Sometimes films in the drama genre forget to make characters viewers are expected to sympathize with likeable. When this happens, the audience begins to either be indifferent to or enjoy the suffering that befalls a major character. Sometimes this is because they are too difficult to relate to or can even come across as grating. Numerous problems arise when these unlikable main characters win in the end. Put simply, the audience feels betrayed.
While some excellent dramas like “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Green Mile” do a fantastic job with characterization, not all can match that level of quality. Both of these prison dramas succeed in making their inmates relatable and convincing. By the end you’re rooting for the right individuals and booing the deserving ones.
“Fearless” is an excellent film in its own right. The characters are extremely well-developed, the acting is very impressive, and the message of appreciation is delivered spot-on. One major flaw rocks the boat of this otherwise great drama, though. The main character, Max, has been delusional after surviving a plane crash. He now knows no fear and craves the life of a thrill seeker. This newfound passion drives a wedge between him and his family, specifically his wife.
Max’s wife, Laura, longs for Max to return to his former self. She spends the majority of the movie staring at the camera like a hurt puppy and whining incessantly. She shows little sympathy for the psychological trauma Max suffers and makes every decision of his a slight against her. At one point, Max reprimands their son and Laura immediately blows the situation out of proportion. Her disjointed expression and look of horror as Max revokes the boy’s video game privileges is nauseating. Scenes like this litter the film; Laura does nothing but overreact and whine.
Meanwhile, Max has deeply connected with another survivor of the accident named Carla. Carla is deeply tormented by the catastrophe, which took the life of her baby. At near the cost of his life, Max helps Carla see the light and let go of her bitterness. While Laura comes across as needy and insensitive, Carla is sweet and supportive to Max.
“I Am Sam” plays a similar tune that can’t be ignored. Sam is a mentally challenged father struggling with the legal system to regain his seized daughter, Lucy. In order to get Lucy back, Sam must prove he’s a capable father despite his mental limitations. He does this with the help of an aggressive but reluctant lawyer named Rita.
While Sam and Rita are very well fleshed-out and can both be related to fairly easily, Lucy gums up the works. She lies, manipulates, and outright runs away in order to be with her father. Lucy is inadvertently portrayed as a stubborn brat who is equal parts adoring and ashamed of her father. She shows a clear disrespect for Sam that undermines his authority at every turn and ruins any chance of the audience cheering her on.
The child is clearly smart enough to recognize the consequences of squeezing more time in with her father but carries on anyway, ultimately endangering the case based upon her ability to mislead her overly trusting father. Then again, neither of these films fails as horribly in characterization as “Twilight: Breaking Dawn.”
Is there anyone remotely likable in this woefully pathetic drama series? Edward is a shallow interpretation of vampires that seems to invent new rules for the race with each page. Jacob is a two-dimensional meathead who is a shirtless embarrassment to werewolves. As for Bella? How could anyone possibly like this grating, needy stain on the history of female leads?
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