Protagonist

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Protagonist

R

2007

1h 30m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

35 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Documentarian Jessica Yu captures the lives of four disparate men who share a thread of commonality by evoking the dramatic structure of the Greek playwright Euripides. The group includes a German man who turned to terrorism; an abused son who became a bank robber; an evangelist claiming to be an "ex-gay" through religion; and a martial arts student who faced bullying in school. Each man, having experienced a troubled childhood, turns to his own method of therapy.

Critics Consensus

Protagonist skillfully intertwines its subjects' lives through an unexpected common thread -- Euripedes.

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Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

Many will be moved by Protagonist and its reminders that we are all struggling to find versions of ourselves to live up to.

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 18, 2008

Full Review

Walter V. Addiego

San Francisco Chronicle

At first, the technique seems gimmicky, but finally it's as compelling a perspective as any to understand how these men passed through agony to some sort of peace.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 14, 2007

Full Review

Carina Chocano

Los Angeles Times

Yu's film may be challenging to synopsize, but it's thoroughly engrossing and wildly surprising.

Rated: 4.5/5

Dec 14, 2007

Full Review

David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

Writer/director Jessica Yu plays with the dramatic form itself in this experimental doc with a kinky cast that includes an "ex-gay" evangelist.

May 20, 2020

Full Review

Robert Davis

Paste Magazine

[Jessica Yu] combines the interviews with such skill that themes begin to emerge, a tangled thicket of men seeking to define themselves through strength, discipline and self-transformation.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 9, 2008

Full Review

Louis Proyect

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Truly artistic documentary about 4 men who led life at the edge and came back from the brink.

Apr 22, 2008

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Bahad j

It's a lot of work from the recording and music team. The film can be seen. Because it has a great sound.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/20/24

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Audience Member

The documentary captures and reminds us all about what we find within ourselves and which version to look up to

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/21/24

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Geke g

Iam really enjoyed every single second of it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/24

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Audience Member

We're all just living a Greek tragedy and Jessica Yu knows it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

kinda lame doc skip this one

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

Well edited look into the lives of four men and how certainty is never really certain.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Jessica Yu

Director

Jessica Yu

Writer

Jessica Yu

Producer

Elise Pearlstein

Producer

Susan West

Producer

Greg Carr

Executive Producer

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Synopsis

Documentarian Jessica Yu captures the lives of four disparate men who share a thread of commonality by evoking the dramatic structure of the Greek playwright Euripides. The group includes a German man who turned to terrorism; an abused son who became a bank robber; an evangelist claiming to be an "ex-gay" through religion; and a martial arts student who faced bullying in school. Each man, having experienced a troubled childhood, turns to his own method of therapy.

Director: Jessica Yu
Producer: Jessica Yu, Elise Pearlstein, Susan West
Screenwriter: Jessica Yu
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Diorama Films
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 30, 2007, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $11.9K
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Dolby