12 Great Recent Movie Performances Destined To Be Forgotten
7. Brad Pitt - Ad Astra
If there's anything this list has indicated so far, it's that subtlety in performance is a highly underrated (and often overlooked) quality. A prominent example of this comes in the form of Brad Pitt's work in Ad Astra, which was criminally overlooked come Oscar time (much like the movie itself), likely due to the experimental nature of the film.
It's truly a shame too because what many missed out on was an in-depth analysis of the consistent shaming of men and their sense of emotional expression set against breathtaking landscapes. At the core of it all is Brad Pitt's commanding performance as the forcibly-stoic Cliff McBride who's expected to behave and act robotically, but can't help his own humanity. Pitt offers such a hopelessly wounded protagonist throughout who's just aching for some release to his internal struggles. It was a masterfully-muted performance that showed the range of Pitt's talent.
He may have gotten plenty of love for his role in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, but it was his work here that deserved it the most. I mean, come on, his acting was so good that his character's tears defied the laws of nature just so the director could keep the take.