Wolfs
Two rival fixers cross paths when they're both called in to help cover up a prominent New York official's misstep. Over one explosive night, they'll have to set aside their petty grievances and their egos to finish the job.
Produced on a significant budget of $80.0M, the film represents a studio production.
1 win & 3 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes District Attorney Margaret finds a young man apparently dead in her hotel room after a one-night stand gone wrong. She's alone, panicked, facing a career-ending scandal that establishes her desperate need for a fixer.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Brad Pitt's fixer arrives at the hotel room, sent by the hotel owner. Two lone wolves who never work with partners are suddenly forced into the same job. The careful control of Clooney's operation is instantly disrupted.. 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 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to The "dead" young man (The Kid) suddenly wakes up, vomiting. He's alive but has swallowed a bag of drugs. Both fixers realize they're now in much deeper trouble and must work together whether they like it or not., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat The fixers learn the drugs belong to a powerful crime boss. What seemed like a simple cleanup has escalated into a dangerous situation with a major criminal organization now hunting them and the Kid. False defeat: they're in way over their heads., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 81 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The fixers are cornered and outgunned. The Kid is taken. Their lone-wolf methods have failed - neither could have handled this alone, and even together they've lost. The whiff of death hangs over the moment as everything they've worked for collapses., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The fixers choose to trust each other completely for the first time. They share information, divide responsibilities, and formulate a real plan together. Two wolves finally decide to hunt as a pack., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Wolfs'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 Wolfs against these established plot points, we can identify how Jon Watts utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Wolfs within the crime genre.
Jon Watts's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Jon Watts films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 4.3, showcasing experimental approaches to narrative form. Wolfs exemplifies the director's characteristic narrative technique. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jon Watts filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional crime films include The Bad Guys, Rustom and The Whole Ten Yards. For more Jon Watts analyses, see Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
District Attorney Margaret finds a young man apparently dead in her hotel room after a one-night stand gone wrong. She's alone, panicked, facing a career-ending scandal that establishes her desperate need for a fixer.
Theme
Clooney's fixer states his professional creed: "I work alone. Always have. Always will." This establishes the thematic question of whether two lone wolves can learn to trust and work together.
Worldbuilding
The world of professional fixers is established. Clooney's character arrives to clean up the mess with cold efficiency. We see his methods, his rules, and his insistence on complete control. Margaret's desperation and the high-stakes political world are set up.
Disruption
Brad Pitt's fixer arrives at the hotel room, sent by the hotel owner. Two lone wolves who never work with partners are suddenly forced into the same job. The careful control of Clooney's operation is instantly disrupted.
Resistance
The two fixers clash over methodology and territory. They debate who should leave, neither willing to back down. Their mutual antagonism and matching egos create friction as they reluctantly assess each other's capabilities while trying to figure out what to do with the body.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The "dead" young man (The Kid) suddenly wakes up, vomiting. He's alive but has swallowed a bag of drugs. Both fixers realize they're now in much deeper trouble and must work together whether they like it or not.
Mirror World
The Kid represents the thematic mirror - young, naive, talkative where they are guarded. His genuine openness and fear contrasts with the fixers' hardened professionalism, forcing them to reveal glimpses of their own humanity.
Premise
The promise of the premise: two elite fixers forced to collaborate while babysitting a drugged-up kid through nighttime New York. They retrieve the drugs from the Kid's system, discover he stole from dangerous people, and must navigate the criminal underworld together while sniping at each other.
Midpoint
The fixers learn the drugs belong to a powerful crime boss. What seemed like a simple cleanup has escalated into a dangerous situation with a major criminal organization now hunting them and the Kid. False defeat: they're in way over their heads.
Opposition
The crime boss's men close in. The fixers must navigate Chinatown, evade multiple threats, and protect the Kid while the situation spirals. Their professional rivalry gives way to grudging respect as they handle increasingly dangerous encounters with synchronized skill.
Collapse
The fixers are cornered and outgunned. The Kid is taken. Their lone-wolf methods have failed - neither could have handled this alone, and even together they've lost. The whiff of death hangs over the moment as everything they've worked for collapses.
Crisis
In the aftermath of losing the Kid, both fixers must confront their limitations. They've spent their careers trusting no one, but now must decide whether to truly work together or walk away. The dark night forces each to question their solitary code.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The fixers choose to trust each other completely for the first time. They share information, divide responsibilities, and formulate a real plan together. Two wolves finally decide to hunt as a pack.
Synthesis
The finale: working in genuine partnership, the fixers execute a coordinated rescue. They confront the crime boss, recover the Kid, and eliminate the threats with the combined skill that neither could have mustered alone. Their synthesis of talents proves unstoppable.
Transformation
Dawn breaks as the two fixers part ways - but not before exchanging a knowing look and hint of future collaboration. The lone wolves have become something more: reluctant partners who've found trust. The closing mirrors the opening, but now neither is truly alone.