20 Best Movie Performances Of 2021

Everyone kills it in Ridley Scott's new medieval epic The Last Duel, but it's Jodie Comer who is undeniably the essential piece of the ensemble - the part around which everyone else revolves.

Comer plays rape victim Marguerite de Carrouges, a woman who struggles to have her story heard and taken seriously in a realm defined by the whims and fancies of men.

The film's ingenious Rashomon-like structure allows Scott to build a head of steam before delivering Marguerite's own account of the events in the third act, with Comer being given the floor to deliver a stunning, courageous performance.

Beyond the difficulties of the subject matter, though, Comer's stellar performance foregrounds issues still ongoing in society today.

And if 2021 well and truly saw the actress break through into the Hollywood mainstream, we probably haven't seen much of anything yet.