Anatomy of a Performance 08/09 -- Part 3

I've decided to, rather than cram the last three categories into one post like I originally intended to, split them into pairs like the previous posts in the series. And in Part 3, we honor a literal pair, a dynamic Duo. I had many to choose from this year, including a struggling drug addict mending ties with her family + sensible, practical sister and complete foil = brilliance from two very talented women (Rachel Getting Married) and a charismatic, driven interviewer vs. embattled, driven ex-president (Frost/Nixon), but in the end, I went with a duo that I hope you'll forgive me for dwelling too much on.

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road) - Frank & April Wheeler
Definitively, a duo performance is created when an individual performance cannot exist without the other and where two exceptional parts form one extraordinary whole. While watching Revolutionary Road, there's no question that the two lead roles turn into a double feature of sorts. One important advantage the DiCaprio-Winslet team behind the roles have is that they are close friends in real life. Understanding the nature of the film, it seems like without that kind of bond, the no holds barred feel to their respective performances would have been impossible. They have absolutely no limits and have pushed each other to places we have never seen them reach before as actors. Utterly engaging on every level, they pull you into every crevice of every scene. The intense characters are clearly not very likable in the beginning, but throughout the film, you gradually begin to comprehend all of their problems and motives, and both actors have the inimitable skill of making you care about their characters, no matter what stands in their way.
While there are many instances of immensely jarring verbal fireworks, much of Revolutionary Road is not about what is said, but rather what isn't said. The moments of silence are just as significant as the explosive fights featured in the film's second act. In these crucial scenes, both put to work their impressive abilities to effortlessly display their facial expressions and convey so much emotion in just their eyes. But the single most essential part of this duo is that in every scene, what one actor gives, the other is able to duplicate in a split second. It's almost like a broken record, except far more interesting. The common thread that holds it all together is that every single nuance is realized, and nothing is held back.
I was hoping the always amazing Winslet would win her richly deserved Oscar for this performance, but in about a week, she will be recognized for her other 08 film, The Reader. I haven't gotten a chance to see it yet, but many who have claim "she's going to win for the wrong role." :( In trying to be more optimistic, I think we should consider it as a reward for both roles. Seriously, she's actually going to win this year: that's enough for me! As for the also always amazing DiCaprio, I'm similarly trying to be more optimistic about his "awardage", or lack thereof. His time will come someday, and when he does win, it will be in recognition of the decade and a half (and counting) of incredible work he has given us. (Which also applies to Winslet this year.) In the meantime, I wonder what's in store for collaboration #3...something lighter, perhaps?

Other duos that just missed the cut (read: I really wanted to write about them b/c they were oh-so great): Anne Hathaway & Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) - Kym & Rachel; Michael Sheen & Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) - David Frost & Richard Nixon
The final installment in the series will be coming later this week, so stay tuned!