Sunday 17 January 2016

Best Supporting Actor 2015: Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

Mark Rylance won his Oscar from his first Oscar nomination for portraying Rudolf Abel in Bridge of Spies.

Bridge of Spies hits the old fashioned Hollywood sweet spot in its depiction of the story of James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) an American Lawyer who tries to defend an accused Soviet spy.

The soviet spy is played by Mark Rylance who has been an extremely well respected stage actor though only recently expanded into film and television in terms of major projects, though he has been in both in the past. Rylance in 2015 received his most prominent roles in these mediums to date. The first being his television lead role as Cromwell in Wolf Hall, a performance that I would not be giving justice to by describing it in just a few sentences, and his role as Rudolf Abel in this film. Though Rylance is best known from the stage there's nothing at all theatrical about his work. The earliest scenes of the film we follow Abel as he is almost silent as he goes about his day as a spy. Now perhaps what one might be able to take as an indication of Rylance's background as a thespian though is how well he captures one's attention. Abel really is not doing anything of note in these scenes, other than finding a strange nickel with secret information, yet Rylance makes something inherently magnetic about him. Rylance then again is always doing much, though you'd never notice if you've never seen Rylance in anything other than this film, as he so naturally physically transforms himself in the role.

Rylance very quietly ages himself as he actually has a very distinct facial set he keeps that accentuates his aged features. In addition to that he projects a certain body language that carries that of an elderly man, but also a certain timid quality that seems an essential part of him, suggesting his years of being a spy who would have been careful in his interactions with almost anyone. There is something else that Rylance cleverly drives at with his performance, that is never really spoken in the open, is that Rudolf technically is always far more deceitful than he appears, after all Rudolf Abel is not even his real name. Rylance is terrific in the way that he sets up a man who would be unnoticed by most, and written off by many just because of how unassuming he always is. A great moment reflecting this trick, that Rylance is even pulling on the audience itself a bit, is as he's originally captured and Abel goes about destroying an important piece of evidence with CIA agents present. Rylance is unquestionably convincing in his portrayal of this as Rylance is so good in actually realizing Abel as the operator in this moment, as he so calmly takes care of his job that it's hard to notice that he even did it.

Of course Abel's time as a spy is short lived in the film as he is captured, and with no one willing to defend him the case goes to an insurance lawyer, Donovan, who also is quite hesitant to take on the case as well. Rylance's set up for Abel gives sense to his behavior as he refuses to divulge any information or even admit to being a spy. Rylance continues to be brilliantly enigmatic in the role as he makes Abel a very difficult man to comprehend fully, yet Rylance's portrayal never feels vague in the slightest. Rylance treads a fine line as his manner could just be assumed as a shy older man, or a cunning spy who is in fact deciphering everything going on through those tired eyes of his. Rylance even leaves his accent as an interesting curiosity as he delivers a slight Scottish touch to his accent that could be either the truth or just a certain layer of his cover. Now none of this is focused upon in terms of the main narrative by the film yet the detail Rylance brings to the role is remarkable, and adds a great deal to of substance the character of Abel. Rylance never leaves his Abel as a mere plot device, which he very, very easily could have been given how he specifically is used for the rest of the film. Rylance brings a so much more nuance to his depiction that he manages to Abel much more than that, and a captivating figure past the somewhat narrow focus we are given of him here.

Now that's a whole lot on just the earliest scenes of his performance but it is an essential part to the strength of his work as he makes Abel so much more, even before he set into the position in terms of how the story uses him. How the story uses him is technically in a more limited fashion, and in that was this is really a very old fashioned supporting performance in terms of both screen time and purpose. Once Donovan takes up the case the film keeps the focus most closely on him, and we see Abel through his perspective, where Abel is still quite the mystery. Rylance continues to be fantastic though in the role, and one moment I love early on is when Abel warns Donovan on what he might be getting himself into. Rylance brings a most incisive quality to his words that alludes to Rudolf's knowledge of the tensions involved in the Cold war. Donovan though has no desire to know the truth about Abel, after Abel denies taking a deal from the C.I.A. though and the view of him constricts a certain way, though this in no way makes Rylance's performance any less effective. Rylance deftly adjusts his performance to Abel in a way, doing what he believes is his sworn duty, in which is to remain as calm as possible while facing treason charges that very well might lead to his death through execution.

