The Family
A mafia boss and his family are relocated to a sleepy town in France under the witness protection program after snitching on the mob. Despite the best efforts of FBI Agent Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones) to keep them in line, Fred Manzoni (Robert De Niro), his wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and their children Belle (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D'Leo) can't help but revert to old habits and blow their cover by handling their problems the "family" way, enabling their former mafia cronies to track them down. Chaos ensues as old scores are settled in the unlikeliest of settings.
Working with a moderate budget of $30.0M, the film achieved a respectable showing with $36.9M in global revenue (+23% profit margin).
1 win & 1 nomination
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 Family (2013) showcases strategically placed narrative architecture, characteristic of Luc Besson's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 51 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Giovanni Manzoni (Fred Blake)
Maggie Manzoni (Blake)
Belle Manzoni (Blake)
Warren Manzoni (Blake)
Robert Stansfield
Don Luchese
Main Cast & Characters
Giovanni Manzoni (Fred Blake)
Played by Robert De Niro
Former mafia boss in witness protection struggling to suppress his violent instincts while living undercover in France.
Maggie Manzoni (Blake)
Played by Michelle Pfeiffer
Giovanni's wife and former mob spouse who shares his struggle to adapt to civilian life while maintaining family cohesion.
Belle Manzoni (Blake)
Played by Dianna Agron
The teenage daughter who uses manipulation and violence inherited from her family to navigate high school social dynamics.
Warren Manzoni (Blake)
Played by John D'Leo
The teenage son who applies mafia business principles to establish a profitable black market operation at his school.
Robert Stansfield
Played by Tommy Lee Jones
The exasperated FBI agent tasked with protecting the Manzoni family and managing their repeated breaches of witness protection protocol.
Don Luchese
Played by Stan Carp
The vengeful mob boss seeking to eliminate Giovanni for his betrayal and testimony against the organization.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Manzoni family arrives at their new witness protection home in Normandy, France, carrying the weight of their past as they attempt yet another fresh start under the surname Blake.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Giovanni brutally beats a plumber who tried to overcharge him, revealing the family cannot suppress their violent instincts and putting their cover at risk when neighbors become suspicious.. 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 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Giovanni decides to embrace his new identity by accepting the invitation to discuss American cinema at the local film club, choosing to engage with the community rather than remain isolated - a step toward normalcy., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat At the film club, Giovanni is asked to introduce "Goodfellas" due to a mix-up. He gives a passionate, revealing commentary that wins over the audience but unknowingly starts a chain of events that will expose their location to the mob., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 83 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The hitmen arrive and locate the family. In the initial assault, Stansfield and his FBI team are ambushed and killed, leaving the Manzonis without protection and facing death from professional killers who have surrounded their home., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 89 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Giovanni realizes that their only chance of survival is to stop pretending to be normal and fully embrace who they are - a family of trained killers. He coordinates with Maggie to fight back rather than hide., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Family's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping The Family against these established plot points, we can identify how Luc Besson utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Family within the comedy genre.
Luc Besson's Structural Approach
Among the 12 Luc Besson films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Family takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Luc Besson filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Luc Besson analyses, see The Fifth Element, Léon: The Professional and Arthur 3: The War of the Two Worlds.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The Manzoni family arrives at their new witness protection home in Normandy, France, carrying the weight of their past as they attempt yet another fresh start under the surname Blake.
Theme
FBI handler Stansfield warns the family that they can't keep acting like mobsters if they want to survive, stating that old habits will get them killed - establishing the theme of whether people can truly change their nature.
Worldbuilding
The family settles into their new French town. Giovanni begins writing his memoirs, Maggie tries to fit in with locals, Belle starts school and catches the eye of a math tutor, and Warren navigates the social hierarchy of French students while secretly running schemes.
Disruption
Giovanni brutally beats a plumber who tried to overcharge him, revealing the family cannot suppress their violent instincts and putting their cover at risk when neighbors become suspicious.
Resistance
Stansfield debates whether to relocate the family again as each member struggles with their impulses. Maggie blows up a grocery store after being insulted, Belle beats up boys who harass her, and Warren builds a criminal network at school. Giovanni is invited to speak at a local film club.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Giovanni decides to embrace his new identity by accepting the invitation to discuss American cinema at the local film club, choosing to engage with the community rather than remain isolated - a step toward normalcy.
Mirror World
Belle develops a genuine romantic connection with her math tutor Henri, representing the possibility of authentic relationships outside the family's violent world and offering her a glimpse of normal life.
Premise
The family attempts integration with darkly comic results. Giovanni writes his memoirs and investigates the town's brown water problem using mob tactics. Warren runs the school like a crime syndicate. Belle falls deeper for Henri. Maggie befriends neighbors while hiding her past.
Midpoint
At the film club, Giovanni is asked to introduce "Goodfellas" due to a mix-up. He gives a passionate, revealing commentary that wins over the audience but unknowingly starts a chain of events that will expose their location to the mob.
Opposition
A mob accountant recognizes details from Giovanni's film club appearance, which has been shared online. The information reaches Don Luchese in prison. Hitmen are dispatched to Normandy. Meanwhile, Belle discovers Henri was only using her for a bet, and the family's various schemes begin unraveling.
Collapse
The hitmen arrive and locate the family. In the initial assault, Stansfield and his FBI team are ambushed and killed, leaving the Manzonis without protection and facing death from professional killers who have surrounded their home.
Crisis
The family is separated and under siege. Belle is at a party, Warren is at school, and Giovanni and Maggie are pinned down. Each family member faces mortal danger alone, forced to rely on the very survival instincts they were trying to suppress.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Giovanni realizes that their only chance of survival is to stop pretending to be normal and fully embrace who they are - a family of trained killers. He coordinates with Maggie to fight back rather than hide.
Synthesis
The family unleashes their full capabilities. Warren uses explosives and tactics learned from his father. Belle kills the hitmen pursuing her with cold efficiency. Giovanni and Maggie systematically eliminate the remaining assassins in a brutal firefight, working together as the lethal team they've always been.
Transformation
The surviving family drives away to their next relocation, battered but alive and unified. They accept that they cannot change who they are fundamentally - they are still the Manzonis, violent but bound by family loyalty, ready to face whatever comes next together.