Co-Star Chemistry - Please Bottle This!
Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 9:33PM Year in review / list mania each day. Here's Nathaniel...
This is our third year of highlighting that unpredictable spark between actors that can ignite greatness in a movie (see previously installments for 2015 and 2016 if you're so inclined). We had fun doing it before so we're going to keep on at it. If only we could bottle these formulas but the thing about great chemistry is that it can't ever be fully recreated even if old movies during the studio system teach us that the same pairing can generate similar energies again. Why Hollywood doesn't still try to repackage successful combos remains a missed opportunity both for pop culture impact and in-film loveliness. Just about the only films with recurring co-stars these days are franchises but that's a different kind of luck, since it would happen even if there was no actor-to-actor spark.
Okay here we go...
17 Jon Bernthal and Rosemary DeWitt, Sweet Virginia (secret lovers)
When you cast a couple in the right age range for their characters rather than making the women 20 years younger, you're often rewarded with adult sparks. Absolutely believed these two as a steady if "discreet" pair. The noir isn't about their romance but it gives it beautiful sturdy homey feelings to work from / and threaten.
16 Chris Pine and Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman (heroic f*** buddies)
"Above average"
15 Robin Wright and Ryan Gosling, Blade Runner 2049 (Boss & her work equipment)
Though the movie as a whole was lacking its many moving parts often carred a kind of perverse intricate grandeur... none more successful, I'd argue, than this relationship however lopsided.
14 Chris Hemsworth & Mark Ruffalo, Thor: Ragnarok ("friends...from work")
13 Kristin Scott Thomas & Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour (old marrieds)
Though Oldman's performance is one of those suns that everything orbits, which often prevents this kind of chemistry from happening in films of this ilk, Kristin Scott Thomas is a formidable enough actor to break from the orbital pull and redirect your feelings about the marriage.
12 Betty Buckley & James McAvoy, Split (therapist & patient(s))
What a joy to see Buckley back. And to figure out which patient McAvoy is playing which time
11 Timothée Chalamet & Armie Hammer, Call Me By Your Name (lovers)
I'd argue, perhaps counterintuitively, that the central romance is not the movie's true source of power... it remains just out of reach, which is not unlike first love. Forever half real half idealized.
10 Jason Mitchell & Garrett Hedlund, Mudbound (unlikely friends)
It's both a curse and a pleasure that Mudbound has so many voices telling its story. Definitely needed more time with these two (though they're hardly given shortshirt) as the soul of the movie as two war veterans dreaming of less painful lives.
09 Willem Dafoe & cast, Florida Project (motel manager and tenants)
With next to no help from the naturalistic non-expository dialogue Willem Dafoe and the first timers he's surrounded by successfully show you the wary/protective/angling dance these characters have been engaged in before the movie and probably will after it, too.
08 Josh O'Connor and Alec Secereanu, God's Own Country (unlikely lovers)
07 Julie Walters & Cast, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (mother to brood, both literal and figurative)
T'was a stroke of genius to let Walters mother Jamie Bell again (Billy Elliott reunion!). Even better when you see how she's working so hard to mother them all including her much doted-on movie star 'daughter'
06 Richard Jenkins & Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water (neighbors)
That scene in the hallway. Yes!
05 Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic & Jacob Tremblay, Wonder (immediate family)
*cries*
04 Rebecca Hall, Luke Evans, and Bella Heathcote, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (throuple)
The year's sexiest adult romance between consenting adults was polyamorous. May this movie have a much longer life on streaming than it did in theaters.
03 Cast, BPM (Beats Per Minute) (community activists)
Few movies outside of Altman pictures ever understand how to capture group dynamics. That's the subject of BPM and the actors winningly dive in. You're in the room with them, constantly shifting allegiances, crushes, petty grievances, and all.
02 Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, and Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick (In-Laws)
It's surprising that the heart of this romantic comedy is not the romance but the bonds formed with future in-laws. They say you're marrying someone's whole family when you marry them but few movies actually show even a tiny glimpse of that.
01 Saoirse Ronan and Everyone, Lady Bird (Various)
Cheating here for #1 but the great young actress and her writer/director Greta Gerwig manage to make every relationship sing and most of them in different keys, too. Sondheim would be so proud. From first romance, to rebound fling, to mother/daughter, father/daughter, best friends, to student and faculty, and so on. You're always exactly sure of the interpersonal dynamic at work even if Lady Bird herself isn't as observant about it.
Lady Bird, Split, Wonder, Year in Review, casting
Reader Comments (34)
Wait, not even an honorable mention to Logan?
Your write-up for the Big Sick is spot on. The film is about 1,000,000x more effective because the focus on that underrepresented relationship (it also helps greatly to have those three actors; their chemistry is undeniable)
Nice to see "Wonder" get a shout-out. What a sweet family! I loved every single one of them. Izabela Vidovic is one to watch - such a warm screen presence.
TIFFANY HADDISH AND THAT GRAPEFRUIT.
Great list. Inspired choices especially the cast of Wonder and Lady Bird. Plus a big YES to McAvoy/Buckley!!!
What's missing? Hm... Renner/Olsen in Wind River, Winslet/Elba in Mountain Between Us, the Franco brothers in The Disaster Artist, Stone/Riseborough in Battle of the Sexes...
Streep and Hanks?
@RyanT- Mountain between us got a lot of bad press due to Elba and Winslet NOT having chemistry. I’d argue that Renner (terrific) and Olsen (fine) also didn’t have top tier chemistry that made their scenes pop.
LOGAN...
Hugh and Patrick
I think the best chemistry in "Call Me by Your Name" is between Chalamet and the camera... intentionally.
