Honourable Mentions and Personal Ranking: Best Actor 2016

Honourable Mentions:


Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, The Nice Guys

From one onscreen duo to another, The Nice Guys is a film that's kind of diminished in my memory. The film is never even close to being as good as Shane Black's debut directorial effort with a similar basic structure, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, but one thing it does come close is in its two leading men's chemistry. Gosling's goofy and adorable private eye Holland March is just a terrific ball of manic energy, his perfect physical comedy so endearing and funny, and I have a particular soft spot for the scenes where he makes snide remarks to 'Chet' the pretentious projectionist, or his attempted flirtations with a woman holding him at gunpoint. Crowe, on the other hand, is just such a wonderful big gruff bearlike fella whose quite cuddly whenever he's not being a brute, and is actually rather poignant in the scenes where he reveals something more to the man beneath the tough exterior. Both actors have such splendid chemistry with one another, and make the film work through their excellent chemistry and spot-on comedic timing.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Demolition

My opinion on this incredibly disordered film has only diminished over time, but Gyllenhaal's performance still sticks with me. Davis Mitchell is a problematic character we're meant to feel empathy towards even though he's quite frankly, a complete ass. Unlike another Jake G. character from this year, he does manage to make this figure a rather compelling one in a not very compelling film, presenting a vivid portrait of a complete mess of a man dealing with his grief by destroying his life around him. It's hindered by the film, but Jake is pretty great within the confines of the film, and somehow managed to make me emotionally invested in Davis's character arc despite the best efforts of the film.

Adam Driver, Paterson

I've come to the conclusion that Adam Driver is the next Jeff Goldblum. Everything the man does is fascinating; even before I really knew who he was, in minor roles in Inside Llewyn Davis and Lincoln, he captured my attention with that distinctive deep voice and deadpan delivery that could convey so much with minimalism. Last year he was a fantastic villain in The Force Awakens, and it's fascinating to see how he transitioned from the emotionally destructive Kylo Ren to the quirky scientist in Midnight Special, the conflicted priest in Silence, and his rather amazing turn as Paterson from Paterson, a bus driver who writes poetry. There's just something about this performance that's so magnetic, despite the fact that nothing dramatic happens to Paterson, and no real conflict emerges in his life, it's all so low-key yet undeniably compelling. It's just the way he says certain words like 'go Nashville' or 'Blue Tip', the way he can convey the poetic process even when completely silent, how he can be so hilarious just by a silent facial expression, or a decidedly one-sided conversation with his dog Marvin. It's kind of a brilliant performance overall.

Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano, Swiss Army Man

Certainly a bizzare film that's not for everyone, I took to it completely bar the slightly muddled ending, and even that's carried rather well by Dano. For a film that has the central conceit of a talking corpse who propels himself through water through farts, Dano's performance surprisingly grounds it through his very vivid and realistic portrayal of Hank, a stranded shipwreck survivor whose emotional desperation and depression finds solace in the form of Manny, Radcliffe's utterly zany and bizzare living corpse. Dano is great, but Radcliffe is downright amazing in the complete oddness of the whole thing, his accent, the way his eyes flit around, his physical movements, all so perfectly corpse-like. It's like watching Daniel Day-Lewis's My Left Foot performance in an offbeat indie film, it's quite something. The best thing about the film is the surprisingly moving chemistry the two share, it's all rather hilarious of course as Hank struggles to teach Manny the ways of life - the scene where they discuss masturbation is particularly memorable and funny - but also absolutely poignant as we watch Manny's gradual optimism diminish through the more about the world he learns. Though the film's conclusion is flawed, both Dano and Radcliffe manage to make it work by their terrific dynamic which makes their strange friendship so emotionally resonant.




Song Kang-ho, The Age of Shadows

I've still yet to see The Handmaiden (comes out in early March around these parts), but based on this alone, South Korea's done well for itself this year. It has a few pacing flaws and heavy exposition which hurts it a bit, but overall this is a rather taut thriller with some excellently directed scenes, a strong emotional core, and elements which coalesce the thrills and chills together rather well, in its depiction of the Korean resistance movement against the Japanese. Gong Yoo, as the secondary lead, a key resistance figure whose determination and conviction is unparalleled, is rather excellent as well, but the highlight of the film from an acting standpoint is Song Kang-ho, playing Lee Jung-chool, the dispassionate police chief working as an underling for the Japanese who comes to sympathise and eventually work for the resistance. Song is brilliant at showing how Lee so deftly plays both sides while putting on a front to the Japanese as something of a dullard, and amplifying the tension in each thrilling action and interrogation sequence through his work. He's equally great at showing the gradual transition of Lee into a man with true passion and emotional investment in the resistance, and makes the ending far more powerful than it might've been in lesser hands.

