Alternate Best Actor 1994: Temuera Morrison in Once Were Warriors

Temuera Morrison did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jake "the Muss" Heke in Once Were Warriors. 

 

Once Were Warriors is a powerful, though brutal, viewing experience that focuses on a dysfunctional family of Maoris in New Zealand. 

I'll admit I went into this film without any knowledge of it whatsoever. This as we see the opening of the family living different lives including Temuera Morrison who at first seems just like potentially, the slightly rough, but charismatic dad who is just hanging around with his mates. Morrison brings a larger than life power within his presence here. He's just the life of the given room as he matches really this personality intensity as we see his hard drinking Jake living up his life, though early warning signs begin as he seems to have little interest in the rest of his family, including his oldest son whose joining a gang, his younger son who is sent to juvenile hall or his daughter who seems to live life in a slight depression per her surroundings. Morrison though portrays Jake seemingly still having the time of his life and Morrison projects that joy remarkably in making you believe that might be the case for him. This though is harshly set aside when his wife Beth (Rena Owen), questions verbally many of his recent decisions, such as getting fired. When immediately happens is startling to understate as Morrison instantly unleashes a feral intensity. A feral intensity without caution or concern as he brutally beats and later rapes his wife. Morrison presents it without hesitation rather almost a purely animal reaction built within such a palatable sense of bitterness in his eyes as he commits his heinous crime. 

Morrison effectively bluntly shows the hard edge as we see essentially the hangover as he delivers each word even afterwards with a disregard both for his previous actions and towards any actual concerns for his family. Morrison's portrayal is hard to watch but convincing in showing just a festering anger that defines the man who is either looking for a good time or for someone to blame. Where some films I think  struggle in depicting truly toxic relationships, is within the idea of how the relationship existed to begin with. Well in this instance it shows again so well how relationship exists between Beth and Jake because of the performances of the actors. Morrison is great in a few scenes later where Jake seeks to reconcile. He portrays a real charm and quiet warmth in the moment. There is a sense of how he won her over to begin with with the calm earnest sweetness Morrison brings in the moment of showing his love for Beth, even if far more so a manipulation. Morrison though is wholly convincing in realizing the reconciliation. He doesn't suddenly make Jake a good man, rather he realizes the attractive qualities of the man, and how they would once again put a veil over Beth's eyes to his true nature of a person. Seemingly though Jake's better side is prevailing for the moment as he agrees to take Beth and the family to see their son in juvenile hall. 

Morrison again shows the appeal of Jake as even as he sings along with the car there is a real endearing cheer to Morrison's' work. He almost wins the viewer over to his seeming reformation like he is in some way a better person. There's a great moment where with the family where Jake and Beth recall their relationship. Morrison speaks the initial words of pride in taking a "prized" woman from her proud heritage of Maori warriors. As he continues to reflect on the idea, including his heritage of slave Maoris, Morrison eyes create such a palatable sense of bitterness. There again is that hatred even in him still even as he is not just yelling. Morrison revealing the considerable chip on the man's shoulder we witnessed quite loudly beforehand but now nearly silently. Morrison in this reveals the nature of the man, a man he portrays almost essentially driven by ego. This as he's not finding joy to think about all his failures in life through drinking and the like, which Jake ends up choosing to do rather than seeing his son, he rages against them. This though specifically as how it all revolves the man and only him. Morrison expresses joy only when nothing interferes with himself, but when it does, it is with a strict dissatisfaction. Morrison so well realizing the machismo of the man, that while won over Beth in the past, now rules the man's behaviors towards reacting with violence first and never thinking about it later. This as even as we see tragedy come to the family, largely due to Jake's selfishness, Morrison's reactions is essential. This as he manages to convey a degree of grief, but it is almost hollow. This as Morrison expresses as much with just still a general rage of something getting in the way of living life as his broken pride dictates. Morrison's great in this in managing to find humanity within the character, but a venomous humanity. This as we consistently find the man defined by his cruel actions and his senseless actions built around his fragile ego. Morrison gives a striking turn here by finding depth within the role of Jake without even for a moment limiting the character's terrible nature.