The A.V. Club’s favorite film performances of 2021
Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Nicolas Cage, and more deliver our favorite performances of the year
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Clockwise from top: Jason Momoa in Dune (Photo: Chiabella James/Warner Bros.), Nicolas Cage in Pig (Screenshot), Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby (Screenshot) Graphic: Natalie Peeples
We’re continuing our ongoing year in review coverage with a look back at some of our favorite film performances of 2021 with this week’s AVQ&A:
Who gave your favorite film performance this year?
39 Comments
Echoing the praise for Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby. She was absolutely phenomenal in the role and my hands were in the mouth throughout the whole movie. The endless anxiety mixed with cringe humor was executed so flawlessly!
I was really impressed with the movie overall. Normally a movie with that sort of conceit (claustrophobic setting, small cast of main characters, inter-personal drama, tons of dialogue) is shot in a really inert way, just a bunch of static long takes of people talking, but it was a really intense, kinetic movie, with some stretches of it being shot like a horror film. It was a unique approach and I really enjoyed it.It also did a great job putting you in her mentality, so you felt her frustration and anxiety, even while making clear that her parents are actually not that obnoxious — it’s just that when you’re in that headspace, basic parent questions like “So, what are you going to do after you graduate?” feel like they’re nails being driven right into your brain.
Yeah, it is basically a loving family, and community, she is coming from, but the way that caring is expressed all just ends of feeding the enormous pressure she is feeling. Of course there is some real edge to it too—things like the reaction of other women when Kim Beckett asks if she had a boyfriend . . . or girlfriend?, her mother hitting hard on the word “man” when she says Danielle will meet a good MAN some day, and so on explains a lot about how Danielle got to where we see her in the movie.Anyway, as someone who is at the point I more identify with her father than Danielle, I thought it was a very compelling critique of how even well-intentioned parenting can be rather counterproductive.
Sennott deserves so much praise for Shiva Baby. She occupies the screen for basically the entirety of the film and she manages to run the audience through the ringer as she goes from infuriating to inviting empathy and back again.
For me, I couldn’t choose between Kristen Stewart in Spencer, Isabelle Fuhrman in The Novice and Ruth Negga in Passing
I opened this hoping someone had picked Isabelle Fuhrman, I haven’t seen a performance like hers in a looong time. Completely blew me away.
Looking through this list, and then kind of skimming over 2021 film releases, I think I’ve watched 3 movies released this year. It was sort of shocking to see, actually. I’ve watched a good deal of tv shows, but not many movies. I suppose it makes sense in that I haven’t been to the cinema since 2019. I think I’ve used my tv time to mostly catch up on tv shows I never got around to watching when they were on-air.I do wanna watch Red Rocket, as it looks like the type of film I enjoy.
Dunst, Cumberbatch and Smit Mcphee were my highlights.As well as Keough and Paige in Zola.
Stewart did some of the better biopic acting I think I’ve seen, truly lost the actress in that role, which is hard when the actress is so well known.
The one moment that broke my immersion was the dancing scene. At that point, I felt like I was watching Kristen Stewart rather than Diana Spencer. Otherwise, I agree.
that’s fair, I think that scene altogether could have been cut. The small exorcism of Anne Boleyn was cathartic enough.
I actually liked the scene despite it breaking my immersion. My real issue was with the end of the film. Felt like a different movie.
did you enjoy it? I keep putting off watching it because it looks so serious, but also want those aesthetics.
Wait… You haven’t seen the film we’ve been discussing?
No I was talking about Dune, not Spencer haha!
Ohh… Still not sure how we got from Spencer to Dune, but okay. HahaDune is good if you’re into world-building. Not much else to it, but that and the visuals, but both are really good.
I honestly don’t know how I made that jump, I think I tried to reply elsewhere. But now I’m imagining Diana went onto a future planet and ruled the Dune worlds.
I had a higher opinion of “The Night House” and wanted to correct your labeling of the woman the protagonist confronts, but I can’t think of a good replacement without spoiling things.
