KMC Forums - Misconceptions about character development.

I think that there are some misconceptions about character development. I have read quite a few reviews in which a critics says something to the effect of:
“the characters in this film are quite interesting, but unfortunately, underdeveloped”.
When the critic in question (and I mean any one who writes a review or critique, not necessarily a professional film critic) says something to this effect, (which both professional critics and non-professional people who write critiques often indeed do), they are making a mistake. They are assuming that extra time must be spent exploring such aspects of the character as his backstory, motivations, etc. This is a misconception. By admitting that the character is interesting, the critic unwittingly has acknowledged that he is well-developed. You see, the type of character exploration often mistaken for development is only required in a character-driven movie. I a plot-driven movie, it is unnecessary, and in some cases, can get in the way of the plot.

Let me explain this in another manner. Imagine that you are walking down the street, and happen to start a conversation with someone, who proves to have an interesting personality. After the conversation, you go home, and there meet one of your friends or family members. Now, you know everything about this friend or family member, as you have known him/her for years. But which one of these two people is more real or “developed”? The answer is neither. You just happen to know one better than the other. But they both have motivations, hopes, desires, faults, and most of all, personalities.

It's the same way with fictional characters. Just because you get to know one better than the other doesn't make the character you know less about any less developed or complex than the other. It is for this reason that in a plot-driven movie, you do not need extra scenes in which to explore (note: explore, not develop, they are often confused) the character. The character's lines, choices, actions, and personality are development.