Alternate Best Actor 2021: Results

10. Peter Dinklage in Cyrano - Dinklage delivers a properly impassioned and witty Cyrano, with the right nuance in his vulnerabilities though there are limitations within the film's presentation of the material.

 

Best Scene: Confrontation with Christian.

9. Nicolas Cage in Pig - Although I wish the film let him dive deeper, Cage gives a consistently captivating and quietly emotional portrayal of a recluse who is more than meets the eye.

 

Best Scene: Restaurant. 

8. Joaquin Phoenix in C'Mon C'Mon - Phoenix gives wonderful show of his range in his quietly human and warm portrayal of an average guy's connection with his nephew.

Best Scene: It's okay.

7. Amir Jadidi in A Hero - Jadidi gives a powerfully layered performance of a man who is endearing yet his smile hides a troubled soul.

 

Best Scene: Asking for the video to be deleted.

6. Caleb Landry Jones in Nitram - Jones gives a powerfully disturbing performance as a man who just does not relate to humanity the way most do.

 

Best Scene: "Hear to Heart" with his mom.

5. Dev Patel in The Green Knight - Patel gives a grounding performance for this fantasy, but also delivers so much more in his emotional and spiritual journey as Gawain.

 

Best Scene: The vision. 

4. Jason Isaacs in Mass - Isaacs gives a deeply powerful portrayal of a man's anger and sadness when coming to terms with his grief

 

Best Scene: Describing the shooting.

3. Simon Rex in Red Rocket - Rex gives an uncompromising yet wholly charismatic portrayal of a man who is intent on getting out of his hole by digging himself deeper into it. 

 

Best Scene: Hiding during the arrest.

2. Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car - Nishijima gives a deeply powerful and nuanced portrayal of man slowly coming to terms with his complex grief.

 

Best Scene: The shattered house. 

1. Bradley Cooper in Nightmare Alley - Good prediction Luke. Cooper gives an absolutely brilliant performance as the great Stanton, finding such variety in his grifts, such nuance in his self-loathing, and such power in his journey of a descent into a personal hell. I had to give Cooper the win here, he just had the biggest impact on me of any performance emotionally, while also being just so technically accomplished. If I didn't it would only be because I already gave him the win in supporting for the funniest performance of the year in Licorice Pizza. He left the biggest impact on me in both a leading and supporting turn, though in very different ways, but I can't deny that impact in either example. The funny thing is, frankly I probably was less positive on Cooper as an actor than many, though I certainly thought he was good actor. He definitely wasn't someone I looked upon as being "overdue" for me, so this purely based on the performances. And in this year, with these two performances, he has forced a new perspective upon me, as he's achieved greatness both dramatically and comedically.

 

Best Scene: "I was born for it".

Overall Ranking:

1. Bradley Cooper in Nightmare Alley
2. Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog
3. Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car
4. Denzel Washington in The Tragedy of Macbeth
5. Simon Rex in Red Rocket
6. Jason Isaacs in Mass
7. Dev Patel in The Green Knight
   
8. Caleb Landry Jones in Nitram
9. LaKeith Stanfield in Judas and the Black Messiah
10. Cooper Hoffman in Licorice Pizza
11. Reed Birney in Mass
12. Daniel Kaluuya in Judas and the Black Messiah
13. Amir Jadidi in A Hero
14. Bo Burnham in Inside
    
15. Joaquin Phoenix in C'Mon C'Mon - 5
16. Nicolas Cage in Pig
17. Adarsh Gourav in The White Tiger
    
18. Andrew Garfield in Tick Tick...Boom
19. Peter Dinkalge in Cyrano  
20. Tim Blake Nelson in Old Henry
    
21. James Norton in Nowhere Special
    
22. Tahar Rahim in The Mauritanian 
    
23. Stephen Graham in Boiling Point 
24. Mahershala Ali in Swan Song
    
25. Frankie Faison in The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain
26. Udo Kier in Swan Song
    
27. Tom Holland in Spider-Man: No Way Home
28. Michael Greyeyes in Wild Indian
    
29. Timothee Chalamet in Dune 
30. Woody Norman in C'Mon C'Mon 
31. Riz Ahmed in The Encounter 
32. Benedict Cumberbatch in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain - 4.5
33. Vincent Lindon in Titane  
34. Dan Stevens in I'm Your Man
35. Cillian Murphy in A Quiet Place Part 2
36. Yuriy Borisov in Compartment No. 6
    
