Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1998: Mike Myers in 54

Mike Myers did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Steve Rubell in 54. 

54 is a mostly terrible film failing to be Boogie Nights successfully in the tale of Studio 54.
 

One major problem is our lead character Shane (Ryan Phillipe) is generic and dull, with a duller backstory, duller relationships and rather dull as portrayed. And in a way the character shows just how great Dirk Diggler conversely is, given that technically it is the same *type* of role, but is better in every possible way. Anyway, the best aspect of the film is Mike Myers as the real co-owner of the Studio 54, who is known really only as a sketch funny man, with his forays into films being as overtly comedic leads, here Myers is genuinely trying to be dramatic. And to his credit, from his first scene, where he is selecting people to enter his club, and Myers does avoid the worst possible option which is just taking his sketch sensibilities to the part, a pitfall that would've easy enough to sink into because of the overtly mannered nature of the real Rubell. Myers brings the mannerisms, but he doesn't over do it, with this slight smile as though the guy is consistently surprised by his own success, and his dazed look as though he's always at least somewhat on drugs. Myers doesn't over do it, he rather makes it a natural state within his performance, and is convincing as Rubell, by having the mannerisms but not overdoing nor making that all there is to them. As even his first interaction where he let's Shane in, requiring he take off his shirt on the way in, Myers brings this extra a bit of the sense of power the man's wielding in the request, and the way he's absorbing the indulgence as just part of his very particular mastery of this unlikely domain. 

Throughout the film, we occasionally check in with Rubell as the face of the company to the public but also as Shane goes about working at 54, where Rubell holds sway. In this avenue Myers goes further with the role, though he always keeps this sort of surface presentation of the man "living his best life" and just loving his power. Myers mixes around effectively though to be a bit more incisive in his manner as he jovially, yet most threateningly assigns duties in the club with "Vietnam" being the alternative. Frequently we see Rubell choosing the next bartender, where there is frequently the suggestion of sexual favors required of the man, where Myers is quite effectively in balancing the note in part of playing the sleaze of the man with that same smile, but going further in crafting this quiet sense of self-loathing in the request. Myers offers subtle hints of shame in the man using the power, even though he uses the power nonetheless, showing his ability as an actor does go beyond caricature. As the film progresses we occasionally stop in with Rubell as he's going to greater extremes as a man, such as one particularly well acted moment, where you see a very insidious sneer below the smile as he looks on with Shane flirting with a customer, or when he fires one of his longtime employees for supposed embezzling, where Myers brings some real vicious intensity in Rubell covering up his insecurities by losing his smile for once. Where we eventually see a merging in his final New Year's speech near the end of the club, where Myers brings the smile to yet makes it feel more forced, more of an oozing desperation at every moment, and just a sense of the exhaustion of the experience of the man lost in his indulgences. Followed by a striking moment, where as the Feds are closing in on him, Rubell refuses to leave, and Myers's delivery of "where would I go" has such a perfect sense of defeat of a man who sees no other option in his life but down. Myers's consistently good and the one truly compelling aspect of the film. He's convincing and creates the period, and a true sense of desperation, rather than the phoniness we get from most of the rest of the film. Unfortunately the film is not aware of this, and doesn't take what it has to allow Myers to explore the role more than the occasional highlight. Myers's portrait of Rubell feels real, when the overall film does not. Myers suggests a greater dramatic capability than he ended up being able to explore in his career, returning entirely back to comedies afterwards, probably due to the overall failure of the film...which had nothing to do with him. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1998

 And the Nominees Were Not:

Donald Sutherland in Without Limits

 

Kiefer Sutherland in Dark City

 

Jim Caviezel in The Thin Red Line

 

Thomas Bo Larsen in Festen

 

Mike Myers in 54

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Results

10. Vinícius de Oliveira in Central Station -  A performance that is fine in moments however he is always overshadowed by his co-star, and frequently reveals certain limitations that the film directs/edits around.

 

Best Scene: Any bonding moment.

9. Sean Gullette in Pi - Gullette has the occasional scene, however he frequently is overshadowed by the vision of the film, and often provides somewhat thin reactions to that vision. 

