War Room
The family-friendly movie explores the transformational role prayer plays in the lives of the Jordan family. Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, a middle-class couple who seemingly have it all – great jobs, a beautiful daughter, their dream home. But appearances can be deceiving. In reality, the Jordan’s marriage has become a war zone and their daughter is collateral damage. With the help of Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman, Elizabeth discovers she can start fighting for her family instead of against them. Through a newly energized faith, Elizabeth and Tony’s real enemy doesn’t have a prayer.
Despite its small-scale budget of $3.0M, War Room became a box office phenomenon, earning $73.3M worldwide—a remarkable 2342% return. The film's distinctive approach attracted moviegoers, proving that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
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%)
War Room (2015) reveals deliberately positioned narrative design, characteristic of Alex Kendrick's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Elizabeth Jordan appears successful as a realtor, but her home life is hollow. Her marriage to Tony is cold and distant, and their daughter Danielle is caught in the middle of their constant bickering.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Miss Clara directly confronts Elizabeth about her failing marriage and challenges her approach. Clara sees through Elizabeth's excuses and identifies that Elizabeth has been fighting her battles in her own strength rather than through prayer.. 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 30 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Elizabeth commits to creating her own war room and begins praying earnestly for her marriage and for Tony, shifting from complaining about him to interceding for him. She clears out a closet and writes prayers on the walls., moving from reaction to action.
At 60 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Tony is on the verge of infidelity at a business dinner, preparing to go to a colleague's apartment. This is a false defeat - things look terrible, and Tony seems about to destroy his marriage completely. However, Elizabeth's prayers are working in unseen ways., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 90 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Tony is fired from his job for stealing medications and faces potential criminal charges. His pride is completely shattered. He returns home defeated, his career destroyed, facing the consequences of all his sins. This is his rock bottom., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 96 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Tony genuinely repents and surrenders his life to God. He takes full responsibility, returns the stolen medications, and accepts the consequences. Elizabeth forgives him and stands by him. Their breakthrough comes through humility and surrender rather than their own strength., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
War Room'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 War Room against these established plot points, we can identify how Alex Kendrick utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish War Room within the drama genre.
Alex Kendrick's Structural Approach
Among the 6 Alex Kendrick films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.4, reflecting strong command of classical structure. War Room represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Alex Kendrick filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman. For more Alex Kendrick analyses, see Courageous, Fireproof and The Forge.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Elizabeth Jordan appears successful as a realtor, but her home life is hollow. Her marriage to Tony is cold and distant, and their daughter Danielle is caught in the middle of their constant bickering.
Theme
Miss Clara tells Elizabeth during the house showing: "You can't expect to make a difference in the world if you can't even make a difference in your own home." This establishes the film's theme about spiritual warfare and the power of prayer.
Worldbuilding
We see Elizabeth's world: her successful real estate career, Tony's pharmaceutical sales job with growing temptations, their strained marriage filled with contempt and criticism, and Danielle struggling with her parents' dysfunction. Tony is prideful, flirtatious with colleagues, and emotionally absent.
Disruption
Miss Clara directly confronts Elizabeth about her failing marriage and challenges her approach. Clara sees through Elizabeth's excuses and identifies that Elizabeth has been fighting her battles in her own strength rather than through prayer.
Resistance
Miss Clara becomes Elizabeth's spiritual mentor, teaching her about prayer warfare. Clara shows Elizabeth her "war room" - a prayer closet where she fights spiritual battles. Elizabeth is resistant at first, making excuses and defending her methods of dealing with Tony.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Elizabeth commits to creating her own war room and begins praying earnestly for her marriage and for Tony, shifting from complaining about him to interceding for him. She clears out a closet and writes prayers on the walls.
Mirror World
Elizabeth's deepening relationship with Miss Clara represents the thematic counterpoint - showing what a life fully surrendered to prayer looks like. Clara's wisdom and spiritual authority contrast sharply with Elizabeth's former approach of trying to control everything herself.
Premise
Elizabeth explores this new world of prayer warfare. As she prays more, she begins to change - becoming less critical of Tony, more patient with Danielle. Meanwhile, Tony's sins escalate: he considers an affair and begins stealing medications from work to resell them.
Midpoint
Tony is on the verge of infidelity at a business dinner, preparing to go to a colleague's apartment. This is a false defeat - things look terrible, and Tony seems about to destroy his marriage completely. However, Elizabeth's prayers are working in unseen ways.
Opposition
The spiritual battle intensifies. Tony mysteriously becomes violently ill at the moment of temptation and flees, avoiding the affair. But his theft is discovered at work. Elizabeth continues to war in prayer even as their marriage reaches its breaking point and Tony becomes more hostile.
Collapse
Tony is fired from his job for stealing medications and faces potential criminal charges. His pride is completely shattered. He returns home defeated, his career destroyed, facing the consequences of all his sins. This is his rock bottom.
Crisis
Tony wrestles with his failure and guilt. Elizabeth must decide whether to show him grace or condemnation. In the darkness, both characters process what has happened - Tony confronting who he has become, Elizabeth waiting on God's leading.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Tony genuinely repents and surrenders his life to God. He takes full responsibility, returns the stolen medications, and accepts the consequences. Elizabeth forgives him and stands by him. Their breakthrough comes through humility and surrender rather than their own strength.
Synthesis
Tony faces his former employer and makes restitution. The company chooses not to press charges. Tony and Elizabeth's marriage begins healing as both commit to prayer and authentic relationship. Tony becomes the spiritual leader of his home. They work together to help Danielle, now united.
Transformation
The Jordan family is shown united and healthy, with Tony leading them in prayer - a complete reversal of the opening image. Elizabeth has her own thriving war room ministry. They have become the answer to Miss Clara's prayers, now positioned to help others as they were helped.