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Early in the season the lead actress category appeared to be more competitive than ever. An easy list of 10 contenders could be drawn up, many of them admittedly sight unseen, and it was anyone’s guess as to which lady could insinuate herself as the odds-on favorite to win.
Then the critics began narrowing things down, while certain films began to underwhelm and fall to the wayside. With them went a few of those potential contenders. The critics also began to mold a frontrunner, one who would eventually prove to have the vote of the industry before having that status challenged in the final lap. Indeed, it’s been a wild ride for Best Actress.
The nominees are:
Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman, “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams, “Blue Valentine”
As usual, this year the race has boiled down to a young ingenue versus a respected veteran. It’s all made for quite the drama in a phase two that many hoped would be exciting, but was it much ado about nothing?
Or did Annette Bening, in fact, hit her stride at just the right moment? Her performance in “The Kids Are All Right” is arguably the weaker of the two leads (her co-star going without Oscar recognition) and some have even claimed it is better suited to supporting consideration. But she was never going to be anywhere but among these nominees by year’s end. The question was always, “Is this the year?” After a handful of losses to Hilary Swank (who herself almost showed up on the slate this year), Bening seemed poised. But her thunder was soon stolen. Still, she has worked it in phase two, doing national television, receiving a Santa Barbara Film Festival tribute at a key time and warming the room at the Academy’s Nominees Luncheon. Part of me really thinks she could have turned the corner, but the other says it was too little too late.
In the “just happy to be here” department is Nicole Kidman, the lone representative of a film for which she is largely responsible, John Cameron Mitchell’s “Rabbit Hole.” It’s a nice bit of recognition after the hard work she put into the project, both in front of and behind the camera. As for the actual performance, it is most certainly one of her best, a raw, authentic, at times quite gut-wrenching piece of work that reminds (if you needed reminding) that she’s still a formidable talent. Nevertheless, she has her Oscar already and she’s quite low on the 2010 totem pole as it is, so she would do well to just settle in with hubby Keith and get comfortable at the Kodak Theatre on Oscar night. This one will be a fight between other parties.
For a time it appeared one of those parties might be one of the youngest of the year’s acting nominees. At just 19 years old (she’s 20 now), Jennifer Lawrence gave a stirring and lived-in performance in Debra Granik’s backwoods drama “Winter’s Bone.” For this viewer, it’s the best reason to watch, but the film struck a chord with the Academy regardless and landed a Best Picture nomination (putting Lawrence in the company of only two other lead actress nominees in that regard). However, she’s no longer in the spotlight of this competition. That’s a small price to pay for starting off what is sure to be a lasting career in the best possible way. Next year comes her first summer blockbuster and after that, surely a few potential Oscar brawls with Meryl Streep. You know, the life of a talented Hollywood actress.
The frontrunner has been as much for months now, and that’s Natalie Portman in Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan.” Here’s a bolt of lightning from clear blue sky, a performance of emotional and physical intensity from an actress we’ve watched grow up on the silver screen for over 15 years now. Add to that a baby bump that gets a little bigger every time she takes another awards show stage and you have a story built for Oscar. She may have gotten a bit snippy at press recently regarding the usual mundane questions, but who can blame her? It’s possible she gets edged out by the Hollywood royalty card, but in all likelihood, voters see this as the best and most sensible place to honor the film (which is also a Best Picture nominee) on their ballot.
Bringing up the rear, but certainly not for lack of trying, is the wonderful Michelle Williams. The only Oscar crime associated with her nomination this year is that she wasn’t accompanied by “Blue Valentine” co-star Ryan Gosling. Nevertheless, it was a happy quasi-surprise when her name was called out on nomination morning. There were a couple of possibilities for that last spot, which seemed up for grabs for weeks. In the film, she creates and digs to the center of a vibrant, real and multi-dimensional character, a woman cornered with all the passions and intricacies associated with her situation. It really was a sight to behold, and good on the Academy for recognizing it, but she’ll have to wait a few more years before she gets her own statuette. It’ll happen one day.
Will win: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Could win: Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”
Should win: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Should have been here: Julianne Moore, “The Kids Are All Right”
Check out my current rankings for this race at its dedicated Contenders page here.
Who do you think deserves to win the award for Best Actress? Have your say in today’s sidebar poll!
[Photos: The Weinstein Company, Fox Searchlight Pictures]
55 responses so far
1 2-24-2011 at 9:57 am
red_wine said...
