Javier Bardem - Biutiful
Javier Bardem plays Uxbal a conflicted man who struggles to reconcile fatherhood, love, spirituality, crime,
guilt and mortality amidst the dangerous underworld of modern Barcelona. I just watched the movie for what it was, so I turned the subtitles off so I didn't have to constantly read what was being said (no espanol here).
Javier Bardem's performance was very gritty and down to earth. He really got into the nature of being a bad guy but wanting to change his ways because he doesn't want the image of himself tarnished by those that love him dearly. You can see it in a scene with his son and daughter at the beginning of the movie (at least I thought it was his son and daughter, remember no subtitles). In the scene, he has just returned from a funeral of a small child, and the funerals in his part of Spain are very secluded, and he gets berated by possibly the grandmother
of the small child for his lack of compassion. He doesn't yell back at the old woman he just walks on by. He returns to his house and cooks a lovely meal for his two kids and is talking about their day.
He sits down with them and the son begins to chomp wildly on his food disturbing Uxbal. Uxbal annoyed slams his fists on the table and sends his son to his room. Then there is bitter silence for the next few minutes while his daughter looks at him scared and amazed. I could see the guilt that ran through him from the previous encounter and how he handled his son were some of the struggles that he was about to go into.
Javier Bardem is an amazing actor, he lives and breathes a role to its fullest extent. I think this role though gave him extra credibility with showing a variety of emotions on camera. There are not many actors that can pull that off very well but excellent job Mr. Bardem.
Jeff Bridges - True Grit
I just have to say Jeff Bridges is my favorite actor of all time. I haven't seen him play a bad role yet. Coming off his excellent win last year for Crazy Heart (also, a very good movie) he is back as Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. This is a remake done by the Coen Brothers (also my favorite directors). For those of you who don't know about True Grit here is the synopsis. A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer. Short and simple. The great John Wayne was the original Cogburn, and he set a pretty high
standard for Bridges to reach.
Bridges in fact took that standard and made it better in my eyes. He gave the character more depth, or backstory that I didn't see in the John Wayne version. I believed that Cogburn was a lazy, drunk U.S. Marshall that wanted to do what he wanted to do.
He was paid to kill the man that killed the girl's father, he didn't want tagging along and it showed, but as he realized the seriousness, or stubbornness of the girl he felt accustomed to her face. She grew on him and he started seeing a lot of errors that he did in the past and in the present.
I hope and pray that Jeff Bridges wins the Best Actor award every year he is nominated except this year. I think this was a "safe" role. He performed the shit out of it but the part has already been done. He also kind of had that Crazy Heart role in this role and I don't think the Academy will notice that the two are different.
Jesse Eisenberg - Social Network
The Social Network was an amazingly made film. One of the best of the years. Jesse Eisenberg's performance...ehhh. You might be saying, "What?!?, it was the best that I've seen portraying someone." and I say "I've seen better." The Social Network is about Facebook. Everyone uses Facebook, or they will eventually. There are three different stories intermixed into one. Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerburg, the founder of Facebook.
You see, Eisenberg played the role exceptionally well. His best yet, but his previous films aren't all that great. Adventureland? Zombieland? Ok, Zombieland was an amazing movie granted, but Eisenberg didn't play a stand out part and he was the lead actor in it! They should have named this movie The Social Networkland and then he could have kept the theme going. I don't really like Jesse Eisenberg if you couldn't tell where I was going with that last rant. I think he was just written an excellent part and he performed it like any paid actor would do. The movie is better than the actor.
Colin Firth - The King's Speech
Colin Firth played the hell out of this part! I think he really wants an Oscar. I couldnt tell though. The King's Speech is about how Bertie (Colin Firth) battles his speech impediment to make one of the most historically famous speeches of Great Britain as King George VI.
Colin Firth is a well accomplished British actor. I've seen him in a lot of British TV shows and older British movies. He is well traversed in the period film. This period film also gave a challenge to him. He not only had to act as a Duke, he had to talk with a stammer and not fumble around to much. There is a part where his daughters ask him to read a bedtime story to them, and you just feel so heartbroken for him while he fumbles through line after line looking to his wife for guidance every once in awhile. I have never seen an actor stammer and still keep the composure to continue to stammer while performing on screen. Yet to this day. He brought the part of King George VI to life to me. I've heard about him but Colin Firth's performance really brought what Bertie went through on a day-to-day basis. Truly Remarkable.
James Franco - 127 Hours
James Franco did an about face with his career with this movie. It's now heading in a good direction. I guess I never saw the potential until now. 127 hours is the story of Aron Ralston and how he made it five days with his hand stuck between a rock and wall of a cavern. The story shows what he went through during those 127 hours. I just finished this movie and I am blown away still. What Aron Ralston went through is escrutiating. I would died in that situation.
James Franco, played this part to the T. I've read Between a Rock and a Hard Place and it gets pretty vivid on what Aron Ralston went through. It's a change from James Franco's last endeavor Date Night, or rather Pineapple Express, or even better Spiderman. I respect James Franco now. It is hard for anyone to be on camera and the only thing on camera and to act the shit out of it. I don't like watching things when its focused on one person for more than 5 minutes but this, I could watch another 120 minutes of James Franco giving a monologue. Its sad but thats how much he kicked ass.
So there are my thoughts on the Actor in a Leading Role candidates. My prediction is now a toss up between James Franco and Colin Firth. If you would have asked me a week ago I would have definitely told you Colin Firth but after seeing James Franco marvel in 127 hours (I think I just made a funny with James Franco, if you catch it, let me know) I believe James Franco has a chance. I don't think Jesse Eisenberg should be in this bunch, maybe they should have put Mark Wahlberg from The Fighter in here instead. Jeff Bridges played a "safe" role, and I just couldnt understand Javier Bardem.
Until We Meet Again
"You'll Never Walk Again..." -Milt Anderson
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