The Top 5: Performance #3

Almost there!!

3. JULIANNE MOORE (The Hours)


A fine, fine, performance delivered by Moore. In the same year when she was nominated in Far From Heaven she easily should've won for one or the other.



In The Hours Laura Brown is the center of the second story in the middle of stereotypical 50's suburbia. However, pregnant and loving Laura is really having an emotional breakdown that no one seems to be noticing - except possibly her 5-year-old son.

Brushing my teeth. (3:28 - 5:07. Spoilers before that; aren't apart of the scene, so beware)



A brilliant spotlight of this is when we see Laura crying in the bathroom. Her feeble attempts to hide her feelings really bring out the emotion in such a sad character. (Probably one of my favorite facial expressions in all of cinema at 5:07. Such pain, anguish...beauty? I don't know. It's haunting.)

Mind what?



From the beginning, we can tell of Laura's troubles. When her friend Kitty (Toni Collette) comes over to visit, things run awry and trouble starts to brew.

"Mommy!" (6:58 - end.)




After this, Laura's depression only sinks furthur. She finally concludes that the only way to end this - her life, her feeling of sorrow - is to kill herself.
The scene in which she drops her son off at the babysitter's is heartwrenching. Her attempt to control herself is awkward and moving. Although her son only thinks she's leaving to get her haircut, she's really planning to end it all... her goodbyes are real. So sad.

Moore got an Oscar nomination for this, and rightfully so. It is an accurate performance that captures the struggle of someone trying to do what's right for themselves and their family.