Judging from the script, I'd say David is the Protagonist as the story is told through his…
As you say, it *does* feel like a "conventional narrative movie," and one thing it suggests at the script stage (I have yet to see the…
Judging from the script, I'd say David is the Protagonist as the story is told through his perspective. But to your point, Laura, three members of the family -- Jacob, Monica, and Soonja -- have pivotal roles. It feels like one of those stories where character archetypes may be of some value in analyzing the story, but not of central importance.
As you say, it *does* feel like a "conventional narrative movie," and one thing it suggests at the script stage (I have yet to see the movie) is it has powerful emotions running through: A man with a dream. His wife struggling to understand that dream. A marriage teetering on the edge of dissolution. A grandmother and her medical issues. A boy and *his* medical issues. A FOOW (Fish-Out-Of-Water) dynamic. Underdog story of trying to make a dream come true.
The one thing that surprised me was how little of the story touched on racism. If I heard the premise without knowing anything about the movie, I would assume that dynamic would be a pretty significant narrative element, but at least as far as the script is concerned, it's pretty light.
The plotline is very simple: The story of the farm. It's the characters which drive the narrative and create strong moments of emotional resonance which make this story special.
Much more to come this week as we dig into Minari!