Alternate Best Actor 1998: Results

10. Vinícius de Oliveira in Central Station -  A performance that is fine in moments however he is always overshadowed by his co-star, and frequently reveals certain limitations that the film directs/edits around.

 

Best Scene: Any bonding moment.

9. Sean Gullette in Pi - Gullette has the occasional scene, however he frequently is overshadowed by the vision of the film, and often provides somewhat thin reactions to that vision. 

Best Scene: Any talk with Margolis.

8. Hugo Weaving in The Interview - His film frequently wastes him through a plot no one cares about, but Weaving is consistently captivating whenever he's onscreen in his portrayal of a serial killer. 

Best Scene: Confession.

7. Christopher Lee in Jinnah - The film tries to cover too much in too little time, but Lee gives a striking gravitas to the central character and offers any other levels whenever he can. 

Best Scene: Seeing the violence.

6. Han Suk-kyu in Christmas in August - Han gives a moving portrayal of the kind man and the emotional distress of his tragic situation.

Best Scene: One more picture.

5. John Hurt in Love and Death on Long Island - Hurt manages the tone of the piece quite effortlessly in portraying the very specific fascination of his character with a subtle emotion and humor. 

Best Scene: Confession.

4. Bob Hoskins in TwentyFourSeven - Hoskins is charismatic as usual in portraying a man with a vision but also excels whenever he is allowed to reveal the character's vulnerabilities.

Best Scene: Apology to no one.

3. Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se...- Khan impressively deals with the various changing tones of the film, managing to keep them together even as they are so disparate. 

Best Scene: Final scene

2. Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe - Although bogged down by some plot mechanics later on, Mullan gives a charming and moving portrayal of a man trying to find a new leaf.

Best Scene: Why he quit drinking.

1. Matthew Lillard in SLC Punk - Well color me as surprised as anyone else that Lillard topped this year, but actually watching the film was no surprise at all, as it was the performance that hit that "extra something" that makes a performance truly great for me, where his performance energy is ideal for the role, however he also excels in being the straightman to the other "punks" while also bringing that comedic chaos himself, while also finding depth in this journey that ends up being surprisingly moving in the end. 

 

Best Scene: "Now what am I doing to do for friends?"

Updated Overall

Next: 1998 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1998: Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe

Peter Mullan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joe Kavanagh in My Name is Joe.
 

My Name is Joe follows a former drinker as he tries to rebuild his life and romance a health worker Sarah (Louise Goodall).

Peter Mullan plays the titular role of Joe, and is an actor who provides an immediate authenticity to a role, that's the case here as the working class guy attending an Alcoholics Anonymous, and is so authentic that I'll admit I might've struggled to entirely understand every word coming out of his mouth. And usually I scoff when some individuals claim they can't understand the actors in films like Banshees of Inisherin or Trainspotting, but this time I'll admit I was challenged in this opening anyways as he goes over his experiences up until this point. Thankfully it began to clear up for me as soon as I could actually see Mullan and he finished his speech about where he's been and where he is now. Mullan brings this sense of a seasoned history of tough stories and difficult times in this moment, but a clarity in the conversation with hopeful accentuation as he speaks about it. Mullan expresses this as a man who has been here before, has maybe said some variation of this before, and there is a strong belief in every moment of a man who has been through a lot but is ready to move forward. And after this point the film kind of jumps right into an unexpected beat as we mostly follow Joe in a day to day situation, where mostly Mullan has to be more charming than anything else as we see Joe coaching, messing with friends, and even the lower end criminal nature of them is largely downplayed as it seems to want us to see Joe just living his life. 

Well in living his life Mullan is indeed very charming and brings a great deal of bright energy in the part. Showing a man who is very much going about embracing life after his hardships and seeming ready to be his best self around everyone else. Mullan has an easy manner in these scenes bringing this natural calm and real sense of joy with the man just going to enjoy life as he can and as he should. Mullan successfully takes it a step further as we see Joe going about trying to help all his fringe friends in his own ways, with just his general impassioned demeanor, if in a very modest way, that completely works in Mullan's hands. He makes it completely convincing every step of the way that it is hard not to find Joe quite likeable with just how much earned brightness that Mullan brings. The man is a man who empathizes and supports first before anything else, and Mullan manages to play this in a way that always feels honest to a man overcoming his past, in fact seems to inform his manner that shows someone who might be enjoying life a bit more than anyone else because he's already been so much terrible events that he's ready to enjoy the good things in life. Mullan carries that specific energy with such an honesty that just as much as I came in expecting to believe him as a man who struggled with alcohol, I much more so was surprised by how much I believed him as a man basically rejecting sadness that was so pervasive for him as he now enjoys his life.
 

