Protagonist

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Protagonist

R

Released Nov 30, 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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Ben Kenigsberg

Time Out

Rated: 2/5

Nov 18, 2011

Full Review

Melissa Anderson

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

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

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

Full Review

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

Full Review

Geke g

Iam really enjoyed every single second of it

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/29/24

Full Review

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

Full Review

Audience Member

kinda lame doc skip this one

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

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

Full Review

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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