No Alcohol Beyond This Point
GENRE
COMEDY FUNNY ROMANCE FAMILY
Core Theme
SISTERHOOD; TAKING A CHANCE ON LOVE.
TIME PERIOD
Contemporary
COMPARABLE TITLES
ROMY AND MICHELLE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION, BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, CHASING PAPI
CHARACTER LIST
MARGUERITE AKA 'MAR' -26, A FOREVER YOUNGER SISTER WHO'S WILLING TO TAKE RISKS AND IS UNSURE WHETHER SHE'S EVER GOING TO FIND LOVE.
JOAN - 28, MAR'S OLDER SISTER WHO'S HEARTBREAK OVER AN UNFAITHFUL HUSBAND INSPIRES THEIR ROAD TRIP.
THOMAS – 32 A HANDSOME BRITISH ACTOR WHO FALLS HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE WITH MARGUERITE.
WILL – A RESTAURANT AND VINEYARD OWNER THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HEAL JOAN'S HEART.
FRANK – 32, JOAN'S SOON TO BE FORMER CHEATING HUSBAND, AN ALL-AROUND LOSER.
MARIE – 26, MAR'S CLOSEST FRIEND ASIDE FROM JOAN AND CO-OWNER OF A CUPCAKE SHOP WITH MAR.
Logline
Two sisters who decide to take a road trip in a 1969 Mini Cooper from California to New York after the older sister's husband cheats. It about music, misadventures, love and soul searching with a happy ending.
Target Audiences
Age: 35-54,18-34
Target Gender: Female Leaning
Setting
California to New York
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Publisher: Mighty Lionhearts Inc
Year Published: 2020
Starting Description
The beginning of the story starts with Mar the main chararter on the floor. She accidently drinks a tainted glass of wine meant for her sister's (Joan) cheating husband. It is one of the catalist that provokes the two sisters to drive from Napa to New York in an epic road trip.
Ending Description
The end of the story has Mar falling in love and heading to London to chase the boy she met on the roadtrip. Joan is in a better head space and might have also found love on their road trip.
Group Specific
The mother is hispanic. I speaks to hispanic culture.
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
978-1-7354082-0-0
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Plot - Other Elements
Happy Ending,Meaningful Message,Twist,Philosophical Questions
Plot - Premise
Quest,Other
Main Character Details
Name: Mar
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Sexy,Confident,Charming,Crazy,Educated,Leader,Seductive,Sarcastic,Romantic,Funny,Skillful,Outspoken,Selfless,Blunt,Badass,Faithful
Additional Character Details
Name: Joan
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Role: Sidekick
Key Traits: Badass,Charming,Complex,Crazy,Educated,Unapologetic,Sophisticated,Sarcastic,Romantic,Funny,Skillful,Selfless,Sexy,Modest,Adventurous,Empathetic,Engaging,Faithful,Flexible
Additional Character Details
Name: Joan
Age: 28
Gender: Female
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Adventurous,Underdog,Modest,Badass,Charming,Sexy,Blunt,Crazy,Complex,Empathetic,Faithful,Flexible,Gracious,Educated,Unapologetic,Sophisticated,Seductive,Sarcastic,Romantic,Funny,Skillful,Outspoken,Selfless
Additional Character Details
Name: Thomas
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Role: emotional
Key Traits: Adventurous,Aspiring,Masculine,Sexy,Outspoken,Skillful,Funny,Romantic,Secretive,Seductive,Sophisticated,Unapologetic,Leader,Honorable,Educated,Heartthrob,Gracious,Flexible,Faithful,Engaging,Decisive,Confident,Complex,Charming,Badass
Genre
COMEDY, ROMANCE
Brief
When Marguerite's sister Joan learns her husband cheated on her they decide to take a cross-country road trip that leads them both into the arms of two wonderful men. Everything happens too fast but leaning on each other for strength the ladies decide to give love a chance.
Overall Rating
GOOD
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: FAIR
Premise: EXCELLENT
Structure: FAIR
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
It's mostly accurate. The logline could explain more about what happens and descriptions of the characters would illustrate this character based story.
Draw of Story
Opening with Mar being unknowingly drugged is a great opening narrative device. It immediately raises questions and engages the audience as they try to figure out what is going on while revealing much about the characters in how they respond to the situation.
Possible Drawbacks
It is obvious that Mar has doubts because it's all happening fast. Having her repeat the same conversation twenty times creates a drag especially when we all know how this is going to end. Marguerite doesn't change her mind for any reason except sheer attrition. Will and Thomas are so perfect as to become unrealistic and eventually boring.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY DOES NOT RELY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
A successful film of this story would focus of the adventure aspects these women dare to take on. The tricycle, the cliff swing, peyote, go carts, etc. Finding a way to tell the story in these moments as opposed to dinner conversations and copyrighted songs would show off a visual adventure.
Fanbase Potential
This could appeal to a medium sized fanbase. Given that it's mostly geared towards adults and especially adult women. That's a big segment of the population, but also a discerning group. There's enough audience for a successful movie, but probably not a blockbuster.
