During my teens, I first saw Philip Seymour Hoffman in the film “Twister,” and I was as annoyed with his party-guy-storm-chaser comic relief as I was with the movie. Some of my favorite actors made bad first impressions. Only a couple years later, we would see him in P.T. Anderson’s “Boogie Nights” as the awkward Scotty, a boom operator on a porno crew. I had second thoughts about this weird-looking person. He wasn’t just some annoying-guy character actor. He was a very good actor.
Many talented people in that profession are cornered into typecasting and never get to show their full potential. Over the years, through the favor of directors like Anderson and others, Hoffman did find more opportunities and his reputation grew as a great actor of stage and film. One could say that he reached his highest fame through both his Oscar-winning title character in 2007’s “Capote,” and his portrayal of Willy Loman in the 2012 revival of “Death of a Salesman” on Broadway.
One of his most compelling performances was in John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” as a well-liked priest whose work in a Catholic School is under very negative suspicion by its Nun principal, played by Meryl Streep. This was a very difficult role, I’m sure, due to the ambiguity beneath the cutting dialogue exchanges.
Some people may feel that his very best work was seen recently in Anderson’s “The Master” as an L. Ron Hubbard-type character in the process of gathering followers. His charm and ideas seduce people but handle criticism irately. He disappeared into that role so well I have difficulty analyzing it.
I prefer to remember him for his humble work as a supporting actor, which elevated every given film’s quality. Lester Bangs in “Almost Famous” provided a degree of experienced wisdom in the undisciplined party world of Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous.” He practically stole the show in “Charlie Wilson’s War” as an embittered CIA agent. Who would have thought he could play such a convincingly cold-hearted villain in J.J. Abrams’ “Mission: Impossible III”? In Spike Lee’s “25th Hour,” he continued his knack for playing a man living in shame of repressed sexual desires, like in Todd Solondz’s “Happiness” where… ugh.
Those were a few random examples. I could list so many more. Hoffman brought a unique screen presence. He wasn’t an impressionistic actor, attempting to imitate a voice or physicality. He was more often comfortable playing any character in his plump form within the limitations that his voice would allow, and he knew how to capture a personality.
His death is untimely and a surprise. In an interview with Terry Gross, he uncomfortably responded to questions of his past alcoholism that he didn’t envy people drinking in his presence because he couldn’t imagine finding enjoyment from the small quantities they consumed. According to recent news, Hoffman had been partial to heroin before his acting career took off and had been clean until recently. It is very sad that he surrendered to such deadly temptation when he had so much more to give.
People will wonder about his unfinished projects, including a role in the final “Hunger Games” movie, which he had not finished. It will be nice to see him again in any form. If there are any movies I mentioned that you haven’t seen, give one a watch this week. “Happiness” is at your own risk, but the others are all examples of his great versatility and ability. It is a shame to all modern movies that he is no longer around.
Bennett Duckworth is a film fanatic who lives in Louisville and goes to see a movie in the theater at least once a week. He has kept a movie review blog since September of 2011 with the mission of writing about every new release he sees, as well as new trends in filmmaking and classic films he loves. You can read more of his reviews at www.bennettduckworth.blogspot.com.