To PSH on his Birthday

It seems like an impossibly strange thing to say, but I actually think Philip Seymour Hoffman is underrated. He’s remembered for his recent Oscar work and whatnot but the man’s been acting sine the beginning of the nineties and has been a great number of critical smashes. True, he’s also been in some abysmal ones. Whilst flipping the channels last week Along Came Polly came on and I realised that he was in. I’d forgotten that, as well everything else about that awful film, I’d also forgotten that he was in Scent of a Woman in 1992. He’s become a bit ubiquitous recently, and I think that ubiquity has made people forget how good he is. Here’s a refresher.
       

Freddy Miles in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

 

“Tommy. How's the peeping? Tommy, how's the peeping?”

Father Brenda Flynn in Doubt (2008)

“Doubt can be a bond as powerful and sustaining as certainty. When you are lost, you are not alone.”

     

Truman Capote in Capote (2005)

“Sometimes when I think of how good my book is going to be, I can't breathe.”

Jon Savage in The Savages (2007)

 

“We're not in therapy now- we're in real life.”

Andy Hanson in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

 

“Hank, you're so stupid!”

             

And he's done a lot of good work that I haven't even touched, I have a soft spot for his ridiculous hambone performance in Cold Mountain. He's got three features coming out this year - MoneyBall with Pitt, The Ides of March with Gosling and Clooney and A Late Quartet with Christopher Walken and Catherine Keener (who he was brilliant in Capote with). Maybe it'll be like 2007 where he'll give two great performances and one good one, and they'll nominate him for the least distinguished. So, I predict that he gets nominated for MoneyBall. What do you remember Hoffman for?

Movie Meme, Day 2: A Movie More People Should See

I’d probably say that all the movies I like are films people should see more, but there are some movies that just don’t earn much money. Eventually classics reach cult status and their viewership increases exponentially as the years go by, but with recent film it’s a different ballgame. Give or take 2001 or 2010, I’d say that 2007 was probably the best year for films for the last decade. It sucks that one of the three best films from that year managed to go by with little notice, earning a mere 25 million at the box-office and racking up zero Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe or SAG Award nominations.

I’ve singled out the screenplay as one of the decade’s best as Ethan Hawke’s performance as one for the decade too. And really, the movie’s that good. Two deadbeat brothers (one more obviously deadbeat than the other) hatch a misguided plan to rob a jewellery that leads to such tragedy that calling it a melodrama would just be mean. Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a film so tautly created that I respect it as much as I love it. Sidney Lumet has a knack for becoming second fiddle in his films. He’s always doing such a good job of making his actors shine that I forget he’s the one helming them. The thing is, though the actors shine here, it’s Lumet who defines the brilliance in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead. He’s always been known for his almost painstaking love for realism and the film is handled so brilliantly. Yes, everyone was going wild for the other bit of visceral directing that year, and sure I was going wild for that period flick but Sidney Lumet was so obviously head and shoulders above all other directors that year. It really does suck that he’s never been Oscared…

I’ll praise the brilliance that is Ethan Hawke to my grave, but it’s unfortunate that so few get to enjoy him in this – which is probably his best performance. Speaking of which, this is probably the best work from Phillip Seymour Hoffman too. Unless you’ve been in jail for the last ten years (or living in a cave) you’d know that Hoffman singlehandedly ruled the latter half of the decade. Add that to the fact that Albert Finney, one of the legendary greats, turns in a tour-de-force performance as their father and that Marisa Tomei’s woman-in-the-middle turn is even better than her excellent turns in In the Bedroom and The Wrestler and add that to the fact that Oscar nominees Amy Ryan and Michael Shannon give brilliant cameos and you’re probably wonder why you’ve never heard of this film…

Kelly Masterson (the screenwriter) is a cruel mistress. To say that Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead doesn’t give a damn about its implications is a gross understatement. It keeps on surprising you at every turn, though it’s never for the “shock” factor and always in service of the excellent script. I’m a little in love with it in all its delicious irreverence and lewdness, and though it’s not one that will appeal to all it deserves to be seen just because it’s that good. It’s easily one of the twenty five best films of the last decade…and definitely one that more people should see. Have you seen it?

