Soulless
It's a story of 29-year-old top-manager Max who is really sure he is absolutely successful. All his life is around earning and spending money. But one day he meet a girl who is from another, real, world. And his own world starts to crash down.
Despite its limited budget of $2.8M, Soulless became a box office success, earning $13.2M worldwide—a 372% return. The film's bold vision found its audience, illustrating how strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
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%)
Soulless (2012) exhibits precise narrative architecture, characteristic of Roman Prygunov'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 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Max Andreev as a provincial young man with modest ambitions, before his transformation into a soulless Moscow elite.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Max is offered a position in the prestigious investment company, opening the door to wealth and power beyond his imagination.. 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 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to Max makes his first major moral compromise, actively choosing to embrace the ruthless lifestyle and shed his provincial values to succeed., 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 Max reaches the pinnacle of success with a major deal or promotion, appearing to have everything he wanted—a false victory that masks the emptiness within., 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, Max experiences a devastating loss—possibly the death of his relationship, his health crisis, or witnessing the destruction of someone close to him due to this lifestyle., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 81 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Max gains clarity about his situation and makes a decision about his future—whether to continue or attempt to reclaim his humanity., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Soulless'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 Soulless against these established plot points, we can identify how Roman Prygunov utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Soulless within the comedy genre.
Roman Prygunov's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Roman Prygunov films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Soulless represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Roman Prygunov filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Roman Prygunov analyses, see Soulless 2.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Max Andreev as a provincial young man with modest ambitions, before his transformation into a soulless Moscow elite.
Theme
A mentor figure or colleague states the film's theme about the price of success and what it costs to win in Moscow's financial world.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Max's ordinary life, his arrival in Moscow, and the glittering world of finance, luxury, and excess that he's about to enter.
Disruption
Max is offered a position in the prestigious investment company, opening the door to wealth and power beyond his imagination.
Resistance
Max learns the rules of the game from his new colleagues, experiencing both the seduction of wealth and glimpses of the moral compromises required.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Max makes his first major moral compromise, actively choosing to embrace the ruthless lifestyle and shed his provincial values to succeed.
Mirror World
Max meets a woman (possibly Yulia) who represents an authentic emotional connection, contrasting with his increasingly hollow existence.
Premise
Max fully explores his new world of excess: expensive cars, designer clothes, drugs, casual relationships, and financial manipulation—the promise of the premise delivered.
Midpoint
Max reaches the pinnacle of success with a major deal or promotion, appearing to have everything he wanted—a false victory that masks the emptiness within.
Opposition
The consequences of Max's choices accumulate: relationships deteriorate, his humanity erodes, and the lifestyle that seemed glamorous reveals its toxic core.
Collapse
Max experiences a devastating loss—possibly the death of his relationship, his health crisis, or witnessing the destruction of someone close to him due to this lifestyle.
Crisis
Max confronts the emptiness of his soulless existence, reflecting on what he has become and what he has sacrificed for material success.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Max gains clarity about his situation and makes a decision about his future—whether to continue or attempt to reclaim his humanity.
Synthesis
Max faces the final consequences of his choices and takes action—either attempting redemption or fully accepting his transformation into the soulless archetype.
Transformation
Final image shows Max's ultimate state—likely still trapped in the gilded cage he built, a cautionary tale of a man who gained everything and lost himself.