Script Analysis: “Promising Young Woman” — Scene-By-Scene Breakdown

Here is my take on this exercise from a previous series of posts — How To Read A Screenplay:

After a first pass, it’s time to crack open the script for a deeper analysis and you can do that by creating a scene-by-scene breakdown. It is precisely what it sounds like: A list of all the scenes in the script accompanied by a brief description of the events that transpire.

For purposes of this exercise, I have a slightly different take on scene. Here I am looking not just for individual scenes per se, but a scene or set of scenes that comprise one event or a continuous piece of action. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes.

The value of this exercise:

• We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes.
• By doing this, we consciously explore the structure of the narrative.
• A scene-by-scene breakdown creates a foundation for even deeper analysis of the story.

Today: Promising Young Woman (2020). You may download the script here.

Screenplay written and directed by Emerald Fennell.

Plot summary: A young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path.

Promising Young Woman
Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
By Litty Williams
GoIntoTheStory.com

P. 1–4 Nightclub — a group of men complaining about their female boss are disgusted by a very drunk Cassie slumped in nightclub — they see her as ‘a hot fucking mess’ who’s asking for it. Nice guy Jezz tries to defend her against their judgement and goes over to see if she’s ok

P. 4–11 Jezz offers to drop a very drunk and incapable Cassie home. In the cab he changes his mind and brings her to his flat. The driver sees she’s drunk but does nothing. Jezz gives her more alcohol and starts to kiss her and take her clothes off without even pretending to ask for consent. Stone cold sober, Cassie sits up and asks ‘What are you doing?’ and stops him in his tracks — he’s terrified.

P. 11 Titles / Music (“Lovesick” by Lindstrom and Christabelle) plays while Cassie stares down construction workers who cat-call her early morning ‘walk of shame’ home.

P. 11–18 Next morning, Cassie is at home with her worried parents, Susan and Stanley, who don’t know how to talk with her about her getting home late. She fobs them off with lies. Cassie goes to work at “Make Me” coffee shop, and her concerned boss Gail challenges Cassie on her life-style and lack of achievement.

Cassie sees older guys perving over and intimidating a young teenage girl customer and offers to ‘freak them out’. Girl is embarrassed and just wants to leave. Cassie — oops! — knocks hot coffee into the creep’s lap. Girl smiles at Cassie.

P. 18–19 Late at night, dressed like young girl from earlier, and clearly after another nightclub encounter during which she’s been bruised — Cassie takes a book from under her bed and adds a man’s name to a long list of men’s names.

P. 19–21 At the coffee shop customer Ryan recognises Cassie from Forrest Med School. He asks why she left and why working here. Cassie pushes back at his implied judgement of the ‘shitty coffee shop’. Ryan deals with this with grace. Says she can spit in his coffee. She spits in his coffee and hands it to him. He asks her out then drinks the coffee.

P. 21–21 Cassie is in her bedroom doing make-up for a night out — the perfect Blow Job Lips!

P. 21–29 Glassy-eyed Cassie is in Neil’s apartment. Music — Iglesias’ ‘Hero’. Narcissistic Neil drones on about himself and makes her do a line of coke. Says he wants to see the real her under all her make-up. Neil is totally unaware of her hidden anger. She asks for a cab home but he starts kissing her. She drops the act and scares the crap out Neil. Gets him to admit he thought she was drunk. He says, ‘I’m a nice guy,’ and ‘I thought we had a connection.’ Cassie calls him out and verbally rips him apart. He crumbles and admits to being an arsehole, but still doesn’t get it. He asks; ‘Are you saying I’m some kind of predator?’

P. 30–30 In her bedroom, Cassie adds the name Neil to her notebook list and says ‘Night, Nina’ to a photo of two young girls hugging each other.

P. 30–32 Next morning Cassie’s parents give her a suitcase as a birthday present — but Cassie has forgotten it’s her 30th birthday. Her Mom asks. ‘What sort of person forgets their 30th birthday?’ then bemoans Cassie still living at home. Cassie deflects her mom’s concern with humour. Mom says she doesn’t know what happened… — then there’s a beat. They all know what happened.

