The humor, charm, and sophistication of an evil character assures the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor this time around. It overshadows the realism of a good soldier doing a tough job in a more serious film. It trumps the credentials of a veteran actor playing one of the most notable authors of all time.
Chistoph Waltz, in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds found a new tone for the Nazi villain. It’s one of those delicious roles. It’s OK that it will win the Oscar. It’s OK that Christoph Waltz and Inglourious Basterds are somewhat superficial choices.
Woody Harrelson, in The Messenger, plays a less well-rounded character than Christoph Waltz. Harrelson plays a career soldier, a dedicated employee, good at his job. He doesn’t have much of a life outside his job.
His job: knock on people’s doors. Dispassionately deliver a message that their loved one has died in service to his country. Then, another door, another message, another door, another message….
There’s no ignoring the quality of Harrelson’s laser-like intensity. If The Messenger had The Hurt Locker’s buzz, Harrelson would probably be grabbing Gold.
Christopher Plummer plays Leo Tolstoy, author of War and Peace. Tolstoy commanded a huge following. He shouldered the burden of an aristocratic background during a revolutionary time in Russia. He lived the contradiction of being more influential than he felt he deserved. Tolstoy felt knotted by a marriage that simultaneously sustained and constrained him. He was a loving, complicated man.
Besides what Plummer has done portraying the complexity of this man’s character, he deserves an Oscar more if you figure in a long distinguished career as an actor.
Stanley Tucci, typically a boost to any film in which he appears, gets stuck with a caricature in The Lovely Bones. Unfortunately, the exaggerated personality he plays has no personality that compels watching.
He plays your average, compulsive loner, and creepy, neighborhood serial killer. There’s no surprise about him, not even a story about him really. There’s only the obvious menace of his murderous ways.
Also a mere tack-on to the more substantial nominees, Matt Damon plays the leader of a rugby team in South Africa. Invictus is a competent formula film with some historical punch. Damon’s character rises to the challenge of helping Nelson Mandela lead his nation into something like post-apartheid harmony.
With Damon, the tension runs along formula lines. It doesn't help that the script does little to make rugby fans out of audiences that know little about this sport.
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Nominees, Predictions
Predicting 1 of 10, Not 1 of 5
Recovery / Re-covery
Top Ten of 2009
Best Picture / Director
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Sup'ting Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Manufactured Mailbag
Awards, Wild & Scenic Film Fest
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