Will win: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Could win: Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”
Should win: Michelle Williams, “Blue Valentine”
Should have been here: Birgit Minichmayr, “Everyone Else” – in many ways the performance of the year. A work of such unparalleled humanity and dazzlingly lucidity, it truly is one of the towering and reaching-out-for-greatness performances that I saw in 2010.
I think Michelle Williams is outstanding and should win in this field in a cake-walk. Portman was by far the weakest of the nominees for me. I prefer Anette Bening too and am hoping for an upset. Kidman I would say comes runner-up to Williams in the should win category.
2 2-24-2011 at 9:58 am
Derek 8-Track said...
Hailee Steinfeld
3 2-24-2011 at 9:58 am
Sawyer said...
I love Bening, and I think the other 3 were awesome, but if Natalie Portman loses this award it will be the biggest injustice on Oscar night. She gave the performance of the year, male or female.
4 2-24-2011 at 10:00 am
Will said...
Michelle Williams has her role as Marilyn Monroe coming around the bend, so she’ll be back I’m sure.
5 2-24-2011 at 10:01 am
amanda said...
It’s sad that Michelle Williams doesnt have a chance cause she is the most deserving and should win. No one gave a more honest raw performance.
6 2-24-2011 at 10:02 am
red_wine said...
And yeah I forgot, Lesley Manville. You mentioned her in supporting but for me she is indisputably leading. She would be second in the Should Have Been Here.
The second consecutive Leigh heroine robbed out of her life for one of the greatest performances of the year.
7 2-24-2011 at 10:03 am
Nicolas Mancuso said...
This category is very strong, one of the best line-ups ever.
Will win: Natalie Portman
Could win: Annette Bening
Should win: I can’t make up my mind
Should have been here: Emma Stone and Katie Jarvis (but it would be painful to cut anyone who’s already here)
To return to the narrative I contributed to in the supporting actress Oscar Guide, I think I have decided (after weeks of flip-flopping) that Lesley Manville’s role is a supporting one. Regardless, whichever category she belongs in, she deserves to win it.
8 2-24-2011 at 10:07 am
Gustavo Cruz said...
Michelle and Nicole are by far the best in this field. Annette is good in Kids are All Right, but I agree that Julianne delivered a better performance than hers. Natalie is fine in Black Swan, but it’s a very affected performance at times, especially because Darren Aronofsky is not good with actors, and this deeply flawed, fake-artsy movie really didn’t offer her enough substance to work with. Lawrence should be happy just to be nominated.
9 2-24-2011 at 10:16 am
Nicolas Mancuso said...
I’m sorry for speaking up about this, but it’s one of my pet peeves.
red_wine’s use of “indisputably” is used incorrectly. This word is thrown around far too much.
I agree wholeheartedly with his (her?) opinion of Manville’s performance… but, as much as he (she?) and Guy may argue that it’s a leading performance, Kris and I (for now) and BAFTA voters and other people consider it a supporting performance. Right there, the category placement ceases to be indisputable.
“Indisputable” can only be used to describe hard facts, which this is definitely not.
This is all beside the point, however. As you were.
/rant
10 2-24-2011 at 10:16 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
“indisputably”
Disputable.
11 2-24-2011 at 10:17 am
Nelson said...
I am still predicting Portman but I am really really nervous. Doesn’t everyone remember the last time Aronofsky had a film with a shoe-in for winning the acting prize? I could see Natalie Portman doing the same thing that Mickey Rourke did. She is looking better than he did at this point, and she has a much stronger performance than Bening, but it’s risky. We’ll see. Go Portman!
12 2-24-2011 at 10:19 am
Andrej said...
Just like Ryan Gosling should have been here with Michelle Williams, Aaron Eckhart should have been here with Nicole Kidman. Oh well, you can’t have it all, I guess.
Will win: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Could win: Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”
Should win: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Should have been here: Julianne Moore, “The Kids Are All Right”; Katie Jarvis, “Fish Tank”; and, of course… Hailee Steinfeld, “True Grit”.
13 2-24-2011 at 10:23 am
AJ said...
Will win: ugh.
Should win: 1.Nicole Kidman 2.Michelle Williams
14 2-24-2011 at 10:25 am
Patryk said...