Best Scene: Any talk with Margolis.

8. Hugo Weaving in The Interview - His film frequently wastes him through a plot no one cares about, but Weaving is consistently captivating whenever he's onscreen in his portrayal of a serial killer. 

Best Scene: Confession.

7. Christopher Lee in Jinnah - The film tries to cover too much in too little time, but Lee gives a striking gravitas to the central character and offers any other levels whenever he can. 

Best Scene: Seeing the violence.

6. Han Suk-kyu in Christmas in August - Han gives a moving portrayal of the kind man and the emotional distress of his tragic situation.

Best Scene: One more picture.

5. John Hurt in Love and Death on Long Island - Hurt manages the tone of the piece quite effortlessly in portraying the very specific fascination of his character with a subtle emotion and humor. 

Best Scene: Confession.

4. Bob Hoskins in TwentyFourSeven - Hoskins is charismatic as usual in portraying a man with a vision but also excels whenever he is allowed to reveal the character's vulnerabilities.

Best Scene: Apology to no one.

3. Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se...- Khan impressively deals with the various changing tones of the film, managing to keep them together even as they are so disparate. 

Best Scene: Final scene

2. Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe - Although bogged down by some plot mechanics later on, Mullan gives a charming and moving portrayal of a man trying to find a new leaf.

Best Scene: Why he quit drinking.

1. Matthew Lillard in SLC Punk - Well color me as surprised as anyone else that Lillard topped this year, but actually watching the film was no surprise at all, as it was the performance that hit that "extra something" that makes a performance truly great for me, where his performance energy is ideal for the role, however he also excels in being the straightman to the other "punks" while also bringing that comedic chaos himself, while also finding depth in this journey that ends up being surprisingly moving in the end. 

 

Best Scene: "Now what am I doing to do for friends?"

Updated Overall

Next: 1998 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Matthew Lillard in SLC Punk!

Matthew Lillard did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Steven "Stevo" Levy in SLC Punk!.

SLC Punk! depicts a very specific underground culture of punk in the 80's within Salt Lake City limits.

Matthew Lillard who perhaps is an actor very much connected to the 90's for his work in films like Scream and She's All That, is given the starring role here in a role that very much seems ideal for his sort of live wire presence, however here accentuated as a punk anarchist who is raging against the system...kind of. The film is very much Goodfellas for the punk anarchists of the 1980's in Salt Lake City, so about as highly specific as a retrospective as it can be, but as such we are granted this guide into this specific world as offered by Matthew Lillard as Stevo. A performance that literally begins with narration, and a narration that is far flung from a common narration. Lillard doesn't deliver his narration as kind of a formal recollection but almost just some dude you ran into at a party who just happens to be telling you the funny stories of his life. And Lillard excels with this approach as there's such a casual honesty to his performance where he's just like "yeah and there was this guy" in a way that totally works. It is very connected, but still commentary in a rather brilliant way, where Lillard manages to be of the moment, while also commenting on the past at the same time. Often times the narrator version can seem somewhat a different man than we see in the present, which Lillard almost is, as he is the guide of the man recollecting it all in loving detail, that isn't nostalgic though, rather just inviting in letting you get to know all the bits and pieces in his own particular way. His own particular way that truly infuses every fourth wall break and bit with such a tremendous specific energy that just totally works in kind of exuding the punk energy that Lillard's Stevo claims he believes so strongly in.

It is fun to follow Lillard whether it be in the narration or a 4th wall break, each time Steve wants to capture his particular mood as he saw the situation when he saw it and tell you it like it was. And what this does is make an unreliable narrator though in a very particular way that speaks to his unreliable nature though not in the obvious, I'm purposefully lying and more so, I'm giving you my very specific perspective. Part of the narration is just telling you different insights into his extremely specific punk manifesto of anarchy that he tries to describe to the best of his ability, which in itself is a bit of a grey area. I think a great choice by Lillard is the way he seems best at telling you exactly what punk isn't and being so specifically vicious passionate about noting the phonies, such as people pretending to have English accents and being punk. The sheer disgust that Lillard brings as he speaks to this phenomenon is just absolutely ideal and completely wonderful, as it denotes that Stevo really doesn't like them because he wouldn't want to be associated with them. As funny enough, the people Stevo sometimes fights, such as skinheads and rednecks, the take down, while still a take down, isn't passionate in quite the same way. Whether it is this certain kind of creed of "we just hate them", and there is no further articulation that truly shows some sort of world breaking wisdom, rather it is just taking down the idea of rule making without exactly all that much extra sense to it. Lillard makes it a touch thin, but in a way that speaks to Stevo's own belief rather pointentedly as it is a rage of sorts against the machine, yet when he is speaking about that exact rage is probably when Stevo struggles the most to be too specific.

