Our Kind of Traitor
When Perry and his wife, Gail, cross paths with the charismatic Dima on their Moroccan holiday, the forceful Russian is quick to challenge Perry to a friendly game of tennis. But this innocuous contest is not all it seems - Dima is a long-time servant of the Russian mafia, whose new boss, 'The Prince', wants him and his family dead. His only hope is to ask the unsuspecting Perry to broker him sanctuary with the British intelligence services, in return for exposing a vein of corruption that runs right to the heart of the City of London. Soon they find themselves on a tortuous journey through Paris to a safe house in the Swiss Alps and, with the might of the Russian mafia closing in, begin to realize this particular match has the highest stakes of all.
Despite its tight budget of $4.0M, Our Kind of Traitor became a financial success, earning $9.9M worldwide—a 148% 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%)
Our Kind of Traitor (2016) exemplifies precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Susanna White's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 48 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.5, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Perry and Gail Makepiece arrive in Marrakech for a vacation meant to repair their marriage after Perry's affair. The tension between them is palpable, establishing a relationship in crisis.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Dima reveals he is a Russian mafia money launderer and gives Perry a USB drive containing evidence of money laundering, asking him to deliver it to British intelligence in exchange for asylum for his family.. 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 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Perry makes the active choice to become MI6's intermediary with Dima, agreeing to travel to meet him again despite Gail's objections. He crosses from bystander to participant in the spy game., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat The Prince, the new head of the Russian mafia, arrives and Dima's betrayal is suspected. Dima's close friend and associate is murdered - a false defeat showing the deadly stakes. The fun and games are over; this is now life and death., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 81 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Dima's family is captured by the Prince's men. Hector is suspended from MI6 for pursuing the case. All official channels are closed, and it appears Dima and his family will be killed while the corrupt officials go free. The whiff of death is literal., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Perry refuses to abandon Dima. Hector goes rogue, coordinating an unauthorized rescue operation. Perry and Gail commit fully to saving the family, synthesizing their renewed partnership with moral conviction., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Our Kind of Traitor'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 Our Kind of Traitor against these established plot points, we can identify how Susanna White utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Our Kind of Traitor within the action genre.
Susanna White's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Susanna White films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.7, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Our Kind of Traitor takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Susanna White filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional action films include The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots and Venom: The Last Dance. For more Susanna White analyses, see Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Perry and Gail Makepiece arrive in Marrakech for a vacation meant to repair their marriage after Perry's affair. The tension between them is palpable, establishing a relationship in crisis.
Theme
Dima tells Perry at the hotel bar: "In Russia, we say trust is like virginity. You lose it once, it's gone forever." This establishes the film's meditation on trust, loyalty, and betrayal.
Worldbuilding
Perry and Gail navigate their strained relationship in Marrakech. Perry encounters the charismatic Russian Dima at a tennis club and is drawn into his orbit. The world of academics on holiday contrasts with glimpses of Dima's dangerous underworld connections.
Disruption
Dima reveals he is a Russian mafia money launderer and gives Perry a USB drive containing evidence of money laundering, asking him to deliver it to British intelligence in exchange for asylum for his family.
Resistance
Perry and Gail return to London conflicted about what to do. Perry contacts MI6 and meets Hector, a disillusioned agent who sees Dima's information as a chance to expose high-level British corruption. Gail is reluctant to get involved, warning Perry of the dangers.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Perry makes the active choice to become MI6's intermediary with Dima, agreeing to travel to meet him again despite Gail's objections. He crosses from bystander to participant in the spy game.
Mirror World
Perry meets Dima's family in the French Alps - his wife Tamara, daughters, and nephew. Seeing Dima's devotion to his family mirrors Perry's own fractured relationship with Gail and shows him what commitment looks like.
Premise
Perry navigates the dangerous world of espionage, meeting secretly with Dima while Hector works to build a case against corrupt British officials. The couple's relationship begins healing as they share a common purpose. Cat-and-mouse tensions escalate as the Russian mafia suspects Dima.
Midpoint
The Prince, the new head of the Russian mafia, arrives and Dima's betrayal is suspected. Dima's close friend and associate is murdered - a false defeat showing the deadly stakes. The fun and games are over; this is now life and death.
Opposition
The noose tightens around Dima and the Makepieces. Hector's superiors shut down the operation to protect British politicians implicated in the money laundering. Perry and Gail are told to walk away. The Prince closes in on Dima's location.
Collapse
Dima's family is captured by the Prince's men. Hector is suspended from MI6 for pursuing the case. All official channels are closed, and it appears Dima and his family will be killed while the corrupt officials go free. The whiff of death is literal.
Crisis
Perry and Gail face the moral weight of abandoning Dima's family to die. Hector, stripped of authority, must decide whether to act alone. The characters confront the cost of doing the right thing when institutions fail.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Perry refuses to abandon Dima. Hector goes rogue, coordinating an unauthorized rescue operation. Perry and Gail commit fully to saving the family, synthesizing their renewed partnership with moral conviction.
Synthesis
The desperate rescue unfolds. Hector orchestrates extraction while Perry serves as the point of contact. In a violent confrontation, Dima sacrifices himself to ensure his family escapes. The evidence reaches the right hands, exposing the corruption.
Transformation
Perry and Gail, transformed by their ordeal, visit Dima's family now safe in England. Their marriage is healed through shared sacrifice. Perry has become a man of action and commitment - no longer a passive academic but someone who took a stand.