I think Steve Carell should've won Best Actor for Foxcatcher. Eddie Redmayne, the winner instead for his great performance as Steven Hawking in The Theory of Everything, was very good in the role he played. Hell, he was fantastic. But, Carell's performance is something very different than what people normally think of when it comes to Steve Carell. Normally people think of The Office and other roles of that nature. Carell has done some films before that were dramatic, but the overall tone was comedic, like Little Miss Sunshine and Dan in Real Life. This, however, is a whole new level of acting on Steve Carell's part. He embodied John du Pont so well, I forgot who he was in the film. He plays him like the lonely, tortured person he was in real life as he wanted to be something he wasn't. He gives an eerie presence, that at times, I found to be reminiscent of Anthony Hopkins' performance in The Silence of the Lambs, but that might just be me.
To emphasis what I mean by getting lost in his performance, I saw the film twice in the theater and both times I got lost in the film, more precisely his performance, and thought he was really John Du Pont. I still do when watching it on Blu-Ray. Especially the scenes he shares with Channing Tatum. He really transformed himself not just physically, but also mentally to the degree of seemingly to instinctively pick up the mannerisms and speaking that of Du Pont. I know he studied footage of the man, but still, it looked like he embodied the guy and was him throughout the film. Words basically can't describe how amazing I think Carell's performance was in Foxcatcher. But with all this said, Eddie Redmayne did a great job in The Theory of Everything and all the Nominees were great last year as well. I'm glad someone who was very good in a role got the award, instead of someone that was okay at best.
With that said, some of the performances nominated like Redmayne and Bradley Cooper in American Sniper, were really great and believable. I guess I was so into Carell's performance as nothing he had done prior to Foxcatcher would make you think he'd ever take on a role like this. Eddie Redmayne did films like Les Miserables and other films where he was different in every film. Bradley Cooper was kind of thought of "That guy from the Hangover" until Silver Linings Playbook showed him in a new light, and he showed how diverse he was in American Hustle too. And American Sniper truly shows how versatile he can really be. But with Carell, the only films to note that were dramatic were Little Miss Sunshine, Dan in Real Life and The Way, Way Back. But those films also have a certain amount of comedy that fits with his profile as a comedic actor, while stretching his dramatic abilities. I think with all that, and how the other nominees showed their versatility over the years, Steve Carell's big leap into a dramatic performance basically out of nowhere, really grabbed my attention, just by watching the trailers and commercials before it came to theaters.
I have heard people say, that while he deserved an Oscar nomination, he was nominated in the wrong category, as he was a Supporting Actor, while Channing Tatum is the sole lead. Here's what I have to say about that: Carell and Channing Tatum are both the leads. The film starts with Mark Shultz but when we see Du Pont, the film starts to slowly revolve around him, and shows his spiral downward in his mental state. The reason is because it's to see things from Marks perspective first, then slowly focus on John as he's the man who brought all these people together, i.e. Mark, Dave, the other wrestlers, and the documentary crew to make a documentary on himself. The first act is about Mark, but we're introduced to John at the end of the first act. The second act focus a little more on John, but still has enough of Mark in it, so the second act basically splits their screen time in half, in terms of a leading category. The final act focus' on John as Mark is more detached and eventually leaves Foxcatcher. But that's my opinion and interpretation of the film regarding the lead(s). But either way, Carell was great as Du Pont.
Again, I'm glad he was acknowledged by The Academy, as there are many people who should've been nominated in the past and current years and should've won in the past and current years. It seems like Carell will do more dramatic performances, so maybe he'll get another Oscar nomination one day. But then again, if he does, we'll have to see who he's nominated against in the category he's in as well, to see if his role is better than the other nominees. But Carell out did himself with Foxcatcher, and I no longer see him as just Dunder Mifflin Office Manager, Michael Scott from the Office. Like how I no longer see Bryan Cranston as just Hal from Malcolm in the Middle after seeing him as Walter White in Breaking Bad. Some Actors in certain roles can change you're view on them. Especially when they're given the right role that does so.
