story conflicts Archives - Page 2 of 2

This is the 3^rd article in the Most Enthralling Story Conflicts and Dilemmas series where I cover the story conflicts that I wish I’d come up with. The first two are:

1) Most Enthralling Story Conflicts & Dilemmas: The Ledge – Kill Yourself or Your Loved One Will Be Killed

2) Your Daughter’s a Liar or Your Best Friend’s a Pervert: Most Enthralling Story Conflicts 2 – The Hunt

Part 3 is features the conflict from the 1996 Ron Howard movie Ransom starring Mel Gibson. Please note that there might be some spoilers.

Ransom 1996 movie poster-Mel Gibson — Image via mylot.com.

The Situation:

Businessman Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson)’s son is kidnapped and is asked to pay $2,000,000. He does, but something goes wrong and he’s asked for $4,000,000. Tom realizes that the kidnappers had no intention of delivering the boy in the first place, so he comes with a brilliant yet risky plan:

He gets on the news with the money but declares that he’ll pay it to whoever brings the kidnappers. His wife goes ballistic, so do the kidnappers.

Why This Conflict Is Different:

This is one of my favorite stories, and story dilemmas because unlike most conflicts, this is created by the protagonist.

In The Ledge, the girl’s husband presents the protagonist with an impossible situation.

In Jagten (The Hunt), it all starts when a little girl lies.

Now here are the two ways things can go for Tom:

1) He was right. This will help him get his son back.

2) He was wrong. He just caused his son’s death.

He’s led to believe, for a moment, that it is the latter, resulting in a very powerful performance moment for Mel Gibson. But then he gets what he aimed for: The kidnappers start fighting between themselves. And their leader (Gary Sinise) decides to deliver the boy, and get the money as the hero.

Of course things don’t turn out the way he plans, but you should see the movie for the climax.

Ransom is based on an idea from a TV show from 1954, which was later developed into a movie 1955, though I don’t know if the 1955 father offered the money as a bounty.

Ransom is a film that shows the way you tell your story is just as important as your idea. Offering the money to those who deliver the kidnappers on live TV is a pretty good twist. Then you have great actors (Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise, Lili Taylor, Live Schreiber, Delroy Lindo) to portray mostly grey characters, and they were directed by Ron Howard. But Howard and the actors wouldn’t have had that much to work with without the story (by Cyril Hume, Richard Maibaum, Richard Price, Alexander Ignon).

The “twist” is supported by new information about the characters, character development, relationship between the protagonist and his family, relationships between the kidnappers, the fact that the leader (Gary Sinise) is actually a cop…

What makes Ransom enthralling is not just the little twist, but how the characters handle the situation before, during and after that.

But the conflict raises the bar really high, and the main character dies an emotional death (just like P.J. Reece’s story structure advices that he should) during the wait. Did he save him? Did he kill him? And he is alone, with no one to support his decision.

I recommend the movie as an exciting way to spend 2 hours. But I also recommend it from a storytelling perspective.

What would you do if you were Tom Mullen?

PS This post contains affiliate links.
<br />

As writers, “what if?” is our best friend when it comes to hunting down an exciting idea. We have to be excited first, and then we can begin writing a story that will excite others. The “what if” is born from, or is supported by, a mother conflict-a conflict that will grab you, and won’t let you go until you finish the story.

The bigger at stake, the bigger the excitement. And if the story is well-told, your level of empathy grabs you further into the depths of the story, and if you are honest, you know that the character isn’t facing an easy task.

This article series will cover my favorite story conflicts, from movies, series and books. Their conflicts are the reasons I decided to watch/read these stories.

Conflict : The Ledge

charlie-hunnam-as-gavin-in-the-ledge-2011 — Gavin is standing on the ledge. Image via filmloverss.com.

Door Number 1: You kill yourself.

Door Number 2: They kill the person you love.

Two of the most common gut reactions are:

1) Yeah, I’d sacrifice myself.

2) I’d find a way of saving myself and my loved one.

But it is not that easy. This is the conflict from the movie The Ledge starring Charlie Hunnam, Liv Tyler and Patrick Wilson.

Charlie Hunnam’s Gavin is standing on the ledge of a building, with every intention of jumping at noon. He doesn’t have a choice. It’s either him, or the girl dies.

Gavin is an atheist who has pretty much lost his faith in anything after his daughter died. Nothing pisses him off like the over-zealous religious mumblings of a fanatic (Patrick Wilson), who as luck would have had it, has just moved in next door with his wife Shana (Liv Tyler). What could be more fun than seducing this nut’s wife?

But of course she is not a fanatic, she has had her own valid reasons for marrying him, and she is doing her best to make a life for herself despite her past and his extreme beliefs. Gratitude keeps her married.

Gavin starts spending time with her-as her employer and friend-and let’s say he gets involved despite his most rational intentions.

She starts falling for him, and love overpowers gratitude. Husband finds out, captures her, and gives Gavin the two doors. But Gavin is facing this conflict twofold:

He was the driver at the accident that killed his daughter. He never really recovered from either the loss, or the guilt. Now, obviously he blames himself for the danger Shana is in- she wouldn’t have gotten involved with him if he hadn’t been so intent on getting her attention and attraction. He couldn’t save his daughter, but maybe he can save Shana. Of course there is the possibility the husband won’t keep his word and kill her anyway, but would he take the risk?

Of course there are other conflicts in the film too.

There are Shana’s: Gratitude vs. Love. Religion vs. Passion.

There’s the husband’s: Rage vs. Control + Forgiveness.

There’s the cop’s dealing with Gavin: His love for his wife and children vs. The Truth

Dealing with his own personal pain vs. Focusing fully on Gavin

It’s full of great conflicts and dilemmas, but needless to say, it is the main one that glues you to the trailer and the movie. It’s still possible to say you’d do things one way or the other, but if you do pay attention to the characters, backgrounds and states of mind carefully, you’d see that there is no easy way out.

Written (and also directed by): Matthew Chapman.

My advice is watch it like a writer. Look at the story, the conflicts, the characters. Try to imagine the “what if” moment for Matthew Chapman. Try to imagine what you would do if you were Gavin.

And please share some of your favorite story conflicts.

PS This post contains affiliate links.

<br />