David Jonsson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Peter "Pete" McVries nor did Cooper Hoffman for portraying Raymond "Ray" Garraty in The Long Walk.
The Long Walk follows a contest where young men must continue to walk at 3 miles an hour until only one of them is still left alive.
One of the successes of the Long Walk are the performances which very much are not treating the material as an exploitative horror piece that certainly could’ve been a possibility. They are treating it with a reality which is emphasized best by the pair of leading performances of two of the most talented young actors working today. First in the primary lead role, whom we follow into the starting point of the walk as he’s left off by his emotional mother, played by Cooper Hoffman. Someone who made a striking impression through his comedic work in Licorice Pizza, showing himself not to be merely the son of a great actor, but having the potential to become a great actor himself. Hoffman stretches himself away from that comedic work there in very much taking upon the “any man” type lead as the young man choosing to join the walk despite his mother’s protests. From the outset Hoffman brought such a striking sense of the emotional weight of the decision immediately. His performance in the reaction to his mother’s horror conveying the undercurrent of his heartbreak, even as in his eyes conveying some distant determination that is in his head as he arrives at the starting point where we also meet David Jonsson as Pete McVries played by David Jonsson. Jonsson’s an actor who has already substantially impressed me first for his likable nerdy turn as the romantic lead of Rye Lane, then upped the ante through the different sides of an android in Alien Romulus which went above and beyond the calling of that film, so I was excited what more he had in the tank when it came to this role, and the answer is a lot. Jonsson’s performance is entirely new from him as his previous two turns were working some framework of nerdy in presence, here in many ways he’s the tougher confident one and while he’s got some biceps to back him up here, it is far more so brought to life by Jonsson who is wholly natural despite also being wholly new in his presence here, from his accent, demeanor and just style onscreen. Quite the accomplishment because you’d think the way he acts as Pete is just how he acts and speaks because Jonsson’s entirely natural.
As the walk begins we instantly start getting the sense of chemistry between Jonsson and Hoffman, which is so tremendous right off the bat that it was not surprising to learn the two are teaming up again with how natural they are as a pair. There’s just this ease with them where the sense of friendship between the two just feels real and jumps out. Once they start talking to one another you see the connection and it just feels absolutely authentic. Where the two are wonderful in connecting the differences between the two within the connection. Hoffman emphasizes an interesting yet convincing combination between this certain optimism in attitude towards those around him while also presenting a very direct distaste for the very concept of the walk despite having signed up for it himself. Jonsson on the other hand presents a certain bluntness as Pete initially says he won’t save Ray if he falls before they start, yet in general brings such a positive disposition. Each offering in a way the same philosophy when you get to the heart of it yet each approaching it their own way as each is a mix of both pessimism and optimism yet present it on their own terms. Something we see as the walk begins where the two discuss what they can do with the money. Jonsson as Pete that he’ll do good is filled with such confidence and assurance in that belief. As assured though is Hoffman’s doubtful words about the nature of the walk and that it is all a falsehood that isn’t at all this random culling it is presented to be. Yet words between the words of intention create such camaraderie, along with the two of the other young men, where every little exchange builds such a palatable sense of warmth and real sense of the mutual spirit between the two guys. Hoffman and Jonsson are so good, and I love particularly Jonsson’s delivery of basically the “screw it” at the idea of not making friends on the walk. As in his eyes there’s such an appreciation for the people around him, it is absolutely wonderful work.
Within their conversations we learn more about each man, one of the most pivotal when Ray pushes to ask about Pete’s scar across his face, the one moment where that innate positivity of the man stops, not that he becomes sorrowful yet Jonsson conveys a lot of history that he’d rather not get into in this moment as his delivery is of the quiet change of the subject. With Ray, Hoffman’s performance so much is a reflection of the character’s connection with the death of his father, which was personally performed by the chief villain of the piece the Major (Mark Hamill), and something that we watchers of cinema can’t quite separate which is Hoffman’s connection with his own father. Something that the young Hoffman even commented on as pivotal within his performance of someone reckoning with such a painful trauma. Hoffman’s incredibly moving in his portrayal of the moments of the character articulating this not through sadness, but rather this sense of very distinct pride in every word against the system and when he specifically names his father as his hero. Hoffman’s performance has such a tremendous weight within every word where you see just how fundamental the man was in his life and in who he is. Combined then with the moments where he reflects Ray’s passions to fight against the system with this certainty in belief going so far as to want to personally execute the Major if he wins the walk. Hoffman’s delivery of this intention is with such a specific and penetrating hatred that is so remarkable in the moment and you see the festering rage all bottled within a single intention that he whispers to Pete. It must be said Jonsson carries with Hoffman in every moment through his powerful reactions where you see the man genuinely taking in everything his new friend has said and factoring it into his mind.
