The Sting poster

The Sting

1973129 minutesPG
5.6
Arcplot Score
📝 Unconventional
Unverified
⭐ 8.2IMDb
🍅 93%Rotten Tomatoes
Ⓜ️ 83/100Metacritic
🎬 8.0TMDb
📊 4.8Popularity
🏆Won 7 Oscars. 18 wins & 6 nominations total
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
Directed by: George Roy Hill
Johnny Hooker, a small time grifter, unknowingly steals from Doyle Lonnegan, a big time crime boss, when he pulls a standard street con. Lonnegan demands satisfaction for the insult. After his partner, Luther, is killed, Hooker flees, and seeks the help of Henry Gondorff, one of Luther's contacts, who is a master of the long con. Hooker wants to use Gondorff's expertise to take Lonnegan for an enormous sum of money to even the score, since he admits he "doesn't know enough about killing to kill him." They devise a complicated scheme and amass a talented group of other con artists who want their share of the reparations. The stakes are high in this game, and our heroes must not only deal with Lonnegan's murderous tendencies, but also other side players who want a piece of the action. To win, Hooker and Gondorff will need all their skills...and a fair amount of confidence.

Box Office

Budget:$5.5M
Revenue:$159.6M
Profit:$154.1M

Arcplot Score Breakdown

Beat Timing Precision3.2/10
Emotional Arc Impact5.5/10
Thematic Consistency8/10
Overall Score5.6/10

Beat Sheet

15 plot points

The Sting Arcplot
1
Opening Image
1 min
2
Theme Stated
10 min
3
Set-Up
20 min
4
Catalyst
35 min
5
Debate
50 min
6
Break Into Two
65 min
7
B Story
70 min
8
Fun and Games
85 min
9
Midpoint
100 min
10
Bad Guys Close In
110 min
11
All Is Lost
115 min
12
Dark Night of the Soul
120 min
13
Break Into Three
123 min
14
Finale
127 min
15
Final Image
129 min

Emotional Arc

+100-10

Plot Points

#1

Opening Image

1 min

Chicago 1936. Johnny Hooker hustling small-time cons. Quick cuts, playful tone, hints at larger con world. Introduces scammer charm.

#2

Theme Stated

10 min

Henry Gondorff: "The only thing you can trust is yourself." Theme: deception, revenge, loyalty.

#3

Set-Up

20 min

Johnny Hooker meets Doyle Lonnegan by accident. His partner murdered. Hooker decides to seek revenge. Introduces con mechanics, plans forming, trust issues.

#4

Catalyst

35 min

Gondorff recruited. Partners unite. Hooker wants revenge. Stakes: Lonnegan’s power vs. their skill. Stakes personal and financial.

#5

Debate

50 min

Should they go for big con now or prep more? Risks high. Hooker inexperienced, Gondorff cautious. Tension between ambition and safety.

#6

Break Into Two

65 min

Plan finalized. Big con underway. False confidence, disguises, fake betting parlor. Entering larger, dangerous game.

#7

B Story

70 min

Hooker and Gondorff bond. Mentorship. Learning trust, patience, and cleverness. Human side amidst con.

#8

Fun and Games

85 min

Con in action. Switching identities, fake wire, betting parlors. Audience enjoys clever tricks. Comedy and suspense intertwined.

#9

Midpoint

100 min

Lonnegan starts suspecting. Tension escalates. False defeat looming. Stakes maximum.

#10

Bad Guys Close In

110 min

Lonnegan closes in. Threats increase. Con threatened. Hooker’s mistakes almost expose plan. Anxiety peaks.

#11

All Is Lost

115 min

Lonnegan discovers inconsistencies. Con seems blown. Hooker worried. Everything at risk.

#12

Dark Night of the Soul

120 min

Gondorff and Hooker regroup. Reflect on stakes. Doubt. Almost despair. Will they succeed?

#13

Break Into Three

123 min

Final execution of the ultimate con. Lonnegan misled. Layered deception revealed. Hooker and Gondorff confident.

#14

Finale

127 min

Con succeeds. Lonnegan duped. Justice and revenge complete. Heroes victorious. Humor and satisfaction.

#15

Final Image

129 min

Hooker and Gondorff walk away. Streets of Chicago. Smiles, camaraderie. Lesson learned: skill, cleverness, and trust win. Con world mastery displayed. Complete.