3. Beginners - Oliver
Written and directed by Mike Mills and seen by far few people, Beginners is a quirky, eccentric and incredibly charming drama. Ewan McGregor plays Oliver, a man dealing with the death of his father who sparks chemistry with Anna (Melanie Laurent) at a party. The strength of the film lies with the performances provided by the whole cast but in particular it is McGregors chemistry with his gay father Hal, played by Christopher Plummer, that truly shows what a talent both actors are, blending wit and heart effortlessly. Beginners was a critical and commercial success and provided Christopher Plummer with a deserved Oscar win for Best Supporting Actor. However, it is clear that without McGregor by his side, that award may not have come so easily, each actor needing the other to drive the message that Mills screenplay conveys with realism and feeling. Beginners can definitely be seen as the beginning of McGregors 2nd phase as an actor. After the promising start he had to his career, the mid to late 00s had seen him make some very awkward choices when picking roles, seemingly stuck by his youth and the type casting the Star Wars may have provided. However, with other success such as Salmon Fishing In The Yemen and I Love You Philip Morris there definitely seems to be mini-renaissance and that hopefully his slump is over.