P. 33–35 In the coffee shop Cassie tells Gail of the suitcase — a hint to leave home. Gail encourages Cassie to leave home and get a better life. Cassie says she could put on a floral dress and find a boyfriend, but she doesn’t want house and kids etc. Gail asks ‘But you must want something?’

P. 35–36 Ryan arrives in the coffee shop and wittily challenges Cassie on giving him the wrong phone number. Cassie says doesn’t want to date and offers friendship. Ryan suggests a no pressure lunch date.

P. 37–40 At home Cassie is getting dressed up for lunch in a floral dress. Her dad compliments her and she gets shy. Her parents can barely dare to hope.

Cassie and Ryan get on well at lunch — both enjoying Ryan’s med school stories, then Ryan asks why she left med school — she was brilliant! Cassie resists answering and Ryan senses he’s crossed a line. He tells more med school jokes before they go to the movie theatre.

P. 40–42 After the movie, Cassie and Ryan are joking together in the street when Ryan says they are at his apartment and asks her up for a drink and for him to clumsily try to seduce her. Cassie coldly says ‘Sure.’ Ryan realises he’s misread the situation and offers to drive Cassie home. Ryan is confused about their relationship and her reaction. Cassie says ‘It’s not you,’ and is frustrated with herself as she walks away.

p. 42–43 It’s morning and Cassie is at home with her parents who ask about her time with her friend. Cassie is evasive, and we see she has a night club stamp on her hand and a significant bruise on her wrist.

P. 43–43 At the coffee shop Cassie is worrying she’s made a mistake with Ryan. Gail tells of her first date with her partner — she made him laugh so hard that he farted — which she found hilarious. Cassie: ‘That is so romantic.’

P. 44–46 Cassie goes to Bathory Hospital to find Ryan. They meet in the waiting room, and do med school type banter that offends people in the waiting room. Digging deep, Cassie admits she’s not good at ‘this stuff’ and says she’d like to see Ryan again. They go to dinner and Cassie can’t stop smiling.

P. 46–46 In the coffee shop Gail realises Cassie is happy and asks if she’s seeing that guy. Cassie feigns outrage but is delighted.

P. 46–49 It’s evening in the coffee shop and Cassie is locking up. Gail scrutinises and teases Ryan — which he takes in good part. She calls them ‘lovebirds’ and teases them.

Ryan asks if Cassie is still friends from anyone from Forrest. Cassie says no and denies remembering Madison McPhee. She covers her shock when he says that Al Monroe is marrying a model.

P. 49–50 Later in her bedroom, a tense Cassie tries to calm herself by reciting the tally of men in her notebook. It doesn’t work and she does an internet search of Madison and Al Monroe — both living a middle-class dream life. She makes notes about them from their FB pages. Cassie starts planning in her notebook. She private messages Madison.

p. 50–60 ‘Dressed for success’ Cassie arrives at a posh restaurant and arranges that she is secretly drinking ginger beer while Madison drinks champagne. Surface sweet but nasty at heart, Madison trades ‘compliments’ with Cassie. Madison asks ‘What are we drinking to?’ Cassie answers, ‘To old friends.’ Madison gets drunker and drunker, and Cassie says she wants to talk about why she dropped out. Madison is evasive and uncomfortable.

Cassie asks ‘If a friend … told you that they thought something bad had happened to them the night before…What would you say?’

Madison says if you sleep around and then say something bad happened — it’s crying wolf…If you get that drunk thing’s happen… Don’t get blackout hammered every night and then expect people to be on your side when you have sex with someone you didn’t want to!’

Cassie replies, ‘That’s a shame … For your sake. I really was hoping you’d feel differently by now.’ She leaves the incapable Madison and hands Tony — a well-dressed man who’d been sitting at the bar — a room key and an envelope. Tony is disturbed as he watches her go.

P. 60–60 At the coffee shop Cassie has 13 missed calls from Madison. Distressed, Madison says she woke up in a hotel room and thinks something might have happened. Cassie crosses the name Madison out in her notebook. The next name in her notebook is Walker.

