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So my protagonist is quite unlikeable?

I've come up with an idea for a mystery screenplay, which I think could be really interesting. But the protagonist is basically a stalker, who's following his high-school crush around. I was wondering if you had any tips on how to make a protagonist like that likeable?

I know it's possible. In Phone Booth the ''hero'' was a really despicable person, but we were still rooting for him to beat the sniper.
 
I've come up with an idea for a mystery screenplay, which I think could be really interesting. But the protagonist is basically a stalker, who's following his high-school crush around. I was wondering if you had any tips on how to make a protagonist like that likeable?

I know it's possible. In Phone Booth the ''hero'' was a really despicable person, but we were still rooting for him to beat the sniper.

Don't go for likable, go for relatable. See movies like Nightcrawler if you want a recent movie where the main character is a "bad" guy.
 
Yup, you should give some info regarding your character. I've written a bunch of stuff where the main character isn't a traditional good dude who you'd want to route for.

Well, the idea is still in that early stage where things might change in half a minute. Since then I realized that I can write the story in such a way that the stalking will seem justified. I'm not exactly going for a ''bad guy protagonist'' here, so I think this will serve the plot better.
 
Don't go for likable, go for relatable. See movies like Nightcrawler if you want a recent movie where the main character is a "bad" guy.

This. "sympathetic" is also what it's called.

Dexter was a serial killer but we were able relate to him and/or have sympathy at times.

I watched the movie "Young Adult" with Charlize Theron. She is very unlikable. Her motivations are bad.

But you end up feeling sorry for her and although you hope she fails in her motivations and goals, you do hope she has an "awakening" and right at the end, you think it's going to happen and then...nope.

You "root" for her to fail but also simultaneously "root" for her to wake up and get on the RIGHT track.
 
This. "sympathetic" is also what it's called.

Dexter was a serial killer but we were able relate to him and/or have sympathy at times.

I watched the movie "Young Adult" with Charlize Theron. She is very unlikable. Her motivations are bad.

But you end up feeling sorry for her and although you hope she fails in her motivations and goals, you do hope she has an "awakening" and right at the end, you think it's going to happen and then...nope.

You "root" for her to fail but also simultaneously "root" for her to wake up and get on the RIGHT track.

Monster is another one
 
You may also want to consider how a man stalking a woman as the protagonist factors into today's climate and adapt as needed.
 
Who is the antagonist? Maybe show the antagonist as worse from the protagonist. The antagonist could be the bad past life of the protagonist that made him not to know other ways to "chase " a woman, yet he is hopping that this girl will change that life.
 
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