Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2025: William H. Macy in Train Dreams

William H. Macy did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Arn Peeples in Train Dreams. 

William H. Macy plays one of the men on the logging jobs that our central character Robert Granier (Joel Edgerton) works with, an old timer, the oldest on the jobs, who we come across for a brief section within the film. Macy's performance for me is one where I find the extent of the work goes beyond the character beautifully so as his screentime is fairly limited overall. Macy though seeks to give as much life as he can for Arn in just a few scenes. First portraying the specific type of age of the character, which Macy himself is 75 but a modern 75 not the 75 of the far rougher living age of the men of the turn of the century of Train Dreams. Macy specific aged manner, his voice, his movements they are all reflective of the very specific period. His vocal work is quite impressive with making the specificity of the period dialogue particularly natural, but also natural within the idiosyncratic man that is Arn. Macy pulling off the trick marvelously in being of this period so distinctly, because he manages to be so of the period while also wholly tangible of that period. Macy fashioning such specificity in the way he sits, the way he smokes his pipe, the way even walks back and forth when checking his dynamite job, that appears to be Arn's main purpose as he seems to rarely do much actual logging. Macy walks right out of that past in such a wonderful way because none of it feels like a put on rather he captures the man as though we are just transported through time to meet Arn and get to know him just a bit. His rambling delivering in itself speaks so much to someone who frankly has gotten used to frequently speaking to himself even though he speaks it in a way as though he's offering the conversation for anyone who would like to hear it. To the point Macy's reaction is almost of a bit of surprise when Edgerton's Robert shows a bit of genuine interest in one of the man's random songs he' singing. Macy's delivery has this constant internalization of even when he starts speaking to Robert, he's always looking down, still expressing the words towards himself, though with this quiet hints of warmth and attempt at a shaky wisdom of the man wholly enjoying this connection for a moment. We see within Arn's reaction to the death of a few men, a history of experiencing deaths, Macy not projecting disconnect but rather a painful acceptance of the suffering with as much grace as he can. Something he explores a bit more in the philosophical discussion about tree cutting, Macy brings such a beautiful simple passion towards describing the history the trees represent, Macy speaks with a distinction and a connection to the trees. Selling the idea powerfully in his eyes of a man looking beyond his own life in a way and having this sense of a deeper reflection. A reflection not of a modern sensibility but Macy finding it so soulfully for a man of this period. The most revealing moment of Arn though as Robert asks about his family, and Macy's delivery of "Wherever there's a smiling face" has such an artful combination of warmth and pathos of a man who means yet does suffer from it in a way well. Bringing then a direct sincerity in his appreciation for getting to know Robert beyond temporary meeting. Macy finding the man of Robert's ilk before Robert and the end of such a man, when a random branch lands on Arn's head. I love his death scene because Macy doesn't make it this big drama, rather showing the man very much lost in his thoughts from the head injury to a degree, but just trying to appreciate what's around him one last time with his modest yet heartbreaking delivery of seeing the beauty one last time. This is an extremely brief performance, which should not be a criticism but rather a reason to praise Macy all the more. Macy transforms himself here, in a way that I have not seen before from him, so specifically to embody such a distinct sense of period and setting, but also so specifically this man and his unique philosophy. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2025: Jack O'Connell in Sinners

Jack O’Connell did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Remmick in Sinners. 

Jack O’Connell plays the lead villain of the film the vampire Remmick who literally jumps into the frame to interrupt the main action with his presence, as he first sees him seek refuge from Choctaw vampire hunters via a pair of Klu Klux Klan members. Where essentially we see what is so much of O’Connell’s performance, which he excels with consistently, which is the various “sells” Remmick delivers throughout the film in an attempt to get let into different places and try to convince others to buy into him in one way or another. In this first instance basically playing a “hat in hand” southern traveler “mistreated” by the Choctaw as he pleads with his “good ole boy” southern accent for this scene to the husband and wife Klan members, which gets him in before revealing his true nature where O’Connell consistently brings the biggest of smiles of Remmick in a way loving what he does as he “invites” people to join him in his “family” so to speak. O’Connell finding the perfect kind of demonic glee as you see him loving him see the spread of himself essentially as he converts the two to his cause. 

Unfortunately for those on the first night of the juke joint, particularly inspiring musician Sammie (Miles Caton) who has given a musical performance that called upon the ancestors which Remmick could see from beyond the home, Remmick takes more than a liking to Sammie. O’Connell’s eyes in the scene of discovery are essential as you see suddenly the drive and real lust for Sammie, not sexual or even bloodlust, but just the desire for that power to connect with his ancestors which becomes his fixation. Where we get the first musical performance of O’Connell which he makes strong use of everyone that he gets, the first being presenting himself to the owner twins Stack/Smoke (Michael B. Jordan), among others, as merely a folk trio as they play “Pick Poor Robin Clean”, which is a wonderful moment where the performance, particularly O’Connell’s delivery of the song where he manages to have this combination of wholesome and creepy at the exact same time particularly in that smile of his. And O’Connell is quite charming to the point you could believe he’d convince everyone to let him in, as brings such a passive delivery and almost an “aw shucks” manner to everything he says as just a leader of the white trio who just wants a moment of equality. He manages to be creepy, charming but also naturally funny in presenting the sides of Remmick’s pitch. Two separate standout moments, one when noting Sammie, and O’Connell demeanor changes towards that lust just a bit as though Remmick can’t quite help himself, and the other moment when Smoke asks if they’re Klan members. O’Connell is hilarious in the stammering in the moment, where Remmick personally is surprised at the accusation yet also with the sense of needing to sidestep the issue because his companions were Klan members even though he was not. 

