Wednesday 6 February 2019

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2018: Nicholas Hoult in The Favourite

Nicholas Hoult did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer in The Favourite.

The Favourite is a brilliant film following essentially the struggle between Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) and her servant cousin Abigail Masham (Emma Stone), for essentially the favoritism and power as bestowed upon by the troubled Queen Anne (Olivia Colman).

Well here we are again with Nicholas Hoult, not stuck in a thankless or boring hearthrobbish role, in a nominations juggernaut at the Oscars, though almost completely ignored for his own work, though also with the most necessary ingredient...being caked in white makeup. Hoult once again transforms his image away from his young up in comer appearance, though where in his role as Nux, he was still a boy in a certain sense, Hoult as Harley is firmly a man. This is actually a rather fascinating character I'll admit on the outset as Harley is the leader of the opposition in the court of the Queen, leader of the country landowners in opposition to the city merchants led by Goldophin (James Smith). Harley seeks to end the war while Sarah and Goldophin seek to have it extended indefinitely. This is with Harley's claim to save lives, but also perhaps more so to end the heavy taxation for on his side. This subplot frankly could be worthy of its own film as the two men vie in their own war for power though on technically a much larger scale, however it is secondary, as we see how it is influenced, by the triangle of the women. This nonetheless leaves a fascinating character within the role of Harley, that Hoult takes on with great aplomb. He quite frankly owns it in a way as the giant wigs, and lavish clothes could not seem a better fit.

This is in itself a brilliant start in his work within the conception of his approach to Harley, that is rather intriguing. Although Hoult is in fact a tall actor, this has really never been emphasize in any of his roles, until this one. This is worth noting because of the way he essentially brandishes in his physical approach to the part. This being in standing with this grand poses that seem to try to enforce a command, while also conveying this certain ease of power within the casual quality of this physical manner. Hoult's manner just has this certain nearly portrait perfection of it fitting a man who seems ready to be indeed immortalized on some grand painting only befitting to the most powerful man of England. As I noted before this part is well written in conception, however it still would be easy enough to swallowed whole by the three leads. Hoult though essentially excels within the margins becoming this certain lighting strike every time he pops into the film with his forceful performance. This in that aforementioned physical work, but every part of his being including his refined, though so very incisive accent he brings with the role. Harley may be a supporting player within this particular story, but Hoult is fantastic by very much playing the part as the man who will be the lead of his own story as he undergoes his own path to power.

Hoult is outstanding here by essentially just nailing every single moment he has with such a perfection in state, and manner. There is throughout the character of Harley this very specific method which Hoult portrays as respectability, almost at all times, though particularly in front of the queen. The one real break within this is one of his earliest scenes where his demands are not met but in fact derided by Sarah. Hoult's outburst is magnificent as he delivers only a moment of intensity, then bares the real vile hatred in his face, though quickly held back within the requisite refinement for his position particularly within this society. The rest of the film is just one knock out moment after another of essentially Hoult being amazing in delivery the very particular power and presence of Harley. This being one that is defined by a distinct wit that is essentially the nature of his power that he tries to build in the court. Although the lines are indeed there, Hoult's impressive feat is essentially delivery every single one of them with such flawless ability. His interactions with Sarah being in particular these lovely bit of barely hidden hatred, though every one Hoult is exceptional in his the sheer venom he brings to every little barb sent her way.

With Abigail there is a bit more mediation, and I love the bit of fascination that Hoult portrays towards her, as in his eyes he suggests the wheel turning on how he can possible utilize her. When she decides to broker a deal with him, Hoult is marvelous in the scene, in the way he shows Harley not being even remotely phased by her threats. Hoult instead offers just this quiet bit of glee to Harley's face that is testament to a sense of joy of a proper opportunity. In presence of the Queen though Hoult is perhaps at his most magnificent, in finding this most calculated approach in the man. In this every line is proper to the court, but in every little glance, and subtle lack of sincerity, he finds the great manipulations of Harley even as he puts on the act of a proper civil servant. Hoult's work here is essentially of the expert marks man, he only takes a handful of shots throughout the film, but he finds a bullseye with each and every one of them. We don't get a great deal of time with Harley as a man, though we have more than enough time to find the grand manipulator he is, who is probably not wholly genuine in his claim that he's trying to save the realm, thanks to Hoult's wonderful work. We don't see every motion in Harley's own rise to power, however every checkpoint is such a vivid one, and this journey is nearly as compelling as the central one in the facets we find of it, this in large part due to Hoult's always pointed and wonderfully entertaining work.

31 comments:

Psifonian said...

Hoult is amazing and deserves any and all raves, but James Smith is the film's hidden gem. We deserve a Godolphin and Horatio buddy-comedy, stat.

Razor said...

Hell yeah.

Robert MacFarlane said...

My favorite line reading if the year is the high-pitched squeal he makes when he calls Weisz the c-word.

Mitchell Murray said...

Not surprised he got a 5; Hoult is endlessly enjoyable, here, and its an achievement by itself not to be overshadowed by the movie's three leading women.

It's also interesting, like you pointed out Louis, that for being 6'3" Hoult's height has rarely been utilized in his film roles.

Calvin Law said...

Very deserved. He’s a fucking hoot here and really deserved to make a bigger splash in awards season.

Charles H said...

