Story Structure Analysis: The

Bourne Identity
February 9, 2021Marshall Dotson

Format: Movie

Released: 2002

Screenplay By: Tony Gilroy and William Blake

Herron

Directed By: Doug Liman

Run Time: 111 minutes

Character: Jason Bourne

New Role: An amnesiac with a dangerously checkered past

Plot summary of the 2002 action thriller film The Bourne Identity
continues below…
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 Story Structure Analysis: The Bourne Identity

DRAMATIC PHASE ONE: THE SETUP

All of the main characters are introduced. The story world and its
mechanics are established. Foundations are laid for the main
throughline, subplots and central conflict.

We are introduced to an amnestic Bourne as he attempts to recover his

memory. His discovery that he possesses deadly supernatural skills is
intercut with scenes from a mysterious government agency feverishly
tracking him down. Bourne is introduced to his eventual love interest
Marie and her background as a wanderer is established. We are
introduced to several Treadstone assassins and see the relationship
between Conklin and Abbot as they vie for control of the program.

ACT ONE: DEALING WITH AN IMPERFECT SITUATION

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 A character in an Imperfect Situation faces Oppressive Opposition
as he pursues an Initial Goal. But when there is a Disturbance to
his routine, he faces a Dilemma regarding his situation and must
assume a New Role.

An injured man with amnesia (the imperfect situation) fails to remember

his past (oppressive opposition) as he struggles desperately to piece
together who he is (initial goal). But when he easily takes down two
policemen with military precision (the disturbance), he follows his few
clues to a bank safety deposit box filled with money, guns, and multiple
passports (the dilemma) the primary of which indicates he is an
American citizen named Jason Bourne (the new role).

The Imperfect Situation: A man is pulled from the Mediterranean sea

with no memory of who he is in spite of him seemingly being
knowledgeable about a great many other things.

Initial Goal: Figure out who he is.

Oppressive Opposition: Bourne’s memory doesn’t seem to be coming

back despite all his best efforts. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, a
well-oiled government agency is gearing up to track him down.

Turning Point Catalyst One – The Disturbance: 10 minutes (9%):

Bourne is approached by two policemen while sleeping on a bench.
When they put their hands on him, his instincts kick in and he easily
disarms them and knocks them unconscious. Back in DC, we learned of
a failed assassination attempt on exiled African leader Wombosi. CIA
Deputy Director Abbot asks Treadstone head Conklin about it who
reveals they have lost contact with an agent.

Turning Point One – The Dilemma: 14 minutes (12.6%): Bourne goes

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 to the bank from the coordinates he had on his laser pointer where he’s
taken to a safety deposit box. Inside he finds a gun, various currencies,
and several passports. He assumes the name Jason Bourne from one
of the passports and takes everything but the gun. When he leaves,
one of the bank employees makes a cryptic phone call.

The New Role: An amnesiac with a dangerously checkered past

Act Run Time: 18 minutes (16.2%)

ACT TWO: LEARNING THE RULES OF AN UNFAMILIAR SITUATION

The character Learns the Rules of an Unfamiliar Situation and

faces Incidental Opposition in pursuit of a Transitional Goal. But
when he receives a Reality Check, he makes a Commitment to his
New Role.

Act Start Time: 18 minutes (16.2%)

Bourne and his new associate are pursued by law enforcement and
assassins (the unfamiliar situation) who appear to be willing to kill them
(incidental opposition) to prevent him from finding out who he is
(transitional goal). But when an assassin tracks him to his last known
address with detailed information on himself and Marie (the reality
check), they both resolve to figure out who is after them (the
commitment).

The Unfamiliar Situation: Unable to remember who he is, Bourne

finds himself relentlessly pursued by the authorities and a clandestine
government agency who appear willing to kill him to prevent him from
figuring out who he is.
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 Transitional Goal: Figure out who Jason Bourne is.

Incidental Opposition: Unsure of what’s happened to him, Bourne’s

old handlers believe he’s gone rogue and attempt to have him killed.
The police and military after him are just doing their job but don’t know
who they’re up against.

Turning Point Catalyst Two – The Reality Check: 36 minutes (32%)

– Bourne and Marie arrive at the Paris address. He pays her as
promised, but she decides to go up with him. The landlord recognizes
him and lets him into his apartment. Marie takes a shower while Bourne
searches the flat for clues to his identity. He redials the last number
from the phone that connects him to a Paris hotel. They don’t have a
Jason Bourne there, but the next passport name he gives, John
Michael Kane was a guest who recently died. Jason suspects someone
else is in the apartment. Another assassin bursts in through a window
and the two throw blows. Jason subdues him and Marie finds her own
picture from the surveillance video in the assassin’s bag. She freaks out
and in the confusion the assassin jumps out the window, committing
suicide. Jason tells Marie they need to leave immediately, but she’s in
shock.