Something that I think is essential as the film goes into what is a large portion of the film is his chemistry with Sarah the health worker who quite obviously comes from a very different background and lifestyle than Joe. A romance that could easily have not been convincing by that setup however one immediately can believe it because of that energy that Mullan is exuding where he really just is so charming and outgoing in such a humble way. Mullan is so incredibly endearing that you don't have to buy into the romance, one can simply accept it as Sarah and Joe become closer. Closer in a way where the two of them are so believable in the specific chemistry they develop that isn't about this intense romance, rather this ease of each other's company that is so beautifully realized. You see them just enjoying spending this time together every moment they are with one another, whether it is just spending time casually, or eventually having sex with one another. The two are so playful that it is surprising, but in a way that totally works in exploring the two kinds of finding each other's best natures. They just have that authentic sense of connection that Mullan doesn't at all seem like the rough character we often know him to be and with Sarah we see a truly loving man that just feels genuine in the best possible way. 

That isn't to say that this performance is all joy and happiness, though much more of it than I would have gathered given the pained roles Mullan often plays, and Mullan has a standout moment in a scene where Sarah finally asks about his alcoholism. And Mullan is simply incredible as he goes about speaking first with such a meek delivery as we see the very real fear in his eyes that he'll think Sarah will hate him once she learns the truth about him. When he finally tells the story, love everything Mullan does from his finger tapping his head to just the sort of way he's looking in remembering it as uncovering the dust of this great pain with his delivery featuring such a potent such of the heartbreak of his memories as he notes that not only was he drunk, he was violent. Something we flashback to as we see the rage of the old Joe at his old girlfriend, and as with any time we see violent Mullan, he is indeed absolutely terrifying in the intensity he can unleash in a performance. The animalistic rage in Mullan's performance as a man just got lost in himself, in contrast to the man looking back with this somber understanding of this as something that he essentially fears within himself as much as he seemingly has moved past it. And after this great scene for Mullan is where the film somewhat fell apart for me in getting into the contrived plot over the side characters that ends creating a wedge between Joe and Sarah, leading him into a violent confrontation and a different tragedy to deal with. All of these moments are still well acted by Mullan, he never loses the character, but the way in which Joe is forced into each situation does feel a touch contrived because it suddenly feels so plot driven rather than character driven. Mullan is very strong in these moments, particularly a scene of failed proposal where Mullan brings such a sense of the character just wanting to affirm that happiness and the shyness he brings feels so natural as he tries to ease off it. Or even in the most melodramatic moments of a reverting to his violent alcoholic ways, Mullan delivers every moment of intensity you would want and keeps a potency in these scenes even as the writing flounders more than a little. Mullan remains captivating by keeping the essential honesty within his performance even as the writing begins to make the whole film feel less honest. Mullan proving his measure in this leading role, and leading no surprise why this moved him beyond the minor character roles he had played previously.

Alternate Best Actor 1998

 And the Nominees Were Not:

Christopher Lee in Jinnah

Sean Gullette in Pi

Vinícius de Oliveira in Central Station

Bob Hoskins in Twenty Four Seven

Shah Rukh Khan in Dil Se..

Predict those five, these five or both:

John Hurt in Love and Death on Long Island

Han Suk-kyu in Christmas in August

Peter Mullan in My Name is Joe

Hugo Weaving in The Interview

Matthew Lillard in SLC Punk!

Alternate Best Actor 2011: Results

10. Jakub Gierszal in Suicide Room - Gierszal gives an inconsistent yet still effective portrayal of the descent into a suicidal despair.

Best Scene: The end

9. Michael Smiley in Kill List - Smiley delivers a heartfelt portrayal somehow of a hitman dealing with his friend's increasing instability.

Best Scene: Comforting the son. 

8. Michael Fassbender in Jane Eyre - Fassbender's work is an affecting enough portrayal of man escaping his repression and pain through the love of another.

Best Scene: Rochester admits his love to Jane. 

7. Antonio Banderas in The Skin I Live In - Banderas creates an interesting portrayal of sadistic mind that slowly begins to love his victim.

Best Scene: Ledgard admires his "creation".

6. Daniel Henshall in Snowtown - Henshall crafts a disturbing depiction of a serial killer who casually manipulates those around him to support his violent hatred.

Best Scene: John handles the "town hall". 

5. Jake Gyllenhaal in Source Code - Gyllenhall gives a winning turn as he manages to keep pace with the film, meeting every single demand of his character, and amplifying the film's emotional resonance in turn.

Best Scene: Stevens has a perfect eight minutes.

4. Ralph Fiennes in Coriolanus - Fiennes offers a striking portrayal of a vicious yet vulnerable portrait of a man defined by war.

Best Scene: Caius meets with his family. 

3. Peter Mullan in Tyrannosaur - Mullan creates a moving depiction of a hard man finding some sort of redemption through a kind yet troubled woman.

Best Scene: Joseph confronts Hannah.

2. Woody Harrelson in Rampart - Harrelson, despite the many weaknesses of his film, manages to deliver a nuanced and wholly compelling portrayal of police officer whose brutality seems to be enabled by the system he works in.

Best Scene: Dave's daughters bring him clothes. 

1. Matthias Schoenaerts in Bullhead Good Predictions RatedRStar, Psifonian, Michael McCarthy, Calvin, GM, and Luke. Schoenaerts offers a outstanding performance as a man beneath the perceived brute. He not only gives understanding to his behavior in so few words, but offers a heartbreaking portrait of his struggle with severe detachment due to the horrible injuries he suffered as a child.

