actoroscar.blogspot.com

  • Subscribe to our RSS feed.
  • Twitter
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Facebook
  • Digg

Friday, 23 June 2017

Alternate Best Actor 2003: Daniel Brühl in Good Bye, Lenin!

Posted on 20:24 by allenales
Daniel Brühl did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Alexander Kerner in Good Bye, Lenin!.

Good Bye, Lenin! is a terrific film about a young man in East Germany taking most unorthodox measurse to protect his mother from experiencing a fatal shock after a coma caused her to be unconscious through the entire German unification.  

Daniel Brühl being a German actor obviously has played his share of Nazis as well as villains in his English language work, and even in his technically sympathetic roles he usually plays rather prickly sorts. It is quite a treat though to see him here in this role where he's not playing a Nazi, certainly not a villain, just a normal guy. Brühl's Alex in the opening scenes of the film is particularly normal young man living in East Germany though he does engage in just a bit of rebellion, the little that there can be against the totalitarian government. Really though Brühl's performance even suggests this is not as a major as it might seem portraying a far greater interest in running into a young woman also at the protest than in the protest itself. There is nothing questionable even in this though as Brühl brings a genuine unassuming charm to Alex, and in this early moment importantly shows his convictions in the moment where he is arrested and simultaneously his mother has her near fatal heart attack from the shock. Brühl is quite affecting in this moment in capturing the son's intense concern for his mother which is pivotal for the rest of the film.

Well that heart attack puts Alex's mother into a coma, which leaves her unaware of the German reunification which Alex and his sister Ariane fully embrace, though Alex continually visits his mother where he also finds that the young woman, Lara, he formerly met at the rally is one of her nurses. Brühl again is incredibly charming by offering such earnestness in both Alex's enthusiasm towards his new discoveries in Germany, but also in his constant concern for his mother. Eventually his mother does awaken but with Alex being given the warning that her next heart attack will probably be fatal. In order to avoid the great shock of the collapse of their old way of life Alex takes it upon himself to hide the German reunification from his mother. Now this is the central conceit to the film and Brühl's performance is essential to not making it feel ridiculous. Brühl makes it work by portraying Alex's devotion to his mother's health so honestly. Although he is lying to her Brühl's delivers these initial lies with only the utmost warmth, and gentle regard always emphasizing that Alex believes this is the only way to save his mother. 

The film then proceeds to reveal Alex's strange game where he takes many unorthodox methods to present everything that his mother sees as still being part of the old Germany. Brühl brings the right energy to the performance as he pulls you right into Alex's mission by making it such a sympathetic prospect. Brühl makes these such engaging scenes though because he reveals everything that comes with them. He has those moments where he is so endearing and encouraging in portraying this ingenuity in Alex as he tirelessly finds ways to create and refine the illusion. Brühl is never one note though in that even when he's in the process itself he does reflect the sort physical effort needed, as with each successive scene Brühl conveys Alex just wearing himself out a bit from it all. Furthermore though he also brings the real frustrations in his arguments with his sister over the illusion as he delivers his counters with that conviction that alludes to his motivation, even while it becomes harder and harder to keep it up his illusion. Meanwhile though I love those moments he has where Alex sees his mother happy, and Brühl so powerfully reaffirms that underlying motivation every time by presenting just the most genuine love towards his mother and happiness at seeing that she is still with him. 

Although his mother's world is crafted by Alex, Alex's own existence is not a constant outside of it. Now one positive aspect of this is in his relationship with Lara to where Brühl makes for a great low key romantic lead. These scenes are pretty modest yet offers the right sweetness to them, though with just the right reservations at times in the persistent argument over Alex's treatment for his mother. Another problem though appears in the form of Alex and Ariane's father who they can now technically reconnect with, as he disappeared to the west when they were children. Brühl has a great scene where he goes to see his father, who has started a new family. In the scene Alex's dialogue is fairly sparse but Brühl's eyes though say it all as they reflect the years of feeling abandoned. He presents this as a sorrow but not anger though suggesting Alex's willingness to potentially forgive the past particularly so that he can bring his father back to see his mother one last time. That moment though is simply the natural state of this wonderful performance by Daniel Brühl as he makes Alex such a likable but also believable lead. He's charming yes but he also offers the right convictions to allow the central conceit to work. He makes you empathize with the young man's plight throughout the film. It's terrific performance and I have to say I hope we'll be able to see this side of Brühl again sometime in the future.
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to Facebook
Posted in 2003 Alternate Best Actor, Daniel Brühl | No comments
Newer Post Older Post Home

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Popular Posts

  • Alternate Best Actor 1992: Benoît Poelvoorde in Man Bites Dog
    Benoît Poelvoorde did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Ben in Man Bites Dog. Man Bites Dog is a faux documentary that goes alo...
  • Alternate Best Actor 1973: Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man
    Edward Woodward did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sergeant Howie in The Wicker Man. The Wicker Man is an effective horror f...
  • Best Supporting Actor 2016: Michael Shannon in Nocturnal Animals
    Michael Shannon received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Lt. Bobby Andes in Nocturnal Animals. Nocturnal Animals is a glossy holl...
  • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2016: Stellan Skarsgård and Damian Lewis in Our Kind of Traitor
    Stellan Skarsg å rd did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dima in Our Kind Of Traitor. Our Kind of Traitor is somewhat effectiv...
  • Alternate Best Actor 2012: Matthias Schoenaerts in Rust and Bone
    Matthias Schoenaerts did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Ali in Rust and Bone. Rust and Bone is an effective film which follo...
  • Best Actor 2016: Ryan Gosling in La La Land
    Ryan Gosling received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Sebastian in La La Land. La La Land is a wonderful musical about the romanc...
  • Alternate Best Actor 1968: Max von Sydow in Shame
    Max von Sydow did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jan Rosenberg in Shame. Shame is an excellent film that follows a couple th...
  • Alternate Best Actor 1954: Anthony Quinn in La Strada
    Anthony Quinn did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Zampanò the strongman in La Strada. La Strada is a great film by Federico F...
  • Alternate Best Actor 1968
    And the Nominees Were Not: Lee Marvin in Hell in the Pacific Burt Lancaster in The Scalphunters Charles Bronson in Once Upon a Time in the W...
  • Alternate Best Actor 1992: Eric Stoltz in The Waterdance
    Eric Stoltz did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Joel Garcia in The Waterdance. The Waterdance is a surprisingly low key film ...

