Michelle Williams in "I Feel Pretty" (and Your Favorite Scene Stealers)
By Spencer Coile
While it was not on the list of 2018 films I was dying to see, I found myself in an empty theater to see I Feel Pretty Tuesday. It wasn't perfect, but charming and breezy. Through it all, there was one clear standout: Michelle Williams as Avery LeClaire, the squeaky voiced, quirky, neurotic CEO of LeClaire Cosmetics.
With limited screentime, Williams manages to craft a complete, sympathetic, and hilarious character. It could have been so easy to turn Avery into a caricature, but while I was cackling at every single line reading and mannerism in Williams' performance, I was still as drawn to her here as in her darker, more dramatic roles.
So let's take a moment to talk about 2018 scene-stealing performances. Williams aside, who are some of your favorites from this year so far?
Reader Comments (31)
Bruce Dern in Chappaquiddick! He gives a sensational performance WITH HIS EYES ONLY!. He manages to convey everything Joseph Kennedy is thinking (and then some) without the use of his body, or much of his face. I've seldom been impressed with him in the past, but this performance blew me away.
Amy Irving in UNSANE
Winston Duke, blowing everyone away in Black Panther
Williams' voice work in I Feel Pretty is amaaaazing. Biggest surprise of the year for me so far.
Jeff Goldblum as Duke in ISLE OF DOGS.
Mark Rylance in ‘Ready Player One’.
But really, should this have been a surprise? That he can manage to exude depth so casually and effortlessly never ceases to awe me. That last scene, filled with mystery, worked wonders on me.
Deric McCabe in A WRINKLE IN TIME. He wasn't in ANY of the movie promos but goddamn that kid is a star in the making.
Williams really is great in I Feel Pretty.
In another comedy no one seemed to like, Maya Rudolph stole every single scene she was in in Life of the Party.
I would also put in a vote for the comedy duo of Billy Magnussen (SO GREAT at playing dumb) and Sharon Horgan in Game Night.
Williams is the highlight of I Feel Pretty. Was completely taken aback at her ability to do comedy this well. She's nomination worthy to me.
I just saw Rampage, which isn't funny (or bad) enough to be called a guilty pleasure, and i laughed each time Jeffrey Dean Morgan appeared onscreen : he seems to be acting a totally different movie than everyone else but GOD, what a sympathetic, relaxed, sexy actor he is.
I'm still in awe at how much Logan Miller was the best part of Love, Simon. Definitely didn't see him coming.
Also, i really enjoyed the handful of scenes Mary-Louise Parker was in in Red Sparrow, and of course Jesse Plemons was amazingly creepy in Game Night.
Letitia Wright and Danai Gurira in "Black Panther"
Jesse Plemons in "Game Night"
Hugh Grant in "Paddington 2"
Gina Rodriguez in Annihilation, Mackenzie Davis in Tully, and Letitia Wright in Black Panther are some of my favorites thus far.
In a just world, Billy Magnussen and Michelle Williams would be gaining traction for their hysterical supporting performances.
Winston Duke as M'Baku & Letitia Wright as Princess Shuri of Wakanda in Black Panther.
Michael B. Jordan and Danai Gurira, Black Panther
Jennifer Garner completely steals Love, Simon with a single scene
I also thought Zoe Kravitz was terrific as the victim in Gemini, in case you managed to catch it (great modern noir for my fellow mystery fans)
/3rtful Dp you realize everything is not about a nomination? Williams was the best thing about I Feel Pretty. So now we know she can do comedy well, too.
Hugh Grant in Paddington 2 was great as he was ( not 2018 ) in Florence Jenkins Foster.
He is quite underrated .... has been for years.
Anyone who saw Michelle Williams in Dick knows that she has incredible comedic instincts. She's one of our best working actors.
Huh?! Hugh Grant was not anywhere near great in Paddington 2; he was merely servicable
Had I known Michelle Williams was in I Feel Pretty, I would have seen it opening weekend. I kind of love the recent trend of 80s Best Supporting Actress nominees/winners on the big screen. Mary Steenburgen and Jane Fonda in Book Club, Amy Irving in Unsane, Oprah Winfrey in A Wrinkle of Time, and Margaret Avery in Proud Mary, however limited some of their parts may be. I kind of think it’s time for Alfre Woodard to get another scene-stealing role like she had in 12 Years a Slave.
rdf- Please don,t attack /3rtful for zero reason. Sure he brings up nominations a bit, but he’s been very pleasant of late. You didnkt come for Mike B. For bringing up “gaining traction”, so you,re clearly just attacking him personally.
Jesse Plemmons in Game Night,
Anton Yelchin in THOROUGHBREDS, Julian Dennison in DEADPOOL 2, Jesse Plemmons in GAME NIGHT, Charlotte Rampling in RED SPARROW and Letitia Wright in BLACK PANTHER.
Ike Barinholtz and Gideon Adlon had the most affecting father/daughter arc in BLOCKERS, and their exchange of 'I love you' was one of the most moving no-romantic utterances of it in recent years <3
@eurocheese: I'm currently going through a Zoe Kravitz kick, so need to see GEMINI now!
@Sher Do not tell me what to say. I have been on this site for approximately 2-3 weeks and he is repetitious. I have even gone back to read pbusiness.ast blogs and he can be ferocious. That is the only reason I "attacked" him so butt out of my business. In that regard, you are attacking me for no reason!
Winston Duke stole Black Panther out from under everyone. Loved him in that movie
After seeing Al the Money in the World (and hearing all these wonderful things about her in I Feel Pretty), Michelle Williams has tapped into something beyond space and time...she really has become a master of her craft.
Winston Daddy Duke giving us bawdy and voice in BP. I was Diane Lane on the train from Unfaithful mess after BP.
If that’s the case you’ll have a justified reason to criticise him imminently. Going ad hominem from the start makes you look petty, and not pointing out another person doing what you called out as wrong makes you a hypocrite. You’ve given me factual reasons for to question your comment.
Thank you ... I really came to this blog site to enjoy movie talk.
Rupert Friend hits a home run pretty much every time he opens his mouth in Death of Stalin