Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with protagonist

Taming of the Who?

np312 — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:11:11 -0800

Help me find some good movies in which the protagonist is an angry bitch-on-wheels, who eventually sweetens up by film's end. Hey there-- I'm looking for recommendations of films (preferably dramas or romantic comedies) where the main character's key flaw is her anger. Something in the vein of Beatrice in "Much Ado about Nothing" or Kate in "Taming of the Shrew" (or, by proxy, "10 Things I Hate about You.") Only interested in angry women leads, here.

Bonus points for romantic films where the lead male is somehow responsible for her working through her anger/bad temper issues.

Looking for an alive Christopher Reeve to star in my next short

strangeleftydoublethink — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:14:52 -0800

Recommend movies in which one of the main characters is severely disabled, particularly the main character. Million Dollar Baby, didn't like so much. Must be something better?

Examples of unsympathetic, unchanging protagonists in film?

np312 — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:50:59 -0800

Do you know of any films where the protagonist is not only unsympathetic, repressed, emotionally closed-off, etc, but does not change his personality throughout the course of the film? Bonus points for films based on a real person/story. I realize this is kind of a tall order because the whole point is to have the protagonist change, have realizations about his self, go through a character arc, etc. The closest thing I can think of is Matt Damon's character in "The Good Shepherd," but even his character has moments of catharsis and change, however slight.

But I really need some examples of films, preferably bio-pics or movies based on true events, where the protagonist is kind of a dick (for whatever reason) and stays that way throughout the course of the film, yet is still compelling, due to his drive, talent, events of his life story etc. Every unsympathetic protagonist I've encountered in film has gone through a major change of character within the course of a film. Help me find the exceptions!

Please help me find movies that end with the main character dying.

sequential — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 22:41:30 -0800

Please help me find movies that end with the main character dying. WARNING: Question and answers may contain spoilers, in case it's not obvious. My fiancee and I watched a movie tonight that is about the main character dying, but in the end he's unexpectedly saved. That got us trying to come up with movies that ended with the main character dying. As a rule of thumb, the ones that jumped to mind quickly were documentary, historical, war, and period pieces. Can you think of movies outside of these genres that end with the main character dying? Characters should also not come back to life in a sequel. Lastly, being undead does not count as being alive for the sake of this question. (Sorry Astro Zombie.)

Movies that work:

The Butterfly Effect (1 & 2)
Pi
Ghost Dog
Ladder 49
Philadelphia
The Wicker Man

Movies that don't work:

Romeo and Juliet (period piece)
Boys Don't Cry (based on true events)
Sixth Sense (character does not die at the end)
Run Lola Run (character dies in two sequences, lives in the final)
28 Days Later (only dies in alternate endings)
The Crow (undead is not Newspeak for alive)

The Protagonist: An Overview

0bvious — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 22:16:33 -0800

The Protagonist: What can you tell me? I am fascinated by the concept of 'The Protagonist'. Whether this be in fiction, mythology or used as a metaphor for how one perceives oneself (your 'life' being the narrative within which you exist) I desire a few new angles on this ancient human construct.

- Do you know of any theories / research / writings on the protagonist?
- What books / movies / myths etc. have you come across from which a protagonist is COMPLETELY absent?
- Or any such fiction/mythology with an interesting spin on the traditional protagonist?

Basically anything which comes to mind would be fascinating, thanks a lot...