O’Connell’s presentation of Remmick is a fascinating use of essentially using good to do bad. As his second musical performance of “Will Ye Go, Lassie Go”, there is such sincere devotion to the song, just as is his overtures to Hailee Steinfeld’s Mary who just lost her mother, where O’Connell presents it less as a lie, but rather leaving out the whole truth. Presenting basically vampirism as a cure for all ills, and O’Connell in trying to pull in the mark bringing this meek earnestness to each note just as he did the song. Only when it is clear she is passing on the note, O’Connell instant switch to violence has such a remarkable ease as you see the real vicious intention who won’t give you a choice on his healing. Which then we get a domino effect of most of the patrons, Mary and Stack getting converted, and we get another aspect of O’Connell’s performance. Which is testament to some great blocking from Ryan Coogler, and the work of O’Connell in conveying this specific puppet master he is. Something we see both in his last sell to the survivors, where the formerly human people also all sell the notion of the vampire community but also as we literally see in O’Connell’s last musical performance “Rocky Road to Dublin” where the vampires are all dancing around his lead where O’Connell wonderfully dances to the tune as someone fully embracing this night. O’Connell’s movements with the other vampires is also in this calm center of power, but also with this lack of surprise to every word or movement they say. O’Connelly delivers these subtle gestures and movements that reinforce the way that everyone is under his beckon call even when they are supposedly speaking for themselves. 

O’Connell has a confidence of tone throughout the film. Where has an ease to be menacing, to find some genuine depth in certain moments but also can even be quite funny as well. As he has so many great touches throughout. One that requires mention is continuing that excitement towards converting Sammie, with his particularly fervent delivery of “SAMMIE!” when surprising poor Sammie, among others, by flying around the back of the juke joint to attack them. A moment that is funny but also alarming in equal measure. There is even remarkable attention to detail in his accent, which is how to utilize one brilliantly. Where O’Connell allows the real Irish origin of Remmick to be a hint throughout, which in itself is not O’Connell’s own accent. Allowing himself to reveal it in the most personal moment, such as when the escaping Sammie starts reciting the Lord’s Prayer only for Remmick to join in gleefully. O’Connell brings this demented quality as he mocks Sammie’s attempt, but also interwoven with a certain long dormant pain as he recounts the words from the men who took his father’s land. Even within the finale itself, which I will admit I do find a little straightforward in the actual method of the vampire’s destruction, O’Connell does his best to make it as interesting as he can. The first being when Sammie, to survive, slams the guitar against Remmick’s head where the silver of the guitar jams into Remmick’s face. O’Connell’s delivery of “Shit” is absolutely hilarious as he grants you the sense of an immortal, who is a bit taken aback by one injury he’ll survive but is going to be leading a lasting mark for quite awhile. Followed by the light burning Remmick up, which a theoretical standard moment of the vampire burning up, yet even this O’Connell makes a bit more interesting as his cries are of pain, yet there’s more to them than that, there’s a complex sorrow he brings not from the death but rather potentially finally being freed or seeing the sun after so many years. It would be easy enough just to make it “bastard gets his” moment but even that O’Connell uses to bring a bit more character to the film. As strange as it is that I might’ve preferred a Sinners without vampires, O’Connell is the best argument against this claim. As he consistently impresses in creating such a magnetic villain, who fashions an honest argument, while bringing genuine vicious menacing and just so many memorable little moments within his relatively limited screentime. The fact that he’s in the film for less than 15 minutes only speaks to the incredible impact he has on the film. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2025

And the Nominees Were Not:

Russell Crowe in Nuremberg

Jacobi Jupe in Hamnet

Jack O'Connell in Sinners

Tyler Okonma in Marty Supreme

William H. Macy in Train Dreams

Best Actor 2025: Results

5. Michael B. Jordan in Sinners - Jordan effectively carries his film in two separate ways one through charisma and one through stoic conviction. 

Best Scene: Epilogue.

4. Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon - Hawke gives his most showoff performance to date, and I found it largely effective as the showoff yet sorrowful Lorenz Hart. 

Best Scene: Argument with Rodgers.  

3. Wagner Moura in The Secret Agent - Moura gives a subdued and moving depiction essentially of one normal man trying to live in a mad time.

Best Scene: Testimony

2. Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another - DiCaprio delivers one of his best performances that manages to be both a very funny and moving journey from revolutionary to burnout dad. 

Best Scene: In the car with Sensei. 

1. Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme - Good predictions Kevin, Robert, Tim & John Smith. Chalamet is a live wire of cinematic charisma in delivering a captivating yet challenging depiction of one man's ego and ambition. 

Best Scene: Final game. 

Next: 2025 alternate supporting. 

Best Actor 2025: Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon

Ethan Hawke received his third acting Oscar nomination for portraying Lorenz “Larry” Hart in Blue Moon. 

Blue Moon follows songwriter Lorenz Hart hanging around Sardi’s on Oklahoma! opening night, a success of his songwriting partner Richard Rodgers, but without Hart as his lyricist. 

