Alternate Best Actor & Supporting Actor 1998: Rufus Sewell & Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City

Rufus Sewell did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying John Murdoch in Dark City.

Dark City offers an ideal companion piece to The Truman Show as an even more literal manufactured existence, and later the Matrix, which apparently cribbed some of the parts of its sets, and while both those films are superior due to greater directors at the helm, there are some fundamental elements of this film that are my favorite of any of these films.

One of these elements is Rufus Sewell in the lead role of John Murdoch, cast because he was then a basic unknown, and for all of us now, basically still feels like an unknown here because it's such a different performance than he would become known for, the evil British guy. He's neither British nor evil here, in fact one could argue his character is about to be programmed to be the typical Rufus Sewell role before waking up when he wasn't supposed to. Anyway, Sewell gives my favorite lead performance of the three men in the crafted reality films, because he is the most truly just average guy out of any of the performances. Compared to say Keanu Reeves who will always be Keanu Reeves to a certain extent, or even Jim Carrey, who severely downplays his Carreyisms but still brings aspects of his known presence to that role. Sewell rather attempts to portray how a completely normal man would find himself suddenly in a room where he has no memory of how he got there, or even who he is, only picking up clues along the way. Sewell is terrific in the role in the way he indeed just brings us into his mental space and every moment in the opening sequence Sewell doesn't waste. He brings the sudden fear fittingly when he finds a dead woman in his room, just as he finds the immediate anxiety of being completely lost in both place and mind. The most important element in Sewell's performance however is creating the sense of discovery of his John as he goes about trying to figure out who he is, from first picking up his surname from a hotel clerk, then later finding out his first from his wallet in an automat.

We follow John as he first escapes seemingly being set up to be a murderer, to finding himself back at "home" to his "wife" Emma (Jennifer Connelly). Where Sewell doesn't portray John as suddenly home, nor will he be suddenly home at any point within his performance, as he consistently creates the scenario within his performance. Creating reality of the reality breaking situation convincingly. Sewell's work is never of the simplicity of any element because in any circumstance John isn't just dealing with what is going on, he's also dealing with all the ideas around it. When he meets Emma there is an attempt for calm, for understanding for some kind of connection for a brief moment, but it isn't of two long living lovers without exception. Sewell shows him trying to understand the situation through her finding the comfort in her attempt to comfort in a way more so just as a person who cares more than necessarily fully his wife. Unfortunately any way of figuring things out are quickly dashed as he finds himself first on the run from the apparent law, Inspector Bumstead (William Hurt), and eventually from the alien men known as Strangers, who control this world, particularly one Mr. Hand (Richard O'Brien), and seek to capture John. Although John finds himself able to fight back against them with seemingly the same powers they have, Sewell again grounds every moment of this, even the worst bit of CGI of the film (that being the floating power bubbles), through his performance. He shows the discovery in the moment, just as he shows the fear of the strangers, but also the conviction of a man just trying to find the fundamental answers about his existence.

Sewell's performance progresses effectively in each sequence to show John slowly gaining his bearings in some respects while also getting more and more frustrated with others. Sewell naturally exudes this greater presence as the man finding his powers and becoming stronger within this world. While at the same time bringing such honesty in seeing the world get recreated by the strangers in front of his eyes, and showing a very necessary down to earth reaction to what is going on around him. Something that he makes fundamental in how any human would react when their very reality is being reshaped, but also very personal as he finds evidence of his fake memories. Sewell every time creates this very potent frustration of a man seeing his existence as a lie on this greater fundamental level which troubles him more completely. Although with moments of respite, and I think Sewell deserves so much credit in selling the romantic angle element, even though John himself realizes and admits that his relationship with Emma was crafted, but also the alleged affair of their relationship was also a lie. Sewell's moments though of John suggesting their current connection though as truth, is beautifully handled by him because he makes it such simple warmth not of this great love, but of a man finding something just through genuine human care. All of this leading to the finale, in which the actual confrontation between John and the strangers is sadly the weakest part of the film. In part because it focuses on the weakest CGI aspect of the film, also because John doesn't fight Mr. Hand, built up to be the main antagonist, instead oddly fights a different one. Anyway, as somewhat silly as the fight is, Sewell still stands firm in his selling of it, but more so he makes the most of the aftermath, as John recreates the world to be a better place for the humans. There's a wonderful calm and solace that Sewell brings in John, as John finds a kind of peace in making the world, and the fake dreams of his false memories into a reality. With a great moment being his final talk with Mr. Hand, that admonishes not with hate, but rather Sewell convincingly speaks the words with love. It's a terrific performance by Sewell which grounds the entire film, and it's a bit of shame that he was basically sentenced to be the John Murdoch, villain, the strangers wanted him to be for much of his career afterwards.

Kiefer Sutherland did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dr. Daniel P. Schreber in Dark City.

To say that Kiefer Sutherland gives a strange performance here may be an understatement, though to be fair in a twisted sci-fi film noir, one can't exactly say there isn't at least some ground to work within in this rather overt approach. Sutherland is probably one of the most random actors, as he can give a good performance as readily as a bizarrely terrible one, and just really moves back and forth between such work in his career without really a consistency one way or the other. Sutherland very much just does his thing, so in a way there is no protection of his performance here that may be the bridge between some of his worst work and his best work, as he certainly is making many choices, theoretically baffling, but not quite baffling. Sutherland's character of Dr. Schreber is supposed to be strange, as this man working for the strangers who goes about helping them with their research on their stolen humans, and helps to implant memories and change their crafted reality for them. Sutherland moves around with a limp, his eyes never exactly open in what we'd describe as the "normal" way, every word he speaks is with a bit of a labored breath before or after it. He speaks with a strange fascination of every exposition related to doing the strangers work, albeit mixed in with this kind of admiring fear at the same time.

 

If there's character type he seems to be replicating here, it is the many actors who played Renfield in Dracula adaptations, in this man kind of broken by his servitude to this dark menace. Sutherland certainly colors the exposition of his character as something else, and as much as so much he just needs to unload, he always grants character within it by showing the doctor's specific fascination with his own work, the stranger's work, but also the potential of John. It is a weird performance, but it is a weird character that is supposed to stand out as separate and not entirely fit. But, I'll actually say Sutherland's choices go beyond just being weird, even if he is most certainly that, and it does inform the reality of the character even beyond being a Renfield. As we discover the Dr. was chosen by the strangers for his expertise, and he explains he had to rid himself of everything except that expertise. In flashback, albeit briefly, we see Sutherland seem to be a more complete man except in this desperate state, against the now sort of broken servant he has become, and there is a strange logic to Sutherland's performance after all. This is reinforced through the ending of the film, where the doctor rather than going through the strangers plan to implant John with their consciousness, instead basically gives John an instant supercharge towards mastering his powers against the strangers. A sequence that again shows there is sense to Sutherland's performance, as we see the doctor in John's mind, as that much more complete man, a mentor even, and without all the strange physical manner of the doctor's brokenness, as he informs and encourages John to be ready to take on the strangers. Re-watching the film for the first time in nearly 25 years, this time I got what Sutherland was doing. It is a bizarre turn, though a bizarre turn that does grant a style bridging a gap between Peter Lorre in a film noir and perhaps Rudolf Klein-Rogge in a German expressionist film, in the middle of where Dark City sits in some ways, and where Sutherland finds an odd place, yet a place that I found captivating, if on the most precarious of edges most of the time.

