When I fell in love with the movies – in the mid
‘90s – it seemed like Supporting Actor was often the strongest acting category
– and 2016 is the first time in years where I could argue that was true (the
ridiculously strong Best Actress lineup is the only reason this isn’t a
cakewalk. Of the many performances that could have made the top 10 that I
didn’t have room for, here are a few: Ralph
Fiennes in A Bigger Splash goes big, early and often, and gives the movie a
real jolt of energy it really needs. Michael
C. Hall in Christine starts the movie looking and seeming like a Ken Doll –
then ends up being a perfect embodiment of 1970s new age chauvinism. Woody Harrelson in The Edge of Seventeen is
wonderful as the history teacher the main character bonds with – trading barbs
with the best of them, before revealing his humanity. Stephen McKinley Henderson in Fences delivers a subtle performance
of quiet humanity – a necessary counterpart to the fireworks of Denzel and
Viola. R. Hibbert & Ashton Sanders
& Trevante Rhodes in Moonlight combine to create one great character
through years – I cannot pick out one to highlight – because they’re all so
good – showing the small and large evolutions through the years. Andre Holland in Moonlight has complete
and effortless charm in the final segment of the film. Lucas Hedges in Manchester by the Sea performs admirably for the
newcomer tasked with trying to keep up with the best performance of the year by
Casey Affleck – and finding the right dose of humor to balance the tragedy. Yosuke Kubozuka in Silence is
excellent, as essentially a pathetic, Judas figure in the film. Shia LaBeouf in American Honey shows,
again, why he’s an interesting performer – here as a mass of contradictions
that at times we love and at times we hate, right along with the main
character. Tracy Letts in Christine is
wonderful as Christine’s boss – who is both understandably frustrated with her,
and also a complete misogynistic prick.
Jack Reynor in Sing Street delivers the truly great performance in this
British charmer – as the older brother who has already given up on his life,
but won’t give up on his brother. Nick
Serino in Sleeping Giant is great in this Canadian indie – as the most
reckless of three boys, doing stupid things on summer vacation. Patrick Stewart in Green Room gives a
subdued performance as the leader of the neo-Nazi group holding a band hostage
– not sympathetic, but tired, and just wanting to give everything over with,
which somehow makes it more chilling. Aaron
Taylor-Johnson in Nocturnal Animals is a memorably sleazy, evil bad guy –
and finally delivers on his earlier promise.
Tom Bennett has only a few scenes in Love &
Friendship – but you aren’t going to forget his performance, which is arguably
the funniest of the year. He plays Sir James Martin, and he’s a clueless idiot
– but he’s such an amusing, harmless and downright funny idiot that you’ll love
him every time he’s onscreen –and the rest of the cast puts up with him because
he’s rich and has a title – and in Jane Austen England, that’s all you need,
right? Every time Bennett walks onscreen, he steals whatever scene he’s in –
blathering on about whatever inane topic enters his mind. I could watch a whole
movie of him doing it – but his few scenes are a highlight.
9.
Stephan Lang in Don’t Breathe
If you want to see physical acting at its finest,
then watch Stephan Lang as the Blind Man in Don’t Breathe. He doesn’t say very
much for a long time in the movie – he just walks around in the dark, on the
warpath to kill the three young people who have invaded his house (although he
is still – somehow – the bad guy, even before he proves just how bad he is). He
is terrifying in those early scene as he stalks his prey through the house he
knows so well. When he does speak – and reveals just how, well, crazy he has
gone, Lang becomes one of the year’s most memorable and vile villains. Lang has
been a fine character actor for a long time – and this is one of the highlights
of his career.
8.
John Goodman in 10 Cloverfield Lane
You’d be hard pressed to find a better character
actor in American movies over the past 25 years than John Goodman – who has
worked with practically everyone, and can always be counted on to deliver a
fine performance in any role, large or small. His work in 10 Cloverfield Lane
is some of the best of his career. In the film, he plays a man who may, or may,
be right about a cataclysmic event that has destroyed America – which made him
taking Mary Elizabeth Winstead to his underground bunker an act of charity, not
kidnapping. Either way, he’s also clearly unhinged, and throughout the film,
his paranoia swings from harmless to terrifying, before the intense final
scenes with him. This isn’t the first time Goodman has been asked to play
someone possibly unhinged and dangerous – but Goodman does find some new notes
here, making him a dangerously unpredictable presence. A great performance by a
great actor, who continues to do fine work in every film he makes.
7.
Ben Foster in Hell or High Water
Ben Foster seems to be on his way to becoming the
next Christopher Walken or Nicolas Cage – those kind of strange, one-of-a-kind
actors, who can either overact brilliantly, or overact horribly – with an
occasional subtle performance to throw you off. In Hell or High Water, Foster
is the least subtle character in a movie that is mainly about subtly – and
needs the kick in the rear Foster gives it occasionally. As the more reckless
brother – the one with nothing to lose – Foster rips in his role as a bank robber,
who having fun, mainly because he’s finally going to be of service to someone
in his family. Foster has been a talented actor for quite some time now, just
looking for directors who know how to use properly. Hell or High Water is an
example of how to use him perfectly.
