The BFG
Ten-year-old Sophie is in for the adventure of a lifetime when she meets the Big Friendly Giant. Naturally scared at first, the young girl soon realizes that the twenty-four-foot behemoth is actually quite gentle and charming. As their friendship grows, Sophie's presence attracts the unwanted attention of Bloodbottler, Fleshlumpeater, and other giants. After travelling to London, Sophie and the BFG must convince Queen Elizabeth to help them get rid of all of the bad giants once and for all.
Working with a significant budget of $140.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $195.2M in global revenue (+39% profit margin).
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award4 wins & 26 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%)
The BFG (2016) showcases carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of Steven Spielberg's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 57 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.3, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Sophie
The BFG
The Fleshlumpeater
The Queen
Mary
Mr. Tibbs
Main Cast & Characters
Sophie
Played by Ruby Barnhill
A brave orphan girl who befriends the Big Friendly Giant and helps him stop the evil giants from eating humans.
The BFG
Played by Mark Rylance
A kind-hearted giant who catches dreams and refuses to eat humans, unlike his larger and crueler fellow giants.
The Fleshlumpeater
Played by Jemaine Clement
The largest and most terrifying of the man-eating giants, who bullies the BFG and leads raids on human villages.
The Queen
Played by Penelope Wilton
The Queen of England who helps Sophie and the BFG capture the evil giants after they visit her palace.
Mary
Played by Rebecca Hall
The Queen's loyal maid who assists in hosting Sophie and the BFG at Buckingham Palace.
Mr. Tibbs
Played by Rafe Spall
The Queen's butler who is initially skeptical of the BFG but helps arrange the breakfast meeting.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Sophie lies awake at the witching hour in the London orphanage, unable to sleep. She patrols the dormitory alone, establishing her isolation and watchfulness in a world where she doesn't belong.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when The BFG snatches Sophie from her bed and carries her away to Giant Country. Her ordinary world is literally ripped away as she's kidnapped into the unknown, terrified of being eaten.. At 11% 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 22% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Sophie chooses to stay with the BFG rather than try to escape, accepting him as her friend. She actively decides to trust this gentle giant and embrace the magical world of dreams, crossing into a new life of her own volition., moving from reaction to action.
At 53 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 45% of the runtime—arriving early, accelerating into Act IIb complications. Significantly, this crucial beat The Fleshlumpeater and other giants discover Sophie's existence. The BFG barely hides her, but the stakes escalate dramatically. Their idyllic friendship is now under direct threat as the giants begin hunting for the human bean., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 79 minutes (67% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The BFG reveals that his previous human friend, a boy, was eaten by the giants because of him. His grief and guilt are exposed. Sophie understands why he's afraid to act, and the weight of failure and loss hangs over them both., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 84 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 72% of the runtime. Sophie conceives the plan to visit the Queen of England and convinces the BFG to help her create a dream to reveal the truth about the giants. Together they synthesize his dream-craft with her courage and knowledge of the human world., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The BFG'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 The BFG against these established plot points, we can identify how Steven Spielberg utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The BFG within the adventure genre.
Steven Spielberg's Structural Approach
Among the 33 Steven Spielberg films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 5.8, showcasing experimental approaches to narrative form. The BFG represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Steven Spielberg filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional adventure films include The Black Stallion, The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots. For more Steven Spielberg analyses, see The Adventures of Tintin, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and War Horse.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Sophie lies awake at the witching hour in the London orphanage, unable to sleep. She patrols the dormitory alone, establishing her isolation and watchfulness in a world where she doesn't belong.
Theme
The BFG tells Sophie that human beans don't believe in giants, just as they don't believe in dreams. The theme of belief, imagination, and finding connection through understanding what others dismiss as impossible is established.
Worldbuilding
Sophie's lonely existence at the orphanage is established. She reads, she watches, she enforces rules but has no real friends. The witching hour mythology is introduced as she spots a mysterious giant in the London streets.
Disruption
The BFG snatches Sophie from her bed and carries her away to Giant Country. Her ordinary world is literally ripped away as she's kidnapped into the unknown, terrified of being eaten.
Resistance
Sophie learns the BFG won't eat her and discovers his dream-catching work. She debates whether to trust him or escape, while learning about the dangerous man-eating giants who bully the BFG. The BFG becomes her reluctant guide to this new world.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Sophie chooses to stay with the BFG rather than try to escape, accepting him as her friend. She actively decides to trust this gentle giant and embrace the magical world of dreams, crossing into a new life of her own volition.
Mirror World
The BFG takes Sophie to Dream Country to catch dreams, revealing his deepest passion and vulnerability. Their friendship deepens as she sees his artistry. He represents what she needs: connection, wonder, and someone who also doesn't fit in.
Premise
Sophie and the BFG explore the magic of dream-catching together. She learns his language, sees his workshop, and they bond over being outsiders. The promise of the premise delivers wonder, whimsy, and growing friendship between the unlikely pair.
Midpoint
The Fleshlumpeater and other giants discover Sophie's existence. The BFG barely hides her, but the stakes escalate dramatically. Their idyllic friendship is now under direct threat as the giants begin hunting for the human bean.
Opposition
The giants terrorize the BFG and search for Sophie. She witnesses them departing to eat children in England. The BFG reveals his tragic past with another human child. Sophie realizes they must act but the BFG is paralyzed by fear and past trauma.
Collapse
The BFG reveals that his previous human friend, a boy, was eaten by the giants because of him. His grief and guilt are exposed. Sophie understands why he's afraid to act, and the weight of failure and loss hangs over them both.
Crisis
Sophie processes the BFG's trauma and their seemingly hopeless situation. The giants are too powerful, the BFG too broken. But Sophie's determination begins to crystallize around a bold, impossible plan.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Sophie conceives the plan to visit the Queen of England and convinces the BFG to help her create a dream to reveal the truth about the giants. Together they synthesize his dream-craft with her courage and knowledge of the human world.
Synthesis
Sophie and the BFG infiltrate Buckingham Palace and give the Queen a dream about child-eating giants. The Queen believes them, marshals the military, and the giants are captured and imprisoned. Sophie's bold plan succeeds through teamwork and belief.
Transformation
Sophie, once alone in an orphanage, now has a home near the BFG who lives in royal comfort. She waves to him across the distance as he blows dreams to children. Both have found belonging, family, and purpose through believing in each other.