Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2020: Nicholas Hoult & Russell Crowe in True History of the Kelly Gang

Nicholas Hoult did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Constable Fitzpatrick in True History of the Kelly Gang. 

True History of the Kelly Gang is an effective, though it gets a little aimless towards the end, off beat telling of the story of Australian outlaw Ned Kelly (George MacKay). 

Let's talk some more about Nicholas Hoult, the great character actor trapped in a leading man's body. I say trapped because when he is tasked with the latter we have a far less interesting performer, and his heart seems to be in playing into far more off-beat and mad cap characters. Speaking of, Hoult here plays on the authoritarian British constables who seem to be the bane of the Aussie locals. We meet him in a better situation however as Ned meets him at the local brothel, where his Fitzpatrick actually helps with with a deranged denizen of it. Hoult's performance here is very specific in setting up this kind of friendship with Ned at first. This as Hoult actually does portray the true nature of the character even as Fitzpatrick is doing seemingly relatively nice things. This as he speaks towards Kelly with a certain interest, even more so than a smile to invite him to take part in the brothel's offerings. This even in sharing a smoke with him after their mutual indulgences. Hoult's portrayal of this is actually of a patronizing "friend", even as he speaks warmly, Hoult's eyes are of this glances of a superior, or at least man who believes himself to be. He glances around with a kind of certain smile as though he is playing some sort of game the whole time and isn't wholly interacting as an actual friend. He rather is presenting a man who is willing at this moment to be friend, since it suits him. 

Hoult crafts a false kind of affability that he conveys with a deranged sort of glint in his eyes. This in showing such a sinister joy between the lines in these early scenes. This even as he reads someone's palms speaking that it indicate promiscuity, Hoult's delivery on the surface is though he is being flirtatious, but his eyes read a more unnerving lust. Hoult displays the despicable nature of a man who is horrible even as he's being pleasant, this as he never exactly interacts with them as though they are people. There is rather just a sense of always treating each person with this kind of act as though everyone to them is a kind of pawn of his. This facade breaks down eventually when Fitzpatrick comes to negotiate with the Kelly family over an arrest warrant essentially in exchange for Ned's sister. This as he speaks he's holding Ned's sister as though he is holding a prize and just even overlooking her as though he would some kind of pet. This is against his delivery within the discussion which is with more a disinterest than anything else. When pressed though Hoult reveals the real nature of the man. Hoult is wonderfully despicable in how much pompousness he exudes as he speaks to Ned. This in even as he speaks ill of a woman Ned likes, Hoult delivers with a loving sort of sleaze towards Ned. This as he's still extremely dismissive, but with a cruel streak that he always accentuates with a horrible kind of bliss in his eyes. Hoult expresses a man who loves to play with the locales, but has no love for them. 

Hoult then becomes the villain of the piece, only for awhile unfortunately, which is to the film's detriment end the end, and Hoult gets to go full Hoult, which for me, is the best Hoult. This as we see where he arrests Ned's mom (Essie Davis) and interrogates her in prison, while stripping naturally. I think the latter is something that Hoult even makes work because his manner in his interaction is that they are nothing but playthings to him. This as even messing with his most private area, Hoult looks upon Ned's mom as kind of a pornographic visual for him to enjoy himself. Hoult accentuating the lack of shame as part of the man's sociopathic nature, and really his kind of sick joys are the only things even slightly hiding that. Hoult makes for a proper despicable villain as this representation even of their oppression as not just hateful but even more importantly aggressively callous. In his manner there is rarely a thought of threat initially in his eyes, this suggesting a man fully in his power, only because he just believes himself to be the power. This delusion only eventually breaking down fully in Hoult's final two scenes. The first being as Fitzpatrick interrogates Ned's girlfriend to find Ned's whereabouts. Hoult is amazing in this scene this as he begins with that same phony kind of cordiality, still dismissive but gentle even in a fake kind of way. As she doesn't tell him though, Fitzpatrick picks up her infant child. Hoult is terrific in showing the facade slipping as he plays with the child with a gun. Hoult's delivery loses any false kindness, and his expression the same. There just an intensity of the man suddenly, and just vicious manner of a hateful man. Hoult being effectively terrifying in the man by showing a man completely deranged when no longer with that delusion of power to hold himself together. Hoult only has a brief final scene where Ned catches Fitzpatrick at the brothel, now at gun point. Hoult effectively going through the initial moment of manners that is weaker than ever, followed by attempting to wield his intensity on Ned by brandishing the power he thinks he has fully, which is less effective on Ned than it is the girl. I love Hoult's final moment though as all delusions of grandeur break and his expression reveals a man whose whole reality has kind of broken, as Ned truly has the upper hand on him and there's nothing he can do about it. I think it is actually to the film's detriment that this conflict isn't used more so as the climax, as I think when Hoult exits is when the film loses its way a bit and falls into aimlessness, this as he made for a great target. This is another fantastic character driven turn from Hoult that shows his best side is his more atypical side. I'll admit my affection for this performance is made all the greater by seeing Sam Claflin's turn in The Nightingale, a similar actor in type playing a very similar part, that of a man in Australia abusing his power. Hoult's turn strangely almost seems an answer to that, as he fixes every flaw in Claflin's ridiculous performance. This as he not only gives an innately compelling turn, he also grants sense to the cruelty. Not that he makes the cruelty sensible but rather vividly realizes the nature of the deranged mind that would view cruelty as such. Hoult's character is similarly tricky, but he finds his way in and thrives in this proper villainous portrait of a man defined by his abuse of power. 

