by Murtada
Williams this week at NYFF
There was a time - say early 2012 - when Michelle Williams could do no wrong with Oscar. Basking in her third overall nomination for My Week with Marilyn (2011), the second in as many years as she was nominated the year before for Blue Valentine (2010), she had the heat, she had the momentum. She also had the critical and cinephile love with acclaimed performances behind her in Take this Waltz (2011), Meek’s Cutoff (2010) and Wendy and Lucy (2008).
The win was definitely coming and soon. How times change.
Blue Valentine is still fondly remembered particularly for her performance which remains a favorite for some in that stacked best actress list that included Nicole Kidman, Annette Bening, Jennifer Lawrence and the winner Natalie Portman. My Week with Marilyn though, has not aged well, deservedly so since it is mostly another mediocre biopic. Williams’ performance as Marilyn Monroe while carefully modulated and technically accomplished is all surface with no depth. At least she has her Golden Globe and Indie Spirit award to console her.
Follow up choices didn’t work as well. Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) was a disaster despite the box office. Williams wasn’t even fun to watch in it. Suite Francaise (2014) was never released in the US. Remember when many thought that would be her Oscar winning vehicle? She tried to course correct with a move to the theater that was not entirely successful. While she was the first actress cast in the latest Cabaret revival, the two who replaced her - Emma Stone and Sienna Miller - got better reviews. Blackbird, for which she was Tony nominated, didn't get her the unanimous raves you’d think she’d get with such a visceral part.
with Affleck in Manchester
However she's back this year with two movies at NYFF, collaborating again with Kelly Reichardt in Certain Women and with Kenneth Lonergan in Manchester by the Sea. The latter is a performance that lives up to the hype that started in January at Sundance. She's got the bad wig, she's nailed the Boston accent, she's ready. It's a small part in a devastating story that hinges on a single scene but what a whopper of a scene. Williams and Casey Affleck play a couple who are trying to break through to each other despite years of living with deep hurt. In the scene they break hearts as they clearly telegraph with their faces what it feels to have your heart broken and to live with that for years. It is a well written scene that is elevated by the performances. Affleck has other moments in the film but none as powerful as this, because he is matched so well with Williams. Lonergan has recently said that the only direction he gave them was to “try and make it easy on each other”. They certainly make the audience feel their characters’ bond.
at the Oscars as a nominee
Williams is definitely a supporting actress contender this year. A nomination seems given unless some category fraud shenanigans happen within the stacked best actress race. But is Oscar interested enough for her to contend for the win? Other actresses in her age group seem to court more favor nowadays. Jessica Chastain had the momentum for a few years and since Carol, Rooney Mara seems to have gotten the cachet as best American actress in her 30s. All of this won’t matter if people fall in love with the performance. And there will be lots of love. But is it too short? The best asset she has is that most of the performance can be capsuled in a clip that is easily shared. That might be enough. As it was for Anne Hathaway.
Are you looking forward to Williams' return to Oscar favor?