Ethan Hawke receives his first leading Oscar nomination in a fairly atypical role for Hawke. Hawke has in the past had transformative parts but in the role Hart, who was five foot, sporting not the best combover and a man of constant flamboyancy, this is an idiosyncratic performance within Hawke’s oeuvre. This is the most “look at me” performance Hawke has ever given and I actually don’t mean this as a criticism given that is entirely within the attention of the character of Lorenz Hart as depicted in Blue Moon. The film after all is constructed essentially as a stage play, where it wouldn’t be the hardest to tweak into a one man show stage play honestly, and one where the star would be well above the title on the marquee with so much of the attention of the piece is to see that star act. Hawke is granted this opportunity to act up a storm essentially and it really wasn’t too surprising, and really quite fitting to the character of Hart in the film that there has been a degree of disagreement on this performance. Fitting the bit of Hart throughout the film where his whole act may be something you find endearing, or tiresome, or maybe a mix of both, and Hawke’s performance can fall within the same exact perspective. 

Hawke very much chooses to be unforgiving to anyone not purchasing a ticket to his show where he goes all in on every bit of flamboyance there is to the character of Hart. His specific accent choice in which basically he’s dishing out gossip with every word he speaks, which he finds absolutely delicious at least, his physical manner very much brings a degree of pantomime style where every story must also be articulated within his movements to accentuate every bit he has. Hawke is performative as a performative man who wants to make everything he does and says as a bit of a performance for all to see. The starting performance being his ire towards Oklahoma! As an abhorrent overly schmaltzy non-satirical claptrap, where Hawke very much plays the disgust with more than tilt of over the top dismissiveness. Hawke plays the note of the critic where his judgment is that upon high where everything wrong with Oklahoma is accentuated as an aggressive bit of venom built upon superiority. A superiority of a man who knows, within his own mind, that he would’ve made a far better show, but not sure most if any would actually agree with him. 

The next performance is the bar patron, where he purposefully makes himself the single spectacle of Sardi’s, where he is known by name by the tender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale), along with a piano for hire. Hawke with Eddie in particular playing up the man who wants, no need, to be the life of the party as he comes up with one anecdote after another, and one joke after another. Whether that be his declarative way of stating the worst line in Casablanca by complaining about the specific usage of precedent, but also conversely praising the film for its famous final line. Still declaration, yet more playful than when concerning musical theater. But really Hart is on a constant wave of prattling on in every direction as he’ll swing as quickly to making a joke about one’s manhood when half cocked, where Hawke’s delivery accentuates a purposeful provocation and color of someone who wants to be noticed but also entertain in his specific measure of doing so. While also ensuring everyone knows his business as he proclaims his intentions for his love interest, the young Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), where he makes his intentions known to bed her with all with braggadocious manner however that really alluding to the insecurities of the man who has to defensively remind Eddie that he isn’t strictly homosexual. 

Where we see a wavering, particularly as writer E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy) also happens to be in the bar, Hawke does denote the certain reverence towards White, there’s still irreverence at moments but he tones down his delivery as such and does effectively allude within Hart’s certain respect for another writer. Hawke becomes as performative but more wistful as though he is sharing these moments with someone who he believes thinks the way he does. Including getting to “glory” in his own review of himself and Rodgers with this distinct pride and articulating every bit of “genius” in the review in the most indulgence but this strange kind of sincerity in the more genuine joy we see in Hawke’s expressions because someone he admires is reading it. Contrasting that are the moments where he releases his past failures, such as bad reviews on the poor piano player, where Hawke is at his most indulgent in just really making every line an overlong symphony of pity me pathos…but Hart is also doing the same as a man who wants others to feel sorry for him, or at least begin to feel as sorry for him as he feels for himself. 

Honestly Hawke’s most interesting scenes however are with Andrew Scott as Richard Rodgers, because that is where we do get the most dynamic sense of his personality beyond the performance, though we do open the performance as Hawke, purposefully, is at his phoniest as he praises Oklahoma to high heavens initially. Meanwhile we have Hart trying to sell Rodgers on his own satirical ideas, where you do get that sense of creative passion in every word, that you do see the man in his element, but in the moment too much as he’s composing his thoughts at Rodgers. Rodgers however though is less to jump in, particularly as in his ideas there’s more than a few attacks against the earnestness of Oklahoma, which Hawke does deliver well as basically the rambling passions of a man who can’t help himself.  Where we get snap backs from Rodgers noting Hart’s unreliability, and alcoholism. Where Hawke’s reactions in these moments are some of his best because we see the drop of any “fun”, just instead playing a messy combination between bitter sorrow at Rodgers noting his very real flaws, and sloppy attempts at apology of the man trying to still keep his connection with his creative partner alive. 

Contrasting that I find the least interesting scenes with the young Elizabeth, where Hawke needs to play a simpering horndog, which there is probably a better word but I’d rather use one Hart wouldn’t approve of, towards her and wanting to know her sexual escapades with a younger man, while really wanting to have sex with her himself. Getting into details in a one on one conversation that I’m pretty sure is a seven hour long scene, well at least it felt much longer than anything in The Secret Agent. Although this isn’t really Hawke, or Qualley, just the story itself is so aggressively boring and just seems like it takes forever to tell a real simple tale of Elizabeth likes hot young guy for his hotness but like Hart for his brain but can’t love him due to his lack of hotness. Hawke is entirely fine in the scene in the over eagerness at listening to the details, then his immediate switch to the sad sack at the truth of it all, but balanced with his deliveries that attempt some mentor's grace even as he’d rather not have it in the moment. 