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Results

10. Vinícius de Oliveira in Central Station -  A performance that is fine in moments however he is always overshadowed by his co-star, and frequently reveals certain limitations that the film directs/edits around.

 

Best Scene: Any bonding moment.

9. Sean Gullette in Pi - Gullette has the occasional scene, however he frequently is overshadowed by the vision of the film, and often provides somewhat thin reactions to that vision. 

Best Scene: Any talk with Margolis.

8. Hugo Weaving in The Interview - His film frequently wastes him through a plot no one cares about, but Weaving is consistently captivating whenever he's onscreen in his portrayal of a serial killer. 

Best Scene: Confession.

7. Christopher Lee in Jinnah - The film tries to cover too much in too little time, but Lee gives a striking gravitas to the central character and offers any other levels whenever he can. 

Best Scene: Seeing the violence.

6. Han Suk-kyu in Christmas in August - Han gives a moving portrayal of the kind man and the emotional distress of his tragic situation.

Best Scene: One more picture.

5. John Hurt in Love and Death on Long Island - Hurt manages the tone of the piece quite effortlessly in portraying the very specific fascination of his character with a subtle emotion and humor. 

Best Scene: Confession.

4. Bob Hoskins in TwentyFourSeven - Hoskins is charismatic as usual in portraying a man with a vision but also excels whenever he is allowed to reveal the character's vulnerabilities.

Best Scene: Apology to no one.

3. Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se...- Khan impressively deals with the various changing tones of the film, managing to keep them together even as they are so disparate. 

Best Scene: Final scene

2. Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe - Although bogged down by some plot mechanics later on, Mullan gives a charming and moving portrayal of a man trying to find a new leaf.

Best Scene: Why he quit drinking.

1. Matthew Lillard in SLC Punk - Well color me as surprised as anyone else that Lillard topped this year, but actually watching the film was no surprise at all, as it was the performance that hit that "extra something" that makes a performance truly great for me, where his performance energy is ideal for the role, however he also excels in being the straightman to the other "punks" while also bringing that comedic chaos himself, while also finding depth in this journey that ends up being surprisingly moving in the end. 

 

Best Scene: "Now what am I doing to do for friends?"

Updated Overall

Next: 1998 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Matthew Lillard in SLC Punk!

Matthew Lillard did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Steven "Stevo" Levy in SLC Punk!.

SLC Punk! depicts a very specific underground culture of punk in the 80's within Salt Lake City limits.

Matthew Lillard who perhaps is an actor very much connected to the 90's for his work in films like Scream and She's All That, is given the starring role here in a role that very much seems ideal for his sort of live wire presence, however here accentuated as a punk anarchist who is raging against the system...kind of. The film is very much Goodfellas for the punk anarchists of the 1980's in Salt Lake City, so about as highly specific as a retrospective as it can be, but as such we are granted this guide into this specific world as offered by Matthew Lillard as Stevo. A performance that literally begins with narration, and a narration that is far flung from a common narration. Lillard doesn't deliver his narration as kind of a formal recollection but almost just some dude you ran into at a party who just happens to be telling you the funny stories of his life. And Lillard excels with this approach as there's such a casual honesty to his performance where he's just like "yeah and there was this guy" in a way that totally works. It is very connected, but still commentary in a rather brilliant way, where Lillard manages to be of the moment, while also commenting on the past at the same time. Often times the narrator version can seem somewhat a different man than we see in the present, which Lillard almost is, as he is the guide of the man recollecting it all in loving detail, that isn't nostalgic though, rather just inviting in letting you get to know all the bits and pieces in his own particular way. His own particular way that truly infuses every fourth wall break and bit with such a tremendous specific energy that just totally works in kind of exuding the punk energy that Lillard's Stevo claims he believes so strongly in.

It is fun to follow Lillard whether it be in the narration or a 4th wall break, each time Steve wants to capture his particular mood as he saw the situation when he saw it and tell you it like it was. And what this does is make an unreliable narrator though in a very particular way that speaks to his unreliable nature though not in the obvious, I'm purposefully lying and more so, I'm giving you my very specific perspective. Part of the narration is just telling you different insights into his extremely specific punk manifesto of anarchy that he tries to describe to the best of his ability, which in itself is a bit of a grey area. I think a great choice by Lillard is the way he seems best at telling you exactly what punk isn't and being so specifically vicious passionate about noting the phonies, such as people pretending to have English accents and being punk. The sheer disgust that Lillard brings as he speaks to this phenomenon is just absolutely ideal and completely wonderful, as it denotes that Stevo really doesn't like them because he wouldn't want to be associated with them. As funny enough, the people Stevo sometimes fights, such as skinheads and rednecks, the take down, while still a take down, isn't passionate in quite the same way. Whether it is this certain kind of creed of "we just hate them", and there is no further articulation that truly shows some sort of world breaking wisdom, rather it is just taking down the idea of rule making without exactly all that much extra sense to it. Lillard makes it a touch thin, but in a way that speaks to Stevo's own belief rather pointentedly as it is a rage of sorts against the machine, yet when he is speaking about that exact rage is probably when Stevo struggles the most to be too specific.

As well as Lillard works as the narrating Stevo there is plenty to his work as the blue haired Stevo going to various parties, rock concerts and hanging out with the various fringe people he comes across, most often his best friend/roommate Heroin Bob  (who doesn't use heroin) (Michael Goorjian). We are chronologically shown Stevo when he is talking with his divorced parents in a scene that is pure Lillard in a way that is absolutely fantastic, where Stevo has an even more over the top mohawk and is dressed with even more flamboyant clothing, as they try to talk about their future. And I'd say just to see great acting, watch Lillard in the scene when his dad is talking to him about his prospects as a man, while simultaneously encouraging and discouraging his lifestyle choices. Lillard is hilarious as he mocks their points with every little over the top gesture of reacting as though he's really taking it all in just as he's really diminishing just about everything that they say with the big not so earnest grin on his face. Leading up to him unloading on everything that makes themselves hypocritical, which I think is key to Lillard's performance, and really the film, because they both take the harder route. Because it would be easy to say Stevo is simply right or wrong in his punk life, but here it makes it a more complicated experience, where he has reasons but he also is doing it for the sake of it. And Lillard thrives by avoiding the simplicity, because he does unleash with much passion in articulating all their personal failures, however the way Lillard reacts subtle within the passion to saying their divorced, or moved to Utah, he shows a much more petulant, though honest frustration of a boy just frustrated by the flaws of his parents and not a champion for anarchy.

