20 Best Movie Performances Of 2019
9. Laura Dern - Marriage Story
Between Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver's stunning work in Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story, it's easy to forget about the several excellent supporting roles in the movie, most of all an expertly cast Laura Dern as Nicole's snake of a lawyer Nora Fanshaw.
The part requires an actress of intimidating confidence and screen presence, and Dern is incredibly convincing as the high-powered hotshot, hell-bent on manipulating the legal system to get her client every last possible advantage, humanity be-damned.
But Dern pulls back and ensures Nora never feels like a cartoonish emblem of the painfully adversarial family court system, but instead a plausibly determined doer.
If there's any justice in the world, Dern will win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, which would be her first win after three nominations and place a well-earned capper on over three decades of terrific work.