P. 60–64 Dressed young and unthreatening, Cassie tricks 15-year old Amber into her car by pretending to be a make-up artist for Amber’s favourite boy band. She tricks Amber into handing over her phone.

p 64–74 At Forrest University Cassie tells Dean Walker that she wishes to resume her studies after leaving in difficult circumstances. Cassie tells of Nina making a complaint about Al Monroe — that he had sex with her in front of his friends when she was drunk. Dean Walker doesn’t remember Nina Fisher — but remembers Al Monroe — nice guy. The Dean says they get lots of accusations like this — after a girl has been drinking. Cassie — ‘So she shouldn’t have been drunk?’. Dean says the college warns girls and teaches them about ‘self-respect’. Cassie — ‘So it was her fault?’ The Dean says she has to give the boys the benefit of the doubt. Accusations like this ruin lives.

Cassie tells her that her daughter Amber is in a dorm room with some boys who have vodka. Dean freaks out and calls Amber’s phone — which rings in Cassie’s pocket. Dean asks ‘Are you crazy?’ and goes over the edge with worry trying to find Amber. ‘JUST FUCKING TELL ME.’ Then switches tack and tells Cassie she’s right about how boys behave — and she means it.

Cassie tells her that Amber is safe. Dean Walker shivers in shock. Cassie says that there’s a girl outside the Dean’s office and she hopes the Dean will listen if she is there about something serious.

P. 74–75 Cassie is in her car — in almost a fugue state. Pick-up truck George yells at her for blocking the road, so she grabs a wheel lock and matter-of-factly smashes his lights. George calls her a ‘crazy fucking bitch’ which makes Cassie even angrier. After he leaves she is shocked by what just happened.

P. 75–77 Ryan is waiting for Cassie at her house — she has forgotten they had plans to see a movie. Cassie can’t cope with him and says can’t see him that evening. Ryan is hurt — and a little annoyed as he leaves.

P. 77–79 In the kitchen Cassie’s mom, Susan, asks about Ryan then opens the topic of Nina — even though Cassie pleads her not to do it at that moment. Susan says they never talked about it before because Cassie was so angry — it has taken over everything. Crying, she says she just wants Cassie to feel better. Cassie says ‘Nothing makes me feel better.’

P. 79–84 At a nightclub Cassie is vibrating with anger and playing drunk. Paul offers her a drink, then tries to take her to his home even though she can hardly stand. Ryan sees her — and is disgusted with her and Paul. Ryan reproaches her and leaves. She tells Paul to fuck off and he calls her the psycho that went home with Jez. Paul patronises her — calls her crazy and not that hot. Cassie turns that back on him — implying he can’t get a sober woman. She tells Paul there are other girls like her — who really are crazy and carry scissors. Paul is scared and upset, asking ‘Why do you all have to ruin everything?’ before he runs off.

P. 84–90 Next morning Cassie is in her bedroom looking at her notebook. ‘She’s starting to look and feel a little scary.’ She selects and new name from her book, Jordan Green, and rings his office — to be told he is on sabbatical.

Cassie goes to Jordan’s house — he’s been expecting her. His life and house are a mess. Cassie says she wants to talk about something that happened 8 years ago, and is shocked when he says he remembers bullying Nina into dropping charges. After that he had an ‘epiphany’ / ‘psychotic episode’ so stopped working. He tells how he and other lawyers would destroy girls’ reputations and get a bonus for every charge dropped, and says he can’t sleep and she has to help him. He says ‘I’ll never forgive myself.’ Cassie experiences — pity, scorn and relief as she says, ‘I forgive you.’ She leaves the house and calls off Simon, the guy she had set up to execute her revenge on Jordan.

P. 90–92 Cassie goes to Nina’s house and reminisces about Nina with her mom — who mentions ‘that stupid necklace’ the girls gave each other. Distressed Nina’s mom tells Cassie to move on for all their sakes. Cassie knows Mrs Fisher is right: ‘this is over.’

