Charlie Dorf
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Best Picture/ Original Screenplay/ Best Director/ Best Actor: The King’s Speech
As The King’s Speech won all four of these categories, I figured I might as well roll them all into one. Before I saw this film, I was hoping, somewhat wistfully, that True Grit would sweep these awards, being the Coen brothers fan boy that I am. However, after seeing The King’s Speech, I knew this was not a Coen brothers year. Never before have I seen a movie that, after reading a brief description online before choosing to go see it, interested me so little compared to how much the film sucked me in and made me feel. I knew nothing of the story of King George VI, nor did I, initially at least, have a great interest in it either. But once I saw the movie that changed. This film conveyed such a human story from the seemingly simple premise of a king suffering from what initially appears to be a simple stammer. In reality the conflict lies so much deeper through his conflicts with family, his people and his own self. It is the story of a man, a father, a king and a friend.
The interactions and dialogue between Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush (who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor) were humorous yet realistic, and their friendship truly felt genuine. Both actors, along with a superb performance from Helena Bonham Carter (nominated for Best Supporting Actress), delivered their lines with wit and gravitas and, if you’ll excuse the cliché, made history come to life. The filming style and writing set the tone and setting of the film perfectly, creating believable characters in a tangible time. Through great writing, superb direction and quality acting, The King’s Speech deserved each and every award it garnered.
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Fighter
From the moment I saw a video of the actual Dicky Ward, I knew that Christian Bale was going to win this award. The depiction was so accurate and so spot on. However, this was not the only reason Bale deserved this Oscar. His portrayal of Dicky Ward created such a complex character: the older brother and the favored son who, despite his addiction to crack and failed boxing career, is still treated better than the humble Micky. You hate the attention Dicky gets from their mother and his abuse of Micky through his drug use, but you see at the same time that Dicky truly does love his brother and is the only one who can get Micky to reach his true potential. This tug and pull creates a truly human character, one whose addictions gets in the way of his true goals. Though you initially want Micky to simply drop Dicky on his butt and walk away, you are also quietly rooting that Dicky breaks away from his addiction and continues to train his brother. Bale’s explosive role was a great balance to Wahlberg’s somewhat subdued but nonetheless good performance. Bale’s Dicky Ward was arguably his best role and deserved such praise.
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Don’t get me wrong; I loved Melissa Leo in The Fighter. Her role as the Ward brothers’ controlling mother was spot on, and she gave another layer of conflict to the tumultuous life of Micky Ward. However, I do not think she was the one who deserved this award. I felt this award should have gone to Hailee Steinfeld, who was nominated for her role as Mattie Ross in True Grit. Steinfeld, only 14 years of age, captured the essence of a young girl out for revenge, one who is strong-willed but equally intelligent and sassy. Her performance, alongside Jeff Bridges’ Rooster Cogburn and Matt Damon’s LaBoeuf (pronounced “LeBeef”), created a cinematic power trio, a perfect melding of traits with some of the funniest dialogue in a Western accent I have ever heard. None of it would have been possible without Steinfeld. Though I do not wish to strip Leo of her award, I would have rather seen it in the hands of the witty girl seeking to avenge her father.