Chris Pine, Hell or High Water



A truly pared-down and minimalist performance that's quite excellent, and with time I've come to appreciate it as much as his co-lead. Pine, known best for his straightforward, solid leading man turns in stuff like Star Trek or his zany supporting turns in his Joe Carnahan collaborations, is a revelation as the quiet, understated, and darned impressive as the grungy, divorced father who robs banks for what he sees as the greater good. He has great chemistry with Ben Foster as his onscreen brother, and his final scene with Jeff Bridges is absolutely brilliant stuff.
Sunny Pawar, Lion

Dev Patel is great, but Sunny Pawar is equally deserving of acclaim for his rather terrific first-half portrayal of Saroo, pre-Brierley, as a lone child lost in India. Pawar is amazing in a very simple, reactionary role to some difficult circumstances. He says very little, yet is terrific in conveying the fear and trauma of his time alone, and is wonderful in showing how the love from his adoptive parents helps ease him out of this state. Without him, the film just wouldn't have worked.
Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead

I'll admit my love for this performance has somewhat diminished over time, and I do think that his career-best is still Hotel Rwanda, but Cheadle's performance as Miles Davis is still a strong, assured bit of work transformative work by the actor. He completely inhibits the renowned jazz musician, and even if his own direction and the screenplay occasionally take him into strange and not always effective territory, he disappears into the role brilliantly, is appropriately charismatic, funny and quite heartbreaking, and brings a unique spin to biographical depictions of a troubled musician.
Anton Yelchin, Green Room

Yelchin sadly passed away last year, a promising young actor who was fantastic in the likes of Alpha Dog. He's rather excellent her as a very to-the-point sort of character, a bassist for a punk rock band who becomes embroiled in a fight against some murderous Neo-Nazis. The film is thrilling and well-made, and Yelchin is rather terrific as our lead through the story as he shows the gradual mental deterioration of the young man blossoming into a sort of bravery and heroic conviction to stay alive. It's very straightforward but hear-pounding work that amplifies the film's intensity and dark humour so well.
Julian Dennison, Hunt for the Wilderpeople

A truly delightful performance in the surprise comedy hit of the year. So much that's great about his performance must be discussed with Sam Neill's as the two are such a delightful duo. Their chemistry between Dennison's ridiculous gangsta routine and Neill's deadpan reactions are consistently golden throughout the whole film. Dennison, on his own, is just absolutely adorable as the juvenile delinquent who's really as bad as he's made out to be by child services, as he makes a troublemaker likeable, and even quite moving, by showing where he's coming from. As I've mentioned, he's hilarious whether he's spouting out ridiculous haikus, unwittingly making inappropriate comments about 'playing' with his Uncle, 'Shit Just Got Real', or his silent reactions too are brilliant.
Robert Downey Jr., Captain America: Civil War

Downey Jr. gives a great performance as Tony Stark who is now no longer the carefree playboy of days gone by (though he does have a brief reprise of that version of him in an ingeniously crafted 'flashback' scene). The sardonic side of him is now no logner a natural part of his character but a means of self-defense and denial of his own guilt and complicity in the disaster and damage the actions of The Avengers have inadvertently caused. Downey Jr.'s portrayal of the perennially haunted state of the man is heartbreaking as even for one who's on Captain America's side through thick and thin (i.e. me), I completely understood and sympathised, and even agreed on certain counts, with some of the points made on the Sokovia Accords. I found Downey Jr. invested so much into the emotional devestation of his character at certain moments and revelations while also developing Stark's personal arc towards the end, and makes me really, really hyped for Infinity War.

Personal Nominees:

5. Joel Edgerton, Loving

Watching this performance, I immediately thought of Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain; and going online afterwards, found many agreed with me on this front. It's a similarly close to the chest, mannered but utterly natural, underplayed performance, performed beautifully by two hulking Aussie actors with a remarkable knack for transforming into their characters. Edgerton's an actor I've always been impressed by, and has turned out to be a fine director as well, but what he does in Loving as Richard Loving, the other half to Ruth Negga's terrific portrayal of Mildred Loving, is something else altogether.


Edgerton's performance as the quiet, retiring Richard is quite transformative, as aforementioned, but also extremely unfussy. Edgerton never tries to draw attention to himself onscreen, fitting for a man who preferred to stay quiet on the fringes of society, and talking only with close friends and family, but nevertheless there's something awfully magnetic about Richard. He never raises his voice, and always a bit shy even in his scenes with his wife, but this is all so fitting to a man who loves his wife in the most simple fashion possible, with the purest sort of affection. Edgerton is amazing in the early scenes where he pledges to build a home and marry Mildred, these scenes are handled in a low-key fashion, miles away from the scenes in Hacksaw Ridge and La La Land, yet had perhaps an even greater impact for me. In fact, this might be my favorite romance of the year because they just feel so right with one another with very little words, and even when their characterizations diverge - for example, while Negga portrays Mildred as more open and accommodating to the press and offers words of wisdom and compassion, Edgerton portrays Richard as being shy and uncomfortable in the spotlight - they feel so perfect for one another.


