Word is coming from various outlets, including Screendaily, and Empire. Guy Lodge at InContention also has a review up.¬† It’s time to take a quick look at how Best Actor is shaping up so far. Leaving out those who have yet to make an appearance — in my view, the contenders so far are:
Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker — if he isn’t nominated someone somewhere will not have been doing their job. This should be the easiest nom of the season – a brilliant, layered, moving, memorable performance.
George Clooney for Up in the Air – for a variety of reasons. He’s probably great in it but also he’s the King of Hollywood. I think he’s shaping up to be more Jack Nicholson than Tom Hanks. Either which way, he is Academy-friendly, as they say, and everybody loves George.
Matt Damon – Damon gives one of his best turns in The Informant! He’s a bit overdue at this rate; helping him greatly is his success with the Bourne movies. Juxtapose the two roles and you’ll see probably the least showy versatile character actor around.
Viggo Mortensen – a tricky one and will depend on what audiences and critics make of The Road. From the looks of it, though, he turns himself inside and out for this one.
Johnny Depp – Public Enemies has cooled considerably; he is still a long-shot contender being that he is so well-liked and popular — envisioning Depp coming to the Kodak means a potential ratings surge. And he was pretty great in the film.
Hugh Dancy in Adam – again, a long shot at this point. Buzz for this needs to last a little longer than it has — especially with all of the big stars about to enter the race.
