What Dreams May Come
Chris Nielsen dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife. After he dies, his wife Annie killed herself and went to hell. Chris decides to risk eternity in Hades for the small chance that he will be able to bring her back to heaven.
The film struggled financially against its substantial budget of $85.0M, earning $71.5M globally (-16% loss).
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%)
What Dreams May Come (1998) showcases precise dramatic framework, characteristic of Vincent Ward's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 53 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.4, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Chris and Annie meet in a lake in Switzerland, establishing their passionate, artistic romance and soul-mate connection that will define the entire story.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Ian and Marie are killed in a car accident. This shatters the family's perfect world and sends Annie into severe depression, fundamentally disrupting the status quo.. 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 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 23% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to Chris dies in a car accident while trying to help accident victims. He actively chooses to leave his car to help others, a decision that leads to his death and irreversible entry into the afterlife., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Chris learns that Annie has committed suicide. This false defeat raises the stakes enormously - she is condemned to hell and they can never be reunited. Everything changes from exploration to desperate mission., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 84 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Chris reaches hell and finds Annie completely lost in her own nightmare, unable to recognize him. She is a living corpse in a horrific mansion of despair. The whiff of death: his soul mate is truly gone, unreachable., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 92 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 81% of the runtime. Chris makes the ultimate synthesis: he chooses to stay in hell with Annie forever rather than leave her. "I found you in hell, don't you ever leave me" - he finally understands what she meant. Love means sharing suffering., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
What Dreams May Come'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 What Dreams May Come against these established plot points, we can identify how Vincent Ward utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish What Dreams May Come within the drama genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional drama films include Eye for an Eye, South Pacific and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Chris and Annie meet in a lake in Switzerland, establishing their passionate, artistic romance and soul-mate connection that will define the entire story.
Theme
Annie tells Chris "I found you in hell, don't you ever leave me" - foreshadowing the central theme that love transcends all boundaries, even death itself.
Worldbuilding
Establishing the Nielsen family's idyllic life together: Chris and Annie's deep marriage, their two children Ian and Marie, Annie's work as an art therapist, and Chris as a pediatrician. Shows their complete, loving world.
Disruption
Ian and Marie are killed in a car accident. This shatters the family's perfect world and sends Annie into severe depression, fundamentally disrupting the status quo.
Resistance
Chris helps Annie recover from suicidal depression over four years. They rebuild their relationship through art and love. Chris debates whether they can survive this tragedy, but chooses to fight for their marriage.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Chris dies in a car accident while trying to help accident victims. He actively chooses to leave his car to help others, a decision that leads to his death and irreversible entry into the afterlife.
Mirror World
Chris meets Albert, his guide in the afterlife, who begins teaching him about the nature of heaven and reality. Albert represents the thematic truth that consciousness creates reality through thought and love.
Premise
Chris explores his personal heaven, a painted landscape created from Annie's artwork. He learns the rules of the afterlife, tries to contact Annie, discovers his children are there, and experiences the promise of the premise: a beautiful painted afterlife.
Midpoint
Chris learns that Annie has committed suicide. This false defeat raises the stakes enormously - she is condemned to hell and they can never be reunited. Everything changes from exploration to desperate mission.
Opposition
Chris faces increasing opposition: the Tracker warns him it's impossible to save Annie, Albert reveals himself as Chris's son Ian, souls cannot be retrieved from hell, and Chris must journey through increasingly nightmarish landscapes toward hell itself.
Collapse
Chris reaches hell and finds Annie completely lost in her own nightmare, unable to recognize him. She is a living corpse in a horrific mansion of despair. The whiff of death: his soul mate is truly gone, unreachable.
Crisis
Chris sits in the dark night of the soul, realizing he cannot save Annie. He processes the devastating truth that even his love cannot reach her through her self-imposed hell of guilt and despair.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Chris makes the ultimate synthesis: he chooses to stay in hell with Annie forever rather than leave her. "I found you in hell, don't you ever leave me" - he finally understands what she meant. Love means sharing suffering.
Synthesis
Chris's sacrifice breaks through Annie's nightmare. She recognizes him, they reunite, and choose to be reborn together on Earth. The finale resolves with them meeting again as children, beginning their love story anew.
Transformation
Mirror image to the Status Quo: Chris and Annie meet again as children in a field, holding hands. The transformation is complete - they have transcended death itself through love, beginning their eternal cycle together.