Sally's age shows I think a bit too much, but she was spot on as Mary Todd Lincoln. I wonder if they deleted some of her scenes, though... she has such a small part. Hal does well, but is another small part. Of all of the key players he wasn't really notable.
David Strathairn deserves more credit than he's getting, too. I like him as a supporting actor in everything I've seen, but he did well as Seward! Looks a lot like him too in the film. Considering he played the man that would eventually purchase Alaska for the USA, I really liked his portrayal.
I don't know how I managed to forget that Seward was in there! I bet you were tickled about that. There was a man with smarts and a view for the future. I like Strathairn as an actor, as well. He's never been the sort of guy you notice onscreen--he just melts into his role, and he's not one of those physically dominant types. Even his face is not particularly noticeable; somehow it's very compressed and inward. He really uses those characteristics to advantage. He was in a favorite obscure movie of mine,
Sneakers. He held his own in a kicking cast, including Redford, Poitier, Mary McDonnell, Dan Aykroyd, and even River Phoenix. Strathairn can play good guys or bad guys and make you believe.
Silver Linings Playbook sounds splendid, though like
As Good as It Gets, I doubt it's worth as much Oscar-wise as it's made out to be. I like that modest films such as this are made, about ordinary people trying to become a little more than they are, but I could never understand why both Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt got Oscars for a film of that weight. As things line up, I can't imagine that Bradley Cooper will vault over both Hugh Jackman and Daniel Day-Lewis, unless the Academy voters suddenly decide with one voice to buy American.
I'm not so sure about the actress category, because at least two of the rest of the pack are odd birds this year: a five-year-old (now nine) and an elderly actress in a foreign-language film. I think Chastain has a good chance; interestingly, she and Lawrence are both big new talents, young but clearly gifted in several directions at once (Chastain is currently playing Broadway). Because Kathryn Bigelow was not nominated as Best Director, maybe people endorse her by voting for Chastain. But Lawrence could just as easily win, and she would deserve it for both past work and future promise. Already it's evident that her good work this year isn't just a fluke.
But these are things that can only be known the night of the awards. Remember the year that Lauren Bacall was a shoo-in as best actress? (Hint: she didn't win.)