Turning Point Two – The Commitment: 47 minutes (42.3%) – On

their way out, they see the pleasant old landlady shot in the head.
Conklin receives word that Bourne killed their assassin. Jason leaves
Marie in the car while he goes into a train station where he stashes his
bag. She contemplates leaving him and is gone when he comes back
out. He worries she left, but she only went to get a bottle of alcohol to
cope with all the craziness going on. He insists that she go to the cops.
They argue about it since she has no idea who their pursuers are. She
insists on staying with him until he figures out what’s going on. The
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 police arrive and spot the car. Bourne offers her one more chance to
get out, but she puts on her seatbelt and he leads the cops on a chase
through the streets of Paris, ultimately shaking the cops.

Act Run Time: 39 minutes (35.1%)

DRAMATIC PHASE TWO: CONFRONTATION

The character is thrown in the middle of the Central Conflict and is

placed at direct odds with the forces of antagonism. He undergoes a
series of successes and failures as he works toward resolving the main
throughline.

Jason and Marie are relentlessly pursued by Treadstone and their

assassins. He and Marie take their relationship to the next level as they
become closer. Using the few clues about his past he can piece
together, Jason discovers he was an assassin who was shot while
trying to kill an African dictator.
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 ACT THREE: STUMBLING INTO THE CENTRAL CONFLICT

The character stumbles into the Central Conflict and faces

Intentional Opposition in pursuit of a False Goal. But when there is
a grave Turn of events, he has a Moment of Truth.

Act Start Time: 57 minutes (51.3%)

Bourne faces off with the full might of Treadstone (the central conflict),
who are willing to burn him (intentional opposition) to prevent him from
exposing their operations (false goal). But when Bourne is framed for
the murder of Wombosi (the turn), he discovers he is an assassin and
resolves to take Marie somewhere she will be safe (the moment of
truth).

The Central Conflict: Bourne vs. his Treadstone past as an assassin.

False Goal: Figure out who’s after them together.

Intentional Opposition: Treadstone kills Wombosi and frames Bourne

for the murder.

Turning Point Catalyst Three – The Turn: 66 minutes (59.4%) –

Abbot confronts Conklin with the news Wombosi was killed. Conklin
lies that it was Bourne and that he will come back in now. Bourne
continues his investigation, making phone calls from a payphone well
into the night.

When Bourne goes to the office of Alliance Securite Maritime, everyone

recognizes him as John Michael Kane. They inquire if he’s still
interested in purchasing the same yacht as before. Bourne tells Marie
he is both Bourne and Kane. She informs him Kane is dead and she
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 found his body at the morgue.

Bourne and Marie go to the morgue. Bourne pays off the coroner to see
the body, but it’s gone. He learns someone took it and gets the name
from the registry. Bourne sees Wombosi’s name on the list and
recognizes it from the Alliance Securite brochure. They go to his house
only to find he has been murdered and the police are there in droves.

Turning Point Three – The Moment of Truth: 73 minutes (65.7%) –

Bourne gets a newspaper that tells him three weeks ago someone tried
to assassinate Wombosi on his yacht but was chased off and shot two
times in the back. Bourne realizes he is an assassin.

He and Marie are reflective as they ride in a cab to their hotel. They
stop before they get to the hotel because it is surrounded by police.
The professor is there scanning for Bourne. Bourne breaks into a car
window and discovers they have been setup. She tries to run away now
that she knows what he is. He tells her he will take her wherever she
wants to go, and she’ll never have to see him again, but if they stay in
Paris they will die.

Act Run Time: 21 minutes (18.9%)

ACT FOUR: IMPLEMENTING A DOOMED PLAN

The character implements a Doomed Plan and faces Self-Inflicted

Opposition in pursuit of a Penultimate Goal. But when an
unthinkable Lowpoint occurs, he pulls himself together and
discovers a Newfound Resolve.

Act Start Time: 78 minutes (70.2%)

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 Bourne takes Marie to her friend’s remote cabin (the doomed plan)
walking into a trap laid by Treadstone (self-inflicted opposition) as he
attempts to separate himself from Marie to keep her safe (penultimate
goal). But when Bourne finds out he was a member of the same forces
that are trying to kill him, he parts ways with Marie (the lowpoint) and
hatches a plan to track down the people who want him dead (the
newfound resolve).

The Doomed Plan: Bourne attempts to leave Marie at her friend

Eamon’s cabin, unaware that Treadstone has targeted it as a likely
hideout for the two of them.

Penultimate Goal: Take Marie to Eamon’s where she will be safe.

Self-Inflicted Opposition: Bourne walks into a Treadstone trap

because he underestimates their knowledge and resources.

