Top Ten: Worthy Performances That Will Win No Awards
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at 7:00PM
Jose here. Every year as the awards race picks up, it seems as if we’re all collectively Lacuna-ed into forgetting all the great performances that came before Oscar narrows them down to twenty that by then, have won or been nominated for dozens of other awards. But what about the performances so “small”, “weird” or “foreign” that stand no chance in hell of competing with the FYC ads in the trades and/or Harvey Weinstein’s Sauron-like powers? We celebrate those performances, right now:
10. Keira Knightley - Begin Again
Sure, The Weinstein Company is behind this one, but even Harvey knows there is no point in trying to get a nod for this low-key, charming musical, especially not when he can get Keira an Oscar for a WWII flick, which makes more sense, right? Her performance here reminded me of Last Night in which she does so much with her eyes, which is something Begin Again director John Carney achieves with everyone in this cast. I’m still shocked that not a single awards body back in 2007 recognized the subdued and lovely performances by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová in Once. Why do you think this kind of acting seems so unworthy of awards?
More after the jump...
9. Ronnie Gene Blevins - Joe
Blevins’ Willie-Russell is a representation of evil in its purest form. His inability to justify why he acts the way he does makes for one of the scariest characters this side of Anton Chigurh, but unlike Javier Bardem’s chilly, controlled performance, Blevins revels in something more primal, almost animal-like. You truly believe he’ll sneak out of nowhere and make your nightmares come true.
8. Johannes Bah Kuhnke - Force Majeure
Few actors would allow themselves to be so emasculated as Kuhnke is in Ruben Ostlund’s marital dramedy. His performance as Tomas is perfect, because this character is forced to play a part he doesn’t quite understand, which gives Kuhnke enough material to deliver subdued, dark comedy and oft-heartbreaking drama. Even when the film seems like it’s about to drop another avalanche on him, he comes to the surface ready for more.
7. Jasmine Trinca - Honey
Playing the title character: a young woman who specializes in helping people die, Trinca could’ve easily ended up playing a symbol. Instead she humanizes Irene/Miele by allowing her to be as a real human being who has learned to compartmentalize and has given herself the opportunity to be a fully sexual being, a self-sufficient woman and an entrepreneur, whether we agree with her line of work or not.
6. Diane Kruger - The Better Angels
Playing Abe Lincoln’s stepmom in A.J. Edwards’ dreamlike film debut, Kruger brings a sense of earthy serenity akin to what Jessica Chastain brought to The Tree of Life. Terrence Malick also produced Edwards’ film and is an obvious influence to his visual style, so it makes sense why we often see Kruger shot like Malick shot Chastain, but since Inglourious Basterds showed us what a great actress she could be, it seems as if the world has been promising us
5. Patrick D'assumçao - Stranger by the Lake
As the strange, but kinda lovable Henri, D'assumçao provides this film with much needed heart and levity. His performance is heartbreaking because he plays a man at odds with himself - he doesn't know what he wants or how to get it - and in a film populated with athletic, beautiful, often naked bodies, he's guarded to the point where emotionally he becomes the most vulnerable person.
4. Tom Hardy - The Drop
While it's true that James Gandolfini was a giant among actors, The Drop was mostly talked about for being one of his last films, and even though he was terrific, the film belongs to Hardy who delivers what might very well be his best performance to date. This year he was also great in Locke, which is basically a one man show and feels more gimmicky than it should, which is why it's beautiful to see him here trying to vanish in within a great ensemble and realizing that he's almost too magnetic to achieve this, it's the very plea of the character he plays!
3. Dan Stevens - The Guest
The abs stole his thunder, but there have been few star turns in recent years as unexpectedly delicious as his performance here. Cousin Matthew is certainly a thing of the past...
2. Marisa Tomei - Love Is Strange
Marisa Tomei is one of those actresses that for some reason always seems to be surprising us. I often forget how great she is and then out of nowhere she's delivering detailed, extremely lived in work, as she did playing Kate in Ira Sachs' touching Love Is Strange. This performance particularly was great to watch because she played a writer and completely captured that thing we do when we procrastinate and then try to blame others for our own aimlessness. Her scenes with John Lithgow ring true because she displays impatience towards him without reducing her character to a "villainous" caricature.
1. Sara Forestier - Suzanne
Reader Comments (30)
Those are some obscure picks-- I haven't even heard of two or three of the movies-- but I like the entries I've seen (Tomei, D'assumçao, Kuhnke, and to a lesser extent Knightley).