Will win: Natalie Portman
Could win: Annette Bening
Should win: Natalie Portman
Should have been here: Tilda Swinton
15 2-24-2011 at 10:29 am
Guy Lodge said...
Certainly my favourite category this year — any one of these nominees would have been my “should win” pick in last year’s tepid lineup. As it stand, picking a winner here feels needlessly dismissive of the other four.
Will win: Natalie Portman
Could win: Annette Bening
Should win: Nicole Kidman
Should be here (but I’m not really complaining): Emma Stone
16 2-24-2011 at 10:29 am
Kokolo said...
Should win: IMO, Michelle Williams is by far the superior of the rest of the nominees.
17 2-24-2011 at 10:36 am
red_wine said...
Indisputable is just an epithet used for emphasis, so to say. Of course it is disputable, because we are having this conversation.
But I do feel that the film is about Mary. Tom and Gerry did not even remotely engage me in any way. I would not have been able to stand the film if it were just them in the movie. Tom and Gerry are like the canvas on which Mary is painted. We know her through them but she is the one who has the audience’s interest, she’s the crumbling human at the center of this story.
At the end, we see them together and it seems it is her story we are seeing the conclusion of (though there’s no resolution so to say), we see her irretrievably plunge into disillusion and disappointment, Tom and Gerry remain just as they were at the beginning.
This is just how I see things. I can’t really think this is Tom and Gerry’s story because they have no story at all, so to say.
18 2-24-2011 at 10:37 am
bluemoon02 said...
I must say it’s one of the strongest Best Actress category in years. Scatter this year’s nominees on any other given years and they will most probably be strong frontrunners.
Natalie Portman is really very good and has the role of a lifetime but I thought her performance didn’t hold up well upon repeated viewings. Annette Bening was great and dryly funny but I connected more with Julianne’s character. Jennifer Lawrence deserves to be in this category but for me, Kidman and Williams were by far the genuinely best ones in this formidable 5. Truly.
And I sense a surging support for Williams..actors seem to love her performance.
19 2-24-2011 at 10:40 am
Julian Stark said...
Definitely an improvement over last year. Unlike that race where Bullock had it tied up, the race is basically between what are in my opinion the two best performances of the year.
Will win: Natalie Portman
Could win: Annette Bening
Should win: can’t decide between Bening and Portman (still need to see Kidman and Williams)
Should be here: definitely agree with Guy on this one – Emma Stone. I would have loved to see Anika Noni Rose in for her riveting work in “For Colored Girls” as well.
Then again, I knew that neither Stone nor Rose would make the cut.
20 2-24-2011 at 10:42 am
Marc R. said...
My “will win,” “could win,” “should win,” and “should have been there” are the same as yours Kris. And I really don’t understand the lavish praise heaped on Annette Bening’s performance. It was very good, but once again it is Julianne Moore who doesn’t get the praise she deserves. I’m also kinda wondering, will the Oscars ever go back to showing clips from a film to showcase the performances?
21 2-24-2011 at 10:50 am
JJ1 said...
I think the key to Portman (most likely) winning on Sunday is the SAG win.
I think back to 2008. Mickey Rourke won the GG because of the star story. He won BAFTA because Milk did not do as well with the Brits that year (similar to The Fighter this year). But Sean Penn won SAG and it was enough to propel him to the win.
Portman won GG, BAFTA, …. and SAG (where some speculated Bening would take it; she’s won it before, etc.).
If Bening wins, it’s because the old-school Hollywood folk voted for her and spread the word. That’s not to say young voters didn’t vote for her. I’m just speaking generally.
Will: Portman
Could: Bening
Should: Portman
Should have been here: Tilda Swinton, I Am Love.
22 2-24-2011 at 10:51 am
Afrika said...
“Or did Annette Bening, in fact, hit her stride at just the right moment? Her performance in “The Kids Are All Right” is arguably the weaker of the two leads ”
Why do people keep making this ridiculous argument? why? Nic is the center of The Kids Are All Right. She is the steam that drives the movie. The focus of the movie is on the conservative matriarch on the verge of a breakdown as she loses her grip on her family. I honestly cannot fathom why on earth people think Bening is supporting and Moore gave a better performance. Moore was good but her character hit a plateau from the very beginning; that is how the character was written. The character of Nic, however, makes the transformative journey and her quiet breakdown at the dinner table was an incredibly effective and moving scene.
