Just give me a straightforward plot!
20.8.2026
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
I really don’t enjoy books or films that require you to piece the plot together as if it were a piece of Ikea furniture. Enough with the nonsense, just give me a storyline!
Huh, I don’t get it. What’s this even about? These aren’t the thoughts of a grandpa whose favourite film is The Sound of Music and who’s watching his first episode of Euphoria. No, this is my 45-year-old self reading books or watching films that haven’t fulfilled their main purpose: namely, to tell a story.
For example, when I read Dorothee Elmiger’s deeply surreal The Dutch Women and winner of the 2025 German AND Swiss Book Prize. Those awards are quite something, I thought to myself, and jumped right into it. But a few pages in, I started to wonder what it was all about and where the story was going. Why? Because the book’s full of generous omissions and very poetic ways of not telling a story. In short, Elmiger writes about a paper that covers several topics. Almost as soon as I put the book down, I’d already forgotten what it was about.
You could, of course, view her style as a break with convention, which is perfectly legitimate. After all, an artist should always have the creative freedom to go against established norms. There is one traditional assignment of roles, however, that I’d like to preserve within this freedom: that writers and directors tell me a story and I read or watch it. If I wanted to piece together a story myself, I’d probably invest in a diary or a notebook (or add #cockandbull to my next post).
If I were to go down the diary route, it’d have to be something like this. See, I’m also comfortable breaking with conventions once in a while.
I’m not trying to tell anyone how to write a book, nor do I claim to know what makes a good or bad film. All I’m saying is that I’d rather be told a story than have to figure out most of the plot myself or be left in the dark about whether I’ve understood the intention of it or not.
That’s why I’m not a big fan of David Lynch. As interesting and original as his art of obscure storytelling may be, I’d rather not have to resort to online forums to speculate about what he was trying to say. All I want is for him to give me a straightforward story, for crying out loud! I could seriously do without the guesswork or interpretation.
Sure, the plot twist halfway through Lost Highway (1997), where a new actor suddenly replaces the lead is certainly intriguing. But wouldn’t this be even more interesting if we knew why? Seriously, what’s that about? There must be some reason for it; otherwise, it’s just a gimmick. But I don’t want gimmicks. I want a story – clear, understandable and solid. Is that too much to ask?
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, I enjoyed Lynch’s film The Straight Story (1999) the most. It’s the one film in which Lynch deliberately breaks out of his own mould. For once, he doesn’t masterfully hint at things or create mythical atmospheres, but instead, tells a... well, straight story (in which a retiree chugs through the countryside on a lawn mower to visit his brother in hospital after ten years of silence).
The story’s the goal
Let me give you another example. There’s no doubt that the explosion in Zabriskie Point (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1970) is a feast for the eyes. But celebrating cinematic art (or the art of the written word) while merely hinting at the message is just hot air at the end of the day. After all, the story should be the focal point and should be as clear as possible, as far as I’m concerned.
Art and vagueness have their limitations. I can follow Birdman (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2014), but I lose interest with Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman, 2008) and consider something along the lines of L’année dernière à Marienbad* (Alain Resnais, 1961) pure torture.
Why not go all in: Resnais’s film in French with Spanish subtitles.
Critics may find these films poetic, but that’s exactly my point. You have to do a lot of reading between the lines with poetry. And I’m just not up to wading through secondary literature just to make sense of a story. It’s called «storytelling» not «story-withholding» after all. Spare me the brain racking and puzzling, guessing what’s reality and what’s a dream or discussing the meaning behind them on Reddit.
Do your job!
Dear author, it’s your job to convey your story to me. You’re free to stimulate my brain and get me thinking, but please don’t pass all the responsibility on to me.
If I, the viewer, have to piece together 50 per cent of the story, then you, the storyteller, haven’t done 100 per cent of your job. You’re the one who needs to be creative, not me. Sure, you can always hope that your fans will call you a genius. It’s a classic reaction to things we don’t understand. I find that a bit of a cheap way out, though.
Not to say that I need to be served every plot on a silver platter. Omission or leaving the ending unanswered can work really well. Take Inception (Christopher Nolan, 2010), the plot twists in The Sixth Sense (M. Night Shyamalan, 1999), Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2010) or even Memento (Nolan, 2000). I love all of those.
Does anyone out there still have a DVD or Blu-ray player?
Some form of resolution is essential
I’m fine with being left in the dark for 90 per cent of the story, but please give me the answers at the end. Otherwise, I feel like I did when my uncle would start telling me a joke and, three minutes in, say «Shoot, I’ve forgotten the punchline.»
Don’t get me wrong, I agree that you can also watch a film purely for its aesthetics (think 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick, 1968) or read a book for its beautiful language (such as The Dutch Women) – just as you can listen to a song just for its chorus. To me, though, that just feels a bit unfinished and unsatisfying.
I really insist on a story and I want to understand it. Is that too much to ask? Does that make me spoiled, lazy or an ignoramus? What about you? Have you read books or seen films you didn’t get or thought were overhyped?
Header image: Studiocanal
I'm a freelance journalist, communications manager and versatile writer. I prefer to write about topics that fall somewhere between drivel and social relevance.
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This is a subjective opinion of the editorial team. It doesn't necessarily reflect the position of the company.
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