Beauty vs Beast: Forgiveness Among Friends
Monday, January 28, 2019 at 2:40PM Jason from MNPP here, right upfront with an apology for what I'm about to do to you all with this week's "Beauty vs Beast" -- unfortunately for all of us we've reached the "look at the movies that are being nominated for awards" part of the year which is forcing me, just forcing me, to make us all choose between the bitter besties of the perfect (if you ask me) Can You Ever Forgive Me? from director Marielle Heller.
Both Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. grant happily and deservedly secured Oscar nominations for their performances as the wrter Lee Israel and her partner-in-crime and bourbon Jack Hock, but for all their chumminess they're also often taking adversarial stances in the film, given the cobustiveness of both their characters. So even if we hate to bust up one of the greatest gay duos ever put on screen like this, we're still gonna ask...
PREVIOUSLY Speaking of Awards Nominated Duos, last week's The Favourite bout crowned Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz) by a pretty substantial margin. (3/4s of the vote, if you're wondering.) Said Roger:
"Team Sarah, no question. While this is Stone best performance to date, for me, it’s a tossup between Weisz and Colman for MVP. A tragic, deeply felt love story between Sarah and Queen Anne hides in plain sight. When it sneaks up on you in their final scene together between the door, it elevates what is already an entirely enjoyable film and recontextualiizes everything. Sarah was and always will be the favourite. Also, there is no doubt that all three are leading roles. I also share the belief that if the Oscar doesn’t go to King as I expect, Weisz wins her second."
Reader Comments (10)
I've seen it recently and have to vote for McCarthy. I didn't expect she had a performance of this caliber in her. I know it's Close's year, but McCarthy would be a worthy best actress winner too (so would Aparicio for that matter).
Grant had siginificantly less to do and was this close to being annoying, but that last scene of his was just perfect.
Still, McCarthy all the way.
I suspect Jack is going to win, but he wasn't a great friend; it seems like his negligence led to Jersey's death. And yes, McCarthy gave the better performance (with more range), though Grant was very good as well.
IMPOSSIBLE. They're both messy and miserable and I can relate to both.
My favourite film of 2018.
Jack is a mess on the outside but all heart for Lee on the inside.
Finally got to see this today, and really enjoyed it. Sad but funny. I voted for McCarthy but they are both well deserved nominations.
Unprepared for how emotionally affected I would be by this movie. I think the casting of McCarthy and those initial cut trailers gave no clue of the emotional wallop this movie carries.
Am I the only one who thought that the elderly, sick cat just happened to die on Jack's watch? That it was coincidental and not causal?
I voted for Jack but my heart belongs to Christian Navarro and his cinnamon roll.
It's scary how much McCartney's Lee Israel resembles me in a lot of aspects so I'm going to be a little bit of selfish (just like her) and I'll vote for her (me). I think a lot of the film community in the upcoming years will be kicking themselves in the butt for taking Melissa McCartney's performance for (Grant)ed (pun intended) and not giving her the recognition she very much deserves (even if it's an Oscar nominated role already). It feels like some sort of twisted irony to Lee herself.
James from Ames - I wasn't sure myself. Did he give the cat the right medication? I thought he hadn't given the correct dosage, but it went by too quickly for me to be sure.
This is a tough matchup - I can't choose! Jack has more charm, but Lee is the mean introvert in a lot (if not all) of us. Performance wise, they're both so good and pair so well together,
a cranky old has-been who lives with a cat and is useless at relationships? whose best friend is an ageing homosexual who fucked his way through
manhattanmelbourne?i hate myself for it but #TeamLee