This is the first in a series of 6 posts about what I thought were the best films, performances, and directing jobs of 2011. Lets start with Actors in supporting performances.
10. Jonah Hill-Moneyball: Who would have thought the chubby kid from Superbad would eventually turn into a real actor? I certainly did not see it coming, and despite seeing Moneyball after all the hype had already came out, I was still very impressed with the performance. Hill portrayed a nervous yet confident young executive, and went toe to toe with Brad Pitt in every scene they shared.
9. Albert Brooks-Drive: Another out of their comfort zone performance. Generally funny Brooks was tasked with playing a mob boss who at first seems to be weak and reluctant, but by the end shows he is a ruthless and skilled killer, and he nailed it.
8. Paul Giamatti-Ides of March: How do you pick one performance out of an entire movie of supporting performances? You pick the one that made the biggest impact on you in the smallest amount of screen time. Giamatti wasn't given the big scenes that Clooney, Gosling, and Hoffman were given, yet he out shown all of them in a smaller window.
7. Brad Pitt-The Tree of Life: Along with Jessica Chastain, they were the only constants in the disjointed, jumpy mess that was The Tree of Life. Pitt played a father who you feared, yet never doubted his love for his children.
6. Nick Nolte-Warrior: Another flawed father, yet with Nolte's character, you never knew why his kids hated him, but you also never doubted it. You also never doubted his remorse and vulnerability.
5. Max Von Sydow-Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: The only part of the film that I liked was the parts Von Sydow was in. Playing an elderly mute is not the typical opportunity to flex your acting skills, but Von Sydow expressed more with his looks and mannerisms than many could do with a long winded speech.
4. Armie Hammer-J. Edgar: Hammer had the task of standing toe to toe with Leonardo DiCaprio, and he did, even upstaging him in certain scenes. You never doubted how much his character loved Hoover, even without him ever saying it.
3. Paul Bettany-Margin Call: Another film with all supporting performances, and no main actor or actress. While Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons were solid, it was Bettany who stood out. Playing a company man who has serious doubts about his company, Bettany was terrific.
2. Alan Rickman-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2: Not necessarily a cumulative award, but the second half of the 7th film was the one where Rickman really got to flex his acting chops. He was able to finally show his emotion as opposed to just the stern dictator he played in the first 7 films, and he did it terrifically.
1. Christopher Plummer-Beginners: The most heralded performance of the year is the rightful one. Plummer is terrific playing an elderly man who recently came out of the closet, just to find out that he is dying. But the performance, while it could have been morbid and depressing, was joyful and expressive. Plummer showed grace and soul and took great material made it drastically better.
Runner ups were Andy Serkis in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Christopher Plummer in Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Ides of March.
Next up will be Best Supporting Actress.
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