Like the title says, does my main character have to be liked? He's not the bad guy, though, I just dont know if its ok to make him not too likeable.
Thanks, bwc
Thanks, bwc
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Does the main character have to be liked?
- Thread starter BrownwriterChi
- Start date
“Likable” is an interesting word. Is Max not a likable character?
He certainly is in “Mad Max”. I would suggest he is in “The Road
Warrior” too. I think he was a nice guy - a family man who leaves
a corrupt job to protect his family. The fact that he then avenged
the death of his family makes him relatable.
The “horror” characters are a very interesting phenomenon. In the
first films they are villain - in the sequels they become the protagonist
if not the hero. Freddy in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is not a character
we relate to, isn’t someone we are rooting for, isn’t someone we like.
Only in the third film is the character changed to the character we root
for - to kill as many teens as possible in cool ways - but is this a likable
character? Same with Lector. Would any of us call him a likable or
relatable main character in “Manhunter” or “Silence of the Lambs”? He’s
not the main character in those stories.
I believe in order for a main character to be a jerk or a monumental ass
that character needs to change by the end of the story - in other words,
learn that being a jerk or a monumental ass in not the right thing. And
the audience must want that person to change. Ebenezer Scrooge is an
excellent example.
I, too, will ask the same question vic3433 asked. What main character
in a successful story is unlikable? How about leaving out biographies of
real people and limiting the answer to fictional main characters.
So what do we mean by “likable”? Someone we want to have coffee with
in real life? Someone who is pleasant to be around? Someone we have
fun watching kill people on the screen?
He certainly is in “Mad Max”. I would suggest he is in “The Road
Warrior” too. I think he was a nice guy - a family man who leaves
a corrupt job to protect his family. The fact that he then avenged
the death of his family makes him relatable.
The “horror” characters are a very interesting phenomenon. In the
first films they are villain - in the sequels they become the protagonist
if not the hero. Freddy in “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is not a character
we relate to, isn’t someone we are rooting for, isn’t someone we like.
Only in the third film is the character changed to the character we root
for - to kill as many teens as possible in cool ways - but is this a likable
character? Same with Lector. Would any of us call him a likable or
relatable main character in “Manhunter” or “Silence of the Lambs”? He’s
not the main character in those stories.
I believe in order for a main character to be a jerk or a monumental ass
that character needs to change by the end of the story - in other words,
learn that being a jerk or a monumental ass in not the right thing. And
the audience must want that person to change. Ebenezer Scrooge is an
excellent example.
I, too, will ask the same question vic3433 asked. What main character
in a successful story is unlikable? How about leaving out biographies of
real people and limiting the answer to fictional main characters.
So what do we mean by “likable”? Someone we want to have coffee with
in real life? Someone who is pleasant to be around? Someone we have
fun watching kill people on the screen?
This may not be the one you're referring to, Mogul, but I think it's a hoot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjfaCoA2sQk&feature=player_embedded
I think directorik's analysis is spot-on. I can't think of one main character, in a movie that is even slightly successful, whom I didn't like.
The best example I can think of, of a character who is not really like-able, is in "Bad Santa". Except, I like him. He's funny. He's not a good person, but like directorik mentioned, by the end of the movie, he's had his Scrooge moment, realized at least some of the faults in his ways.
The best example I can think of, of a character who is not really like-able, is in "Bad Santa". Except, I like him. He's funny. He's not a good person, but like directorik mentioned, by the end of the movie, he's had his Scrooge moment, realized at least some of the faults in his ways.
American Psycho? I don't really think Patrick Bateman was likeable?
If you need an objective critique of your screenplay, I've got a reputation for being pretty brutal and up-front if I see things that don't work.(I also call out the stuff I like as well.)
Thanks for the offer! I will defenitly send it to you when I have it written. Right now I don't have anything written at the moment. I'm still writing the treatment.
I don't really remember that film, but you may be right. I don't
remember Bateman being likable - even though he was a compelling
character.
All of them? For the most part all quite likable. Bad guys some of
them, but most were likable. I first think of Franko - a very likable
guy. And what about Pinkley? Who can't like him?
So are we now including all characters in a film? Certainly not all
characters in a movie are likable, but the question is about the main
character. Major Reisman (Lee Marvin) is a very likable character given
a very difficult task.
That depends on what you mean by likable - Maggot murdered a woman on the street, so he wasn't likable. And, quite honestly, many of the other officers weren't likable either.
You have to "want" the unlikable protagonist to "become" a better person.
Think of Jim Carrey's self centered "it's all about me, me, me, me" character in Bruce Almighty.
He's an @ss - but - you waaaant his character arc to allow him to become a better person by story's end.
Think of Jim Carrey's self centered "it's all about me, me, me, me" character in Bruce Almighty.
He's an @ss - but - you waaaant his character arc to allow him to become a better person by story's end.
Okay, we are now expanding the original question from " Does
the main character have to be liked?" to include all characters
in a movie. No, all the characters in a movie do not have to be
liked. Maggot is the villian of the story - not the main character
- and he is fully unlikable.
I still wonder if anyone can offer any main characters in a movie
who are unlikable. As we have all noted an unlikable character who
changes is common and there have been bio movies about real
people who are unlikable. The fact that we do not have several
readily on our minds tends to lead me to believe there aren't too
many - we really have to dig.
I think Daniel Plainview was d!ck pretty much the entire story.
Jerry Lundegaard was also a d!ck, but maybe Fargo was more of an ensemble cast sorta film.
You can open up the "Films" folder: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/VillainProtagonist
Yeah, can see that. Gunderson was a pretty cool character.
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Plainview. Very much so. Compelling to watch but not likable.
I'd say Lundegaard isn't the main character - he is the antagonist.
I would say Gunderson is the main character and she is likable.
I'd say Lundegaard isn't the main character - he is the antagonist.
I would say Gunderson is the main character and she is likable.
Det. Joseph Thorne, from helreaser 5. And stil a decent movie...
i was rooting for Godzilla.....but godzilla was not the main protagonist......unles jou mean THE REAL GODZILLA.
I'm watching Space: 1999 now, and most of the characters are likable - in fact, when I first saw the series, in the 1970's (yes, I'm that old), I had a crush on Maya, the resident female alien. Now, as I watch the shows again, I can see that she is made out to be an attractive personality. So, in fact, are the major characters, not just in this series, but most others.
Is that done deliberately?
Is that done deliberately?
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