When a Man Loves a Woman

The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Alice Green appears as a loving wife and mother, counselor at her daughter's school. She's charming, capable, managing her family while concealing her drinking. The "before" image shows a woman who seems to have it all together.. Of particular interest, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Alice, drunk while watching her daughters, falls in the bathroom and hits her head on the towel rack. Blood everywhere. The children scream. This violent moment makes it impossible to deny her alcoholism any longer.. 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 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Alice makes the active choice to enter rehab. She checks herself into a treatment facility, leaving her family behind. This irreversible decision launches her into the new world of recovery - alone., moving from reaction to action.

At 62 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Alice completes rehab and returns home sober - a false victory. The family celebrates. Everyone believes the hard part is over. But the real challenge is just beginning: Alice has changed, but the family dynamic hasn't., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 94 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Michael explodes in rage, destroying their relationship. Alice tells him he needs to leave. Their marriage - the thing they both fought to save - dies. Michael moves out. The "whiff of death" is the death of their codependent relationship., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Second Threshold at 100 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Michael attends Al-Anon and begins his own recovery. He realizes he must change too. He sees that enabling Alice wasn't love - it was about his own need to be needed. This breakthrough allows him to approach their relationship differently., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.