SlugDB

Story structure rankings

Save the Cat Beat Sheet Rankings

Ranked Save the Cat beat sheet analysis for 1916 SlugDB scripts, sorted by overall framework fit score from 0-100.

Save the Cat is referenced as a story-analysis framework. SlugDB is not affiliated with Save the Cat or its rights holders.

  1. 1201ARAC ATTACK (Eight Legged Freaks) (2000)ARAC ATTACK follows small‐town residents as they confront an outbreak of giant spiders mutated by toxic waste.110 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  2. 1202DREAM SCENARIOUniversity professor Paul’s quiet life is upended when strangers across the country begin dreaming of him.96 scenes / 35% analysis confidence70
  3. 1203BAMBINO (1978)Dave, an Italian-obsessed college student, pursues romance and self-discovery as he adopts a persona to woo Katherine.74 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  4. 1204Beloved (1996)Sethe, haunted by her past and a supernatural presence in her home, struggles to protect her family.98 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  5. 1205Bamboozled (2000)Showrunner Pierre Delacroix creates a controversial minstrel TV show to boost ratings, sparking personal and racial conflicts.44 scenes / 13% analysis confidence70
  6. 1206Assassins (1994)Seasoned assassin Robert Rath is introduced in a tense marsh execution, then unexpectedly takes on a survivalist target, Electra, leading to a reluctant partnership.67 scenes / 18% analysis confidence70
  7. 1207ABSOLUTE POWER (1996)Burglar Luther Whitney is introduced as a skilled yet solitary thief whose next heist entangles him in a deadly cover-up at a powerful political family’s mansion.152 scenes / 78% analysis confidence70
  8. 1208THE GODFATHER (1971)The Godfather follows Michael Corleone’s transformation from reluctant family outsider to ruthless mafia boss.61 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  9. 1209FACE/OFFFBI agent Jon Archer loses his son to terrorist Castor Troy and undergoes radical surgery to assume Troy’s identity and infiltrate his life.73 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  10. 1210EAGLE EYE (2007)EAGLE EYE follows two strangers, Jerry and Rachel, manipulated by a mysterious AI called Aria into a high-stakes chase.74 scenes / 78% analysis confidence70
  11. 1211Alien ResurrectionAlien Resurrection opens with a stark, silent image of the U.S.S.41 scenes / 65% analysis confidence70
  12. 1212JENNIFER EIGHT (1991)John Berlin, a recovering alcoholic turned Eureka homicide sergeant, struggles with his past as he investigates a series of mutilation murders.188 scenes / 48% analysis confidence70
  13. 1213Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)Eddy and his mates get into debt, plan a scam to steal antique shotguns, face complications as various factions close in, and ultimately execute their caper amid betrayals and revenge.15 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  14. 1214SILENT GRACE (2001)In SILENT GRACE, Eileen, a seasoned IRA prisoner, leads a campaign against dire conditions in Armagh Women’s Prison while newcomer Aine struggles with her first months behind bars.44 scenes / 33% analysis confidence70
  15. 1215LADY BIRD (2002)Lady Bird struggles with her identity and her relationship with her mother as she returns home and navigates teenage life.12 scenes / 80% analysis confidence70
  16. 121625th Hour (2002)Monty spends his last night of freedom reconnecting with friends, family, and his girlfriend before beginning a seven-year prison term.59 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  17. 1217JFK (1991)JFK follows Jim Garrison’s obsessive investigation into the Kennedy assassination, juxtaposing courtroom drama with flashbacks that reveal potential conspirators.87 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  18. 1218It Happened One NightEllie, a runaway heiress, escapes her controlling father on a yacht and boards a bus, where she begrudgingly shares space with Peter, a resourceful reporter.7 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  19. 1219GRAND THEFT PARSONS (2003)Phil Kaufman, a down-on-his-luck mortician, loses his job and impulsively steals rock star Gram Parsons’ body.76 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  20. 1220CELLULAR (2003)A mild‐mannered security guard, Ryan, receives a desperate call from kidnapped Jessica Martin and races through Los Angeles using only his cell phone to help rescue her and her son.120 scenes / 78% analysis confidence70
