BEST OF 2015 – The Leading Men

There have been talks that this year hasn’t been as strong as other years for lead actors.  To those people I ask, what movies did you watch this year?  We got veterans in Johnny Depp (“Black Mass”) and Tom Hanks (“Bridge of Spies”) returning to form and debut performances from Shameik Moore (“Dope”) and Geza Rohrig (“Son of Saul”) that made them look like pros, and they didn’t crack the top five.  So here are the best performances from actors in a leading role.

5 – MICHAEL B. JORDAN in “CREED”

A lot of the love for “Creed” is for Sylvester Stallone (I am in fact one those people).  But the movie is about Adonis, played by Michael B. Jordan, and his is spectacular as well.  Jordan is believable both inside and outside the ring.  Inside, Adonis has a ferocious swagger to him and it is the place where he is in command.  Outside though, he’s a kid who’s been passed on from place to place, never knowing where he belonged or who who he was.  Jordan peels back the layers of Adonis as the movie goes, elevating the “Rocky” franchise to new heights.  It is performances like these that assure me that Jordan will have a long, successful career.

4 – MICHAEL CAINE in “YOUTH”

Michael Caine in “Youth” is something to behold.  The 82 year old actor has hit a new peak in Paolo Sorrentino’s three quarter-life crises dramedy.  Playing former composer Fred Ballinger on holiday with his best friend Mick (Harvey Keitel) and daughter Lena (Rachel Weisz) , Caine looks like he is having a blast in some of the scenes, particularly when hanging out with Mick.  But, Ballinger is holding something dark inside and Caine wears the pain and sadness on his face and shoulders like the pro that he is.  It is a touching and stirring performance and an impressive feat for the legendary Caine.

3 -LEONARDO DICAPRIO in “THE REVENANT”

Leonardo DiCaprio could be argued as the best actor working in Hollywood today.  He gives every performance 100% effort and kills it every time.  Even if the movie isn’t the best, he always stands out.  In “The Revenant”, DiCaprio gives his most physical and grueling performance to date.  Playing a man determined to get revenge on the guys who killed his son and left him for dead, DiCaprio has hardly any dialog, and we feel everything he feels because of his expert use of body language.  If DiCaprio wins his much over-due Oscar for this role, and I fully expect him too, it will be a worthy win.

2 – CHRISTOPHER ABBOT in “JAMES WHITE”

This was my favorite break-out performance of the year and almost cracked the number one spot as the performance of the year.  Christopher Abbot is stunning as the titular character, James White.  He is a man that is his own worst enemy.  He smokes and drinks too much and can self destruct at any moment, hurting his friends and family.  He becomes an even bigger emotional mess when his mother (Cynthia Nixon) is dying and he has to care for her and himself.  “James White” is one of the toughest movie-going experiences I had in 2015 and that is all because of the raw, poignant, masterful performance from Abbot.

1 – MICHAEL FASSBENDER in “STEVE JOBS”

Michael Fassbender can do anything.  From Shakespeare to comic book movies, the man is unstoppable.  Mark his performance for the iconic Steve Jobs as the best I have ever seen him.  Fassbender reads Aaron Sorkin’s spitfire dialog better than anyone since “The West Wing”.  He looks nothing like Steve Jobs, but I bought that it was him.  Jobs is a flawed, tyrannical businessman who we grow empathy for, even as he alienates the former partners and is a snarky scumbag.  The powerful scene in the second act when Jobs, no longer with Apple, is arguing with CEO of Apple John Skulley (Jeff Daniels) is some of the finest acting I have ever seen and more exciting and heart racing than any action movie in 2015.  This is a legendary performance and one that will be remembered for years to come.

So there you have it.  What did you think of these performances?  What performances would you add to this list?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @kevflix or on Facebook at Kevflix.

Images courtesy of YouTube.