Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
Felicity Jones in The Theory of Everything
Reese Witherspoon in Wild
Julianne Moore in Still Alice
Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night
Who will win?
Julianne Moore. This one is a done deal. Moore has won every major award (maybe even every award period) for this performance. This is also a case of the academy wanting to finally give a win to a long time nominee and favorite.
Who should win?
1.) Reese Witherspoon
First and foremost, I think this is a strong group of performances this year. Many of the nominated performances could be winning performances in any other year. The reason that Witherspoon's performance impressed me the most is that she creates the most complex character of any of these performances. This performance is at times vulnerable, bold, funny, furious, and heartbreaking. That is owed to the dedication that Witherspoon put into this role. In Wild, Witherspoon plays a woman who is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail so that she can find peace after her life took a downward spiral as a result of her mother's death. This is the most uncomfortable I've ever seen Witherspoon be willing to get with a performance. In this role, she's playing someone very broken, and watching her develop this character shows a side of the actress that wasn't even present in her Oscar-winning Walk the Line performance.
2.) Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is going to win the Oscar for this performance, and I'm more than okay with that. Witherspoon already has an Oscar, and this role is a very deserving one for Moore. In Still Alice, Moore plays a world renowned linguistics professor who learns that she is suffering from early onset Alzheimer's disease. I went into this movie expecting that, due to the subject matter, the film and Moore's performance might feature some heightened dramatics. I respect, that as an actor, Moore didn't take the easy way out by playing up the dramatic elements of the character. Her performance is subtle, which makes her character's increasing sense of loss even more powerful. There is a scene where Alice gives a speech about how Alzheimer's has changed her life, and Moore brings down the house.
3.) Rosamund Pike
It was hard to decide between Rosamund Pike and Felicity Jones for this spot, because both performances are great, but completely different. In Gone Girl, Pike plays a woman who goes to extremes to get out of a marriage she no longer wants to be in. It's hard to pull off this kind of character, without making her into a caricature. Pike's performance is truly horrifying, and I mean that in the best way. This character is a sociopath, and it takes a very talented actress to pull off a performance like this. I don't think this character works in the hands of any other actress, and this film definitely hinges on this performance.
4.) Felicity Jones
A lot has been made of Eddie Redmayne's performance in The Theory of Everything, but for me, it's Felicity Jones' portrayal of Stephen Hawking's wife Jane, that carried the movie. Jones' performance is a subtle one, which is exactly what is needed in this situation. Jane and Stephen are very different people, and yet Jane has made a commitment to stand by Stephen through all of his medical issues and his professional successes. In Jane, Jones has in interesting balancing act to pull off. She has to convey that Jane was a loving wife, while also conveying how her longing to maintain her own identity under the pressure of being her husband's caretaker, changes her over time. I don't think there's any one "Oscar moment" for Jones here; just a strong performance that Jones sustains throughout the entire film.
5.) Marion Cotillard
In Two Days, One Night, Marion Cotillard plays a woman suffering from depression, who learns that she has one weekend to persuade her co-workers to forgo their bonuses, so that she may keep her job. While I certainly see some of the virtues of Cotillard's performance, this nomination is a big stretch for the Academy. There are points in the film where Cotillard is very strong, but what holds the performance back is the way that Cotillard tries to oversell her character's emotional state. There's nothing subtle about it, and I think it's the wrong approach to this role. What makes emotive performances such as Witherspoon's and Moore's work is that they show great restraint in how they portray the highly emotional situations their characters are dealing with. When they break down, it seems believable, because they have been more realistic and subtle leading up to that point. I don't see that here with Cotillard. It's a shame, because I've really enjoyed a lot of Cotillard's work, and think she's a better actress than this role allows her to be.
Snubs:
The fifth nomination in this category should have gone to Jennifer Aniston for her performance in Cake. Aniston's character is very similar to Cotillard's in a lot of ways. They have both suffered hardships, dealt with serious medical issues, and have mostly given up on believing that human beings can be good, compassionate, people. The difference in the performances is that Aniston performs with a subtlety that Cotillard does not. It makes Aniston's portrayal come across as more realistic and human. Proof that Aniston should have earned a nomination here? She was nominated for every other major award this year (except the BAFTA, for which she was not eligible). It appears that the Academy took the "safe" route (and not just in this category) by nominating Cotillard, who has won before in this category.
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
Steve Carell in Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game
Bradley Cooper in American Sniper
Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything
Michael Keaton in Birdman
Who will win?