As well as Lillard works as the narrating Stevo there is plenty to his work as the blue haired Stevo going to various parties, rock concerts and hanging out with the various fringe people he comes across, most often his best friend/roommate Heroin Bob  (who doesn't use heroin) (Michael Goorjian). We are chronologically shown Stevo when he is talking with his divorced parents in a scene that is pure Lillard in a way that is absolutely fantastic, where Stevo has an even more over the top mohawk and is dressed with even more flamboyant clothing, as they try to talk about their future. And I'd say just to see great acting, watch Lillard in the scene when his dad is talking to him about his prospects as a man, while simultaneously encouraging and discouraging his lifestyle choices. Lillard is hilarious as he mocks their points with every little over the top gesture of reacting as though he's really taking it all in just as he's really diminishing just about everything that they say with the big not so earnest grin on his face. Leading up to him unloading on everything that makes themselves hypocritical, which I think is key to Lillard's performance, and really the film, because they both take the harder route. Because it would be easy to say Stevo is simply right or wrong in his punk life, but here it makes it a more complicated experience, where he has reasons but he also is doing it for the sake of it. And Lillard thrives by avoiding the simplicity, because he does unleash with much passion in articulating all their personal failures, however the way Lillard reacts subtle within the passion to saying their divorced, or moved to Utah, he shows a much more petulant, though honest frustration of a boy just frustrated by the flaws of his parents and not a champion for anarchy.

In his world, Lillard is very effective in being this guide and in turn being a pseudo straight-man, a difficult balance to pull off when you're Matthew Lillard and donning blue spiky hair, but I'll say without exception he does pull it off. As again we see partly "when asked" we see the passion of the punk, which Lillard unloads with that very specific venting ferocity that shows some idea of what kind of fuels the guy, but when just interacting in the world, he naturally undercuts that purposefully by just kind of existing in it for just the general thrill of it giving him some kind of purpose. When reacting to their various characters, including an older rich German man who is a bit paranoid, Lillard does bring a surprising down to earth quality, as he mixes between moments of genuine concern, if not nearly horror, such as when the German shoots at Bob's head with a gun due to a random suspicion of his, but also often "I love how crazy this is" type reaction of the young man looking just to get his random thrills in life, and just loving the anarchy of it all....well kind of. Such as when we see Stevo interact with another woman on the scene, and part of it is we get that full bodied embrace of the lifestyle when they trip acid together, and Lillard presents the randomness of the insanity with the essential thrill behind. However again this is undercut later on when, despite their "open" agreement, he flips out when seeing her have sex with some guy at a party. And Lillard is the straight man suddenly, despite the intense reaction, though by showing a very baseline natural reaction, albeit the reaction of someone who very much exists in a system of rules, despite his claims to the contrary. Lillard manages to really punctuate every scene so well though by offering that bit of convincing reaction or by offering his bit of spice in bringing that sharp energy.