  21. 1221Twilight (2008)Bella moves from Arizona to rainy Forks and navigates new relationships and dangers as she discovers Edward’s vampire secret.67 scenes / 42% analysis confidence70
  22. 1222The Ice Storm (1996)The Ice Storm interweaves the Hood family’s fracturing relationships against the backdrop of a 1970s New Canaan winter party.45 scenes / 67% analysis confidence70
  23. 1223THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT (2009)The Allgood family navigates the emotional terrain of identity and belonging after Joni and her brother Laser discover their sperm donor, Paul.113 scenes / 72% analysis confidence70
  24. 1224Mission: Impossible (1995)Ethan Hunt’s covert globe-trotting mission begins with a high‐stakes surveillance operation and quickly turns personal when a teammate is killed during an embassy heist.47 scenes / 80% analysis confidence70
  25. 1225RUSTIN (1963)Bayard Rustin organizes the March on Washington amidst internal and external conflicts, while struggling with personal relationships and past ouster.92 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  26. 1226AMERICAN FICTION (2023)Patrick Monk, a disgruntled Black author and professor, retreats to his childhood home after a classroom incident.61 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  27. 1227Twister (1994)Storm chasers Jo and Bill reunite amidst a brewing tornado, confront their personal and professional conflicts, and race against rival teams to deploy life-saving instruments.32 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  28. 1228WILD AT HEART (1990)A volatile young couple, Sailor and Lula, defy familial opposition to pursue their passionate but dangerous relationship.61 scenes / 62% analysis confidence70
  29. 1229The LimeyAn Englishman named Wilson arrives in Los Angeles to investigate his daughter Jenny’s death, enlisting a local fixer named Ed.60 scenes / 42% analysis confidence70
  30. 1230CONTACTContact follows Ellie Arroway from her birth and childhood fascination with the cosmos through the discovery of an extraterrestrial signal, her struggle to build and travel in the alien machine, and her return to Earth without tangible proof.35 scenes / 25% analysis confidence70
  31. 1231Barton Fink (1991)Barton Fink leaves his successful New York play for a Hollywood studio assignment, encountering strange hotel neighbors and writerly challenges.31 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  32. 1232GRIFTERS (1989)Con artists Lilly, Roy, and Myra weave intersecting schemes that build into partnerships and betrayals.54 scenes / 10% analysis confidence70
  33. 1233BLOOD DIAMOND (2005)Blood Diamond follows Solomon Vandy’s wrenching capture by rebels and his forced labor in a diamond camp, intersecting with Danny Archer’s cynical pursuit of the same stones.84 scenes / 51% analysis confidence70
  34. 1234FATAL INSTINCTHard-boiled lawyer Ned Ravine juggles a chaotic murder trial, a scheming wife, and a seductive femme fatale.72 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  35. 1235Slither (2004)Small-town deputy Starla and her husband Grant face a parasitic infection unleashed by a meteor, threatening their relationship and the town.59 scenes / 72% analysis confidence70
  36. 1236CUBEA group of strangers wake up in a deadly cubic maze and must work together to survive its shifting, booby-trapped rooms.17 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  37. 1237THE COLOR PURPLE (2023)Celie’s journey begins in rural oppression, transitions through her forced marriage to Mister, and evolves as she finds love, friendship, and independence.162 scenes / 35% analysis confidence70
  38. 1238The Rescuers Down Under (1990)Young Cody awakens and sneaks out to set free a majestic golden eagle, Marahute, only to be captured by poacher McLeach.26 scenes / 23% analysis confidence70
  39. 1239THE WRESTLERA washed‐up wrestler, Randy ‘The Ram,’ struggles to make ends meet, repair his relationship with his daughter, and come to terms with his declining health.77 scenes / 65% analysis confidence70
