“In Jordan Peele’s Us, Lupita Nyong’o gave a performance that deserved the Oscar. A first viewing of Peele’s follow up to Get Out revealed the technical mastery Nyong’o employed in her dual roles of Adelaide and her terrifying tether, Red. But it takes a second viewing to bear the full brunt of her genius; unencumbered by the mysteries of the plot, its twists and turns and their resulting, sudden shocks, one can fully focus on how deftly the actress blurs the lines between her hero and her doppelganger. She lays that groundwork from scene to scene, dropping subtle but unmistakable clues to Adelaide’s truth that might go unnoticed while one is focusing on the puzzle pieces Peele flings at the audience.
“For example, Adelaide is noticeably off the beat when snapping her fingers to Luniz’ “I Got Five On It”—her rhythm seems almost alien. It’s a small gesture that arouses a modicum of suspicion, especially once one knows of Adelaide’s tether-based past. Later, Nyong’o beautifully tips her hand toward almost revealing her secret in the scene where she confronts her son’s tether in the street. Peele cleverly has him walk away from her before Adelaide’s response becomes too explicit, but Nyong’o’s face shows a sense of familiarity that goes beyond mere empathy. She knows what it’s like to be that kid, and the viewer feels her heart breaking underneath her terrified gaze.
“Nyong’o is playing predator and prey here, and as such creates two distinct models of character development: Adelaide is driven by emotion and a fear-filled survival instinct while Red is all physicality and terror. Red’s strict movements and her scary, gravelly voice are exceptional, effective acting decisions that divulge themselves fully when Red tells her horrific backstory. In that moment, Us complicates and flips the standard issue hero-villain dichotomy, challenging the viewer’s sympathies and their suspensions of disbelief with a climactic ballet-inspired battle to the death. It’s Nyong’o who keeps the film from spiraling into incredulity in that moment; the ties that bind Adelaide and Red have been so richly drawn and performed that one is fully committed to the outcome. Nyong’o cements her great work by nailing the film’s last shot, an ambiguous look that implies that good and evil have now merged together. The outcome shall remain unknown.” ~ Odie Henderson
Best Lead Performances – The Finalists:
1. Lupita Nyong’o - Us [319/28]
2. Antonio Banderas - Pain and Glory [260/25]
3. Adam Sandler - Uncut Gems [247/24]
4. Eddie Murphy - Dolemite Is My Name [201/21]
5. Adam Driver - Marriage Story [196/22]
6. Elisabeth Moss - Her Smell [183.5/17]
7. Leonardo DiCaprio - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood [180/20]
8. Saoirse Ronan - Little Woman [145/16]
9. Zhao Tao - Ash Is Purest White [140.5/13]
10. Robert De Niro - The Irishman [140/14]
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