In this way Rylance again succeeds in somehow managing to make Abel an extremely endearing character of sorts despite what the charges are, or how bleak things look he will maintain his composure no matter what. Rylance is able to bridge this to being quite the capable comedic performance as well as he so wonderfully realizes Abel's dead pan demeanor through some impeccable timing particularly in his always amusing delivery of Abel's motto of "Would it Help" whenever Donovan questions this demeanor. At the same time though Rylance also manages to create a convincing friendship of sorts between Abel and Donovan. Rylance very smartly though eases into this idea, never giving Abel fully away, and actually only revealing his great capability of warmth after it becomes quite clear that Donovan only wants to give Abel a fair deal. Now if that's noy enough Rylance is also needed to add an extra bit of gravitas by verbalizing Donovan's personal struggle to defend Abel because of what is right, despite everyone is telling him he's wrong. This leads to Abel to tell Donovan a story from his childhood, about "a standing man" that he believes Donovan is similair to. The specific purpose of this scene very well could have fallen flat, if it were not for Rylance's absolutely flawless delivery of the monologue. Rylance brings the emotional power to the story with such ease to the moment as he vividly creates Abel's own memory through only his words, and absolutely brings the needed dramatic weight behind the moment for the film. Rylance has several challenges from the role, and he is required to fulfill them all despite him screen time begin somewhat limited, he is not present for a large chunk of the film. Technically there are several juicy scenes so to speak, but they could have come across as the most obvious of Oscar baiting given the shifts involved in terms of Abel's character. Rylance never allows this as he is able to be the elusive spy, the funny eccentric, the heartfelt friend, what ever is required of Abel. There is not a wasted moment as Rylance matches whatever a given scene requires him. I mean he even is heartbreaking as he somberly indicates to Donovan a possible terrible fate for himself, even though the film's own final text reveals that was never the case for him. Rylance makes every situation so honest, that it never seems odd that Abel is so many things. He flawlessly coheres all these various ideas for Abel into a single fascinating portrait of a man.

47 comments:

Luke Higham said...

Amazing Actor, Terrific Performance

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Have you seen The Program and any other films from 2015, if so, can I have your thoughts on the film/s and ratings & thoughts on the cast/s.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: *Rylance received his first oscar nomination instead of did not receive an oscar nomination. :)

Robert MacFarlane said...

Weirdly you just praised an issue I have with him as Abel: he grabs your attention. My problem with the earliest scenes of his performance is that he has almost too much presence to be an invisible spy. Almost like in his attempt to show how discreat he is he ends up being the most notable thing around.

That said, I do admit he's a hugely entertaining presence and does have an emotional punch in his bigger scenes (though I still feel like the score murders the Standing Man monologue with a hatchet).

Matt Mustin said...

Are you still planning on saving Hanks?

Louis Morgan said...

Luke: Not yet.

Robert:

Well to be fair, he was caught.

Matt:

At the moment yes.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Louis: Haha, fair enough.

Anonymous said...

I liked him a little bit less than you, not because I have any problem with his work but mostly because he's sidelined for such a large section of the movie. He'd still be a strong 4.5 for me and I agree he does much more than he's required to do, and his final scene is hearbreaking. He's the bast part of the movie, which I enjoyed but still found rather flawed.

Calvin Law said...

Great review, Louis, absolutely perfect.

Anonymous said...

He was absolutely perfect.
Louis: What are your overall thoughts on these actors:
Richard Burton
Eli Wallach
Walter Huston
Ernest Borgnine

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Whenever you do finish Wolf Hall, can I have your thoughts on it and thoughts on the cast.

Robert MacFarlane said...

By the way, winner for Critics Choice last night:

Picture: Spotlight
Director: George Miller
Actor: DiCaprio
Actress: Larson
Supporting Actor: Stallone
Supporting Actress: Vikander (TDG)

Luke Higham said...

Hardy & Theron win for Mad Max and Lubezki won Cinematography.

Robert: Sly gave a great speech and would be a very deserving winner next month. :)

Robert MacFarlane said...

Hardy and Theron won for Action Movie categories.

Luke Higham said...

Robert: I knew that, glad they won something. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm fine with all of the winnings, particularly with Miller's. Blanchett is my easy winner for lead actress but I can't complain about Larson who's great anyway (and was previously snubbed for Short Term 12). The only win I'm not very happy about is Vikander's win: I thought that she was very good in The Danish Girl but a) she was miles better in Ex Machina and b) if they want to award a fraud why not Mara then?

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I'm posting my lead prediction a bit early.

1. Damon
2. DiCaprio
3. Fassbender
4. Cranston
5. Redmayne

GM said...

I have the feeling DiCaprio will be Louis' winner.

Anonymous said...

GM: I'm not betting on him. Damon will be his choice.

Alex Marqués said...

