Script Structure: Lessons from Valentine’s Day

In case you missed all the advertisements by florists, chocolatiers, and greeting card manufacturers, February 14th is coming around the corner. In honor of the holiday, today’s set of plot points is from Valentine’s Day, the ensemble romantic comedy written by Katherine Fugate.

While many a movie critic despised it, this romantic comedy dominated the box office, grossing $110 million (domestic). And even if those box office returns were a fluke, the movie’s structure is worth studying, particularly if you’re attempting to write your own ensemble film.

The connections between each of the disparate storylines are interwoven gracefully. Plus, the connections themselves were varied (ie not everyone was related to one another through blood or marriage), and in some cases, were even surprising (Bradley Cooper, I’m talking about you).

The structure of each miniature plot is also another one of the movie’s strengths. Each story goes through its own set of essential plot points, from inciting incident, complication, climax, to resolution. It’s one reason why this romantic comedy ensemble outshines the equally fluffy What to Expect When You’re Expecting.

That being said, the sheer number of characters can be overwhelming. Here’s a little cheat sheet which might help you keep track of who’s who in Valentine’s Day:

Ashton Kutcher – Reed Bennett, florist owner
Jessica Alba – Morley, Reed’s fiancée
George Lopez – Alphonso, Reed’s colleague
Jamie Foxx – Kelvin, sports reporter
Jennifer Garner – Julia, a schoolteacher and Reed’s best friend
Patrick Dempsey – Dr Harrison Copeland, Julia’s boyfriend
Anne Hathaway – Liz, an office temp at a talent agency
Topher Grace – Jason, an aspiring agent at the talent agency
Hector Elizondo – Edgar, grandparent to Edison
Shirley Maclaine – Estelle, Edgar’s wife
Bryce Robinson – Edison, Edgar and Estelle’s grandson who’s in Julia’s class
Taylor Swift – Felicia, high school senior and Dr Copeland’s neighbor
Taylor Lautner – Willy, Felicia’s boyfriend
Julia Roberts – Captain Kate Hazeltine, flying home for Feb 14th
Bradley Cooper – Holden, Capt Hazeltine’s neighbor on the plane
Queen Latifah – Paula, sports agent to Sean Jackson at the talent agency
Eric Dane – Sean Jackson, football player in crisis
Jessica Biel – Sean’s PR agent
Emma Roberts – Grace, high school senior and babysitter to Edison
Carter Jenkins – Alex, Grace’s boyfriend

If you’re attempting to write your own ensemble movie, I strongly advise that you start out with a significantly smaller cast.

In the case of Valentine’s Day, the storyline with both Taylors–Swift and Lautner–could easily be cut without impacting the movie, especially since there’s already a more interesting “young adult” plot featuring Emma Roberts; transferring all of George Lopez’s lines to Hector Elizondo could be done without creating undue complications, especially since Lopez doesn’t have a love story of his own.