Through the night we have those different variations of similar songs, more so than any great revelatory portrait of a trouble artist, and in the end they are just different avenues for Hawke to show off this different side of his presence as an actor. Even his previously more extroverted performances, like in his career best work in The Good Lord Bird, were not extroverted in this sense. Hawke very much is playing to the backrows and very much is presenting this performance as a take or or leave quantity in realizing Hart as a take it or leave it man. The question really becomes then is how much do you really like spending time with all this performing? Well, I mostly enjoyed it, though this is an instance of hanging out with a raconteur whom I mostly enjoy. I don't always love it but am willing to get through maybe a bit I’m less find of because I might enjoy the next one more. Would I say in this respect that this is Hawke’s best performance, even if just cinematically, no, but within the approach of essentially an actor’s showcase, I think Hawke offers an entertaining enough entry, my favorite no, but one I did not mind giving my time two twice…for the most part. 

Best Actor 2025: Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme

Timothée Chalamet received his third acting Oscar nomination for portraying Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme. 

Marty Supreme follows the endeavors of a ping pong player who wants to be the greatest in the world. 

Timothée Chalamet is one of the few genuine movie stars in the making, in terms of there actually being an innate degree of bankability, as Dune might’ve been already a noted property, Wonka was no guarantee, A Complete Unknown could’ve done far less, but I’d say really the success of this film more than any other given the film was built almost entirely his name, and such a period/character piece without a sent of superhero anywhere near it makes its box-office haul so far most impressive. All the more impressive because it is distinctly a character piece and a continuation of the Safdie style (Now solo Josh) protagonist though holding the similarity of Robert Pattinson’s Connie Nikas, and Adam Sandler’s Howard Ratner, where their traditional likability is more than in question and their favorite habit is to dig to get out of a hole, creating much more so a 70’s style protagonist we follow through the film. Chalamet’s Marty though is distinctly his own beast and its own specific representation of the talent of the actor in question. Where Pattinson’s performance was a proof of talent beyond dispute, Sandler’s was a use of talent often not in use, Marty is a step, or perhaps pedestal, within the already clear ladder of Chalamet as an awards and box-office magnet. In fact Marty in a way can be a representative of so much of Chalamet, though not to the point I think this is in any way someone playing themselves, but in terms of channeling the clear aspect of someone’s personality as part of the fuel that helps to define the character. 

Chalamet comes into the role with absolute commitment but also absolute ease in very much giving a kind of charge to a performance that is so distinct and too often not seen. Where Chalamet is empowered with his immense talent, which I don’t mind saying despite his sometimes polarizing offscreen personality, which crackles within Marty right off the opening frame though will be utilized in so many different ways throughout. Our introduction begins with Marty as a shoes salesman in New York and in a way Chalamet brings a specific slightly reduced charisma, although still remarkable, where you see the sense of his talents as he talks a lady through the right type of shoe to buy with a confidence but also the casual consideration of someone who makes the customer seem at home with their shoes. Although his attention is soon diverted by his married childhood friend Rachel (Odessa A’Zion) entering the shop, where we get the quick switch to the false salesman cordiality to this “returning customer” which is all with the same ease of Chalamet, until we get a bit more honesty through a bit of dishonesty from Marty as he’s only meeting with her in the backroom to have sex. Where the defining feature is lust for the both of them and Chalamet’s delivery of how Rachel should come with him is in the total throws of someone just deeply in that lust without probably not too much thought, given as we lead into the opening credits that is literally the end result of Marty perhaps thinking with the paddle in his pants without a second thought to the consequences. 

We soon follow the next layer of Marty which is as the "businessman" Marty where we see him with his Uncle, who owns the shoe store, wanting Marty to become manager and focus on this career rather than focus on Marty’s real dream of becoming the world's greatest ping pong player. Where Chalamet is great in the moment in essentially bringing this certain exasperation with his uncle over the situation, creating the sense that he’s had this conversation too many times with his Uncle differing between his dreams and what his uncle thinks is a sensible ambition, but even more so what Marty has tried to get away with. As Marty asks for the 700 dollars for his plane ticket to get to the table tennis tournament, it is again with this fake apology in Chalamet’s delivery that he's a genius as though there’s an explanation within it and an excuse to each that his Uncle never quite buys. Contrasting that though is his conversation with his friend Dion (Luke Manley) with Dion’s businessman father, over the potential of orange Marty Supreme balls as a kind of promotion. Chalamet’s wonderful pitch in bringing a certain comedic energy in the oversell of pinpointing how important a new color in ping pong is though with this intensity of passion that it is not hard to buy at a certain level. Where we get kind of the first instance of Marty “buying his own shit” for the lack of a better description, where Chalamet fashions this specific way of speaking in these moments where it delivers them as though they are the personal mantras Marty has memorized in the morning as he predicts he’ll be on the cover of a Wheaties box someday. A repeated tone we get a few times throughout the film to various people where he espouses his yearn for greatness and the conviction. Although Marty will at different places in his life, each relapse to this tone is of a mantra Marty has spent years perfecting. 

