2013 was such a great year for male acting that most of the great performances were not nominated. That should mean that all the nominees are great, and honestly they are. Of course, some stand out more than others. And the nominees are: Christian Bale, American Hustle; Bruce Dern, Nebraska; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street; Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave; and Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club.
Christian Bale was transformative and entertaining in American Hustle. Continually throughout the film, he kept up his character's physique and local dialect. With the pot belly that he grew exclusively for this part and the windy comb-over atop his head, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that the man onscreen is Irving Rosenfeld, a hustler, not actor Christian Bale. This was easily one of my favorite performances of the year.
Bruce Dern was everything that he needed to be in Nebraska. He was ditsy, he was sentimental, he inserted "Dernsies," and he was ridiculous. Dern was great, but the level of acting here is not quite up to the caliber of his competition. Given any normal standards, he would be the greatest. When one compares the skill set needed for his role and the other nominees, however, he appears inferior. Simplicity is often best, but not in order to get an Oscar.
Leonardo DiCaprio was excellent in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. The teenage heartthrob of the '90s is often criticized for playing the same sort of character all the time, but this Jordan Belfort guy was different. By watching interviews with the real Jordan Belfort, it becomes clearer that DiCaprio really nailed it. He emulated him, yet he did not do a direct impersonation. He interpreted the role and presented it in his own way, frankness and debauchery intact. When people complain that he has yet to win an Academy Award despite being nominated several times, I usually quip, "Maybe that's because he doesn't deserve one." This year, I think he does. But his competition is too great to be optimistic.
Chiwetel Ejiofor was good in 12 Years a Slave. The nominees were all good. I have made it sound like I thought Ejiofor did a terrible job, but that is not the case. He just is not great when put next to every other actor who gave the performance of his lifetime this past year. The pain and anguish of betrayal and horrifying change remain plastered on his face for almost the entirety of the film. This silent revealing of his character's layers shows tremendous acting skill and talent. Nonetheless, he would be my last choice to win the Oscar this year.
Matthew McConaughey gave it his all in Dallas Buyers Club as a homophobic modern cowboy diagnosed with HIV, and it paid off. Even in the more difficult scenes for many viewers to watch, McConaughey provokes a goofy, toothy smile out of the audience throughout the feature. He is just so absurd. No one else could have possibly done what magic he conjured in this role. Unlike Bale, McConaughey lost a ton of weight to look more sickly, furthering his total immersion in the role. He is on the road to victory, and I look forward to hearing his speech.
Although it looks pretty certain McConaughey is going to take home little Oscar on Sunday, I will still be holding out for Leo. Like McConaughey, he was willing to go where few men have ever ventured before, and the risks paid off. Honestly, I could not be upset with any of the five nominees winning. They all did superb jobs.
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