Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1995: Results

5. Gene Hackman in Get Shorty - Hackman gives an effortlessly amusing performance as he manages to make an unscrupulous movie producer rather endearing.

Best Scene: Harry tries to act tough.

4. Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress -Cheadle takes his time to appear but once he does he steals the show with his magnetic turn as a trigger happy sidekick.

Best Scene: A drunk Mouse.

3. Sam Neill in Restoration - Neill gives a properly grand, and entertaining performance that so well represents the lovable rouge that Charles II needs to be.

Best Scene: Charles sets everything right.

2. Kevin Spacey in Seven - Spacey gives a great performance in realizing the "other worldly" preacher the killer believes he is, but also brilliantly undercuts it by also finding the real hate filled psychopath beneath it all.

Best Scene: The Box.

1. Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart - McGoohan, playing a far less likable King than Charles, also brings the larger than life gravitas, but along with it considerable menace in his depiction of the cruel Longshanks. 

Best Scene: The battle of Falkirk.

Overall Rank:

1. Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart
2. Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart
3. Kevin Spacey in Seven
4. James Cromwell in Babe
5. Sam Neill in Restoration
6. Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress
7. David O'Hara in Braveheart
8. Gene Hackman in Get Shorty
9. Raymond J. Barry in Dead Man Walking
10. William Hurt in Smoke
11. David Strathairn in Dolores Claiborne
12. Ben Stiller in Heavyweights
13. Sam Waterston in Nixon 
14. Forest Whitaker in Smoke
15. Joaquin Phoenix in To Die For 
16. Harvey Keitel in Smoke
17. Alan Rickman in Sense and Sensibility 
18. Ian Bannen in Braveheart
19. Sean Bean in GoldenEye 
20. Jim Broadbent in Richard III
21. Viggo Mortensen in Crimson Tide
22. Harold Perrineau in Smoke
23. Ian McKellen in Restoration
24. Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With a Vengeance
25. Alan Cumming in GoldenEye
26. Brendan Gleeson in Braveheart
27. Gary Sinise in Apollo 13
28. Tim Roth in Rob Roy
29. Kevin Bacon in Apollo 13
30. Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide 
31. James Woods in Casino 
32. Benicio Del Toro in The Usual Suspects
33. Paul Freeman in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
34. Jonathan Hyde in Jumanji 
35. Pete Postlethwaite in The Usual Suspects
36. John Hurt in Rob Roy
37. Danny DeVito in Get Shorty
38. James Woods in Nixon 
39. Matt Dillon in To Die For
40. Leland Oser in Seven
41. Brian Cox in Rob Roy
42. Dennis Farina in Get Shorty
43. George Dzundza in Crimson Tide 
44. Nigel Hawthorne in Richard III
45. Delroy Lindo in Get Shorty 
46. Andrew Keir in Rob Roy
47. Stephen Baldwin in The Usual Suspects
48. Tom Sizemore in Devil in a Blue Dress
49. R. Lee Ermey in Dead Man Walking
50. Frank Vincent in Casino
51. Colm Meaney in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain 
52. Tomas von Brömssen in All Things Fair 
53. Robert Prosky in Dead Man Walking 
54. James Cosmo in Braveheart
55. David Thewlis in Restoration
56. Max von Sydow in Judge Dredd 
57. Christopher Plummer in Dolores Claiborne
58. Martin Sheen in The American President
59. Desmond Llewelyn in GoldenEye
60. Ian McDiarmid in Restoration
61. J.T. Walsh in Nixon 
62. Robert Downey Jr. in Richard III
63. R. Lee Ermey in Seven
64. Joe Don Baker in GoldenEye
65. Kevin Pollack in The Usual Suspects
66. Nick Wyman in Die Hard with a Vengeance
67. Michael Gough in Batman Forever 
68. Ernie Hudson in Congo
69. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa in Mortal Kombat
70. Chazz Palminteri in The Usual Suspects 
71. James Gandolfini in Get Shorty
72. Dan Hedaya in To Die For
73. Kenneth Griffith in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain 
74. Robbie Coltrane in GoldenEye
75. Don Rickles in Toy Story  
76. Hugh Grant in Sense and Sensibility 
77. Nathaniel Parker in Othello
78. Ed Harris in Nixon
79. Kurtwood Smith in To Die For
80. Gottfried John in GoldenEye
81. Jim Varney in Toy Story
82. Michael J. Fox in The American President
83. Bradley Whitford in Billy Madison
84. Christopher Lambert in Mortal Kombat 
85. Hugh Grant in Restoration