  40. 1240PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (2006)Pineapple Express follows process server Dale Denton who witnesses a murder while high on rare weed and must go on the run with his dealer Saul to stay alive.74 scenes / 82% analysis confidence70
  41. 1241Pi (1996)Max Cohen, a numerology-obsessed mathematician, battles migraines and a mystic 216-digit number.17 scenes / 23% analysis confidence70
  42. 1242CARRIE II (1998)Seventeen-year-old Rachel, traumatized by her mother’s breakdown and a classmate’s suicide, struggles to fit in at her new high school.63 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  43. 1243FROM DUSK TILL DAWN (1996)Two outlaw brothers on the run take a seemingly innocent family hostage to cross into Mexico, only to wind up fighting for their lives against a horde of vampires at a desert bar.21 scenes / 70% analysis confidence70
  44. 1244ZERO DARK THIRTY (2011)ZERO DARK THIRTY follows CIA analyst Maya’s relentless pursuit of Bin Laden’s courier over many years, culminating in the Abbottabad raid.94 scenes / 38% analysis confidence70
  45. 1245MR DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936)Small-town Longfellow Deeds inherits a vast fortune and must navigate greedy lawyers, shifting from his simple life to New York high society.68 scenes / 76% analysis confidence70
  46. 1246SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (1993)In Shakespeare in Love, a blocked playwright meets his muse in disguise, igniting a passionate affair that both inspires his greatest work and imperils their futures.73 scenes / 8% analysis confidence70
  47. 1247INITIATIONA disgraced Marine, Simon, is kidnapped along with other recruits and forced into a brutal initiation fight by a cult-like group.86 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  48. 1248SURROGATES (2007)FBI agent Greer investigates the first murder of a surrogate, leading him on a high-stakes chase into the outlaw reservation and corporate conspiracy.84 scenes / 23% analysis confidence70
  49. 1249TAKE SHELTERCurtis LaForche’s ordinary life as a family man and well driller is disrupted by strange weather phenomena and terrifying visions, sparking a crisis of faith in his own sanity.88 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  50. 1250Burn After Reading (2007)A bumbling ex-CIA analyst’s life spirals after he’s fired and his inadvertently released memoir draft becomes the object of espionage.151 scenes / 5% analysis confidence70
  51. 1251ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN (1975)Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein obsessively investigate the Watergate break-in, guided by clandestine tips from Deep Throat.69 scenes / 50% analysis confidence70
  52. 1252PEARL HARBORPearl Harbor interweaves the personal bond of two fighter pilots, Rafe and Danny, with the looming threat of war.68 scenes / 5% analysis confidence70
  53. 1253Thunderbirds (2004)Young Alan Tracy struggles with his secret life as a Thunderbird while The Hood plots to seize control of Tracy Island.45 scenes / 55% analysis confidence70
  54. 1254WALL STREET: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS (2008)Gordon Gekko is released from prison and re‐enters the financial world by mentoring young trader Jacob Moore.66 scenes / 35% analysis confidence70
  55. 1255TALL IN THE SADDLE (1944)A drifter, Rocklin, arrives in frontier town seeking work and becomes embroiled in local ranch intrigues.55 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  56. 1256All About Eve (1950)A seasoned Broadway star, Margo Channing, encounters the seemingly devoted Eve Harrington, whose ambition and cunning unsettle Margo’s world.36 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  57. 1257GANG RELATED (1997)Detectives Divinci and Rodriguez navigate a corrupt cover-up while investigating the murder of an undercover DEA agent.89 scenes / 45% analysis confidence70
  58. 1258Love Actually (2002)Love Actually interweaves multiple romantic storylines around Christmas in London, following a Prime Minister, a writer, a rock star, and several families as they navigate love’s highs and lows.71 scenes / 24% analysis confidence70
  59. 1259SPACE MILKSHAKE (2011)An engineer arrives at a remote space sanitation station where a mysterious Time Cube causes duplicates, strange phenomena, and personal conflicts.89 scenes / 72% analysis confidence70
