Categories One-by-One: Supporting Actor

[criddic3]

I would go with Sterling K. Brown. The performance isn't a co-lead, and he brings a range of comedy and pathos during his screen time that makes an impact on the film. His character makes us see the main character's many facets in a slightly different light than we might have at the beginning of the film, and that offers some forward momentum for the character development.

My second choice would probably be Ryan Gosling, who was my choice before I saw American Fiction. I think comic performances should be recognized more often by the Academy, but I also think Gosling is more of a co-lead than a really supporting character. It makes sense he's in the support category because the movie is called Barbie, but we see too much of that in this category.

And Robert De Niro would be next, giving what is his best performances in many years.
It's not that I think Robert Downey, Jr. is undeserving but I am I little surprised by how he's steamrolled the competition this year. Mark Ruffalo is fine in Poor Things, but I think Willem Dafoe would have been a better choice from that film.

I kind of wish the Academy had looked outside the box a bit to find some surprises like Alan Ruck in The Burial, Milo Machado-Graner in Anatomy of a Fall or Jamie Bell in All of Us Strangers

[Mister Tee]

I think Downey would make a fine winner. But I also think Gosling would make a fine winner. Or the non-nominated Melton. So, my problem, as always, is with the hive mind that sets in and makes any other outcome unthinkable. Occasionally a performance rates that status -- Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds, for instance, was such a knockout that no one else had a chance. It baffles me how such a high percentage of our recent winners have been treated with the same deference.

Shorter: yeah, it's Downey. Bore me.

[Big Magilla]

From the moment I first saw Downey in Oppenheimer, I thought this is the performance that's going to win the supporting actor Oscar.

None of the other nominees are bad, but none of them are as mesmerizing in their performances and none of them are playing parts so different from anything they've ever done before.

Ryan Gosling is almost as effective playing the kind of role he hasn't played since Lars and the Real Girl early in his career.

De Niro is better than DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon but neither actor is anywhere near their best. I would have preferred to see Willem Dafoe as the veteran nominee in that slot. I like Dafoe almost as much as Ruffalo in Poor Things.

Sterling K. Brown is a lot of fun in American Fiction but his role is too short to compete with Downey, Gosling, Ruffalo or even De Niro. I would have preferred to see either Dominic Sessa or Charles Melton in that slot. Melton, the early critics' favorite, may have put some suspense into the race but without him there really isn't any.

[dws1982]

I might give this one to DeNiro, but Downey will be a great winner, and Gosling wouldn't be bad either.

[anonymous1980]

The nominees:

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things

It's going to be Robert Downey Jr. He swept the precursors and has both momentum and narrative. It's not surprising but I wished Ryan Gosling had more of a chance, I must say. He made laugh harder than anything in Barbie and full-blown comedic performances like that don't get nominated often.