Out of Sight
Meet Jack Foley, a smooth criminal who bends the law and is determined to make one last heist. Karen Sisco is a federal marshal who chooses all the right moves … and all the wrong guys. Now they're willing to risk it all to find out if there's more between them than just the law.
Working with a moderate budget of $48.0M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $77.7M in global revenue (+62% profit margin).
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 13 wins & 15 nominations
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%)
Out of Sight (1998) showcases deliberately positioned narrative design, characteristic of Steven Soderbergh's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 11-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 3 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 Jack Foley walks into a Florida bank in a suit, casing it. He's a career bank robber, smooth and professional, living his life on the edge of the law.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Jack's prison escape goes awry when he has to force federal marshal Karen Sisco into the trunk of a car at gunpoint. This violent encounter disrupts both their lives and creates an unexpected intimate connection.. 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 Collapse moment at 92 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The heist at Ripley's mansion goes wrong. Glenn murders Ripley. Jack realizes the violence and death surrounding this criminal life. The dream of both the score and the girl seems dead—he can't have both, maybe neither., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 98 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The finale: Karen and FBI close in on Jack. The confrontation at the hotel. Jack doesn't run or fight—he accepts capture. Karen arrests him, but their connection remains. The ending is bittersweet: love exists, but consequences matter., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Out of Sight's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 11 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Out of Sight against these established plot points, we can identify how Steven Soderbergh utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Out of Sight within the romance genre.
Steven Soderbergh's Structural Approach
Among the 16 Steven Soderbergh films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Out of Sight takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Steven Soderbergh filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional romance films include South Pacific, Last Night and Diana. For more Steven Soderbergh analyses, see Traffic, Ocean's Thirteen and Contagion.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Jack Foley walks into a Florida bank in a suit, casing it. He's a career bank robber, smooth and professional, living his life on the edge of the law.
Theme
During the prison escape setup, Buddy tells Jack about taking risks: "Sometimes you gotta take a chance." The theme of risk, attraction across boundaries, and whether love is worth the danger.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Jack Foley's world: a charming career criminal who robs banks without a gun. We see his failed robbery, arrest, imprisonment in Glades Correctional, and his decision to escape with fellow inmate Buddy Bragg.
Disruption
Jack's prison escape goes awry when he has to force federal marshal Karen Sisco into the trunk of a car at gunpoint. This violent encounter disrupts both their lives and creates an unexpected intimate connection.
Resistance
Jack and Karen share an electrically charged conversation in the car trunk. Despite the hostage situation, they connect deeply. Karen debates whether to pursue this dangerous attraction while Jack debates his next move after the escape.
Act II
ConfrontationPremise
The "fun and games" of the cat-and-mouse chase. Jack plans the diamond heist in Detroit with his crew. Karen investigates, getting closer to Jack. They circle each other, the audience enjoying the sexy tension and criminal caper elements.
Opposition
Reality closes in. The heist is happening, but violent criminal Glenn Michaels complicates everything. Karen gets closer to catching Jack. The romance seems doomed—they're on opposite sides of the law. Stakes intensify.
Collapse
The heist at Ripley's mansion goes wrong. Glenn murders Ripley. Jack realizes the violence and death surrounding this criminal life. The dream of both the score and the girl seems dead—he can't have both, maybe neither.
Crisis
Jack grapples with the consequences. Glenn is out of control and must be dealt with. Jack knows Karen is closing in. He faces the dark truth: his life means Karen could be hurt or he'll lose her forever.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The finale: Karen and FBI close in on Jack. The confrontation at the hotel. Jack doesn't run or fight—he accepts capture. Karen arrests him, but their connection remains. The ending is bittersweet: love exists, but consequences matter.
Transformation
Final image: Karen visits Jack in prison. They talk through glass, the barrier between them literal and metaphorical. But they're connected. Jack has changed—he chose love over the score. The relationship endures despite impossible odds.