I have seen this numerous times and while I don't hate her character I don't get what's so award worthy about her performance. It just seems kind of meh to me. It also just feels pretty similar to what you would see in several TV shows. It's not horrible or anything. But it also doesn't make me go, "Wow! She was absolutely amazing and should win an award for it!"
shareAgreed. "Strong female" blah, prevailed at the academy. Macy was miles better, as was Buscemi.
shareI love the movie, and I love her character and performance, but yeah, I'd probably have to agree.
In hindsight, I can't think of anything particularly difficult or challenging about what she did in this role.
The way she played that character, the walk and the speech, reminded me of a generic goofy next-door neighbor type on any 1960s suburban sitcom.
shareI thought she was fine
Macy was the star though. He played that perfectly
Look up the competition from that year and it’s not strong. The big movie was (snoooorrre) English Patient and I think everyone assumed K. Scott Thomas would win, and that film cleaned up the awards.
My belief is she split votes with Emily Watson and McDormand had a lot of support and snuck in…..
Sneaked. “Snuck” is not a word, popular ignorance notwithstanding.
shareThat's most winners at most award shows. It's just popular pandering at this point.
shareI prefer the Golden Globes. Al Pacino won a Golden Globe for Scorpico in 1974 but he wouldn't win an Oscar til 19 years later for his role in Scent of a woman. Because of the best actor in a comedy category, Morgan Freeman won a Golden Globe for Driving Miss Daisy. He wouldn't win an Oscar til 2005 for his role in Million Dollar Baby. So Golden Globes are sometimes better.
shareI don't watch the GGs, but I can't say why. Maybe I'll start.
shareShe put a pillow under her shirt, carried an accent, and knitted well.
Meanwhile, William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi carried the entire movie, each with OUTSTANDING AWARD WORTH performances.
And what did Macy and Buscemi get for their stellar work? NOT A GOT DAMNED THING!
-- except for choice roles in highly popular films for decades to come --
Who else was up for the same award that year?
shareEdward Norton in Primal Fear, Armin Mueller Stahl in Shine, and James Woods in Ghosts of Mississippi.
shareI have PRIMAL FEAR on Blu Ray and just watched it.. Surprised they never made a sequel and followed the Novels?? There were 3 Novels involving Roy and the Superstar Attorney who represented him in Richard Gere
shareFrances McDormand – Fargo as Marge Gunderson‡
Brenda Blethyn – Secrets & Lies as Cynthia Rose Purley
Diane Keaton – Marvin's Room as Bessie
Kristin Scott Thomas – The English Patient as Katharine Clifton
Emily Watson – Breaking the Waves as Bess McNeill
That's why McDormand won Best Actress.