Action Film Analysis (One For The Money)

The film I have chosen to analyse is ‘One for the money’ a comedy released in 2012 directed by Julie Anne Robinson. The narrative focuses on one of the theories which is Vladimir Propp’s theory about the different characters in a film such as the hero in this film would be Katherine Heigl as the protagonist who tries to resolve the problem, the villain as John Leguizamo who struggles against the hero who usually captures the princess for the hero to save, the donor as Patrick Fischier who prepares the hero such as giving them instructions. Although the hero is this film is a female she is somehow captured by the villain but saved by the magical helper who helps the actual hero in their quest for insistence in this film that would be Joe Morelli played by Jason O’Mara. Propp’s theory is linked to Levi-Strauss theory too as his theory is about the binary oppositional in a film which links to the film as all the characters have a role. So for an example of Levi-Strauss theory would be the hero and the villain in the film.

Stephanie who is played by Katherine Heigl has lost her job and out of cash therefore turns to her cousin in desperation for a job at his Bail bonds. Stephanie wants to catch the highest stakes bail jumper called Joe Morelli who is played by Jason O’Mara who has escaped from jail for murder, moreover to have seduced and dump Stephanie when they were in high school. She practices to be a bounty hunter to catch Morelli and eventually catches him however realises the case against him doesn’t add up but a spark between them start to appear as they work together to catch the villain.

The film clearly begins with the Todorovs theory as he believes in the equilibrium, disequilibrium and the new equilibrium theories. The beginning starts off with a clam atmosphere, introducing the characters which are the equilibrium of the film, but in the middle of the film the disequilibrium theory is introduced by the hero revealing the villain, or action which disturbs the hero such as destroying Stefanie’s car in the film by the villain. Hence the disequilibrium the conflict between the hero and villain increase causing the new equilibrium to start were the hero and villain comes to terms to sort out the problem, moreover for this film Stefanie confronts the villain Jimmy that he is the murder however attacks her however her come back after all the bounty hunting training she has overcome her nemesis and wins the battle making her the hero and revealing Morelli is innocent.

Lastly the theory of Barthes is enigma codes which are scenes in the film to grab the audience’s attention to make them think or left guessing for what happens next, it allows the audience to ask questions to them to guess what could happen next in the film. Enigma code is used in the film ‘One for the money’ when Stefanie tries to resolve the murder as Morelli wasn’t the suspect this made the audience think who could be the murderer making them think who is the villain. This theory keeps the audience amused, attracted and focused on the film as they would like to find out what happens next.