Agathe Rousselle in Titane, Cumberbatch in Dog, Cage in Pig; Sennott is a great addition because I keep forgetting about that film; and Franz Rogowski gave two great performances in Undine and Luzifer (the latter still unreleased in the states).
The voice work in The Mitchells vs The Machines was great fun across the board.I don’t understand Momoa as a standout in Dune, a film where he is literally the last prominent cast member I would consider giving a good performance…but to each their own.
also Affleck, who is fun to watch because it seems very unlike the Affleck we have seen lately, but I don’t think he brought anything unique the role except playing against type. The Last Duel was all Comers movie.
I thought Comer was fantastic as well (she’s my top pick for Best Actress this year), but I don’t think it’s a zero-sum game, and I think Affleck brought a lot to the movie as well. I know he was originally going to play Le Gris but I think it was wise of him to swap roles and really sink his teeth into a juicy supporting part.
for sure, he was a lot of fun to watch, but I don’t think he wedges out Comer as the better performer in the movie. Also, this was the first time I was a little meh on Driver, just didn’t feel totally invested compared to Affleck, Damon and Comer.
I think since Dune is long and very serious, Momoa’s liveliness and sense of having fun (in the Han Solo role) stands out.
Maybe “Most Improved” would be more appropriate for Momoa in Dune. He’s definitely improved a lot since his wooden Stargate days, but I wouldn’t call him a great actor.
Worst performance of the year goes to the AV Club for turning a single page article into a slideshow, which no one wants or asked for!
Love the appreciation for Jason Momoa in Dune. The movie was gorgeous to look at, and I generally enjoyed it as a fan of the book … BUT, every character in that movie besides Duncan was so f’ing SERIOUS! My cousin asked me what I thought of the movie and my immediate takeaway was “very dry and serious but damn Jason Momoa is a breath of fresh air.” He provides the perfect levity that elevates the movie every time he’s on the screen.
Supporting Actor is a packed category this year, but some of my favorites include Benicio Del Toro and Jeffrey Wright in French Dispatch, Colman Domingo in Zola, Mike Faist in West Side Story, Simon Helberg in Annette, and yes, Ben Affleck in The Last Duel.
Mike Faist was outstanding.
I’ll second that praise for Wright. He was incredible in that film.
God, that Pig restaurant scene is up there for scene of the year for me: “You live your life for these people, and they don’t even see you. You don’t even see yourself. Every day, you will wake up, and there will be less of you. We don’t get a lot of things to really care about.”Watching the chef’s wide smarmy grin melt into tears while Cage calmly eviscerates his entire career, but also gives him life-saving advice. Chef’s kiss!
Some of my favs:Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman, C’mon C’monTilda Swinton, MemoriaAndrew Garfield, tick, tick… BOOM!Ruth Negga, PassingAdam Driver, AnnetteOscar Isaac, The Card CounterAnthony Ramos, In the Heights
Andrew Garfield having himself a very strong fourth quarter here.
Am I the only one who thinks Jason Momoa is a terrible actor who was not very good in a movie about a sand planet that was also not very good? Like, they’re both pretty and all, but…meh.
I generally like Momoa in the roles I’ve seen him in, but I did find his inclusion here strange. I don’t think he did anything special in it. And I wasn’t all that interested in Dune either. First half or so was interesting. Once they ran off into the desert I got bored.
Having not seen any of the other films on the list, I can confidently say that they were all infinitely better than any performance in The Night House, which is easily one of the worst movies I’ve seen in my entire life. Just laughably bad. but not laughably bad enough to even watch ironically while stoned.
My vote goes to Andrew Garfield for another, more recent movie that came out this year.
You could tell he was having a lot more fun, and it really made a difference. I came away thinking I wouldn’t mind if he got one more chance.
You’re sleeping on Taylour Paige in Zola! She was so effortlessly charismatic and likable.
Florence Pugh in Black Widow. So good, she’s even making Hawkeye better
“Hey advertisers, look how many clicks this one article got!”