And I would say this was a very good performance by Matthew Lillard, the ideal role for the ideal actor type of thing, where the two elements just matched up in the right way at the right time. However, Lillard goes beyond that in two scenes near the end of the film. The first is near a breaking point, as many fade from the punk scene and Stevo has a chance meeting with the party's host Brandy (Summer Phoenix) that before we meet her, Stevo informs us that he will marry us someday. With that setup the actors must deliver, and they absolutely do. Phoenix and Lillard's chemistry is amazing, though in a very modest yet utterly convincing way in the way you instantly see this sort of cut through the nonsense in just the way they look and speak so differently with one another. Something that is then reinforced as Brandy challenges Stevo on his punk aesthetic which she points out is hardly a fundamental belief and more of just a fashion statement. Lillard is great in the way you see Stevo completely lose his usual energy and genuinely just being fascinated by her very direct, yet calmly stated thoughts. Lillard shows a young man who no longer is looking at life as something for laughs or to be torn down, but rather something completely genuine. Lillard gets so meek suddenly it is remarkable, and it shows how much of an impact this meeting has both in sort of cracking his facade of the fade, but also in seeing something meaningful in this relationship. But, that party ends with Bob having a freak-out after a long night of drinking and being given a secret percodan. Before that it should be noted that Lillard and Goorjian have great chemistry here as well, in just their ease together that suggests the long friendship of two guys who just are this pair, not much needs to said of their friendship, but their friendship is just an innate understanding, something you feel but don't fully understand until the pivotal scene where Bob from the combination of percodan and alcohol, lead to his death, which Stevo discovers the next morning. Lillard is outstanding as he casually discovers Bob's corpse, his portrayal first as just this slow realization, that is of disbelief, then this way he cradles himself as a child, as the truth dawns on him, and emotion begins to find itself. Lillard shows Stevo trying to almost deny it in his mind, denying the sadness, before he checks his pulse and pulls back from it as a horor. Then lashing out at his friend, trying to inspire "I don't care" energy, but falling completely in just heart wrenching grief, as he falls completely apart, and Lillard is devastating in showing a man having lost something that absolutely shows the meaning of this life, while also forcing this sudden maturity of the man, as he says wasn't "ready for". It is a truly great scene by the honesty of Lillard's performance that goes beyond the loss of the friendship, but also the loss of this whole chapter, whole view of life, as he's forced to face reality so brutally. We see this in the final sequences, while still telling the story to us at that party, which contrasts to what we see silently of Lillard, now with his hair shaved, and suited up ready to be a lawyer. Where he explains himself, still in his way of continuing the chaos as part of the system, while it now being an obvious lie, to the man we see before us who could be any law abiding citizen, and Lillard's expression is perfection, as you see the heartbreak of his loss, the sort of rigged change of the man to lose the chaos, but also just that faintest spark of chaos just on the edge of his final slight grin. This is a great performance by Matthew Lillard, as he brings the ideal energy to every part of the material, finding the style of it, finding the humor in it, finding the humanity in it and creating a dynamic portrait of man discovering the truth about himself, even if he might not admit it himself.

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Bob Hoskins in TwentyFourSeven

Bob Hoskins did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Alan Darcy in TwentyFourSeven. 

Twenty Four Seven takes a scattershot approach to depicting a local man trying to improve his community by getting young troublemakers to find meaning through a boxing club. 

The great Bob Hoskins plays the local man with the dream, which this film doesn't depict in the way you'd expect for your typical sports drama, as it very much has this wavering focus to the film, randomly taking time with different members of the community to attempt to create an overall portrait of the town. Hoskins *is* the lead however this is an instance where he's the lead with relatively limited screen time, as someone the film always comes back to as the driving force, but frequently cuts from to check what that impact is in various ways. Hoskins thrives right into this role as Alan who as a character looks and perhaps, given his love of Rocky, envisions himself as a bit of a Mickey from Rocky. From wearing his cap to just his hardscrabble manner Hoskins very much presents himself as a man almost living his life to be Mickey. Something that is indirectly commented on by his enthusiasm in which he states that Stallone definitely ate all the eggs in Rocky regardless or not it was a film. Hoskins carries an endearing energy here in this rough and tumble way, which like all his best work does carry such a powerful presence. A presence here that is used for rather different ends, as the intention of ole Alan at this point is just to try to make his town a better place. 

Hosking brings this positivity then in a way that feels very much earned, just because there is just a rough truth to the way he speaks, even as Hoskins basically gives every statement this innate silver lining to make it sparkle just that much more. In a way that manages to make the inspiration that much more honest, seeming because of the grizzled messenger yet very passionate one. A passion he brings so potently where he sells his idea two different ways each though presented with a different accentuation with his performance. When selling it to the town officials Hoskins brings such a bright optimism to his expression and his voice of someone selling this idealized virtue of what can be accomplished. While there is no lie in anything Hoskins is doing, just a true belief that his boxing club will change lives. When coming across the boys by challenging them to a bet match to get them to go to his club, Hoskins presents himself with the same passion but now accentuating the rough, tumble and blunt nature of the man. Alan very much uses his background to communicate with the boys and get down to the core of it to persuade them through his own knowledge of lives like theirs. 