I guess one's list for this depends on what counts as "forgotten during Oscar season" (by the Academy? By all awards bodies nationally? Internationally?). Being completely with likely snubees, my list would look something like:
10. Paul Eenhorn, Land Ho!
9. Marisa Tomei, Love is Strange
8. Viola Davis, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
7. Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer
6. Agata Kulesza, Ida (though I dream that NYFCC or LAFCA will go for this)
5. Gabrielle Marion-Rivard, Gabrielle
4. Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant
3. John Lithgow, Love is Strange
2. Jack O'Connell, Starred Up
1. Lindsay Duncan, Le Week-End
I would NEVER expect any award recognition for her but Eva Green gets a gold star for Ava Lord in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. She already has that classic femme fatale look but she also had the performance to match it. A complete joy in a mostly adrift movie.
Other than that, i'm on board with at least hearing some hype for Keira. She felt so real as Gretl. Maybe that's the problem? Just a simple, understated, natural performance. plus it's not like she has any big scenes for her Oscar reel (not that that is a problem, of course).
While I loved Once and Glen and Marketa, i would have been surprised if they got nods. Not that they didn't deserve or that it would be unwelcome, but for me, it would have been unexpected. I hollered when they won Best Song though. Hell yeah.
God yes, Dan Stevens in THE GUEST. Everyone really should see that movie and not just because of Cousin Crawley's abs.
I'm also super glad you mentioned Tom Hardy's performance in LOCKE in your paragraph on THE DROP.
Patrick D'assumçao is a great choice. I would have gone with Gary Poulter for "Joe" however
Wonderfully argued and written.
Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer all the way, easily. Partica Arquette was great and all, but i'm already bored by this year's oscars for the no-swinton in there. oh well.
others note-worthy:
Patrick D'assumçao - Stranger by the Lake
Evan Peters in X-men:DofP
Macon Blair in Blue Ruin
Jesee Eisenberg in The Double
Fassbandeer in Frank
Charlotte Gainsbourg in Jackie in the Land of Women
Liam Neeson in Lego Movie
and all of the Israeli Performances that won't get any recognition because i'm not even sure they screened somewhere:
Zeev Reveach in the Farewell Party
Itay Zvulun in Freak Out
Yossi Marshek in Manpower
Menashen Noy in Gett
Dana Igby in Zero Motivation
Tamara Klingon in Zero Motivation
Naomi Levov in Yona
Michael Keaton seems destined for a very deserving win. But I'd definitely mention Bill Hader ("The Skeleton Twins") and Jon Favreau("Chef") as worthy nominees.
If voters actually watch Anne Dorval in "Mommy", I don't see how that can deny her. Ditto for Marion Cotillard's latest exquisite performance( "Two Days, One Night".) And Kristin Wiig should be getting more buzz for totally nailing the character in "The Skeleton Twins"
I really enjoyed Emjay Anthony this year (exceptional as Favreau's son in "Chef" - and never having watched "Boardwalk Empire", I was floored by my introduction to Vincent Piazza, absolutely the best thing in Eastwood's "Jersey Boys".
Totally agree with Evan about Agata Kulesza in "Ida". The movie was pretty good - but her performance was a marvel, certainly the best supporting actress turn I've seen this year.
Her are mine:
1. Najarra Townsend The Toy Soldiers
2. Kristen Stewart Camp X Ray
3.Jenny Slate Obvious Child
4. Dakota Fanning Night Moves
5. Emma Roberts Palo Alto
1. Gerard Depardieu Welcome To New York
2. Nicolas Cage Joe
3.Mark Buffalo Begin Again
4. Brendan Gleason Calvary
5. Tom Hardy Locke
I had no idea Better Angels existed. Inglorious Basterds got me interested in Kruger, but Farewell, My Queen made me a fan. I'll definitely seek that one out.
My picks in random order would be...
1. Jim Broadbent, Jeff Goldblum, and especially Lindsay Duncan, Le Weekend
2. Bill Hayder and Kristen Wigg, The Skeleton Twins
3. Emily Blunt, Edge of Tomorrow
4. Tom Hiddleston, Only Lovers Left Alive
5. Gaby Hoffman and Polly Draper, Obvious Child
6. Melanie Lynskey, Happy Christmas
7. Keira Knightley, Begin Again
8. Paulina Garcia, Gloria
9. Michael Fassbender, Frank
10. Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant (my fav of the year so far)
Patrick D'assumçao - Stranger by the Lake - YES x 10. He was my rock during that movie. Loved his sad interactions.
Stacy Martin in Nymphomaniac: Vol 1. I much preferred her over Gainsbourg to be completely honest. So much so, it made me think of what Martin's older doppelganger Eva Green would've done with the older Joe role instead.
Chloë Grace Moretz in Laggies. I know, I KNOW... but she shocked the hell out of me in this. I wanted more from her each time and I LOVED her handling of the character's emotional beats.
The T Trio: Tessa Thompson, Tyler James Williams and Teyonah Parris from Dear White People. Excellent trio that really made the movie soar for me. I fully expect them to pop up at the Indie Spirits tho. Or rather, they should.
Imelda Staunton and Jessica Gunning in Pride. They stood out from the ensemble to me for different but awesome ways.
