Imply a human interest story is heart-warming by superficial narrative structure, but then don’t reasonably articulate why it is heart-warming in the story, or even frame the story in a heart-warming way. Make all story details depressing, be condescending in tone, make man seem utterly defeated, resigned to a lifestyle that he easily has the talent and resources to rise above, and disingenuously optimistic, rather than hopeful or inspiring (contrast this with Pursuit of Happyness, where Will Smith’s similarly disgraced character actually does overcome a surprise avalanche of midlife misfortunes using hard work, ambitious optimism, and intelligence). But keep throwing in just enough genre cliches to keep the absurdly unjustified “heart-warming” premise tethered: “The actor Tom Hanks has plans to produce and star in the film version.”

Of course he does!!

“These days, when the divorced father of five is not whipping up a caramel macchiato or perfecting his latte foam, he’s sweeping floors and scrubbing toilets.

If life continues on an upswing for Gill, he may one day be able to purchase a Ferrari.”

WOW, AFTER LOSING HIS FAMILY AND HIGH STATUS JOB, HE SOMEHOW, AS IF BY DIVINE MIRACLE, MANAGED TO DEFY ALL ODDS AND GET A LOW STATUS MINIMUM WAGE JOB!!!!

Simpson’s quote time:

Kent Brockman: And from our ‘It’s Funny When It Happens To Them’ file, remember millionaire C. Montgomery Burns? The man who blocked out our sun, ran over a local boy, and stole Christmas from 1981 to 1985? Well guess who’s flat broke and picking up trash for a living? Excuse me, Mr. Burns. Now that you’re completely ruined, how do you feel?

Mr. Burns: Excellent! I’m on my way back to the top! I’ve turned these cans into can-do!

Kent: Well, you smell terrible! Good luck to you, sir!

I still despise Starbucks for invading every cities and spreading its soulless, mediocre and carbon-copy shops.