What is a Two Hander in Movies?

A two hander is a term that describes a story driven by two protagonists. In theater, a two hander typically applies to a play in which there are only two main characters and no one else. In movies though, it's more broadly used to mean a movie in which the story contains two main characters.

How Do You Write a Two Hander?

The essentials in writing a two hander include making sure both of your two main characters have clearly defined goals and that they undergo significant change throughout the film because of each other. The two characters' existence must be entwined and the thematic purpose of using the two hander narrative structure must be clear. Otherwise, the protagonists' journeys aren't necessarily enhanced but instead, taken away from.

The Best Two Hander Movies

The best two hander movies thrive off the context in which the two protagonists find themselves. They push their characters to the limit and utilize the differences and similarities between them to extract conflict, narrative progression and a conclusion that either allows both protagonists to reach their goals or leaves one a winner and one a loser.

How Do You Write a Cinematic Two Hander? The ESSENTIAL Steps

A movie that not only follows one protagonist but two always feels like one with an added layer of depth and substance. In the screenwriting world, this kind of movie, with dual protagonists, is often called a two hander.

Many movies and genres follow the arc of dual protagonists. It’s a popular form because you get to see two distinct characters on a journey together. The audience watches their conflicts push the story forward and how they develop as characters both together and individually. It brings an extra layer of intrigue to the characterisation at large and can provide a film with a distinct selling point as a result.

So what does a two hander look like in screenwriting terms? In this article, we’ll talk about the definition of the two hander and how to write one that is not only engaging but cinematic.

What is a Two Hander?
What is Special About the Two Hander?
- Point of View
- Dramatic Irony
How Do You Write a Two Hander?
Examples of Two Handers
In Summary

What is a Two Hander?

A two hander describes a story following two main characters in films, TV shows, and plays.

In theater, a two hander typically applies to a play in which there are only two characters and no one else. In film though, it’s more broadly used to mean a film in which the story contains two main characters, who drive the story. It’s rare to have a film with just two people in it, such is the scope of cinema in general. Although it does happen, such as in Malcolm and Marie and The Lighthouse, for example.

In a two hander:

The two protagonists are equal in the progress of the story and have their own desires, wants, and goals.
These three things may be different or coincide with one another.
Furthermore, these desires, wants, and goals play a big part in how the characters interact with one another.

The two characters typically have characteristics that make them different on another level as well. These differences can cause the two characters to clash against one another.

These differences might be economic, social or ideological.

For example, in many romantic comedies, you will have one person of the pair who is a hopeless romantic. Then the other person will be completely cynical about love.
Or you have the buddy cop movie where you have an old, jaded cop paired with a young hot shot. In these films, the pair must work together to solve whatever crime or mystery has unfolded.

In the two hander, these character differences are purposefully explored and used to drive the narrative forward. The differences may hinder or help the characters in their shared and separate journeys. This may lead the characters to a shared goal or to a conflict and eventual individual goal for only one.