What Men Want
Magically able to hear what men are thinking, a sports agent uses her newfound ability to turn the tables on her overbearing male colleagues.
Despite a respectable budget of $20.0M, What Men Want became a commercial success, earning $69.8M worldwide—a 249% 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%)
What Men Want (2019) exhibits strategically placed plot construction, characteristic of Adam Shankman's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 57 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Ali Davis dominates her work as a successful sports agent, shown confidently handling male clients in a strip club while her colleagues struggle. She's the only woman in a male-dominated field, playing by their rules.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Ali is passed over for partner. The position goes to four men, including her rival Kevin. Her boss tells her men don't feel comfortable with her. Her confidence is shattered, and her strategy of "being one of the guys" has failed.. 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 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Ali decides to use her new mind-reading ability to land Jamal Barry, the NBA's top draft pick, as a client. She commits to exploiting this power to prove she deserves to be partner and beat the men at their own game., moving from reaction to action.
At 59 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False victory: Ali successfully signs Jamal Barry as a client, the biggest win of her career. She appears unstoppable and believes she's guaranteed the partnership. She's also successfully manipulated Will into a relationship. But the stakes secretly raise—she's more dependent on the power than ever., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 86 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Everything falls apart: Will discovers Ali has been manipulating him through mind-reading and breaks up with her. Jamal fires her after she advises him against his father's wishes (actually good advice, but it costs her the client). She loses both the relationship and the career win. Her power disappears., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 93 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Ali realizes she must take authentic action without the mind-reading crutch. She decides to fight for what's right—helping Jamal escape his father's control and being honest with Will—even if it costs her the partnership. She chooses integrity over manipulation., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
What Men Want'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 Men Want against these established plot points, we can identify how Adam Shankman utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish What Men Want within the comedy genre.
Adam Shankman's Structural Approach
Among the 8 Adam Shankman films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.1, reflecting strong command of classical structure. What Men Want takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Adam Shankman filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Adam Shankman analyses, see Bedtime Stories, Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and Rock of Ages.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Ali Davis dominates her work as a successful sports agent, shown confidently handling male clients in a strip club while her colleagues struggle. She's the only woman in a male-dominated field, playing by their rules.
Theme
Ali's father tells her, "You can't beat men at their own game by playing like them. You have to be yourself." Ali dismisses this advice, believing she must think like a man to succeed in a man's world.
Worldbuilding
Establishes Ali's world: she's ruthless, ambitious, and expects to make partner at her agency. She dominates male clients, has a contentious relationship with colleague Kevin, and lives for her career. Her assistant Brandon is her only real friend. She meets potential love interest Will but dismisses him.
Disruption
Ali is passed over for partner. The position goes to four men, including her rival Kevin. Her boss tells her men don't feel comfortable with her. Her confidence is shattered, and her strategy of "being one of the guys" has failed.
Resistance
Ali debates how to respond. Her assistant Brandon suggests getting in the minds of men. At a bachelorette party, a psychic gives Ali a strange tea. After a head injury, Ali wakes up able to hear men's thoughts. She debates whether this is real or useful.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Ali decides to use her new mind-reading ability to land Jamal Barry, the NBA's top draft pick, as a client. She commits to exploiting this power to prove she deserves to be partner and beat the men at their own game.
Mirror World
Ali reconnects with Will, the bartender/single father she initially dismissed. Their relationship becomes the emotional B-story that will teach her about authentic connection versus manipulation. She begins pursuing him while reading his thoughts.
Premise
The "fun and games" of mind-reading. Ali uses her power to manipulate everyone: she learns what Jamal's father wants, manipulates Will into dating her, humiliates Kevin in meetings, and appears to be winning at everything. She bonds with Jamal's father by reading his mind.
Midpoint
False victory: Ali successfully signs Jamal Barry as a client, the biggest win of her career. She appears unstoppable and believes she's guaranteed the partnership. She's also successfully manipulated Will into a relationship. But the stakes secretly raise—she's more dependent on the power than ever.
Opposition
Cracks appear in Ali's strategy. Her relationship with Will deepens but is built on lies. She realizes Jamal's father is controlling him. Kevin and others grow suspicious. She must maintain increasingly elaborate deceptions. Her assistant Brandon confronts her about losing herself. The power starts causing problems.
Collapse
Everything falls apart: Will discovers Ali has been manipulating him through mind-reading and breaks up with her. Jamal fires her after she advises him against his father's wishes (actually good advice, but it costs her the client). She loses both the relationship and the career win. Her power disappears.
Crisis
Ali spirals in her dark night. She realizes her father was right—she can't win by manipulating and thinking like men. She's lost everything by being inauthentic. Brandon helps her see that she needs to be herself, not what she thinks men want her to be.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Ali realizes she must take authentic action without the mind-reading crutch. She decides to fight for what's right—helping Jamal escape his father's control and being honest with Will—even if it costs her the partnership. She chooses integrity over manipulation.
Synthesis
Ali executes her plan authentically. She helps Jamal stand up to his father and make his own choice. She confronts her bosses about the sexist culture. She gives an honest speech about being herself. She apologizes to Will without manipulation. She refuses the partnership on principle when offered.
Transformation
Final image mirrors the opening but transformed: Ali starts her own agency with Brandon, built on authenticity and respect. She's with Will in an honest relationship. She's still successful but on her own terms, being herself rather than manipulating men. True fulfillment achieved.