86. Dennis Hopper in Waterworld
87. Tom Sizemore in Heat
88. John Ratzenberger in Toy Story 
89. David Ogden Stiers in Pocahontas
90. Trevor Goddard in Mortal Kombat 
91. Don Rickles in Casino
92. Jon Voight in Heat
93. Wallace Shawn in Toy Story
94. Val Kilmer in Heat
95. Cheech Marin in Desperado
96. Chris Cooper in Money Train 
97. Rob Lowe in Tommy Boy
98. Tom McGowan in Heavyweights
99. Darren McGavin in Billy Madison 
100. Linden Ashby in Mortal Kombat
101. Tim Curry in Congo 
102. Ian McNeice in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls 
103. Jim Cummings in A Goofy Movie
104. Steve Buscemi in Desperado
105. F. Murray Abraham in Mighty Aphrodite
106. Rob Paulsen in A Goofy Movie
107. Donald Sutherland in Outbreak
108. Ed Harris in Apollo 13
109. Sean Connery in First Knight 
110. Morgan Freeman in Outbreak 
111. Bill Paxton in Apollo 13
112. Josh Mostel in Billy Madison 
113. Simon Callow in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
114. Charles S. Dutton in Nick of Time
115. Brian Dennehy in Tommy Boy
116. Samuel West in Carrington
117. David Alan Grier in Jumanji
118. Kevin Gage in Heat
119. Jon Polito in Bushwhacked
120. Rip Torn in Canadian Bacon
121. Rufus Sewell in Carrington
122. Ben Cross in First Knight 
123. Robert Blake in Money Train
124. Joaquim de Almeida in Desperado
125. Eric Bogosian in Under Siege 2: The Dark Territory 
126. Martin Short in Father of the Bride Part II
127. Alan Alda in Canadian Bacon
128. Christopher Walken in Nick of Time 
129. Steven Martini in Major Payne
130. B.D. Wong in Father of the Bride Part II
131. Bob Hoskins in Nixon
132. Johnny Yong Bosch in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
133. George Wendt in Man of the House
134. Grant Heslov in Congo 
135. Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys 
136. Eric Idle in Casper
137. Morris Chestnut in Under Siege 2: The Dark Territory 
138. Stephen Lang in The Amazing Panda Adventure 
139. Dan Aykroyd in Tommy Boy
140. Michael Rapaport in Mighty Aphrodite
141. Orland Brown in Major Payne
142. Joe Don Baker in Congo 
143. William H. Macy in Mr. Holland's Opus
144. Peter Gallagher in While You Were Sleeping
145. Joe Pantoliano in Bad Boys
146. George Newbern in Father of the Bride Part II 
147. Jay Thomas in Mr. Holland's Opus 
148. Steven Waddington in Carrington
149. Paul Sorvino in Nixon 
150. Charles S. Dutton in Cry, The Beloved Country
151. Steve Cardenas in Might Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
152. David Yost in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
153. Victor Slezak in The Bridges of Madison County
154. Jim Carrey in Batman Forever
155. Tommy Lee Jones in Batman Forever 
156. Armand Assante in Judge Dredd
157. Rob Schneider in Judge Dredd
158. Quentin Tarantino in Desperado 
159. Michael Maloney in Othello
160. Chris O'Donnell in Batman Forever
161. Julian Sands in Leaving Las Vegas

Next Year: 1928

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1995: Kevin Spacey in Seven

Kevin Spacey did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying John Doe in Seven.

While I often say that reviewing a supporting performance in a mystery film is usually a spoiler, this time though the fact that I'm even stating that Spacey is in the film is the spoiler, since the film itself does not list him in the opening credits since when he fully appears there is not a doubt that he's the killer of people based around what of the seven deadly sins they've committed. John Doe is an enigma until Spacey directly walks into the film over an hour and a half in. Spacey actually does have a brief appearance earlier in the film as a photographer, though we don't see his face clearly, as he gets into an altercation with one of the lead detectives Mills (Brad Pitt) over taking pictures, at one of Doe's own murders, and essentially Spacey plays it as John Doe playing it as a purposefully obnoxious photographer. His other contribution is the form of just his voice as Spacey states in a matter of fact fashion that Doe will hasten his plans due to the detectives having found his hideaway. The meat of his performance though is in that last act when he finally makes his full appearance which is one of the most memorable villain introductions in a film as he enters the police station on his own covered with blood.  