  60. 1260Perfect Creature (2004)In a plague‐ridden world, genetically enhanced Brothers protect humanity until one turns rogue, killing and infecting citizens.111 scenes / 25% analysis confidence70
  61. 1261Erik the Viking (1989)Erik the Viking follows Erik’s journey from a reckless raider to a leader who must reclaim his home.10 scenes / 72% analysis confidence70
  62. 1262THE POWER OF ONE (1990)Young PK is raised by his Zulu nanny, sent to an Afrikaner boarding school where he endures brutality and finds his identity through boxing and the mentorship of Doc.130 scenes / 50% analysis confidence70
  63. 1263The Avengers (1995)Emma Peel begins in a mysterious desert rendezvous that quickly escalates into a globe-trotting adventure filled with hallucinations, secret service intrigue, and high-stakes rescues.30 scenes / 50% analysis confidence70
  64. 1264THE SEARCHERSEthan Edwards returns to his family ranch only to find it destroyed and his niece Debbie kidnapped by Comanches.59 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  65. 1265Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)Arsenic and Old Lace follows Mortimer Brewster as he navigates the deadly secrets of his kindly aunts while planning his own marriage.32 scenes / 78% analysis confidence70
  66. 1266FRANCES (1982)Young Frances struggles with her loss of faith and her mother’s strict control, then finds unexpected fame and romance before descending into Hollywood exploitation and mental breakdown.105 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  67. 1267THE THING (1981)In THE THING, a team of researchers in Antarctica encounters a shape-shifting alien that infiltrates their compound.53 scenes / 61% analysis confidence70
  68. 1268Five Easy Pieces (1970)Bobby Dupea, a former piano prodigy turned oil-worker, drifts through tense relationships and obligations until a family crisis propels him back home.47 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  69. 1269WALKING TALLFormer cop Chris returns to his struggling hometown dominated by a corrupt casino.21 scenes / 80% analysis confidence70
  70. 1270HELLRAISER II: HELLBOUND (1987)Hellbound picks up after the mystery of the puzzle box unleashes horrors in a hospital setting.51 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  71. 1271The Good GirlJustine, a bored retail worker, forms an unconventional bond with Holden, a young customer.60 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  72. 1272The English Patient (1995)An injured English pilot is rescued in the Sahara and cared for in an Italian monastery during WWII, where Hana tends to him and others arrive.46 scenes / 72% analysis confidence70
  73. 1273Broadcast News (1987)Broadcast News follows the professional and personal tensions among three newsroom colleagues as they navigate career ambitions, romantic entanglements, and ethical compromises.45 scenes / 56% analysis confidence70
  74. 1274Basic Instinct (1992)Detective Nick Curran investigates the brutal murder of rock star Johnny Boz and becomes entangled with the prime suspect, novelist Catherine Tramell.81 scenes / 75% analysis confidence70
  75. 1275The Godfather Part II (1974)The Godfather Part II weaves parallel narratives of Michael Corleone’s consolidation of power in the 1950s and Vito Corleone’s rise in early 20th-century New York.57 scenes / 78% analysis confidence70
  76. 1276Lost in Space (2058)Lost in Space follows the Robinson family and their pilot Don West as they launch toward Jupiter, face sabotage by Dr.41 scenes / 80% analysis confidence70
  77. 1277Taxi Driver (1972)Taxi Driver follows Travis Bickle’s descent from isolated cabbie to desperate vigilante, driven by insomnia and disgust with urban decay.39 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  78. 1278Hudson Hawk (1990)Master thief Hudson Hawk is released from prison and reluctantly dragged into a high-stakes heist of Da Vinci relics, encountering betrayal, new allies, and a budding romance along the way.37 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  79. 1279DARKMAN (1989)Darkman opens with a tense property dispute that escalates into personal tragedy for scientist Peyton Westlake.65 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  80. 1280PRIESTA fallen Priest (the Priest) is drawn back into action when his niece, Lucy, is kidnapped by vampires.61 scenes / 45% analysis confidence70
