The Halfway Report Card – the best actor performances of 2020 so far
handful mix bit of be
performances, order, me
Ben Affleck, The Way Back
Ben Affleck has had a well-documented substance abuse problem of his own and gives a career performance in The Way Back. There wasn’t a moment I didn’t buy him as a bloated, puffy drunk who is in a constant self-destructive mode and ready to hit rock bottom at any moment. Even his take on a tough-as-nails basketball coach is gripping and has such a sharp bark that it would make Bobby Knight take a step back. However, by the end of the film, you watch Affleck tell someone the source of his constant inner torture in a scene of great tenderness. The visual is a moving one, redeeming his character, unlike anything he has ever done.
Mamoudou Athie, Uncorked
how
Pierfrancesco Favino, The Traitor
man
Michael Huisman, The Other Lamb
a control outside he gently slips film since John Hawkes
Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
Bad Education a I this a controlling any
inDelroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods
one will forgotten. been of the His studio ignored him for a demanding
Tzi Ma, Tigertail
Tzi Ma’s role in Tigertail is a sorrowful East Asian one– deeply felt, that breaks you down, allowing you to appreciate what you have and long for what you don’t. His turn isn’t flashy but thoughtful, and you may have to look closely, and there is a great deal running under the surface that goes on to the naked eye. That doesn’t make its impact less meaningful and reminded me of ’90s arthouse independent cinema that’s upfront, and its visceral, moody score highlights honesty. Ma brings Grover’s tale to life no different from thousands, which is far too often forgotten. It’s an East Asian story that’s as American as apple pie.
Ben Mendelsohn, Babyteeth
Mendelsohn things in Babyteeth it some sincere emotional reactions isn’t
Denis O’Hare, Swallow
minor role here, listening, manage being award-worthy a great veteran character actor that leaves their closure, which remarkable.
Vince Vaughn, Arkansas
might ’90s to Paradise. The main reason to see this film is how Vaughn’s character gets a broader look, and you completely forget it’s the man you’ve loved in Wedding Crashers, Old School, and Dodgeball. As the film flashes back to his days as a pawnshop owner who takes it upon himself to become the mysterious Frog, the tall, gangly comedic actor is almost gone, and the brooding actor morphs into the intelligent, ruthless Dixie’s drug kingpin. It’s a story I wish the film centered around, using Vaughn’s character throughout the film, folding in the flashbacks, with the newcomers more as supporting players.
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