20 Best Movie Performances Of 2021
16. Oscar Isaac - The Card Counter
Oscar Isaac gave perhaps his best performance to date in Paul Schrader's riveting drama The Card Counter - it's basically tied between that and his exceptional work in A Most Violent Year, anyway.
Isaac is magnetic as card-counting gambler William Tell, a man whose calm facade belies a deeply troubling, violent past. Isaac employs enormous tact in how he plays William, dialling back the affect but letting a subtle intensity quietly simmer on the surface.
Isaac has proven himself a dab hand at playing internalised characters trying to do the right thing - or what they think is the right thing, at least - and if all were right with the world, he'd be in the Best Actor Oscar conversation right now.