Portman, on the other hand, displayed one range of emotion in three sequences : crazy, crazier and craziest. If this is what “tour-de-force” means then I want none of it.
I won’t be watching the Oscars this year. With those incredibly annoying hosts and the possibility of Natalie Portman winning an Oscar, I have no choice but to pass. I am, however, rooting for The King’s Speech. I hope to get good news (including a Helena BC upset) when I wake up the following morning
LONG LIVE THE KING’S SPEECH
23 2-24-2011 at 11:02 am
Kristopher Tapley said...
It’s not a ridiculous argument. It has been fleshed out quite thoughtfully both on the site here and in podcasts, certainly without resorting to that kind of offensiveness.
But I’ll say this, as it also could be used to red_wine’s point: Just because a character undergoes a transformative journey doesn’t mean he or she is therefore a lead.
Objectively, Afrika, you’re quite annoying. It’s no surprise you were banished from Awards Daily, but we’ll try to tolerate you a bit longer.
24 2-24-2011 at 11:04 am
JJ1 said...
Afrika, you make a good pitch for Bening there; as I, myself, struggle with Portman/Bening/Moore/Lead/Supporting conversations.
I disagree with you on Portman’s actual performance. But I enjoy the Bening stuff.
25 2-24-2011 at 11:09 am
JJ1 said...
On Manville, I still consider her Supporting.
Tom & Gerri are the center. Everything else revolves around them: their relationship, their garden allotment, the gatherings they throw, Mary, Imelda Staunton’s character, the drunk friend, the son, the daughter-in-law, Tom’s brother, the entire funeral sequence.
Mary is a big character (by the end), but I consider her Supporting in my personal line-up/logistics.
26 2-24-2011 at 12:00 pm
brian said...
will win: Natalie Portman
should win: Natalie Portman
should’ve been there: Hye-ja Kim and/or Emma Stone; but this is such a good bunch, I don’t know who you drop out; I would probably drop Bening because, like the LA Critics Circle, I think Hye-ja Kim gave the best performance of the year in “Mother.”
27 2-24-2011 at 12:05 pm
Brock Landers said...
I just don’t see it for Bening, at all. This category is about as locked as Actor. Bening didn’t win any important precursors and I don’t think charm is enough to get her the win. Same with HBC.
28 2-24-2011 at 12:14 pm
DylanS said...
Afrika: I have never heard so many disagreeable statements packed into one sentence. I also don’t exactly understand the point of blogging on an oscar devoted website and then not watching the oscars.
29 2-24-2011 at 12:55 pm
Simon Warrasch said...
Will Win: Natalie Portman – Black Swan
Could Win: Annette Bening – The Kids Are All Right
SHOULD WIN: MICHELLE WILLIAMS – BLUE VALENTINE
My TOP 5 List:
Michelle Williams – Blue Valentine
Tilda Swinton – I Am Love
Kim Hye Ja – Mother
Paprika Steen – Applause
Natalie Portman – Black Swan
30 2-24-2011 at 1:03 pm
DylanS said...
Will Win: Natalie Portman “Black Swan”
Could Win: Annette Bening “The Kids Are All Right” but I’m finding the reasons to believe her winning are fading more and more.
Should Win: Natalie and Michelle Williams “Blue Valentine” are practically tied, but I don’t believe in ties, so i’ll jump on the Natalie bandwagon, just to feel good:)
31 2-24-2011 at 1:03 pm
/3rtfu11 said...
Since Helen Hunt’s Best Actress win this category has suffered. When looking back on the last decade of Best Actress winners versus the Best Actor winners – the men win out by default. Actresses don’t have the equal opportunities of their male counterparts.
Most of these younger starlets win the big prize and go on to make crap just to keep their faces relevant to the public.
Kidman, Winslet and Cotillard are the only winners who give any legitimacy to the prize – I miss the Kathy Bates – Frances McDormand days. Give it to Annette.
32 2-24-2011 at 1:03 pm
Mike said...
In reference to the statement saying that Julianne Moore being better, I just say no. No way. Bening was soooooo much better, and I thought Moore was fantastic.
Will Win: undeservedly, Natalie Portman
Could Win: very deservedly, Annette Bening
Should Win: the amazing Nicole Kidman
Should Be Here: Julianne Moore
Should Not Be Here: Jennifer Lawrence
33 2-24-2011 at 1:21 pm
Anita said...
