20 Incredible Film Performances That Didn't Get The Credit They Deserved
3. Tom Hardy - Bronson (2008)
Tom Hardy's first major role was the critical and commercial disappointment Star Trek Nemesis, and after that experience the actor returned to his native United Kingdom to hone his talent. This stunning turn in Nicholas Winding Refn's gripping crime drama served as a major breakthrough, and set Hardy's star firmly on the rise. A biopic of one of Britain's most notorious prison inmates that has spent the majority of his stint in solitary confinement, Hardy packed on over 40 pounds of muscle and threw himself headlong into the role. Balancing jet-black comedy, psychological horror and surrealism, Hardy's performance is charismatically unhinged as the actor inhabits the larger-than-life persona of the title character without going over-the-top. One of the best performances of the decade, Hardy's star-making role was largely ignored by the British awards bodies, more than likely due to the touchy subject matter. A single Best Actor win from the British Independent Film Awards simply does not do justice to a powerhouse performance that is nothing short of jaw-dropping.
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