While we are still in New York we get a brief sense of his relationship with his mother (Fran Drescher) which a lot of time isn’t spent on however I think it is an example of where one can depend on their actors to quickly sell the relationship and tension therein. Where we see Marty’s mother throughout the film trying to get his attention, going so far as to pretend she’s sick, and Chalamet’s reaction each time speaks not to months of this but years of that. In the immediacy of the exasperation and the fact that there isn’t for a second where he believes his mother. We don’t see hatred exactly but just this instant disappointment with mother every time that he quickly glances over to her. Where we see just how burnt this relationship is in every respect and the history of the two that goes beyond far from what we see. Speaking of burning bridges Marty goes about getting his money by holding his coworker at the shoe shop to give him the money he feels he’s owed. Chalamet is amazing in the scene where we see the start of Marty’s greatest hubris, where his whole manner in the approach is with the directness of someone who feels they can make no mistake. Even going so far as to persuade the man by first saying it’s twisted that he’d be made manager of the store over him or to blame him as an armed thief. Chalamet delivers both with the confidence of someone who knows he will be traveling to fame and fortune in England for the ping pong championship. 

In England we have Marty at his most extreme, something Chalamet wholly owns and is magnificent in just essentially playing to the Icarus note of a man flying way too close to the sun. Something we get immediately with the ego he just is weaponizing in different ways. The first in demanding that the hosting official give him more expensive lodgings with the Marty negotiation tactic of arguing his own importance which Chalamet sells with the most boldface belief in himself, though not as an underdog but as just basically the ultimate dog. Something to be fair to a certain extent we can see when he is playing and we see him dominate his official games and Chalamet’s performance in every game in the film is essential. As these first games it is with determination but also a breezy assurance of someone who absolutely believes he’s unstoppable. A confidence that only expands as we see him interviewed by the local press, where Chalamet’s performance is an incredible bit of almost a conductor of his environment. Where his delivery of his totally false backstory is run out like a 100% pure perfect liar. His fake bit of false sleeping when asked about his past, is an exceptional bit of physical work just illustrating the livewire of energy that is Marty. Along with his totally inappropriate bit about finishing off his next opponent reigning champion Bela Kletzki (Géza Röhrig), and holocaust survivor, where in that glint in Chalamet’s eyes you see the combination of provocateur and promoter, who wants to play into the heel angle with a sense of fun but also a sense of not quite knowing his limit. 

The lack of limit only goes further as he spots famous, though past her prime, actress Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), where Marty’s hubris essentially only grows as he purposefully calls her to get her attention and to also brag about himself. Chalamet is great in the scene though in finding this perfect blend between charm and wholly being a pest as he talks to her. As he manages to put this wild mix between his intrigue, the playfulness of each question to her, and even the pronouncement of himself as being a celebrity himself, which he is in his mind. Even the way Chalamet speaks into the phone brings the impish quality of Marty alive as someone who believes himself on top of the world. Which to Marty he seemingly is as we see him play at again Kletzki so well that he even takes a moment to do a playful serve round where the two do various trick shots. Chalamet is amazing in the scene because you do see the exhilaration of Marty’s mastery in the moment, but more importantly we do see very much the showmanship of the moment. Chalamet is very entertaining as Marty in this scene in doing every little over the top of bit that manages to be both silly while showing off the considerable talents of Marty in this particular field, which as boon Kay Stone also watches the performance much to her delight. 

Along with Kay, Marty also purposefully also calls for the attention of her husband pen businessman Milton Rockwell (Kevin O’Leary), by buying their dinner while Marty himself is dining with Kletzki. A series of contrasts as we get the beautifully humble man that is Kletzki, who you can see is just happy to be alive in many ways against Marty, where Chalamet is beautifully still in full self-absorption mode which is particularly hilarious when he shamelessly claims how he cares so much about pens towards Rockwell, which Rockwell does not buy though does become somewhat intrigued by the apparent success of table tennis to some degree as Kletzki recounts his own tale of being given “lighter” duty in the holocaust due to the game. And I love the quick chemistry between Chalamet and Röhrig, where the latter is just appreciating a new friend, where Chalamet does tip toe around some genuine appreciation for the guy while also still playing up the heel and always downplaying the guy’s heel which Keltzki takes with good humor. As we get to the peak of Marty’s ego though as Kay comes to see him for sex in the night, and Chalamet’s reaction in this scene is an extraordinary depiction of pure uncontrolled ego. As we do get a brief reaction of “can’t believe this happening” but the key is where he looks at himself in the mirror instead of at Kay, and where he conveys Marty fully believing himself to be on top of the world in every respect. 

Which Marty hits a wall in that respect as he meets his most severe competition in Japanese player Endo (Koto Kawaguchi), where the game is completely different now articulated brilliantly in Chalamet’s performance, which was all about floating about the competition here now it is genuine and we see every bit of effort and frustration. Chalamet shows the building up intensity of the man who thought he was the best being hit consistently with the thought that he’s not, and you see specifically in his eyes the ego clashing with the notion that only infuriates him all the more. Till he loses completely and Chalamet unleashes the disbelief fitting the size of Marty’s ego in the moment of a volcanic rage not unlike John McEnroe where none of it is at himself, it is all at everything else for why he lost. The burnout only continues back in New York where Rockwell presents him an opportunity to play a fixed exhibition game with Endo, to which Chalamet brings the stinging anger of the loss, along with the ego bruised however in delivering the words in with a bit more ire as he rejects Rockwell’s offer, with really his demand that he buy him a meal with the venom of someone who truly can’t help himself. Which only continues as his Uncle immediately has him arrested/fake arrested to get Marty to settle down, where Chalamet is most evoking previous Safdie leads in getting that extremely specific anxiety inducing tension of just getting in and out of the argument so naturally in this incredible state of messy frustrations….that results in Marty loses any money he had and running from his uncle/police to find his own way to the world competition. 