In his world, Lillard is very effective in being this guide and in turn being a pseudo straight-man, a difficult balance to pull off when you're Matthew Lillard and donning blue spiky hair, but I'll say without exception he does pull it off. As again we see partly "when asked" we see the passion of the punk, which Lillard unloads with that very specific venting ferocity that shows some idea of what kind of fuels the guy, but when just interacting in the world, he naturally undercuts that purposefully by just kind of existing in it for just the general thrill of it giving him some kind of purpose. When reacting to their various characters, including an older rich German man who is a bit paranoid, Lillard does bring a surprising down to earth quality, as he mixes between moments of genuine concern, if not nearly horror, such as when the German shoots at Bob's head with a gun due to a random suspicion of his, but also often "I love how crazy this is" type reaction of the young man looking just to get his random thrills in life, and just loving the anarchy of it all....well kind of. Such as when we see Stevo interact with another woman on the scene, and part of it is we get that full bodied embrace of the lifestyle when they trip acid together, and Lillard presents the randomness of the insanity with the essential thrill behind. However again this is undercut later on when, despite their "open" agreement, he flips out when seeing her have sex with some guy at a party. And Lillard is the straight man suddenly, despite the intense reaction, though by showing a very baseline natural reaction, albeit the reaction of someone who very much exists in a system of rules, despite his claims to the contrary. Lillard manages to really punctuate every scene so well though by offering that bit of convincing reaction or by offering his bit of spice in bringing that sharp energy.

And I would say this was a very good performance by Matthew Lillard, the ideal role for the ideal actor type of thing, where the two elements just matched up in the right way at the right time. However, Lillard goes beyond that in two scenes near the end of the film. The first is near a breaking point, as many fade from the punk scene and Stevo has a chance meeting with the party's host Brandy (Summer Phoenix) that before we meet her, Stevo informs us that he will marry us someday. With that setup the actors must deliver, and they absolutely do. Phoenix and Lillard's chemistry is amazing, though in a very modest yet utterly convincing way in the way you instantly see this sort of cut through the nonsense in just the way they look and speak so differently with one another. Something that is then reinforced as Brandy challenges Stevo on his punk aesthetic which she points out is hardly a fundamental belief and more of just a fashion statement. Lillard is great in the way you see Stevo completely lose his usual energy and genuinely just being fascinated by her very direct, yet calmly stated thoughts. Lillard shows a young man who no longer is looking at life as something for laughs or to be torn down, but rather something completely genuine. Lillard gets so meek suddenly it is remarkable, and it shows how much of an impact this meeting has both in sort of cracking his facade of the fade, but also in seeing something meaningful in this relationship. But, that party ends with Bob having a freak-out after a long night of drinking and being given a secret percodan. Before that it should be noted that Lillard and Goorjian have great chemistry here as well, in just their ease together that suggests the long friendship of two guys who just are this pair, not much needs to said of their friendship, but their friendship is just an innate understanding, something you feel but don't fully understand until the pivotal scene where Bob from the combination of percodan and alcohol, lead to his death, which Stevo discovers the next morning. Lillard is outstanding as he casually discovers Bob's corpse, his portrayal first as just this slow realization, that is of disbelief, then this way he cradles himself as a child, as the truth dawns on him, and emotion begins to find itself. Lillard shows Stevo trying to almost deny it in his mind, denying the sadness, before he checks his pulse and pulls back from it as a horor. Then lashing out at his friend, trying to inspire "I don't care" energy, but falling completely in just heart wrenching grief, as he falls completely apart, and Lillard is devastating in showing a man having lost something that absolutely shows the meaning of this life, while also forcing this sudden maturity of the man, as he says wasn't "ready for". It is a truly great scene by the honesty of Lillard's performance that goes beyond the loss of the friendship, but also the loss of this whole chapter, whole view of life, as he's forced to face reality so brutally. We see this in the final sequences, while still telling the story to us at that party, which contrasts to what we see silently of Lillard, now with his hair shaved, and suited up ready to be a lawyer. Where he explains himself, still in his way of continuing the chaos as part of the system, while it now being an obvious lie, to the man we see before us who could be any law abiding citizen, and Lillard's expression is perfection, as you see the heartbreak of his loss, the sort of rigged change of the man to lose the chaos, but also just that faintest spark of chaos just on the edge of his final slight grin. This is a great performance by Matthew Lillard, as he brings the ideal energy to every part of the material, finding the style of it, finding the humor in it, finding the humanity in it and creating a dynamic portrait of man discovering the truth about himself, even if he might not admit it himself.

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Bob Hoskins in TwentyFourSeven

Bob Hoskins did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Alan Darcy in TwentyFourSeven. 

Twenty Four Seven takes a scattershot approach to depicting a local man trying to improve his community by getting young troublemakers to find meaning through a boxing club. 

The great Bob Hoskins plays the local man with the dream, which this film doesn't depict in the way you'd expect for your typical sports drama, as it very much has this wavering focus to the film, randomly taking time with different members of the community to attempt to create an overall portrait of the town. Hoskins *is* the lead however this is an instance where he's the lead with relatively limited screen time, as someone the film always comes back to as the driving force, but frequently cuts from to check what that impact is in various ways. Hoskins thrives right into this role as Alan who as a character looks and perhaps, given his love of Rocky, envisions himself as a bit of a Mickey from Rocky. From wearing his cap to just his hardscrabble manner Hoskins very much presents himself as a man almost living his life to be Mickey. Something that is indirectly commented on by his enthusiasm in which he states that Stallone definitely ate all the eggs in Rocky regardless or not it was a film. Hoskins carries an endearing energy here in this rough and tumble way, which like all his best work does carry such a powerful presence. A presence here that is used for rather different ends, as the intention of ole Alan at this point is just to try to make his town a better place. 

Hosking brings this positivity then in a way that feels very much earned, just because there is just a rough truth to the way he speaks, even as Hoskins basically gives every statement this innate silver lining to make it sparkle just that much more. In a way that manages to make the inspiration that much more honest, seeming because of the grizzled messenger yet very passionate one. A passion he brings so potently where he sells his idea two different ways each though presented with a different accentuation with his performance. When selling it to the town officials Hoskins brings such a bright optimism to his expression and his voice of someone selling this idealized virtue of what can be accomplished. While there is no lie in anything Hoskins is doing, just a true belief that his boxing club will change lives. When coming across the boys by challenging them to a bet match to get them to go to his club, Hoskins presents himself with the same passion but now accentuating the rough, tumble and blunt nature of the man. Alan very much uses his background to communicate with the boys and get down to the core of it to persuade them through his own knowledge of lives like theirs. 