      

And the MEME continues…this is actually easier than I anticipated…

Wrapping Up: Performances of the Decade (Males)

Little by little I’m doing my bit to exorcise the past from my regular posts. I’m on the verge of wrapping up those “decade in review” posts I began ages ago. You though I’d already finished, didn’t you? Well, not quite. I’ve already given you the fifteen male performances I’ve admired most this decade, so I’ll unveil the entire fifty. Before I do, though, if you're wondering about the picture of Anthony...he's the actor of the 90s in my book and I just love him in The Remains of the Day.

     

Click on the links for performance reviews of the top 15.

                    

*Albert Finney in Big Fish

*Alfred Molina in An Education

*Ben Foster in The Messenger

*Ben Whishaw in Bright Star

Benicio Del Toro in 21 Grams

Benicio Del Toro in Traffic

*Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading

*Brad Pitt in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford

Casey Afleck in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford

Christopher Walken in Catch Me If You Can

Clive Owen in Closer

*Collin Farrell in In Bruges

Daniel Day Lewis in Gangs of New York
Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood

Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda

Ed Harris in The Hours

Ed Harris in Pollock

*Ethan Hawke in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Ethan Hawke in Training Day

*Ewan McGregor in Big Fish

*Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge!

Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon

Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain

Ian McKellen in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings

Jackie Earle Haley in Little Children

Jake Gyllenhaal in Brokeback Mountain

*James McAvoy in Atonement
Javier Bardem in Before Night Falls

*Jim Broadbent in Moulin Rouge!

*Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

 Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line

Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean

*Jude Law in Closer
Jude Law in Cold Mountain

*Leonardo DiCaprio in Revolutionary Road (WINNER)
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator

*Leonardo DiCaprio in The Departed

*Mark Ruffalo in You Can Count On Me

*Paul Dano in Little Miss Sunshine

Paul Giamati in Cinderella Man

*Paul Schneider in Bright Star

*Philip Seymour Hoffman in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote

Russell Crow in Gladiator

Sean Penn in Mystic River
Tim Robbins in Mystic River

Tom Wilkinson in In the Bedroom

*Viggo Mortenson in A History of Violence

*Viggo Mortenson in The Road

Willem Dafoe in Shadow of a Vampire

       

Musings on the list:

- As noted by the asterisk, 22 of these performances were not recognised by Oscar, it’s a shame on the Oscars part. But then again, it’s not really that surprising.

- I've got waaaaaaaaaay to few supporting performances here, don't I?

- I love all the performances above, but the bolded ones are the top half. So they're my twenty-five favourites...Fifty is so much, and I still feel like I left out some exceptional ones.

- Unsurprisingly Leo features the most on the list with his three performances. I did say before he was favourite actor of the last decade. Greats like Day Lewis and Seymour Hoffman among others are there twice.

- I find it so weird that Viggo Mortenson came out of nowhere to give two (perhaps even three, or four) great performances in this last decade. I wonder if we can expect more great things to come from his this decade.

- Ewan McGregor and Mark Ruffalo both impressed in the first half of the decade, but they’ve faltered since. Is a comeback imminent for either?

                    

What do you think of the list? Which performances do you feel I’ve egregiously snubbed here? Which inclusions surprised you most?

Performances of the Decade (Male)

Some actors are just easily forgotten. It matters not whether they land a leading role or a plum supporting part; it seems that they just end up being pushed to the sidelines. It becomes even more difficult when the film you’re starring in becomes forgotten too. I’ve long been a fan of this actor. He’s a favourite of mine actually, and this performance represents the pinnacle of that appreciation.

          

#3 Ethan Hawke in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

I’m not sure if Hank, or anyone in the film, is as morally corrupt as the narrative suggests. Sure, after some cajoling he agrees to rob his parents’ store with his brother, and sure he’s involved in an illicit affair with said brother’s wife, and yes he does make off with quite a large sum of money while his family is destroyed. Still, I’m never moved to indict him. Ethan has a sort of naïveté that when riddled with his adult whimsies only make him more pathetic. Because, like Hank is emotionally stunted. We see it as he lets his brother rules him, as he clings – almost manically to Tomei’s Gina and as he gives in to his desires as the film ends.

