James Franco in Milk
Plays the supportive spouse role with softness, hitting just the right tone. Less surprising to those who are more acquainted with his work, even in lesser films.
Bill Irwin in Rachel Getting Married
Spastic, yet welcoming. Enthusiastic, yet filled with pain. What a wonderfully complicated character Paul Buchman is.
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight
For sidestepping all of the (mostly) undeserved hyperbole (I'm guilty myself) of The Dark Knight to be the one thing that remains consistently laudable and great about the year's most popular film. This is sure to be an iconic performance.
Eddie Marsan in Happy-Go-Lucky
For being a great foil for Sally Hawkins's Poppy. The film doesn't work without the great balance he provides.
Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road
Easily the best in show here. Why this performance didn't catch on is beyond me.
Runners Up: All the Milk boys (Brolin, Hirsch, Cross, Garber, etc) contributed to this film's great ensemble work. Tunde Adibimpe was sweet and natural in Rachel Getting Married. Benoit Magimel played a jealous manchild with great ease in A Girl Cut in Two. Haaz Sleiman provides wonderful pathos in The Visitor...if only he was given more to do. Gael Garcia Bernal tries to spin gold out of flimsy characterization in Blindness in an admirable failure.
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