The film then progresses as an inspirational sports story which far more asides to check in with the different random people the story is impacting. All of which we see Alan/Hoskins as this hopeful guide. Hoskins is beaming in every one of the different training sequences where he brings this easy combination of intensity for getting the young men ready for the sport, with this joyful manner of someone truly having pride in this experience. Hoskins makes it believable about this positive impact that it is all making because he offers such sincerity as the spokesman where it isn't just the sport, it is everything that it can offer. Hoskins sinks his teeth into every second and it is easy to experience the joy of performance within what he is doing by cultivating that joy into every single second of screen time we share with him. Hoskins makes it difficult not to get a little yourself watching him because Hoskins so effectively and effortlessly brings to life the spirit behind the whole notion of the film. There's not a forced second or instance in any of it, it is merely the truth of what Alan is establishing because Hoskins makes it all so absolutely genuine while also just being wholly captivating in that way which is so specifically that idiosyncratic presence of Hoskins. 

The story mostly moves along as expected as it seems to be working, the team seems to be getting better, Alan is helping the young men work out the rough patches, group together as a community and grow even a few setbacks. At the same time this progress is marked with conversations with a local woman where Hoskins carries in part the excitement about the team with different updates where in Hoskins carries the right tinge of awkwardness as he alludes to his infatuation with her even as he keeps it to the updates. Eventually leading to asking her out slightly indirectly with a drink where Hoskins is great in the sudden nervousness in the usual confidence Alan, and Hoskins brings so much anxiety even as he maintains the smile as though he's ready to push the idea aside as just some pipedream. When she agrees though the joy is contagious with Hoskins, though circumstances lead to him not getting to the drink and Alan to apologize for missing it again with the bright delivery that goes away only when she walks away from the conversation. Hoskins is amazing in this scene suddenly as that joy is lost in his face, he starts quietly speaking to himself in mock conversation and just is reeking in the pained vulnerability. Hoskins being absolutely brilliant in the moment in bringing that power to Alan's insecurity, and shows the heart in the rough man that he was always able to excel with as a performer. I would say the film's last act is easily my least favorite part, almost as though to get "cred" by refusing a straightforward happy ending, which I think in this instance would've been fine. Instead we have the first big boxing showcase for the team that goes at first but eventually devolves into violence leading a parent of one of the young men to pester Alan for the "failure" of his idea, leading Alan to mercilessly beat the man. Hoskins entirely carries the scene and is of course convincing in showing the moment of having the match lit. He's even better in the following scene of Alan just sitting in his shame and Hoskins says all the man is going through in regretting what he has done and his dream being crushed as he just looks on silently. It is great work from a great actor, though I don't think it was truly necessary for this story. Regardless even with that element, which is on the film not Hoskins who carries it like he does every other moment, this is terrific work from Hoskins, being an unlikely but convincing inspirational force for good and making the most of every little sliver that lets us in on the man's own insecurities. 

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe

Peter Mullan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joe Kavanagh in My Name is Joe.
 

My Name is Joe follows a former drinker as he tries to rebuild his life and romance a health worker Sarah (Louise Goodall).

Peter Mullan plays the titular role of Joe, and is an actor who provides an immediate authenticity to a role, that's the case here as the working class guy attending an Alcoholics Anonymous, and is so authentic that I'll admit I might've struggled to entirely understand every word coming out of his mouth. And usually I scoff when some individuals claim they can't understand the actors in films like Banshees of Inisherin or Trainspotting, but this time I'll admit I was challenged in this opening anyways as he goes over his experiences up until this point. Thankfully it began to clear up for me as soon as I could actually see Mullan and he finished his speech about where he's been and where he is now. Mullan brings this sense of a seasoned history of tough stories and difficult times in this moment, but a clarity in the conversation with hopeful accentuation as he speaks about it. Mullan expresses this as a man who has been here before, has maybe said some variation of this before, and there is a strong belief in every moment of a man who has been through a lot but is ready to move forward. And after this point the film kind of jumps right into an unexpected beat as we mostly follow Joe in a day to day situation, where mostly Mullan has to be more charming than anything else as we see Joe coaching, messing with friends, and even the lower end criminal nature of them is largely downplayed as it seems to want us to see Joe just living his life. 

