Nearly all memorable stories, whether told in movies or in real life, are about traps; the most memorable are generally about the loss, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph the central character must engage in to escape their trap.
There is no such thing as an interesting character, there are only interesting character relationship; the structure of most memorable dramatic plots centers on a single individual.
Film drama frequently treats central characters as if they were heroes or villains, but often the two are very much alike.