This is probably the most competitive race outside of Best Picture, this year. Michael Keaton started out with a lot of praise and momentum for his work in Birdman. Keanton has racked up some wins to support his status as a contender, too. While he has been nominated in this category for every major award, so far he has won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical, the Critics Choice award for Best Actor, and has been recognized for Birdman's Best Ensemble wins at both the Critics Choice and SAG awards. The recent momentum, however has belonged to Eddie Redmayne. Redmayne's performance in The Theory of Everything has earned him the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama, and the BAFTA and SAG awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The late shift in momentum plays to Redmayne's favor, and odds are he'll win the Oscar. I wouldn't count Keaton out, though. Cooper is a wild card here, because he hasn't been nominated for any other awards, but the box office numbers for American Sniper have been huge. I'll be surprised if he wins here, but he very well could siphon off votes from one of the two front-runners and affect which of them wins.
Who should win?
1.) Michael Keaton
In Birdman, Michael Keaton portrays a once famous actor who is slowly descending into madness because of his desperation to be a relevant actor. What is impressive about Keaton's performance is that much like Juilanne Moore in Still Alice, he finds a way to portray a character in decline that still feels more like a real person than a big screen exaggeration. There are some ridiculous elements to the portrayal, but Keaton performs them in such a darkly comic way that they never detract from the character. That's what impresses me the most about Keaton's performance. It's just as hard to pull of well timed comedy as it is too pull off an emotionally affecting dramatic performance. Jennifer Lawrence did it with her Oscar winning portrayal in Silver Linings Playbook, and while Keaton's performance is drastically different, he pulls it off here as well.
2.) Eddie Redmayne
This year's performance by Eddie Redmayne is probably one of the most physical performances I have seen by an actor in a long time. In The Theory of Everything, Redmayne portrays renowned mathematician Stephen Hawking and his relationship with his wife Jane, as he struggles with ALS. It's a very demanding performance, and Redmayne does an amazing job not only of showing how ALS physically affected Hawking, but of how Hawking's identity showed beyond his illness. This performance is at times heartbreaking, clever, and inspiring. My only complaint is that while Redmayne gives an amazing physical performance, I don't think that he shows quite as much emotional complexity as other actors this year. That being said, if Redmayne wins, it won't be undeserved.
3.) Bradley Cooper
I have a little bit of a hard time with these last three nominees, becuase while all three did great work, I personally wouldn't have picked them to be the nominees in this category. In American Sniper, Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, a sniper during the Iraq war with more confirmed kills than any other American. This is a case of a great actor working within a limiting role. War is arguably one of the most complex subjects a film can take on, so the portrayal of someone who is in combat should be complex. I think that Cooper's performance adds more complexity to the character than was actually written for him. There is a sense that Cooper respects the complexity of what this character should be, and I respect that he is able to bring so much out of a role that is written in such a one dimensional way.
4.) Benedict Cumberbatch
In The Imitation Game, Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Alan Turing, the man whose work was fundamental in breaking Nazi codes during World War II and in laying the groundwork for the computer. Cumberbatch's work here is a little hit and miss. There are times when his work here is on par with Keaton and Redmayne. The final scene of the film is a very emotional one that Cumberbatch pulls off flawlessly. The part of the performance that doesn't work for me is how the character is put in the "mildly autistic genius" box. That isn't Cumberbatch's fault, but in the scenes where his character is written this way, his performance does nothing to take the character beyond the stereotypes of that worn out trope. Cumberbatch is successful in making this character very clever, and that gives the performance some life beyond the limitations the film puts on it. Cumberbatch does some great work here, but it's too uneven for a win.
5.) Steve Carell
I always think it's great to see traditionally comedic actors gain recognition for dramatic roles like this. I just don't think that Carell's performance is one of the five strongest of the year. In Foxcatcher, Carell plays a wealthy man who wants to become famous by creating the best wrestling program in the world. There are some great qualities to this performance. All signs of Steve Carell the comedian are gone here. Carell nails the habits and mannerisms of this character who is descending into an unhealthy mental state. It's a very transformative performance. Carell looks, sounds and acts very different here than anything else he has been in. That being said, overall the performance feels much less grounded and human than the other nominees this year. There isn't much subtlety here, and that causes this portrayal of a real person to come across as a little cartoonish at times.