ScarJo in Under The Skin. Let's be real, it'll take an Ebert-coming-back-from-the-grave-to-beat-her-drum miracle for this amazing bizarre performance to make it to the final nomination list but it 100% deserves it. Again, another Indie Spirit should-be shoo-in
and of course
UMA UMA UMA UMA "whoring bed" UMA UMA UMA UMA.
D'assumçao is an inspired choice. At least les César acknowledge him with a supporting nod.
I love everyone in Begin Again and Love Is Strange. SAG members will ignore them so they deserve all our love in advance.
I think Keira Knightley might get a Golden Globe nom for "Begin Again".
Keira Knightley will get a GG nom for Begin Again. The field is too slim for that no to happen
01. Agata Trzebuchowska - Ida
02. Agata Kulesza - Ida
03. Johannes Kuhnke - Force Majeure
04. Scarlett Johansson - Under the Skin
05. Pierre Deladonchamps - Stranger by the Lake
06. Maggie Gyllenhaal - Frank
07. Michael Fassbender - Frank
08. Eva Green - 300: Rise of an Empire
09. Kim Dickens - Gone Girl
10. Chris Evans - Snowpiercer
Michael Pitt in I Orgins, Jenny Slate in Obvious Child, both of those are great and will get no love.
I like that you included Knightley in Begin Again. I think she'll at least get a Globe nomination for that.
I've been really impressed with some young actors this year.
Emjay Anthony - Chef
Mackenzie Foy - Interstellar (she was also the voice of Celestine in Ernest & Celestine, Eng. ver)
Tye Sheridan - Joe
Logan Lerman (though not so young anymore!) - Fury
Lorelei Linklater - Boyhood
Nat Wolff - The Fault in Our Stars
Tony Revolori - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Kaitlyn Dever - Men, Women and Children
I am typically not a fan of Marisa Tomei, but I was quite impressed with her in Love is Strange. I was surprised that I left the film having most enjoyed her performance. It would be great to see a lovely, simple film like Love is Strange make some noise in the award circuit, but I would also be thoroughly satisfied if Tomei became the go-to nominee rep for the movie.
No one's mentioned this yet, but...Michael Rooker, Guardians of the Galaxy? Of all the "full live performance" members of the cast, his was easily the best and got buried under (deserved) audience love for Rocket and Groot.
Great list! Keira was so lovely in Begin Again - totally fell for her. I would add Adam Levine in that to the list, too. Shockingly natural - which is actually a good descriptor of the film as a whole.
I hate to say it, but I would add Ralph Fiennes to the list. He was SO DAMN GOOD in Grand Budapest Hotel, but made it look so easy that there's no way he's getting any nominations - GG is possible if the film goes comedy, but outside of that I really fear for his chances.
Great list! Keira was so lovely in Begin Again - totally fell for her. I would add Adam Levine in that to the list, too. Shockingly natural - which is actually a good descriptor of the film as a whole.
I hate to say it, but I would add Ralph Fiennes to the list. He was SO DAMN GOOD in Grand Budapest Hotel, but made it look so easy that there's no way he's getting any nominations - GG is possible if the film goes comedy, but outside of that I really fear for his chances.
Anne Dorval in "Mommy"
My two favorite performances of the year are getting nowhere near awards: Cotillard in TheImmigrant and PSH in A Most Wanted Man.
Kuhnke is so terrific in "Force Majeure." His crying jag is priceless--hilarious and embarrassing.
Not already mentioned:
Miles Teller (Whiplash)
Jaeden Lieberher, Melissa McCarthy (St. Vincent)
I've got one no one is talking about
Dave Bautista Guardians of the Galaxy he was fabulous as Groot and also because I'm a huge WWE Fan
Diane was great on her TV show The Bridge as well... She keeps getting better and better.
So happy to read Dan Stevens name here.
Also to be ignored by at least the American award givers are all the cast members of Pride. Though the Brits did acknowledge some of the cast in the British Independent Film nominations.
A few that I loved:
1. Tatiana Pauhofova in "Burning Bush", one of the best films this year led by her steely, fierce performance.
2. Bill Hader in "Skeleton Twins". It seems early reviews were raves for both, but now nothing.
3. Marion Cotillard "The Immigrant"
4. Andrea Riseborough in "Birdman", over shadowed by just about everyone in the film but so damn real
Uma Thurman in Nymphomaniac!!!
I keep dreaming one of the major critic groups will award her, but I know it's a long shot.
Can you imagine the consternation if someone from Nymphomaniac got a GG or Oscar nom? How would the network censors deal with that? LOL If ever one wanted Ricky G back as host it would be to hear those jokes.
david: Groot voice was Vin Diesel. Bautista was Drax. Pretty good (certainly superior to Lee Pace's disappointing villain turn/even to Karen Gillen's Nebula), but with some kind of sour script notes.