This first scene already has the imagery and the shock of the mysterious killer suddenly turning himself, but Spacey also brings far more than simply walking in on the scene. Spacey merely in his introduction presents something about his John Doe which defines his characterization of him. That is as he first walks into the police station Spacey speaks each attempt to get the detectives attention in this quiet unassuming voice until they repeatedly don't notice him, and then Spacey suddenly breaks that to a far cruder tone to finally get their attention. Once they see him though he returns to that quieter more eloquent speaking voice. This may seem minor, but it's something that Spacey uses to allude to something about John Doe, who of course is a character we know nothing about. More on that later. Much of the time though Spacey plays John Doe as though he is some other worldly man in the way he speaks with this certain detachment. Spacey is chilling in the way he realizes John Doe's mentality in this way he speaks about his crimes, which is not that of a series of extremely brutal murders, but rather to him is a message seemingly from the heaven itself, as though he is a man who is on a mission from God to do these things, in order for society to change.

Spacey is outstanding because of just how convincing he is in creating this mind of John as he explains his task with such a unpleasant grace as though what he is doing is a righteous act. Spacey exudes this sense of superiority of John, but not in quite the way that's usually case with Spacey playing a pompous character, which he does well. Here though Spacey brings this in this strange distance about it that it is not that John Doe is this excessively confident man, although he is in fact that, but rather Spacey presents it as a man who is so confident in his own perceived duty as though he is above all things. When John Doe indicates the purpose of his plan, Spacey makes it as though John is speaking of something profound. What is so off-putting is the way Spacey is able to illustrate John Doe's words not as just ravings of a mad man, though they are that, instead as a man with an absolute faith in his own moral code. This moral code involves extremely brutal murders, and Spacey is tremendous in the way the motivation for this is all in John's words. The murders in the film are not remotely practical, but rather would require an excessive amount of time and effort. Spacey makes them believable because is able to honestly portray John Doe as a man who would do these things.

Now this would be already a great performance if Spacey merely did what I've already written, but Spacey manages to give the character even more complexity, even within his limited screen time. Now back to his initial entrance where he was already that preacher of the word, except when he had to get the detectives attention. This comes back when Doe goes along with Mills and his older partner Somerset (Morgan Freeman) to supposedly find the bodies of his last two victims. Again it results from when John Doe does not believe his message is getting across, this time coming when Mills states to John that his victims were innocent. This sets Doe to describe each victims sins, but no longer as that man above the world. Spacey's presents very intense disgust and a vile sickness as John loses some of his composure in his descriptions, as though the idea of the people being innocent is more that Doe can stomach leaving him unable to stay as a the man with the purpose he believes is greater than himself. The humanity in Doe breaks out in this moment, as Spacey alludes to perhaps whoever it was the man who became John Doe, a man with such a hatred towards the worst in society. I love this moment in Spacey's performance because he so naturally realizes that Doe is not something from heaven or hell, but still a man inside his "better" self. The new self is not an act, though Spacey reveals what came before, as what came before is what created John's current state. Spacey does outstanding work here as he creates such a compelling force of a man with John Doe in these few scenes, while managing to make the crimes and most pivotal the final act of his plan conceivable. When it is revealed what John Doe wants in the end, it only seems logical as Spacey has so effectively made sense out of the man's twisted mind. In just a few scenes Spacey creates an unforgettable villain, that lives up to his build up and reputation beforehand, giving an amazing performance essential to the success of the film.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1995

And the Nominees Were Not:

Angus Macfadyen in Braveheart

David O'Hara in Braveheart

Patrick McGoohan in Braveheart

Don Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress

Kevin Spacey in Seven

Sam Neill in Restoration

Gene Hackman in Get Shorty

For Prediction Purposes:

Take McGoohan from the Braveheart men.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1997: Results

5. Billy Zane in Titanic - A hilarious portrayal of absurdity unfortunately Zane was trying to be serious.

Best Scene: Pretty much every scene.

4. Jude Law in Gattaca - Law gives a powerful portrayal of a man embittered through his own life but finds inspiration in the life of another.