The film then progresses as an inspirational sports story which far more asides to check in with the different random people the story is impacting. All of which we see Alan/Hoskins as this hopeful guide. Hoskins is beaming in every one of the different training sequences where he brings this easy combination of intensity for getting the young men ready for the sport, with this joyful manner of someone truly having pride in this experience. Hoskins makes it believable about this positive impact that it is all making because he offers such sincerity as the spokesman where it isn't just the sport, it is everything that it can offer. Hoskins sinks his teeth into every second and it is easy to experience the joy of performance within what he is doing by cultivating that joy into every single second of screen time we share with him. Hoskins makes it difficult not to get a little yourself watching him because Hoskins so effectively and effortlessly brings to life the spirit behind the whole notion of the film. There's not a forced second or instance in any of it, it is merely the truth of what Alan is establishing because Hoskins makes it all so absolutely genuine while also just being wholly captivating in that way which is so specifically that idiosyncratic presence of Hoskins. 

The story mostly moves along as expected as it seems to be working, the team seems to be getting better, Alan is helping the young men work out the rough patches, group together as a community and grow even a few setbacks. At the same time this progress is marked with conversations with a local woman where Hoskins carries in part the excitement about the team with different updates where in Hoskins carries the right tinge of awkwardness as he alludes to his infatuation with her even as he keeps it to the updates. Eventually leading to asking her out slightly indirectly with a drink where Hoskins is great in the sudden nervousness in the usual confidence Alan, and Hoskins brings so much anxiety even as he maintains the smile as though he's ready to push the idea aside as just some pipedream. When she agrees though the joy is contagious with Hoskins, though circumstances lead to him not getting to the drink and Alan to apologize for missing it again with the bright delivery that goes away only when she walks away from the conversation. Hoskins is amazing in this scene suddenly as that joy is lost in his face, he starts quietly speaking to himself in mock conversation and just is reeking in the pained vulnerability. Hoskins being absolutely brilliant in the moment in bringing that power to Alan's insecurity, and shows the heart in the rough man that he was always able to excel with as a performer. I would say the film's last act is easily my least favorite part, almost as though to get "cred" by refusing a straightforward happy ending, which I think in this instance would've been fine. Instead we have the first big boxing showcase for the team that goes at first but eventually devolves into violence leading a parent of one of the young men to pester Alan for the "failure" of his idea, leading Alan to mercilessly beat the man. Hoskins entirely carries the scene and is of course convincing in showing the moment of having the match lit. He's even better in the following scene of Alan just sitting in his shame and Hoskins says all the man is going through in regretting what he has done and his dream being crushed as he just looks on silently. It is great work from a great actor, though I don't think it was truly necessary for this story. Regardless even with that element, which is on the film not Hoskins who carries it like he does every other moment, this is terrific work from Hoskins, being an unlikely but convincing inspirational force for good and making the most of every little sliver that lets us in on the man's own insecurities. 

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe

Peter Mullan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joe Kavanagh in My Name is Joe.
 

My Name is Joe follows a former drinker as he tries to rebuild his life and romance a health worker Sarah (Louise Goodall).

Peter Mullan plays the titular role of Joe, and is an actor who provides an immediate authenticity to a role, that's the case here as the working class guy attending an Alcoholics Anonymous, and is so authentic that I'll admit I might've struggled to entirely understand every word coming out of his mouth. And usually I scoff when some individuals claim they can't understand the actors in films like Banshees of Inisherin or Trainspotting, but this time I'll admit I was challenged in this opening anyways as he goes over his experiences up until this point. Thankfully it began to clear up for me as soon as I could actually see Mullan and he finished his speech about where he's been and where he is now. Mullan brings this sense of a seasoned history of tough stories and difficult times in this moment, but a clarity in the conversation with hopeful accentuation as he speaks about it. Mullan expresses this as a man who has been here before, has maybe said some variation of this before, and there is a strong belief in every moment of a man who has been through a lot but is ready to move forward. And after this point the film kind of jumps right into an unexpected beat as we mostly follow Joe in a day to day situation, where mostly Mullan has to be more charming than anything else as we see Joe coaching, messing with friends, and even the lower end criminal nature of them is largely downplayed as it seems to want us to see Joe just living his life. 

Well in living his life Mullan is indeed very charming and brings a great deal of bright energy in the part. Showing a man who is very much going about embracing life after his hardships and seeming ready to be his best self around everyone else. Mullan has an easy manner in these scenes bringing this natural calm and real sense of joy with the man just going to enjoy life as he can and as he should. Mullan successfully takes it a step further as we see Joe going about trying to help all his fringe friends in his own ways, with just his general impassioned demeanor, if in a very modest way, that completely works in Mullan's hands. He makes it completely convincing every step of the way that it is hard not to find Joe quite likeable with just how much earned brightness that Mullan brings. The man is a man who empathizes and supports first before anything else, and Mullan manages to play this in a way that always feels honest to a man overcoming his past, in fact seems to inform his manner that shows someone who might be enjoying life a bit more than anyone else because he's already been so much terrible events that he's ready to enjoy the good things in life. Mullan carries that specific energy with such an honesty that just as much as I came in expecting to believe him as a man who struggled with alcohol, I much more so was surprised by how much I believed him as a man basically rejecting sadness that was so pervasive for him as he now enjoys his life.
 

Something that I think is essential as the film goes into what is a large portion of the film is his chemistry with Sarah the health worker who quite obviously comes from a very different background and lifestyle than Joe. A romance that could easily have not been convincing by that setup however one immediately can believe it because of that energy that Mullan is exuding where he really just is so charming and outgoing in such a humble way. Mullan is so incredibly endearing that you don't have to buy into the romance, one can simply accept it as Sarah and Joe become closer. Closer in a way where the two of them are so believable in the specific chemistry they develop that isn't about this intense romance, rather this ease of each other's company that is so beautifully realized. You see them just enjoying spending this time together every moment they are with one another, whether it is just spending time casually, or eventually having sex with one another. The two are so playful that it is surprising, but in a way that totally works in exploring the two kinds of finding each other's best natures. They just have that authentic sense of connection that Mullan doesn't at all seem like the rough character we often know him to be and with Sarah we see a truly loving man that just feels genuine in the best possible way. 

That isn't to say that this performance is all joy and happiness, though much more of it than I would have gathered given the pained roles Mullan often plays, and Mullan has a standout moment in a scene where Sarah finally asks about his alcoholism. And Mullan is simply incredible as he goes about speaking first with such a meek delivery as we see the very real fear in his eyes that he'll think Sarah will hate him once she learns the truth about him. When he finally tells the story, love everything Mullan does from his finger tapping his head to just the sort of way he's looking in remembering it as uncovering the dust of this great pain with his delivery featuring such a potent such of the heartbreak of his memories as he notes that not only was he drunk, he was violent. Something we flashback to as we see the rage of the old Joe at his old girlfriend, and as with any time we see violent Mullan, he is indeed absolutely terrifying in the intensity he can unleash in a performance. The animalistic rage in Mullan's performance as a man just got lost in himself, in contrast to the man looking back with this somber understanding of this as something that he essentially fears within himself as much as he seemingly has moved past it. And after this great scene for Mullan is where the film somewhat fell apart for me in getting into the contrived plot over the side characters that ends creating a wedge between Joe and Sarah, leading him into a violent confrontation and a different tragedy to deal with. All of these moments are still well acted by Mullan, he never loses the character, but the way in which Joe is forced into each situation does feel a touch contrived because it suddenly feels so plot driven rather than character driven. Mullan is very strong in these moments, particularly a scene of failed proposal where Mullan brings such a sense of the character just wanting to affirm that happiness and the shyness he brings feels so natural as he tries to ease off it. Or even in the most melodramatic moments of a reverting to his violent alcoholic ways, Mullan delivers every moment of intensity you would want and keeps a potency in these scenes even as the writing flounders more than a little. Mullan remains captivating by keeping the essential honesty within his performance even as the writing begins to make the whole film feel less honest. Mullan proving his measure in this leading role, and leading no surprise why this moved him beyond the minor character roles he had played previously.