For me, if it was just about the performance, Michelle Williams would easily have this in the bag. But it is rarely, if ever, about the performance. It’s about the awards season narrative and the story around each individual and their entire career, etc. As has been mentioned, all the performances in this category are great and any outcome would be fine, but a win for Williams would not only champion her incredibly moving performance, but also that of Ryan Gosling. Together, they taught a masterclass in acting this year.
34 2-24-2011 at 1:26 pm
lily said...
I had Portman as my will and should win but after re-watching Rabbit Hole, Nicole Kidman is my should win. She was phenomenal and absolutely nuanced here like never before. Her performance in The Hours is blown out of the water by this one.
35 2-24-2011 at 3:07 pm
Patryk said...
“…Kidman, Winslet and Cotillard are the only winners who give any legitimacy to the prize…”
So Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron lend illegitimacy? Nonsense. Two of the best performances by a leading actress, ever. And Natalie Portman will join them.
36 2-24-2011 at 3:28 pm
Speaking English said...
Lesley Manville, “Another Year.”
Out of this lineup, however, Natalie Portman.
37 2-24-2011 at 4:02 pm
Paul said...
@Gustavo Cruz
“Aronofsky is not good with actors…”
LOL!
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Ellen Burstyn, Requiem for a Dream
& now Natalie Portman, Black Swan
All three of these are generally regarded as absolutely magnificent. He can pull a great performance out of anyone. He’s fantastic with actors, really.
38 2-24-2011 at 5:23 pm
James D. said...
Greta Gerwig was robbed.
39 2-24-2011 at 7:25 pm
DarkLayers said...
I’m as sympathetic to ageism concerns as about anyone, but Hillary Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry”?
I agree older actresses deserve more opportunities and respect, but honoring Portman isn’t wrong or umeritocratic. I think her work and excellence is very much distinct from say a Paltrow, Bullock, or Reese Witherspoon. She’s done amazing work in “Black Swan”, and she’s not winning in the circumstances Paltrow, Bullock, etc. did
40 2-24-2011 at 7:55 pm
Sean said...
Portman’s performance is NOT the performance of the year. It is average at best. Too many people are caught up in the gimmick.
Sorry, Bening acted circles around Julianne Moore. Moore cannot do silent moment acting and is no slave to subtlety. Love her, but Bening was better.
Will win:Portman
Could: Bening
Should: Bening
41 2-24-2011 at 8:08 pm
JJ1 said...
I thought Moore had wonderful silent acting in ‘The Hours’.
42 2-24-2011 at 8:31 pm
Afrika said...
Sean
PREACH!!!!!
43 2-24-2011 at 8:52 pm
Gustavo Cruz said...
@Paul
I don’t like any of those performances, even though I like all those actors. There is a reason why critics didn’t fully buy Portman’s performance.
44 2-24-2011 at 10:15 pm
Aaron said...
Will Win: Natalie Portman
Could Win: Annette Bening
Should Win: Seriously, I’m up in the air between Portman and Michelle Williams—leaning towards Williams since I saw Blue Valentine for the second time today and she is just absolutely spectacular.
Should Be Here: Tilda Swinton, I Am Love–just for that last haunting scene…
Overall, one of the best lineups ever…very happy for all of the nominees, although in my humble opinion, Bening is the weakest. She was very good but trails behind the other four ladies.
45 2-24-2011 at 10:29 pm
bluemoon02 said...
I am going to make a prediction. I don’t think Natalie Portman will win, due to over exposure, her performance beginning to draw in criticism for being overrated and the bad films she is in after Black Swan.
Its Annette Bening vs Michelle Williams. Its going to be eitehr of them I am sure.
46 2-24-2011 at 11:01 pm
Andrew said...
Benning should not even be nominated , give her a Oscar for her lifetime of being amazing but they should have nominated Moore instead.
Kidman was amazing and that movie blew me away.
Jennifers prize is being nominated and hopefully that will propel her carreer because she is amazing.
William and Portman are the best far and away , they both blew me away. I was Deeply invested in both films and it was because of their outstanding performances , Natalie was a bit more shocking and over the top so i tip the win to her .
Will : Natalie
Could : Benning
Should: Be a tie between Natalie and Michelle
Should have been here : Moore , and Noomi Rapace from The girl with the Dragon tattoo.
47 2-24-2011 at 11:02 pm
Andrew said...