Best Scene: Jerome sends Vincent on his way.

3. James Cromwell in L.A. Confidential- Cromwell gives a particularly effective subversion of the warm mentor.

Best Scene: Sid Hudgens's interrogation.

2. Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential - Spacey gives a wonderfully entertaining portrayal of a pompous detective more interests in celebrity than crime, but also a very poignant portrayal of man realizing he's lost his way.

Best Scene: Jack Vincennes reflects on his life in a bar.

1. Robert Blake in Lost Highway - Good Prediction Psifonian. Well this came down to Spacey who had almost a leading role to Blake's relatively small role. Although I did love Spacey's work the supporting performance that I feel made the strongest impact from 1997 is Blake's portrayal of a walking nightmare which is one of the most viscerally effective performances of all time.

Best Scene: Fred meets the Mystery Man at a party.

Overall Rank:

1. Robert Forster in Jackie Brown 
   
2. Robert Blake in Lost Highway
3. Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential
4. Masato Hagiwara in Cure 
5. Don Cheadle in Boogie Nights 
6. James Cromwell in L.A. Confidential
7. Bruce Greenwood in The Sweet Hereafter
8. Alfred Molina in Boogie Nights
9. Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights 
10. J.T. Walsh in Breakdown
    
11. Jude Law in Gattaca
    
12. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Hard Eight 
13. John C. Reilly in Boogie Nights 
14. Dan Aykroyd in Grosse Pointe Blank
    
15. Danny DeVito in L.A. Confidential 
16. Ray Liotta in Cop Land
    
17. James Rebhorn in The Game   
18. Phil Davis in Face
    
19. Samuel L. Jackson in Hard Eight
20. Pete Postlethwaite in The Lost World Jurassic Park 
21. Tom Wilkinson in The Full Monty 
22. Chang Chen in Happy Together
23. John C. Reilly in Hard Eight
24. Anthony Hopkins in Amistad
25. Thomas Jane in Boogie Nights 
26. Greg Kinnear in As Good As It Gets
    
27. Mark Benton in Career Girls 
28. Fred Willard in Waiting For Guffman
    
29. Eugene Levy in Waiting For Guffman
    
30. Gary Oldman in The Fifth Element 
31. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Boogie Nights 
32. Ray Winstone in Face
    
33. James Woods in Hercules 
34. Reza Naji in Children of Heaven
    
35. Danny DeVito in The Rainmaker 
    
36. Robert Loggia in Lost Highway 
37. Robert De Niro in Jackie Brown 
38. Jason Lee in Chasing Amy
    
39. Kevin Kline in The Ice Storm 
    
40. Alan Arkin in Four Days in September
    
41. Cary Elwes in Liar Liar 
42. Jon Voight in The Rainmaker 
    
43. John Malkovich in Con Air  
44. Robert Wagner in Austin Powers 
45. Bernard Hill in Titanic
46. Gary Oldman in Air Force One
47. Harvey Keitel in Cop Land
48. Tom Selleck in In & Out
    
49. Vincent D'Onofrio in Men in Black
50. Tobey Maguire in The Ice Storm 
51. Frank Giering in Funny Games 
52. Tony Doyle in I Went Down
53. Peter Caffrey in I Went Down
54. Ian Holm in The Fifth Element
55. David Strathairn in L.A. Confidential
56. Elijah Wood in The Ice Storm
57. Michael Madsen in Donnie Brasco
58. Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate 
59. Samuel L. Jackson in Eve's Bayou
    
60. Tony Shalhoub in Gattaca 
61. Sverre Anker Ousdal in Insomnia
62. Jamey Sheridan in The Ice Storm
63. Rip Torn in Men in Black
64. Michael Keaton in Jackie Brown
65. Brion James in The Fifth Element 
66. Roger Guenveur Smith in Eve's Bayou
    
67. Brian Cox in The Boxer 
68. R. Lee Ermey in Prefontaine
    
69. Bruno Kirby in Donnie Brasco
70. Adam Hann-Byrd in The Ice Storm
71. Walton Goggins in The Apostle
72. Ron Rifkin in L.A. Confidential
73. Rupert Everett in  My Best Friend's Wedding
    
74. Dwight Ewell in Chasing Amy 
75. Bob Balaban in Waiting For Guffman
    
76. Matthew McConuaghey in Contact 
77. Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting  
78. Ken Stott in The Boxer 
    