Marisa Tomei may be playing Philip Seymour Hoffman’s wife (and the two do play well off each other) but I really love the scenes she shares with Ethan Hawke. In a film that’s wrought with the dubious for a few moments I’m actually willing to believe that these two could have something special. The thing is, with Hawke’s Hank (yay for my alliterative tendencies) how sure can you be if it’s love, infatuation or need? As we see the final shot of him running off with the stolen cash I wonder if he’s going to find Gina…probably not. But Hank isn’t a bad guy. The film is morally corrupted, but the characters aren’t beyond redemption. As his ex-wife (an in form Amy Ryan) harangues him for the money he owes we never turn on Hank. He really does want to be a devoted father, he just lacks the means. It’s pathetic really as we watch the expression on his face as he realises he has to disappoint his daughter – for the umpteenth time.

Still, when it all comes down to it Ethan does his best work opposite Hoffman (lower down on my list). The first scene as the older Andy cajoles him into the robbery is memorable, even as we’re disgusted by Hanks’s weakness. But it’s not one we’re motivated to condemn, it’s sad really. It’s the same weakness he brings to his final scene – also opposite Hoffman. It’s a brilliant move from screenwriter Masterson and Lumet handles it well, never making it too ludicrous. Ethan has always been able to show fear in the most precise ways and the tension here is palpable. You almost here his sigh of relief as that (lucky) shot is fired. I don’t feel any remorse for Andy really, and as despicable as his getaway is – I don’t blame Hank. What will become of him? It’s anyone’s guess. Will he reunite with his father, help his daughter, move to the Islands? I’m not sure, but I do wonder because Ethan does an excellent job in making me care about this mouse of a man.

       

It’s easy to forget Ethan. Did you see Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead? Were you impressed with him?

Performances of the Decade (Male)

One of the best ways for us to take notice of an actor is when they play two characters simultaneously, or perhaps that’s an inaccurate summation. But let’s look at performances like Baxter in All About Eve or Streisand in Funny Girl. After pivotal character changes it’s as if both women begin playing different people. Still, neither of them has it as difficult as this next entry.

       

#4 Viggo Mortenson in A History of Violence (2005)

2005 was my least favourite year of the decade for many reasons. It was a weak year for films and the consensus of the Award Ceremonies that year was (for the most part) quite generic. I still am glad that Philip Seymour Hoffman won for his Capote since I think the performance is incredible. But he plays second fiddle to Mortenson in Cronenberg’s polarising film. Tom Stall is a local restaurant owner and with his quiet, polite, unassuming manner he’s the epitome of sagely goodness in his Millbrook community. This all changes when two gangsters attempt to rob their store and with a precision that’s almost chilling Tom kills them. It’s a given that Tom is not who he pretends to be, and A History of Violence is a film that functions excellently as a top-notch thriller as well as a heightened character study – Viggo Mortenson has much to do with this.

Viggo Mortenson is an actor who can be charismatic without being overwhelming. There’s a quietness to his charm and he uses this to great effect in A History of Violence. He is a man who is caught between two worlds – his past and his present and unease in Mortenson’s face is palpable as he moves through the middle of the film. It’s the quieter moments of Viggo’s performance that impress me more. The effusive devotion to his family is piercing and Mortenson is a particularly subtle actor using his eyes as much as he uses his body to establish his point. He works excellently against Bello and the moments where he must confess to his sins is excellently done. That’s not to say that when he returns to the world of Joey Cusack he isn’t as good. There is the constant hint of something more sinister below, but even as he returns to his brother we never see Viggo go completely assassin like, Tom Stall remains as a part of him and Viggo stresses this in his movements as we sense the reluctance to become Joey again.

It’s weird about this performance, because it’s essentially about the physicality of Tom/Joey. Viggo must convinces us of his agility and his skill in killing people but it’s his facial expressions that work the most. That final dinner scene is excellently played as Viggo reacts superbly to his surroundings. I’m glad Seymour Hoffman won because he was second choice but it’s a crime that Viggo Mortenson went snubbed in 2005 since none of the nominees that year (not even Capote) displayed this level of skill.

            
Did you catch Cronenberg’s A History of Violece? Did Viggo impress you?

