Friday 18 October 2019

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2001: Results

5. Justin Theroux in Mulholland Drive - Theroux gives an enjoyable turn by providing a reality of sorts within the film's mad dream as his hapless director.

Best Scene: Meeting the cowboy.
4. Ian Holm in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Holm manages to give a terrific balance between the warm father-figure and the pained man weighed down by a peculiar burden.

Best Scene: Letting go of the ring.
3. James Gandolfini in The Mexican - Gandolfini steals his film wholesale through his humorous, moving and surprisingly nuanced portrayal of an atypical hit man.

Best Scene: Reacting to the suicide. 
2. Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale - Bettany gives a terrific turn that manages to find a proper mix between a classic orator and a barker cutting a wrestling promo.

Best Scene: *Scenes deleted*
1. Anthony Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantis - Hopkins delivers an especially moving turn showing his remarkable range in creating such a quietly warm character while also showing his great ability with child actors through his chemistry with Anton Yelchin. 

Best Scene: Helping Carol. 
Updated Overall

Next Year: 1952 Lead/Supporting (Not sure I'm going to do a lineup)

249 comments:

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Anonymous said...

Louis: thoughts on Iain De Caestecker in Overlord

Michael McCarthy said...

Treated myself to my annual triple feature today, I saw The Lighthouse, Jojo Rabbit, and Doctor Sleep.

The Lighthouse I totally loved, it accomplished the arduous task of living up to the expectations I had from the trailer. I’m not sure I totally understood it on an intellectual level, but it got so deep under my skin on an emotional and instinctive level that I have the powerful urge to see it again. And obviously, the two leads are mesmerizing.

Pattinson: 5
Dafoe: 5

Jojo Rabbit got me in a similar way to Three Billboards, where it wasn’t quite as laugh out loud funny as I thought it would be but it was very impactful in a more cathartic sense. It treats the heavy subject matter very lightly for the most part as expected, but it has a wonderful empathy for all of its characters. There was also one scene that totally devastated me in a way that took me by surprise.

Davis: 4.5
Waititi: 3.5
McKenzie: 4.5
Johansson: 4.5 (could definitely go up)
Rockwell: 4
Wilson: 3
Yates: 3.5
Merchant: 3

Doctor Sleep was definitely something I wanted to like more than I did. I have to praise Flanagan’s direction as I can’t think of many other directors who would have as much success with the source material. Unfortunately there were a few too many balls in the air for it to be totally cohesive, and I think it would have done well to follow The Shining to keep certain aspects a bit more mysterious. Having said that, the callbacks to the aforementioned film were a lot of fun.

McGregor: 4/4.5
Curran: 3
Ferguson: 4
Curtis: 3
McClarnon: 3.5
Lumbly: 3.5
Struycken: 3

I’d be happy to give more thoughts on any of these.

Matt Mustin said...

Michael: Thoughts on Waititi?

Mitchell Murray said...

Michael: And Davis, Johansson, McKenzie and Rockwell?

Luke Higham said...

Michael: Thoughts on McGregor and Ferguson. Save your thoughts on Dafoe and Pattinson once we get both reviews.

Michael McCarthy said...

Davis: (As is typical with Waititi’s child leads, Davis does a great job balancing reacting to the events of Jojo’s reality in a naturalistic way with hitting the specific tone of Waititi’s material. He importantly presents Jojo’s fanaticism not as venomous or truly hateful, but as a little kid imitating authority figures in his life in the hopes of belonging to something. This is revealed most vividly in his scenes with Johansson, where he allows himself to be vulnerable and have a sweet relationship with his mother, and McKenzie, where he gradually shows his walls being broken down. Also, that devastating scene I mentioned before relies very heavily on Davis’s performance realizing a particularly painful moment for Jojo.)

