For Your Consideration: Bruce Dern, Best Actor

Everyone knows how I feel about the Best Actor category by now. If you aren't aware of the fact that I think Leonardo DiCaprio is most deserving of the win here, and the person I think might take down the frontrunner, Matthew McConaughey, then you probably have not been paying any attention to my blog. I have to say though, that I love every nominated performance in this category, and would be happy seeing any one of the nominees win; that is a first for me. The two performances that seem to have been left out of much of the discussion for Best Actor are Bruce Dern for Nebraska and Christian Bale for American Hustle. Christian Bale gave such a trans-formative performance, as he usually does, that it is hard not to watch him and just be amazed at the lengths he is willing to go to turn in a meaningful performance. His dedication to the craft of acting is just impressive, I have no words. His nomination is well deserved, although I feel I am in the minority in saying that, because I think most people would have chosen Tom Hanks for Captain Phillips over Bale. The performance that I am most concerned about being forgotten is Bruce Dern's subtle work as an aging man on a journey to receive a one million dollar prize that is a hoax, just to leave behind a legacy for his children. It truly is the most subtly brilliant performance nominated this entire year, and those kinds of performance are the ones that often get forgotten. 

I got the chance to see Nebraska early in January, the second movie in a double feature. I had mixed feelings about watching it, only because I have a touch and go relationship with the film’s director, Alexander Payne. You can never really be sure of what you are getting yourself into when you watch one of his movies, and every time I watch one, it takes me either multiple viewings to gain a respect for it or a long period of time after seeing it and thinking about it for me to come to a conclusion on how I feel. At first it is hard to get behind the movie because of the black and white film and the low budget design; it almost makes the whole movie feel a bit cheesy and hard to get into. Once you find it in yourself to sit through the movie, you will come to a point of satisfaction. Bruce Dern is what sold me on this; I wanted to know why he was the way he was and what happens to his character. His performance is so understated that you feel that his journey is just as much yours as it is his, and that is a sign of a great and worthy nominated performance. 

Bruce Dern is a veteran of Hollywood, having been in over 80 films in a career spanning over 50 years. He has made himself known for his supporting "character actor" performances. Dern was nominated once before back in 1978 for Best Supporting Actor in Coming Home. It is hard not to be amazed at how, at the age of 77, Dern is able to take hold of an entire film and give the performance of his career in Nebraska. We see a broken and aging elderly man so hoping and longing after this million dollar prize that he is not willing to see that it is a hoax. All Dern wants to do is claim his prize, so that he is able to leave behind something for his children when he dies. His character is so sold on the idea that he will not stop for anything to get that million dollars, so much so that he is willing to walk almost 900 miles from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska. Along the journey he faces past demons, and gains a deeper relationship with his youngest son. Again I say, because of Dern, a movie that I at first hated has somehow turned to a movie I find to be inspirational and moving.

Somewhere inside, Bruce reaches down deep into his soul to bring to life a character that resonates with you. He makes you wish that the million dollars was real, and even though you know it is a hoax, you find yourself holding on to hope that the company will just give him the million dollars just for making the journey. As the movie takes you on a side story to go into the past of a man who came from nothing, it becomes apparent as to why he wants this money. You see Dern go from being a determined elderly man, to being confused, to joking around, to being let down, and then you have the end scene that just pulls at your heart. Somehow Bruce portrays all of those emotions with ease. He gives every emotion possible and showcases the heart of true human being; it is so precise that it is almost like he is not acting. I hear the term Tour-de-Force performance a lot in awards season, but Dern really does give a performance worthy of that term. There are no other adjectives I can throw out there that I have not said to describe his performance except, beautiful. The movie would be nothing, and I really mean nothing, without Bruce Dern. 

In a year jam packed with such showy and brilliant performances, it is hard for a veteran actor with the most understated performance of the bunch to get any widespread attention. Many people tried to push Bruce Dern into campaigning in the Supporting Actor category, which would be hardcore category fraud, just so he could get an Oscar; but just like his character, he would not settle for anything less than the big prize. Dern told people that he would rather be nominated and lose Best Actor than nominated and win for Supporting Actor. Dern got his wish and dream fulfilled with his Best Actor nomination, and that makes me extremely happy to see. He would be just as worthy of the Oscar as McConaughey or DiCaprio. If Leo was not in the running for Best Actor, hands down my heart and vote would go to Dern. McConaughey is great, but I do not think his performance stands up as strong against some of the other nominees, worthy yes, but one of the weaker performances of the group. Bruce gave it all in Nebraska, and it should not be left out or forgotten. I, for one, will always look back at this Oscar year, and will remember the brilliance of Bruce Dern.