Completed Category: Actor In A Leading Role

 I watched The Holdovers and thus completed three more categories.  Let's talk about one of them. 

Who should win? Who will win? What order did I see them in? Let's start there; the order I saw the films was Oppenheimer, Maestro, American Fiction, Rustin, The Holdovers. So like many, I've had Cillian Murphy in my head the longest, and yes wow did he carry that film! Can we make the compelling case for any of the others? 

BRADLEY COOPER, Maestro:  Er...yes. We can make a case for Bradley. And I also think a lot of people just, like, WANT him to win an Oscar. However, Maestro was a little strange and I'm not entirely sold. As I mentioned in my Actress In A Leading Role post, I would want Carey to win if not for Annette Bening. Bradley though .. there was just a lot going on and some of it was so - well. so much.  I know he gave the performance and film his all. But do we really need people to write, direct, and star in their films? Is this necessary?  With anyone I mean. Warren Beatty or whoever. Who else does this? Orson Welles? Most overrated film of all time. Woody Allen? No one needs him at all whatsoever. Just, like, pick a lane, men. Anyway, am I saying that Bradley's performance could have been better/different had he not been directing the film? I don't know, maybe. But am I saying it could have moved me more? Yes. 

COLMAN DOMINGO, Rustin: He's in two nominated films this year! There are a couple of people pulling doubles like that. I enjoyed Rustin, and he absolutely carried us through that film. It's kind of a feel-good movie, even though it depicts a lot of crucial moments of mid-20th century U.S. history.  I happened to hear his Fresh Air interview in December, right at the beginning of awards season, and it was interesting how he talked about capturing Bayard Rustin's mannerisms, invented accent, teeth, etc.  I applaud this performance but don't think he's going to win.  Are the Obamas coming to the Oscars this year or what? 

PAUL GIAMATTI, The Holdovers:  I had an issue with this film that almost had me ready to give up on it - we'll get to that on Best Picture day - but it wasn't Giamatti's performance. On the other hand, it's an interesting degree of difficulty here. Like on one hand, you might think, "He's playing a version of himself." Or does he just make it seem like that? Hmmm, interesting.  And he also sustains us through the film because it's a lot of quiet talking scenes in the same rooms - until it's not, of course - and he keeps us interested. Now that I think about it, I wonder if he's supposed to be unlikable?  I of course liked him - but I also dislike people, the bitter world, those who blow off their history studies, and so forth. 

I just realized that there's a whole thing about his nose for Maestro, and the teeth in Rustin, and then a recurring thing about his eyes in The Holdovers. Huh. What does it all mean?  (Nothing.) 

CILLIAN MURPHY, Oppenheimer:  He plays him at different life stages, different innocence/guilt stages (mostly guilt, but...), different pithy lines that take someone else down a notch. Awards-wise, I think the overall appreciation for this well done film helps him AND that he helps this well done film. The only thing I'd say is that there are also so many other people in it - it's one of those hey! him! and him! everybody's in this! movies, and so you wonder if that detracts in any way.  Probably not. Just more co-star friends to vote and campaign for you. 

JEFFREY WRIGHT, American Fiction: I love him in this.  Yet another beleaguered teacher, and so many great moments to show disdain for the lunacy that takes hold of all around him, but also so many different interpersonal relationships. It's like, each beat of this film is about how the next person to waltz in and out of the scene is going to interact with him and his words. Liked the book, liked the movie, liked his performance. 

See? I don't know.  I might have been swayed by the GGlobes and the way so many reacted to that into thinking it's all about Oppenheimer, including here. But the order I think they will likely win is: 

Cillian 
Bradley 
Jeffrey
Paul
Colman

I could be so wrong though!  Order I want them to win?  SO much harder. Can't do it. 

What do you think?