Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013: Results

5. Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Lunchbox - Siddiqui's work effectively turns his character from a purposefully thin caricature trying to impress, to a honest protege trying to learn.

Best Scene: Being chewed out for his mistakes. 

4. Colm Meaney in Alan Patridge: Alpha Papa - Meaney plays right into his wheelhouse, effectively so, being the right irascible straight man of sorts to Steve Coogan's daffy title character.

Best Scene: "Always on my Mind"

3. Bill Nighy in About Time - Nighy captures just the right tone for the material in his easy going approach that finds both the humor and the heart in the material.

Best Scene: Last chat. 

2. Lily Franky in Like Father, Like Son - Franky delivers a completely naturalistic turn that offers such a wonderful and authentic contrast to Masaharu Fukuyama's leading turn.

Best Scene: Hurtful suggestion. 

1. Joaquin Phoenix in The Immigrant - Good Prediction Michael McCarthy, Luke, Charles, BRAZINTERMA. Maciej, and Calvin. Phoenix delivers one of his best turns, in his ambitious performance that captures his film's tone so beautifully, and so powerfully creates a complex portrait of a liar.

Best Scene: Only taste poison.

Updated Overall

Next Year: 1963 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013: Colm Meaney in Alan Patridge: Alpha Papa

Colm Meaney did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Pat Farrell in Alan Patridge: Alpha Papa.

Having no exposure whatsoever to the evidently long running character of Alan Patridge, an inept English broadcaster, other than this film, I can only say I enjoyed this feature film featuring the character, though I'd imagine enjoying the particular comedic stylings of Steve Coogan as Patridge is essential for this. 

Anyway this film follows Alan Patridge as he throws under the bus a fellow "dinosaur" DJ in order keep his own job at a radio station. That man being Colm Meaney's Pat Farrell, an irascible Irish DJ. The "DJ" is kind of the distinction for a Colm Meaney's character who is just about always cast as an irascible sort, usually Irish, though not always. In this way Meaney is very much a classical character actor in if you need that irritable sort, call Meaney. There's a good reason for this however, as Meaney is quite good at playing these non too pleasant sorts, which makes him of course ideal for this film. Meaney playing the fired DJ who goes a bit nuts, and takes the station hostage, where it seems only Alan can negotiate a peace with Farrell. Meaney as aforementioned is ideal for this part as the crass DJ, as he brings that so naturally within his typical presence. This role isn't a stretch for Meaney, but it doesn't need to be because it works within his wheelhouse so well. Meaney makes for an enjoyable force for Alan to go "against", as he stands as less of an obstacle and more of a tool of Alan to try to use for his own gain. Meaney is this constant for most of the hostages, in this state of quiet hate that Meaney delivers in this appropriately calm way. This creating the right humorous inclination in his threats as he wears a "I'm going to kill you" eyes, even while maintaining a less intense demeanor. 

That is somewhat in contrast however to his interactions with Alan, as for much of the running time Pat is not aware that Alan in fact was key to getting him fired in order to save his own skin. Meaney though is enjoyable in playing much of these moments with this quiet affable quality as he "hangs" out with Alan even as they are in an ongoing hostage situation. Meaney's performance in these moments works in wonderful contrast as he plays them as though nothing serious is going on, even as he talks to Alan about how he fashioned a special way to kill one of his co-workers with a shot gun. There is a bit more though than having a demeanor ill-fitting to this situation in these moments though as Meaney manages to find a bit more as the film, briefly, looks at Pat's situation beyond his firing. This in moments of pondering on his late wife and how that loss probably compelled this current endeavor. Meaney manages a quiet sorrow in his delivery of these moments as he reflects a depression within the man as he speaks to Alan, this in-between moments of broadcasting from the hostage situation or further berating his less "loyal" co-workers. That is the dynamic of the performance and Meaney does well in both sides. This in part facilitating Coogan's more juvenile efforts by being an effectively hostile straight man of sorts, and bringing just a bit of genuine pathos to the proceedings. This being most evident when Alan sings "You were Always on My Mind" as a sign of repentance to Pat, after the latter discovers the former betrayal. A silly situation most certainly, however Meaney's reaction captures a honest sense of the man's loss as decides against murdering the man. This is a fine performance from Colm Meaney, very much in his wheel house to be sure, but a good example of why that house is his.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2013

And the Nominees Were Not:

Bill Nighy in About Time

Colm Meaney in Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Joaquin Phoenix in The Immigrant

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Lunchbox

Lily Franky in Like Father, Like Son