The Boys in the Boat
The triumphant underdog story of the University of Washington men's rowing team, who stunned the world by competing at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Working with a respectable budget of $40.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $54.4M in global revenue (+36% profit margin).
3 wins & 6 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 Boys in the Boat (2023) exhibits strategically placed story structure, characteristic of George Clooney's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 3 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.1, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Joe Rantz
George Pocock
Al Ulbrickson
Joyce Simdars
Bobby Moch
Don Hume
Roger Morris
Chuck Day
Main Cast & Characters
Joe Rantz
Played by Callum Turner
A struggling engineering student who joins the rowing team to pay for college, overcoming a difficult past of abandonment and poverty.
George Pocock
Played by Joel Edgerton
The master boat builder and quiet philosopher who crafts racing shells and offers wisdom to the rowers about teamwork and life.
Al Ulbrickson
Played by Joel Kinnaman
The intense and demanding head coach of the University of Washington rowing team who must select and prepare his crew for the Olympics.
Joyce Simdars
Played by Hadley Robinson
Joe Rantz's supportive girlfriend who encourages him through his struggles and provides emotional stability.
Bobby Moch
Played by Luke Slattery
The sharp-tongued, strategic coxswain who steers the boat and pushes the crew to their limits with his tactical mind.
Don Hume
Played by Jack Mulhern
The stroke oarsman with exceptional talent who battles illness before the Olympic final but remains crucial to the team.
Roger Morris
Played by Thomas Elms
One of the varsity rowers and a loyal teammate who represents the working-class background of the crew.
Chuck Day
Played by Bruce Herbelin-Earle
A dedicated member of the rowing crew who contributes to the team's unity and competitive spirit.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Depression-era Washington: Joe Rantz struggles alone, abandoned by his father and surviving on odd jobs while attending the University of Washington. His poverty and isolation define his starting point.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Joe decides to try out for the rowing team after learning that rowers receive jobs that pay for their tuition. This opportunity represents his only chance to stay in school and build a future.. 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 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Joe makes the freshman crew and commits fully to the rowing program. He chooses to trust the process and his teammates, crossing from his isolated survival mode into the world of competitive rowing., moving from reaction to action.
At 62 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat The sophomore crew defeats the varsity in a dramatic race, earning the right to represent Washington. This false victory suggests their path to the Olympics will be smooth, but greater challenges await., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 92 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, In Berlin, the crew faces their darkest hour. Joe falls seriously ill, the team is given the worst lane assignment, and the Nazi propaganda machine seems designed to ensure their failure. Their Olympic dream appears to be slipping away., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 98 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Joe commits to rowing despite his illness, and the team unifies with complete trust in one another. They embrace Pocock's wisdom about rowing as one—synthesizing their individual journeys into collective purpose for the Olympic final., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Boys in the Boat'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 Boys in the Boat against these established plot points, we can identify how George Clooney utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Boys in the Boat within the drama genre.
George Clooney's Structural Approach
Among the 7 George Clooney films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. The Boys in the Boat takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete George Clooney filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. For more George Clooney analyses, see The Ides of March, Good Night, and Good Luck. and Leatherheads.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Depression-era Washington: Joe Rantz struggles alone, abandoned by his father and surviving on odd jobs while attending the University of Washington. His poverty and isolation define his starting point.
Theme
Coach Al Ulbrickson observes that rowing is not about individual strength but about trusting the man beside you—foreshadowing Joe's need to learn to rely on others and become part of something greater than himself.
Worldbuilding
Joe's desperate circumstances are established: working odd jobs to afford school, living in an abandoned car, estranged from his father. We see the rowing program at University of Washington and the brutal competition for spots. His relationship with Joyce begins to form as a beacon of hope.
Disruption
Joe decides to try out for the rowing team after learning that rowers receive jobs that pay for their tuition. This opportunity represents his only chance to stay in school and build a future.
Resistance
Joe endures grueling tryouts under the demanding eyes of Coach Ulbrickson and boat builder George Pocock. He must prove himself against wealthier, more experienced rowers while wrestling with whether to commit fully to the team or remain self-reliant.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Joe makes the freshman crew and commits fully to the rowing program. He chooses to trust the process and his teammates, crossing from his isolated survival mode into the world of competitive rowing.
Mirror World
George Pocock becomes Joe's mentor, teaching him about the spiritual dimension of rowing and the importance of trusting others. Their philosophical conversations in the boat house provide Joe with the wisdom he needs to grow.
Premise
The freshman crew trains relentlessly and begins to gel as a unit. Joe develops bonds with his teammates despite his instinct to remain guarded. They experience early victories and the thrill of competitive rowing while facing internal competition with the varsity boat.
Midpoint
The sophomore crew defeats the varsity in a dramatic race, earning the right to represent Washington. This false victory suggests their path to the Olympics will be smooth, but greater challenges await.
Opposition
The crew faces mounting obstacles: tension between members, Joe's personal demons resurfacing, and the increasingly difficult competition. They struggle at the Olympic trials and must overcome internal discord and external pressure to qualify for Berlin.
Collapse
In Berlin, the crew faces their darkest hour. Joe falls seriously ill, the team is given the worst lane assignment, and the Nazi propaganda machine seems designed to ensure their failure. Their Olympic dream appears to be slipping away.
Crisis
Joe struggles with whether he can physically compete. The team must decide if they will race without him at full strength or trust that together they can overcome any obstacle. The weight of representing America against Nazi Germany bears down on them.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Joe commits to rowing despite his illness, and the team unifies with complete trust in one another. They embrace Pocock's wisdom about rowing as one—synthesizing their individual journeys into collective purpose for the Olympic final.
Synthesis
The Olympic final race unfolds. Despite starting poorly, the crew rows with perfect synchronization, driven by their bond and shared sacrifice. They surge from behind in a thrilling finish, defeating Germany and Italy to win gold for America.
Transformation
The crew stands on the podium as Olympic champions. Joe, once an abandoned boy who trusted no one, has found his family in his teammates. Epilogue text reveals the lasting bonds they maintained throughout their lives—transformation from isolation to belonging complete.