Within the walk itself almost all the actors, including Jonsson and Hoffman do a great job of portraying the physical weight of the walk and just creating a convincing progression of showing the phases of exhaustion throughout, including moments of dazed sleepiness, to re-finding their energy, to just getting to the point of being almost completely lost from the weight of the physical exhaustion. Of course reacting more within the walk is dealing with the violence of every “loser” in the game while also dealing with the other players. An element where again there is a great contrast between Jonsson and Hoffman. Jonsson excels in just having such a striking presence defined by confidence, where even when he’s targeted by the insults of another, Jonsson’s delivery is so great in emphasizing the way the man kind just walks right past every insult and so believably creating the resilient spirit of the man. Contrasting that Hoffman is also great in portraying a less convincing confidence. Presenting it as something that isn’t the natural state of Ray rather something he’s striving for. We see this when he tries to help the men falling behind where Ray’s encouragements are real but also have a degree of desperation. Hoffman articulates naturally the degree of vulnerability within Ray who is striving to win yet might not entirely be able to face what that means. Earning then the moment where Ray almost dies by almost falling asleep right before a long hill with his sudden outrage against Pete not as hate but rather the man being overcome by too much fear in the moment leading him to lash out at anyone. Hoffman created that unpredictable random emotion of the state of Ray in that moment. As convincing and even more powerful is the moment where Pete just goes about saving Ray, Jonsson’s performance is incredible because in his face you do see that he took in Ray’s words in the moment, yet at the same time you see that resilience and even belief in humanity as he takes charge of Ray’s walk helping him get to safety.
The guardian for Ray aspect is where Jonsson’s work just goes above and beyond in portraying such sincerity the real friendship for Ray with the conviction not to let his friend die despite the “winner takes all” nature of the game they’re in. Jonsson’s articulation of Pete’s optimism is absolutely stunning work from Jonsson and frankly managed to give me chills by just how much emotional truth Jonsson manages to bring to a convincing belief in humanity within a nihilistic game. Jonsson’s performance is so great because he shows, as Pete says, that it’s not easy, it's hard. Jonsson describes Pete’s violent past filled with such detail where you sense every moment of the man’s horrible emotional turmoil in the nuance in Jonsson’s expression as he explains how he got his scar. His face is of a man who has been through hell, yet within that situation has come out not to hate humanity but to believe in it. Jonsson’s passionate ask of Ray to take the joy in life where and when he can has such poignancy, because Jonsson manages not to only convey that this is absolutely a fundamental belief to Pete, he convinces us as the audience to give it a chance, by showing every word coming through a man who we understand as gone through a grinder to come out still with this sense of hope. There’s nothing forced about it, it is absolutely real and Jonsson makes it real. And through that reality we believe every moment of Pete refusing to let Ray die and convinces us of the purity of his belief even as they go through one harrowing moment after another. Where Hoffman and Jonsson make you feel every loss we witness, because their reactions show both men taking in each kill deep into their souls. Whereas much as we see the physical toll of the walk, even more profound is the emotional toll that each depicts in similar yet also very specifically honest to the characters of Ray and Pete.
At a certain point in the film it does strike you that both of them cannot survive and I love Jonsson’s subtle work in suggesting just how deeply Ray is starting to mean to him every time this comes up. We know both cannot survive and we start to feel the impending devastation before it even comes because you want to see these two survive and continue the profound friendship we’ve witnessed and brought to life so beautifully by both actors. Building up and leading to the climax where they are the final two. One pivotal moment when Ray almost dies as he stops to see his mom where Hoffman is quickly devastating in showing the intensity of his emotional distress and seeing just how painful it is to see his mom in the moment. Jonsson’s also great in the moment bringing as much passion though fashioned in Pete stressing that Ray can’t let his mom see him be executed and funneled through that specific empathy. The final scene of the film I’ll be perfectly honest, on re-watch stands as the most heartbreaking scene from 2025 for me with Cooper and Jonsson’s performances being essential to this realization. As they bring that warmth and love of friendship between every moment, as first in Jonsson’s reaction of contentment as he sits down to let Ray live, to Ray then bringing the brightest smile as he gets Pete walking again before sitting down himself to allow him to be shot. Hoffman’s final impassioned delivery that articulates his love for Pete but also even more so his belief that Pete can do good, rips my heart straight out. Particularly his delivery “that’s why I love you” that’s filled with that love but also acceptance of his faith for the sake of Pete. If that wasn’t brutal enough it’s Jonsson’s depiction of his immediate visceral grief at the death of his friend that just twists the knife. There's so much humanity within every cry out of Ray's name and you feel every bit of the tremendous sorrow within Jonsson’s heart wrenching performance. Jonsson’s performance though still has to thread the trickiest of needles to deliver on the film’s ending which frankly wouldn’t work if Jonsson’s was less than perfect. Well he is perfect in the sequence as Jonsson’s portrayal of Pete’s decision to ask for a gun and complete Ray’s wish by killing the major himself manages to in a way combine the cynicism and optimism in the act. Showing the intention of violence but within his eyes the heartbreak of the man who is killing the major not for himself but for the sake of his friend. Jonsson being as captivating then in the specific almost levity in his manner as Pete turns and continues to walk into the night. Both deliver great performances and is the chemistry between them really elevates the entirety of the film. Hoffman proving that his previous performance wasn't a fluke. Jonsson though maybe going even further in showing such a compelling presence and incredible emotional range. Together though creating such a poignant yet painfully tragic portrait of friendship.