6.
Tracy Letts in Indignation
Playwright/actor Letts had a great year in front of
the camera – as the asshole father in Todd Solondz’ Wiener Dog, as the chauvinist
boss in Antonio Campos’ Christine were also terrific – but his best work was as
Dean Cauldwell in James Schamus’ adaptation of Philip Roth’s Indignation. As
the “Dean of Men”, who calls in the hero for a “talk”, Letts is merciless, yet
infuriatingly calm. You can see how he pushes every button on the films hero,
without ever raising his voice or being outwardly disrespectful – it’s a
masterful dismantling, and every time Letts return after that set piece (that
takes up a good 20 minutes in the middle of the movie) he grows more
intimidating. Letts has had a great career on stage already – and I’m happy
he’s finally getting the film work that allows us to see what a tremendous
actor he really is.
5.
Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals
Michael Shannon knows he is playing a caricature of
a Southern lawman in Nocturnal Animals – remember his character in the story
within the story (double fictional), and in many ways, it’s Shannon total
embrace of the clichés of the character, that makes the character work as well
as it does (and helps to upend those clichés). Shannon, who I think would get
my vote for best actor working right now, embraces his role as Bobby Seale – a
the lawman hell-bent on getting justice – or at least revenge – on behalf of
the main character, whose wife and daughter are murdered. There are many great
moments in Shannon’s performance – for his first few moments, when he gives
Gyllenhaal a priceless look to let him know how badly he thinks Gyllenhaal
fucked up – right up to the finale. There is nothing I wouldn’t gladly watch
Shannon do – and his work here joins his work in 99 Homes, Bug, World Trade
Center, Midnight Special and Take Shelter – among many others – as proof as to
why right now, no one is doing it better than Shannon.
4.
Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water
Casting Jeff Bridges as a Texas lawman, on the edge
of retirement, is just about the most obvious casting decision you can make –
and for Hell or High Water, it paid huge dividends. Bridges, who easily could
have slapped on a cowboy hat and sleepwalked through the film and been fine,
ends up delivering one of his very best performances. He’s a Texas Ranger, not
quite ready to hang it up just yet – he’s got one case left in him, and while
he jokes with his partner along the way, he also shows just how good and
observant he really is. He shines throughout the film – nowhere more so than in
the closing scenes – first his reaction that turns from jubilation to tears in
a heartbeat, then his final confrontation – a tense standoff where he sizes up
the competition, is great. Bridges has been one of our best actors for decades
–and he keeps showing us why.
3.
Issei Ogata in Silence
As the Inquisitor in Silence, Ogata delivers what
may be the film’s finest performance. It’s a performance that starts out almost
comedically – we’ve heard so much about the brutality of this character, and he
comes on, and we do not know who he is, but he seems like a harmless old man.
As the film progresses though his intelligence and thoughtfulness comes through
– as does his quick wit, and capacity for both cruelty and benevolence. That
are a lot of great roles for the Japanese actors in Silence – but Ogata
outshines them all with his whip smart performance. The veteran character actor
is getting his highest profile international role of his career – and he’s
making the most of it. A great, towering performances.
2.
Alden Ehrenreich in Hail, Caesar!
If there was a true, star-making performance this
year, it was Alden Ehrenreich’s turn in the Coen Brothers Hail, Caesar! He
started the year as a vaguely familiar face – but after his terrific work here,
he ends up as the new Han Solo. It’s hard to imagine, no matter how good a Han
Solo he makes, that it will be a better performance than what he gives here –
as Hobie Doyle – a cowboy stuntman, turned movie star, who cannot really act,
but dammit, he ran ride a horse and shoot a gun, and play with a lasso. For a
while, it looks like Hobie is another in a long line of classic Coen dunces –
and he plays that brilliantly (Would that it were so simple) – but he ends up
being just about the smartest guy in the movie – and, yes, that means
something. Ehrenreich is hilarious here, but his performance is more than that.
It’s pure joy to behold, subtle, funny and heartfelt. The kid’s a star.
1.
Mahershala Ali in Moonlight
There is something really understated and beautiful
about Ali’s performance in Moonlight. You could write him off as a cliché – the
drug-dealer-with-a-heart-of-gold (a version of the hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold)
– but that would be doing a disservice to his work here. In the film, Ali plays
Juan – a crack dealer, yes, but one who when he finds a scared young boy in a
crack house, he takes him home and takes care of him, before he can get him
home. The two have a tender relationship – its Juan the kid comes to when he
wants to know what a “fag” is – and Ali’s performance in his response is
perfect – as it is in a baptism of kinds in the water. The best moment maybe
one that is left unresolved – when the kid realizes that Juan sells the crack
that his mother is addicted to. For those who have watched House of Cards –
among others – you already know Ali is a terrific actor, but his work on
Moonlight should be the role that takes his career to the next level.
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