Story Type: Buddy Picture
In Hollywood movie circles, there are genres like Horror or Science Fiction, cross genres like Action-Thriller or Drama-Comedy, and…
In Hollywood movie circles, there are genres like Horror or Science Fiction, cross genres like Action-Thriller or Drama-Comedy, and sub-genres like Romantic Comedy or Mystery Thriller.
Then there are story types, a shorthand way to describe a specific narrative conceit that is almost always tied directly to the movie’s central concept. They can be found in any genre, cross genre, or sub-genre.
Knowledge about and awareness of these story types can be a boost not only to your understanding of film history and movie trends, but also as fodder for brainstorming new story concepts. Mix and match them. Invert them. Gender bend them. Genre bend them. Geo bend them.
Story types exist for a reason: Because they work.
Today: Buddy Picture.
The key to a buddy picture: Think yin and yang. The idea here is to pair two characters with opposite (or nearly opposite) personalities, immerse them in a plot, and watch the hijinks and mayhem ensue. There are several different variations on this set-up including:
The classic buddy picture where two different “worlds” collide (The Odd Couple, Silver Streak, Rush Hour, Twins, Lethal Weapon, 48 Hrs.).
You may have one character who is the Protagonist, typically starting out uptight and passive, while the other is a Trickster who “loosens” up the Protagonist so that they discover their real Self (Harold and Maude, Zorba the Greek). Or Co-Protagonists who both transform (Night Shift, Midnight Run, Analyze This, Planes, Trains and Automobiles).
Another approach is to make the two characters more similar (Dumb & Dumber, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Blue Brothers, Some Like It Hot), them against the world.
Yet another variation on the same theme are stories where the two characters seem opposite, but actually turn out to have much more in common than they believed at the beginning — for example, K-9.
Of course, not all buddy pictures are comedies. Examples of more dramatic fare include The Defiant Ones, Easy Rider, Rain Man, All the President’s Men, The Shawshank Redemption, All the President’s Men, and Thelma & Louise.
By the way, notice how many buddy picture titles include the conjunction “and” or “&”. That goes right to the heart of the story type, this character paired with that character.
Why is this story type so popular?
(1) The collision of two personalities and world views ensures there will be conflict throughout the story, which is a necessary ingredient to make sparks fly.
(2) The concept also ensures that there will be a discernable transformation storyline.
(3) Studios like buddy pictures because they can pair two stars and get a bigger share of the market by drawing both stars’ fans; or two B-list stars and achieve A-list box office results.
(4) Finally, pairing two distinct and distinctive personalities makes it much easier for studios to market the movie.
In the end, two buddies can often function as one couple, their point of Unity made manifest in some sort of Final Struggle, joining together their unique talents as one force to accomplish a goal.
For kicks, why not try Vulture’s Buddy-Movie Generator.
For more Story Type articles, go here.