Benning should not even be nominated , give her a Oscar for her lifetime of being amazing but they should have nominated Moore instead.
Kidman was amazing and that movie blew me away.
Jennifers prize is being nominated and hopefully that will propel her carreer because she is amazing.
William and Portman are the best far and away , they both blew me away. I was Deeply invested in both films and it was because of their outstanding performances , Natalie was a bit more shocking and over the top so i tip the win to her .
Will : Natalie
Could : Benning
Should: Be a tie between Natalie and Michelle
Should have been here : Moore , and Noomi Rapace from The girl with the Dragon tattoo, loved her in that movie .
48 2-25-2011 at 4:09 am
Nanda said...
I haven’t seen Blue Valentine yet so not judging Williams.
At first I really liked, emphasis on like, Natalie Portman in Black Swan. But the more hype she gets the less I like her performance (seeing it everywhere and all I start to see flaws and things I don’t like). And I wonder if all these awards are because of the body changes, ‘oh! I didn’t know she could do that’, the princess image Hollywood likes or the actual performance. Anyyway, I’d be happy if she doesn’t win but if she wins, and she probably will, it won’t be a Bullock/Paltrow upset.
Will win: Natalie Portman
Could win: Annette Bening
Should win: Bening or Kidman. Annette for the dinner scene alone should get it. And Nicole after years of stinker movies finally did something worth of her performance and it’s one of her bests.
Should have been here: Julianne Moore. And again they snubbed Moore. I think she was as great as Bening in TKAAR. And her Oscar is sooo overdue. I have hopes PTA or Todd Haynes will give her a great movie/role soon and she’ll finally get her well deserving Oscar
49 2-25-2011 at 7:31 am
JJ1 said...
Portman and Manville (not nommed anywhere, boo) gave the “performances” of the year, in my estimation. They were the “wow”. They’ll be remembered upon reflection.
That said, I think Kidman, Williams, Bening, Moore & Swinton gave more layered “acting” than, say, Portman.
Do you reward “wow”, or do you reward “acting technique” (in a manner of speaking).
What wins out for a Best Actress Oscar of any given year, you know? I guess it varies from year to year.
50 2-25-2011 at 8:59 am
Sawyer said...
Natalie is fine in Black Swan, but it’s a very affected performance at times, especially because Darren Aronofsky is not good with actors
Most ignorant comment ever. The Requiem quartet? Hugh Jackman’s best performance? Mickey Rourke’s best performance? Natalie Portman’s best performance? Anyone else see a pattern here?
51 2-25-2011 at 9:01 am
Sawyer said...
Sorry Paul, didn’t realize you had beat me to it.
52 2-25-2011 at 9:18 am
Danny said...
Kristopher is 100% correct regarding “The Kids Are All Right” and Annette Bening. Her performance wouldn’t have been possible without Julianne Moore’s … who, by the way, is equally “due” as Bening regarding “her time.” At times, Bening’s performance bordered on being gimmicky … the butch hair, the cliche lesbian spectacles, the nods to her “functioning alcoholism” … Moore was complex and and fleshed out — more believable. Kristopher’s right — Portman’s the one to beat.
53 2-25-2011 at 1:44 pm
Paul Outlaw said...
Kidman>Williams>(Moore>)Portman>Lawrence>Bening>
54 2-25-2011 at 1:59 pm
Paul said...
“Moore cannot do silent moment acting…”
Really? Are the comments here real? Moore is the QUEEN of nuance and subtlety. Has anyone seen The Hours or especially Far from Heaven? She doesn’t have to speak to pour out emotion after emotion. Also, I’m tired of Bening’s performance being referred to as “subtle.” She is a tightly wound yuppie who gets a really long shot of her face looking horrified and sad. That’s not subtlety — just because she doesn’t speak doesn’t make it subtle. Otherwise she’s in tears or just plain being a beeyotch. If someone was going to win for TKAAR it should be the endlessly more talented and lovely Julianne Moore. Bening being here is political. She was competent. And, it’s obvious, this year is Portman’s, and rightfully so.
55 2-25-2011 at 4:42 pm
Paul said...
@Gustavo
Critics who “didn’t buy her performance” hated the movie. Those perceptions often go together. Nearly every critic I’ve seen calls her performance bravura or remarkable. I think it shows the critics loved her — she won most of the critics awards. Bening’s won like four, Lawrence like five, and Portman’s won at least 20.