Oscar Snub Times Three
Y'know I think you could make a pretty persuasive case Keaton, Kathy Baker, and Morgan Freeman for their performances in this film all deserved Oscar nominations.
How to make the case?
Just recommend this movie to everyone you ever talk to about movies (of course a bit too late for the actual statue but so what? To those who appreciate the art form, the acting in Clean & Sober deserves to be recognized.
They're all such very powerful - weighty - performances.
I want to like Keaton - something about him sticks out - sometimes tho I can't get past his smirk, the guy is a damn good actor there is a Jack Nicholson wannabe there tho too in my uninformed opinion.
As for Kathy Baker, her work here and also the job she did in Street Smart (also w/ Freeman) are both just bowl-you-over parts and performances. She is an absolutely amazing actress (and yeah the fact that I have a crush on her does kinda shade my take just a wee bit. <wink>)
Morgan Freeman? Fergitaboutit. There may be 2-3 actors who can match him for screen presence & skill (Hackman, Deniro, Nicholson), but nobody is better and this performance is just one more example to prove it.
A heckuva movie you sure don't skip out of the theatre whistling your favorite tune but, I saw it 20+ years ago now and it still stays there in my memory - some people lives' are just bone crushingly, heartbreakingly, fated it seems
and this film really tells that tale very very effectively.