Best Actress Review
Helen Mirren may have ruled indecisively in “The Queen,” but her Oscar reign will begin decisively.
Despite being included in a group of stellar nominees for Best Actresses — Judi Dench of “Notes on a Scandal,” Penelope Cruz of “Volver,” Kate Winslet of “Little Children” and Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” — Mirren’s only stiff competition comes from fellow British actress Dench. In “Notes on a Scandal” Dench plays elderly spinster Barbara Covett, a lonely closet homosexual who becomes obsessed with the new, young art teacher at the inner city high school where she teaches history.
Covett spends her days in isolation. She is barely tolerated by her fellow educators and students. Her private life consists of endless hours spent scribbling caustic judgments on her fellow staff members and taking care of her aging feline. Then
Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) enters her life. The light and free ways of the beautiful woman captivated her and when she discovers the lonely, struggling teacher is having an affair with one of her talented 15-year-old art students, Covett sees it as a way to gain power over Hart, enabling her to manipulate the unlikely friendship. Eventually Covett’s insane jealousy causes her to betray Hart’s confidences, setting in motion a series of events that destroys both of their lives.
Both Dench and Blanchett delivered powerful performances in the film and both are honored with Oscar nominations. Both roles were written to win awards, but this year, up against the lead contender Mirren for Best Actress and Jennifer Hudson in “Dreamgirls” for Best Supporting Actress, both performers will likely have to watch their competition run off with the Oscar. The Academy loves honoring performers for delivering convincing portrayals of real-life people and this is the push that puts Mirren at the front of the race.
The intense drama “Notes on a Scandal” keeps you on the edge of your seat, despite the disturbing plot. It is the only other film with leading ladies that offered up roles written to attract Oscar attention. If you see only one other film this year nominated for its female performances, see this one.
Cruz in the Spanish film “Volver” was also a delight and despite the occasional dark moments, overall this film had a “feel good” quality to it. “Volver” examines female relationships, particularly the dynamics between mothers and daughters, as well as between sisters.
Cruz’s character, Raimunda, struggles to make the ends meet as her deadbeat, drunken husband is ousted from job after job. One night his lust becomes too much and he attacks their pubescent daughter, Tia Paula. She successfully defends herself, but the end result is his dead body in the kitchen. Mother and daughter cover up the crime then turn to finding a way to support each other without his meager assistance.
At the same time Raimunda’s beloved aunt Paula dies. The death brings up unresolved issues between herself and her supposedly deceased mother Irene, who committed a tragic crime, faked her own death four-years before and has been secretly caring for her aging sister ever since.
This was a sweet film that emphasized the power and importance of female relationships and women’s lives. It is fitting that “Volver” was included amongst the nominees for Best Actress. Cruz’s delivery was sweet and compelling, though little set it truly apart from her competition.
If the content of “Notes on a Scandal” is too much dark reality for you, “Volver” has a lighthearted, loving feel to it even with its dark undertones. Your heavy load would feel a little lightened after leaving a showing of this delightful and satisfying quirky drama.
Then there is “Little Children,” a disturbing and depressing drama from start to finish. This cautionary tale is set in suburbia. A bored housewife (Winslet) and househusband have an affair between naptimes and play dates while their successful spouses work long hours at arduous jobs. As a subplot an emotionally disturbed ex-police officer terrorizes a convicted sex offender living in the peaceful, family neighborhood.
Bored with their half-hearted existences, all the characters are desperately seeking happiness in all the wrong places. “Little Children” warns viewers to see the value in the joys that you have because a step in the wrong direction could bring the entire house of cards crashing to the ground.
The performances in this film were stellar, but like “Babel” this was a film that relied more on an ensemble cast to carry off the plot rather than on any one performance. Winslet continues to deliver performances worthy of Oscar nods, but she has yet to hit on that one that screams Oscar winner. She was compelling as the intellectual trapped in the suffocating, unappreciated garb of a housewife, but another performer would have been equally successful in the role. Winselt will have to watch another actress walk away with the Oscar for the fifth time in the past nine years.
Finally, Hollywood legend Streep earned another nod for her role as the domineering fashion icon Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada.” This was a fun film and a fun role for Streep who is always captivating on the big screen. Streep has been nominated for 14 Academy Awards since 1979 and has won two. She won the Golden Globe this year for her portrayal of the cold and harsh fashion editor, but the victory was more of a nod for her continuously delightful contributions to the silver screen rather than a prediction of 2007 Oscar glory.
Of all of this year’s nominated films for Best Actress, “The Devil Wears Prada” is probably the most accessible to the average moviegoer. If you are not into the artsy, heavy dramas and not a follower of the Oscar race, then this film is one Academy Award movie you would enjoy. The performances are strong without a heavy content bogging down the action and you will not leave a viewing more depressed than when you started the film.
However, if you are following the Academy Awards and looking forward to Feb. 25, then be sure to go to the Redlands Krikorian Theatre to see Mirren in the role likely to win her her first Academy Award in three nominations. Also, in order to prepare for any Oscar surprises, do not miss “Notes on a Scandal.” Dench has won one Oscar already, and though the odds are against her, her sixth nomination could earn her a second.