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Best Male Performances of 2017

2017 wasn’t that great a year when it comes to actors as it was the year of actresses and such a fantastic one at that. But still we got a couple of terrific performances in both supporting and lead roles so here are five best male performances of the year with honorable mentions too.

5. James Franco – The Disaster Artist

James Franco was shamefully Oscar snubbed for his role in The Disaster Artist as he entirely transformed himself and both looked and sounded like Tommy Wiseau. His dedication and attention to detail really led to such a phenomenal performance that is both moving and funny at times.

4. Timothee Chalamet – Call Me by Your Name

Call Me by Your Name is an overrated film, but it does have one superb performance at the center of it and that is the one from talented young actor Timothee Chalamet who was the best of the Oscar nominated actors this year. He played Elio with incredible nuance and he brought it especially emotionally and in that powerful third act.

3. Jake Gyllenhaal – Stronger

Jake Gyllenhaal continues to be awfully underappreciated as he’s one of the very best actors we’ve got of his generation. His performance in Stronger is another impressive one fueled by excellent range and he just killed it in all of those difficult conversations and emotional scenes where he just takes control and makes you admire his raw acting talent.

2. Patrick Stewart – Logan

Patrick Stewart should have won an Oscar for a supporting role and the fact that he wasn’t even nominated is simply a travesty to me. Yes, Logan is a powerful film with or without him, but he is the heart of the entire movie for me nonetheless. Watching older, more vulnerable Charles Xavier was heartbreaking and his final scene in the film is so powerful and moving. He acted the hell out of it and gave his career-best performance.

1. Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards

Sam Rockwell is by far the best actor of 2017 whether you think he is the lead or supporting actor in Three Billboards. To me, he is the lead and probably even more important than Frances McDormand. I have always loved Sam Rockwell, but here he was cast in a much different role than what is usual for him and thus it is even more admirable that he managed to pull it off and give us this racist, stupid, yet in the end also human and complex character. Such exemplary work from a great actor.

Honorable Mentions:

Hugh Jackman – Logan/The Greatest Showman – Yes, Hugh Jackman had two excellent roles in 2017. His performance in The Greatest Showman is quite strong, but to me his work in Logan takes the cake as the more powerful, more effective one and a perfect send-off for Wolverine.

Woody Harrelson – Three Billboards – Another great performance from a phenomenally acted film comes from Woody Harrelson who is at first funny and then quite moving in his role.

Richard Jenkins – The Shape of Water –  Richard Jenkins plays a wonderful sidekick character in The Shape of Water. He is charming, likable and realistic in this very sweet role.