10 Great Movie Performances (No One Ever Talks About)
7. Michael Stuhlbarg - A Serious Man
Surely the best performance in a Coen brothers movie that nobody ever actually talks about, Michael Stuhlbarg is magnificent as put-upon physics professor Larry Gopnik, who struggles to reconcile his Jewish faith with the avalanche of bad luck coming his way.
A legendary sad sack performance for the ages, Stuhlbarg is perfectly in tune with the Coens' singularly off-kilter tone, delivering a deliciously deadpan performance as the deck becomes increasingly stacked against Larry.
Larry's search for meaning in a world seemingly devoid of it is intensely relatable no matter your own faith, and though it's not a performance filled with Oscar-baiting tirades, it was wholly worthy of a Best Actor nomination.
Stuhlbarg was at least nominated by the Golden Globes, and though the role absolutely made his career, it's rarely mentioned in the pantheon of great Coen brothers performances, for shame.