Just like with all the other acting categories, this one has been sewn up since the start of awards season. It's been Rockwell every step of the way and I am fine with that. He's such a great actor and deserves an award for sure. I'll have to see if I agree that he's the best of the bunch.
2017 Best Supporting Actor
Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
This is mostly likely going to be your winner tonight (yep, writing this a few hours before the show) as Rockwell has nabbed every single award this season. It's about time, too, because it feels like he should have a couple other nominations under his belt already. Moon is a favorite performance of his for me and he's been the best part of really shitty films and the good part of really great films in the past. He's one of those super hard working character actors who can be a supporting player or carry a film all by himself. And he just seems like a pretty good dude, the kind you'd love to hang out with and have a beer. In this film, he plays the racist, asshole deputy who is pretty awful at his job and starts off hating Frances McDormand. He's kind of a bumbling idiot character you can laugh at even though he plays a racist. His character is made to hammer home how incompetent the police force is and why McDormand has to resort to putting up controversial billboards to try and get justice for her daughter. Mind you, this is a Martin McDonagh film and he's known for his very dark comedy, so he's going to make light of some sensitive issues while trying to tell a broader message. There's a lot of people criticizing that a racist character is going to win an Oscar. There's even more people who criticize how absurd and implausible his redemptive character arc is and want to crap all over the film and performance for that reason. Or those who liken the film to Crash as being too convenient about racism and the white guy changing his ways. It's a stupid fucking argument that people should feel ashamed to even think because if that's your takeaway from the film and performance, you need your head examined. Rockwell's redemption is spurned on by a letter from Harrelson's character after he dies telling him that he can be a good cop and that he knows he's better than just a guy who goes and beats people and is a racist turd. Rockwell's character needed to hear that from someone he respects and it sinks in that there is more to being a cop now that he's been fired. He just needed someone to sit him down and tell him he's a fuck up and it took Harrelson's death and him getting fired to do that. The arc doesn't feel implausible and it doesn't feel too convenient that he tries to help McDormand out. Rockwell is very good at the comedic elements of the role but he can still make you kind of hate him too, when he goes and beats up the advertising kid and throws him out a window. He shows himself to be a piece of shit. But his arc is fulfilling because he does realize who he is as a person and tries to change that by getting DNA off the scummy dude in the bar to help the investigation which turns out to not be the guy after all. Rockwell in those moments feels like he has earned our trust as a character and we still know he's probably an idiot who is probably still racist in some ways, but that he has a good heart deep down and it just needs someone to bring it out. I think Rockwell is great and I think he makes a great winner and I hope he keeps giving us great performances.
Willem Dafoe - The Florida Project
I really enjoyed Director Sean Baker's first film, Tangerine, which was about transgender individuals in like LA as we follow their slice of life drama. The big thing about that film was that it was shot entirely on an iPhone (albeit I read somewhere he had special lenses and attachments for it, not just a regular iPhone video) and it looked great. This is his follow up and it follows the same idea of using non-professional actors except for Dafoe (even with some iPhone action for the final scene). This one is about a mother and daughter living in a run down Orlando motel and just kinda follows their slice of life. We watch the kid be a kid and do stupid kid things and we watch the mother struggle to earn a living. If you dislike kids, you will no doubt hate most of this film because the little kids can be pretty annoying as we follow them around. And if you think this is a wildly inaccurate take on a trashy mom and her daughter, you'd be wrong. Living in Florida, I have seen people just like the mom. I've known them from going to a pretty trashy high school myself and the tatted up, weed smoking, scamming and hoeing for money is pretty spot on. Probably just needed more drug use to be really accurate. But anyway, the film is good, but if it weren't for Dafoe being attached, would it have gotten so much love? I don't think so, as he brought in viewers by name recognition alone. And he is terrific in this performance. I think if that was another non-professional actor, the role wouldn't have mattered to the film and we would have gotten a different feeling to the film. He plays the motel manager who has to deal with all the tenants and the broken down things in the hotel and the general run down quality of the place. Dafoe plays him as a fair and caring man who tries to be harsh but gives in easily because he knows the struggle. It's like he's the one honest, good thing about the crappy, run down motel. As much as he's annoyed by the kids, he looks after them like a hawk and protects them when necessary like when he stops the creepy old guy from talking to them. It's a very understated performance that fits the style of the film perfectly. He's not out there taking over scenes or being this overbearing Hollywood presence. He is just a genuinely good guy who struggles to maintain his motel while helping those who are struggling with life who live there when he can. My favorite scene of his was when he was shooing the sandhill cranes out of the parking lot because it felt like an unscripted moment and really spoke to who his character is. He makes a corny joke while talking to them like his tenants and while trying to protect them, I just loved that little scene. Dafoe also presents his character as being both run down by working there and being proud to work there. There are moments you can see him look defeated and sad and you realize there is probably more going on under the surface in his life. Then there are moments where his warmth radiates from the screen like when the girls hide under his desk during a game of hide and seek. It's a real subtle performance that may not look like much, but there is a lot to it and I like it a ton.