79. John Leguizamo in Spawn
80. Michael Ironside in Starship Troopers
81. Alan Arkin in Grosse Pointe Blank
    
82. Billy Bob Thornton in The Apostle 
83. Nicol Williamson in Spawn
84. Richard Norton in Mr. Nice Guy
85. Gary Busey in Lost Highway 
86. Frank Langella in Lolita
    
87. Richard Attenborough in The Lost World Jurassic Park
88. Patrick Stewart in Conspiracy Theory
89. Martin Sheen in Spawn 
90. Michael Rooker in Rosewood
    
91. Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies 
92. Michael York in Austin Powers
93. Steve Buscemi in Con Air
94. Dean Stockwell in The Rainmaker 
95. Christopher Walken in Mousehunt
96. Alan Arkin in Gattaca 
97. Curtis Vondie-Hall in Eve's Bayou
    
98. Victor Garber in Titanic
99. Bruce McGill in Rosewood
    
100. Seth Green in Austin Powers
101. Jason Isaacs in Event Horizon 
102. Will Ferrell in Austin Powers 
103. Mickey Rourke in The Rainmaker 
104. Ving Rhames in Con Air
105. William H. Macy in Wag the Dog 
106. M.C. Gainey in Breakdown
     
107. Robert Patrick in Cop Land
108. Antony Sher in Mrs. Brown
109. Michael Gough in Batman and Robin
110. Danny Glover in The Rainmaker
111. Stellan Skargard in Good Will Hunting
112. Clancy Brown in Starship Troopers
113. Giustino Durano in Life is Beautiful
114. Abe Vigoda in Good Burger
115. Paul Giamatti in Donnie Brasco 
116. Ciaran Hinds in Oscar and Lucinda
     
117. Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element 
118. Danny DeVito in Hercules
     
119. Tenzin Lodoe in Kundun
120. Morgan Freeman in Amistad
121. David Warner in Titanic 
122. Rip Torn in Hercules
     
123. Ruben Blades in The Devil's Own
     
124. Woody Harrelson in Wag the Dog 
125. Jeremy Piven in Grosse Pointe Blank
     
126. Joe Don Baker in Tomorrow Never Dies
127. Gerard Butler in Mrs. Brown
128. Tom Wilkinson in Wilde
     
129. Martin Short in Jungle 2 Jungle
130. Kenneth Bryans in Macbeth 
131. Ernest Borgnine in Gattaca 
132. Michael Gambon in The Wings of the Dove
133. David Cross in Men in Black
134. Denis Leary in Wag the Dog
135. Thomas Haden Church in George of the Jungle
136. Dean Stockwell in Air Force One
137. William Snape in The Fully Monty
138. Robert De Niro in Cop Land
139. Matthew McConaughey in Amistad
140. D.B.Sweeney in Spawn 
141. Don Cheadle in Volcano
142. William Hickey in Mousehunt 
143. Sean Penn in The Game
144. Tom McCamus in The Sweet Hereafter
145. Neil Patrick Harris in Starship Troopers
146. Giorgio Cantarini in Life is Beautiful
147. Loren Dean in Gattaca 
148. Michael Caine in Blood and Win
     
149. Ben Affleck in Good Will Hunting 
150. Richard Roundtree in Steel 
151. Jude Law in Wilde
     
152. Vince Vaughn in The Lost World Jurassic Park
153. Cuba Gooding Jr. in As Good As It Gets
154. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Batman and Robin
155. Jake Busey in Starship Troopers
156. Randy Quaid in Vegas Vacation
157. Tom Wood in Ulee's Gold
158. Robin Shou in Beverly Hills Ninja
159. Richard Schiff in The Lost World Jurassic Park 
160. Michael Sheen in Wilde
     
161. Colm Meaney in Con Air
162. Nick Cassavettes in Face Off 
163. Gyurme Tethong in Kundun
164. Charles Hallahan in Dante's Peak
165. Graham McTavish in Macbeth
166. Chris Rock in Beverly Hills Ninja
167. Bill Paxton in Titanic
168. Dermot Mulroney in My Best Friend's Wedding
     
