White Boy Rick

The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes 1984 Detroit. Rick Wershe Jr., a white teenager, lives in a decaying neighborhood with his gun-dealing father Richard Sr. And sister Dawn. They hustle at gun shows, barely scraping by in a broken city where loyalty to family is everything.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when FBI agents Snyder and Byrd approach 14-year-old Rick at a skating rink, pressuring him to become an informant against the drug dealers he knows. They exploit his youth and vulnerability, offering protection for his family in exchange for information.. 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 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Rick actively chooses to become an FBI informant, wearing a wire to a meeting with major dealer Boo. He crosses into the dangerous world of being a teenage spy, betraying the street code for what he believes will protect his family., moving from reaction to action.

At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Rick is at the peak of his power and wealth as a drug dealer. He's making serious money, has earned respect on the streets, and seems untouchable. False victory: he believes he's won the game, but he's actually become the very thing the FBI used him to fight., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 82 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Rick is arrested by the same FBI agents who recruited him as a child. At 17, facing life in prison, he realizes he's been abandoned by the institutions that used him. His innocence dies—the boy who thought he was helping his family is now completely alone., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Second Threshold at 88 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. Rick agrees to testify against corrupt Detroit police and officials, hoping for leniency. He finally understands the game: the system uses people like him as pawns. He has information that could expose the real criminals, synthesizing his role as informant with his need for justice., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.