P. 92–94 Cassie goes to Ryan’s apartment to apologize and explain. They are witty together again — but Ryan is reluctant and doesn’t know if they can try again. He asks ‘Are you ok?’ Cassie says she doesn’t know and leaves.

P. 94–94 In her bedroom Cassie looks at Al Monroe’s bachelor party FB page and Ryan’s message saying he can’t make it. She rips Al Monroe’s page out of her notebook — and throws it away. ‘Enough.’

P. 95–96 Ryan comes to coffee shop and asks Cassie to dinner. She smiles, says ‘Yeah’ and they kiss. It’s wonderful.

P. 96–97 At the pharmacy Cassie and Ryan lip synch to Paris Hilton’s ‘Stars are Blind’ as people look on. Then — still to Paris Hilton — there’s a montage of Cassie and Ryan watching movies in bed, Ryan watching her eat, them kissing in the coffee shop, and Gail happy to see them so happy. Ryan says he loves that song. Cassie says it’s a masterpiece.

P. 97–101 Cassie introduces Ryan to her parents at dinner in her home. Lots of joking and laughing — and they all get on. Later Cassie’s parents say he’s very nice — Cassie is uncomfortable with the emotion. Her dad thanks her for introducing Ryan to them — he knows it must have been hard. He and her mom are both so glad. Stanley is emotional — ‘We missed her but we missed you too.’ Cassie realises how hard the years have been for her parents.

P. 101–102 In Ryan’s bedroom he tells her he loves her. She pretends to be angry then says she thinks she loves him too. Ryan wants to celebrate but she wants him to be ‘cool’. They kiss.

P. 102–106 Madison ambushes Cassie at her house. Cassie had forgotten about her. Madison has been a mess for weeks. Cassie tells her nothing happened with the guy she woke up with. Madison cries with relief and says she needs to show Cassie something.

Inside Cassie’s house Madison says that after waking up with that guy she remembered there was a video of Nina and gives Cassie her old Blackberry. ‘Numb with shame,’ Madison says she doesn’t know how she could ever have thought it was funny. ‘Cassie is numb. Everything is falling down around her.’

P. 106–106 Cassie plays the tape which horrifies her. The audience never sees the tape — only Cassie’s face. Then she hears Ryan’s drunk voice ‘Don’t film me.’ Then he laughs. Cassie is in ‘complete earth-shattering shock’.

P. 106–111 Cassie interrupts Ryan at work and — heartbroken — shows him the video. He says he doesn’t remember — then gives the excuse: ‘We were kids’. At this Cassie threatens to send the video to everyone in his address book unless he tells her where Al Monroe’s bachelor party is taking place — and to not tell anyone what he’s done. Ryan argues, pleads, is tearful but gives her the address. He says: ‘You don’t think I’m a bad person, now, do you? I love you. Tell me you forgive me.’ Cassie says ‘No.’

Then a new horror dawns on Ryan: ‘Are you going to tell everyone?’ He can’t live with that hanging over him. Cassie laughs. She smiles and leaves him reeling.

P. 111–111 At home Cassie tells her mom she’s going away for the weekend on a coffee symposium. She tells her mom that she loves her. Mom is taken aback — but Cassie disappears before she can say anything.

P. 112–113 In her car in a dirt road Cassie puts on stripper nurse costume. She approaches a cabin house, rings the bell and drunk Joe answers the door — and welcomes her. Cheering erupts from within the testosterone-laden cabin.

P. 113–117 Cassie acts the stripper in the run-down cabin, and feeds alcohol to kneeling, excited, ‘naughty boy’ drunk guys. Al tries to resist — his fiancée will go mad — but then gets into it. As Cassie strips the camera focuses only on cheering and jeering ‘bros’ — it’s frightening, animal: violence and desire are in the air. Cassie persuades Al to go upstairs.

P. 117–128 In the bedroom, reluctant Al allows himself to be handcuffed to bed. She says her name is Nina Fisher and Al, struggling, wants out of the cuffs. Says ‘You’re not Nina Fisher because she’s dead’. He shouts for help but Cassie reveals she drugged the guys — she learned at Forrest how easy it is to slip something into a drink.

