I've already discoursed a little on why Hal Holbrook's performance in Into the Wild was one of the best of the year. I've even expressed in some small way my belief that I'm rooting for him to win. But I recently had an opportunity to re-watch Into the Wild and beyond saying this is a film you should see. And I don't even want you to take my word for it (well that is a lie, I want you fully to believe that this is a film worth seeing) but instead look at my friend Nick's post which is one of the most inspired pieces of writing I've read in some time(Into The Wild).
Hal Holbrook plays Ron Franz an old man who one day runs across young Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch). For inexplicable reasons (the novelty of a back packing youth? the vivacity in his eyes? something else?), Ron asks this young man where he is camping and when he doesn't recognize the name, he requests to be shown where it is in exchange for a lift. Ever eager McCandless takes him up on his offer. And the scene that unfolds isn't necessarily the most dramatic or powerful scenes in the movie. It doesn't even have the most emotional force of Holbrook's scenes.
The scene unfolds with comic elements as they drive past a nudist colony which has Ron gawking and peering over his shoulder. There is some general banter back and forth. But then a key exchange occurs. Ron asks McCandless if he has any family and McCandless careless responds "not anymore". And in one look and one line of dialog, Hal Holbrook conveys a lifetime's worth of sadness and experience which will later be spelled out but is so amazingly powerful that when I re-watched this seen all I could think was "that line, right there, he deserves to win for that line alone. If he were in no other scene in the entire movie, that line should win it for him."
Yes, Javier Bardem was phenomenal as a principled monster traversing a western landscape. Yes, Philip Seymour Hoffman was funny and serious in his role as a CIA operative who cared about what he was doing but was a bit too crass to play the politics game. Yes, the way Tom Wilkinson seemed to flawlessly flow from seemingly insane to 100% logical, pragmatic lawyer was amazing to watch. (I admit I have not seen Casey Affleck's performance but if its as good as his performance in Gone Baby Gone then I suspect its pretty damn good.
But none of that matters because not one of those roles sold me on a character in a single line and look. I've admitted in a very unmanly fashion that the scenes with Hal Holbrook (in particular the last one between Holbrook and Hirsch) had me tearing up. And this time around, the way Holbrook uttered that one line just floored me. I keep hearing it and envisioning it over in my head.
And on Oscar night even though everyone in this category is really good and deserving, if anyone but Holbrook gets called up, I'm going go be really unhappy. Sadly I expect I will be really unhappy on Oscar night.
Kind words toward my post, Rory. Thank you. I think I'll be rooting for Holbrook now, too, just because I'd be betraying your passion if I didn't.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I re-watched "Gone Baby Gone" last night and it's just as good the second time and I also still think Casey Affleck is better in that one then in the "Assassination of Jesse James".