Woody Harrelson - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
If Harrelson stuck around for the whole film, I think there's a good chance he gets the win here instead of Rockwell. Harrelson always seems to bring the same energy to his performances and that's not a bad thing at all. You can compare this role to any of his other cop roles, say his True Detective role, and see the similarities. Now, this character is more wholesome than that one, but he's a determined good cop in both. You know what you're getting with Harrelson and even though you already know the beats of his character, he still delivers something worth watching. In this film, he plays Chief Willoughby, the main focus of Frances McDormand's ire of the police. He's a good guy with a nice family who is Chief of Police who happens to be dying of pancreatic cancer, I think. He's kind of in a bind because the billboards target him and he simply has no leads as to who may have raped and murdered McDormand's daughter. He also has to deal with an incompetent, racist police force under him while dealing with his health issue and the pressure of the billboards. But as I said, if Harrelson had more time, there's no doubt he'd be getting the Oscar. He leaves a lasting mark in his short time and he's fun to watch in the role. The film seems a little different without him in it, more dark because he seems like an optimistic force. You always know what you're getting with Harrelson and that is usually a good thing. He brings some realistic humor to the role and the film as he calls out his dumbshit deputies and tries to placate McDormand. He just seems like a guy who has to deal with bullshit all the time and has to cut through all that and uses his sardonic humor to do so. It's a performance that leaves it's mark on the film and you are reminded of him throughout in a good way. He influences Rockwell to become a better cop and person despite his short stay. It's good but Harrelson can't quite compete with his fellow actor's longer performance.
Richard Jenkins - The Shape of Water
I have always enjoyed Richard Jenkins as an actor, he's amazing in Bone Tomahawk along with a ton of other films. He always brings this warmth to his roles that just radiates from the screen and makes you want to have a drink with him and tell him all your issues. In this film, he plays the neighbor and best friend of the mute Sally Hawkins. Jenkins also happens to be a closeted gay man and is a very lonely, dejected individual. He paints ads as a job and when he goes to sell them to his old workplace there seems to be a lot of unexplored character depth in those moments. There was some issue at his work, maybe they found out he was gay or a discreet relationship ended badly, we don't never get to know. This was territory that I wanted the film to explore more because Jenkins makes his character ooze sadness and desperation when going back, but also some resentment and anger. The fact that Jenkins can make me want to see more to his character's story in a little side plot that went nowhere speaks immensely to his talent. I also love that he sits and watches old films and knows all about the actors and their dance routines which hints at his being gay without being so flamboyant. He also has great rapport with Sally Hawkins and spends a lot of his screen time talking with her and translating her signs. And actually, Hawkins doesn't sign much at times because Jenkins knows what she's gonna say or is thinking already because the two are so connected. Jenkins also brings some humor to the role in his droll style, like telling one of the cats it got lucky the fish man didn't eat it. Jenkins just has that dry delivery that adds to his performance and really fleshes him out as a character. The biggest scene of his is him being excited at the diner where he thinks he's made a connection with the waiter and goes for it in saying he wants to get to know him better and touching his hand. The guy immediately reacts harshly and then tells him to leave, but the hopelessness in Jenkins' body language is obvious and you just feel for the guy. Jenkins is just quietly poignant in almost every scene and helps elevate the film overall in a really wonderful performance.
Christopher Plummer - All the Money in the World
This one took forever to actually see because it was in theaters for a little bit and then disappeared and I didn't see any screeners for it, either. By now, everyone should know the story of how Plummer even became involved with the film to begin with. With all the sexual harassment and bad behavior stuff coming to light, Kevin Spacey was one of the first caught up in it for abusing young boys and men and being a general perv for so long. There had been rumors forever about his activities but no one spoke up until now. So Spacey was originally in this role and there was a lot of buzz around his performance where people were slotting him in for a sure fire nomination. He also had a lot of makeup and prosthetics work going on to age him and you can see some of his work in the original trailer. Well, he got bounced from the film (rightfully so) and Plummer quickly stepped in and took over the role, basically saving the film and giving it more positive buzz. It was pretty much sealed from there that Plummer would get nominated as long as he didn't completely bomb as sort of a token of gratitude for saving a film and for taking over a key role after filming was done and then delivering something that was pretty good. I'm not even sure the Golden Globes even saw his performance and they still gave him a nomination there, that's what I mean by he was destined for one almost no matter what. He played the role of J. Paul Getty, the richest man in the world in the 70s, whose grandson is kidnapped for ransom but refuses to give in to the captors demands. Plummer surprisingly has a lot to do in the film. This isn't just a couple short scenes, he is in a good portion of the film and that makes his filling in a couple weeks before the film opened even more impressive. The acting is fine. Plummer is a curmudgeonly old man and plays up the I have money, if anyone else wants money they have to work hard, too idea. He plays a good asshole and really fits the part. I can't imagine a heavily made up Spacey doing anything worthwhile. I do wonder if it didn't have all this controversy, if Plummer would have been nominated. It certainly doesn't feel like it shouldn't be here and that's fine. It definitely makes for a historical Oscar moment that we got to watch unfold almost as it happened. He's not the vote, but it's a good effort.
As expected, Rockwell wins the Oscar and I'd have to agree with their choice. It was really tough to choose between Dafoe who was the only other possible winner, I think. Rockwell gives a strong performance with a nice redemptive arc like he's been doing for years and years. Glad he finally got rewarded. Just wish Dafoe could get his Oscar, too, because he was really great in his film. It's a very subtle performance that elevates the film into something better. Jenkins delivers another great character performance and is one of those really enjoyable actors to watch do his thing. Harrelson has a shorter performance and his could be dropped into any of his other recent films and you wouldn't notice much of a difference. It's good but you've seen it before. Plummer is impressive in that he saved a movie from certain doom and gave a decent enough performance. He was rewarded with a nomination and that's all he deserves. This year was pretty good. There's a couple other guys who could have landed here, too, without decreasing the quality, so that means it was a good year. Though, this category has been consistently great the last few years and I think that's due to more films being seen that might not otherwise have been seen in past years. Lots more indie love lately and smaller films getting their due. I hope that trend continues next year.
Oscar Winner: Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
My Winner: Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Willem Dafoe
Richard Jenkins
Woody Harrelson
Christopher Plummer
No comments:
Post a Comment