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6. Film and New York City, Writing About Movies, Sample Outline on Laws of Gravity

Now that I have organized my research and analysis of the film, I have everything I need for my essay. It’s now time to order my research and analysis into an outline. This should act like a checklist for your own essay.

Here is my outline for my essay on Laws of Gravity (1992).

• Introduction
  • discuss Williamsburg and Greenpoint, two gentrified Brooklyn neighborhoods today, where this crime drama takes place
  • shot on location, in the streets, in the early 1990s
  • I am familiar with the neighborhood: while watching this film, I often look for what “used to be” where a high-fashion boutique, a fast-casual salad chain restaurant, or a luxury high-rise condominium now stands.
  • include my summary of the film
• Meaning of the Film
  • include my evaluation of the film
  • all of the men in the film have flaws
  • the film is a portrayal of toxic masculinity with serious consequences for men and women alike
  • Canby’s 1992 review notes how the physical fights in the film “give [the men] identity, importance and a momentary sense of direction”
  • Jon’s character particularly exhibits three fatal flaws
  • the film shows us how machismo combined with crime in this New York City neighborhood can escalate
• Methodology
  • how will I explain my evaluation of the film
  • "I will discuss Jon’s three fatal flaws…
  • pride, propensity for violence, and poor decision making
  • in three sequences from the film…
  • that use cinematography and sound" to emphasize my evaluation of the film’s message
• Formal Style
  • cinematography
  • sound
  • Nick Gomez, in Macaulay’s article about the film, describes his film as having “a certain kind of immediacy,” like a fuse has been lit, especially when Jon loses his temper
  • when the screen goes black, it feels like an explosion has just gone off
• Jon Skips Court on a Minor Shoplifting Charge
  • sequence analysis
  • cinematography
  • sound
• Jon Gets Arrested for Accosting Celia
  • sequence analysis
  • cinematography
  • sound
• Jon Goes after Frankie at the Bar
  • sequence analysis
  • cinematography
  • sound
• Conclusion: A Re-Evaluation
  • The film takes a bleak view on crime
  • The men in this environment, not just Jon, are fatally flawed
  • The camerawork and on-location shooting adds realism to this story