  81. 1281MILK (1978)Harvey Milk’s journey from immigrant photographer to pioneering gay rights activist unfolds through his personal relationships, political battles, and community organizing.116 scenes / 32% analysis confidence70
  82. 1282MR BROOKS (2007)Brooks, a respected businessman, secretly battles a murderous alter ego, Marshall.53 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  83. 1283TRON (1981)A computer programmer is drawn into a digital world where he must navigate brutal games and oppressive forces.76 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  84. 1284PLATINUM BLONDE (1931)A hard‐drinking reporter, Stew Smith, woos the wealthy Schuyler family for a scoop and unexpectedly falls for their daughter, Anne.55 scenes / 45% analysis confidence70
  85. 1285DEAR WHITE PEOPLE (2013)Dear White People introduces a satirical look at race relations on a college campus as multiple characters navigate identity and conflict.59 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  86. 1286DONNIE DARKO (1999)Donnie Darko introduces a troubled teen whose life is upended by visions of a mysterious figure predicting the end of the world.19 scenes / 40% analysis confidence70
  87. 1287Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)Veteran detectives Riggs and Murtaugh uncover a human smuggling ring that evolves into a personal vendetta when Murtaugh’s surrogate son is killed.73 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  88. 1288TERMINATOR: SALVATIONMarcus Wright awakens in a post-Judgment Day world and joins a ragtag Resistance team.85 scenes / 9% analysis confidence70
  89. 1289QUANTUM PROJECTQuantum Project follows scientist Pentcho as he experiments with particle acceleration, triggering visions and reality shifts that draw him into a quantum mystery.57 scenes / 12% analysis confidence70
  90. 1290MEN IN BLACK 3 (2012)In MEN IN BLACK 3, Agent Jay must travel back to 1969 to save his partner Kay and thwart Yaz’s plan to alter history.56 scenes / 7% analysis confidence70
  91. 1291NIGHTMARE 13: FREDDY MEETS JASONA teenager, Meagan, is haunted by Freddy Krueger nightmares and struggles to protect her younger sister from a dangerous cult.50 scenes / 20% analysis confidence70
  92. 1292THE PREDATOR (2016)Ex-PATRIOT sniper Quinn McKenna discovers a crashed Predator vessel, unwittingly involving his son Rory when the boy activates alien tech.44 scenes / 30% analysis confidence70
  93. 1293FERRARI (1957)Ferrari follows Enzo’s journey from his modest farmhouse beginnings through professional triumphs and personal tragedies in the racing world.105 scenes / 50% analysis confidence70
  94. 1294Trainspotting (1996)Trainspotting follows Renton’s descent into heroin addiction, his tumultuous relationships, and a high-stakes drug deal that ends with betrayal.26 scenes / 52% analysis confidence70
  95. 1295Source Code (2007)Colter wakes up in another man’s body and is thrust into the Source Code program, tasked with repeatedly reliving the moments before a terrorist bombing on a commuter train.64 scenes / 70% analysis confidence70
  96. 1296The Transformers: The Movie (1986)The story opens with the cosmic threat of Unicron consuming worlds and the Autobots scrambling to respond.25 scenes / 40% analysis confidence70
  97. 1297HIGHLANDERHighlander follows the immortal Conor MacLeod across centuries as he confronts the mysterious Knight and navigates the modern-day investigation led by historian Brenna.119 scenes / 52% analysis confidence70
  98. 1298Solaris (2001)Psychologist Chris Kelvin arrives at a space station orbiting the oceanic planet Solaris to investigate the unexplained suicide of a colleague.68 scenes / 55% analysis confidence70
  99. 1299EVIL DEADA group of friends arrives at a remote cabin where they uncover the Book of the Dead and unleash evil forces.69 scenes / 62% analysis confidence70
  100. 1300DEMOLITION MAN (1989)Demolition Man opens in a cryo‐prison where the dangerous Simon Doucet is thawed and promptly escapes, setting former officer John Wade on his trail.28 scenes / 45% analysis confidence70