Top 10 Actors of 2009

Viggo Mortensen's dramatic change in appearance for The Road was an absolute necessity as he plays a man who's barely hanging on in a world devastated by some sort of apocalyptic event. Mortensen isn't the first actor who's taken an already lean frame down to skeletal proportions, and he certainly won't be the last. His weight change would be distracting if he weren't so fiercely convincing as a widower attempting to keep his son safe in a world gone crazy. Mortensen is convincing, compelling, and totally immersed in the role. The audience can't help but be drawn into this horrifying world because of Mortensen's performance.

In his very first feature film, Sharlto Copley made a believer out of me. I'm convinced Copley's got something special and that we'll be seeing a lot more of this 36 year old South African actor in the coming years. In fact, his performance in District 9 was so incredible it helped land him one of the sought-after lead roles in the big screen version of the classic TV series, The A-Team. Copley's a natural, and ability to deliver a convincing performance opposite nothing helped sell writer/director Neill Blomkamp's make-believe world of aliens stranded in Johannesburg.

George Clooney's never been better than he is in Up in the Air, the third film from writer/director Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno). Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, a hired gun who travels across the country firing people for companies that don't want to do the dirty work themselves. Ryan's a guy you don't want to like or feel sorry for, but you do because of the intelligent script and because Clooney could charm the skin off of a snake even while playing a guy who cuts people loose for a living.

Of Matt Damon's two major films released in 2009, The Informant! is by far the better film in my book. Sure, Invictus was directed by Clint Eastwood, has Morgan Freeman playing Nelson Mandela, and is based on a true story, but The Informant! is a sharper, much more all-around entertaining movie. In Invictus, Damon had to pack on muscle to adequately portray the captain of South Africa's '95 rugby team. In The Informant!, Damon had to pack on 30 pounds to play an out-of-shape, desk-bound, delusional corporate whistle-blower. He's good in Invictus, but he's fantastic in The Informant!. As I said in my review, The Informant! was worth the weight gain for Damon as he delivers what's easily his best performance to date.

Ben Foster's known for tackling intense characters, but with The Messenger he plays someone who could be your brother or boyfriend or across the street neighbor. Foster stars as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery, a wounded soldier reassigned to the Army's Casualty Notification Service. His job: deliver heartbreaking news to the next of kin of deceased soldiers. Foster researched the role, speaking to soldiers, and doing his best to honor those who serve their country. His attention to detail and his commitment to the character shine through. Foster is a bit more low-key in The Messenger than we normally see him, and being able to attempt to fill the shoes of a soldier on film adds a real maturity to his performance.

Jeremy Renner stars as a member of an elite group of soldiers who risk their lives disarming bombs in Iraq in The Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow. War movies aren't doing well at the box office, but Renner believes that although this movie is all about soldiers handling dangerous missions, it's much more than a 'war' movie. Renner approached it as an intense character study, and that approach is reflected in his performance.

Brad Pitt deserves recognition for his role as the Nazis worst nightmare in Inglourious Basterds if for no other reason than his delivery of the most bizarre accent in a 2009 film. Yes, it's even stranger than whatever it was Nicole Kidman was trying to do in Nine. Trust me - you'll be as confused as I am as to who she was trying to sound like, if you ever suffer through that movie. But I digress...this is supposed to be about Brad Pitt and his Inglourious Basterds performance. As the leader of the Basterds, Pitt gleefully carves up Nazis, leads a plot to kill Hitler, and still finds time to have fun at the expense of his enemies. Teaming up with Quentin Tarantino seems to have refreshed Pitt, and his performance is incredibly fun to watch.

Colin Firth can do nearly no wrong in my book. He's great in mediocre movies, and amazing in films that supply him with meaty material to build a character out of. Any problems I have with A Single Man do not stem from Firth's performance. I'm not completely taken by first-time writer/director Tom Ford's style (too many close-ups of eyes, too much arty filler that's unnecessary and distracting), but what Firth does as a homosexual college professor unable to move on after the death of his long-time companion (Matthew Goode) is bordering brilliance.

Tobey Maguire delivers a career-defining performance as a physically and psychologically tortured, ex-prisoner of war who has difficulty adjusting to life back home in Brothers. Before he took on the role of the superhero webslinger in the Spider-Man franchise, Maguire built up an impressive resume in smaller films, tackling dramatic roles that didn't involve action or special effects. With Brothers, Maguire returns to earlier form, displaying a full emotional range we haven't had a chance to see in the actor in recent years. His portrayal of a captured Marine forced to do horrible deeds by the Taliban is unforgettable and moving.

Although I wasn't crazy about Crazy Heart, I was crazy about Jeff Bridges' performance in the film. Bridges seems to just be getting better with age, and as a country singer who's seen better days, Bridges gives one of the most memorable performances of his long and varied career. Bridges plays Bad Blake, a has-been singer who travels the back roads performing at bowling alleys and other smaller venues. Into his solitary life comes Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a struggling mom who wants to interview him for an article. One thing leads to another and soon Blake finds himself making his first real connection to a woman in years. Bridges is heartbreaking to watch as he falls for Jean, battles alcoholism, and tries to keep his music career alive.