting his fear of commitment and recognizing that fatherhood matters more than business success or his comfortable bachelor life.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Dan realizes he must fight for his children and commits fully to being their father, choosing family over business and accepting the responsibilities of parenthood.
Synthesis
Dan and Charlie use their business skills and newfound parenting wisdom to resolve the situation, convince Vicki to share custody, and salvage the business deal through creative solutions.
Transformation
Dan is now a committed father with joint custody, embracing family life with the twins - transformed from a selfish bachelor to a responsible, loving parent.