The Good Son
A young boy stays with his aunt and uncle, and befriends his cousin who's the same age. But his cousin begins showing increasing signs of psychotic behavior.
Despite a moderate budget of $17.0M, The Good Son became a solid performer, earning $60.6M worldwide—a 257% return.
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 Good Son (1993) exemplifies strategically placed narrative design, characteristic of Joseph Ruben's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 27 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.8, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Mark watches his mother die in the hospital, establishing his traumatized state and the loss that will drive his vulnerability throughout the story.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 11 minutes when Henry reveals his dark nature by nearly causing Mark to fall from a highway overpass, laughing at the danger and showing his first glimpse of sociopathy.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Mark realizes Henry killed the dog and confronts him, but Henry threatens him. Mark actively chooses to stay silent rather than tell the adults, entering a dangerous game of cat and mouse., moving from reaction to action.
At 44 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Henry deliberately causes a massive car pileup on the highway using a dummy, resulting in deaths. The stakes raise dramatically as Henry's evil manifests in mass casualties, and Mark realizes Henry is capable of anything., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 65 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Henry nearly succeeds in killing Connie with a poisoned drink. When Mark saves her, the family blames Mark for Henry's "accidental" fall. Mark has lost all credibility and is completely isolated, with Henry more protected than ever., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 70 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Henry takes Connie and threatens to kill her, forcing a final confrontation. Mark realizes he must stop Henry himself - no one else will believe him or protect Connie. He pursues them to the cliffs., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Good Son's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping The Good Son against these established plot points, we can identify how Joseph Ruben utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Good Son within the drama genre.
Joseph Ruben's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Joseph Ruben films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Good Son takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Joseph Ruben filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Joseph Ruben analyses, see The Forgotten, Money Train and Dreamscape.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Mark watches his mother die in the hospital, establishing his traumatized state and the loss that will drive his vulnerability throughout the story.
Theme
Mark's father tells him "Sometimes people need time to heal" - the thematic question of whether evil can be healed or must be confronted, and whether innocence can recognize danger.
Worldbuilding
Mark's grief and his father's work obligations are established. Mark is sent to stay with his aunt and uncle in Maine, meeting his cousin Henry who initially seems charming and welcoming.
Disruption
Henry reveals his dark nature by nearly causing Mark to fall from a highway overpass, laughing at the danger and showing his first glimpse of sociopathy.
Resistance
Mark experiences increasingly disturbing incidents with Henry: the death of Henry's little brother's dog, Henry's manipulation of his family, and escalating "games" that reveal Henry's complete lack of empathy.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Mark realizes Henry killed the dog and confronts him, but Henry threatens him. Mark actively chooses to stay silent rather than tell the adults, entering a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Mirror World
Mark bonds with Henry's younger sister Connie, who represents the innocent vulnerability Mark must protect. This relationship carries the thematic weight of protecting innocence from evil.
Premise
The psychological warfare between Mark and Henry escalates through dangerous games and near-death experiences, including the frozen pond incident and Henry's manipulation of his mother. Mark tries to expose Henry but is dismissed as traumatized.
Midpoint
Henry deliberately causes a massive car pileup on the highway using a dummy, resulting in deaths. The stakes raise dramatically as Henry's evil manifests in mass casualties, and Mark realizes Henry is capable of anything.
Opposition
Mark's attempts to expose Henry fail as Henry is a master manipulator who turns the family against Mark. Henry escalates to attempting to kill his sister Connie, and Mark must actively intervene to save her while being seen as the problem.
Collapse
Henry nearly succeeds in killing Connie with a poisoned drink. When Mark saves her, the family blames Mark for Henry's "accidental" fall. Mark has lost all credibility and is completely isolated, with Henry more protected than ever.
Crisis
Mark is devastated and isolated, seen as the disturbed one while Henry is comforted. Mark processes the darkness of his situation - that evil can hide behind a child's face and that adults cannot always protect the innocent.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Henry takes Connie and threatens to kill her, forcing a final confrontation. Mark realizes he must stop Henry himself - no one else will believe him or protect Connie. He pursues them to the cliffs.
Synthesis
The climactic confrontation on the cliffs where Henry tries to kill Connie. Mark fights to save her, and ultimately Henry's mother Susan must make an impossible choice between her son and niece, choosing to save Connie and let Henry fall.
Transformation
Mark and the family leave Maine in somber silence, forever changed. Mark has lost his innocence and learned that evil exists even in children, that healing requires confronting darkness, not just time.