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Vinícius de Oliveira in Central Station

Vinícius de Oliveira did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Josué in Central Station.

Central Station tells the unlikely pairing of Dora (Fernando Montenegro), an older somewhat curmudgeonly former school teacher who writes letters for illiterate people, and a recently orphaned boy she's trying to help find his father.

Vinícius de Oliveira's Josué is the boy that we first see as his mother "buys" a letter from Dora, and what he immediately sees are the sides of his performance which I think one could use as a great illustration between screen presence and acting, so to speak. de Oliveira definitely has presence from this opening scene, he "pops" for the lack of a better word, by having an ease on screen and it is easy to see why he was chosen for the part. He comes through the screen effectively and gets over the first hurdle of cinematic child acting by not being a non-entity. What you also get is really the two bits of "acting" that de Oliveira typically delivers, in which there are some limitations. Part of his performance is as the blunt kid of the streets, where de Oliveira I wouldn't say has a flat delivery, but his delivery is always pretty similar regardless of the line. This largely works with the character who likes to speak his mind in a very straightforward way, and de Oliveira conveys that in that specific way, albeit I wouldn't say there is all that much nuance from one delivery to the next. It works, but it also suggests certain limitations with his performance, a limitation however that director Walter Salles seems rather aware of and how to make use of de Oliveira.   

The other side of de Oliveira is portraying the emotional distress that the character is going through from the loss of his mother, and going through the trauma of trying to move on from that. And again not to be overly cynical, but this is a case where the emotion seems fundamentally attached to editing, to explain. de Oliveira has emotional moments, however these are always attached to specific cuts to his face often with some tears, starting to tear up or even the occasional single dramatic tear. We never really see the build up to the emotion, or the progression to it, something we do see consistently brilliantly from Montenegro in contrast. I'm not saying Salles put an onion in front of de Oliveira before each take, but the way it is presented within his performance, is a very limited emotion that doesn't draw one in as the best performance can and should show the progression of it. I think the ending is very telling especially because of the direct contrast between Montenegro, where the camera sits on her for extended periods as we see different things going through her mind, for de Oliveira there' s a jump each cut, and each time it is a separate state of sadness without a natural progression within the single shots. Performances are often said to be created in editing, however this is a particularly extreme example, and because it is so obviously noticeable it did limit the power of the work.

What supports my critique is that throughout the film de Oliveira is kind of either his basic sort of cocky comical version of the orphan or he has his sad moments. There is very little in-between in his performance. He's either one or the other, usually the former and because of that we don't really ever sense any internalization of him thinking about his mom's death, covering it up with his bluster, or any sort of combination of the qualities. Salles however does seem very aware of this fact, not just because of the editing around the emotional moments of his performance, but also that Salles very much puts the weight of almost every scene of Montenegro, who is amazing and easily keeps the every scene going either by finding so much emotional nuance in this journey, or just being charismatic and entertaining in such a natural way. She very much knows how to work around de Oliveira, who does have presence, with Montenegro playing off that presence beautifully. The journey and the connection though are brought to life by Montenegro's brilliance, de Oliveira doesn't slow it down or get in the way, but he doesn't carry it. de Oliveira keeps largely just that presence which is of a boy who wants to impress, perhaps as character and actor, regardless of the specifics it does work, though even in these scenes he rarely does anything new in presenting the character's bluntness, just the consistent thing he does manages to work. de Oliveira is endearing enough, he never gets in the way of a moment of a scene, but never does he carry one. He gets by in the emotional scenes, he has fun in the entertaining ones, but never did I sense a nuanced emotional journey within his own work. Thanks to Montenegro and Salles the performance is more or less successful, and yes every performance is a combination of an actor and director, however this is a case where that is lopsided, but more importantly it is obvious within what is onscreen itself that it is lopsided. 

Alternate Best Actor 1998: John Hurt in Love and Death on Long Island

John Hurt did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Giles De'Ath in Love and Death on Long Island.

Love and Death on Long Island follows a prestigious widowed British writer as he becomes obsessed with a d-list grade American actor.

The role of Giles De'Ath is an extremely idiosyncratic character to the point that artifice could've immediately realized itself from the outset, as from the outset we begin with a very specific man as a widower who shirks all technology, and lives a most solitary man of time gone by, including the death of his wife. And perhaps with a lesser actor this might've been obvious as a caricature of such a man, but thankfully John Hurt was cast in this part who has a way about getting into tricky parts. A tricky part this is, and Hurt from the outset makes us convinced of Giles, who I think one might've gone too hard on the sort of stiffness of the character, Hurt though brilliantly creates this convincing sense of history in this shyly withdrawn manner. Not shy of people in the traditional sense, but shy of the world that isn't the world of his literary genius that he obviously has been in for some time. So much of this film then becomes Hurt creating the sense of exploration when just by chance he is left out of his flat in the rain and stumbles upon a cinema, going accidentally to dumb teenager romp. Hurt's performance is beyond key because so much of this could come off as weird posturing or absurdly specific, however Hurt's many that creates a very real sense of confusion and discovery, with just the right tinge of comedic value to each that makes it work. The comedy being something that Hurt finds in the earnest way he presents the fish out of water mentality of the proper literary type suddenly watching the equivalent of a Porky's film, which is being both taken aback and in a kind of disbelief. However, things take a bigger turn when while watching the film he comes across one of its stars, Ronnie Bostock (Jason Priestley) and Giles is changed forever.

Again I think the idea of Giles specific shift where his whole world is changed by one glimpse of Ronnie, is fairly absurd as this isn't just a cinematic crush, this is a fundamental destruction of everything that was the closeted and cloistered Giles. Something that could be ridiculous if Hurt was anything less than perfectly convincing, thankfully he is perfectly convincing. Hurt's performance brings this sort of naivety even that works so well within the idea of the man's fascination, as with every moment of finding out more about Ronnie, who really is a run of the mill nothing actor, Hurt  combines this specific fascination, eagerness but also boy like adventurous manner of someone going on some kind of exposition. It would be easy enough to pinpoint it as just lust, but Hurt makes it more complicated effectively of Giles nearly leaving his own state to engage in this, something that is partly this falling in love, but just as much this man breaking those confines in his becoming something quite different. As it isn't just discovering Ronnie but Giles also discovers the whole world of technology, even if in technical pursuit of Ronnie. Hurt is fantastic in managing to be idiosyncratic with this indeed somewhat comedic manner of the amateur being most taken aback by every new bit of it all, but empathetic within that idiosyncrasy by also being so very nuanced in the moments of the very human way one can be excited to change one's world with the right motivation. Hurt gives such depth to every step of it, that while amusing because of how extreme it might seem, he never loses the sight of the man being so earnestly finding life in this new way, even if it is technically just fanboying over one specific actor, however he balances it beautifully to make something tangible if also out there at the same time.

