In Pure Capitalism there can only be losers and winners. The Cinema of 2016 encapsulated this extremism. The powerful or adored win, the others lose. Losers in the Cinema of 2016 fought hard and scrappily against their oppression/demons (CHRISTINE, I, DANIEL BLAKE, WHITE GIRL) but to little or zero avail.  |
| CHRISTINE (loser) |
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| WHITE GIRL (loser) |
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| I, DANIEL BLAKE (loser) |
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| ELLE (winner) |
Some films featured both winning and losing protagonists, highlighting the power or success one envied in the other.
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| DIVINES (loser-winner-loser) |
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| DIVINES |
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| LA LA LAND Stone's character starts out as the loser, but by the end her fame eclipses the brief level of success of Ryan Gosling, and her love for him wanes. |
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| LA LA LAND Gosling's character does not seek fame, but money as a means to an end. The $ Machine mocks his goals, and he is ultimately punished for his love of another person and his love of music over money.
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| NERVE (loser) |
