1. KEY EVENTS/MOMENTS THAT DEVELOP THE NARRATIVE
1.1. Lee Anne picks Michael up off the street and takes him to her house
1.1.1. DEVELOPS: This is the start of the relationship between the Tuohy's and Michael
1.1.1.1. The first time we see Michael out on the streets is from the perspective of Lee Anne where she sees him through the wet window of her dry car. We then get a long shot on the Tuohy's car and see that again the directors were showing the 2 different castes displayed in the one scene. Lee Anne's face is then being close shot on and we see her expression when she thinks that it isn't right leaving someone on the streets. Close shots were used in this scene to get the facial expression of the character and see what they are feeling. Long shots were used to show the what was happening with two different people in the same scene.
1.2. SJ trains MIchael to become a fitter person so he can become the best football player
1.2.1. DEVELOPS: Shows the perseverance that SJ is giving Michael so he can become the best he can be
1.2.1.1. A lot of short clips of Michael doing all the running and SJ coaching him and encouraging him. Some close ups on Michael's face and the pain that he is going through
1.3. michael graduates from high with GPA required to achieve a scholarship to college
1.3.1. DEVELOPS: michael goes to college and this eventually catapults his american football success
1.3.1.1. We see this run throughout much of the movie. From when Michael first joins the school until the time he leaves, he is working very hard to get his GPA up. Through this event and this need we meet miss Sue who becomes one of the characters who develops and helps Michaels character and personality grow.
1.4. Car crash
1.4.1. DEVELOPS: Michael and SJ are in the car when Michael becomes distracted, Michael blocks the airbag from hitting SJ as he knows SJ is too young to be sitting in the front seat
1.4.1.1. The car crash really reveals to Lee Anne and the rest of the family how much Michael values this Family and how much he loves them. The fact that he is willing to put himself in harms way to protect SJ shows a true families love. Michael is also so upset by this event, that this shows his genuine love for this family and SJ. It would have been easy for the Touhy's to be angry at Michael and to force him to leave the family, but they don't, because they genuinely consider him part of the family.
1.5. When Michael stars in his football game, pushing the opposition player over the fence
1.5.1. DEVELOPS: shows Michaels real protective instinct, this is also shown to college coaches, marking the beginning of the scholarship offers.
1.5.1.1. This event brings Michaels protective interests to the forefront. We see how willing he is to protect his team and/or family. This event also begins to bring in all of the interest from college coaches, this in turn, defines much of his adult life as he does go on to play American football. This event also earns Michael a lot of respect from his team mates.
2. RELATIONSHIPS THAT DEVELOP BETWEEN CHARACTERS
2.1. Michael and SJ
2.1.1. OUTCOME: SJ loves having an older brother to be friends with and almost feels like he is in charge of him as he doesn't have much knowledge of the world. They are inseparable and Michael will do his best to prortect him
2.1.1.1. Long shots were mostly used for scenes with SJ and Michael especially when both of them walk away together and the viewers can just see their backs. This made the connection between the two seem real as the long shot makes it look like that they are brothers
2.2. Michael and Lee Anne Tuohy
2.2.1. OUTCOME: Lee Anne falls in love with Michael and treats him like he is her son. Eventually she adopts him and becomes the legal guardian of him.
2.2.1.1. A lot of shots are a close up of Lee Anne patting or touching Michael on the arm. This is showing that she really cares about him and trusts him in any situations.
2.3. Michael and his teachers
2.3.1. OUTCOME: Michael didn't have very much trust in his teachers and probably didn't even know what a teacher was. His teachers come to help him to get good grade and persist until he starts to pass school.
2.3.1.1. Michael was wearing some new clothes that Lee Anne had bought for him as he didn't have very many clothes. This showed that Michael had become a new person and was beginning to progress in his studies and in making a new life
2.3.1.1.1. The long shot was used for the scene where Michael and one of his teachers were walking down the corridor. This enabled the 2 characters to walk forward and show that michael had put some trust into his teachers.
