Kelvin Harrison Jr. did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Tyler Williams in Waves.
The first half of Waves follows closely on the experience of Tyler Williams, who we meet as a somewhat typical highschooler driven to be a star-wrestler. I think to really examine this performance it is important to look at the end of it. This as his work is actually something we rarely see, at least from this perspective in this film, in that we follow
spoiler a murderer, but not the usual serial killer type. The trajectory for the character is that he will kill, in a fit of rage, his pregnant former girlfriend. This differs from most as usually such characters are reduced to the side, supporting psychos, bullies or maybe it is a lead role however usually this is in the past, like Mathias Schoenaerts in T
he Mustang for example. This is different though in that we are given almost strictly Tyler's perspective in this horrible process, and this offers a difficult challenge for Kelvin Harrison Jr in the lead role. This is interesting though in that Harrison's work in this film, and his other work
Luce, are both as promising high school students who might be going very wrong. As the titular Luce, Harrison plays more of a mystery of sorts in his performance a seemingly A-student who just might also be a sociopath based upon his past, and the actions of the character as they transpire. The purpose of that performance in many ways is to obscure the process and motivation of the character. A good performance as well, but I'd actually say his work here is the greater challenge because there is no sort of potential "crutch" of a straight mental illness to explain the character. This is something that we've rarely seen realized ever in quite this way and with this detail.
Kelvin Harrison very much emphasizes a naturalistic approach with his work here, as opposed to Luce which is purposefully mannered, which is the right take to begin with the character. This as film opens with an extended sequence of just watching Tyler live his relatively simple life within rather obnoxiously directed sequences by Trey Edward Shults. Harrison to his credit, and really the credit of all the key players of the cast, is not swallowed by the direction to be merely objects within the film's overly stylistic presentation of technically mundane events. We see Tyler really as he goes to school, hangs out with his friends, attends wrestling practice, and really in general just have a very normal day. Harrison's work importantly never feels like a blank slate within this, even as he plays into making the scenes feel just like honest natural moments, on his end at least. This as he does not use the sometimes excuse of aiming for reality being an excuse for banality. Harrison's work is not that and manages to create a vibrancy within his character, even within the average nature of these scenes. Harrison delivers a needed presence of personality in showing the charismatic young man hanging out with his friends, a passion in his brief interactions with his girlfriend, but also just a low key charm as he hangs out with his family. Harrison finds the right balance as these elements weave together properly to create a sense of who Tyler is, even if you'd define him first and foremost as just a normal teenager. He's not a blank slate for an idea, but rather Harrison finds the nuance within the young man, and most importantly sows the seeds of where he goes.
We see his relationship with his father (Sterling K. Brown) who pushes his son, but isn't unloving. Harrison is terrific with Brown in creating the sense of the father and son relationship. This in slighter lighter moments where they find a warmth in their interactions. In this though there is also a certain intensity in their interactions. This in creating the way they are bonding, however the bonding is through this sort of push by the father for his son, even when they might just be teasing each other in an arm wrestling contest. This is more overt when his father speaks to him towards his goal of advancing as a wrestler. Harrison's performance is essential in his reflection of these seeming "pep talks" by his father, by creating the sense of really the burden of them. The importance of the idea is found in Harrison's work that the son very much takes every word his father says with the utmost severity. This being really a fear within his reaction to the words and creating this palatable internalized desperation. This is where Harrison's performance really is rather outstanding because in it he does not raise an immediate red flag with this. He instead portrays just this tension within Tyler. It isn't something that is crippling or immediately worrisome, it rather is this more subtle idea that he makes vivid within him. This tension that is this initial quiet burden within the character's normalcy otherwise, that Harrison does place so well as this seed for which Tyler's problems will slowly arise from. The first of these problems being just an injury that requires surgery.
Harrison's terrific in the moment of his diagnosis as he conveys just in the reaction that same fear in disappointment from his father, and is moving by creating such a powerful sense of this anxiety of failure. This unfortunately leading him to push himself in a wrestling match that causes the irreparable damage, ruining his future in the sport. Harrison is amazing in the very scene of the match as he delivers the mess of intensity that is marked by a will to succeed but in his eyes shows as much this aggressive fear of not living up to his father's expectation. The moment of the injury Harrison vividly realizes in this complete breakdown beyond the physical, as this emotional collapse conveyed in his inconsolable expression of man whose whole life seemed to be destroyed in an instance. After this point Harrison's work brings to life the same crushing pain of that failure as this sort of near paranoia. This as this intensity that formerly was within the drive to succeed is shown funneled through his delivery of Tyler just speaking in every day interactions. Harrison convincingly shows us the beginning of the end for Tyler as he creates this constant tension now active within his emotional state. This being not the best state as he learns from his girlfriend Alexis that she's pregnant. Harrison in this revelation just broadens that intensity more as the emotions become even messier in every moment. When his girlfriend backs out on an abortion, this goes beyond the pale as Harrison manage to create this tightening rope within his work. This as every word he says he plunging into a mania, and every part of his physicality is wound towards this heightened state. When she breaks up with him and refuses to listen, Harrison is captivating in a portrayal of just failed cellphone messages and eventually being blocked. At this point the character is quite frankly despicable already in his actions, but what is remarkable is that Harrison grants this startling insight into the mania. This as he doesn't become some one note monster, but rather shows the way that earlier likable driven teen, naturally becomes this obsessed lunatic. Harrison is wholly convincing as he ramps up this more as his jealousy and rage continues to become pent up, that Harrison portrays as this deterioration into just raw emotion. When he commits the atrocious act of murdering his girlfriend in that rage, Harrison makes us understand why. Although I should note he does not make us empathize or even sympathize with the action, he shows us this terrible path from a seemingly good natured young man to brutal killer. There is no jump, it is a progression that Harrison grants such vivid detail to each phase of this. He doesn't ever stop being one then becomes the other, he portrays the degradation as a palatable experience. We see each step of Tyler's personal demise and it is heartbreaking due to that we witness the potential before seeing the gradual waste of it. The film abruptly ends Harrison's story basically after the act, which while I love Taylor Russell's portrayal of the take over lead as Tyler's sister, I honestly do wish we had gotten to see the rest of Tyler's story, I guess watch the Mustang for that. Nonetheless Harrison's work is a striking exploration of deplorable violence from seemingly a decent human being.
