Role Models - Plot Point Breakdown

I didn't think much of Role Models (2008) when I first saw it, but after revisiting the film a couple of weeks ago, it's got some good laughs, decent if obvious character development, and Elizabeth Banks. Paul Rudd's endlessly watchable and he's offset nicely by Sean William Scott who, when his crude humour and brash delivery are utilised well, as they are here, is a very effective comedic actor.

Inciting Incident - Danny (Paul Rudd's) and Wheeler (Sean William Scott) are two energy drink salesmen who go from school to school promoting Minotaur and encouraging kids to stay off drugs. Danny hates the job and soon his dissatisfaction and constant pessimism gets him dumped by his hot lawyer girlfriend Beth (Elizabeth Banks).

Lock In - When his relationship collapses Danny gets depressed and self-destructive, culminating in him crashing the Minotaur company car into a statue in front of a school. To avoid going to jail Danny and Wheeler have to do 150 hours of community service supporting troublesome or disenfranchised kids on the big-brother style Sturdy Wings program. Danny's paired with Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a reclusive nerd who loves a medieval LARP game called LAIRE, and Wheeler's paired with Ronnie (Bobb'e J Thompson), a foul mouthed streetwise black kid.

Midpoint - Augie kills the arrogant King of LAIRE, Argotron (Ken Jeong) but the King denies it. Danny supports Augie and ends up getting into a fight with the King which results in both him and Augie being disqualified from the game forever. Meanwhile Wheeler takes Ronnie to a party but leaves him unsupervised and Ronnie has to walk home on his own.

Climax - Both Danny and Wheeler are kicked off the Sturdy Wings program meaning they can't complete their community service and therefore face serious jail time and shower rape. As a result the two have an argument, break friends and go their separate ways.

Resolution - Danny convinces King Argotron to allow him and Augie to fight in the much-anticipated Battle Royale. Augie kills the King but then Augie's secret crush Esplin kills Augie, becoming Queen. Danny and Wheeler miss their court hearing because they were busy playing LAIRE but don't go to jail because the Sturdy Wings owner Gayle (Jane Lynch) knows the judge and is impressed when she sees Danny and Wheeler really do care for the kids. Paul reunites with girlfriend Beth after serenading her with the KISS song 'Beth'.