More good news for Kristin Scott Thomas after rebounding yesterday with a Golden Globe nomination — in his 2008 wrap-up, Richard Roeper names her stunning turn in “I’ve Loved You So Long” the performance of the year. (The film, meanwhile, cracks his Top 5.) In fact, he goes even further than that:
The acting turn that resonated most memorably with me in 2008 was Kristin Scott Thomas’ performance in “I’ve Loved You So Long.” That the British native is starring in a French film is no trick; Ms. Scott Thomas is fluent and is utterly comfortable with the language. As the beautiful, 45-ish Juliette, recently released from prison after serving 15 years for a horrific crime, Scott Thomas creates a fascinating portrayal of a woman who is neither martyr nor monster. She did what she did, and we’re not sure why until the very end of the film — and then we understand, and we ache for everyone involved in this tragedy. Whether she’s eyeing a man in a bar — after all, it’s been 15 years — bonding with her sister’s children, gingerly exploring the possibility of a romance or exploding with sorrow and anger as she finally reveals the circumstances of her crime, Scott Thomas is profoundly effective. I’m not sure I’ve seen a better performance in any film this decade.
Wow… strong words. I’m not sure how deeply Roeper thought through that last statement, but I’m thrilled to see the thesp getting such rich praise. This is a film and performance with a very passionate band of select supporters, and I suspect that might be the case in the Academy’s actors’ branch too. Hard-working “actors’ actors” like Scott Thomas (or Richard Jenkins, or Melissa Leo) frequently stand a stronger chance in peer-voted awards.
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14 responses to “Performance of the decade?”
I caught this movie a few days ago at my local arthouse. It’s a great movie. And KST is, indeed, excellent. Best female performance of the year (haven’t seen Katex2 or Meryl yet).
Roeper’s Top 25 is so ugly…. just disgusting.
She is miraculous in the film — never thought after “The English Patient” of “The Horse Whisperer” I would like her in anyhting — hated that film, “The English Patient” and her in it (ice-queen) — she is utterly breathtaking in “I’ve Loved You for So Long”. Loved her work…have seen the film four times and cannot wait to see it again.
Fack dramas, give me movies like No Country for Old Men any time, lol.
Yeah I love this entire film. But Scott Thomas is indeed magnificent in this.
He thinks it’s a better performance than these:
Charlize Theron in Monster?
Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight?
Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood?
Good to see that “Funny Games” went right over yet another critic’s head.
Zac: I personally think it’s equal (or better) to at least two of those. I won’t say which.
However, I’d need to an awful lot of thinking before even coming up with a shortlist of “performances of the decade.” Hard to believe we’re only a year away from completing those kinds of lists!
Indeed, a breathtaking performance by Kristin Scott Thomas! Saw the movie on Tuesday and it really stuck with me. I just can’t get it out of my head. All these emotions she conveyed without actually saying a word.
I’m glad she got the Golden Globe nom (one of the few positive surprises there), and think she’s gonna be a strong contender!
Richard Roeper is a fucking clown, and his “ascension” was the first signal that Ebert – love the man as a person – was finally losing his touch. His opinion isn’t worth two shits, and this is coming from someone who – like Roeper – really, really liked “Slumdog Millionaire.”
I have yet to see Thomas in ILYSL, and I’m sure she’s excellent. But I highly doubt she’s better than Daniel Day-Lewis in “There Will Be Blood,” Heath Ledger in “Brokeback Mountain,” Julianne Moore in “Far from Heaven,” Bill Murray in “Lost in Translation,” or my own pick for best performance of the decade, Naomi Watts in “Mulholland Drive.” But maybe I’m wrong.
I wouldn’t even call it the performance of the year, let alone the decade, but I am definitely a fan of Thomas and moreso Zylberstein whose perf has stayed with me for than Thomas’.
Zan, I think the thing with “Funny Games” is that many people who don’t “get it” (or whatever term fans of that movie want to use), it’s that a lot of us get it but just don’t care about it. I haven’t seen the US version, but that was certainly my impression after the Austrian original. Nice message, should’ve written an essay about it instead and submitted it to TIME or whatever.
Glenn, what do you gather from it?
The short but sweet version: Americans like violence, they’re idiots. Amongst other ponderous arthouse follies.
Performance of the decade? Bjork. Dancer in the Dark. End of story.