Best Actor in a Supporting Role 2016: Jeff Bridges in Hell or High Water

Jeff Bridges received his seventh Oscar nomination for his performance as Ranger Marcus Hamilton in Hell or High Water.

Hell or High Water is a fantastic film about two desperate brothers who rob banks in order not to lose their family's ranch and the two rangers who follow their case. I absolutely loved the movie from start to finish and I found it pretty much perfect in every regard: David Mackenzie's terrific direction was robbed of an Oscar nomination as he manages to balance so well the realistic, raw tone of the majority of the movie with the more Coen-esque scenes that never seem out of the place but instead work incredibly well within his overall vision - his work in the robberies scene is particularly terrific as each of them feels so compelling and tense it gets under your skin; Taylor Sheridan's screenplay is overall terrific and, despite a few heavy-handed exchanges in which he conveys the message of the movie a little too obviously, he gives such a complex and empathetic portrait of both the robbers and the rangers; the cinematography is downright stunning as it captures so well the beauty of the landscape while conveying a poignant feeling of despair and isolation and the editing is masterful too as the story flows just beautifully and there is not a single frame that feels unnecessary or wasted. And the cast is all around great.

Jeff Bridges received a nomination in the supporting category but I would say it's a rather strong case of category fraud: he carries half of the movie and he's just as lead as Chris Pine (who, by the way, is simply terrific in the role). I've read quite a lot of people comparing this performance to his work in True Grit but, aside from the type of role, I would say that the two performances are entirely different - his turn in Hell or High Water is much more subdued in terms of both accent and mannerisms than his turn in True Grit and I think that acting on this lower register he achieves something much more poignant and powerful. In his first scenes, Bridges immediately inhabits the role of Hamilton pretty much flawlessly: his natural screen-presence is at its best in this role and he effortlessly controls the screen without even trying. Hamilton's age hasn't lowered either his grit or his sense of humor, and Bridges makes him an extremely entertaining character right from the start and the more comedic side of his performance works so well not only because of the writing or his excellent line-deliveries, but also because of how relaxed and comfortable he feels in the role. One of the stronger elements of his performance is his chemistry with Alberto Parker (the affecting Gil Birmingham), his fellow ranger: Hamilton often likes to tease him about his Mexican and Indian heritage, and both actors are extremely funny in their numerous exchanges over the course of the movie, but behind his remarks Bridges lets you see the respect and the affection Hamilton feels for his co-worker. There are some particularly poignant moments between the two throughout the movies, such as Alberto's monologue in which he asks himself if the end justifies the means or their conversation at the motel, in which the two actors are absolutely fantastic at portraying the underlying tenderness of their friendship with such a remarkable subtlety and sincerity. 

In the scenes involving more directly Hamilton's investigation, Bridges equally thrives at showing Hamilton's intelligent and wit and he effectively portrays how experienced he is regarding his work: in those scenes Bridges plays Hamilton as rather assured and in control of the situation and I particularly love the few scenes in which we see Hamilton questioning witnesses - he is so fascinating in his portrayal of the ranger's method as he asks his questions in a kind, even sympathetic manner while still showing the strong determination to resolve the case behind it all. It's revealed early on in the movie that Hamilton is close to retirement and that this is going to be his last case: Bridges is extremely affecting in his portrayal of his character's uncertainty regarding his future. It is implied that his wife died and that he has no one else in his life, and Bridges gives a moving depiction of a lonely man who has loved his work all his life and now that it's all over has an empty life ahead of him. Bridges does not need a big scene or a tearful monologue to express this side of Hamilton - he conveys everything through his facial acting especially in some small, key, wordless reactions. 

This review will contain spoilers from now on, so if you haven't seen the movie I suggest you to stop reading and directly jump to the last paragraph. One of the strongest moments of Bridges' performance is when the rangers are finally close to catching Tanner (Ben Foster, great), the hot-tempered, unpredictable brother, who fires at Alberto killing him instantly. Hamilton's reaction to his friends' death is pretty brief but Bridges' depiction of it is absolutely heartbreaking and as the scene goes on he gives a devastating portrayal of his desire of revenge motivated by his grief. Bridges though tops this excellent moment with the final scene of the movie in which he is downright amazing. Bridges is excellent at showing his character's unsatisfaction over the closure of the case due to the lack of punishment for Toby (the other brother), whom he visits at his ranch. Their subsequent confrontation is incredible - there are no fireworks, no big outbursts, but it's unforgettable due to Pine's and Bridges' subtle, brilliant acting. On his part, Bridges does a terrific job as he calmly tells Toby that he is just as responsible for Alberto's death as his brother and then questions him about the reasons behind his actions. His delivery of "The things we do for our kids, huh?" couldn't be better and I love his last few exchanges with Pine: in those, Bridges is great as he makes the ending almost a triumph for Hamilton - Toby might not be in jail, but the ranger walks away with the possibility of avenging his friend in the future or, if that was not to be the case, the knowledge that Toby will be forever haunted by his own actions and that he will never find peace. 

This is a brilliant performance by Jeff Bridges who makes Marcus Hamilton an absolutely unforgettable character. He carries his own portion of the movie exceptionally well delivering a performance that is compelling, entertaining and poignant all at once and he is one of the main reasons why Hell or High Water is such a remarkable viewing experience. A fantastic performance from a truly gifted actor.

5/5