A Letter from a Mother

After her son Ethan commits a devastating school shooting, a grieving mother must navigate the aftermath and confront her own role in the tragedy while fighting to clear her son's name and find redemption.

See other logline suggestions

Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

This screenplay stands out for its raw emotional depth and its nuanced portrayal of a mother's struggle to reconcile her love for her son with the horror of his actions. It offers a unique perspective on the aftermath of gun violence, focusing not just on the victims but also on the families left behind, making it compelling for audiences seeking both drama and social commentary.

AI Verdict & Suggestions

Ratings are subjective. So you get different engines’ ratings to compare.

Claude
 Recommend
Gemini
 Consider
GPT4
 Recommend
Story Facts

Genres: Drama, Thriller, Mystery, Character Study, Family, Political Thriller, Political, Crime, Tragedy, Romance

Setting: Contemporary, A small town in the United States, primarily in a school, cemetery, police station, and various homes.

Themes: Grief and Loss, Trauma and Healing, Community and Connection, Responsibility and Accountability, Media Manipulation and Public Perception, Justice and Forgiveness

Conflict & Stakes: The primary conflict revolves around Anne's struggle to cope with her son's actions and the community's judgment, while Mark grapples with his own guilt and the implications of his role in the tragedy. The stakes include personal redemption, community healing, and the quest for understanding amidst grief.

Mood: Somber and reflective, with moments of tension and emotional vulnerability.

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The juxtaposition of personal grief with broader societal issues surrounding gun violence and community response.
  • Plot Twist: The revelation that Mark's gun was the one that killed the victim, complicating the narrative of blame and guilt.
  • Innovative Idea: The exploration of how a single tragic event ripples through a community, affecting various characters in interconnected ways.
  • Distinctive Setting: The small-town backdrop serves as a microcosm for larger societal issues, enhancing the emotional stakes.

Comparable Scripts: We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Virgin Suicides, 13 Reasons Why, A Mother's Reckoning: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Dead Poets Society, The Lovely Bones, The Outsiders, The Glass Castle

Script Level Analysis

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Story Critique
Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.
Characters
Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.
Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.
Themes
Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.
Logic & Inconsistencies
Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.

Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
Hover over the graph to see more details about each score.
Go to Scene Analysis

Other Analyses

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice
Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.
Writer's Craft
Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.
Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
World Building
Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.
Correlations
Identifies patterns in scene scores.
Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.