Plot Points from Valentine’s Day

An image of the Santa Monica Pier and other SoCal scenery, combined with a voiceover by radio DJ Romeo. It’s time for LA to celebrate Valentine’s Day!
Reed looks at an engagement ring while his girlfriend, Morley, sleeps. He wakes her up and proposes.
Reed announces his engagement to the world–and to his colleague, Alphonso.
Meanwhile, sports reporter, Kelvin, argues with his news producer. He doesn’t want to do a puff piece on Valentine’s Day, a holiday which gives him acid reflux.
At the Flower Market, in pursuit of a human interest piece, Kelvin interviews Reed, who exudes even more enthusiasm than before.
In a swanky apartment, Dr Harrison Copeland mildly argues with his girlfriend, Julia. He has to leave her alone on Valentine’s Day. But he has a pretty good excuse–he has to perform an operation.
Liz wakes up the boy sleeping beside her by snapping Polaroids of him. When she realizes the time, she dashes out of his apartment. Outside, she answers her phone…because she moonlights as an adult phone “entertainer.”
Edgar and Estelle exchange Valentine’s gifts, while babysitting their grandson, Edison, who claims he’s lovesick.
In the apartment building elevator, a young girl, Felicia, runs into Julia. Felicia’s thin body is dwarfed by the giant white teddy bear she got as a gift from her boyfriend.
A flight attendant wraps a blanket around Captain Kate Hazeltine, who has fallen asleep on Holden’s shoulder.
Julia visits her best friend,Reed, at the florist shop he owns and gives him lukewarm congratulations on his engagement. Still on cloud nine, he encourages her to fly to San Francisco to surprise Harrison on Valentine’s Day.
Julia calls Harrison, who tells her he’s on his flight…but we can see that he’s lying. In fact, he’s pulling up to a McMansion to greet his daughter and gorgeous wife.
Holden wakes up and asks Kate, who’s in fatigues, about the special man she’s taking a 14-hour flight to visit.
Morley visits Reed at the florist shop. She doesn’t have her engagement ring on because she wants to keep their engagement a secret.
Edgar has a heart-to-heart chat with Edison and shares the story of how he met Estelle. He’s been reading her mind for the last 51 years.
Edison goes to Reed’s florist shop and buys a dozen roses which he asks to be delivered to the girl he loves at Falcon Elementary.
Confused by Liz’s abrupt exit from his apartment, Jason discusses the situation with other agency mailroom clerks.
At the same agency, Liz fills in as receptionist for a sports agent named Paula.
Sean Jackson, a football player in crisis, calls his PR agent, Kara, to set up a meeting with her and Paula.
Grace, a high school senior, blurts out to her teacher that she’s going to sleep with her boyfriend, Alex, for the first time. Alex’s best friend, Willy, dispenses advice. Meanwhile, Felicia gives her own advice to Grace. Turns out Felicia and Willy are a couple.
At a lunch meeting, Paula tells Sean that the GM of his football team didn’t renew his contract. He has to think about what he wants.
On the plane, Kate psychoanalyzes Holden.
Julia explains the history of Valentine’s Day to a classroom full of children. She’s a teacher at Falcon Elementary–and Edison is one of her students.
At Reed’s florist shop, Harrison orders two bouquets of flowers for the women in his life–his wife and Julia. Harrison thought he could rely on Reed’s discretion, but he doesn’t realize that Reed is Julia’s best friend.
Grace’s boyfriend, Alex, goes to her house to improve her bedroom’s ambiance. But her mom unexpectedly comes home early and catches him in Grace’s room. Playing the guitar. Naked.
Liz wraps it up with one of her adult entertainment clients, and Jason apologizes to her. He should’ve asked her out for a date on Valentine’s Day. Paula learns about Liz’s secondary line of work, but Paula doesn’t mind the side business as long as Liz attends to her calls first.
Sean runs his SUV into the back of Alphonso’s flower van. Alphonso gives him a speech: “for some people, love doesn’t exist until you acknowledge it in front of others.” Alphonso drives away…and half of his deliveries tumble from the vehicle (whose doors were damaged from the accident) onto the busy freeway.
While they transfer flowers from Alphonso’s van to Reed’s, Reed asks Alphonso for advice. Should he tell Julia the truth?
At Falcon Elementary, Reed tells Julia to change her mind and not surprise Harrison in San Francisco. Julia misreads Reed’s intentions. She thinks that he’s trying to stop her because he’s afraid of losing his best friend, his “go-to girl.” Before they can talk more, a fight breaks out between the kids.
Alphonso tells Reed that Reed didn’t try hard enough.
Grace picks up Edison from Falcon Elementary. Edison is upset that his flowers weren’t delivered to the school as Reed had promised. Now, the girl he loves doesn’t know that he loves her.
Kara freaks out because no one has RSVP’d for her anti-Valentine’s Day party.
Morley breaks up with Reed because she’s afraid of commitment.
Reed vents to Alphonso…who had an inkling that this might happen. Reed wonders why his friend hid this inkling from him, and resolves to tell Julia the truth about Harrison.
Reed rushes to the airport. He’s finally successful in securing a ticket. Then, he confronts Julia. Her dream man, Dr Harrison Copeland, is married. Reed also tells Julia that Morley dumped him. Despite both bombshells, Julia flies to San Francisco.
Turbulence takes over Kate and Holden’s flight. He tells her not to be nervous.
At a soccer game, Edison can’t concentrate because he’s in love.
Still pursuing his story, Kelvin records a violent but hilarious breakup. He visits Kara’s office. They commiserate over their shared hatred of Valentine’s Day.
Kelvin’s assistant interviews Felicia about her boyfriend, Willy.
Jason debates what to do with Liz to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Edison freaks out about his flower delivery. Grace tells Edison’s grandparents, Edgar and Estelle, about her failed attempt with her boyfriend. Edgar says that Estelle is the only woman he’s ever slept with; he believes the same can be said for Estelle. Edison sneaks out; Grace leaves to track him down. Estelle confesses to Edgar that she had a brief affair with his business partner when Edgar had gone to Florida for business.
Kate teases Holden–their stewardess has a crush on him.
Julia visits the hospital in Frisco and learns that Harrison just celebrated his 15th wedding anniversary.
Sean makes a huge announcement. He’s NOT retiring. And also…he’s gay.
Julia pretends to be a waitress and confronts Harrison, who’s having a celebratory dinner with his wife.
On their evening out, Liz and Jason are seated in close proximity to a couple engaged in extreme PDA.
Morley checks into a hotel.
Alphonso gives Reed advice, courtesy of Rumi.
Holden loans Kate his private car, so she can reach home quickly.
Liz tells Jason about her secondary line of work. He can’t handle it, and he breaks up with her.
Jason gives his extra ticket for a movie night at the cemetary to Edgar, who’s shown up without Estelle, even though it’s a Valentine’s Day tradition for them.
At Kara’s party, Julia pummels Kara’s heart-shaped pinata. More people join the party, which takes place at a private room in an Indian restaurant.
Grace chases Edison; Edgar and Jason exchange stories.
Kelvin arrives at Kara’s party–as her date.
Estelle searches for Edgar at the cemetary. To much applause, they make up, which inspires Jason.
Edison hand delivers a bouquet to Julia–she’s his Valentine–but she convinces him to give the flowers to a more age-appropriate object of affection.
Grace tells her boyfriend that she’s not ready to go all the way. Her boyfriend looks at the upside: they can still make out. And they do. So do Felicia and Willy.
Paula answers the phone…it’s not one of her athlete clients, but one of Liz’s customers…
Montage of happy couples comprised of characters we’ve seen throughout the movie. At the news station, Kara watches Kelvin wrap up his human interest piece–looks like Valentine’s Day isn’t giving him acid reflux anymore.
Jason makes up with Liz.
Reed kisses Julia–it’s awkward. Cut to: Kelvin and Kara flirting at the news station, Harrison alone, Morley walking her dog…and Kate hugging “her man,” her little boy, Edison.
Reed and Julia kiss again. This time, sparks fly!