Save the Cat rankings

Syriana script analysis

Syriana script - Save the Cat beat sheet analysis

Three interwoven storylines follow CIA operative Bob Baer, energy adviser Bryan Woodman, and lawyer Bennett Holiday as they navigate Middle East politics, corporate espionage, and personal crises. Bob’s covert mission in Iran ends in tragedy and torture, Bryan’s economic proposal for a reform-minded emir leads to assassination attempts, and Bennett’s legal maneuverings in a major oil merger threaten his ethics. The film culminates in a devastating drone strike and its human consequences.

30 Save the Cat fit score 30% analysis confidence / 152 parsed scenes

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1

Opening Image

Scene 1 / Page 1 / 1% target

40%

Religious men in Tehran and women removing heels set a tone of cultural collision and ritual.

2

Theme Stated

Scene 8 / 5% target

35%

Bob muses on ignorance and willful blindness, hinting at the cost of unseen truths.

Those people back there don't know what's going on. They don't wanna know.
3

Set-Up

Scenes 2-5 / 10% target

30%

Introduces Bob’s business underworld dealings in Tehran and his CIA role, establishing characters and stakes.

4

Catalyst

Scene 7 / 12% target

45%

The Amiris’ car explodes, violently interrupting Bob’s mission and propelling him into crisis.

5

Debate

Scene 8 / 20% target

30%

Bob and Margaret discuss his career prospects, and he questions his value and purpose.

And it's not like anybody else could roll in here. It's not like it's just reading reports.
6

Break into Two

Scene 30 / 25% target

40%

Bob enters the White House Deputies Meeting, officially shifting from field op to political arena.

7

B Story

Scenes 9-13 / 30% target

30%

Bryan’s domestic life and finance career setup his personal stakes and emotional grounding.

8

Fun and Games

Scenes 49-51 / 40% target

35%

Bennett hunts at 777 Ranch, bonding with industry players while probing for inside info.

I have a feeling this U.S. Attorney has a source.
9

Midpoint

Scene 65 / 50% target

45%

At the public announcement, an assassination attempt on Prince Nasir dramatically raises the stakes.

We begin the process of empowering a new generation of Arabs with the skills and training necessary to...
10

Bad Guys Close In

Scenes 68-69 / 65% target

50%

Bob’s kidnapping and torture by Mussawi show personal danger intensifying.

Bob, you're gonna give me the name of every person who has taken money from you.
11

All Is Lost

Scene 85 / 75% target

40%

Bennett confronts his partners about shell companies, risking his career and alliances.

Killeen Oil through Daniel Dalton and PetroKa Energy Consultants created assetless shell companies owned by the heirs of...
12

Dark Night of the Soul

Scene 96 / 80% target

35%

Bryan and Julie clash by Lake Geneva over the moral implications of their work.

His dad's about to keel over and Prince Nasir could be like Mossadegh in Iran in 1952, with...
13

Break into Three

Scene 140 / 85% target

30%

The CIA task force bunker gears up for the final drone strike, marking a strategic shift.

14

Finale

Scenes 146-147 / 95% target

45%

The drone strike against the LNG tanker and Wasim’s boat crash converge all threads in tragedy.

Send a car, you imbecile.
15

Final Image

Scenes 149-150 / 99% target

40%

Wasim’s videotaped will and Bryan’s homecoming show the human cost of geopolitical games.

During the funeral I want everyone to be quiet. And I should be lying on my right side.