My favorite category is here again! I've had the pleasure of already watching all of these performances prior to this project and by name alone this is one hell of a group. With 3 previous Oscar winners in Day-Lewis, Clooney and Jones and a previous multiple nominee in Depp, it's almost surprising that this is Mortensen's first nomination. So needless to say I will enjoy writing about these since all of them are great with the exception of Tommy Lee Jones' film, which I'm interested in watching again.
2007 Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
What else can be said about Daniel Day-Lewis besides that he is probably the greatest living actor we have today. He is known for diving headfirst into his roles and staying in character even off set and it shows in all of the films he does, even those that aren't as good. This is no different for his Daniel Plainview, an oil-man looking to strike it rich. Day-Lewis' character starts out strong while digging for gold and silver deep in a hole in the middle of nowhere. There is no dialogue for over 15 minutes in the beginning, yet DDL carries the action so well that one hardly realizes not one word has been spoken. Everything that makes Daniel Plainview work perfectly is in all those tics, hunched over looks, sideways glances, the intense bouts of violence that come out of nowhere, the sounds he makes with his mouth. There's a lot of thought and effort put into Plainview that fully enriches the experience for the viewer. He can easily slip between the seductively persuasive and the intensely terrifying in order to get his way. He's ruthless and relentless and it can be hard to discern if he's a decent man infatuated with making it rich at the expense of everything else or an evil man that uses any means at his disposal to get what he wants. It's an incredibly fascinating character that is wholly iconic due to the utterly amazing talents of Daniel Day-Lewis.
George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Watching Clooney over the years, two different types of character have emerged that best describe to me the bulk of his roles. There's the serious, sullen, straight to the point so we can get things done kinda guy who is trying to work through the problems in his messy life. And then there's the smooth talking, uber charming, good-natured, funny man that you can't help but like regardless of the situation. Both of which are Classic Clooney. Clooney is mostly the former in Michael Clayton as the eponymous "fixer" from the law firm representing an agrochemical company whose tainted product has killed many and are now bogged down in legal battles. His job is to come in to help make legal messes more manageable which is ironic since his own life is in turmoil as a divorced father with a son he can't relate to and money problems stemming from bad investments and a gambling addiction. He's great at being able to switch between his roles as the fixer who can walk into a room, command authority and begin mitigating damage almost immediately usually over the the protestations of whoever he is helping and then become the man whose worn and tired face betrays the confidence the other man possesses. He's a man whose current place in life has left him unhappy, dissatisfied, and depressed. And once he stumbles on the secret Tom Wilkinson's character did and becomes embroiled in the situation as well, Clooney seizes on his chance for a way out. There is nothing smarmy, slick, or GQ about this performance. Unlike his last 2 nominations, this one feels more like it was well earned off the strength of the acting alone, instead of his name. This is Classic Clooney.
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
This is a perfect role for Depp. Sure he could be a serious leading man and do Oscar-y dramas year in and year out but I'm glad that Depp has decided to forgo all that and make movies that are risky and fun and entertaining at the same time. Depp just looks good in dark pictures, whether it's Edward Scissorhands or Dark Shadows, and he excels at these quirky roles that other actors would no doubt have trouble with. The realistic singing is a nice touch as well. Not Broadway, belt-it-out quality but real and visceral and full of the same emotion found on stage. Depp expertly plays a man consumed by revenge and watching him slowly descend into madness is great fun. He has a superb supporting cast to work with and they all match each other step-for-step, effectively grounding Todd into a somewhat humanistic character and never letting him rise to be the garish and overblown character he could be in lesser hands. Tim Burton does a great job tempering the volatile moments with the lighthearted and thus gives the audience hope that Todd may exact his revenge and be absolved of his hatred. Depp never betrays his director's vision which most likely comes from their years of working together. Depp is the perfect Sweeney Todd and a welcomed oddity in the Best Actor pantheon.
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
So this was not the movie I was thinking about when I wrote the introduction. I must have mixed it up with one of the other Iraq war movies. This film plays out more like a detective movie with military undertones than anything else and Tommy Lee Jones delivers a solid performance. Jones definitely portrays his character, a father searching for his missing Army son, as very straight and proper. Jones comes off a little too good and no nonsense in a way, as if he's the quintessential father and veteran combo. This comes off slightly aggravating but it's done no doubt to establish that Jones' character is a worrisome dad out to seek justice and find truth even through the military bullshit - something he was once a part of. It's a solid performance because Jones is wholly believable in his role, unafraid to ask questions others might shy away from and steadfast in his devotion to finding out what has happened with his son. He does at times seem to be too good at figuring out things others have missed in the investigation, obviously done to move the plot along, but it's done in a way to not take the viewer out of the film. Jones just has that harsh paternal air to him that works wonders in roles like these. This is almost like a forebear to Jones' role in No Country for Old Men, as their are definite similarities between the two. He's convincing and natural and definitely worthy of his 3rd nomination.
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
What a quietly strong performance. Mortensen delivers a rich yet subtle take on a Russian mobster. He's a very calculated man of very few words but Mortensen can convey so much with his facial expressions and the way he delivers his lines - even those in Russian. His character, Nikolai, is a driver working for the London based Russian mob and is being groomed to take on more responsibilities by the family. Mortensen gives a calming and heartfelt performance of what is naturally a violent and cold-blooded profession. We see Nikolai's benevolent, humanistic qualities peek through his mobster facade now and again and are forced as the audience to reconcile the two extreme sides. Can we like a man who doesn't seem to fit our ideal of someone who may be a crazed, psychotic killer even though we know he works for such a violent and dangerous criminal organization? Mortensen makes that an easy yes, which is a tremendous accomplishment of his acting ability. The twist at the end seemed a bit obvious, but you were never quite sure of the real Nikolai until this point. He could have easily been one or the other and would have definitely convinced the audience this was true. The fight scene in the bath house is remarkable and makes both Viggo and his characters come off as absolute badasses. Probably one of the best fight scenes in film in recent years and one that is neither flashy or gimmicky; just straightforward, plausible real world violence. It amazes me that this is only Viggo's first nomination because he has turned in some incredible performances in the past and I'm glad to see him recognized here.
Another year, another amazing group of Best Actor nominees. I would say that 2007 was a watershed year for film and this group of men really hammer home how truly great it was. There were tons of great films, some of which will be thought of as classics years from now. And great individual performances, some of which will be held aloft as some of the best work ever put on film. These 5 men all help contribute to that and I'd say that Daniel Day-Lewis' is one that will be remembered for all time. He's had many incredible performances and this is just the feather in that cap. As for who would be my second choice one might as well flip a coin because they are all worthy of that distinction. I'd say the order below is fine for now but I could change my mind if I wrote this 5 minutes from now. Viggo should be more recognized by the Academy so I'm putting him as my second but Clooney gave an intense performance that I really liked and Depp was perfectly cast in a role he was obviously meant to play and Jones delivered an earnest character that may have had just a few faults. This was a really fun category to watch and write about.
Oscar Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
My Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Viggo Mortensen
George Clooney
Johnny Depp
Tommy Lee Jones
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