MovieChat Forums > General Discussion > Unlikable protagonists, but good movies

Unlikable protagonists, but good movies

posted 7 years ago by Renovatio (2990)
11 replies | jump to latest

There is a narcissistic recent trend of filmgoers not enjoying a movie or not being able to empathise with lead characters because they are… "unlikeable"…

I thought it would be useful to start a list of good movies with "unlikeable" lead characters… Feel free to add.. Warning: Movies may contain portrayals of adult humans, not just superhero archetypes 😎

- American Psycho: Not only is the main protagonist and ultra douche 80s banker, but all of the other people are so vapid they don't realise what a pitiful psycho he is… Satire, period piece and thrilling genre movie 👍

- The Talented Mr. Ripley: He's such a "nice" guy, or is he? The protagonist is a mild manner social climber who pretends to be a preppy upper class kid and gets hired by an industrialist to bring his playboy son back home from Italy… The lies and intrigue escalate as Ripley goes deeper into this privilege world and we go along the ride with him

- Unfaithful: We follow Connie as she meets and has an affair with a swarthy French book dealer in the city… But Connie is married to a decent, successfull guy (Richard Gere) who loves her, has a kid and a good suburban lifestyle… Must watch as a portrait of an affair where the wife already has a "good" life… As dudes, it will challenge your capacity for empathy.. As women, you'll probably enjoy the steamy bits, so not an unlikable person movie for you 😉

- Notes on a Scandal: An older high school teacher (Judy Dench) tries to develop a close "ahem" friendship with a young new teacher (Cate Blanchet) who is having an affair with one of her 15-year old students… Moral lines are crossed in this thriller about female obsession…

- Scarface: Al Pacino plays a murderous gangster who rises to the top of the cocaine trade in Miami… All horrible people, apart from a side character (his sister)

- Starship Troopers: They're young, they're beautiful, they're diverse, they're egalitarian, they're fighting for you… They also happen to be fascists! 😂🤤

- Vanilla Sky: We follow an ultra-douche playboy son of an industrialist… His own father had only a single line for him in his memoirs.. The board members of the company he owns call him "citizen dildo" behind his back… He tries to seduce his best friends date… Not exactly a class act… This is not an escapist wish fulfilment movie 😎

[–] Renovatio (2990) 7 years ago

- The Killing of a Sacred Deer: They all speak in a strange, stilted way... Pretty much every character in this film is "unlikeable", morally compromised and even a little unrealistic... And that is key, it allows us to watch the film in a slightly detached manner; to view it at a distence and we're given the chance to assess the characters, their actions and sensibilities in a deliberate way... You cannot do this if you "identify" too kuch with one character and become their cheerleader from the outset...

[–] TexasJack (12516) 7 years ago

Someone mentioned "Natural Born Killers" in another thread. I liked the movie, but hated the main characters, Mickey and Mallory.

Gone Girl - good; Rosamund Pike's character - bad.

But the ultimate to me is Batman vs Superman, where BOTH Bats and Supes came off like bitter, foolish jerks and the Justice League movie just paid the price for that at the box office.

[–] Chomsky89 (439) 7 years ago

You might not personally love everyone of this movies, But unlikeable the protagonist are indeed:

-American Psycho

-Natural Born Killers

-Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer

-Ichi the Killer

-Clockwork Orange

-Funny Games

-Man Bites Dog

-The way of the gun

-MR. Brooks

[–] TexasJack (12516) 7 years ago

Funny Games is a great example. I despised those kids.

[–] Chomsky89 (439) 7 years ago

I don't think this is a trend.
I made a kind of similar thread recently, and I didn't get many suggestions.
Even though Scarface fits your title, I don't think it fits with the rest of your picks( that I have watched)
The difference is that they did not step outside the usual "protagonist-limits" in Scarface.
Criminal-protagonists has alway been allowed to hurt people who have chosen a criminal life, or know they might have something coming.

[–] db20db (17747) 7 years ago

Max Cady in Cape Fear

[–] AngularTurnip (3338) 7 years ago

Donnie Darko.

[–] db20db (17747) 7 years ago

Doesn't make any sense because he's very likeable, to me and the rest of his cult following.

[–] AngularTurnip (3338) 7 years ago

I don't know what to tell you other than I'm not a part of his cult. The movie "Donnie Darko" is intriguing but its titular character -- for me anyway -- is rude, abrasive, stand-offish and a prick period (the way he treats his parents -- particularly his mom, who does everything she can to help him -- annoys me to no end). I'm sorry part of a plane landed on him -- still doesn't make him in my book likable. I know people who find characters who are intended to be appealing like Han Solo, Peter Venkman and John McClane complete assholes. I think it's great you like Donnie. I don't. At all.

[–] db20db (17747) 7 years ago

You don't need to tell me anything, you make a valid point. But aren't we talking about a typical teenager here, a stage in life when raging hormones and rebellion reign supreme ? Not to mention, he had issues that required medication ?

[–] AngularTurnip (3338) 7 years ago

You are right: he isn't a typical teen -- which is probably why I've always endeavored to cut him some slack. But, despite my sincerest efforts, I still haven't warmed up to him. This may change though: my girlfriend loves this movie and watches it with a certain regularity. Perhaps, one of these days, after my sixteenth viewing, I might actually concede this guy is fine. It hasn't happened yet ... but I don't rule it out.

I will say this however: Donnie has more redeeming value than any teen in those hideous "American Pie" movies. God, those kids are the worst.