Snubs:
There are some big ones this year. David Oyelowo's performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, should have won this award this year. Oyelowo isn't just acting here, he totally inhabits Dr. King, the same way Daniel Day-Lewis inhabited Abraham Lincoln with his Oscar-winning performance in Lincoln. Another standout was Jake Gyllenhaal in the film Nightcrawler. If you take the best elements of Rosamund Pike and Michael Keaton's performances this year, you get Gyllenhaal's haunting performance as a man whose ambition turns him into a monster. While Steve Carell got most of the praise for Foxcatcher this year, I was actually much more impressed with Channing Tatum's performance. Tatum is at a point in his career where you can tell he is seeking serious roles, and when he is given one here, he gives it his all. He's the much more subtle and affecting counterpart to Carell's often over the top monster. Miles Teller is also great in Whiplash. J.K. Simmons' performance dominates the film, but Teller has rightfully gotten critical praise for his work here too.
If you missed my analysis of the supporting actor/actress categories, check it out here.
3.) Rosamund Pike
It was hard to decide between Rosamund Pike and Felicity Jones for this spot, because both performances are great, but completely different. In Gone Girl, Pike plays a woman who goes to extremes to get out of a marriage she no longer wants to be in. It's hard to pull off this kind of character, without making her into a caricature. Pike's performance is truly horrifying, and I mean that in the best way. This character is a sociopath, and it takes a very talented actress to pull off a performance like this. I don't think this character works in the hands of any other actress, and this film definitely hinges on this performance.
4.) Felicity Jones
A lot has been made of Eddie Redmayne's performance in The Theory of Everything, but for me, it's Felicity Jones' portrayal of Stephen Hawking's wife Jane, that carried the movie. Jones' performance is a subtle one, which is exactly what is needed in this situation. Jane and Stephen are very different people, and yet Jane has made a commitment to stand by Stephen through all of his medical issues and his professional successes. In Jane, Jones has in interesting balancing act to pull off. She has to convey that Jane was a loving wife, while also conveying how her longing to maintain her own identity under the pressure of being her husband's caretaker, changes her over time. I don't think there's any one "Oscar moment" for Jones here; just a strong performance that Jones sustains throughout the entire film.
5.) Marion Cotillard
In Two Days, One Night, Marion Cotillard plays a woman suffering from depression, who learns that she has one weekend to persuade her co-workers to forgo their bonuses, so that she may keep her job. While I certainly see some of the virtues of Cotillard's performance, this nomination is a big stretch for the Academy. There are points in the film where Cotillard is very strong, but what holds the performance back is the way that Cotillard tries to oversell her character's emotional state. There's nothing subtle about it, and I think it's the wrong approach to this role. What makes emotive performances such as Witherspoon's and Moore's work is that they show great restraint in how they portray the highly emotional situations their characters are dealing with. When they break down, it seems believable, because they have been more realistic and subtle leading up to that point. I don't see that here with Cotillard. It's a shame, because I've really enjoyed a lot of Cotillard's work, and think she's a better actress than this role allows her to be.
Snubs:
The fifth nomination in this category should have gone to Jennifer Aniston for her performance in Cake. Aniston's character is very similar to Cotillard's in a lot of ways. They have both suffered hardships, dealt with serious medical issues, and have mostly given up on believing that human beings can be good, compassionate, people. The difference in the performances is that Aniston performs with a subtlety that Cotillard does not. It makes Aniston's portrayal come across as more realistic and human. Proof that Aniston should have earned a nomination here? She was nominated for every other major award this year (except the BAFTA, for which she was not eligible). It appears that the Academy took the "safe" route (and not just in this category) by nominating Cotillard, who has won before in this category.
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
Steve Carell in Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game
Bradley Cooper in American Sniper
Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything
Michael Keaton in Birdman
Who will win?
This is probably the most competitive race outside of Best Picture, this year. Michael Keaton started out with a lot of praise and momentum for his work in Birdman. Keanton has racked up some wins to support his status as a contender, too. While he has been nominated in this category for every major award, so far he has won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical, the Critics Choice award for Best Actor, and has been recognized for Birdman's Best Ensemble wins at both the Critics Choice and SAG awards. The recent momentum, however has belonged to Eddie Redmayne. Redmayne's performance in The Theory of Everything has earned him the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama, and the BAFTA and SAG awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The late shift in momentum plays to Redmayne's favor, and odds are he'll win the Oscar. I wouldn't count Keaton out, though. Cooper is a wild card here, because he hasn't been nominated for any other awards, but the box office numbers for American Sniper have been huge. I'll be surprised if he wins here, but he very well could siphon off votes from one of the two front-runners and affect which of them wins.