169. David Ogden Stiers in Jungle 2 Jungle
170. Judd Nelson in Steel 
171. Aleksander Krupa in Home Alone 3
172. Patrick Muldoon in Starship Troopers 
173. Dan Schneider in Good Burger
174. Lenny Von Dohlein in Home Alone 3
175. Nathaniel Parker in Beverly Hills Ninja
176. Arliss Howard in The Lost World Jurassic Park
177. James Remar in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
178. John Corbett in Volcano
179. Jan Schweiterman in Good Burger
180. David Thornton in Home Alone 3
181. Greg Crutwell in George of the Jungle
182. Gotz Otto in Tomorrow Never Dies
183. Justin Cooper in Liar Liar 
184. Litefoot in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
185. Alessandro Nivola in Face Off
186. Chris O'Donnell in Batman and Robin
187. Danny Nucci in Titanic
188. Brian Thompson in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
189. Billy Zane in Titanic

Next Year: 1933 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1997: Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential

Kevin Spacey did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for BAFTA, for portraying Det. Sgt. Jack Vincennes in L.A. Confidential.

L.A. Confidential had somewhat risky casting in its main leads of the then rather unknown Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe in the lead roles they had a sort of a safety though with Kevin Spacey who was certainly a known then. Spacey is fitting to be the "star" of the film as he plays the detective of the stars Jack Vincennes. Spacey is actually very close to being a third lead for the film, and just barely isn't. He certainly has plenty of scenes to himself from the very beginning when we are first introduced to Vincennes who is not exactly the best detective. Vincennes spends most his time acting as a technical adviser for a cop TV show, and in turn spends much of his time living the high life in Hollywood. Vincennes goes even a step further with the little bit of "policing" he does when he strikes up a deal with a sleazy tabloid journalist Sid Hudgens (Danny DeVito) to arrest two up and comers in a very well publicized drug bust. Vincennes does not do this for any sort of justice he does it for the money and the fame derived from it.

Kevin Spacey plays the role of Jack Vincennes is a rather knowing fashion which could not be a better fit for the character. Spacey really plays Vincennes as a movie start type guy as we see in his opening scene at a Hollywood party. Spacey's great in the role as he definitely has a certain sleaze in his personal style, and you know from the very beginning that Vincennes is hardly a great cop. Of course this is a tricky thing to do as Spacey could have easily made Vincennes so sleazy that you simply wanted to punch him like many likely wanted to do to his character in Glengarry Glen Ross. Spacey manages to avoid this by bringing so much actual charm along with the sleaze. It is not even that Spacey plays it as though Vincennes is trying to hide his less savory qualities with his charisma, no rather Spacey is able to make at all a singular package, and the little bit of sleaze actually manages to add a bit to his style. Spacey is just wonderful at making Vincennes quite likable while being quite despicable at the same time.

Vincennes gets caught up with the by the books detective Ed Exley (Guy Pearce), and the bender of rules detective Bud White (Russell Crowe) when he gets involved with a case of police brutality mainly because one of the beaten suspects got blood on his clothes causing Vincennes to join in. Vincennes is forced to actually be a cop again until he can get a major bust to once again regain his position as the detective of the stars. This includes working with Ed Exley to track down the killers of a group of people in a dinner. Spacey rather slyly shows a bit of a different side as Vincennes investigates with Exley. On one level Spacey still is Vincennes being Vincennes as Spacey plays the whole investigation as though Vincennes doesn't care and to a certain extent finds the whole thing just annoying requirement for the job. In this regard Spacey is quite entertaining in portraying Vincennes's somewhat careless attitude right down to the way he strolls around the crime scene while everyone else is so intense. His performance is only further amplified by how well he plays off Pearce who plays Ed as such a fervent straight arrow.

As I noted before though that Spacey does allude to another side even though Vincennes is still far from being the ideal detective. In the scenes of the investigation Spacey very quietly shows the same sort of conviction and intelligence in Vincennes's method as a detective as Pearce does in a more forward fashion with Exley. Spacey shows in these brief moments that there is a great detective in Vincennes somewhere, but in his investigation of the case Spacey portrays Vincennes as only putting enough effort in to get the case done. There is no genuine passion in Spacey's performance rather his work shows Vincennes to be basically a true professional who is just kinda phoning it in that way he simply can back to what he truly loves, which is of course living the high life. After the "successful" investigation Vincennes goes right back to his old world, even going back to help Hudgens with another frame up and sting job going so far as to even help Hudgens convince the target, a troubled young actor, to prostitute himself with the promise of a career boon. 

