Best Supporting Actor 1997: Results

5. Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting- Williams is okay at best and at worst he seems completely false. He is mostly at worst instead of at best.

4. Anthony Hopkins in Amistad- Hopkins is very good as John Quincy Adams, playing the part as it should be played, with a very good final speech.

3. Greg Kinnear in As Good As It Gets- Greg Kinnear is very good in all his scenes and shows the changes of his character well, even in amidst of bad writing.

2. Robert Forster in Jackie Brown- Max Cherry is not the most complex of characters but Forster plays him as well as possible.

1. Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights- This seems to come a surprise to no one but Reynolds is easily my pick. Burt Reynolds is very good in Boogie Nights making Jack Horner into a fascinating character despite the fact that he could have failed with this character in a numerous amount of way but he never does. He is a strong presence, and creates a memorable character. 

Deserving Performances:
Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential

Best Supporting Actor 1997: Greg Kinnear in As Good As It Gets

Greg Kinnear received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Simon Bishop a homosexual artist in As Good As It Gets.

Greg Kinnear in this film plays a homosexual character which usually leads to mannerisms sometimes they work, sometimes they do not. Kinnear does do a few very slight, barely noticeable ones that actually work pretty well, rather than seeming forced or actory. Kinnear does a fine job as Bishop who is constantly yelled at by his neighbor Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson).  Kinnear does a good job reacting toward Nicholson's constant berating. He shows well that Bishop really is hurt by everything said by him carefully showing through his facial expression.

After being brutally beaten by thieves Bishop's life changes and he begins to have financial problems. Kinnear is very good here showing a good contrast as Bishop quickly changes before and after the beating. At first being pretty upbeat and enthusiastic for his life and his art, than afterward a far more depressed man. He has two strong scenes which show a very real pain one where he first looks at his face after his beating and secondly after his dog who he loves does not come when he calls.

He also has a good scene where he tells Udall to go easy on him, he does this very well showing the characters restrained anger and depression very well. After this is goes into the background a little bit but still is very good at showing the character's loss of depression well. His call to his distant parents is handled well showing a clear history without telling everything. He tries his best in two scenes that I do not feel are particularly well written. One the scene where he draws again, he does a good job showing interest and enthusiasm again even if the scene is poorly written. The other where he tells Udall he is a good guy after all. The scene I find is completely off in terms of writing but Kinnear is tries his best to help the bad scene along. A good performance throughout even in bad material although like Forster from this year never truly amazing.

Best Supporting Actor 1997

And the Nominees Were:

Robert Forster in Jackie Brown

Anthony Hopkins in Amistad

Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting

Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights

Greg Kinnear in As Good As It Gets

Who do you pick? What do you predict my ranking will be?