Best Scene: Jacky fails to find the words.

Updated Overall

Next Year: 2011 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 2011: Peter Mullan in Tyrannosaur

Peter Mullan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joseph in Tyrannosaur.

Tyrannosaur is a good film about the relationship between a rough man and a Christian charity shop worker Hannah (Olivia Colman).

Peter Mullan is an actor often cast in hard roles given his face that seems to suggest a certain history from the very outset. This film opens with Mullan clearly set in a fitting role it would seem as Joseph who we see go about his average day, well more of his night. Mullan is as one would expect effective in portraying the very worst Joe has to offer as his first action is to kill his own dog in a fit of rage. Mullan himself excels in portraying the animalisitc anger in Joseph in the moment. Mullan portrays this with the needed visceral quality as it overwhelms Joseph. He shows it to be something completely without calculation and just the instinctual reaction of the man. The interesting element in Mullan's performance is the way he displays this anger is often like a dog himself, as shown in a later scene where some locals annoy him. Mullan begins with only this fear suggesting that Joseph is unable to deal with what he is really feeling, and instead falls upon the reaction he has learned over the year. That reaction being just lashing out at whatever is causing him any trouble or merely even making him think about them.

Joseph's usual method though is challenged. First as he comes across Hannah by chance as her initial sunny disposition stands in stark contrast to his own. Mullan and Colman are great together in this early encounter as Colman so well emphasizes only an understanding warmth while Mullan portrays the blunt, though slightly dormant, fury that controls Joseph in the moment. Mullan is remarkable in this scene as he sets up the potential change for Joseph in a very interesting fashion. Mullan does not hold back in portraying the intense venom in Joseph's words as he verbally attacks Hannah for her attempt to comfort him in anyway. Mullan though does not show this to be simple hateful words from a hate filled man. There is something more that Mullan conveys which is a sadness within the vile words. Mullan unveils that hatred hardly defines the man, rather it is emotion of any kind that controls the man. Mullan hows though that the problem with Joseph is that hate simply is the easiest emotion for him to understand.

Joseph's usual behavior does work when he has to face his loneliness while his best friend is dying from cancer. Mullan is incredibly moving in the way he so quietly reveals the very real despair in Joseph as he visits his ailing friend. What's perhaps most powerful in these moments is the struggle that Mullan portrays in dealing with this pain. The apprehension, and even shyness Mullan makes such a natural aspect to Joseph, as he conveys an understanding that his anger did not help, while also portraying a certain confusion as he attempts to find a different way to deal with his feelings. Joseph begins to recognize his own problems in part by attempting to rectify his previous interactions with Hannah. Again Mullan makes this switch so believable as he brings an awkwardness to Joseph. This is as he tries to be wholly courteous and kind to her as he attempts to apologize in his own way as well as gain a bit of her help. This comes first by having her pray for his friend then later on help him find proper clothes for the eventual funeral. Mullan never compromises Joseph, the intensity of the man is always inherent, but he makes the softer qualities that reveal themselves feel wholly genuine.

The film ends up focusing on the hard man who finds a better path, but also focus the good woman who finds a harder path as it details Hannah's relationship with her abusive husband (Eddie Marsan). Hannah eventually comes to Joseph for some sort of shelter after being brutally beaten by her husband. Mullan is terrific in the way he establishes the challenge for Joseph in terms of simply comprehending the situation. Again Mullan is interesting in keeping this timid quality in Joseph as he continues his small steps away from his past, but always keeps the sense that this has been a man who has always been use to people running from him rather coming to him for safety. Mullan's and Colman's chemistry is fascinating as the make the relationship convincing by never simplifying it. The two never play against each other on the exact same wavelength yet they make the connection the two slowly develop honest. They never make the two loving rather there is an underlying understanding that ends up being far more poignant in the end. This is forced to change though as it is revealed Hannah has committed a far more violent act than Joseph ever took part in, though with a different sort of justification involved. What is perhaps Mullan's best scene is found in his heartbreaking reaction as he confronts her over what he saw. Mullan portrays no disgust or judgement, but rather disbelief as Joseph attempts to view the action in context with the woman he has only known to be without hate. The film's final scenes show a reformed Joseph, despite indulging in a violent act though now with an actual reason for it. Mullan does not show us a different man than before, but rather the same man with the needed self reflection. Mullan earns this transition and gives strong depiction of a old dog learning something new.

Alternate Best Actor 2011

And the Nominees Were Not:

Antonio Banderas in The Skin I Live In

Ralph Fiennes in Coriolanus

Woody Harrelson in Rampart

Michael Smiley in Kill List  

Jakub Gierszal in Suicide Room

Predict Those Five, Or These Five, Or Both

Matthias Schoenaerts in Bullhead

Peter Mullan in Tyrannosaur  

Daniel Henshall in Snowtown

Michael Fassbender in Jane Eyre

Jake Gyllenhaal in Source Code