We follow them as Marty attempts to find some way of getting his money. His first option teaming up with his fellow tennis player friend Wally (Tyler Okonma) who have such great chemistry that honestly they could’ve made just the film a series of hustles from the two and that would also have been an amazing film. Instead we get one hustle, where Chalamet’s terrific in playing the part of a different type of hectoring person as just the constantly annoyed guy wanting to play table tennis and frustrated by everything. A wholly different kind of frustration and desire even to play, and where physically I love how awkward he positions himself at the table in the setup, as he presents himself as an obnoxious racist towards Wally, where the two build up a crowd to get them to make a big bet to prove this fake version of Marty wrong. The two create the natural juggle of the circumstances and make it wholly believable that the hustle would work. Followed by the sheer joy of the two as they run along Wally’s car without gas, and Chalamet brings such a winning delightful sense of the friendship with Marty and Wally along with just the sheer jubilation of their triumph…which doesn't last too long as they need to make a hasty escape when their marks catch them driving off together. 

While all this is going on, Marty finds Rachel now quite pregnant with his child, and we see him juggling with her too where I think Chalamet balances a sense of the complication within the relationship. As you see him going through his head moments of interacting with her with hesitation to being held down by her advances, yet his passionate charge when defending from her oaf husband (Emory Cohen) does have a sincerity, and even at his most dismissive, Chalamet brings a great nuance of Marty fighting with himself in these moments to what degree he will allow himself to feel towards her. What we see though, as the two attempt to retrieve a potential money avenue from Abel Ferrara, which one should never try to get money from Abel Ferrara, by finding his dog that Marty lost after promising to take the dog to the vet. Although in this endeavor we get a deeper chemistry between Chalamet and A’Zion, where you see in their mutual conning ability, or attempting to con ability, a connective energy where in a way she’s perfect for him. Something that becomes more clear when it is even revealed that she made up a black eye from her husband just to get Marty’s attention. I love Chalamet’s subdued reaction that isn’t rage, rather almost respect for the play as it is 100% something Marty would do. But even with the trick, his feelings towards her are tested when Ferrara threatens her with violence unless they show him where his dog is, which leads to her being wounded in the interaction and takes her to emergency surgery in the hospital. Where Chalamet is great in these moments shows more directness of love towards her then the rest, yet still with just enough hesitation of the ambitious Marty who can’t go all the way in this relationship. 

Marty’s last option for a way to the tournament is between the wife and husband of Kay and Rockwell. The former where we get a bit more sexual encounters and each time, Chalamet showing very much Marty’s acceptance of being the sex objection for her desires while playing up just being the show of it. Which almost works as she offers him a valuable necklace, which sadly quickly must be used to pay off cops who catch them having sex in the park, leading to Chalamet’s absolutely hilarious delivery of shamelessly just asking for another one as though absolutely nothing had happened. Which due to her own personal comeback falling apart, she can’t be reached, leaving only Rockwell, where once before Marty ticked him off more by trying to get a meeting by lying about knowing his dead son, where Chalamet’s performance brings a slight bit of humility, not much, in trying to apologize for his actions, which Rockwell doesn't accept. But on the same night as failing to get the necklace with Kay, Rockwell appears to be the only option for him. Chalamet’s outstanding as basically losing all the ego and just such emotional desperation as Marty throws himself essentially on the mercy of the court of Rockwell. Chalamet’s running from one apology to the next, at Rockwell’s demand, is just such a point in seeing Marty very much of the earth in this moment and not a hint of hubris. Chalamet articulates every bit of humility coming out of Marty, which he shows so effectively as basically a painful experience of a man whose nature is opposed to such an idea. Which sadly for Marty, ends with a literal paddling of his naked behind by Rockwell as a punishment in order for Marty to get a trip to Japan and fees for the show with Endo. 