Awards Potential
No, this is a feel-good rom com, which are rarely ever awards contenders.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
ROMY AND MICHELLE'S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION, BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, CHASING PAPI
What’s New About the Story
Most road trip movies have a clear hard goal, a deadline and destination that has to be reached, so the way this story seems to drift with whatever happens is a different twist. It might be helpful to emphasize the crazyness and make the road a little more challenging instead of having everything be taken care of by someone else's credit card.
Lead Characters
Mar's headstrong willingness to say yes to new adventures is what propels this story forward and makes her fun to root for, though this seems incongruous with her unwillingness to say yes to Thomas. The bond between Mar and Joan feels authentic and heartwarming.
Uniqueness of Story
No, there is a relatability gap and a lack of obstacles to overcome that hinder the ability for this to work. The girls ability to do whatever they want without concern for money while impossibly perfect men throw themselves at them pushes past feel-good and into unreal fantasy. There has to be a strong problem for them to overcome and its unclear why it's so hard for Mar to go when every obstacle falls out of her way. The problem here is the same as Mar's problem with Thomas, too perfect.
Possible Formats
Film: Studio, Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
There's a lot of potential in these two sisters with their interesting characters, their bond and their unpredictable adventure but also considerable work to be done in adapting to a dramatic narrative. More realistic male characters, expressing the characters through actions and choices instead of repeated conversations and obstacles to overcome instead of everything coming easily would make this into a more complete, compelling product.
Brief
When Marguerite's sister Joan learns her husband cheated on her they decide to take a cross-country road trip that leads them both into the arms of two wonderful men. Everything happens too fast but leaning on each other for strength the ladies decide to give love a chance.
What We Liked
There is a relatable authenticity to Mar and Joan and their relationship. This is a story that can make somebody want to pick up the phone to tell their sibling that they love them and they miss them.
Film: This book has the potential to be added to the canon of American road trip movies courtesy of two loveable sisters whose bond and whose boys are sure to win hearts. Their personalities and willingness to say yes to new adventures fuels this cross country journey that will have people laughing and longing to hold their loved ones closer.
TV: No Alcohol Beyond this Point on television could engage audiences with doses of escapism as they follow these two likeable sisters across the country. As chapters in the book end with hints at what's coming next so could episodes tease the next adventure of these unpredictable women's next impulsive decision. Tracking them through a winding path that leads to the happy ending everyone is hoping for.
Key points: Feel good. Sisterly bonding. Silly antics. Dream romance. Wish fulfillment.
Synopsis
Marguerite is prone, hallucinated and vomiting on the floor of her sister's house as her mother rubs an egg on her to take away a perceived curse. As she's loaded into an ambulance she reflects on growing up in Texas and moving to California as she followed the footsteps of her older sister Joan.
At 26, she's living the single life and running a cupcake shop in San Francisco with her friend Marie. When she rushes to comfort Joan after the latter learns her husband Frank is cheating on her Mar is suddenly overcome with what appears to be some type of drug trip. It's really that Joan poisoned her drink with sleeping pills in an attempt to do something terrible to Frank. In the hospital Mar suggests a cross-country road trip might be a better way to cope.
Setting off with just the clothes and what's in Mar's car they make it all the way to Napa before crashing an adult tricycle on a wine tour and being rescued by handsome Will. They have dinner at Will's restaurant where they spot Frank and Mar gives him a good David Beckham kick between the legs.
They head off to Lake Tahoe and cut out a post with Frank and Joan's initials with a chainsaw and burn it. Crossing Nevada they spot a pug on the side of the highway and adopt the pup they name Lone-lee or Mister Lee. They do an impromptu concert at a senior living facility in Colorado that grants an older woman the chance to dance with her husband.
The woman directs them to a bed and breakfast where Mar hits it off with a Brit named Thomas and shares the night with him. The next morning she sees the two of them kissing on a tabloid website, turns out he's a famous actor. She debates about this as they double date the next day when Will flies in to see Joan. The four of them go off to a getaway cabin while both women wonder if things are moving to fast but liking how the guys make them feel.
They play with Nerf guns in the woods and go on a swing that goes over the edge of a cliff. Thomas tells Mar he loves her and asks her to come to London with her, but Mar doesn't want to give up her whole life and doesn't think love works like this.
The men depart as the girls head to Texas to visit their parents. Along the way they stop to drink peyote tea, Joan runs into the desert and thinks she turns into a mermaid. When Mar tells her parents her doubts about Thomas she learns they got married two weeks after meeting. Marie tells her she's willing to take the cupcake business on herself if Mar leaves.
At a New Orleans cemetery they cast wishes for each other to find love at the grave of a voodoo priestess. Marie flies in to meet them in Chattanooga for a riverboat, whiskey tasting and dress-up karaoke. On their detox hike the next day Mar announces she is leaving for London. Marie flies back and Will flies to New York to drive back to California with Joan.
Marguerite arrives in London without telling Thomas and surprises him on the street by telling him 'I love you'.