So, in everyone's opinion, only Damon and Dicaprio deserve their nominations? I haven't seen any of the movies from the nominees for Best Actor.

Luke Higham said...

Alex: Fassbender and Cranston are 4s for me, and don't have much of a problem with their nominations, Redmayne's the only one that really bothers me.

Michael McCarthy said...

Personally I wouldn't even necessarily say DiCaprio deserves it, I suppose Damon is the most deserving of the line up but really even he doesn't make my top 10 for the year.

Robert MacFarlane said...

None of them are worthy, and none of them would make my top 20 for Best Actor.

Anonymous said...

Robert: Jeez, pessimist much?

Alex Marqués said...

Which are your top 10 performances for this year? I need some recommendations

Alex Marqués said...

I mean male lead performances

Anonymous said...

Alex: He'll probably say them to you when he's finished with the alternates.

Robert MacFarlane said...

1. Jason Bateman in The Gift
2. Tom Courtenay in 45 Years
3. Michael B. Jordan in Creed
4. & 5. Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds in Mississippi Grind
6. Jason Segel in The End of the Tour
7. & 8. John Cusack and Paul Dano in Love and Mercy
9. Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight
10-12. Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, and Oshea Jackson Jr. in Straight Outta Compton

Alex Marqués said...

Anonymous: yeah I know, I wasn't referring to Louis haha

Robert MacFarlane said...

Actually, just remembered Boyega, Tremblay, Garfield, and Hanks. Really anything after #8 is unranked.

Alex Marqués said...

I was referring to everyone else ;)

(Sorry for the double post)

Alex Marqués said...

Thank you! I loved Ben Mendelsohn in Animal Kingdom, I want to see him giving more awesome performances

Robert MacFarlane said...

For my money Reynolds is just as great in Mississippi Grind.

Luke Higham said...

Alex: In No Particular Order. I've only got Fassbender in Macbeth to see.

Tom Hardy in Legend
Ian McKellen in Mr. Holmes
Jason Segel in The End Of The Tour
Tom Courtenay in 45 Years
Abraham Attah in Beasts Of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn in Mississippi Grind
Jason Bateman in The Gift
Michael B. Jordan in Creed
Jacob Tremblay in Room
Matt Damon in The Martian
Hon. John Boyega in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Calvin Law said...

For me:
1. Damon (5), my #2 of the year
2. DiCaprio (5)
3. Cranston (4)
4. Redmayne (4)
5. Fassbender (3)

Luke Higham said...

Calvin: Is that your prediction. :)

Luke Higham said...

Alex: I requested Mendelsohn for the alternates, so I hope you're pleased with that. :)

Calvin Law said...

Alex:

1. Ian McKellen in Mr Holmes
2. Matt Damon in The Martian
3. Tom Hardy in Legend
4. Jason Segel in The End of the Tour
5. Michael B. Jordan in Creed
6. Michael Fassbender in Macbeth
7. Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant
8. Abraham Attah in Beasts of No Nation
9. Johnny Depp in Black Mass
10. Jesse Eisenberg in The End of the Tour
Hon. Mentions: Mendholsoh, Boyega, Hanks, Dano

Anonymous said...

Louis I suspect these 2 performances will not make it to the bonus reviews, what is your rating and thoughts on

Michael Shannon - 99 Homes
Will Smith - Concussion

Luke Higham said...

Anonymous:
Smith - 2.5(Unlike Cumberbatch in the Imitation Game Smith does not manage to make the socially awkward yet endearing man work. Smith plays too much into it almost coming off as wacky at times. What is worse is that he just drops this entirely when he wants to be passionate about the cause. Smith can cry, he could always cry, but the way he does it always seems so forced rather than the natural reaction of his character)

Shannon - 4(He starts out very strong as he seems in the driver seat for the character. Shannon shows the cruelty of his character not through evil, yet instead just a straight forward professionalism. Yet in that even Shannon conveys a modicum of humanity as he suggests that Rick Carver is not unmoved by the evictions, but he simply must do his job. Then the film makes him just a villain. He has an affair, he's cheating the government, and he is bribing officials to screw over a man out of his house. He just becomes Gordon Gecko. Shannon does this well actually, but it feels like a let down as the initial scenes suggest a far more morally complex figure. It seems that was entirely Shannon though since the film would prefer that he just be an obvious bad guy)

Anonymous said...

