10 Philip Seymour Hoffman Performances That Prove His Acting Genius

6. Jon Savage - The Savages

Hoffman may not have received an Academy Award nomination like his on-screen sibling, Laura Linney, but he earned his fair share of plaudits on the awards circuit, most notably an Independent Spirit Award for his affecting performance as Jon Savage, a middle-aged theater professor who is struggling to get a book written and hold down a relationship, while also having to come to terms with the onset of his father's dementia. In a film that superbly melds its comic and dramatic elements, Hoffman similarly nails a complex part that's far away from the depraved roles we've already mentioned: he's not insanely likeable, but more importantly, he's relatable. Furthermore, the play-like quality of the movie no doubt lent itself extremely well to Hoffman's own sensibilities as a highly acclaimed Broadway actor. Quote: "We don't have to go after him Wendy; we're not in a Sam Shepard play."