2.3.1.2. The lighting that was used was a fill light and a key light. This acted as the sun but was showing the transformation Michael has gone through
2.3.2. OUTCOME: Micheal's grades were improving as the movie was progressing this meant that he was learning new things and understanding what his teachers were teaching him
2.3.2.1. Whenever Michael had done a test there would a be a frontal shot on the teacher smiling and then a close up shot on his grade. This showed the viewers that Michael was becming a smarter man
2.3.2.1.1. The close up shot on the grade really made the grade stand out and because it was done to every teacher that Michael had it was really emphasising the fact that Michael needed good grades and he was getting them when at first there was a lot fo doubt
2.4. Michael and Sean Tuohy
2.4.1. OUTCOME: Sean at the beginning of taking Michale into his home was very hesitant about it and wasn't sure if it was the right decision. But throughout the movie he learns to accept Michael for who he is and starts to stand up for him when some people start to worry about their decisions.
2.4.1.1. Rear Projection is used to show Sean and Michael in the same shot showing trust. Dialogue shows that they are connecting and with Sean playing jokes on michael shows that they are becming closer
2.5. Sean and Lee Anne Tuohy
2.5.1. OUTCOME: Even though these two characters are married and have been together for a long time their new son has brought them closer. They learn ways each other work and trust each other to make the write decision
2.5.1.1. Lee Anne always wears really nice clothing and dresses up even if she is taking the kids to school. Sean learns to trust Lee Anne with her decisions with taking Michael in. Most shots are with Lee Anne and Sean together to show that they are going through the same thing together
2.6. Michael and Miss Sue
2.6.1. OUTCOME: This relationship was started very late into the movie. As Miss Sue was Micheal's tutor for English she has had to almost teach in a different way so Michael can understand what she is saying.
2.6.1.1. They are always shown night to show that Michael has been working late into the night to get his grades up. Its is not until later on in the movie that we see her in daylight showing that they have done it and he has met his grades that he needed to get. Again there is mainly on close up shots on each of their faces as most of the time Michael can get a bit confused
2.7. Michael and Collins
2.7.1. OUTCOME: Michael has never really been in contact with a girl before so this was all a new experience for him. Their relationship is probably the only one that we don't get to see very much of and is very little there.
2.7.1.1. At thanksgiving their was a long shot on the table and all the food the family had there then was close up view of Collins and her face when he had to put her hand out so they could say thanks. She was a bit nervous about it and Michael didn't even know what to. We know this because of the close up on his face when he saw her hand out for his.
3. HOW CHARACTERS DEVELOP AND CHANGE: THEIR DECISIONS, WHAT INFLUENCES THEM, MOTIVATION
3.1. Michael
3.1.1. micael changes when he is accepted in to the Touhy family and learns to love others as well a himself
3.1.1.1. Michael seemingly completely changes throughout the course of the movie. At the beginning we see a quite shy boy who has a very troubled past that he can't seem to avoid. Largely thanks to Lee Anne, we see michael develop into a more confident young man. Throughout the entire movie Micael makes decisions that are based on protecting and saving others eg. protecting SJ from the airbag. At the beginning of the movie michael also has no motivation, and nothing to work towards, this changes when he is picked up by Lee Anne and discovers his love for American football, so he works towards being good at that.
3.2. Lee Anne
3.2.1. Lee Anne changes when she finds Michael wondering on the streets and picks him up, as well as when she discovers more of Michaels past
3.2.1.1. Lee Anne's attitudes also change over he course of the movie. We see her change from a very strict mother to a mother who is still very strict, but also shows much compassion. She is awoken to the other side of her town where there are many people who are living very hard life. Lives she didn't know existed in her city
3.3. Collins
3.3.1. Collins changes when her family accept Michael and when she develops more of bond with Michael
3.3.1.1. Collins changes over the course of the movie in many ways. Firstly, Collins becomes more accepting of others and learns not to judge a book by it's cover, and to look beyond people appearances and pasts. She also becomes more confident in herself. Collins learns that she can stand up to peer pressure and does not have to go along with what everyone else does. She learns that she can do what she wants, not what everyone else is expecting of her.
3.4. Coach Carr
3.4.1. Coach Carr changes when Michael joins his team and whenLee anne interrupts his practice
3.4.1.1. Coach Carr changes due to Michael joining his football team. Coach Carr needs Lee Anne to show and teach him how he needs to look further into peoples personalities and strengths rather than just looking at a person as a tool for winning football games.
3.5. Sean
3.5.1. Sean changes when Michael joins the family
3.5.1.1. Sean develops a greater understanding of people throughout this movie. At the beginning of the movie Sean is a strong business man, and a loving father, but seems slightly ignorant. Throughout the movie we see sean open his eyes more to his surroundings and become more accepting of there people.