trumbo

“EGOT”** Minus the “G”

“In “Trumbo,” an ill-conceived take on one of the most famous targets of the Hollywood blacklist, the writer Dalton Trumbo clenches a cigarette holder that juts in the air like a sword . . . Part biopic, part historical gloss, “Trumbo” tells a great-man story with a patchwork of fact and fiction, mixing in the odd bit of newsreel with a great many dull, visually flat and poorly lighted dramatic scenes.”

Manohla Dargis review; The New York Times (11/5/2015).

After seeing Bryan Cranston’s latest tour de force as blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo, I just have two questions:  1) assuming the characters smoked and drank even 1/10 as much as the movie suggests, how did anyone back then live past 50?; and 2) which movie did the critics see?

Notwithstanding the tepid reviews (even Rotten Tomatoes gave it a misleading “71”), I thought “Trumbo” was terrific:  if there was a collective Oscar for best supporting cast, it would win hands down.

And while — unlike the NYT’s Dargis — I’m no expert on lighting dramatic scenes, IMHO “Trumbo” is easily one of the year’s ten best movies.

“Best Supporting Cast” Oscar

Helen Mirren heads the stellar supporting cast as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.

Other memorable supporting roles include John Goodman and Stephen Root as the lowbrow King Brothers; an affecting Elle Fanning as Trumbo’s daughter; Diane Lane as his gracious, long-suffering wife; and a stunning Michael Stuhlbarg as Edward G. Robinson.

Plus uncanny performances by lesser-known actors who play John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and Otto Preminger.

Any of the above could be nominated for best supporting actor/actress, but I’d lay odds on Mirren, Fanning, and Stuhlbarg.

The Protean Bryan Cranston

As for Cranston — late of his Tony-award winning turn as LBJ, and Walter White in “Breaking Bad”:  he rates at least a “Best Actor” nod, if not the award itself.

Cranston already has the “E” (Emmy, for “Breaking Bad”) and the Tony (for “LBJ”); it’s only a matter of time before he gets the “O.”

Whether he can sing or not is another matter . . .

**Stands for “Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.”

See also, “Breaking Bad’s Vivid Cast of Characters.”

About the author

Ross Kaplan has 19+ years experience selling real estate all over the Twin Cities. He is also a 12-time consecutive "Super Real Estate Agent," as determined by Mpls. - St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Magazine. Prior to becoming a Realtor, Ross was an attorney (corporate law), CPA, and entrepreneur. He holds an economics degree from Stanford.

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