Turning Point Catalyst Four – The Lowpoint: 84 minutes (75.6): The

next day, Bourne and Marie plan to leave but learn that Eamon’s dog is
missing. Bourne tells him they are all in danger and to get his kids in the
basement. He apologizes to Eamon who reluctantly complies. Marie
discovers the landline for the phone is dead. Bourne finds and loads up
a shotgun, telling her he won’t let anything happen to the kids. He uses
it to blow up a propane tank and create a distraction to flank the
Professor. He tracks the Professor to a clearing and gets the drop on
him. Bourne attempts to interrogate the dying Professor, who tells him
they are both Treadstone agents before succumbing to his injuries.
Bourne gives Marie all of the money except for 30 grand and sends her
away with Eamon. When Marie asks Bourne what he’s going to do, he
tells her he’s going to end it.
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 Turning Point Four – The Newfound Resolve: 91 minutes (81.9%) –
Bourne goes through the Professor’s things and finds a cellphone. He
calls the last number and Conklin answers. He asks what Jason is into
now. Bourne lies to Conklin that he killed Marie because she was
slowing him down. He gives Conklin a rendezvous point. Conklin tells
Abbot that they will kill Bourne.

Act Run Time: 17 minutes (15.3%)

DRAMATIC PHASE THREE: RESOLUTION

The character and the forces of antagonism engage in a final

confrontation to resolve the Central Conflict. The main throughline and
all additional subplots are resolved. The new status quo is established.

Using the information he obtained from the Professor, Bourne resolves

to take the fight to Treadstone and end the conflict once and for all.
Conklin is assassinated and Abbot testifies in a Senate hearing that
Treadstone has been dissolved. Bourne tracks Marie to her beachside
hiding place and the two are reunited having escaped their pursuers.

ACT FIVE: TRYING A LONGSHOT

The character tries a Longshot and faces Ultimate Opposition

while trying to accomplish the Ultimate Goal. But just when it
seems All is Lost, he makes a Final Push against the forces of
antagonism and either succeeds or fails.

Act Start Time: 95 minutes (85.5%)

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 Bourne attempts to outsmart the people who trained him (the longshot)
who now utilize all their resources against him (ultimate opposition) as
he tries to figure out who they are and what he did for them (ultimate
goal). But when Bourne recalls who he was and why he doesn’t want to
be an assassin anymore (all is lost) he tells Conklin he is out of the
game and escapes, while Conklin is assassinated by his own operatives
(the final push).

The Longshot: The lone Bourne goes up against a government agency

with seemingly endless resources.

Ultimate Goal: Figure out what Treadstone is and what he did for
them.

Ultimate Opposition: Bourne must contend with the memory of who

he is and what he has done.

Turning Point Catalyst Five – All is Lost: 98 minutes (88.8%) –

Bourne tracks Treadstone to the room they’re trying to wipe. He sets
off a series of car alarms outside the building to create a distraction
while he climbs up the side of the building. Conklin realizes it’s Bourne
making his move. Bourne gets the drop on him and tries to ask about
Treadstone, but Conklin goes on the offensive, asking Bourne about his
failed mission. It’s revealed that Bourne set up the hit on Wombosi
himself. Bourne remembers that he had the opportunity to kill
Wombosi, but he was laying on the couch with his kids and he wasn’t
able to pull the trigger. He made an attempt to escape but was shot by
Wombosi’s security.

Turning Point Five – The Final Push: 104 minutes (93.6%) – He tells
Conklin that he doesn’t want to be an assassin anymore. He tells
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 Conklin to tell his superiors Jason Bourne is dead. Conklin’s men break
in and attempt to kill Bourne but he kills them instead. Conklin regains
consciousness and tries to go after Bourne. Another one of the
Treadstone assassins appears to have been sent to kill Bourne but is
revealed to have been given instructions to kill Conklin by Abbot who is
now running the show.

Act Run Time: 14 minutes (12.6%)

ACT SIX: LIVING IN A NEW SITUATION

Having accomplished (or failed to have accomplished) the

Ultimate Goal, the character is shown living in a New Situation.

Act Start Time: 109 minutes (98.1%)

Bourne reunites with Marie in a remote location and the two appear to
have escaped their pasts and pursuers (the new situation).

The New Situation: 109 minutes (98.1%): Bourne walks into the sunset
so to speak. Abbot has a Senate hearing where he downplays the
existence of Treadstone and talks about a new program called Black-
Briar. Marie now runs a Vespa shop on a Greek island where Bourne
tracks her down and the two embrace.

Act Run Time: 2 minutes (1.8%)

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 To learn more about six act structure, purchase your copy of
“Actions and Goals: The Story Structure Secret” today!

Full cast and credits for The Bourne Identity at IMDB

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