I'm about to start a script that will end with my protagonist failing to achieve his goal. The story is resolved and the "bad guy" dies, but the protag ends up sacrificing so much of himself and his morals that he becomes everything he hates at the beginning of the story.
I'm looking for some thoughts on other movies that have a similar kind of ending where the protag fails - not just where he/she realizes they've had the wrong goal in mind, but just flat out fail. Something like Raging Bull (although it's a biopic, so it might fall into a different category) or Chinatown or The Conversation.
What makes them work? What's the payoff for the audience?
I'm looking for some thoughts on other movies that have a similar kind of ending where the protag fails - not just where he/she realizes they've had the wrong goal in mind, but just flat out fail. Something like Raging Bull (although it's a biopic, so it might fall into a different category) or Chinatown or The Conversation.
What makes them work? What's the payoff for the audience?
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