Who should win?
1.) Michael Keaton
In Birdman, Michael Keaton portrays a once famous actor who is slowly descending into madness because of his desperation to be a relevant actor. What is impressive about Keaton's performance is that much like Juilanne Moore in Still Alice, he finds a way to portray a character in decline that still feels more like a real person than a big screen exaggeration. There are some ridiculous elements to the portrayal, but Keaton performs them in such a darkly comic way that they never detract from the character. That's what impresses me the most about Keaton's performance. It's just as hard to pull of well timed comedy as it is too pull off an emotionally affecting dramatic performance. Jennifer Lawrence did it with her Oscar winning portrayal in Silver Linings Playbook, and while Keaton's performance is drastically different, he pulls it off here as well.
2.) Eddie Redmayne
This year's performance by Eddie Redmayne is probably one of the most physical performances I have seen by an actor in a long time. In The Theory of Everything, Redmayne portrays renowned mathematician Stephen Hawking and his relationship with his wife Jane, as he struggles with ALS. It's a very demanding performance, and Redmayne does an amazing job not only of showing how ALS physically affected Hawking, but of how Hawking's identity showed beyond his illness. This performance is at times heartbreaking, clever, and inspiring. My only complaint is that while Redmayne gives an amazing physical performance, I don't think that he shows quite as much emotional complexity as other actors this year. That being said, if Redmayne wins, it won't be undeserved.
3.) Bradley Cooper
I have a little bit of a hard time with these last three nominees, becuase while all three did great work, I personally wouldn't have picked them to be the nominees in this category. In American Sniper, Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle, a sniper during the Iraq war with more confirmed kills than any other American. This is a case of a great actor working within a limiting role. War is arguably one of the most complex subjects a film can take on, so the portrayal of someone who is in combat should be complex. I think that Cooper's performance adds more complexity to the character than was actually written for him. There is a sense that Cooper respects the complexity of what this character should be, and I respect that he is able to bring so much out of a role that is written in such a one dimensional way.
4.) Benedict Cumberbatch
In The Imitation Game, Benedict Cumberbatch portrays Alan Turing, the man whose work was fundamental in breaking Nazi codes during World War II and in laying the groundwork for the computer. Cumberbatch's work here is a little hit and miss. There are times when his work here is on par with Keaton and Redmayne. The final scene of the film is a very emotional one that Cumberbatch pulls off flawlessly. The part of the performance that doesn't work for me is how the character is put in the "mildly autistic genius" box. That isn't Cumberbatch's fault, but in the scenes where his character is written this way, his performance does nothing to take the character beyond the stereotypes of that worn out trope. Cumberbatch is successful in making this character very clever, and that gives the performance some life beyond the limitations the film puts on it. Cumberbatch does some great work here, but it's too uneven for a win.
5.) Steve Carell
I always think it's great to see traditionally comedic actors gain recognition for dramatic roles like this. I just don't think that Carell's performance is one of the five strongest of the year. In Foxcatcher, Carell plays a wealthy man who wants to become famous by creating the best wrestling program in the world. There are some great qualities to this performance. All signs of Steve Carell the comedian are gone here. Carell nails the habits and mannerisms of this character who is descending into an unhealthy mental state. It's a very transformative performance. Carell looks, sounds and acts very different here than anything else he has been in. That being said, overall the performance feels much less grounded and human than the other nominees this year. There isn't much subtlety here, and that causes this portrayal of a real person to come across as a little cartoonish at times.
Snubs:
There are some big ones this year. David Oyelowo's performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, should have won this award this year. Oyelowo isn't just acting here, he totally inhabits Dr. King, the same way Daniel Day-Lewis inhabited Abraham Lincoln with his Oscar-winning performance in Lincoln. Another standout was Jake Gyllenhaal in the film Nightcrawler. If you take the best elements of Rosamund Pike and Michael Keaton's performances this year, you get Gyllenhaal's haunting performance as a man whose ambition turns him into a monster. While Steve Carell got most of the praise for Foxcatcher this year, I was actually much more impressed with Channing Tatum's performance. Tatum is at a point in his career where you can tell he is seeking serious roles, and when he is given one here, he gives it his all. He's the much more subtle and affecting counterpart to Carell's often over the top monster. Miles Teller is also great in Whiplash. J.K. Simmons' performance dominates the film, but Teller has rightfully gotten critical praise for his work here too.
If you missed my analysis of the supporting actor/actress categories, check it out here.
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