MovieChat Forums > In the Name of the Father (1994) Discussion > Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis

posted 17 years ago by qjuice14
51 replies | jump to latest

I just finished watching this movie again, and I just can't get over how moving of a performance that DDL delivers. I can't for the life of me understand how Tom Hanks beat him out for an Oscar that year. I thought the acting this film was brilliant all around, so gripping and moving. I know a lot of people tend to think DDL's best performance is in My Left Foot, and for good reason, but I personally think in a brilliant career his Gerry Conlon was slightly his best performance. Though, I am really looking forward to There Will Be Blood.

[–] ltochtenhagen 17 years ago

While I'm a fan of both Hanks and Day-Lewis, I personally feel Day-Lewis should have won for ITNOTF. Hanks was good in Philadelphia, but he's delivered far better performances since then (Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private ryan, Cast Away, Charlie Wilson's War) and I feel he was awarded too early. While Day-Lewis was excellent in MLF, I must admit to feeling that Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July should have won (might have helped steer him into better movies), but that's just me.

Out of all the nominations ITNOTF received, I feel it should have won:

Best Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actor (though I'm torn on who was better: Pete in this or Ralph in Schindler's List...very tough call)

[–] savejets 17 years ago

I come to IMDB.com several times a week to see if DDL has anything on the menu. I can't wait for this man to pick his next role. Total man-crush on this guy. Best actor in movies today......maybe ever.
Many of you have stated that Tom Hanks beating him out for the 1993 Best Actor prize is a major oversight. But, the cold hard fact is Hanks played a dying AIDS patient-at a time when the disease was still VERY relevant-and the Academy was not going to overlook that. In my opinion the more unforgivable infraction was Adrien Brody winning over him in 2002. Bill The Butcher has already gone down in film history as one of the screens great villans. Brody played a forgettable role in an equally forgettable film.
With his win last month for the TWBB the Academy has (at least a little bit) made up for 2002.

[–] Livingthedreamoflife 17 years ago

Hanks won because of backstage politics, not because he gave the best performance.

Proud fan of The late but great Heath Ledger. Rest in peace Heath.

[–] baum6666 13 years ago

He is amazing. He should've won the oscar for this film and Gangs of NY, which wouldve given him 4 Best Oscar Oscars

[–] oscarstegland 12 years ago

Granted, I haven't seen Gangs of New York, but calling Adrien Brody's performance forgettable makes me think you know more about DDL than acting.

His performance in TWBB is quite showy and nearly over-the-top (although I believe the character calls for it) as some people on here say. Most people seem to say the same thing about his performance in Gangs (showy). Generally the Academy enjoys showy roles (ie. Bale winning for The Fighter and Wahlberg being a sidenote) and generally showy roles can convince anyone with little to no knowledge about acting that what they're seeing is, in fact, good acting.

When all is right and well though, the Academy sometimes choose to award performances that show great depth but not by being blatantly complex. Brody's performance in The Pianist is exactly that. Restraint is massive part of acting which most people don't seem to understand. Frankly, I haven't seen a better performance from Jamie Foxx than Django. Why? Because he wasn't his usual slippery-tongued loud-mouthed self.

This isn't meant to come off as demeaning in any way, I just call it the way I see it. Brody in The Pianist is sheer brilliance. You may not like the film, but faulting the acting is plain WRONG.

[–] Serbius 14 years ago

Just finished watching this amazing movie, and goodness me, what a terrific performance by Mr Day-Lewis.

"You're a funny man, Sully, I like you. That's why I'm going to kill you last."

[–] houstongriffin-1 14 years ago

"I just finished watching this movie again, and I just can't get over how moving of a performance that DDL delivers. I can't for the life of me understand how Tom Hanks beat him out for an Oscar that year."

Such is the way. The Oscars often (or usually) champion forgettable movies and performances that deal with current trendy issues at the expense of better films that hold up to the test of time. I had to look up what movie Tom Hanks won the Oscar for in 1993. True, "Philadelphia" had a positive and relevant message and all that, but time has proved it to be mediocre and dated at best. Plus, the public was wowed that the popular screw-ball comedy actor Tom Hanks was able to pull off a respectable showing in a drama. While Tom Hanks has made an admirable transition from his days in "Bosom Buddies" and "Bachelor Party" to being considered a "serious" actor, he will never approach the degree of professionalism DDL puts in every role.

[–] Harmonica11 13 years ago

I think he didn't get the oscar for it because it was a film that wouldn't apply to a wide range of people. I know for a fact that many people outside of the UK have a hard time understanding the Irish accent. For me this is one of my favourite DDL performances. I must of seen this movie during the 90s a hell of a lot of times.

looks like were shy one horse.

No you brought two too many.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] geoffrey-jackson 12 years ago

Daniel Day-Lewis is indeed one hell-of-a-good actor. I first noticed his talent in There Will Be Blood. I might have seen him earlier in Gangs of New York where he put in a powerful performance but in that film DiCaprio and Diaz stole the lime light.

After a long spell I'm now going through all of DDL's films. His best performance by a mile was in My Left Foot. He's such a diverse and varied actor though; I'm thinking in particular about The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Having said that, Hanks did do a good job in Philadelphia and probably deserves his award. I would say, however, if DDL and Hanks swapped roles then DDL would have won the Oscar.

For the record, I rated this film 8/10 (very good).

[–] HarryRidgway 12 years ago

I agree 110% with what this thread is saying. Daniel Day Lewis is my hero...

I just finished this movie and I was blown away by him. He definitely deserved the Oscar (Hanks was still brilliant though, but DDL was way better than 'brilliant'). He gave one hell of a performance which, along with ALL his other performances, should go down in history as some of the best performances ever to embrace the Earth...

Daniel Day Lewis is the greatest performer of all time...

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“My God! It’s full of stars!”

[–] oh_no_mrbill 12 years ago

This is one of my favorite roles of his career. Maybe it's the youthful exuberance of Gerry Conlon, or the genuine emotion between him and his distant father, but I was fully connected with him from the first moment in a way that I never was (for obvious reasons) with Daniel Plainview or Bill the Butcher.

[–] sarizonana 12 years ago

i just saw this movie for the first time last week and i have to agree it was an amazing performance tough im not sure if he is my win since i also loved Liam Neeson in Schindlers list the same year.

his best scene is definitley where he is being interrogated and his trial scene.
i just wanted to jump to the screen and help him.

my indesicion comes from basically one scene of who was better between Daniel and Liam.

Liam´s scene of i could ahve saved one more was just too powerful for words but DDL was also incredibly moving the whole time he was taken by the police for interrogation.