So far 2008 hasn’t offered much for an Oscar shortlist beyond a few festival offerings that have yet to see a domestic release. Certainly nothing in the way of powerhouse awards-caliber performances has come down the pike, leaving some to talk up smaller, menial turns amid the lull. But one actor has certainly put forth an effort in the year’s first half that deserves the kind of recognition we cover here at In Contention.
In John Crowley’s “Is Anybody There?,” a delicate little film focused on the unlikely friendship between an aged magician and a death-obsessed young boy, Sir Michael Caine gives perhaps his best performance since 2002’s “The Quiet American.”
It is, of course, his first significant role in the seven years between the two films. Supporting work in “Children of Men,” “The Prestige” and the Batman franchise has certainly been laudable, but in Crowley’s fourth feature the actor shows that he still has both the chops to carry a film and the courage to explore mortality in ways that unexpectedly cut close to home. I had the chance to speak with Caine about the film last week and found a delightful legend trying his best to have a blast with the opportunities he’s given.
“It’s an attitude you have to have towards growing old,” he says, calling from London. “People ask, ‘How do you feel about getting older?” Well, what is the alternative? I think it’s great. I’m one of those people who tries to have fun the whole time.”
And whether it be the high-budget antics of a blockbuster like “The Dark Knight” or something as independent as Crowely’s film or Caine’s upcoming “Harry Brown,” the actor tries to approach all material with the same philosophy.