37. Luke Kirby in No Man of God
    
38. Alex Wolff in Pig
    
39. Stanley Tucci in Supernova
    
40. Colin Firth in Supernova
41. Jim Broadbent in The Duke
    
42. Benedict Cumberbatch in The Courier
43. George MacKay in Wolf 
44. Frank Grillo in Boss Level
    
45. Adam Driver in The Last Duel
    
46. Daniel Craig in No Time to Die
    
47. Adam Driver in Annette 
48. Matt Damon in The Last Duel
    
49. Clint Eastwood in Cry Macho
    
50. Tom Holland in Cherry
51. Adam Driver in House of Gucci
52. Ralph Fiennes in The Dig 
53. Idris Elba in The Suicide Squad
    
54. Will Smith in King Richard 
55. Anthony Ramos in In the Heights 
56. Alessandro Nivola in The Many Saints of Newark
57. Justin Chon in Blue Bayou
    
58. Bob Odenkirk in Nobody 
59. Kanji Tsuda in Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle
    
60. Filippo Scotti in The Hand of God - 4 
61. Jonathan Majors in The Harder They Fall
62. Frank Grillo in Copshop
    
63. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in Candyman
64. Gerard Butler in Copshop
65. Tom Hardy in Venom: Let There Be Carnage
    
66. Hugh Jackman in Reminiscence  
67. Tim Roth in Bergman Island
    
68. Dave Bautista in Army of the Dead - 3.5
69. Jason Statham in Wrath of Man
    
70. Benicio Del Toro in No Sudden Move
    
71. Don Cheadle in No Sudden Move
    
72. Jude Hill in Belfast 
73. Hilmir Snær Guðnason in Lamb
    
74. Oscar Isaac in The Card Counter 
    
75. Leonardo DiCaprio in Don't Look Up
76. Will Brill in Test Pattern
77. Matt Damon in Stillwater
    
78. Jack Dylan Grazer in Luca
79. Jacob Tremblay in Luca
    
80. Simu Liu in Shang-chi and the Legend of the 10 Rings
81. Denzel Washington in The Little Things
82. Trevante Rhodes in The United States Vs. Billie Holiday
83. Lucas Hedges in French Exit
    
84. Ansel Elgort in West Side Story
85. Elijah Wood in No Man Of God - 3 
86. Dwayne Johnson in Jungle Cruise
    
87. Eddie Murphy in Coming 2 America  
88. Jake Gyllenhaal in The Guilty 
89. Ed Helms in Together Together
    
90. Aidan Gillen in Those Who Wish Me Dead - 2.5
    
91. Javier Bardem in Being the Ricardos 
92. John David Washington in Malcolm & Marie 
    
93. Jermaine Fowler in Coming 2 America 
94. Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Resurrections 
95. Ryan Reynolds in Free Guy - 2
96. Rami Malek in The Little Things 
97. LeBron James in Space Jam: A New Legacy
    
98. Lewis Tan in Mortal Kombat - 1.5 
99. Daniel Ranieri in The Tender Bar
    
100. Tye Sheridan in The Tender Bar - 1
     
101. Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen - Wiseaus
     

Next: 1997 Lead (though I won't be starting until after the Oscars.)

Alternate Best Actor 2021: Peter Dinklage in Cyrano

Peter Dinklage did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Critics Choice and a Golden Globe, for portraying Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano.

 

While I still await the definitive version of Cyrano, this is a superior entry into the mix, benefiting greatly from having an actually likable Roxanne (Haley Bennett) and Christian (Kelvin Harrison Jr.)'s for once. 

This version of Cyrano de Bergerac is both working within the type of the character and offering a bit of a revision. Peter Dinklage playing the role is already part of the revision as his stature acts as a point of modesty rather than the typical feature of Cyrano, the elongated nose. Where the similarity remains is making Cyrano the larger-than-life warrior-poet who enters this version, as he does all traditional versions, by threatening a stage actor for his poor performance and demanding that his bad acting stop immediately. Dinklage having really what is an essential facet of a Cyrano, which is a booming and naturally commanding voice. Dinklage's baritone cuts through the scene with him able to make these outrageous demands and threats with ease. Dinklage performs the scene, I think properly, by not sounding the temper tantrum, but rather making it this broad gesture of a rather purposefully theatrical man. Just his voice making that loud and notable impression, before of course appearing here, and being perhaps subverting the expectation of who one would immediately think of as a warrior poet. The idea though isn't broken from the theoretical revelation, after all, most of us know what Peter Dinklage looks like, but rather asks Dinklage to stand tall even when being the literal shortest person in the room. 