Of course the film doesn't stop with such fascinations as Giles decides to use his literary clout to pursue Ronnie at his home, in Long Island itself, a move that honestly could be portrayed as stalker horror in many films, at the very least very unhealthy obsession in others, however here it is treated as almost charming eccentricity, something that again might not have worked if it had not been for John Hurt. Hurt manages to be both comedic and earnest, comedic by being earnest, by being so properly English and literary even while essentially fanboying his way into Long Island. Hurt has all that dignity in his performance, though showing a real fascination, but doing so again in this very proper way that makes it funny even if it is very serious when it comes to Giles's own feelings as presented by Hurt. Giles goes so far as to purposefully run into Ronnie's girlfriend, a scene that again would be too much in many ways if not Hurt's performance, who manages to even sell the pseudo physical humor of ramming his cart, because he manages to be oh so very sincere as he apologizes to her, despite lying through his teeth, as he will continue to do so in either lies or half-truths as he tries to get closer to Ronnie. Hurt when finally meeting Ronnie, manages to modulate his performance ideally within the subtle glances and moments of reservations of a man holding much in, but finding ways to explore when making suggestions and overtures of his career. Hurt putting in this reasonable delivery of every word of support, as much as it is just glowing fanboying, in stating his love for the young man, while keeping that very specific reserve on the surface that slowly wilts away as spends more time with Ronnie. And here is unfortunately where I think the film doesn't know exactly what to do, so it just kind of does a sudden speed run to an ending where Ronnie's girlfriend wants him to spend less time with Giles, so Giles has to speak one more time to Ronnie. A great scene for Hurt however in the way we see within the scene of Giles's finally letting that veneer go as the conversation goes. As he begins with that reserve, that artificial regalness and intelligence, that segues to such natural desperation in Hurt as he makes more of a plea, and then just genuine vulnerability in Hurt's eyes as he speaks as honestly as possible about his love for the man that he has felt all this time. Unfortunately then the film wraps it up a little too quickly for its own good, leaving a bit on the table. Regardless, Hurt delivers a captivating turn that consistently elevates and really sells the material that could've gone wrong in the hands of a lesser actor. 

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Christopher Lee in Jinnah

Christopher Lee did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Jinnah. 

Jinnah depicts the life of the founder of Pakistan. 

Jinnah is two things as a film, one being an attempt to fit a puzzle piece in or perhaps offer a different perspective of the film Gandhi, that depicted Jinnah not exactly as a full-on villain, however a cold patrician man who sews the seeds of dissent to create the partition of India, and where that film fairly quickly leaped to the results of the partition, rather than specifying more details within the reasons and the essential figure within it, this film attempts to rectify that. The other thing it is though is the rectification not as a straight biopic but rather in a Heaven Can Wait, 1943 Heaven Can Wait that is, where a man needs to explain himself to a representative of the afterlife in order to determine whether his actions were righteous or not. I would say as trying to fill in what Gandhi left out, it doesn't entirely work and often seems like "Gandhi at home", particularly due to  "not Ben Kingsley" in that role, than a fully successful film, in part because that framing device feels more like a gimmick rather than something it could've fully explored, since the moments that do play with the idea have potential, albeit never fully explored. Christopher Lee in a way plays two sorts of roles therefore as Jinnah, who much of the film is also played by a younger actor depicting him in his early years, as both Jinnah of the man of history and the man in the afterlife attempting to explain himself to the court of eternity. 

Lee on the former half of the performance unquestionably delivers his usual striking presence particular via his always powerful voice in order to reinforce the command of Jinnah as we see him trying to fight for the Muslim in the next phase of India, for what he believes is the best way, via the creation of Pakistan. Lee is a force to be reckoned with and is captivating to watch every moment we see Jinnah go about addressing a crowd of people, whether Hindu or Muslim, both groups that often question Jinnah's intention the former for his obvious support of the Muslim population of India and his refusal to treat Gandhi as more than a man, and the latter for his non-extremist views on the doctrines of Islam, particularly that of the roles of women. Lee is terrific in just having that quiet passion that does exude in every moment of specifying where there is a real natural controlled intensity, where Lee manages to basically paint the perspective of Jinnah of Gandhi and the perspective of the film. A great moment to illustrate this is when we see an early scene where his sense of humor is question, where before that cold and incisive stare seems to speak of a cold man, but then Lee's casual way of dismissing such charges by being humorous himself is a wonderful bit of bringing more humanity to the role than we saw in Gandhi. Lee is able to articulate a perceived image of Jinnah that some might've obscured and the image of a man of a more gracious charismatic ruler at the same time. 

A flaw in the film though is where Gandhi even struggled to a degree to tell the tale of India's fight for independence in over three hours, this film obviously was never going to do it in less than two hours, even when allowed to just hone in a bit more on Jinnah, but there is so much to tell, one thinks perhaps just telling the partition progression probably would've made the most sense. Instead the film has very brief moments that don't add up to too much where it covers Jinnah's personal relationships with his wife who died young, his willful sister, and even his daughter, who wants to marry out of Islam against his wishes despite essentially doing that himself. In the present phases, Lee's effective in presenting a certain degree of deficiency in the scenes of trying to admonish his daughter or his sister, and presenting a less passionate man as he speaks the specific dogma that leads to these conflicts. In each Lee presents the hardness of this belief, though in these instances creating a greater sense of conflict by speaking the words with a degree of hesitation and weakness that is far from the nature of the man we see the rest of the time. As quick as these moments are, Lee does what he can to bring a bit more depth, as we also see the man as he deals with the very difficult question of partition and the unexpected results of it. One great moment is when Jinnah is offered evidence of an affair between India's expected first prime minister Nehru and the wife of the final viceroy of India. Lee's great in creating the sense of old loyalties and friendship, and this sickening refusal to sink to basic politics with a sense of blunt disgust as he refuses to use the blackmail for his gains. Lee is equally powerful in the final moments of the film where we see Jinnah react to the violence of the partition, where Lee brings in his reactions such a striking sense of the horror and heartbreak in the man as he sees the results of India's independence bluntly in front of him. Lee's very moving in showing the weight of decision on the man as this existential crisis regardless of his beliefs. 