Well in living his life Mullan is indeed very charming and brings a great deal of bright energy in the part. Showing a man who is very much going about embracing life after his hardships and seeming ready to be his best self around everyone else. Mullan has an easy manner in these scenes bringing this natural calm and real sense of joy with the man just going to enjoy life as he can and as he should. Mullan successfully takes it a step further as we see Joe going about trying to help all his fringe friends in his own ways, with just his general impassioned demeanor, if in a very modest way, that completely works in Mullan's hands. He makes it completely convincing every step of the way that it is hard not to find Joe quite likeable with just how much earned brightness that Mullan brings. The man is a man who empathizes and supports first before anything else, and Mullan manages to play this in a way that always feels honest to a man overcoming his past, in fact seems to inform his manner that shows someone who might be enjoying life a bit more than anyone else because he's already been so much terrible events that he's ready to enjoy the good things in life. Mullan carries that specific energy with such an honesty that just as much as I came in expecting to believe him as a man who struggled with alcohol, I much more so was surprised by how much I believed him as a man basically rejecting sadness that was so pervasive for him as he now enjoys his life.
 

Something that I think is essential as the film goes into what is a large portion of the film is his chemistry with Sarah the health worker who quite obviously comes from a very different background and lifestyle than Joe. A romance that could easily have not been convincing by that setup however one immediately can believe it because of that energy that Mullan is exuding where he really just is so charming and outgoing in such a humble way. Mullan is so incredibly endearing that you don't have to buy into the romance, one can simply accept it as Sarah and Joe become closer. Closer in a way where the two of them are so believable in the specific chemistry they develop that isn't about this intense romance, rather this ease of each other's company that is so beautifully realized. You see them just enjoying spending this time together every moment they are with one another, whether it is just spending time casually, or eventually having sex with one another. The two are so playful that it is surprising, but in a way that totally works in exploring the two kinds of finding each other's best natures. They just have that authentic sense of connection that Mullan doesn't at all seem like the rough character we often know him to be and with Sarah we see a truly loving man that just feels genuine in the best possible way. 

That isn't to say that this performance is all joy and happiness, though much more of it than I would have gathered given the pained roles Mullan often plays, and Mullan has a standout moment in a scene where Sarah finally asks about his alcoholism. And Mullan is simply incredible as he goes about speaking first with such a meek delivery as we see the very real fear in his eyes that he'll think Sarah will hate him once she learns the truth about him. When he finally tells the story, love everything Mullan does from his finger tapping his head to just the sort of way he's looking in remembering it as uncovering the dust of this great pain with his delivery featuring such a potent such of the heartbreak of his memories as he notes that not only was he drunk, he was violent. Something we flashback to as we see the rage of the old Joe at his old girlfriend, and as with any time we see violent Mullan, he is indeed absolutely terrifying in the intensity he can unleash in a performance. The animalistic rage in Mullan's performance as a man just got lost in himself, in contrast to the man looking back with this somber understanding of this as something that he essentially fears within himself as much as he seemingly has moved past it. And after this great scene for Mullan is where the film somewhat fell apart for me in getting into the contrived plot over the side characters that ends creating a wedge between Joe and Sarah, leading him into a violent confrontation and a different tragedy to deal with. All of these moments are still well acted by Mullan, he never loses the character, but the way in which Joe is forced into each situation does feel a touch contrived because it suddenly feels so plot driven rather than character driven. Mullan is very strong in these moments, particularly a scene of failed proposal where Mullan brings such a sense of the character just wanting to affirm that happiness and the shyness he brings feels so natural as he tries to ease off it. Or even in the most melodramatic moments of a reverting to his violent alcoholic ways, Mullan delivers every moment of intensity you would want and keeps a potency in these scenes even as the writing flounders more than a little. Mullan remains captivating by keeping the essential honesty within his performance even as the writing begins to make the whole film feel less honest. Mullan proving his measure in this leading role, and leading no surprise why this moved him beyond the minor character roles he had played previously.