Where we get a showcase for Chalamet where we get a different heightened version of Marty, from the actually pompous Marty of earlier, as now we get the glimpse of his playing the “pompous American” to the Japanese crowd, emphasizing a purposeful heel attitude in every movement and expression. Wonderfully playing each bit of the oversell and being essentially the “fool” that everyone wants him to be, especially Rockwell who is getting a bit too much joy out of Marty looking the fool as he loses to Endo in a fixed game. We see Marty willingly accept the humiliations, even though due to failing to pay a fee to the organization won’t even be in the actual competition, until there is an extra wrinkle of demanding that Marty also kiss a pig in front of the crowd. Chalamet’s reaction is great as we see the humbled in many ways Marty reflecting to himself and finding just essentially the breaking point. Making one more break that will get him in trouble, but Chalamet importantly conveys a difference in this act as he tries to get the crowd to demand an actual game. Chalamet’s amazing as he manages to balance a sense of some modesty and we see a different more empathetic passion as he pleads for the real game. Which Endo agrees to, and Chalamet’s performance throughout is exceptional. Capturing every dramatic bit largely in his physical work where everything he is doing is filled with determination and the sense in his eyes the ferocity needed to prove himself in this moment, even though it only truly has meaning to him and Endo. Building along with the editing, and music the tension towards the victory, where Chalamet makes you feel every step and makes Marty is most likeable in this moment where Marty is purely playing for the spirit of the game. And though a quick moment, an essential one is after winning, his wish of good luck to Endo in the actual tournament is delivered with absolute sincerity, though combined with the edge of sadness of someone who knows he won’t be there. Speaking of a combination of emotions, the final moment of the film is Marty returning home after Rachel has given birth seemingly accepting his responsibilities as a father. An extraordinary scene for Chalamet as he manages to allow for interpretation while not being vague in the least in the scene of Marty’s reaction to his child. As his reaction is so deeply profound as we see Marty looking as a child, there is joy, happiness, yet his tears speak to an existential sorrow of seeing what his future will be, which is this child not the “greatness” he believed in. It should be clear by this point that I love everything about this performance, which is a live wire of star charisma, packed in such a captivating character,  where he creates such compelling dynamics throughout the film and crafts a potent portrait of the rise and fall of the dream of one man. I never thought Chalamet was untalented, in fact I have been previously impressed, and yet he even surprised me here with just the way he grips the screen and doesn’t let go of it for even a second. 

Best Actor 2025: Wagner Moura in The Secret Agent

Wagner Moura received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Armando Solimões aka Marcelo Alves in The Secret Agent. 

The Secret Agent takes place in Brazil during the military dictatorship as we follow one targeted man trying to survive in the regime and escape to safety.  

Wagner Moura joins the small ranks of actors nominated for a wholly international non-English Language film, interestingly with many companion qualities on the surface to Leonardo DiCaprio’s nominated work, though stylistically very differently as he also plays a man who goes into hiding with technically an assumed name after losing the mother of child. Although beyond the description this is a very different performance and for much of the film his performance very much is bringing to life the reality of the situation, which is an interesting aspect given many aspects of this film have a degree of surrealism from director Kleber Mendonça Filho. Moura’s performance is distinctly and often subtly about dealing with the reality of the dictatorship very much as an anchor point. An aspect established in his first scene where he stops at a gas station seeing a dead man just lying on the ground, from a supposed failed robbery, meanwhile the cops stop by at the same station not to take care of the body or even address the robbery, rather to just hector Moura’s Armando a bit and steal what bit of money he has. Moura’s performance captures the reality quite effectively however as a man who has to keep together and find a way to exist within the pressure that if he showed too much sympathy he’d be in trouble with the cops. Moura’s performance is able to express the quiet dismay at the police but also his eyes show a greater distress in seeing the body so carelessly kept rotting away in the sand. 

We follow Armando as he goes to Recife and lives in a refugee apartment essentially along with other refugees run by the idiosyncratic Dona (Tânia Maria). There he catches the eye of Claudia (Hermila Guedes) with whom he quickly begins a sexual relationship. An aspect where I wouldn’t describe it as a romance rather kind of empathy understanding of time and place. Where Moura doesn’t suggest some switch to a new love but rather just the innate attraction to a beautiful woman and an understated yet still palatable connection based upon their mutual situation. We follow Armando as he reconnects with his son Fernando, a kid who due to his age is more interested in seeing the movie Jaws than is really all too aware of all the present situations. Moura though is quite effective in creating the natural sense of the relationship between the two. You see the sense of unqualified love for his son, and really the attempts at bringing just a bit of levity as the dad trying to be the fun dad even though he’s in a circumstance that really prevents him from being the dad he’d like to be. Moura playing the levels where you sense his want to just be there for his son so purely meanwhile having the emotional struggle of the death of his wife and trying to speak to his son about the situation in as calm of a way as he’d understand. 

His son is currently being watched by his father-in-law Sr. Alexandre (Carlos Francisco) who runs the local movie theater. We get another relationship between the two that is rather interesting as Moura in part has moments of a better sense of history as he can’t help but bemused by a woman possessed by the screening of The Exorcist, and we get the connection the two share in their mutual love for Fernando. There’s a complexity though where Alexandre questions if Armando cheated on his daughter while they were married. Moura plays the moment in a very fascinating way because he doesn’t definitely answer the question yet he gives a complex response. Where you see a certain defensiveness, also shame, however not shame of necessarily a cheater but rather just a man feeling guilt over his deceased wife in general. Moura creates the sense of really how much he did love her yet still presenting some conflicting feelings of how he failed her in some ways, which is left open to interpretation though I took it more of his failures to protect her. The common trait consistently in this moment as we get in so many moments though is of creating such a remarkable detail in a man who in a way we only get a brief glimpse of yet Moura intends to tell us a whole life. 

A lot of Moura’s performance is reactionary despite being the lead yet that isn’t in any way a criticism or a limitation. Rather Moura takes into the details of his world by conveying it through his powerful eyes of watching the world around him. As we follow him as he has a job setup at archives, where he intends to find some kind of documentation on the life of his own mother while also avoiding the law, unfortunately the corrupt police chief occasionally uses the building to look more official and is stationed nearby. Moura’s performance takes it all in quite naturally where we get his bits of bemusement at coworkers being attracted to him, his quiet concern but also befuddlement at seeing the sloppy yet oppressive operations of the police near him. Moura in each beat manages to highlight the humanity of the situation by so empathetically conveying what he’s going through in this curious state. A state that isn’t all sadness, there’s moments of joy but it is also just a constant struggle. A struggle that gets greater because the police chief takes a liking to Armando, much to his own chagrin. Moura’s terrific in his finding the face of a man just going along not to upset the chief, who likes to go around hassling a local German mainly, and seeing the understated disgust he manages to hold behind it all, with a bit of concern for his safety. Moura’s performance works very much in the margins here and brilliantly so as we very much live within his headspace. 