Johansson: (First off, this performance proves definitively that Johansson is capable of being an incredibly charming performer. From her very first moments on screen, Johansson makes Rosie’s love for her son something that is always present within her character. Johansson never allows this to be one sided though, and she brings quite a bit of fun into her chemistry with Davis. I loved all of her moments of teasing her son because Johansson never plays these with a hint of malevolence, but rather as this sweet way of relating to and amusing her son. Even within this idea there is extra depth to her performance, as Johansson shows that her son’s beliefs are troubling to Rosie which occasionally cause her to be harsher with her son, and her performance becomes quite moving whenever she portrays these hints of guilt over her slight outbursts. Of course there’s also Rosie’s relationship to Elsa, where Johansson once again exudes the genuine warmth of a good person just caring about another human being, but with a noticeable weight due to the danger that her kind actions may be putting her family in. Honestly a rewatch of this movie could make her my supporting actress win.)

Michael McCarthy said...

McKenzie: (In possibly the most difficult role in the film, McKenzie realizes a very unique character in Elsa. From her character’s introduction, McKenzie portrays Elsa as a girl who is willing to play right into Jojo’s prejudices as long as it’s to keep herself safe. In her first confrontation with Jojo McKenzie has this definite intensity of someone who is in a way fighting for her life, but with just a bit of fun in keeping with the film’s tone, and with the situation of dealing with a child who truly can’t do much to harm her physically. As the film progresses though, McKenzie does a terrific job creating the cleverness in Elsa along with her particular charm, as she provides Jojo with “education” about the Jewish people while building up a friendly relationship with him. She and Davis have wonderful chemistry with each other and are instrumental in making this film as optimistic as it is. There’s also one amazing scene for McKenzie that I don’t want to give away but it’s a fantastic portrayal of Elsa’s resourcefulness under pressure.)

Waititi: (As expected, Waititi is very entertaining in playing Hitler as Jojo’s imaginary hype man. For most of his performance he’s really not Hitler at all, which is probably a smart choice considering how many over the top parodies there have been of the man. This performance is mostly about classic Waititi bits, like wondering how Jojo is going to chop stuff up without knives or yelling louder so that non-imaginary people can hear him, which are all funny as per usual. His performance does get a bit more interesting towards the end though when the “real” Hitler emerges. These moments have shades of his work in Boy as there is definitely a menace, but a rather pathetic menace of a bully who has lost all of his power.)

Rockwell: (Like Waititi, the majority of his performance is squarely within type plus a German accent, but because he’s Sam Rockwell that’s all he really needs to be entertaining. His flamboyant bravado combined with his dissatisfaction at his current station makes for some genuinely delightful moments. He gets to show a little more than that starting in one of the scenes that I don’t want to spoil, which mark a change for Klenzendorf. He doesn’t have that many scenes after this, but with what he has he does reveal shades of goodness within his character that make for a surprisingly moving element in the film.)

Michael McCarthy said...

McGregor: (In his earliest scenes, McGregor is terrific in portraying a man so haunted by his literal and metaphorical demons that he is unable to find any sort of direction. This is by giving his work a ce rtain detached quality interspersed with genuine horror whenever he’s reminded of the past. His greatest moment may be when he first “becomes” Doctor Sleep, as there is this initial trepidation that McGregor beautifully transitions into the determination of a man who believes he may have found a real reason to live. Unfortunately, after Dan cleans himself up, the film focuses much less on his character and McGregor’s performance is mainly there to keep moving Abra’s plot forward. To his credit though, McGregor is consistent in maintaining the weight of Dan’s past even in this more low-key way that reflects the progress Dan has made. I wish the film had been more about delving into Dan’s ups and downs because that haunted quality is always there in McGregor’s performance even when it’s not being used. Thankfully McGregor briefly gets a bit more meat into his role once he returns to the Overlook and faces his past head on. I won’t go too much into specifics, but these are some of McGregor’s strongest scenes.)