When the authorities come in to cause trouble for their marriage, Edgerton's reactions to this blow to his life and dreams are outstanding. Again, he does not say much, but you can feel the complete and utter devastation to his life here.  Just through the most minimalist of actions and his eyes, Edgerton shows how much distress he feels in his body and soul as the courts attempt to tear him away from his wife and homeland. When he utters that he and Mildred 'won't bother anyone' if the courts let them go away, it's heartbreaking in its resignation of a man who just wants to live a simple and quiet life away from the harsh madness of the world. When he learns that their case has been won in their favour, all Edgerton needs is a small smile to make our hearts flow with joy. The film ends with a quote from the real-life Mildred about her deceased husband: 'I miss him.' It affected me very much because I truly did grow to love the Lovings, and Edgerton's powerful internalized work is essential to this.

4. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge (await my soon-to-come article, 'Year of the Garfield')

3. Denzel Washington, Fences (http://actorvsactor.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/ranking-oscar-nominees-best-actor-2017.html)

2. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea (http://actorvsactor.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/ranking-oscar-nominees-best-actor-2017.html)

1. Andrew Garfield, Silence (await my soon-to-come article, 'Year of the Garfield')

1. Andrew Garfield, Silence
2. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
3. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea 
4. Denzel Washington, Fences
5. Joel Edgerton, Loving
6. Daniel Radcliffe, Swiss Army Man
7. Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
8. Song Kang-ho, The Age of Shadows
9. Adam Driver, Paterson
10. Ryan Gosling, La La Land
11. Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead
12. Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
13. Paul Dano, Swiss Army Man
14. Chris Pine, Hell or High Water
15. Julian Dennison, Hunt for the Wilderpeople
16. Robert Downey Jr., Captain America: Civil War
17. Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys
18. Russell Crowe, The Nice Guys
19. Dev Patel, Lion
20. Jake Gyllenhaal, Demolition
21. Sunny Pawar, Lion
22. Anton Yelchin, Green Room
23. Matthias Schonaerts, Disorder
24. Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
25. Chris Evans, Captain America: Civil War
26. Lewis McDougall, A Monster Calls
27. Benedict Cumberbatch, Doctor Strange
28. Tom Hanks, Sully
29. Gong Yoo, The Age of Shadows
30. Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
31. Taron Egerton, Eddie the Eagle
32. Dwayne Johnson, Moana
33. Peter Simonischek, Toni Erdmann
34. Gong Yoo, Train to Busan
35. Ralph Fiennes, A Bigger Splash
36. Ralph Ineson, The VVitch
37. Jonah Hill, War Dogs
38. Miles Teller, Bleed for This
39. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Snowden
40. Josh Brolin, Hail, Caesar!
41. Eddie Redmayne, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 
42. Denzel Washington, The Magnificent Seven
43. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Sing Street
44. Mark Rylance, The BFG
45. Kevin Spacey, Elvis & Nixon
46. Michael Shannon, Elvis & Nixon
47. Ben Affleck, Batman v.s. Superman
48. George Clooney, Money Monster
49. Keegan Michael-Key, Keanu
50. Jordan Peele, Keanu
51. Tom Hiddleston, High Rise
52. Sam Claflin, Me Before You
53. Diego Luna, Rogue One
54. Mark Wahlberg, Deepwater Horizon
55. Chris Pine, Star Trek Beyond
56. Casey Affleck, The Finest Hours
57. Blake Jenner, Everbody Wants Some!!
58. Colin Firth, Genius
59. Michael Shannon, Midnight Special
60. Lucas Jade Zumann, 20th Century Women
61. Will Smith, Suicide Squad
62. Richard Madden, Bastille Day
63. Matt Damon, Jason Bourne
64. Ewan McGregor, Our Kind of Traitor
65. Tom Hiddleston, I Saw the Light
66. Miles Teller, War Dogs
67. Idris Elba, Bastille Day
68. Mark Strong, Grimsby
69. Chris Pine, The Finest Hours
70. Jeff Goldblum, Independence Day: Resurgence
71. Alexander Skarsgård, The Legend of Tarzan
72. Neel Sethi, The Jungle Book
73. Aaron Eckhart, London Has Fallen
74. Jaeden Lieberher, Midnight Special
75. Brad Pitt, Allied
76. Chris Pratt, Passengers
77. Matthias Schoenaerts, A Bigger Splash
78. Travis Fimmel, Warcraft
79. Sacha Baron Cohen, Grimsby
80. Joel Edgerton, Jane Got a Gun
81. Gerard Butler, London Has Fallen
82. Henry Cavill, Batman v.s. Superman
83. Jake Gyllenhaal, Nocturnal Animals
84. Liam Hemsworth, Independence Day: Resurgence
85. Jude Law, Genius