Alex:
1. Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant
2. Ian McKellen in Mr. Holmes
3. Michael Fassbender in Macbeth
4. Tom Hardy in Legend
5. Matt Damon in The Martian
6. Johnny Depp in Black Mass
7. Abraham Attah in Beasts of No Nation
8. Jacob Tremblay in Room
9. Michael B. Jordan in Creed
10. Tom Courtenay in 45 Years

Luke Higham said...

Alex: I'll give you mine for Supporting. Again, In No Particular Order.

Benicio Del Toro in Sicario
Tom Hardy in The Revenant
Mark Rylance in Bridge Of Spies
Richard Jenkins in Bone Tomahawk
Idris Elba in Beasts Of No Nation
Nicholas Hoult in Mad Max: Fury Road
Sylvester Stallone in Creed
Samuel L. Jackson in The Hateful Eight
Walton Goggins in The Hateful Eight
Adam Driver in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Hon. (TIE) Emory Cohen in Brooklyn, Michael Sheen in Far From The Madding Crowd, Stanley Tucci in Spotlight and Oscar Isaac in Ex Machina

Michael McCarthy said...

1. Jason Segel-The end of the Tour
2. Jacob Tremblay-Room
3. Tom Hardy-Legend
4. Michael Fassbender-Macbeth
5. Johnny Depp-Black Mass (This stayed with me more than anyone else on the blog I think.)
6. Kurt Russell-Bone Tomahawk
7. Ian McKellen-Mr. Holmes
8. Jason Bateman-The Gift
9. Abraham Attah-Beasts of No Nation
10. Ben Mendelsohn-Mississippi Grind

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin: Thanks.

Anonymous:

Richard Burton - (A great voice and could be a incredible emotional force, sometimes. Just as often, if not more often, he was a blow hard ham who just would go with one emotion running with it until he hit well past eleven. Then other times he'd just be kind of bland and forgettable. If you only were to watch his best work you'd think he was a great actor, but the more you see the more you find out he wasn't one.)

Eli Wallach - (Wallach was a one of the kind performer as no one could have given exactly what he did with Tuco. Whenever there was meat to a role Wallach would find it in a grand and sometimes unusual fashion. Now he was often thrown into some thankless roles but even then he knew how to bring some needed life to them even when it was not required for the film itself)

Walter Huston - (Huston could almost play it too safe in some of his early leading roles, not that he was bad, but some of those roles could be a bit underwhelming compared to what he did later on in his career. Later on when Huston really let loose with his performance he was absolutely captivating and honestly the more flamboyant the role, the better he was)

Ernest Borgnine - (An actor whose reputation I think was made by people who never even saw his work, in fact they probably did not even see his Mchale's Navy work either, they just assumed that's what defined him. He was a tremendous actor though being quite capable in larger than life roles, as well as quietly heartfelt turns like his Oscar winning role.)

Robert:

Interesting that Mad Max was the best directed film of the year but was not apparently was not the best film in the sci-fi, horror, action genre, though I certainly don't mind Ex Machina winning something.

Stallone got another boost, though Rylance will get one at both Sag and Bafta, unless they go with Bale but I doubt it.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Are we getting the next review tonight.

Luke Higham said...

Michael McCarthy: Your top tens for the other 3 acting categories.

Michael McCarthy said...

Lead Actress:

1. Brie Larson-Room
2. Bel Powley-The Diary of a Teenage Girl
3. Cate Blanchett-Carol
4. Rooney Mara-Carol
5. Saoirse Ronan-Brooklyn
6. Charlize Theron-Mad Max: Fury Road
7. Daisy Ridley-Star Wars: The Force Awakens
8. Amy Schumer-Trainwreck
9. Emily Blunt-Sicario
10. Charlotte Rampling-45 Years

Supporting Actor:

1. Nicholas Hoult-Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Benicio Del Toro-Sicario
3. Tom Hardy-The Revenant
4. Samuel L. Jackson-The Hateful Eight
5. Kurt Russell-The Hateful Eight
6. Richard Jenkins-Bone Tomahawk
7. Sylvester Stallone-Creed
8. Idris Elba-Beasts of No Nation
9. Oscar Isaac-Ex Machina
10. Mark Rylance-Bridge of Spies

(I should say that this list has been shifting around a lot recently.)

Supporting Actress:

1. Alicia Vikander-Ex Machina
2. Jennifer Jason Leigh-The Hateful Eight
3. Marion Cotillard-Macbeth
4. Joan Allen-Room
5. Kristen Wiig-The Diary of a Teenage Girl
6. Kate Winslet-Steve Jobs
7. Rachel McAdams-Spotlight
8. Brie Larson-Trainwreck
9. Elizabeth Banks-Love and Mercy
10. Rose Byrne-Spy