Ferguson: (Even though I actually wish less time had been spent on her storyline, Ferguson’s performance certainly benefits from this added focus. Ferguson as usual does well at capturing a mysterious quality to her performance where you’re never quite certain what Rose’s next move is. There is also an off-beat seductiveness to her performance that makes it easy to see why she would have such a major role in this cult. I would say Ferguson’s next scenes are whenever Rose is confronting a prospective victim because this is where she really sinks her teeth into the villainous qualities of Rose. She’s definitely savoring these moments without overplaying them, and the end result is something quite sinister. Again, the film really wants to flesh out this character, and so Ferguson gets several moments where she gets to portray vulnerability. These are interesting as Ferguson is able to reveal in her performance that Rose is in the end trying to keep herself and her companions alive, and is definitely not always in control of her situation. While I don’t think these moments did much for the film itself, they did allow Ferguson the chance to do something a bit more interesting with the character.)

Mitchell Murray said...

If I'm remembering correctly, Michael's the first person on this blog spot to have seen "Jojo Rabbit", so I'm just glad that my eagerness for the film (and its performances) seems to have been validated.

That's not to say I like going with the current as a film buff - My opinion can certainly clash with the general consensus of a movie just as it already has before. (Ex, best picture winner "Million Dollar Baby".....) Still, it is nice, I suppose, to see that at least according to one person, my time and money won't be wasted, especially with one of my most anticipated films of the year.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Except saves, your top 5s for Lead and Supporting Actor so far and have you seen any 2019 releases lately.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

Conrad Hall doesn't disappoint, as to be expected the framing and composition of every shot is immaculate. This utilizing space of the frame so effectively as well as in terms of making our characters little "locust" among the grand Hollywood scene. The lighting is notable though in its striking to be sure, though almost slightly too much in terms of the glowing glamor of this. An effective though approach in sort of making the sunny "dream maker" quietly off-putting in this way.

Robert:

I'd say that's more of your Oscar Kix.

Tahmeed:

Baker - (Technically would've gone higher if his teaser scenes was included, however I loved the small bit we did have it. In that he captured just how endearing he and Badger was, but with this palatable emotional undercurrent of empathy for Jesse. I loved how he didn't overplay this but just made it so true to the character. This particularly in his pitch perfect delivery of "you're my hero", that was one of the most moving scenes for me.)

Jones - (Less to do but still rather enjoyable in bringing back ole' Badger, adding it just a nice bit of comedy, but also evoking a similar sympathy to Baker.)

Plemons - (His boy scout psychopath is once again terrifying as he manages to make so genuine. Of course this is a reprise of his approach that was already fascinating in how unique it was for such a character. Plemons returns to that brilliantly here, with some added chilling scenes that he makes all the more chilling by showing just how casually and even earnestly Todd treats the whole matter.)

Macarthur and Shepherd - (Both do their part I find in really not being all time baddie, but just a pair of thugs who aren't much to begin with, while in reality even less than that. They do manage to still convey their dynamic well, and are effective in their moments of really phony menace. I also like that they actually don't overplay it though in they have their moments of humanity, just by showing they're really fringe criminals, like Shepherd's delivery on if he'll be able to keep the neighbor busy.)

Hankin - (Just nice to see him more than anything, though I love his bit of recognition of Jesse's pain.)

Louis Morgan said...

Ritter - (Fine job in the reprise, hits her point however brief.)

Banks - (Does his straight forward mentor bit well, if quite expected from him to be sure.)

Cranston - (I mean notable how well he dials into the specific Walter for the time setting of the scene. This with him being only slightly hardened at the time, and still seemingly genuinely caring towards Jesse's future. This playing sort of the teacher card which does quite well again. Not a substantial part, but a fine return to be sure.)

Forster - (ehh actually with the state of Supporting actor right now, I think I'll save him.)

Calvin:

Fantastic moment for Amos as he pretty powerfully reveals that while McDowell is definitely money minded he unquestionably cares for his daughter beyond that, also a hilarious moment by virtue of Jones's reaction of sheer disbelief.

Anonymous:

Caestecker - (I'll admit for most of the film I thought he was fine as part of the crew, but really just part of the group without exactly standing out. I'll say though in really his scenes he manages to rather effectively portray the body and mental horror of the situation, which grants the scene quite the visceral edge.)