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Vinícius de Oliveira in Central Station

Vinícius de Oliveira did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Josué in Central Station.

Central Station tells the unlikely pairing of Dora (Fernando Montenegro), an older somewhat curmudgeonly former school teacher who writes letters for illiterate people, and a recently orphaned boy she's trying to help find his father.

Vinícius de Oliveira's Josué is the boy that we first see as his mother "buys" a letter from Dora, and what he immediately sees are the sides of his performance which I think one could use as a great illustration between screen presence and acting, so to speak. de Oliveira definitely has presence from this opening scene, he "pops" for the lack of a better word, by having an ease on screen and it is easy to see why he was chosen for the part. He comes through the screen effectively and gets over the first hurdle of cinematic child acting by not being a non-entity. What you also get is really the two bits of "acting" that de Oliveira typically delivers, in which there are some limitations. Part of his performance is as the blunt kid of the streets, where de Oliveira I wouldn't say has a flat delivery, but his delivery is always pretty similar regardless of the line. This largely works with the character who likes to speak his mind in a very straightforward way, and de Oliveira conveys that in that specific way, albeit I wouldn't say there is all that much nuance from one delivery to the next. It works, but it also suggests certain limitations with his performance, a limitation however that director Walter Salles seems rather aware of and how to make use of de Oliveira.   

The other side of de Oliveira is portraying the emotional distress that the character is going through from the loss of his mother, and going through the trauma of trying to move on from that. And again not to be overly cynical, but this is a case where the emotion seems fundamentally attached to editing, to explain. de Oliveira has emotional moments, however these are always attached to specific cuts to his face often with some tears, starting to tear up or even the occasional single dramatic tear. We never really see the build up to the emotion, or the progression to it, something we do see consistently brilliantly from Montenegro in contrast. I'm not saying Salles put an onion in front of de Oliveira before each take, but the way it is presented within his performance, is a very limited emotion that doesn't draw one in as the best performance can and should show the progression of it. I think the ending is very telling especially because of the direct contrast between Montenegro, where the camera sits on her for extended periods as we see different things going through her mind, for de Oliveira there' s a jump each cut, and each time it is a separate state of sadness without a natural progression within the single shots. Performances are often said to be created in editing, however this is a particularly extreme example, and because it is so obviously noticeable it did limit the power of the work.

What supports my critique is that throughout the film de Oliveira is kind of either his basic sort of cocky comical version of the orphan or he has his sad moments. There is very little in-between in his performance. He's either one or the other, usually the former and because of that we don't really ever sense any internalization of him thinking about his mom's death, covering it up with his bluster, or any sort of combination of the qualities. Salles however does seem very aware of this fact, not just because of the editing around the emotional moments of his performance, but also that Salles very much puts the weight of almost every scene of Montenegro, who is amazing and easily keeps the every scene going either by finding so much emotional nuance in this journey, or just being charismatic and entertaining in such a natural way. She very much knows how to work around de Oliveira, who does have presence, with Montenegro playing off that presence beautifully. The journey and the connection though are brought to life by Montenegro's brilliance, de Oliveira doesn't slow it down or get in the way, but he doesn't carry it. de Oliveira keeps largely just that presence which is of a boy who wants to impress, perhaps as character and actor, regardless of the specifics it does work, though even in these scenes he rarely does anything new in presenting the character's bluntness, just the consistent thing he does manages to work. de Oliveira is endearing enough, he never gets in the way of a moment of a scene, but never does he carry one. He gets by in the emotional scenes, he has fun in the entertaining ones, but never did I sense a nuanced emotional journey within his own work. Thanks to Montenegro and Salles the performance is more or less successful, and yes every performance is a combination of an actor and director, however this is a case where that is lopsided, but more importantly it is obvious within what is onscreen itself that it is lopsided.