My current Top 5

My current Top 5

8/11/2010

Best Actress 1988 - The resolution

After having watched and reviewed all five nominated performances, it's time to pick the winner!



Tess could have been a great character if the writers hadn’t bended her too many times to fit into the story and that way robbed her of any credibility. Combined with Melanie Griffith’s uninspired acting which only emphasizes the problems of the character by being surprisingly monotonous and dull, Tess McGill becomes one of the most frustrating and disappointing creations in the history of the Best Actress category.



                     
It’s laudable that Jodie Foster so completely threw herself into the part and was not afraid to show a more unlikable side of her character while never letting her lose her dignity. But she still seemed too often destined to make sure that her character would be the dominant force of the story even though she didn’t have to do that since the movie’s structure guaranteed that already. It’s clear that she played the part very effectively, but just sometimes, a little less would have been more. But it’s still an unforgettable performance of a very challenging role.

Who is this Dian Fossey? What is her past? What are her reasons? These questions are unanswered and Sigourney Weaver does her best to let them remain so and solely focuses on the present and future and that way creates a very intriguing because never fully explainable woman who constantly seems to slip away from understanding even if her reasons and intentions seems perfectly clear.



2. Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons

Chilling, unforgettable, delicious, outstanding. In this part, Glenn Close has to do most of her acting with her eyes and her stern face – and she succeeds on all levels. It’s a subtle portrayal, presented as a true force of nature. Glenn Close uses her unique looks, strength and overpowering screen presence to create an apparently powerful, but ultimately helpless character.




It’s an all around stunning achievement as Meryl Streep crafts a character with multiple layers and gives various interpretations of this woman at all kind of target groups, all at the same moment. It’s a performance that, like most of her works, seems carefully prepared and thought-through but Meryl Streep is a master in this technique and that way gave an intense and fascinating performance that easily ranks among the best she has ever done.



14 comments:

Louis Morgan said...

Interesting and surprising since from what I have seen Streep is usually well liked for this but not given the win.

Malcolm said...

I thought Glenn would get it!

Anyway, glad Streep won even if I haven't seen her here yet.

My ranking:

1. Close - chilling work
2. Griffith - personal favorite
3. Foster - good but underrwritten

Haven't seen the two yet.

Really nice posts. I'm already excited for the next year. Just a small suggestion: 2009.

Fritz said...

@Louis: I think most people probably have a win for Meryl in another year (there are enough opportunities, after all) that they go with someone else this year and I don't mind since this is a very strong line-up (except for Mel). If I had been a voter in 1988 I probably would have voted for Glenn Close since she was just as amazing and Oscar-less.

@Malcolm: Except for Jodie, all performances were new to me and I also thought that I would like Glenn the most but Meryl edged her out. I have already some plans for the next year and will tell more soon...

Brandon said...

Nice work, Fritz!

These profiles are very detailed and thoughtfully done.

Fritz said...

Thanks a lot, Twister!

joe burns said...

I'm surprised that Glenn didn't win, but Meryl was great too! Interesting about Weaver.

Anonymous said...

Nice work, as always Fritz!

Fritz said...

@Joe: Well, it was very close between them!

@Sage: Thanks!

dinasztie said...

It's Glenn for me easily, but only out of the nominees. I have another pick for that year: Jamie Lee Curtis in A Fish Called Wanda. And Glenn's my personal win for A Reversal of Fortune (I convinced myself that she's leading), which is her greatest performance.

Fritz said...

Well, even though Glenn isn't number 1, she is still very high on my list! Who knows, maybe she will get my win in 1987...

Peter Eramo said...

very close call here, but I think Streep was right to win it. Never thought Foster was all that deserving for this one. Can't go wrong with Sigourney either she was terrific.

Anonymous said...

Very happy to remember Foster's performance in this film is Oscar winning.She is always better than her script,almost always better than her film,unlike many actresses.And how can Sarah Tobias know she would be the dominant force of the story?The point of her caracter is to be eager to make sure that all eyes are on her constantly.There is IMO,and i think i'm competent to say this, difference between understanding the caracter and how performance work in context of film.Oscar is not competent for latter.
Her only formidable competition is Streep in one of her best performances.
In her supporting turn,Close amazed me only in her last scene and for me,Malkovich totally stole the show.Weaver was just good and i agree on Griffith...
LOVE your blog

Fritz said...

Hello Anoynmous! Thanks for your kind words even if you disagree with me. With the words "making sure that she would be the dominant force of the story" I was talking about Jodie Foster and not her character. I just think that Jodie Foster was too obvious in her acting sometimes and felt a bit forced in parts. But it's still an excellent performance, overall, but not my choice for the win.

Anonymous said...

Yeah,I know many people don't like this win and I'm in minority for sure.I just want to say that before you review performance,you have to understand the character,and may i say you're great in it.I'll never understand why so many people think for example,that J.Hull and S.MacLaine overact in their Oscar winnig performances(whether they or Foster actually deserve their oscars is debatable).Or Melissa Leo in the fighter.For me,they perfectly understood their characters and otherwise i doubt their performances would've worked.And i hate some truly overacted performances(Fontaine in Suspicion or Lange in Blue Sky,for example).