Spacey is outstanding in the scene right after agreeing to do the job for Hudgens for a quick buck and a little bit more fame. The scene is simple and silent for Spacey as Vincennes simply looks at himself in the mirror, and it is absolutely perfectly played by Spacey. In just his reaction we see the conflict in Vincennes, and Spacey so beautifully realizes this moment where Vincennes finally sees just how much he has compromised. Spacey is surprisingly moving as he so honestly creates this crisis of conscious in Vincennes. What I love about it is that he never undercuts Vincennes as a character. It is only when he is completely alone that Spacey shows just how distraught Vincennes is over his terrible mistake, and when he is around his fellow officers he does try to be his old self. Of course Spacey is exceptional when there are very brief moments where Vincennes talks about his mistakes to the Ed. Spacey kinda rushes through this moments which is actually exactly as Vincennes should react as he wants to simply recognize the mistake to Ed but never let Ed see just how much he has been troubled by it.

Spacey's performance, like so many elements of L.A. Confidential, is something I completely adore. Spacey is completely pitch perfect in the role, and his work adds so much to the film. Although of course just like all his other male counterpoints he was of course ignored by the Academy, although I guess to their credit he may have suffered slightly from category confusion since his eventual BAFTA nomination was in lead. His performance is one that just is a very entertaining to watch. Spacey in some of his lesser performances can maybe try to show off a little too much, but here it completely works for his character as well as the film as a whole. Spacey also never leaves this as just a fun portrayal, although it certainly works in that regard. Spacey as well, like all the other performances I have reviewed from this film, does a marvelous job of revealing his character as someone far more complex than they might have seemed from the outset. In Spacey's case he gives that very enjoyable depiction of a shallow man in the beginning but ends up giving some of the most poignant moments in the film as he gradually reveals that maybe Jack Vincennes is a far better man than even he would like to admit. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1997

And the Nominees Were Not:

James Cromwell in L.A. Confidential

Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential

Robert Blake in Lost Highway

Jude Law in Gattaca

Billy Zane in Titanic 

Best Supporting Actor 1995: Results

5. Ed Harris in Apollo 13- Ed Harris gives a very standard performance that never turns into anything special.

4. Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys- Pitt's performance is somewhat interesting in his first few scenes even if over the top in his craziness, but as he continues to appear his performance just become repetitive.

3. Tim Roth in Rob Roy- Tim Roth gives an appropriately flashy villainous performance with a certain slimy charm.

2. James Cromwell in Babe- James Cromwell gives a wonderful performance that is genuinely moving and heart warming. It is a unique performance that finds just the right tone, and creates the right presence throughout the film.

1. Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects- Good prediction Dinasztie. Kevin Spacey gives a great performance that perfectly conveys the right sort of mystery with his character without ever giving away too much or too little through the course of the film.

Best Supporting Actor 1995: Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects

Kevin Spacey won his first Oscar from his first Oscar nomination for portraying Roger 'Verbal' Kint in the Usual Suspects.

The Usual Suspects tells the story of a fallout from five criminals who got together for a series of heists, and their association with an elusive underworld bogeyman Keyser Soze.

In this review it is absolutely necessary to divulge the spoilers of the film since the twist of the film is pivotal to Spacey's performance, although I must say most people probably know the twist to this film already. Kevin Spacey Verbal Kint one of the criminals in the film who appears to be rather meek and simple fellow who seems to just stand behind and around the other criminals. He does not seem to make the major decision and always somehow seems like the least important among the group.

As Kint he is very mannered he always seems to be putting on a bit of an act. He is always obviously talking too much for his own good and he seems to almost purposefully make himself seems extra pathetic with his disabilities, and manner of speaking. Kint is most certainly an oddity about Spacey he is as fidgety and as expressive in his overall meekness as possible. Spacey makes Kint into a rather weak willed man, who only seems to be among the criminals because they happened to ask him.

Kint It is a theatrical display by Spacey, but it is one that works for a multitude of reasons. For one thing he most certainly comes off as pathetic and as meek as Kint should be actually. He is both believable as the utterly pathetic Kint, but Spacey abilities in both the theatrical and the subtle actually creates a sort of mystery about Kint, and it is hard to put one's finger on the mystery of who this man is. His theatricality for example suggests one of two things that is merely what Kint does to get back in the criminal world, or that he is really hiding something by pretending to something he is not, Spacey allows us to see it either way.

