10 Best Ian Holm Performances
4. Mitchell Stephens - The Sweet Hereafter
The Sweet Hereafter is a 1997 Canadian film, which offered Holm one of his first starring roles in his career. He initially agreed to take on the part of Mitchell Stephens as he felt that, at 65, he was unlikely to be offered many leading roles going forward.
Very thankfully, the film is a triumph. His performance of the lawyer for the families of the deceased is both sinister and sweet, pushing those other into committing to take the city to trial. The cases revolves around a bus crash that results in the deaths of fourteen children, based on a real life tragedy.
Holm has been described in this film as giving both the performance of his career and his greatest role in movies. The movie itself is devastating, showing the pain that the accident leaves in the community wrought with loss and the trauma left upon the survivors.
This is not a simple court room drama either. In many Hollywood movies, one could be forgiven for expecting a number of beats to be hit in each legal film. That is not the case here - there are enough twists and turns to keep the viewer guessing. Holm's resolution is continually tested and the ending of the film is a solemn reflection.
The Sweet Hereafter is far from the most upbeat example of Holm's career, but stands as one of his finest hours on the screen.