Speaking of existentialism, that crisis is the forefront of the judgment on Jinnah as he attempts to defend his actions to a representative of an afterlife. An idea that fluctuates between a silly gimmick you might find in a bad history channel special and to something far more striking and potent. The gimmick moments are of the direct conversations with his guide that feel too simplistic at times and too straightforward as though Jinnah is explaining his performance review. Regardless, Lee gives as much gravity as he can to these scenes by presenting a man still steadfast in his belief he did the right thing, and elevates the concepts as much as he can, bringing that understated passion to every word of his defense. Equally effective is even his wistful commentary on the relationship with his wife, where Lee brings that haunted sense of reflection to a man who managed to live on past the relationship but never emotionally removed himself from it. The most striking moments though are those of interaction with the past, such as when older Jinnah speaks to his younger self to promote the concept of non-violence, where Lee is moving in being more supernatural himself in showing the convictions of a man who can now look at the past rather than life in it as the present. We also have an all too brief scene where Jinnah becomes a prosecutor himself of the British viceroy on his failure to stop the partition violence, which seems like perhaps where the film should've started as it seems like a lot of potential if it had been set up as a trial where Jinnah both defends himself and lays blame on others, however this is swiftly rushed through. Although to Lee's credit he does deliver on the sheer power of his performance and brings the force of a man seemingly fighting with more than just his own experience but the whole of history. That is however essentially the entirety of Lee's performance, which is elevating what he has but can only do so much due to the limits of the film.

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Han Suk-kyu in Christmas in August

Han Suk-kyu did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jung-won in Christmas in August.
 

Christmas in August depicts, in part, the potential romance between a parking agent and the man who runs a photo shop near her route.

Han Suk-kyu plays the man who runs the photo shop and part of this film is working within his state as his job. A performance that reminded more than a little bit of Timothy Spall in Secrets & Lies, who also portrayed a photographer who is good at his job and exudes a pleasant professional demeanor. Han's performance is this presence in part as he makes his Jung-woo likable though certainly very specific in his manner. Han finds the right balance in terms of creating this state of the man while also in a way being a facade of sorts, as obviously someone who is working their job isn't being entirely themselves, if successful, as they must please their customers. However what Han though brings in this performance is the frequent contentment in his manner in his shop that creates an innate affability. Han's performance finds the right balance to express both the state of Jung-won as he is an appealing presence, that is both the man being the best photographer he can be, while also just in part being a strong aspect of himself. An expression where Han brings this innate sort of quiet passion to the character as he prepares any photograph or takes a potential order. There's this calm about him but also this sense of intelligence in the man as he speaks his additional questions to customers to get the best result possible for them.
 

The theoretical shake up in the film comes from the woman who shakes up his world in Da-rim, who takes time away from giving parking tickets to relax within his shop. This is the first challenge to his specific environment, though initially we Jung-won reacts to her as any customer does. Han is very good in bringing this quiet sense of the attraction to her as not something of an overplay but just a marginal increase in brightness to the already affable way Jung-won presents himself. Her challenge to him though is far more complicated than just being a potential switch up from his specific life already as she asks him questions about his age and his marital status, both which Han initially lies about. A key moment in a way because Han's delivery isn't exactly as the dodge you might think it is, rather he makes it the continuation of the proper customer servicer who rather than care about his own potential concerns of the relationship, gives the answers that are the simplest ways to discourage future questions from being asked that would disrupt this world. When Da-rim very easily breaks them down as obvious lies, though in her own affable way even if quite blunt in her way, Han's wonderful in not showing any defensiveness rather this easy acceptance of her insight, with an easy smile as though the man is accepting she does see him more clearly beyond sort of the presentation.
 

Han's performance is very much defined by the differences we see in the man depending on where we interact with him as we see the man away from the shop, he is a different person, not completely but fundamentally. Han still has that shy affable demeanor as his core as we see him with his father and sister, we still the man we see in the shop, however there's a greater sense of this innate sadness within the man's shy demeanor. He's a bit more open, if still reserved, and Han rather nicely balances this aspect to show a man who still hides his loneliness though hides it less. Things take a turn for the worse, and the melodramatic when Jung-won also discovers he has a terminal illness to go along with his lonely state. And while we once again see the man try to hide it within himself though in this instance it is a bit harder, as we see when he is with his one friend he shares this information with. Han is quite powerful in the man's change in manner, because Han earns the sudden burst of a kind of rage in the typically so affable man. As Han presents it with this painful sense of the desperation fitting to the man who now sees his life will be far shorter than he expected, and is quite moving in portraying that brief loss of the man's usual calm. Something that he returns to after this point, however Han is terrific by showing the man going back to close to be the affable shy man, but not being only that as the sense of that impending fate is within his eyes, even if it isn't overt. 

Theoretically this is where the film is within the very specific melodrama of the romance being thwarted by a terminal disease, although the real trick to all of it is how well done it is, not the fact that it is as such. And in this sense the film works within it, which is of Han separating himself slowly, while still embracing what he can, including briefly more overtly taking part in the romance. Where the chemistry works is not in some intense way, but rather just the pleasant, normalcy of it on their date that you see the future of it in the moment, even as Jung-wong can never be part of the future. And Han's performance works in creating this simple affable embrace of the life he has left, though it is this way of basically preparing others for his death more often than not. Han delivers this convincing calm to the character that is very moving in the way Han always observes in any scene with really two ideas. One being this appreciation of the moments he does have, but subtly within his work is this powerful somberness of the brief time he will have with this experience. The climactic moment of this, being a direct reference to Ikiru, and quite a potent reference as such, as we see Han prepare to take his own photograph. Han's work is incredible in the scene because you see how much the man is going through as he makes the preparations the tragedy flowing through him, not in big weeps but actually in the quietly sad though confident manner he goes about, before the picture, being essentially one last simple smile to please others as the characters as Jung-won always had done. 

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se...

Shah Rukh Khan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Amarkant "Amar" Varma in Dil Se...
 

Dil Se... was a bit surprising about a radio journalist becoming infatuated with a woman who just might be a terrorist.
 

Returning to Shah Rukh Khan, one of the most well known stars of current day Bollywood, in yet another romantic leading man turn though considerably different from his work in 94. As per usual, especially with requests, I tend to go in blind to a film, so it is safe to say I really was in for more than a few twists with this film. As the opening was one that seemed like it was going to be one thing, as we see Khan with an overeager, though effectively portrayed as such, demeanor as he happens upon a beautiful woman we will come to know as Moina (Manisha Koirala), who seems fearful yet is blunt in her rejection of him, which Khan presents as his Amar as mostly taking in stride but most certainly more than a little impacted by the seeming intensity of the interaction. Khan manages to set up his hopeless romantic with enough of a charm if also the sense the man perhaps goes a bit too head first into such notions. Khan I find just hits the right balance between the sides of the character to find a likeability within the character while still indeed being slightly overbearing but not going too far to become too overbearing for us to empathize with as we get started with this very atypical romance. 

