So, a few months ago, we wrote an article about the art of the one-scene performance, and some of the actors who totally nailed it. Since then, we’ve had a few more exceptional single-scene turns catch our eye, and we’d like to talk about it right now. Let’s get into it!
Alicia Silverstone – The Killing of a Sacred Deer
I’m always surprised to see that Yorgos Lanthimos’ precursor to The Favourite, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, doesn’t get more love – it’s an outstandingly twisted little thriller featuring some career-high performances from Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, and Barry Keoghan. But perhaps the most unsettling performance in the whole movie comes from Alicia Silverstone, as Keoghan’s disturbingly intimate mother. It’s not the kind of performance we’ve come to expect from Silverstone, which is part of what makes it so uncanny, but her deeply discomforting energy on-screen deserves way more recognition.
Patricia Clarkson – Shutter Island
Let’s be real: you have to be downright brilliant to stand out in the cast of Shutter Island, but Patricia Clarkson does just that. As the Lady in the Cave, she basically forms the heart of the movie, and her ability to turn this character into something more than just Theme Delivery Device is impressive. Her chemistry with leading man Leonardo DiCaprio is probably my favourite little dynamic in the movie, and she’s instantly compelling as both part of the plot and as a character in her own right.
Samantha Morton – The Whale
This is one of those performances so damn good it pretty much upended the entire movie. It’s not that the rest of The Whale isn’t pretty serviceable, but Morton comes in as Brendan Fraser’s ex-wife and runs off with the whole film. The depth of emotion and history she manages to convey between her and her ex-husband here is remarkable, and by the time she leaves, you’re going to be hoping she comes back. Morton is a total pro and brings incredible skill to every project (her outrageously good turn on The Walking Dead comes to mind), and this is just a seven-minute reminder of that.
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By Lou MacGregor
(header image via Amazon)
No But Listen 