Best Supporting Actor 2020: Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and The Black Messiah

Daniel Kaluuya won his Oscar from his second Oscar nomination for portraying Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah.

Judas and The Black Messiah is a good, if somewhat frustrating film. This as even in its current state another edit may have tightened the materials, as both the FBI behind the scenes moments are unnecessary as is the nearly unattached story of a completely random Black Panther member who meets a violent end. Even the title indirectly speaks to the lack of cohesion, because within the film itself the "Judas" and the "Black Messiah" have little relation within the progression of the film. 

So might as well treat this film as really two films, starting with the "Black Messiah" portion aka the story of Fred Hampton. This is led by Daniel Kaluuya as the noted figure. A character who also appeared in "The Trial of the Chicago Seven" as an advisor to fellow Black Panther Bobby Seale. Here we get Fred's story which begins as a slow rise to prominence. In this role we have up and comer Daniel Kaluuya, who is slowly building quite the repertoire of performances that express quite the range as a performer. This from the outset his very essence is so different from the scared young man trying to escape a horror show in his first Oscar nominated turn in Get Out, or as his demonic enforcer in Widows. Here we get Kaluuya's work as a man seeking self-actualization essentially as an activist. This from his opening moment where we see him preparing for his speech. His eyes focused, with a sense of weight to his intention, and a focus of someone meaning to make an impact. Kaluuya just has a presence here that is entirely different. This isn't the Kaluuya of those other films, not that he didn't have presence in those, but here he just commands his space in a way that is entirely towards realizing his Fred Hampton. A realization that has no break, in that there are no cracks within this crafting of his portrayal of the man. His voice not only is spot on to the real Hampton, it is also wholly natural within his performance. 

His physical performance is equally remarkable in expressing the man. This as even his physical posture, even the way he sort of speaks through himself is unique to his Fred, and not to Kaluuya. It is a brilliant transformation. This as nothing about what he's doing here is building off his previous work, this is something entirely new in terms of just fashioning this presence of the man. It is extremely impressive, particularly since not an element of it feels forced. It just seems to be the man. Now that would only be one thing, but we get so much more than that as we follow Fred basically as his rise as an activist. In his first speech Kaluuya delivers the power of the man. This unique way of speaking that almost crafts a song out of his message. This as he rallies out his points with both an ease and elegance, but with a ferocity all the same. Kaluuya delivers on finding an innate magnetism within the man. There is a power of personality within the man that he just exudes whenever we see Fred in his element, which is trying to deliver the message to the people. Kaluuya finds the right variation in this even, in presenting the different sort of tone depending on the situation. We see early on his major speech the fuller voice, the voice of a man who thinks he is making potentially his most important speech. When working a smaller scale class Kaluuya is a bit quieter, though still powerful, but creates the sense of the two voices depending on the situation. 

Kaluuya balances different sides of the man depending on where he is. There are the very important moments with his future girlfriend (Dominique Fishback). This where he is possibly his least magnetic but also his truest self. Kaluuya has a meekness in these moments, a vulnerability he fashion well as a man in love. The confidence is more of struggle in these moments and in doing so creates a the right sense of the man within the icon. This against the rest of his work where Kaluuya shows Hampton with his greater intention and in turn pushes himself to his limit. Kaluuya has many great scenes where we see Fred on the missions to recruit other black organizations, and other socialist organizations for other racial groups. Kaluuya is fantastic in these scenes in portraying the leader. This in delivering his charisma as though it is a force in itself. His speechifying his weapon for change. This in his negotiation Kaluuya speaks towards the strict conviction of the man, but also his power of persuasion. Kaluuya really is terrific here as you truly get a sense of the man as this potential "messiah" figure in wielding his charisma in this way. Kaluuya has the right grace in himself, even when speaking to the organization of men who proudly display the confederate flag, Kaluuya speaks with calm but still pointed aim. He creates the presence of a true figure building towards far more than a fringe group. The moment of him fronting his rainbow coalition, Kaluuya crafts a larger than life figure seemingly on the course for great things.

Then Fred is arrested and we kind of lose a bit of narrative thrust, unfortunately. This particularly in regards to Fred's story. We get brief scenes of Fred's activism even in jail, where he portrays a dogged determination in his eyes even as his rebellion must be on a particularly small scale. The film at this point, and I think is what is its major flaw, is that its kind of done developing anything more character wise for Fred. This isn't to say there aren't still strong moments for Kaluuya. His speech after being released from prison is an outstanding highpoint by Kaluuya. This as basically his crowning speech in showing the full force of Fred's charisma. This filled with emotion, determination, and just sheer sense of the power of his personality as he wields the crowd. He controls every moment of it. This railing off every word with such an ease. It is a fascinating combination of so much that makes it so incredible. This as he strikes hard with the intensity, yet always honestly mesmerizing in his rhythmic speechifying that creates a community within the crowd. You essentially see Fred at his fullest powers, and Kaluuya wholly delivers on this. Unfortunately beyond this, we get a succession of scenes where Fred just typically passively listens seemingly awaiting his death. Kaluuya is good in every one of these scenes, particularly when Deborah tells him of her pregnancy. The somber sense of defeat combined with genuine care are remarkably realized. The progression though towards his end though is oddly vague. Not in Kaluuya's performance, just the film-making. This progression to his end feels strangely muted and the devastation that should be there, oddly is not. This as I believe they oddly pull back from Fred himself at this point, as we learn nothing new within him facing his possible death. Almost every scene is Fred just listening to others with that sense of defeat. Kaluuya is convincing in this, but I wish the character felt as present as he was in the first half. Strangely he kind of fades into the background of his own biopic. Again, not on Kaluuya, but rather one of the major flaws of the script. I'm glad I watched this film twice, because I'll admit I was left disappointed a bit by what Kaluuya was given overall because of the muted ending. Watching it again, I got to see and appreciate how much greatness is there, even if it is cut off. Kaluuya more than delivers on every opportunity he has, and even though I'd say his performance only achieves true greatness in the first half, this isn't any fault of his own, just a lack of material. The fact is though, if Fred disappeared in the second half entirely, what Kaluuya delivered in the first half would still make this a great performance.