Save the Cat rankings

S. DARKO script analysis

S. DARKO script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

Samantha Darko wakes up disoriented and quickly becomes entangled in strange local happenings, from car trouble to cosmic visions. The inciting break down on Highway 40 pulls her into Chris’s orbit, while side stories with Corey and Jeremy develop a B-story of grief and friendship. Midpoint revelations in a church event raise the stakes, leading to a dark night moment of personal crisis. A final cosmic convergence offers closure on the film’s thematic question of fate and connection.

30 Save the Cat fit score 30% analysis confidence / 79 parsed scenes

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1

Opening Image

Scene 1 / Page 1 / 1% target

50%

Samantha wakes alone in a wheat field, establishing her disorientation and the story’s surreal tone.

2

Theme Stated

Scene 15 / 5% target

40%

Vietnam Tom’s countdown line (“15 days… that is when the world will end.”) hints at themes of destiny and impending change.

15 days... 18 hours... 45 minutes... 6 seconds. That is when the world will end.
3

Set-Up

Scenes 1-6 / Page 1 / 10% target

50%

Scenes 1–6 introduce Samantha, her friend Corey, and their journey, plus the car’s initial troubles.

4

Catalyst

Scene 7 / 12% target

50%

The car overheats and breaks down; Chris Holt stops to help, changing Samantha’s trajectory.

Doesn't look too good...
5

Debate

Scenes 7-9 / 20% target

45%

The girls question what to do next—repair the car versus staying in El Reno—and meet Dusty at the garage.

6

Break into Two

Scenes 15-16 / 25% target

50%

Samantha’s trance vision with Vietnam Tom at the windmill marks her entry into the story’s supernatural second act.

7

B Story

Scene 23 / 30% target

45%

Meeting Jeremy at the diner introduces the emotional thread of grief and personal connection for Corey and Sam.

How much money do we have left?
8

Fun and Games

Scene 27 / 40% target

40%

The backyard party leads to surreal dance visions, showcasing the film’s bizarre, genre-playful promise.

9

Midpoint

Scene 31 / 50% target

50%

In the church, Sam and Tom witness a cosmic event—raising stakes from personal oddities to global supernatural phenomena.

10

Bad Guys Close In

Scenes 37-38 / 65% target

45%

The car accident and subsequent police questioning increase external pressures and threaten Corey and Sam’s safety.

11

All Is Lost

Scene 41 / 75% target

45%

Corey’s vision of Billy Moorcroft and his plea “You need to save me… and save the world.” marks the bleakest moment.

You need to save me... and save the world.
12

Dark Night of the Soul

Scene 49 / 80% target

40%

Corey and Randy’s night drive, questioning reality itself, reflects her inner crisis before resolution.

13

Break into Three

Scene 62 / 85% target

45%

Sam’s plea to Tom to kill her (blocked by a force field) crystallizes her decision to act rather than surrender.

I wish it was me. I really want... to die.
14

Finale

Scene 76 / 95% target

50%

Cosmic energy animates shopping carts in the parking lot, resolving the supernatural thread and uniting characters.

Why do you talk to me?
15

Final Image

Scene 79 / 99% target

50%

Sam and Chris driving away underscore transformation and continuation beyond the crisis.