Russell Crowe did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Harry Power in True History of the Kelly Gang. 

Russell Crowe after his remarkable run in the late nineties to early aught's seemed to struggle a bit to find his place as an actor past a certain point. He seems to be discovering this again, and the performances that most realize that are those where he seems to be embracing his age and finding a new notable presence through that. Two of his best more recent performances, The Nice Guys and Boy Erased, both allowed Crowe to truly shine again, but in both he actually didn't at all hide his aging, or even his weight again, rather he seemed to own it. His performance here as Harry Power is another such a turn. This as Crowe doesn't at all hide his age or his weight gain, in fact he plays into it in just being as scraggly as would be in good taste in this depiction of the bushranger who is invited by Ned's mother to train the young Ned in basically the ways of the outlaw. Crowe's first appearance as arrives as the Kelly's home his notable presence of his leading man days is here, but now refashioned for this purpose. Crowe has this ease with dominant manner of the man. This as he is seen entreating the Kelly family to a bawdy anti-constable song, where for once Crowe is in fact appealing when singing, Crowe grants both humor and an intensity about the song. There's a sense of fun to him, but there's also a devious sort of quality. As much though there is a lustful quality as he speaks with Kelly's mother, where Crowe brings a genuine charm though funneled through a different kind of manner for himself. His approach creating a real sense of the man whose made his ways through a tough life, a tough life though that he has enjoyed in his own particular ways. We then follow as he takes the young Ned on basically a training journey to learn the ways of the bushranger. Crowe is great in these moments of presenting effectively this experience of the man though with this specific kind of combination of warmth but also roughness about him. He speaks to the boy with a learned intention but also with a rather blunt manner of explaining the boy his methods without hesitation. Of course the important part of it here is that as much as Crowe looks like one, he is not a lovable kind of teddy bear of any of the sort in fact. This as we see the man in action where Crowe presents the lack of hesitation and real the ease of his killing. There is even a bit of smile as he does it as though it is all just a day's work with him, even as he certainly crafts the right intensity of the moment of a man of violence as he performs his duty, however still with an ease about it. Crowe is terrific here in presenting real the duality of this nature of the man in an essential scene where Harry takes Ned to confront the local constable who had been abusing his power with Ned's family. Crowe again brings in the moment a sincere delivery of speaking towards the boy of the purpose of the confrontation with a kind of warmth at first, as though it is a teaching moment. As it continues though Crowe's work shows really the viscous nature of the man. This as he blasts orders towards the boy to follow along, and just the sheer menace he has as he prods the boy to kill the constable. Crowe's performance is fairly brief however wholly memorable within the scheme of the film. He makes an impact to the point you could easily see Crowe as the lead of the rest of Harry's story. This as he grants a real detail and vibrancy to bushranger. This as he shows both a man of genuine passions and brutal realities. This performance also showing the great potential for Crowe going forward, as his work here carries the qualities of his best work, but in a new way befitting to where he should now fit as an actor.