Greatest acting by an actor in a single Scene?
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MudgeMalog — 10 years ago(October 17, 2015 07:52 AM)
The Oscars don't like giving awards to "Loser" characters. Any actor playing a character who's down on life and constantly depressed is bound to get snubbed. The Academy likes actors who fight adversity or conquer their demons or rebound from disaster, etc. Although Miles does, somewhat, come out a winner at the end, for the bulk of the movie, I'd say he's a "Loser."
Don Cheadle in Hotel Rwanda & Leo DiCaprio in Aviator were nominated that year
in less powerful roles, but got the nomination because their characters were such winners.
You think I'm crazy? Perhaps we're all a little crazy. I know I am.
-Hugo Simpson -
thecrux-1 — 12 years ago(May 09, 2013 09:46 PM)
Wedding scene the OP mentioned was great, but I'd like to add another that happened earlier in the movie:
At the scenic overlook where Miles reminisces to Jack about how he and Victoria enjoyed wine at a picnic and extolled her wine-smarts and Jack tells Miles that Victoria remarried.
Miles reaction was of near devastation. His voice cracked and quivered as he asks who: "To that guy with the restaurant?" Very real. -
tomkaren1994 — 12 years ago(June 09, 2013 07:40 PM)
This scene was indeed incredible. I can remember only two other times I've seen a scene performance as powerful Elisabeth Shue as Sera in Leaving Las Vegas, watching over Ben as he wakes up in the morning after staying over at her apartment, and Judy Parfitt as Vera in Delores Claiborne when she tells Delores about how her husband's brakes "failed" on the way home from his mistress' apartment.
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famousmortimer-2 — 12 years ago(June 17, 2013 11:15 AM)
Those are some stellar examples. All three films remain favorites precisely because of the first rate acting the way the camera just holds on the performance, catching all the nuances of the eyes and delivery.
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oh_no_mrbill — 12 years ago(March 10, 2014 11:37 PM)
Another single shot that's burned into my mind is Meryl Streep's look of absolute horror in Sophie's Choice as
her daughter is taken away by the Nazis.
I wouldn't be surprised if that single reaction shot won her the Oscar. -
martytamu27 — 12 years ago(June 18, 2013 01:27 PM)
I liked the scene where Maya was describing winethat was just such an excellent speech. how she thought about the people who made it and how many were dead now and how if you open it any other day it tastes different and so onethat was just an excellent passage delivered perfectly.
and then Miles blowing a perfect moment and in the bathroom after was also very good. but Maya in that scene was teh best in the movie to me.
I thought Miles expression after the wedding also was up there, as was Jack when he wanted miles to go back for the wallet. -
OldFriendOfTheChristys — 12 years ago(March 28, 2014 11:53 AM)
Giamattis being able to say so much in this film without
actually
saying anything makes him nothing short of a brilliant actor. My heart breaks for Miles, both in this scene and the scene with Virginia Madsen when shes talking about wine. -
TomRosicky17 — 11 years ago(April 07, 2014 07:58 PM)
Very hard to argue with the OP. I wouldn't say it's the greatest performance by and actor in a single scene but it is very very good. His whole performance caught me off guard and proved his ability as an actor and yes this scene sums up his performance well.
"Doublethink. To deliberately believe in lies, while knowing they're false." Henry Barthes -
adidasraver — 10 years ago(August 29, 2015 04:38 PM)
The only issue I have with OP's statement is that Miles' face wasn't the sole emotional transportation.
The way Paul delivered his lines really helped with the sell. Not only could you see it in his face, but you could hear it in his voice, his replies. The lines written there were just as much a part of the sell for me. Disjointed, nothing overly fake, just his reality has been taken and he's going to reboot from that point on.