Performances of the Decade (Male)

I liked the nineties more, even if I can’t remember them clearly (I was a babe) and even if I need to see more films from the period. Still, one thing about the aughts is seeing how many actors made their mark as inventible screen presences. Does anyone remember the guy who played Jude Law’s ally in Cold Mountain? I mean, he made my shortlist, but I don’t think anyone was expecting that guy to turn into one of the most important actors of the last half of the decade racking up three (almost) consecutive nominations – and a win, too. Personally, I think he’s brilliant. Yet, he was snubbed for his greatest contribution this decade – at least I think so.

        

#11 Philip Seymour Hoffman in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead opens unceremoniously. Philip Seymour Hoffman and Marisa Tomei are having sex in what looks like the least romantic of styles. Lumet never was afraid to shock us and Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a close look at a family more pervasive than the usual family drama. It’s the kind of film where perspective is difficult to attain until we’ve stepped back and examined the entire film after the credits have rolled. Hoffman has always had the ability to unnerve the audience, his excellent Capote was a bit too suspicious and even though he made Father Flynn congenial enough the cards were already decided and there was no need to doubt his guilt. It’s this intimidating manner of his that he uses to full effect as Andy Hanson.

          

Andy is a tyrant in some ways and this is most perceptible in the brilliant scenes opposite Ethan Hawke. Hoffman has a way with flashy dialogue and from the most superficial of levels he thrives here. But, what makes him so invaluable to the screen is his ability to turn the tables. Forced to pin down one scene in particular to validate Hoffman’s inclusion on the list – I’d have to single out the tour-de-force battle against Albert Finney (playing his father). Someone said once it was like watching two wild animals go at it, and when it comes to the ferocity they’re not wrong. The similarities between Finney and Hoffman are not inadvertent and Hoffman’s breakdown is brilliantly executed. It’s unnerving, but in a different way. Notice how Maria Tomei is almost repulsed by the show of emotion in the car. Her Gina is notoriously weak and can’t handle this breakdown. I love how Hoffman responds in turn to her noncommittal reaction. Or how he goes to his drug supplier - so broken. But still not humane enough for us to feel anything other than discomfort.

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is – after all – a film about dealing with personal demons when life twists your life up. Hoffman’s confrontation with the conman at the end is brilliant like all else, it is in some ways more of a showcase for Hawke but even when he’s not the centre of the scene he never plays second fiddle. It’s a scarily brilliant turn and it’s a pity that such a well made film with all these great performances was ignored. Philip Seymour Hoffman has made some indelible contributions to cinema in the last decade and I only hope that he continues to be as prolific in this one. He’s not the typical leading man, and it’s strange when an actor hits their stride at his age. But he has the talent to pull it off.

           

Were you impressed by PSH in Lumet’s recent film? Or does another of his performances impress you?

99 Cents Word Reviews

I’ll possible write more on both of these sometime next year, but just a quick way of letting you know what I’ve seen recently and what I’ve thought of it all. If all goes well, I should be seeing A Single Man, Away We Go [way overdue] and The Lovely Bones by Christmas. I have a feeling all won’t be going well though…
    
The Princess & the Frog
Down with Pixar. That’s all I’m asking. Calling this a princess story belies the true nature. It might even be more enjoyable to boys than girls, and it’s an experience indeed. It’s a magical experience [cliché, I know]. It’s a perfect Disney remembrance piece. The voice work is excellent, and the story for all it’s simplicity is quite original. For a musical, it has a small amount of songs but we don’t miss them. We’re all too caught up in the acting. Anika Noni Rose is a tremendous actress [voice alone]. Tis a pity she doesn’t get more work.

A-/B+

The Boat That Rocked
It’s not very good. I’ll admit that. But I’m damned if I didn’t have a whole lot of fun watching it. It’s a rock & roll fairy tale of sorts, complete with a fantastical ending. But it’s done in so much earnest, I can’t be mad at it. Tom Sturridge and Seymour Hoffman are the standout, but really it’s as ensemble a film as an ensemble can be. It may not be perfect, or exceptionally smart, but it’s a whole lot of fun – and you’ll find better acting than in crap like Twilight., of course, that’s not saying much.  
C