Hoult is just a endlessly enjoyable actor when in top form. His work here and Fury Road shows he's got a bright future.

Bryan L. said...

I actually don't know what I would rate him, but I wouldn't mind watching the film again just to make sure :)

Michael McCarthy said...

Sooooo can you give Hoult the win for 2015 supporting now pretty pretty please?

Michael McCarthy said...

Also I wish you had mentioned think the brief shot of Harley stroking his cane, that was subtle comedic gold.

Emi Grant said...

Louis: Have you decided between Weisz/Stone?

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your thoughts on Hoult, Nivola and Roache as actors?

Matt Mustin said...

He's great. "Must the duck be here?" is one of my favourite line deliveries of the year.

Charles H said...

Hopefully Hoult doesn't become a Ben Foster to the Oscars. He's slowly becoming one of the best actors under 40 working today.

Anonymous said...

Over Tom Hardy no way!!!!!

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Is The Favourite your favourite ensemble of the year.

Luke Higham said...

Tahmeed: That could go to Buster Scruggs as well.

Luke Higham said...

Is anyone intrigued about Hoult playing JRR Tolkien.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Luke: I definitely am, I really hope the screenplay will let him delve deep into the psyche of Tolkien. That'd be something to see.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Your thoughts on this scene from Gone with the Wind? https://youtu.be/GKHzeKnFEdw
While I quite liked it, I think it was a missed opportunity to not have seen Gable perform a few of those scenes to show Rhett's state.

Luke Higham said...

*He could go with Buster Scruggs as well.

Louis: Are there any directors you would like to see attempt a Barry Lyndon-esque film.

Anonymous said...

Louis and everyone: What actors today would you like to see playing against type?

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your rating and thoughts on Mark Gatiss in this film? And your thoughts on the score?

Matt Mustin said...

Anonymous: I want to see Ben Foster play against type again like he did so beautifully in Ain't Them Bodies Saints.

Charles H said...

Anonymous: I want to see Michael B. Jordan do something a little different from his usual style in the Creed & MCU films.

Louis Morgan said...

Emi Grant:

Well on re-watch things became actually bit more complicated as I found Colman's performance resonated all the more, making things all the more difficult.

Tahmeed:

It's certainly in contention for the top spot.

A fair perspective, though I think it works well enough as a scene for McDaniel's somber exposition, and perhaps is unfortunate to not see prime Leigh/Gable take on the moment, though this was likely to avoid how dark those scenes would've been, which is saying something since it is not exactly a light film to begin with.

Bryan:

Well Hoult is an actor who is hard to really give exact thoughts on at the moment, because I have no idea exactly what he has in him. This is as he has two brilliant performances then the rest. This is however, for the majority of them, more testament to lame roles than anything underwhelming on his part. His two great performances though suggest a range of emotion and style, and daring of approach. Unfortunately they are the outliers at the moment since we've only seen so much of him, though I'm certainly looking forward to what the future may bring for him.

As I mentioned in his review, Nivola started out as frankly a terrible ham or often just a bland nothing. The discussion about Emma Stone last comments section got me thinking, what actors really don't have at least that core value that is consistent among all their performances, that something of themselves that they do bring to their parts, that is even evident in chameleons like Day-Lewis and Oldman. Well other than in perhaps the case of Masayuki Mori, I think this was more typically a negative as it shows a lack of distinction and this was the work of a lot of his early work. It is perhaps still true, though now he's starting to cultivating what Mori had which was to fashion such compelling disguises through the sheer emotional truths within this work evidence most recently by Disobedience, but also to an extent in his brief work in The Neon Demon and his (far better than De Niro) performance in The Wizard of Lies. I hope he stays on this course.

I've yet to see enough of Roache to really have a solid opinion on him. Yeah he's great in Mandy, and quite good in his sort of straight roles in The Gathering Storm, Batman Begins, and On the Wings of the Dove, but I really need to see more of him.

I have to admit it wasn't until revisiting the film that I even noticed Gatiss in the earlier scenes, I had originally noticed him in his final scene, where his little confused reaction to the entourage of soldiers is pretty funny. This isn't a criticism rather I think it goes to the idea of Sarah essentially wearing the "pants" to the point the General is an after thought in the scenes of discussing the war.

It technically has a soundtrack rather than a score, much like Barry Lydon and Amadeus, and brilliantly used.

Luke:

The Coen Brothers.

Anonymous:

Simon Pegg in a substantial dramatic role.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Anonymous: I'd want Christian Bale to relax and let loose in a role, cause I don't think I've seen a performance from him where he relied primarily on charisma.

Matt Mustin said...

Tahmeed: He kinda did in American Psycho, albeit in a very dark, twisted way.

Anonymous said...

Louis: Your thoughts on the score for Notorious.

Bryan L. said...

Tahmeed: That's something I'd love to see from Bale as well actually, although we did get a glimpse of that in the first and last scene of Rescue Dawn.

Anonymous: Off the top of my head, Amy Adams as a villain

Louis: I hope the recent performances by those three gents could lead to better roles for all of them. And lastly, although the part is underwritten already, would you have preferred to see Hoult or Jack Lowden as the British music manager in A Star is Born?

joe burns said...

I thought he was quite good and pretty sexy too lol.

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

I'm sure they would've been better but there was no way to really salvage that part, as they even took out the small bits of motivation the character had in the previous versions for his actions.