Peter Dinklage has done this before of course as Tyrion in Game of Thrones, however, that was a very different character in terms of personality there could be a perceived similarity where both have a cutting wit and playing into the very act of wearing what was perceived as his flaws as his badge of honor. And I'll admit I came into this performance a bit concerned that this would be largely a reprise of that performance, however that is not the case. Dinklage here actually plays the part, outside of the self-insulting song, as though he merely were the romantic lead with the tragic flaw that he firmly believes that Roxanne will reject his love. In turn Dinklage brandishes his performance here in a way that is quite effective in terms of merely making Cyrano the larger than life presence who wants everyone to notice his brilliance and see his bravado for what it is. Dinklage delivers that sort of overt romanticism effectively with the manner very much pushed forward by his want to show off. When even he's fighting or speaking, it is with this broader grandeur that Dinklage brings and very much portrays his Cyrano as very much a showoff. Although I'm not sure he completely fulfills the Peacemaker requirement for showing off, Dinklage isn't too far off, pulling off the showoff brand by just doing it with enough genuine gusto to pull it off. 

Dinklage hits the right note to be endearing in his over the top sort of presence, that doesn't literally go over the top in his performance, by showing this certain sense of joy in Cyrano himself as he does play it up for the crowd and acts as the warrior poet for all to see. When he rhymes his take down of one, sings another, then battles a whole group, Dinklage portrays each moment with this sort of blunt enjoyment at the prospect of the challenge and the man who loves the challenges that are presented to him in this very romantic way for the traditional hero. Dinklage offers the important contrast though in his scenes where Cyrano isn't in front of a crowd as a more gracious and quieter man. He brings a greater modesty to his performance even before we get into his point of personal weakness. In his more interpersonal scenes with Roxanne early on, where she intends to tell her of her great love, which he misinterprets will be for him, Dinklage is terrific in the run around of emotions as Roxanne speaks to him. Dinklage portraying just this barely contained joy as she seems to be praising him and revealing her love to him, until she finally reaches that she doesn't know the man's name, and Dinklage does a great portrayal of a man's face falling in his eyes even as he tries to maintain the smile otherwise would be too revealing of his truth. 

Cyrano is instead tasked with trying to protect and guide who she has fallen in love with on sight, Christian, on wooing Roxanne, to the point he starts writing for the young man who is less artful with his words. And here's where we really reveal his great weakness, which Dinklage actually portrays a little differently from other Cyrano's which is an interesting choice. There is the sense of frustration, really even the way he seems to crush his mouth to keep it closed, as the man who needs to hold his breath or at least believes that he must lest he speak his love for all to hear. Dinklage brings the sense of vulnerability when just scoffing at the idea of Roxanne possibly loving him, and presents this is a dismissal with almost too much ease. When more internalized though Dinklage conveys a greater pain in the state, and in his eyes, and being conveys the frustration and anxiety as his own words convinces the woman he loves to love someone else. Dinklage is moving in presenting this consistent frustration, even as he presents still just the confidence of the romantic to Christian as though he is doing it just for the sake of it. Dinklage though brings the right sense of heartache, though there is something more, which in a way might be the most interesting aspect of this performance, and Dinklage's take on Cyrano. 

Of course before I get to that, let's mention the songs, which are not the strongest aspect of the film though there are some good ones in there, and even a great one, though that one barely involves the principal cast. Dinklage unfortunately honestly has to carry some of the weaker ones, though not the weakest, and that's where I'll say while I like the romantic spirited way he delivers the songs, none of them stand out within his performance. He certainly puts his heart into them, but his best moments here honestly are outside of when he is singing even if he does acquit himself more than decently in that aspect of the film. But back to the most interesting element of the performance which perhaps begins to reveal itself when Christian figures out the situation, in what is really the most heartbreaking scene in the film due to Harrison's portrayal of a man basically realizing the only love in his life has been a false one yet still wants Cyrano to find his. Harrison's portrayal of this near despairing mania, though still this purity of passion bringing such poignancy to this revelation. Dinklage in this scene though is very effective in doing two things. One showing the reaction of despair and anxiety at seeing Christian become distraught and really suicidal, offering the right powerful sense of empathy and even burden at his brother in arms' despair. The other though is portraying this fixation on the idea of his love as something he writes about and dreams about yet will not experience. And that is what Dinklage presents Cyrano's love as, as in a way something that he must hide because to make it real would diminish it in some way. 