Luke:

Lead:

1. Mel Gibson - Dragged Across Concrete
2. Jack Lowden - Fighting With My Family
3. Tom Hanks - Toy Story 4
4. Brad Pitt - Ad Astra
5. Tom Holland - Spider-man Far From Home

Supporting Actor:

1. Lee Sun-kyun - Parasite
2. Jesse Plemons - El Camino
3. James Ransome - It Chapter 2
4. Winston Duke - Us
5. Jeremy Renner - Avengers: Endgame

Robert MacFarlane said...

I’m happy you’re saving Forster. At the moment he’s my Supporting win. A wonderful example of an old veteran showing how much he can do in a small, almost throwaway role. Love his blink-and-you’ll miss it reaction to Jesse’s letter where he almost seems moved.

Shaggy Rogers said...

Louis Morgan! Where are you?!

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Are these all the saves you have so far.

Supporting Actor
Robert Downey Jr. - Avengers: Endgame
Chris Evans - Avengers: Endgame
Song Kang-Ho - Parasite
Choi Woo-Shik - Parasite
Bill Hader - It: Chapter Two
Robert Forster - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Leading Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Brad Pitt - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
Taron Egerton - Rocketman
Joaquin Phoenix - Joker
Aaron Paul - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Robert Pattinson - The Lighthouse
Willem Dafoe - The Lighthouse
Antonio Banderas - Pain And Glory
Eddie Murphy - Dolemite Is My Name

Luke Higham said...

The likelihood of a 10 lineup for Supporting Actor is rather low.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: And if you're seeing it tonight, thoughts on The King and ratings & thoughts on the cast.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Well I'm still not quite sure why the King was made, to make a less Shakespearean version of the story perhaps, although still holding onto the general structure, many of the scenes and the character of Falstaff, though changed to a more standard mentor here. Many of the complexities of the Shakespearean version are simplified I suppose to make largely a more standard hero's journey, though with a random twist thrown in I suppose to be more like the series that influenced it. Speaking of I liked much of the aesthetic, even if it seemed a little too influenced by Game of Thrones at times, although that is perhaps most evident in Nicholas Britell's score. It isn't bad, but with three great versions of the story, I didn't feel it distinguished itself, other than having the least convincing Henry...speaking of.

Chalamet - 2.5(One could argue he isn't miscast because there were boy Kings, well Henry wasn't a boy King, just a young one, of course it doesn't help things that Chalamet still looks like he's 17. Then again, one could theoretically pull off the boy King through sheer presence, well doesn't quite work out that way. Chalamet in battle mode looks quite frankly comical at times, and it is particularly hard to believe him as someone who would be referred to the "big dog". This isn't just physical presence, an actor can always seem far
"bigger" than they are, but Chalamet doesn't pull off that trick here. Chalamet's attempt to do this boils down to often a one note portrayal of attempted stoic intensity. I say attempted, because he isn't very menacing in this, and this is to the point his attempt comes off as comical at times. His attempts at smouldering come off as quite posturing and for me never became believable in the part. He's not lower because he does pull off the few moments of emotional desperation well enough. Although even this is balanced, in a bad way, a bit by his big speech, that won't be going down in history along with the likes of Olivier and Branagh, and not just because the text was made far inferior. I can't say this inspires faith for Dune for me sadly, as I felt he completely failed to carry this action epic.)

Edgerton - 3.5(A completely changed version of the character here, he's just a little bit of a drinker and a lout, but more than anything he's just the caring mentor with a more traditional cinematic bent. Edgerton in this line though does a fine job of carrying the quiet gravitas granted to the role, with a enough warmth, but this is a far less interesting Falstaff than Shakespeare wrote.)

Harris - 3.5(Also adds a fine bit of gravitas as sort of the political mentor, and even delivers on his last scene, as questionable as that choice for his character is.)

Depp - 2(Kind of bland.)

