Alternate Best Actor 1987: Richard E. Grant in Withnail and I

Richard E. Grant did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the titular character, the first half, in Withnail and I.

Withnail and I follows two unemployed and rarely sober actors as they venture to the countryside for a holiday.

The film follows the titular "I" aka Marwood played by Paul McGann who is a more low key sort though in a similar state as his friend played by Grant in his feature film debut. McGann being the often reactionary straight man to the force of personality that is Grant's Withnail. A character that is in many ways the film in creating it to be more than just one down on his luck actor trying to drink his worries away. Grant is the needed catalyst to the make the story just a bit more interesting in his portrayal of Withnail, who may be both more and less than he is. Fittingly to a name making performance, is the character of Withnail which Grant broaches with great aplomb. One could perhaps try to accuse Grant of showing off, however this is entirely the right approach for Withnail who while unemployed is after all an actor. A supposedly devoted actor, and this idea is most well realized in Grant's performance which is essentially of a performance much of the time. In that Grant so often is playing the part of Withnail as Withnail playing the part of Withnail, as he sees himself.

In the opening scenes we see the predicament of the two aspiring actors as they sit around outside their apartment, and Grant fashions a certain style within the role. A style that is all his own as he presents a man who while can't make acting a living, does seem to act to live. In that as they ponder their current state, Grant delivers the lines with a certain poetic melancholy, even if the lines themselves are not poetic, as Withnail laments his existence. A lamenting that Grant makes of a man who knows how one should properly lament if to be taken seriously, of course still just complaining when one breaks it down. Grant eloquently, and quite frankly, brilliantly plays with this idea as he works with these two warring sides of the man. This becomes all the more obvious when we see the man in a certain state of undress, that isn't all too pleasant of a sight, as Withnail forgoes his more metaphorical "fuel" for a some literal fuel, lighter fluid due to the lack of drink. Grant plays with a raw discontent in his words of a man suffering with withdrawal. His emotions messy as he complains of another's success, yet still maintain some false air of respectability in his walk. A grotesque walk in this instance of a strange yet striking combination of Grant of a man trying to maintain a perfect performer's posture, while falling apart.

Grant makes Withnail this fascinating presence within the film by so effectively portraying the man's method of getting through his existence. Part of this is certainly just entertaining to be sure. These moments usually stemming from when it appears Withnail has a scheme, and Grant brings such a powerful assurance to the role. Too powerful in a certain sense as he exudes the confidence of a man far greater than he particularly as he speaks of their plans for the holiday. I love though the detail in which Grant brings to any given scene, presenting as though Withnail is moving onto one character to antoher often in this time. Now one of these characters is of the proper "genius" friend showing his friends essentially the ropes of being a perpetual drunk. Grant delivers this impish spirit and that force of personality. Grant offers this strict charisma of a man who is quite sure of what he is saying even if in reality he is not. This is in his rich and uncompromising delivery even when the man speaks of his plan to procure boy urine in case he is tested. Grant maintains this certain stature of some pseudo brilliance, so cheerfully unaware of really how stupid most of his ideas are. Grant makes every moment of convincing of "I", to go along with a simple task, as Grant so effectively plays the part of Withnail so effectively playing the part of some strange mastermind of the nothing.

Grant is indeed very entertaining in Withnail as he performs for his friend, and for his lecherous Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths). Grant is a delight in their scene visiting the man as makes his mannerisms just a bit more foppish, and even all the more sinister befitting a man whose exploitation seems to be going to plan. The plan being to rent the older man's cottage in the country where the two friends believe they'll find some sort of respite. The two hardly find any of that running into the stress of actually needing to work to find food, and running to the angry locals, both animal and man. Grant is terrific as the nature of his act becomes far more desperate in his depiction. His performance still commands that immaculate posture, and refined demeanor, however the cracks within the facade become all the more evident. Now part of this is comical, particularly Grant's weaselly weak assurance when telling "I" to face an angry bull, or his attempt to show up the locals at the most near pub. Grant is despicable in the best of ways with a certain sly energy in the high wire act with an ever thinning wire. Grant is exceptional in the way he peels this way throughout their "tribulations" of their holiday slowly revealing a bit more of Withnail than perhaps he care to share.

This initially reveals itself most in a night scare where Withnail believes one of the locals is seeking revenge against the men for an earlier verbal sparring. Grant maintains a certain respectable level of the actor's dignity, yet makes it rather phony as he reveals a real dismay within his eyes showing a man who is genuinely fearing for himself, even as he tries to keep a certain distance of performance. It slowly becomes all the more grotesque in Grant's hands as not a single truth or reward comes from him. Even in a more comedic moment, such as driving to use his urine trick with the police, while funny Grant's work is that of a writhing in mediocrity. Withnail is a pathetic sort from the outset, but Grant is fantastic as he shows the wear of his method to hide this fact. Although amusing in part it does finally become something more as Grant's final scenes reveal it not only a facade for others but a comfort for himself. This is best reveleaed in his masterful final scene where "I" leaves, having gotten a job, and Withnail is left to stew in his nothingness. Withnail remains alone in the rain and Grant delivers a heartbreaking pathos as his expression is that of a man who has lost something important. Again though in the act of performance there is this attempt at comfort, this time by performing Hamlet, which while we once again here the command of a great actor, it no longer can hide the sad lonely man beneath it all. This is great performance by Richard E. Grant, essentially creating a slowly decaying portrait of a performance of a more dishonest sort.