Very fast read, even at ~115 pages. I enjoyed it a lot. Interesting structure. Spoilers below.
2-9: Introduction to all major characters, including Eric, his girlfriend, and Hanssen.
10: Inciting incident. Receives assignment to investigate Hanssen.
11-14: The rest of Act I. Very short act, but since our hero isn't exactly reluctant, there's little purpose in drawing the act out past the inciting incident. He's not going to disobey an order, etc.
15: This is where I peg the beginning of Act II. He's beginning his job investigating Hanssen. He has entered the new world fully and completely. There's no other clear Act I climax that I see.
45: The bomb drops. Midpoint. Hanssen isn't being pursued because of his sexual deviancy, but because he's a traitor. Damn good midpoint. Danger and suspense are instantly heightened. This guy has outsmarted the entire department. He's responsible for informants' deaths and the leaking of state secrets. He's smarter than you. Nicely executed twist, because it's not supposed to be a huge shocker twist (after all, we got into the movie knowing this is about a traitor, but we kind of forget by the midpoint).
46-89: A couple of nice sequences here. Very suspenseful as Eric uses Hanssen's religious convictions to succeed. PDA sequence (getting info off Hanssen's PDA) and car sweeping sequence (car search is cut short when Hanssen's meeting is cancelled).
You also get climax of love subplot here. Eric and his wife fight throughout Act II. She eventually finds Hanssen's weird sex tape, which marks the lowpoint of their subplot. The subplot here really isn't that exciting, but who cares. It conveys the theme and also helps the main story along.
90: Act II Climax. Hanssen is going to run. They won't be able to catch him / hold enough charges over his head to make him talk.
91-99: Beginning of Act III. Eric thinks he can convince Hanssen to still make the drop.
100: Act III Climax. Eric goes all-in with a huge monologue and insinuates that Hanssen isn't important. This is his Achilles' heel.
101-109: Wrapping up loose ends time. Hanssen makes the drop and is caught. Eric decides not to become an agent so that he can enjoy a closer relationship with his wife.
This script works because of suspense. There are lots of intercut sequences. Eric is looking at secret files, Hanssen is somewhere else. Eric keeps looking, OH SNAP, where's Hanssen? Eric tries to hide his tracks, HANSSEN's at the door! Eric is caught, there's no way to escape, so he makes up a brilliant excuse. This formula is used with different ingredients multiple times.
Hanssen's constant "tests" are also great. They portray him as a loose cannon. He randomly asks Eric personal questions, probing him, accusing him of lying, etc.
But anybody can write suspense. Why is this good suspense? I'm not sure. There's nothing particularly original in Eric's character. He's an ambitious young agent with a wife who likes Kinko's. Ok, not bad, but nothing special. This story shows just how important an interesting villain can be. Hanssen is crazy, twitchy, hypocritical, moral, perverted, loved, hated, etc.
Any other thoughts on this story? As you can probably tell, I liked it.
2-9: Introduction to all major characters, including Eric, his girlfriend, and Hanssen.
10: Inciting incident. Receives assignment to investigate Hanssen.
11-14: The rest of Act I. Very short act, but since our hero isn't exactly reluctant, there's little purpose in drawing the act out past the inciting incident. He's not going to disobey an order, etc.
15: This is where I peg the beginning of Act II. He's beginning his job investigating Hanssen. He has entered the new world fully and completely. There's no other clear Act I climax that I see.
45: The bomb drops. Midpoint. Hanssen isn't being pursued because of his sexual deviancy, but because he's a traitor. Damn good midpoint. Danger and suspense are instantly heightened. This guy has outsmarted the entire department. He's responsible for informants' deaths and the leaking of state secrets. He's smarter than you. Nicely executed twist, because it's not supposed to be a huge shocker twist (after all, we got into the movie knowing this is about a traitor, but we kind of forget by the midpoint).
46-89: A couple of nice sequences here. Very suspenseful as Eric uses Hanssen's religious convictions to succeed. PDA sequence (getting info off Hanssen's PDA) and car sweeping sequence (car search is cut short when Hanssen's meeting is cancelled).
You also get climax of love subplot here. Eric and his wife fight throughout Act II. She eventually finds Hanssen's weird sex tape, which marks the lowpoint of their subplot. The subplot here really isn't that exciting, but who cares. It conveys the theme and also helps the main story along.
90: Act II Climax. Hanssen is going to run. They won't be able to catch him / hold enough charges over his head to make him talk.
91-99: Beginning of Act III. Eric thinks he can convince Hanssen to still make the drop.
100: Act III Climax. Eric goes all-in with a huge monologue and insinuates that Hanssen isn't important. This is his Achilles' heel.
101-109: Wrapping up loose ends time. Hanssen makes the drop and is caught. Eric decides not to become an agent so that he can enjoy a closer relationship with his wife.
This script works because of suspense. There are lots of intercut sequences. Eric is looking at secret files, Hanssen is somewhere else. Eric keeps looking, OH SNAP, where's Hanssen? Eric tries to hide his tracks, HANSSEN's at the door! Eric is caught, there's no way to escape, so he makes up a brilliant excuse. This formula is used with different ingredients multiple times.
Hanssen's constant "tests" are also great. They portray him as a loose cannon. He randomly asks Eric personal questions, probing him, accusing him of lying, etc.
But anybody can write suspense. Why is this good suspense? I'm not sure. There's nothing particularly original in Eric's character. He's an ambitious young agent with a wife who likes Kinko's. Ok, not bad, but nothing special. This story shows just how important an interesting villain can be. Hanssen is crazy, twitchy, hypocritical, moral, perverted, loved, hated, etc.
Any other thoughts on this story? As you can probably tell, I liked it.