Pattinson - 3.5(Thankfully adds a bit of fun with his energetic turn. He goes close to going over board with his purposefully broad accent however I think stops just before becoming Clouseau, and more than anything does a fine job of just artfully nibbling on the scenery. Pattinson brings an entertaining bravado with his devious manner that at least makes an enjoyable villain for the piece.)

Mendelsohn - 3.5(Manages to make his impact in his very short time. This offering just the right sort of sense of the years and weight of one betrayal and maneuver after another. Mendelsohn is effective in capturing both the emotional and physical desperation of this man whose life has only been this.)

McKenzie - (Perhaps miscast, or perhaps this time of film just doesn't fit her talents. I won't rate, as she's not in it much, but she is a bit awkward and out of place in her few minutes of screentime.)

Bryan L. said...

Louis: So it’s this years Outlaw King, essentially?


Alright I’m worried about Dune now.

Emi Grant said...

Seems to me that Lucas Hedges will have the better year once more.

Bryan L. said...

Emi: Chalamet still has Little Women, so he could save his 2019 a bit there.


Louis: Also, just wondering, are there any events that you think could be considered the official "start" of awards season? I think the day of the Golden Globes nominations could be a good shout, as most contenders are usually seen by then, and it's one of the biggest precursors.

Luke Higham said...

Bryan: For me, Dune is make or break for him. Obviously I'm very disappointed about The King, but I still have a little bit of hope left that Villeneuve could get a miracle out of him.

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

Not far off.

I think the general view is NBR/NYFCC, as they're the first group that announces, that are taken seriously, though taken a bit too seriously as a precursor by some, but also because it then basically starts the progression of one precursor after another in short succession.

Emi Grant said...

Bryan: Oh, of course. Forgot about it for a second. I'll admit that I'm not quite convinced by Chalamet on the film's trailer, but hopefully that's just the skeptic in me talking.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Who would you like to have seen play Henry V (Hal).

Saw Doctor Sleep, The best King adaptation this year. The recreations of scenes from the original film are commendable and McGregor's terrific, especially in one scene with a familiar ghost in the final third.

McGregor - 4.5
Curran: 3.5
Ferguson: 4
Curtis - 3
McClarnon - 3.5
Lumbly - 3.5
Struycken - 3

Jacob Tremblay is rather memorable as a Cult victim.

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: Thoughts on the Seinfeld scene where Kramer is being serenaded by Mel Torme?

Bryan L. said...

Luke: I think Will Poulter could’ve been a better fit, off the top of my head. Also, I agree on Dune, although they’ll have to sell that movie as an action film if they want it to have any chance of success money-wise.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Richard Madden, Jamie Bell, Jack Lowden, Nicholas Hoult, Jack O'Connell and Joe Cole would've all been more fitting to the part or they could've even put Pattinson in that role.

Matt:

Hilarious for Torme's sincerity against Kramer's sheer stupidity.

Calvin Law said...

I saw The King too and mostly echo Louis’ thoughts except I’ll give a little more credit to Chalamet. He did struggle throughout with the miscasting but I thought he did manage to make a consistent characterisation of a somewhat less confident Henry V with some growth throughout. Nothing amazing and miscast for sure but I’d give him around a 3 probably. Strange also how they made Falstaff such a bore.

Calvin Law said...

Going to try and see either The Last Black Man in San Francisco or Monos tomorrow. Also Louis, I saw A Prayer Before Dawn and am wondering how close it was to making your top 20 for 2019 list and whether Joe Cole could move up? Thought it was surprisingly great and liked how it didn’t take the typical patronising/racist lens of a foreign culture like say, Lost in Translation.

Luke Higham said...

Michael McCarthy: What did you think of Jacob Tremblay's cameo in Doctor Sleep.

Bryan L. said...

Calvin and Louis: If you've seen them, your thoughts on each episode for this season It's Always Sunny so far (sans 1)? Mine would be:

2- Pretty good, and I loved that Lundgren played Thunder Gun
3- Great. Liked that Dee actually beat them out this time.
4- Good
5- Really liked this one, especially Dennis' reactions to the lion feeding and missing out on it.
6- Just a great blend of noir with the right touch of It's Always Sunny humor

Calvin Law said...