P. 121 Al offers her money but Cassie says, ‘I want you to tell me what you did.’ He says ‘I didn’t do anything. We were kids.’ Cassie is ‘really, really angry at this. It’s all coming apart now.’

P. 123 Al says, ‘Look, maybe she regretted it after, but –‘ and then ‘We did not…rape her.’ It is clearly difficult for him to say the ‘rape’ word. He claims that Nina was into it. Cassie says it doesn’t look like that in the video. Panicking and tearful, Al offers to give her anything. Cassie orders him to tell what he did. He maintains he didn’t do anything wrong. Cassie tells him about Nina and her dropping out.

P. 125 Al says he was affected too — getting accused like that. Cassie opens her nurse’s bag to reveal medical instruments. Al says ‘You’re out of your fucking mind.’ She shows him half of a BFF necklace that says ‘Nina’ and prepares to use a scalpel on him while doing a long monologue about how special Nina was — until him. Now she’s going to put Nina’s name all over him. Al says, ‘You’re insane.’ Cassie says, ‘You know what? I honestly don’t think I am.’

P. 127 Al breaks free from one cuff and starts choking her. He says, ‘You asked for this… this is your fault.’ They fight and unable to look at her, smothers her with a pillow, sobbing and kneeling on top of her until eventually she goes limp. He is suspicious — but she’s dead.

P. 128–132 In the morning Al is still locked to the bed by one cuff when Joe barges in. ‘SHIT’ Joe says when he realises the ‘nurse’ is dead. Al starts to blubber, and Joe says, ‘Hey, man. This is not your fault, ok?’ Al starts to say that it seems like it is but is persuaded — easily — by Joe that it was an accident and that no-one will ever know. Joe outlines a plan to hide the body and a story about the nurse leaving. Joe repeats, ‘This is not your fault.’

P. 132–132 With ironic music playing ‘Something Wonderful’ from The King and I — Joe holds a crying Al as he throws Cassie’s blue wig onto a bonfire in the woods. ‘Al can’t look. He’s too sad.’ Joe callously nudges Cassie’s hand back into the fire with his foot. He gently leads poor Al away.

P. 132–133 Kindly police interview the terrified Susan and Stanley about Cassie’s disappearance. They say she had been getting better. Stanley reassures Susan that Cassie will come back — but he doesn’t believe it.

P. 133–137 Police interview Ryan at the hospital — they are impressed by him being a doctor. Reeling at news of Cassie’s disappearance, Ryan realises he could be compromised if he’s honest as the police might find the video. So, Ryan lies and agrees that she said she was going on a ‘work trip’. He agrees that she was mentally unstable — and that she might have wanted to hurt herself. This absolves him — he can believe he’s the good guy again. The cops leave and Ryan realises he’s gotten away with it — but it doesn’t feel good.

P. 137–138 Al’s perfect wedding is taking place on a lawn in an “artisan” woodland setting. with Joe as best man and everyone laughing — except for Ryan to one side. Joe makes crude remarks about one of the bridesmaids.

Ryan gets a text that a scheduled message from Cassie is pending. Music ‘No Regrets’ begins to play.

P. 138–138 Montage of; Cassie package to Jordan with letter ‘In the event of my disappearance …’; ‘Cassie’ half of BFF necklace to Gail; police finding bonfire ashes and ‘Nina’ half of BFF necklace in the woods.

P. 139 Cut back to wedding scene. Ryan opens text: ‘Lucky I got insurance.’ Police cars break up the wedding — confusion, tears. Crying Al in handcuffs. Joe slips away. Guests are horrified.

Final scene: Ryan opens new text from Cassie: ‘Enjoy the wedding! 😉’

Writing Exercise: I encourage you to read the script, but short of that, if you’ve seen the movie, go through this scene-by-scene breakdown. What stands out to you about it from a structural standpoint?

To download a PDF of the breakdown , go here.

Kudos to Litty Williams for doing the scene-by-scene breakdown.

For more movie scene-by-scene breakdowns, go here.