Synopsis: The social climb of an attractive, but underestimated 16 year old that joins a new school in London, expecting to be at the height of popularity. He finds himself alienated and decides to begin his social climb by throwing a party and ends up being disloyal to his real friends. He realises that he has lost his identity and become caught up in an unpleasant situation.
Beginning: Arthur joins a new school in London but starts to notice a social hierarchy and finds himself an outcast. He makes friends with a group of nerds in his class.
Middle: He devises a plot to climb the social ladder but can only do so by betraying the handful of genuine friends that stuck by him.
End: After he encounters problems with the new group he comes to the realisation that he has lost his true identity and turns back to his old friends. He realises that being popular isn't the most important thing in his life, and is glad to have his genuine friends again.
References: A reference for a film with a similar narrative structure would be "Mean Girls" or "Superbad" in which the main characters become distracted by social status and come to realise who their genuine friends are by the end of the film. (new equilibrium). The beginning, middle and end of "Mean Girls" are clearly depicted through Cady's changing perspective and realisation of her own mistakes in a new school. This film also demonstrates the difficulties of fitting in at a high school which our film aims to represent. Another comedy reference would be "Pineapple Express" as it contains similar themes of friendship and loyalty between the 3 main characters. The beginning sets out the character of Dale Denton, but following a series of events he finds himself in a friendship with Saul and Red that he had not anticipated. This type of ending is typical of comedy or indie films (including "Superbad", "Little Miss Sunshine", and "Mean Girls") in which arguments are resolved and here is no further conflict between characters.
Narrative theories included:
Todorov - Todorov saw underlying structures to narratives. He argued that stories all begin in "equilibrium" which is disrupted by a problem to cause "disequilibrium". Then more events take place before a "new equilibrium" is established. (Our film follows this structure in its narrative, the new equilibrium is reached through Arthur's realisation of his true friends and that he has been caught up trying to prove himself to other people).
Levi Strauss - Binary opposites as a conflict between two sides (in this case, conflict between the "popular" and "unpopular" at school).
Barthes - Barthes suggested that narrative works with different codes which the viewer tries to make sense of. The most obvious is the use of enigma codes which will be solved by the audience throughout the plot. Enigma codes are typical of indie films as they make the audience work but allow them to enjoy the film when solved correctly. (They are incorporated in our opening sequence during the corridor scene to connote social stereotypes).
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