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5 Plot Point Breakdown: Dodgeball — A True Underdog Story (2004)

By Siavash Behmard · October 3, 2011

Screenplay Genre: Comedy / Sport

Movie Time: 92 minutes

1. INCITING INCIDENT

Lackadaisical gym owner Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) finds out from Attorney Kate Veatch (Christine Taylor) that he has thirty days to raise $50,000 or his gym will be purchased and demolished by his rival across the street, White Goodman (Ben Stiller), who owns the successful Globo-Gym. After spilling the news to the gym members, Gordon (Stephen Root) proposes playing in a dodgeball tournament that has a prize of  $50,0000. (00:16:45)

2. LOCK IN (End of Act One)

In order to participate in the dodgeball tournament, the group first must win a qualifying match. Their opponents are a group of girl scouts who take them out with relative ease, but due to steroid use, the girls are disqualified. While celebrating afterward at a bar, the team is confronted by White Goodman and his new dodgeball team that will be competing against Average Joe’s in the tournament. (00:30:36)

3. FIRST CULMINATION (Midpoint)

While training for the tournament with dodgeball legend Patches O’Houlihan (Rip Torn), the group realizes that Kate might be the most talented of them all, but due to her work obligations, she declines to join the team. Meanwhile, Goodman fires Kate so that he can develop a romantic relationship with her. But this backfires on Goodman as she refuses him and decides to join the Average Joe’s dodgeball team. (00:45:18)

4. MAIN CULMINATION (End of Act Two)

Right before the Average Joe’s big final match to win it all, they go out for drinks where Patches gets crushed by a casino sign. This discourages Peter as he becomes morose and talks down to the team. Peter decides to abandon them and the team starts to fall apart. (01:04:35)

5. THIRD ACT TWIST

With Peter missing, Goodman’s team is about to win the tournament because Average Joe’s must forfeit since they do not have enough players, Peter arrives in dramatic fashion, ready to take on Goodman’s team and bring home the prize.  (01:12:07)


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