2 - the film within film was decent though Lundgren certainly gave it all, Mac’s antics were not funny, Charlie’s dynamic with the moderator was hilarious.

3 - great, particularly with yet another ‘Dennis seduction’ scene and Dee’s stereotypes making a re-entrance.

4 - good, Howerton again super on point, and the Frank stuff was solid too.

5 - slightly mixed bag in that it does push one joke too much, but the great sequences are genuinely great, again Howerton MVP.

6 - very entertaining Charlie-centric episode, even McElhenney who’s been the weak link this season was great, and loved the style.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: Could I have your thoughts on the ending song used in Wolf Children?
https://youtu.be/RHt_pug9mBo (turn on captions for the English translation)

Mitchell Murray said...

So I decided to go and see "Zombieland: Double Tap" last night, and it was okay. It's obviously hard for the movie not to feel tired or less unique than the first, and there are definitely some elements in writing/character that simply don't work. Overall, though, it's mildly enjoyable in it's new twists, and delivers basically what was to be expected in bringing this zombie hunting gang back together.

Eisenberg - 3.5
Harrelson - 4
Stone - 3.5/4 (Actually a notable improvement over her first turn)
Breslin - 3
Dawson - 3
Wilson/Middleditch - 3
Deutch - 2 (Did not find her funny at all, and in fact her scenes were some of the weakest in the film)

Bryan L. said...

Also saw Zombieland: Double Tap. I’ll agree with Mitchell on the film and cast, particularly with Stone.

Shaggy Rogers said...

Louis Morgan! Where are you?!
You disappeared for 2 weeks!

Luke Higham said...

Shaggy: What you need now is a Scooby Snack to put your mind at ease.

In all seriousness, He's watching 1952 films at the moment and he has posted comments these last few weeks.

Michael McCarthy said...

I know this is gonna be a weird take, but I actually preferred Deutch to Harrelson in Double Tap. I thought he was over the top in a character that’s much more compelling when he’s more on the stoic side. Deutch doesn’t give an amazing comedic performance, but I really felt like she was having fun with it which I appreciated. Also she unironically reminded me of someone I know, so there’s that.

Calvin Law said...

I saw The Last Black Man in San Francisco. I have to admit I wasn't really on its wavelength stylistically, but it is an interesting film. Jonathan Majors is excellent.

Fails: 3.5
Majors: 4.5
Glover: 3
Arnold: 3
Morgan: 3

Louis Morgan said...

Saw Motherless Brooklyn which I liked actually, though perhaps I'm an easy mark for this type of film. This is that it is not anything close to say a Chinatown, far closer to say Devil in a Blue Dress, however I definitely did enjoy it. Norton helms it more far than competently, though he could've killed a few of his darlings for wider appeal, however I didn't mind its sort of breezy pace most of the time. Really liked the aesthetic though, with the production design and Dick Pope's cinematography being standout elements, and enjoyed the mystery with our off-beat central character, although the tourettes element I think should've been toned down slightly.

Norton - 3.5
Willis - 3
Mbatha-Raw - 3
Baldwin - 2
Dafoe - 4
Cannavale - 2.5
Williams - 3
Suplee and Roberts - 3
Mann - 1.5

Calvin:

No, regarding Prayer Before Dawn, though I thought both the film and Cole were very good.

Bryan:

Haven't watched Sunny noir yet, and gave thoughts on 1 3 4 already.

2 - Eh not my favorite episode. Rather repetitive and despite the best efforts of Lundgren the movie in the episode was a touch underwhelming.

5 - Really enjoyed the episode even with the the restrictive nature of the premise. This as we got some gold from the golden god as it relates to feeding, and also really enjoyed the very strange lion king music quest throughout.

Tahmeed:

The opening is truly a lullaby in its a capella approach, which thankfully does then get supported by the simple, yet effective bit of instrumentation that slowly grows to support that lullaby. This that slowly grows a simple effectiveness. I can't quite say this sustain completely supports the sheer length of the song, even as it mixes it up a bit near the end with a more dramatic orchestral support, but it still is a nice song to be sure.