 

This idea is further emphasized by the final scene of the film where the dying Cyrano is basically pushed by Roxanne to admit his love for her yet he still refuses to do so. In these scenes Dinklage is at his best in the film in creating this sort of insular affection, of the man who holds the idea of love too preciously that he can't quite even let himself fully experience it. Even in his final words, changed to speaking not of his love to Roxanne but his love for his pride. Dinklage gives a powerful meaning to this in his delivery, as in his final moment portrays he portrays this as a somber admittance, that while he might've loved Roxanne, what he truly loved the idea of loving Roxanne. I love the choice because Dinklage doesn't portray at all joy in Cyrano as Roxanne openly admits her love for him, it is rather this shame in accepting that he could never love Roxanne, not for stature, but rather quite simply it would force a change in the idea of love he has for Roxanne. An idea so fascinating that I actually wish the film had actively explored it even more, though it is certainly explored by Dinklage's more nuanced work. I think that in a way though shows somewhat the weakness here, and my wish, despite loving "Wherever I Fall", is that this had been just a spoken Cyrano and we could've dived even deeper with Dinklage's performance. The songs strangely in a way I think often insist a broader reading that isn't quite what Dinklage seems to be going for. Still it is not as though Dinklage falters within the limits, he just is simply, fittingly I suppose, limited by them. Having said that, this still is a very strong performance within those confines. Not the definitive Cyrano, but a damn good one, showing Dinklage's ability as a leading man, a type of role that I hope he returns to playing very soon.

Alternate Best Actor 2021

And the Nominees Were Not:

Bradley Cooper in Nightmare Alley

 

Nicolas Cage in Pig

 

Joaquin Phoenix in C'Mon C'Mon 

 

Amir Jadidi in A Hero

 

Dev Patel in The Green Knight 

Predict those five, these fives, or both: 

Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car

Jason Isaacs in Mass

Simon Rex in Red Rocket

Peter Dinklage in Cyrano

Caleb Landry Jones in Nitram

Alternate Best Actor 2003: Results

5. Tommy Wiseau in The Room- Wiseau gives a performance for the ages that is absolutely hilarious, unfortunately it was never meant to be.

4. Paul Giamatti in American Splendor- Giamatti gives an effective performance finding the humor and humanity underlying his grumpy character.

3. Peter Dinklage in The Station Agent- Dinklage gives a strong performance from humorous dead pan to slowly easing in a character transition.

2. Choi Min-sik in Oldboy- Min-sik gives a powerful intensely physical performance brilliantly depicting the insane changes of his character throughout the film.

1. Stephen Lang in Gods and Generals- I must settle for Lang this year as his performance moved me the most out of all the performances. He elevates his material magnificently giving a truly incredible portrayal of Stonewall Jackson.

Overall Rank:

1. Russell Crowe in Master and Commander
2. Choi Min-sik in Oldboy
3. Stephen Lang in Gods and Generals
4. Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa
5. Robert Duvall in Open Range
6. Kevin Bacon in Mystic River
7. Paul Bettany in Dogville
8. Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean 
9. Song Kang-ho in Memories of Murder 
10. Daniel Brühl in Goodbye, Lenin!
11. Peter Dinklage in The Station Agent
12. Paul Giamatti in American Splendor
13. John Turturro in Fear X 
14. Ewan McGregor in Big Fish  
15. Nicolas Cage in Matchstick Men
16. Luigi Lo Cascio in The Best of Youth  
17. Hayden Christensen in Shattered Glass 
18. John Malkovich in Ripley's Game
19. Takeshi Kitano in Zatoichi 
20. Campbell Scott in The Secret Lives of Dentists
21. Kim Sang-kyung in Memories of Murder
22. Mads Mikkelsen in The Green Butchers 
23. Alessio Boni in The Best of Youth
24. Kevin Costner in Open Range 
25. Colin Farrell in Phone Booth
26. Ivan Dobronravov in The Return
27. Tadanobu Asano in Last Life in the Universe
28. Jeff Daniels in Gods and Generals 
29. Robert Duvall in Secondhand Lions
30. Bill Murray in Lost in Translation
31. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Owning Mahowny
32. Jude Law in Cold Mountain
33. George Clooney in Intolerable Cruelty
34. Hayley Joel Osment in Secondhand Lions 
35. Paddy Considine in In America 
36. Albert Brooks in Finding Nemo
37. Hugh Jackman in X-2  
38. Michael Pitt in The Dreamers 
39. Ewan McGregor in Down With Love
40. Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai
41. William H. Macy in The Cooler
42. Johnny Depp in Once Upon a Time in Mexico
43. Crispin Glover in Willard
44. Tsunashima Gōtarō in Japanese Story
45. Tobey Maguire in Seabiscuit 
46. Orlando Bloom in Pirates of the Caribbean
47. Shia Laboeuf in Holes
48. John Cusack in Identity
49. Jack Nicholson in Something's Gotta Give 
50. Will Farrell in Elf 
51. Rémy Girard in The Barbarian Invasions
52. Dougray Scott in Ripley's Game
53. John Cusack in Runaway Jury
54. Antonio Banderas in Once Upon a Time in Mexico
55. Owen Wilson in Shanghai Knights 
56. Dwayne Johnson in The Rundown
57. Jack Black in The School of Rock
58. Sean Penn in 21 Grams 
59. Luke Wilson in Old School 
60. Greg Kinnear in Stuck on You
61. Nikolaj Lie Kaas in The Green Butchers
62. Stéphane Rousseau in The Barbarian Invasions
63. Sean Penn in Mystic River 
64. Jeremy Sumpter in Peter Pan
65. Ben Kingsley in House of Sand and Fog
66. Ewan McGregor in Young Adam
67. Benicio Del Toro in 21 Grams
68. Aaron Eckhart in The Core
69. Jackie Chan in Shanghai Knights
70. Matt Damon in Stuck on You
71. Jack Nicholson in Anger Management 
72. Eric Bana in The Hulk 
73. Sean William Scott in The Rundown
74. Ben Affleck in Daredevil
75. Ben Affleck in Paycheck
76. Alex Frost in Elephant
77. Sean Connery in The League of Extraordinary Gentleman 
78. Rowan Atkinson in Johnny English
79. Adam Sandler in Anger Management
80. Tommy Wiseau in The Room