The same goes for some of Spacey more subtle moments in the group scenes with the other criminals. Spacey portrays Kint just right is it that he is dumb and stupid just, and that is the sole reason he stays silent most of the time, or again is there something more going on in his head, which there may be in a few brief moments from time to time. Spacey keeps the mystery of Kint that could go either way that he really just is a nothing or, there is far more than one could possibly think about Kint.

Well the truth in the end is that there is far more to Kint in that he is in actuality the criminal mastermind known as Keyer Soze, or at least most certainly is not the meek individual he portrayed for the rest of the film. Spacey's slightly off but effective portrayal for the rest of the film absolutely works with the eventual twist making the twist believable in the end without giving away the twist early on either since he keeps Verbal just the right sort of mystery with his performance.

Spacey's performance was absolutely key to the film as a whole, after all what is most remembered about this film is Spacey's performance and the twist he brings to life. Spacey is the one who makes the twist work through his odd but effective characterization of Verbal Kint. I particularly love his single moment we he turns from the pathetic Verbal to a man of confidence and strength in a single moment. He managed to make a character that one could be suspect and doubt equally. Yes it has the combination of theatrics and some subtly as usual with Spacey in this film though in this instance it absolutely works.

Best Supporting Actor 1995

And the Nominees Were:

Ed Harris in Apollo 13

James Cromwell in Babe

Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects

Brad Pitt in 12 Monkeys

Tim Roth in Rob Roy

Best Actor 1999: Results

5. Sean Penn in Sweet and Lowdown- Although I did not really see anything wrong with the performance precisely, it just never amounts to anything particularly compelling either.

3.Kevin Spacey in American Beauty- Although I like some of what Spacey does in the role, particularly in the setup of the character, I find he generally overacts, and seems unnatural, where realism would have served his character best.

3. Denzel Washington in The Hurricane -  Washington gives a compelling portrayal of his character, though I do think the writing limits him.

2. Russell Crowe in The Insider- Crowe gives a restrained and effective performance, that never takes the easy route and to be too expressive, instead remaining properly with the nature of the character.

1. Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story- A very very easy win to give to Richard Farnsworth, as none other performance come close to Farnsworth's powerful performance. Farnsworth gives a completely natural, and authentic performance, that is one of the most moving and poignant portraits of a man ever given in a film.

Deserving Performances:
Jim Carrey in Man on the Moon

Best Actor 1999: Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

Kevin Spacey won his second Oscar from his second nomination for portraying Lester Burnham in American Beauty.

American Beauty details the lives of a family of suburbanites who are either shallow and materialistic, or harvest some sort of deep pain.

Kevin Spacey portrays Lester Burnham the suburban husband, who is considered pathetic by both his wife and his daughter. Spacey in these early moments is quite good in portraying these early moments. Spacey properly conveys his detrimental state in life, and his the way he is now basically sleepwalking through life. Spacey as well is quite good in showing his facade that he holds, he perhaps lays it on a bit thickly, but that works well for Lester, since it properly portrays how he has been doing this for so long, it is not really the most natural of facades, and it again it reinforces just the terrible condition he is in as a person.

Lester though soon enough begins to become more confidant, and begins to relive his youth, working at a fast food place, as well as pursue his lusts after his daughter's friend. This should be Spacey's moment to really shine as Lester Burnham but unfortunately for me the problems of his performance come out in these scenes. My major problem with the performance is much of Spacey's deliveries seems a bit forced, and unnatural in the role, a particularly grating example for me is when he pronounces that "I Rule!" after purchasing a car he always wanted. Now the problem here is he really should become more natural here, because he is getting rid of the facade, but he doesn't. 

I do not want to be too negative because Spacey certainly has his moments, his transition into the confidence, and a better view of himself, with small indicative reactions are very well handled. His unnaturalness though for most of his later performance, seems off to me though, and fails to have as much power as it should have. This performance actually for me has become like the film itself. Although there are certianly strengths and moments of power in the performance and the film, the overall effect of the performance and the film is hindered by the method used by the film and Spacey to portray it.

Best Actor 1999

And the Nominees Were:

Russell Crowe in The Insider

Denzel Washington in The Hurricane

Kevin Spacey in American Beauty

Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story

Sean Penn in Sweet and Lowdown