Luke Higham said...

Louis: Thoughts on Norton and Dafoe.

Calvin Law said...

I’m a bit annoyed that the film isn’t masterful because the source material is (in my top 10 novels of all-time but I am a bit of a mark for it). But I’m glad it’s at the very least good.

Calvin Law said...

And the Tourette’s element is a huge part of the source material but is also something I feel is really difficult to translate to the silver screen.

Matt Mustin said...

Calvin: Well, from what I've heard Norton basically rewrote the whole thing anyway, so that it barely resembles the book.

Louis Morgan said...

Luke:

Norton - (I could go a little higher, as the one element of his performance that I didn't like is the one I'm going to be writing about at length...right now. He obviously takes on the major responsibility of delivering the tourettes syndrome, something that would be a major challenge for any actor. Reminds me a bit of Orson Welles talking about doing the epileptic fit Othello, and how he'd try just to get through it as quickly as possible since he really didn't know how to do it. This is delivering something that will likely seem unnatural in reality even though exists therefore it is difficult to make it seem natural within a film. Norton tries very hard to do this, it does seem actory, and maybe in part Norton could've changed his voice a bit that he does, but then again maybe it just would be extremely difficult to pull it off in any way. I'll say though you get use to it, after the brunt of it in the opening scene, and I think perhaps that was a slight mistake in that the writing perhaps emphasizes just slightly too much at first. This is as I did like a lot of what Norton did with it, in terms of the actual story, particularly with the non-verbal tics. Perhaps in adapting he could've tone down the specific lines of the tics, just a bit,in the opening because they don't help in easing you into the performance.
Now with that all said, I actually did like his performance quite a bit even wholly disregarding that element for a moment. This in portraying sort of the investigative spirit I found Norton very captivating in creating the sense of the different mixes of exhaustion, investment, inspiration and concern at different points. He also I find weaves in sort of Lionel coming into his own throughout the story, rather effectively in terms of crafting a quiet maturation as the story proceeds. This in both coming into his own as an investigator, but also a man in creating this convincing growth in confidence. This is something he never overplays but rather quietly shows this growth in assurance as he finally understand the case. Actually thinking about it, I'll raise him to a 4 right now.)

Dafoe - (A wonderful bit of kook from Dafoe. He unsurprisingly does well in bringing so much vibrancy to his part, in so little time. This creating really this rather clever jumble of man whose a mix of self-interests and genuine conviction. Dafoe brings the interesting combination between through sort of shabby manner along with a certain warmth of a decent man beneath it all, but also the very real frustrations for his place. I only wish he had a more interesting counterpart than is provided, but Dafoe makes for a proper colorful noir character.)

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Thoughts for the rest of the cast? I kinda thought Baldwin’s role would be up his alley, so that ones a bit surprising.

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

Willis - (Nice for him to actually show up to work for a few minutes...if only for a few minutes. We actually do get a bit of his old charisma here which is almost strange to see in a way, but very much appreciated none the less.)

Mbatha-Raw - (More damsel than femme fatale, though she does her best to bring a bit of character into her limited role.)

Baldwin - (I too thought this role could play to his strengths, however I think he might be doing a few too many sketches lately. There just was something very broad about everything he did here. This in a role that had John Huston in Chinatown potential, as written I feel. Baldwin occasionally briefly hits his marks, and in those brief moments it is impressive, unfortunately too often he seems like he's doing an SNL bit. There's plenty of room for nuance, but too often he goes for something oversized.)

Cannavale - (His usual shtick, works for the part.)

Suplee and Roberts - (Limited however they both nicely bring in a bit of extra something to their characters, as minor as they might be.)

Williams - (Reliable as always, and brings the requisite hard cool as to be expected in his jazz musician.)

Mann - (Out of place and just awkward in her two scenes. She kind of plays it comic in what should be dramatic moments, but then will randomly try to be comic. Just a strange turn.)

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