Next Year: 1957

Alternate Best Actor 2003: Peter Dinklage in The Station Agent

Peter Dinklage did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Finbar McBride in The Station Agent.

The Station Agent is an enjoyable film about a man born with dwarfism who after the death of his friend moves to rural New Jersey to live life in a relatively secluded no longer used train depot that he has inherited.

Peter Dinklage portrays the man who tries to keep to himself as well as is fascinated by trains. Early in the film Dinklage portrays Fin as a man who very much keeps to himself, even though where ever he goes his dwarfism makes him always seem somewhat out of place no matter where he goes. It is not that Fin is automatically discriminated against actually, but people tend to act abnormally around him. Dinklage is effective in that he does not portray Fin as becoming obviously angry at any point over people's reaction here, but rather all he does is react in a form of exasperation.

Dinklage portrays Fin's reaction well as just tired of them clearly from dealing with these type of people his whole life, so he has come to accept it to a certain degree, even though he doesn't like them still he very much is use to them. Dinklage establishes Fin's antisocial behavior well in these early scenes. He handles it well because he does not show it as Fin's hatred of others, but rather more effectively Dinklage shows it as a disconnection more than anything else. Due to the fact that Dinklage does not portray his behavior as hate, he allows Fin to be far more likable.

Early on the film as a few people in the secluded place he goes to such as a troubled older woman Olivia (Patricia Clarkson), and a very energetic food stand operator Joe (Bobby Cannavale) attempt to get involved in Fin's life in some way, much to Fin's dismay. Dinklage is excellent in these earlier scenes as he practically plays the part as dead pan. His slight sometimes slightly taken aback, or slightly annoyed reactions are always well handled by Dinklage. It is not that he is going for laughs exactly but Dinklage manages to bring the natural humor out of the situation with ease.

The film itself is really about Fin slowly coming out of shell through his interactions with the people around particularly through the constant pestering from Joe to do so. Dinklage is terrific here because of how little he really does give in as Fin. Fin's slow, very slow transformation is handled in the subtleties of Dinklage's performance. He never once oversteps in his performance, and the reluctance of Fin to really recognize people who are honestly interested in is always prevalent. He never makes Fin's transition too easy, keeping it believable throughout the film.

Dinklage never cheats his character and because of that the way he slowly does open up is far more moving. Dinklage small movements to opening up and accepting the people as his friends is well done. It is not that he makes Fin a new person by any means, rather he presents Fin as just a man who has learned to loosen up and accept human contact. Due to this Dinklage makes his whole transition entirely believable, and emotionally truthful. His change from the man of few words to the man of not so many words but can have an open conversation is entirely honest because of Dinklage. 

I must say the big emotional breakdown scene near the end of the film, where he tells everyone in bar to look at him already and get it over with, is the least effective part of his performance, and does not seem entirely necessary. This is not to say that Dinklage does not portray it well enough though it is maybe a bit hasty especially considering how well he handles the rest of Fin's transitional moments in his performance. The point is the delight of his performance is in his quiet portrayal. As Dinklage besides the big emotional scene, which he still does well I must stress this, simply creates a wonderful entertaining performance that leads his film marvelously.

Alternate Best Actor 2003

And the Nominees Were Not:

Tommy Wiseau in The Room

Peter Dinklage in The Station Agent

Paul Giamatti in American Splendor

Stephen Lang in Gods and Generals

Choi Min-sik in Oldboy