The Fabelmans
Growing up in post-World War II era Arizona, young Sammy Fabelman aspires to become a filmmaker as he reaches adolescence, but soon discovers a shattering family secret and explores how the power of films can help him see the truth.
Working with a respectable budget of $40.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $45.6M in global revenue (+14% profit margin).
Nominated for 7 Oscars. 32 wins & 297 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 Fabelmans (2022) exemplifies carefully calibrated dramatic framework, 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 2 hours and 31 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 4.6, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Sammy Fabelman
Mitzi Fabelman
Burt Fabelman
Bennie Loewy
Uncle Boris
Monica Sherwood
John Ford
Main Cast & Characters
Sammy Fabelman
Played by Gabriel LaBelle
An aspiring young filmmaker discovering his passion for cinema while navigating family tensions and his artistic calling.
Mitzi Fabelman
Played by Michelle Williams
Sammy's artistic and emotionally complex mother, a talented pianist torn between family duty and personal fulfillment.
Burt Fabelman
Played by Paul Dano
Sammy's rational, career-focused engineer father who struggles to understand his son's artistic ambitions.
Bennie Loewy
Played by Seth Rogen
Burt's best friend and work colleague whose close relationship with the Fabelman family creates emotional complexity.
Uncle Boris
Played by Judd Hirsch
Mitzi's eccentric uncle and former circus performer who encourages Sammy to pursue his artistic passion despite the cost.
Monica Sherwood
Played by Chloe East
A devout Christian classmate who befriends Sammy and shows him acceptance in his new California high school.
John Ford
Played by David Lynch
Legendary film director who gives Sammy harsh but valuable advice about visual storytelling in a brief but pivotal encounter.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 2 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Young Sammy Fabelman stands outside a movie theater in 1952 New Jersey with his parents Mitzi and Burt, about to see his first film. His mother, a pianist, calls movies "dreams," while his engineer father explains the mechanics of projection—establishing the tension between art and science that will define Sammy's journey.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 17 minutes when Mitzi encourages Sammy to make a camping trip movie with his Boy Scout troop, legitimizing his filmmaking as more than a "hobby." This maternal blessing catalyzes his transformation from casual hobbyist to serious young filmmaker, setting him on the path that will eventually reveal painful family truths.. 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 34 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 23% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to While editing the camping trip footage, Sammy accidentally discovers his mother and Bennie holding hands intimately in the background. His camera has captured what he wasn't meant to see—a betrayal that transforms his understanding of his family. He chooses to keep editing, keep watching, unable to look away. The artist's eye has seen the truth., moving from reaction to action.
At 68 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 45% of the runtime—arriving early, accelerating into Act IIb complications. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Burt announces the family is moving again—to Los Angeles for a job opportunity. Sammy explodes, finally confronting his father about uprooting the family repeatedly. The underlying tension surfaces: Sammy knows about Bennie and Mitzi, and his anger about the move masks his deeper fury about the betrayal he's been carrying alone., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 102 minutes (67% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Mitzi and Burt announce their divorce. Mitzi admits her love for Bennie, and the family Sammy has known dies. He confronts his mother with the footage he's been hiding—the camping trip film revealing her affair. His art has become a weapon that destroys what he loves most. The camera that was meant to capture dreams has captured a nightmare., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 110 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 73% of the runtime. Sammy shows his prom film at graduation, revealing he's made Logan look vulnerable and human rather than villainous. Logan confronts him, confused by Sammy's choice to portray him sympathetically. Sammy realizes the artist's power comes with responsibility—he can choose what truth to show. Art doesn't have to destroy; it can also heal and humanize., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Fabelmans'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 Fabelmans 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 Fabelmans within the drama 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 Fabelmans takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Steven Spielberg filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include After Thomas, South Pacific and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. 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
Young Sammy Fabelman stands outside a movie theater in 1952 New Jersey with his parents Mitzi and Burt, about to see his first film. His mother, a pianist, calls movies "dreams," while his engineer father explains the mechanics of projection—establishing the tension between art and science that will define Sammy's journey.