I would add to this list:
Cynthia Nixon and Jennifer Ehle, "A Quiet Passion"
Robert Pattinson and Benny Safdie, "Good Time"
Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, and Jaden Michael, "Wonderstruck"
Matt Damon and Hong Chau, "Downsizing"
Thank you for these outside-the-box lists so far! I love these pairings, and may I add:
Daniel Day-Lewis & Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread (lovers)
John Cho & Haley Lu Richardson, Columbus (friends)
Audrey Plaza & Elizabeth Olsen, Ingrid Goes West (stalker/victim)
Sally Hawkins & Ethan Hawke, Maudie (wife/husband)
Emma Stone & Andrea Riseborough, Battle of the Sexes (lovers)
Charlie Hunnam & Tom Holland, The Lost City of Z (father/son)
Wright and Gosling...? They were good but they have like 3 scenes together during which they spend arguing on 2 of them. Really don't agree with them.
I thought it was reserved for just teams of 2 but given the large inclusion of groups I think the Girls Trip gals are severely underrepresented here. They made the movie.
Also love the Stone & Riseborough, Columbus and PT shutouts which deserved a place here.
Love what you said about Ronan. The movie is brillianty written and directed, obviously, but Saoirse’s really holds the whole thing to together beautifully by convincing you at every turn of her relationships with each character/actor and how they are continually shifting.
The Francos! *ducks*
Barry Keoghan and Colin Farrell in The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
I second (third?) the Nixon-Ehle and especially the Stone-Riseborough mentions. Why doesn't Riseborough have a bigger/better career?
Add to the (sapphic) list Charlize Theron-Sofia Boutella in Atomic Blonde, who I thought shared terrific chemistry. Still sad that movie didn't catch on, but neither did Battle of the Sexes so...your loss, American moviegoers.
Have you seen Phantom Thread?
I fucking love Lady Bird. Oh Danny..
I love the list, especially #1. But I second and third the mentions of the Francos and Columbus. I would also add Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Riley Keough (siblings) in Logan Lucky.
Wow a list on co-star chemistry and no mention of Girls Trip. Geez
Everybody in Stronger.
In every movie I've seen her in, Andrea Riseborough has chemistry with her co-star. Emma Stone, Michael Keaton, Tom Cruise.... Seriously, she's amazing.
Karen -- i haven't yet, no.My life has other plans for me this month. (major upheavhals. super sick, etcetera) so i'm still playing catch up.
Biggs - I 100% agree. I feel like Andrea Riseborough is one of the best, most underrated working actresses around today. I would add Sam Riley, James D’arcy, Clive Owen, Julie Walters and Robbie Coltrane (& Naomi Watts?) to your list. If you haven’t seen ‘National Treasure’ I would recommend checking it out -Riseborough, along with the other leads are exceptional.
I loved the list! I would only add Debra Winger and Tracy Letts from The Lovers. They played stranged married people with build up regret and lovers with sensual spark
thomas -- they were on my mind as i wrote this but didn't quite squeeze them in
kris -- i intended to include them but not sure what happened. damnit.
bennyblack -- i thought about that but they didn't quite make it. still loved Maslany & Gyllenhaal's work together in particular. Both are two of our best actors. so reliable each time
Christine "Ladybird" and Juliette "Julie" were my favorite pairing all year.
Danielle MacDonald and the rest of the PBNJ gang in Patticakes.
I love these parentheticals, Nathaniel!
Your list is great, but here are some of my personal favorites (from what I have seen so far):
- CMBYN's Elio and his parents
- CMBYN's Mafalda and THAT HOUSE
- Atomic Blonde's Lorraine and David
- the gals from Girls Trip
- The Beguiled's Miss Martha and Miss Edwina
- Okja and K (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Nat: I was never unsure of what the dynamics were in Lady Bird, and everyone played their parts well. But I'm going to groan when I see Lady Bird as an Original Screenplay nominee. Almost every character is a huge dick to each other for little discernible reason (yeah, the on the page character dynamics almost entirely read toxic), and it's not played for sickly dark comedy, and as for the period setting...? As far as I could tell, it might as well not exist. Lady Bird could have been set in 2017 with little to no substantive change. A line or two might change, but the core story wouldn't.
Of the 10 movies presumed to be closest to BP nominations, here's my prediction of personal ranking:
1. The Shape of Water (A-)
2. The Florida Project (A-)
3. Get Out (B+)
4. The Big Sick (B+)
5. Mudbound (B+)
6. Call Me By Your Name (B+)
7. Three Billboards (B+)
8. Lady Bird (B)
9. The Post (B)
10. Dunkirk (B)
I agree with almost all of your choices... but saw Shape of Water yesterday and was quite underwhelmed.
The best thing in the movie was Richard Jenkins.
I have not seen he Post of Florida Project.
grrr: Take this with a grain of salt. This is a prediction based on what I've heard about what I haven't seen, my general tastes, and having seen only half of these. (Have: Get Out, Mudbound, The Big Sick, Lady Bird, Three Billboards. Haven't: The Post, The Shape of Water, The Florida Project, Dunkirk, Call Me By Your Name.) Nothing definitive yet.
Volvagia -- i did not go to high school in the years this is set in but i keep reading how accurate it is to those who *did* so i'll have to take their word for it that the film is great with its period details --= but as for core stories staying the same with few changes: that's the high school genre in a nutshell and absolutely nothing to complain about! and that's why it's such a perennial favorite of cinema. It's a fairly universal shared experience and there aren't many of those. There are fewer and fewer shared experiences when people leave their parents home for good, least of all communal ones that they experience with multiple people in the same age range.
Just saw Phantom Thread. Holy shit. Why did Lesley Manville not win any precursors? Her scenes with DDL were amazing. Manville 4eva!
Nathaniel do you hate Jamie or something?