20 Best Movie Performances Of 2020

9. Aubrey Plaza - Black Bear

Aubrey Plaza Black Bear
Momentum Pictures

Black Bear is another film that's absolutely best watched with as little knowledge as possible about the wider plot, but it's worth knowing that Aubrey Plaza gives the strongest performance of her career as filmmaker Allison.

If Plaza has made a name for herself over the last decade-plus as one of Hollywood's go-to-weirdos, Black Bear finally provides her with a striking showcase for her wider dramatic chops.

Without getting into narrative specifics, she's able to ditch the flashy quirkiness in favour of a darker and more free-wheeling performance where writer-director Lawrence Michael Levine gleefully trains his focus on Allison as she runs wildly off the rails.

Hopefully this is just a sign of greater things to come for the actress, because Black Bear makes it abundantly clear she has far more to offer than you might expect.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.