Save the Cat rankings

ROMA script analysis

ROMA script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

Roma opens with a quiet morning routine centered on Cleo as she cleans the patio and cares for the household children. Early dialogues hint at her close relationship with the family and introduce external tensions such as Fermín’s phone call. The simple introduction establishes Cleo’s daily world and her responsible, nurturing role. The film then gradually expands to reveal larger social and personal conflicts.

15 Save the Cat fit score 12% analysis confidence / 140 parsed scenes

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1

Opening Image

Scene 1 / Page 1 / 1% target

10%

Cleo’s solitary cleaning of the patio establishes the film’s meditative tone and introduces the central character in her domestic environment.

2

Theme Stated

Scene 13 / 5% target

10%

A family member mentions a rumor of a soldier killing a child, foreshadowing themes of class, violence, and helplessness.

A friend told me that a kid in his cousin’s school was killed by a soldier because he...
3

Set-Up

Scenes 2-11 / 10% target

8%

Cleo’s routine of cleaning, child care, and running errands establishes her role within the household and the social hierarchy she inhabits.

4

Catalyst

Scene 31 / 12% target

10%

Cleo’s night with Fermín hints at her pregnancy, introducing a personal upheaval.

5

Debate

Scene 48 / 20% target

10%

During a cinema outing, Cleo tentatively reveals her missed period, debating what this means for her life.

It’s just that... I haven’t gotten my period this month...
6

Break into Two

Scenes 57-59 / 25% target

10%

Cleo is rushed to the medical center in labor, marking a shift into the story’s more urgent, second-act world.

7

B Story

Scenes 30-31 / 30% target

8%

Cleo’s growing bond with Fermín provides her emotional support and represents a secondary romantic thread.

8

Fun and Games

Scenes 50-51 / 40% target

7%

The New Year’s celebration in the woods allows characters to bond and reveals social customs and tensions in a lighter setting.

9

Midpoint

Scene 62 / 50% target

10%

Cleo gives birth to a stillborn baby, a profound reversal that raises the stakes emotionally.

10

Bad Guys Close In

Scene 65 / 65% target

9%

At the beach, Cleo saves the children from drowning as her own grief and responsibilities press in.

I didn’t want her... I didn’t want her...
11

All Is Lost

Scene 136 / 75% target

10%

Sofía’s visit after the hospital underscores Cleo’s deepest loss and isolation.

12

Dark Night of the Soul

Scene 137 / 80% target

10%

Cleo and Sofía’s shared grief in the car captures the emotional nadir and the void left by the baby’s death.

13

Break into Three

Scene 138 / 85% target

8%

Returning home to an empty-feeling house signals Cleo’s resolve to move forward and resume her life.

14

Finale

Scene 140 / 95% target

9%

Cleo carries laundry back in her routine, now bearing the weight of her loss but continuing on, demonstrating her resilience.

15

Final Image

Scene 140 / 99% target

10%

The final shot mirrors the opening: Cleo cleaning the patio, underscoring the cycle of life and her enduring strength.