The atypical romance that has its first wrinkle as we follow Amar later on as he is working as the radio host, where Khan has a strong presence as the man with the passion to attempt to find his goal, which ends up being a combination between the romantic and surprisingly the political as he goes about interviewing an extremist militant group and runs into Moina again, who once again does her best to push him away despite his persistence. And while one can argue he's maybe a little much in his continued pursuit, it speaks to the charisma of Khan that he brings you along with this regardless, because there is this certain manner of honesty within his performance that helps ease it away a bit. It perhaps helps even more that he quickly is beaten for his interest by two random men who claim relation to Moina but rather suggest that she and the men may be tied to the terrorist group. The real challenge of Khan's performance begins to reveal itself within this kind of whiplash of elements between an unlikely love story and a very dramatic story of one falling into extremists. Particularly tricky because the shifts aren't in acts really, but rather in the first half the film rather quickly shifts between romantic overtures and some very serious ideas regarding Moina's extremists views and what fueled them. 

Khan to his credit is able to maneuver this effectively within his performance that manages to create cohesion by always presenting Amar with the defining trait of his passionate demeanor no matter what the situation may be in a given circumstance. With Khan managing to find some kind of connection in showing the nature of the man taking kind of the love above else approach that manages to go from overbearing to overwhelming in a way that does work. Where Khan manages to show the way his intense passion carries him through and where his performance consistently emphasizes the sincere concern he has for Moina as much as he is intrigued by her. The swing then, as quick as it is, too quick I'd say, Moina admits her own affection for him openly though she is constantly burdened by her state of existence, though doesn't feel phony by the way Khan just so much exudes the intense interest in every aspect of her and does feel so sincere as the man unquestionably in love. And I think what works in contrast to this is Khan's chemistry with sort of the simpler alternative love interest of another young woman, Preeti (Preity Zinta), where the two do also have chemistry. The chemistry though is of an easy warmth between the two, that is low key but affectionate, however distinctly different from the fraught and intense chemistry we see between Khan and Koirala. 

And to think I knew where the film was going would be wrong, as Moina doesn't escape her extremists beliefs and instead ingratiates herself within Amar's world as an agent in her group. Something Amar works on trying to break her from, which from Khan is a great scene where he has her listen to her spoken dreams of a life together, where Khan's performance is wonderful by the amount of direct empathy you see in his eyes in trying to purge her from her hate. When though she counters with her very real trauma at the hands of the government soldiers years ago. Khan is also great because he manages to show the sense of understanding the man has for her very real pain, but with this calm yet potent insistence that no matter the past her violent past is not what will help the world. But again to turn again as the film goes even more towards full thriller, where when Moina is going to go forward as a suicide bomber and Amar ends up needing to face both the terrorists and the police to face her. Khan is terrific though in not becoming the action hero suddenly, even if he does action hero things, as he goes through the emotional and physical wringer in his quest though with the sense of his passionate love behind it all. Khan is moving in showing the physical degradation of it all though in his eyes still the ever potent determination that the man refuses to give up and allow Moina to become the killer. Leading to a climax I definitely didn't see coming, but regardless made powerful by Khan's performance where he shows the man who is at the end of his rope in some ways in the level of emotional desperation he brings, the physical  exhaustion behind it all, but still this purity of the man heart that defines him....there's all song and dance scenes that are purposefully her completely separate of a piece though related as fantasies though given the subject matter are particularly extreme in their contrast. So Khan's performance in these scenes is very different, but hey certainly brings a very different energy effectively, if it isn't exactly as a singular piece with the right of the film. 

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Hugo Weaving in The Interview

Hugo Weaving did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Edward Rodney Fleming in The Interview. 

The Interview follows the police trying to get a confession out of a suspected murderer...and rather tired police station politics that undermine the investigation.

Hugo Weaving is an actor who if you only ever watch Hollywood productions one would think he could only play a certain constricted villain type, where if you go to see his home Australian work you immediately have a greater variety of roles and chances for him to express his range as a performer. One such role can be found here in the role in The Interview, despite the fact that he's playing a suspected murderer, the part of Fleming isn't as a cackling villain. Rather his character is portrayed rather empathetically in the early scenes of the film whereas the police are presented in turn as rather cruel and abusive as we see them accost Fleming in his home, arresting him with guns drawn to his face, without explanation given and causing the man to wet himself in fear. Weaving delivers what can best be described as a visceral vulnerability, in that there is no ego or vanity in the depiction of this man, rather Weaving presents Fleming in this scene very much as the victim. He's nearly petrified in fear in his physical manner, he speaks as though he's just eeking out the smallest attempts at protesting his innocence, he is wavering in the states of confusion over what is going on with him and he's minimalized in his embarrassment over his state of needing replacement clothes. Weaving shows a man who seemingly could just simply be a man in a state of distress, which only begins as the "interview, more so interrogation begins. Weaving's performance again brings this sympathetic flair of what is a lost man in many ways, as he speaks with this real anxiety within everything as he speaks of only a lack of knowledge of any charge. When they speak of his daily routine, there is a quiet powerful somber quality to Weaving's performance as the man speaks of going to a local market as a chance to speak to people with this earnest but broken connection given the context in which he is revealing this pain. Something that Weaving cultivates in his performance as the police bring up a driving incident when he was young, with Weaving being rather moving in creating the sense of potent disbelief in Fleming as his eyes are that of a lost man unable to quite comprehend what is going on. 

After meeting with a lawyer finally, who tells him to say nothing until the police are required legally to release him, the police offer Fleming food and more so attention and suddenly we see a shift in the character. A shift that may happen too fast script wise, however performance wise Weaving is great in this shift, because he doesn't suddenly turn on the Weaving as a villain approach, something he certainly could do, rather he presents this connection to the attention granted to him. Weaving begins as Fleming begins to recount the alleged crime with a keen interest and his delivery is that of a man who is very much relishing the opportunity for storytelling. Weaving accentuates words and moments, with this understated kind of glee and his eyes are looking at the men with this sort of reaction to a kind of fascination. Weaving presents a man so much enjoying the way he is now the center of the minds of these men, and is suddenly a man of importance, even though the importance is attached to murder. The murder itself Weaving delivers as just the details of the event, no more, no less. Rather Weaving very much is the man playing for his audience, and in turn Weaving is quite captivating as Fleming becomes very much a showman for both the police and the audience. However the film then turns again to be about our central boring inspector and his interrogation methods, where the next time someone asks Fleming about something, he becomes again the fearful man. A difference however is Weaving let's see more performance due to the on a dime switch between the styles of the man as he becomes suddenly very articulate in his denials and his inability to understand why he is being persecuted for his innocence. Leading to sort of the summary moment of the character revealing his true nature in his scene as he leaves the police station, after his interview is ruled as inadmissible, where he walks and a diabolical smile finds itself onto Weaving face. Perhaps an indicator of what Hollywood will see him as for much of his career there, but regardless still here is an effective moment of his performance. A performance that is greater than his film, which really is only compelling when Weaving is onscreen. That's despite the part being very much written to whatever is needed per the plot point of the less interesting aspects of the film about the police officers, rather than what should've been the meat of the piece, the actual interrogation. Regardless, Weaving carries his weight and more, by delivering a captivating and chilling performance, even as he can't quite hold the whole thing up on his own.