We eventually learn what is behind this whole situation and what is really going on in the deep recesses of Armando’s mind when he meets with a resistance group attempting to help him while also documenting his story. This is one of Moura’s most expressive scenes and he does not waste it as Armando begins to speak of how he got here due to his former days as a college professor where his views contrasted heavily with a visiting powerful executive Ghirotti. Moura’s delivery of explaining that he’d kill the man with a hammer is so powerful because he's been such a normal calm guy before this point, but also we see just how much pain from the past is in this single statement. Pain from the interaction we will soon see but also pain for what this man represents to him. We see in flashback a bit of a different man in Armando, and not just the beard. Moura shows an interesting alternative of the man in a way seemingly weighted by his own political passions a bit more in his interactions with the man where he makes it quite openly clear in his reactions even when he doesn’t say it. Moura shows the man ready to make a statement even if he keeps a certain fitting college professor's dignity in these moments. There is also less of a sadness about him given his wife is very much alive, and while the focus of these scenes isn’t strictly on their relationship the two performers quickly, without any fuss, grant you a sense of their ease together. 

Within the flashback you see as Armando makes his disagreements with Ghirotti known with an academic but still passionate candor. Unfortunately Ghirotti doesn’t take it as a respectful disagreement as he, and his equally horrible son, continue to prod Armando and his wife, and so far as to make it wholly personal leading to a physical confrontation. Moura in the scene projects directly his support and care for his wife, and the quiet disgust of the man. The reaction though is of someone with certainty of their belief but also levity of believing that they express themselves freely. Ghirotti however doesn't allow that as he has hired hitmen to kill Armando’s for the disagreement. Back to the present Moura’s reaction is outstanding where we see his genuine disbelief that anyone would go to such a measure mixed within the existential horror and a degree of just being lost in how his world could suddenly come to such a strange place. The group leaves Armando with the warning and the promise of escape however only after a few days. Where Armando continues to try to exist best he can. Where we have a great moment where he and the other refugees bond over their situations. Moura’s delivery of his situation as a man marked for death is amazing because there’s so much sadness to it, a bit of almost comic reaction to the ridiculousness of the idea, but also the painful glint of hope as he shares his struggle with others in a similar situation with such sincere warmth. 

We follow Armando through one more day which begins with a nightmare where he sees different aspects of his life with the reminders of the death threat and Moura’s heart wrenching in his awakening as he gives the most potent reaction in the film. As Moura isn’t just a man waking up from a nightmare, there’s all the pain and fear he’s going through, all releasing itself as he screams without conscious control. Armando continues on however as we see him going about still trying to find the document on his mother to prove her existence, where Moura’s simple yet profound delivery emphasizes just how much the document means as a memorial to her. We also have a truly moving moment where his father-in-law comes to show him a message from Fernando that essentially says he wishes to live with his dad. Moura’s understated reaction of just deep affection, sadness but also love is just so beautifully rendered in seeing how much joy Armando gets from his son wanting to go with him. In the reaction Moura conveys both the sense of love for his son but still the stinging loss of his wife and really his family from the circumstances he lives in now. Speaking of the circumstances, unfortunately a hitman shows up eyeing Armando, where Moura’s performance suddenly becomes the lead to the thriller that the name of the film might suggest. Where Moura takes you through every emotional beat as he keeps the calm manner yet in his eyes you can see the intensity of his anxiety, which he attempts to alleviate by asking the corrupt chief for help. Which results in a bloody gunfight between the chief’s men and the hitman, which Moura’s reactions again are so key in embodying the horror of the moment, though also that they need to survive. As he makes you feel every step of his throughout the scene building to the pressure of making the call and pleading to make his escape. 

The film abruptly cuts to the present day where we find researchers uncovering Armando’s sad story that ends like Llewelyn Moss in No Country For Old Men, with an onscreen death. Which in a way reflects the real purpose of Moura’s performance which is to make you fully understand this life, the fears, the loves, the moments of happiness, just the moments of observation and understand the loss of a single life within this cruel system. BUT, Moura also plays one more part as he also plays the older Fernando in the modern day, now a doctor who speaks to the researcher for a bit. It’s a brief secondary performance, unlike Jordan though it is interesting that he connects to another lead from this year, where Moura doesn’t waste the opportunity to present a very different man in Fernando. He doesn’t simply make him the father, we see the son with a different timbre of voice, different physical manner and just spirit. Not in an overly showy way but a way where you accept him as the son not the father. His scene is brief but well observed where Moura’s delivery offers a combination between a nostalgia for the joy he can feel from the time and the deep existential sadness connected to the fact that he has no conscious memories of his father. Moura’s very moving because you just sense the wishes of having been able to know his father but also the calm acceptance of the man now living on with the blunt truth that Armando is a memory he’ll never have. Both performances offering a beautiful testament to a central idea of the film, of the importance of a single victim and how it echoes through time.