Plot points are linear links that make up the chain of traditional Aristotelian 3-act dramatic structure. This classic structure worked well in Hollywood for almost a century now. Although young movie makers are forcing the limits of this structure, plot points still rule the day as the tent poles that hold up of the circus of our dreams. Here are the plot points of North Country (2005), as I see them.

North Country (2005)

Starring: Charlize Theron (Josey Aimes), Elle Peterson (Karen Aimes), Thomas Curtis (Sammy Aimes), Frances McDormand (Glory), Sean Bean (Kyle), Woody Harrelson (Bill White), Jeremy Renner (Bobby Sharp), Richard Jenkins (Hank Aimes), Sissy Spacek (Alice Aimes)
Directed by: Niki Caro
Writers: Michael Seitzman (screenplay), Clara Bingham and Laura Leedy (book: Class Action)

PROTAGONIST JOSEY'S DILEMMA: Josey, a poor but good looking and young single mother, is trying to build a dignified life for herself in a North Minnesota mining town that wont allow that to happen.

PROTAGONIST'S DESIRE: To be a happy and self-sufficient adult.

HER CHIEF OBSTACLE: The sexist and aggressive male culture at the mine which accuses all female workers with stealing the jobs of male workers and wants to force them to quit through physical intimidation.

ESTABLISHING SHOT: A snowy Christmas day in a low-income house in cold Northern Minnesota.

INCITING INCIDENT: Josey gets beaten up bad by her ex husband.

PLOT POINT 1: Josey hits an ultimate low by dragging her son out of the car of a neighbor and creates an embarrassing public scene.

MID POINT EVENT: The attorney Bill White agrees to take on Joseys case an file a class-action suit against the company.

PLOT POINT 2: Hank Aimes, Joseys father, at long last stands up for her during a highly electrified union meeting where Josey is made the target of all kinds of sex jokes.

3rd ACT RESOLUTION: Led by the paraplegic Glory, all female workers as well as some of the men stand up in the court as the additional witnesses needed to win the class-action suit. Josey wins the case and gets on with her life with her children.