Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013: Joaquin Phoenix in The Immigrant

Joaquin Phoenix did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Bruno Weiss in The Immigrant.

The Immigrant follows the story of a Polish woman coming to America in the 1920's and being tricked into a world of corruption due to her sister being held indefinitely within quarantine on Ellis Island.

Viewing the film again after some time only aggrandized my appreciation of it particularly in terms of the efforts of writer/director James Gray making the film of a begone era. The idea not of a dated filmmaker, but a distinct style and ambition that is greatly appreciated as his films seek to be the great films of that theoretical era. That is the case here that grants a grander scale to an intimate story, however none of that necessary delicacy lost in this chosen lens. Although an essential facet within this approach is through the performances, but most notably through Marion Cotillard's masterful work as the mistreated immigrant Ewa. The most daring Joaquin Phoenix though is essential within the film's vision as the pimp who takes her in. Phoenix, as always, being an actor who very much ingratiates himself within a film's spirit and setting. His intensity being an ideal quality for this character who might've been right for a Montgomery Clift or Marlon Brando. Phoenix's intensity not a crutch though, nor the sole defining feature of any performance of his, and as typical for the great actor this is only part of his realization of the character of Bruno Weiss.

Phoenix's initial, and quite effective, approach to the man is this of the liar. A liar in every respect as we meet him as he offers a "helping hand" by offering Ewa a place to stay and claims there to be means to help her sister when they are incarcerated at Ellis Island. The perspective granted to Bruno, or the lack thereof for the most part, poses a difficult challenge in portraying the essential truth of the character, which I will get to by the end of this review. Phoenix though just on the surface makes Bruno several deceits within this one man. The first being that of a charitable man towards Ewa. I actually rather love the choice in which Phoenix does not bare a great deal of charisma in this regard. Instead the method that Phoenix portrays is rather matter of fact as he delivers suggestions of work for Ewa as a seamstress as pretty thin that would only work on a woman in as desperate straits as her. Phoenix spends little time on the lie and makes it something that Bruno has done many times before, and doesn't spend too much effort on. This fitting to a man that everyone knows is corrupt except the poor woman he plans to exploit.

We get see a bit more of a literal performance however as Bruno shows off Ewa his vaudeville show, that is a grotesque "goods" display, as he shows off his prostitutes to potential costumers. In this we do get a bit of a show from Bruno, which Phoenix rightly makes less than impressive as shows go. This as this rather horrendous desperate act in every call out for each performance as Phoenix doesn't hide the liar that is Bruno in yet another form. This twice over in a way as in part we see the lie to Ewa as Phoenix brings that same weakness as he tries to explain the show with this messy rushed yet hesitant manner towards Ewa. Then in the performance itself Phoenix again is great by showing off the truth of it by making the lie so obvious. In that he does not deliver any sense that Bruno is presenting anything other than what it is. This with his more lustful attitude accentuated playing towards the crowds base desire rather than trying to act as though this is an actual performance of talent. This rather layed out with Phoenix presenting it as though every word from Bruno is that of the lowest form of salesman with a lust in himself for the profit from his vaudeville show.

The most dangerous lie though is where the sheer brilliance within Phoenix's work is most evident. This when he convinces Ewa to sell herself, to a less aggressive John. This with this coaxing now of this gentle supportive man, something that Bruno decidedly not. The greatness of the work in this scene though is the success of this lie is no longer as much in terms of naivety of Ewa, but rather the smallest bit of honesty infused into Bruno through Phoenix's work. What is so incredible here is the way Phoenix makes this the most dastardly of all his lies. This is as Phoenix's gentle words are delivered with a genuine quiet quality of protector, even with the ends being a horrible as they are and still a manipulation. The cause of this change in quality of the lie is shown in a single outstanding reaction by Phoenix as Bruno looks upon the scene. His expression finally is filled with a sympathy for the woman, an obvious love for her in Phoenix's eyes. The problem is that Phoenix shows Bruno use this most honest emotion of his for his cruelest intention, as this actual concern enables his most powerful manipulation to encourage Ewa to sell herself.

Phoenix makes Bruno's love Ewa a nearly unsaid constant that he seeds within his work, that grants understanding and a greater depth to every act of the man, even as we so often look at him from the outside. This is even within the deceptions that often try to obfuscate this. An example of this is in first two confrontations with his cousin Emil aka Orlando the magician (Jeremy Renner), who too loves Ewa though has no desire this to hide nor does he wish to exploit her. Phoenix then I think finds a fitting approach in the near mental break as he presents a sheer mess of a man when confronting his cousin. It is the most base anger that Phoenix portrays as a mad smear of pathetic desperation, a painful emotion which Phoenix is a master at depicting (no pun intended there). Phoenix's work is earned within creating this idea of Bruno's refusal to accept his own feelings fully, while also still reacting in jealousy due to these feelings resulting in the proper explosion of insanity of a man at war within his mind, never mind the cousin. Phoenix shows again the liar, and the extent that it tears through the man in a most unique way.

Viewing the film again, I will admit freely my great affection for this performance which so matches the tone of the film, while also providing a most unique antagonist of sorts. A character's end that is created through that seed and cultivated within Phoenix's performance in a few pivotal moments before the end of the film. The aforementioned early scene of a reaction, but there is another essential reaction in a scene where Ewa receives confession. This scene already features one of the best acted scenes, no qualifier needed, through Cotillard's work, but Phoenix should not be forgotten in his brief however essential reaction to the words. Phoenix is amazing as his reaction conveys this momentary empathy towards Ewa, just brief, along with a certain sorrow, as he hears her resignation to go to hell, almost sensing his own path as well as his own crimes. This only so brief as Phoenix, without word, naturally portrays Bruno lying to himself as he scoffs towards back to the indifference of a cruel pimp. A bit more nuance of thought is a bit more forced upon when Emil decides to try to take Ewa away from Bruno directly by threatening him with an empty gun. Phoenix is fantastic in the moment in capturing the sheer visceral fear of the gun pressed against the man, but more importantly captures that emotional vulnerability in the moment. He still lies in his own way in claiming he was trying to help her, however the lies fall in Phoenix's delivery with a genuine despair as his words plead his case but his voice confesses the truth. In the end though Bruno is forced to either fully sacrifice Ewa or finally face his earnest feelings to sacrifice for her. This is as Bruno finally does help Ewa find her sister and a chance at living in America not in shame, by also accepting blame for his actions. On my initial viewing, I thought I needed the full perspective of seeing the whole of the work of Phoenix, as the final scene is essential to understanding the entirety of his work, but also fully experiencing its poignancy. Phoenix captures the sheer desperation of Bruno in these moments as he can barely stand and his slurred speech fitting to a man severely beaten due to not giving up Ewa to the police. The emotional state though is where the true power of his work exists, where again Bruno lies though no longer for his own sake. Bruno's confession is finally admitting his love to Ewa while also admitting his full abuse of her. He lies in his final lashing out at Ewa for believing in the good in everyone, while in this moment Bruno has forced out the modicum of goodness in him. Phoenix's work is this exhaustive vulnerability of a man finally tearing this truth out of him that delivers this real heartbreaking sorrow as the goodness of Bruno comes out by finally admitting his evil nature.