Only the Brave
Members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots battle deadly wildfires to save an Arizona town.
The film disappointed at the box office against its moderate budget of $38.0M, earning $25.8M globally (-32% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its distinctive approach within the drama genre.
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%)
Only the Brave (2017) showcases precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Joseph Kosinski's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 13 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.1, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Eric Marsh
Brendan McDonough
Amanda Marsh
Jesse Steed
Duane Steinbrink
Natalie Johnson
Chris MacKenzie
Andrew Ashcraft
Wade Parker
Travis Turbyfill
Main Cast & Characters
Eric Marsh
Played by Josh Brolin
Superintendent of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who fights to get his crew certified as an elite hotshot team while battling his own demons.
Brendan McDonough
Played by Miles Teller
A young drug addict and new father who seeks redemption by joining the Granite Mountain crew and becomes the team's lookout.
Amanda Marsh
Played by Jennifer Connelly
Eric's wife, a horse trainer who struggles with her husband's dangerous profession and their difficulty having children.
Jesse Steed
Played by James Badge Dale
The captain and second-in-command of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a steadfast leader and loyal right-hand to Marsh.
Duane Steinbrink
Played by Jeff Bridges
Prescott Fire Department chief who supports Marsh's efforts to gain hotshot certification for the crew.
Natalie Johnson
Played by Andie MacDowell
Brendan's ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, initially skeptical of his ability to change.
Chris MacKenzie
Played by Taylor Kitsch
A dedicated hotshot crew member who forms a close bond with Brendan and the team.
Andrew Ashcraft
Played by Alex Russell
Enthusiastic crew member whose wife is expecting their fourth child.
Wade Parker
Played by Ben Hardy
Young hotshot crew member who joins the team with dedication and heart.
Travis Turbyfill
Played by Geoff Stults
Veteran crew member committed to the hotshot brotherhood.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Brendan "Donut" McDonough is a drug-addicted drifter living a reckless, directionless life, estranged from his family and society.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 16 minutes when Brendan, motivated by fatherhood, shows up at the fire station seeking a job and a second chance. He tells Eric Marsh he wants to be a firefighter and change his life.. 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 33 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Brendan completes his training and is accepted as a full member of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. He chooses to fully commit to this new life and brotherhood., moving from reaction to action.
At 67 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat The crew celebrates their Type 1 Hotshot certification—a major victory. Eric has achieved his goal, and the crew is at their peak. However, this false victory carries subtle undertones that they are now expected to take on the most dangerous fires., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 100 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The Granite Mountain Hotshots are trapped by the Yarnell Hill Fire when winds shift unexpectedly. They deploy emergency shelters as a last resort. All 19 crew members perish except for Brendan, who was serving as lookout away from the crew., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 107 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Brendan finds the strength to honor his fallen brothers by living the life they believed he could live. He understands that their sacrifice and brotherhood gave him a second chance, and he must carry their legacy forward., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Only the Brave'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 Only the Brave against these established plot points, we can identify how Joseph Kosinski utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Only the Brave within the drama genre.
Joseph Kosinski's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Joseph Kosinski films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Only the Brave represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Joseph Kosinski filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more Joseph Kosinski analyses, see Top Gun: Maverick, Oblivion and TRON: Legacy.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Brendan "Donut" McDonough is a drug-addicted drifter living a reckless, directionless life, estranged from his family and society.
Theme
Eric Marsh tells his wife Amanda, "Most people, when things get hard, they quit. We don't." This establishes the film's theme about perseverance, brotherhood, and what it means to commit to something greater than yourself.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to the Granite Mountain Hotshots crew and their leader Eric Marsh, who is fighting to get his crew certified as Type 1 "Hotshots." We see the dangerous work of wildland firefighting, the crew dynamics, and Eric's strained marriage with Amanda. Brendan discovers he has a daughter and begins to seek change.
Disruption
Brendan, motivated by fatherhood, shows up at the fire station seeking a job and a second chance. He tells Eric Marsh he wants to be a firefighter and change his life.
Resistance
Eric debates whether to take on Brendan, a known addict and troublemaker. The crew is skeptical. Eric agrees to give Brendan a chance but puts him through brutal physical and mental tests. Eric simultaneously fights political battles to get his crew certified as Hotshots.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Brendan completes his training and is accepted as a full member of the Granite Mountain Hotshots. He chooses to fully commit to this new life and brotherhood.
Mirror World
Brendan develops meaningful relationships with the crew, particularly with Jesse Steed and other crew members. The brotherhood becomes his new family, showing him what it means to be part of something bigger. His relationship with his daughter Michaela also deepens.
Premise
The Granite Mountain Hotshots work fires across the country, proving themselves as an elite crew. Brendan transforms from an outsider to a trusted member. Eric receives news that his crew has been certified as Type 1 Hotshots—the first municipal crew to achieve this status. The crew experiences victories, close calls, and the camaraderie of fighting fires together.
Midpoint
The crew celebrates their Type 1 Hotshot certification—a major victory. Eric has achieved his goal, and the crew is at their peak. However, this false victory carries subtle undertones that they are now expected to take on the most dangerous fires.
Opposition
The crew is deployed to increasingly dangerous fires. Tensions rise as the physical and emotional toll mounts. Eric becomes more distant from Amanda as he obsesses over the work. The crew faces near-misses and dangerous conditions. They are called to the Yarnell Hill Fire, an unpredictable wildfire threatening a small town.
Collapse
The Granite Mountain Hotshots are trapped by the Yarnell Hill Fire when winds shift unexpectedly. They deploy emergency shelters as a last resort. All 19 crew members perish except for Brendan, who was serving as lookout away from the crew.
Crisis
The aftermath of the tragedy. Brendan, the sole survivor, grapples with overwhelming guilt and grief. The families are devastated. The community mourns. Amanda Marsh processes the loss of Eric. The nation watches as the tragedy unfolds.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Brendan finds the strength to honor his fallen brothers by living the life they believed he could live. He understands that their sacrifice and brotherhood gave him a second chance, and he must carry their legacy forward.
Synthesis
The community comes together to honor the Granite Mountain 19. A memorial service celebrates their lives and sacrifice. The families, community, and nation pay tribute. Brendan stands with the families, no longer an outsider but a brother who carries their memory.
Transformation
Brendan is shown living a transformed life—sober, present as a father to his daughter, carrying forward the values and brotherhood the Hotshots gave him. He has become the man Eric Marsh believed he could be.