Theme
After watching "The Greatest Show on Earth" and its traumatic train crash, Mitzi tells young Sammy that movies let you "capture dreams." She gives him a train set and his father's 8mm camera to recreate the crash, articulating the theme: art is how we process and control the things that frighten us.
Worldbuilding
The Fabelman family life is established: Burt is a brilliant computer engineer, Mitzi is a frustrated artist who gave up her concert pianist dreams, and Sammy begins making amateur films with his sisters. The family moves to Arizona for Burt's job at GE, and family friend Bennie becomes increasingly present. Sammy's filmmaking obsession grows.
Disruption
Mitzi encourages Sammy to make a camping trip movie with his Boy Scout troop, legitimizing his filmmaking as more than a "hobby." This maternal blessing catalyzes his transformation from casual hobbyist to serious young filmmaker, setting him on the path that will eventually reveal painful family truths.
Resistance
Sammy makes increasingly ambitious films with his scouts, learning craft through practice. Uncle Boris visits and delivers a crucial warning about the artist's life requiring sacrifice. The family dynamic shows cracks as Mitzi's depression surfaces after her mother's death, and her emotional dependence on Bennie becomes more visible.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
While editing the camping trip footage, Sammy accidentally discovers his mother and Bennie holding hands intimately in the background. His camera has captured what he wasn't meant to see—a betrayal that transforms his understanding of his family. He chooses to keep editing, keep watching, unable to look away. The artist's eye has seen the truth.
Mirror World
The family moves to Northern California, and Sammy enters a new high school where he meets Monica Sherwood, a devout Christian girl fascinated by his Jewish identity. Their relationship offers Sammy an escape from his family's dysfunction and represents a world outside the artistic obsession—normalcy, faith, and uncomplicated love.
Premise
Sammy pursues filmmaking at his new school while navigating his parents' crumbling marriage, his secret knowledge of his mother's emotional affair, and anti-Semitic bullying from classmates Logan and Chad. He makes a WWII film that showcases his growing talent, and his relationship with Monica deepens as she tries to convert him to Christianity.
Midpoint
Burt announces the family is moving again—to Los Angeles for a job opportunity. Sammy explodes, finally confronting his father about uprooting the family repeatedly. The underlying tension surfaces: Sammy knows about Bennie and Mitzi, and his anger about the move masks his deeper fury about the betrayal he's been carrying alone.
Opposition
In their new California home, the family fractures further. Sammy faces brutal anti-Semitic bullying at his new high school. He's asked to film "Ditch Day" and senior prom. Mitzi's erratic behavior worsens. Sammy weaponizes his camera, making his bully Logan look heroic in the Ditch Day film—a manipulation that disturbs Sammy himself.
Collapse
Mitzi and Burt announce their divorce. Mitzi admits her love for Bennie, and the family Sammy has known dies. He confronts his mother with the footage he's been hiding—the camping trip film revealing her affair. His art has become a weapon that destroys what he loves most. The camera that was meant to capture dreams has captured a nightmare.
Crisis
The family separates. Sammy processes the destruction his secret knowledge caused, questioning whether his artistic eye is a gift or a curse. Monica breaks up with him, unable to reconcile their different faiths. Sammy must decide if filmmaking—which revealed his mother's betrayal and contributed to his family's collapse—is worth pursuing.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Sammy shows his prom film at graduation, revealing he's made Logan look vulnerable and human rather than villainous. Logan confronts him, confused by Sammy's choice to portray him sympathetically. Sammy realizes the artist's power comes with responsibility—he can choose what truth to show. Art doesn't have to destroy; it can also heal and humanize.
Synthesis
Sammy forgives his mother, accepting her complexity. He declines college to pursue filmmaking in Hollywood. He lands a meeting with legendary director John Ford, who gives him cryptic but crucial advice about composition: "When the horizon's at the bottom, it's interesting. When it's at the top, it's interesting. When it's in the middle, it's boring as shit."
Transformation
Sammy walks out of the CBS studio lot after meeting John Ford, a young filmmaker ready to begin his career. As he walks, he adjusts the camera frame—the horizon shifts from center to bottom. He has internalized Ford's lesson. The boy who was terrified by a train crash has become an artist who controls the frame. He looks up, and the camera tilts with him toward the sky.