Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1994: Jean-Louis Trintignant in Three Colours: Red

Jean-Louis Trintignant did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joseph Kern in Three Colours: Red. 

Three Colours: Red is an amazing film about a model, Valentine (Irene Jacob), finding a near hermit retired judge after accidentally injuring his dog.

That synopsis barely covers even the smallest surface of the film, which is so much within the execution. This of course visually, as every frame of this film is gorgeous in one way or another, but amplifying this greatness are the central performances. This though is unusual within the film as our lead character Valentine, while not passive, is a character who is supportive and often reactionary. A notable achievement of the film is how dynamic Valentine is even with that quality, of course greatly helped by Jacob's wonderful luminous performance. This is in stark contrast to Trintignant's work, who we first see when Valentine informs him of his dog's injury. Trintignant instantly establishes the reality of his character, and so powerfully realizes his state particularly against Jacob's work. This as Trintignant does two things in this opening scene. The first is actually in his reaction to seeing Jacob, which he doesn't portray as surprise that someone has invaded his house, rather he presents this sort of look upon another human trying to interact with him as some foreign thing. Trintignant presenting a man who has long closed himself from others and even seeing someone want to directly interact with him seems strange in a way. The second is showing the depressive state. A depressive state that Trintignant portrays so effectively not as something recent that wears heavily, but rather wears lightly. By this Trintignant's delivery as he asks her to leave with a calm disregard, and his eyes are just with a disinterested exasperation, it is of a man who has become content within this state, as wounding of a state as it likely was when his Joseph Kern originally entered it.

 

The greatness of Trintignant's work is from the outset as his second scene he subtly suggests the change of Joseph even as it seems like his current sate seems all the intense. This as when Joseph greets Valentine who has come to visit Kern and his dog, Trintignant is very sharp in his delivery of Joseph's callous remarks. This as he speaks about his dog without feeling, is actually very much with feeling. The feeling though of incisive divisiveness in his voice. Trintignant almost portraying a pride within this aggressive seeming apathy. At the same time Trintignant suggests the possibility for change through this greater energy within the man. Although that energy is being used for such negative thoughts, Trintignant shows that the interaction has changed the man. This as Trintignant brings an eagerness to the interaction, even though the eagerness is to be misanthropic. This which is revealed all the more when Valentine discovers that Joseph listens in on his neighbor's conversations. Although initially Trintignant's reaction of one is of a natural ashamed quality for the voyeurism. When he begins to speak though again Trintignant brilliantly segues within the explanation. The explanation that he speaks with this fascinating combination in his work. This as his face carries with a venomous disgust, while his voice is spirited in describing his use of the phone calls that support his pessimism. This as Trintignant suggests a man who finding support for his cynical views gives him a strange sort of life. 

Trintignant finds this remarkable balance in his work particularly in the way he interacts with Jacob. This as again he speaks to her with a growing interest, almost every line there is a greater sense of the man in fact connecting. This even in reacting towards her with a genuine sense of interest in his eyes. This while though speaking towards that striking bitterness within the man. The greatness within Trintignant's work is his ability to realize Joseph not as a man who has come to hate the world because he's a true misanthrope, but rather a man who has come to hate the world because he's a true romantic. Trintignant presenting the man as the witness of people's failures with certainty in his voice and directness of his eyes as though it is a success for him to see those failures. What I love is the soulfulness that Trintignant delivers within this approach. This as he even questions Valentine's reasons for saving his dog, it is with intensity in his delivery, yet there is a sense of heartbreak in his eyes. This man trying to push his nihilism as a way to soothe himself in some way. This as Trintignant speaks with such confidence in his distaste for people, yet is on the verge of tears all the same. This makes it wholly believable then as we do see a slow turn from Joseph in each subsequent visits by Valentine, and all the more poignant. Trintignant artfully reveals the man slowly opening up to another human. It isn't all at once, rather this gradual release of the venom and portrayal of the warmth. The slow change is so moving because of how honestly Trintignant's work expresses this. This making the sense of affection in Joseph feel all the more genuine and tangible. This as Trintignant stops speaking with the push for cynicism, even as there remain a sense of bitterness, however slowly it is changed appeal for understanding rather than a sale for that cynicism. 

 

Trintignant never skips a step in moving Joseph away from a curmudgeon in his own kind of despair. The sense of life in just his expressions is outstanding. This as Trintignant solely within his performance, seems to almost eliminate years from his brow from his first scene to his final scene. I adore his highlight scene at the end of the film when he finally leaves his property to attend Valentine's fashion show, upon her invitation, and we meet the romantic fully. Trintignant is amazing in this scene as his whole manner is so open and loving as he speaks to Valentine. The warmth earlier suggested now so naturally flowing in every gesture and every word he speaks. This even as he lets her know of what caused his earlier state, a broken heart, Trintignant now presents it as a direction reflection of the past, rather than some bitter attack on it. Trintignant still reveals the raw wound of the betrayal by the love of his life, however it is now open rather than defensive. Trintignant so deftly revealing a man now accepting the past with an actual hope for the future. Trintignant's essential final scene is a wholly silent one, this just as Joseph awaits to hear news of survivors of a ship disaster that Valentine was on. Trintignant though says it all in the absolute concern as he stares at the news broadcast, and the utter relief he expresses when he sees she's alright. Trintignant making this such a powerful and heartwarming ending, because of how nuanced and detailed his portrait is of this man's difficult journey to finding empathy once again.