The Inner Conflict

Now, I've seen quite a few movies and lately i've made it my number one priority to try and pull the internal conflict out because usually - its either not there or i'm not good at finding it.

I see very few movies where the protagonist has to overcome some emotional problem before he/she can solve the physical problem.

Matrix is a good, rock hard example of the inner conflict being solved before the outer conflict but what are some other ones?

What was Tom Hanks' inner conflict in Saving Private Ryan? I would guess it was that line where he says 'If saving Ryan means I get to see my wife...' but that was in the beginning of the second act and (correct me if i'm wrong) but I thought the protagonist was supposed to hold on to their inner conflict, trying to ignore it while dealing with the physical conflicts until (in the third act) he/she realizes they've been going about solving their problems the wrong way and must first deal with whats inside...

I guess what i'm hoping for is just some clarity on this under discussed topic and maybe a few examples of where its used well.

Regards.

As Good As It Gets - He hates people and suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder. He must overcome his emotional problems in order to get the girl.

Contact - Jodi Foster's character is overcoming her father's death. She pulls away from people and into the world of science. She must trust others before they will allow her to represent mankind. She has a great discussion about her character on the DVD.

Hope Floats - Sandra's character has a problem with self-worth. In High School, she had too much. When her husband left her, she has too little. She must value herself before she can be a good mother.

Requiem For A Dream - Damn, there's so many emotional problems in this film. Most center on addiction. Each character is addicted for a different reason.

Check out the redemption thread. There's a lot of characters overcoming personal emotional problems there. Issues of self-worth, forgiveness, and others.

Those are a few.

DS2

Saving Private Ryan.

The turning point for Hanks' character was when he tell everybody "I'm a teacher." right after his medic died. He could no longer justify sending young men out to die. He made a mistake by sending him up the middle. Up until that point he justified it by saying that one dies so ten can live. But the medic died for no reason. "How am i going to tell my wife about days like today?"

That was the big turning point for Hanks' character.

Why does the protagonist have to solve his inner conflict? I think it would be more entertaining and compelling if the conflict was never solved and he/she just continued running from it or making it worse...thoughts?

okay. brendan. if you want to spend your time watching someone else's narrative film or reading someone else's novel, then you better be introduced to characters who are about to experience the defining moments of their lives.

a character doesn't have to solve an emotional dilemma/inner conflict, but they at least have to undergo some sort of change... otherwise the story isn't worth our time. it would be really nice if they did solve their problems or came to some sort of realization why they can't be resolved.

and the conflict (both the emotional and the physical) <!--EZCODE UNDERLINE START-->must<!--EZCODE UNDERLINE END--> be (re)solved. why? because then you don't have an act iii. there's no resolution. your character hasn't changed. the story's nothing but fluff with good production values (hopefully good production values). people are going to watch your flick, look at their watches as act ii drags out and be pissed off when the flick fades out.

The hero should have 2 goals:

- An original goal (e.g., find the treasure)
- A new goal (e.g., "get the girl") that arises at some point in the middle of your script

There will come a point in your script at which the Hero cannot pursue both goals. This results in 'inner conflict'.

The inner conflict must end, because you force your Hero to decide which goal to pursue. He must sacrifice one of his pursuits. Through this sacrifice, your audience sees how the Hero has changed (or, less often, not changed).

Later, though, you will have your Hero surprisingly achieve both goals -- that's the most emotionally satisfying resolution for audiences. I think.

- User

I apologize... I was under the assumption that we became writers to satisfy a compelling need to tell a story that means something to us. I guess at some point we realize that that isnt enough and then we start writing for other people and 'audiences.'

I guess you could say that is OUR inner conflict. But I dont think the Hero in our own personal screenplay ends up having a happy ending.

Ideally, the passion you feel for your story will be mirrored by some segment of the American movie-going public. Then you might be able to make a living with your writing without having to consider yourself a sell-out.

It's your choice though, no one's forcing you to write audience-pleasing stuff -- if you don't, there are plenty of others who are more than willing. Those are the ones who get paid.

Sometimes there is no resolution of the main emotional goal. That can be a powerful statement. However, there should be some sort of resolution in the film, either through the supporting characters or a secondary goal. "Forrest Gump" is an example of this. Forrest doesn't change much during the film. He doesn't really have a "goal", but those around him change. It can also be like in "Blade". The main characters defeats all the bad vampires, but he didn't solve what he really wanted by becoming fully human. He had a physical resolution, but not an emotional one.

But Sarumu is right in that you have to have some sort of resolution in the film. Otherwise, please tell me why I'm paying $8 to seeing rambling.

What about resolution of the audience? Is that a concept? The audience finally finds out what the inner conflict is at the end of the film, but the character remains the same, only now you know what his deal is.

Iwould love not to see a happy ending. I think people would be better able to identify with someone who is really f-ucked up and stays that way.

Id pay $8 to go so some hopeless shmuck who I thought I was better than