Categories

  • 1937 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1947 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1947 Alternate Supporting
  • 1951 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1954 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1954 Alternate Supporting
  • 1968 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1968 Alternate Supporting
  • 1973 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1973 Alternate Supporting
  • 1984 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1984 Alternate Supporting
  • 1992 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1993 Alternate Best Actor
  • 1993 Alternate Supporting
  • 2003 Alternate Best Actor
  • 2003 Alternate Supporting
  • 2005 Alternate Supporting
  • 2012 Alternate Best Actor
  • 2012 alternate supporting
  • 2016
  • 2016 Alternate Best Actor
  • 2016 Alternate Supporting
  • 2016 Best Supporting Actor
  • Adam Driver
  • Alden Ehrenreich
  • Alec Guinness
  • Alex Frost
  • Andrew Garfield
  • Anthony Hopkins
  • Anthony Quinn
  • Anthony Wong
  • Ben Foster
  • Benoît Poelvoorde
  • Bernie Mac
  • Billy Bob Thornton
  • Bradley Whitford
  • Burt Lancaster
  • Casey Affleck
  • Charles Bronson
  • Chazz Palminteri
  • Choi Min-sik
  • Chris Pine
  • Christopher Lee
  • Cillian Murphy
  • Claude Rains
  • Cyril Cusack
  • Damian Lewis
  • Daniel Brühl
  • Daniel Day-Lewis
  • Denholm Elliott
  • Denzel washington
  • Dev Patel
  • Donald Sutherland
  • Edward G. Robinson
  • Edward Woodward
  • Elliott Gould
  • Eric Stoltz
  • Fredric March
  • George Sanders
  • Ghassan Massoud
  • Harry Dean Stanton
  • Harvey Scrimshaw
  • Henry Fonda
  • Ian Holm
  • Isao Numasaki
  • Issey Ogata
  • Ivan Dobronravov
  • Jack Lemmon
  • James Caan
  • Jason Isaacs
  • Jean Gabin
  • Jean Louis Trintignant
  • Jeff Bridges
  • Jeff Daniels
  • Jeffrey Wright
  • Jesse Bradford
  • Joel Edgerton
  • John Candy
  • John Cassavetes
  • John Hurt
  • John Ritter
  • Keanu Reeves
  • Kenneth McMillan
  • Klaus Kinski
  • Lee Marvin
  • Leslie Cheung
  • Liam Neeson
  • Louis Jouvet
  • Lucas Hedges
  • Mads Mikkelsen
  • Mahershala Ali
  • Malcolm McDowell
  • Matthew McConaughey
  • Matthias Schoenaerts
  • Max von Sydow
  • Michael Keaton
  • Michael Redgrave
  • Michael Shannon
  • Mikkel Følsgaard
  • Nawazuddin Siddiqui
  • Orson Welles
  • Oskar Werner
  • Ossie Davis
  • Park Hae-il
  • Peter Coyote
  • Pierre Fresnay
  • Raj Kapoor
  • Ralph Ineson
  • Rémy Girard
  • Richard Basehart
  • Richard Jenkins
  • Richard Jordan
  • Robert Donat
  • Robert Duvall
  • Robert Mitchum
  • Robert Shaw
  • Ronald Cheng
  • Ronald Colman
  • Russell Crowe
  • Ryan Gosling
  • Sam Neill
  • Shinya Tsuamoto
  • Shinya Tsukamoto
  • Stellan Skarsgard
  • Sterling Hayden
  • Sting
  • Tadanobu Asano
  • Terence Stamp
  • Thomas Bo Larsen
  • Tim Roth
  • Toby Jones
  • Tom Courtenay
  • Tony Curtis
  • Toshiro Mifune
  • Trevor Howard
  • Tsutomu Yamazaki
  • Tyrone Power
  • Viggo Mortensen
  • Vincent Price
  • Willem Dafoe
  • Yoo Ji-Tae
  • Yoshi Oida
  • Yosuke Kubozuka
  • Yul Brynner

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2017 (138)
    • ►  August (8)
    • ►  July (13)
    • ▼  June (18)
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Results
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Robert Duvall in Open R...
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Billy Bob Thornton in B...
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Daniel Brühl in Good By...
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Ivan Dobronravov in The...
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Russell Crowe in Master...
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003: Alex Frost in Elephant
      • Alternate Best Actor 2003
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Results
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Ian Holm in ...
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Tony Curtis ...
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Tom Courtena...
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Trevor Howar...
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968: Klaus Kinski...
      • Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1968
      • Alternate Best Actor 1968: Results
      • Alternate Best Actor 1968: Malcolm McDowell in If....
      • Alternate Best Actor 1968: Max von Sydow in Shame
    • ►  May (17)
    • ►  April (20)
    • ►  March (24)
    • ►  February (22)
    • ►  January (16)
  • ►  2016 (12)
    • ►  December (12)
Powered by Blogger.

About Me

allenales
View my complete profile