Jennifer Lawrence named Outstanding Performer of the Year by Santa Barbara fest
The Best Actress frontrunner will receive a tribute on February 2
Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook."
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In case you were worried that Jennifer Lawrence is going a little under the radar this season, don't worry: the Santa Barbara International Film Festival is taking care of the situation. Festival director Roger Durling announced yesterday that the 22 year-old actress will receive their Outstanding Performer of the Year honor of February 2, in recognition of her 2012 work in both "Silver Linings Playbook" and "The Hunger Games." ("The House at the End of the Street" went unmentioned, though I assume that's an oversight.)
It's an award that has a reliable habit of going to Oscar frontrunners. Previous recipients Colin Firth, Penelope Cruz, Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron all received the honor en route to their eventual Oscar wins, while Kate Winslet, Heath Ledger, James Franco and last year's recipient Viola Davis were honored in years they were nominated by the Academy. (The only time the SBIFF selectors behind this award haven't seen eye-to-eye with the Academy was with Angelina Jolie in 2007, who missed the Oscar cut for "A Mighty Heart.")
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Of course, this should be regarded as an award in itself, not merely grist for the Oscar mill. And while it hardly hurts that Lawrence is widely presumed to be in the driver's seat for Best Actress -- Jessica Chastain is now giving her some heat, though some wonder if her "Zero Dark Thirty" character is too remote for the win -- she makes as much sense as anyone for a Performer of the Year citation, given the artistic range and industry impact she has shown between her two major films this year.
Plus, when you factor in the commercial connotations of the term "performer," it feels right: "Silver Linings Playbook" may be the performance that'll net her more honors, but it was her sturdy anchoring of the "Hunger Games" franchise-starter that announced her as a box-office player to be reckoned with. Whether or not she wins the Oscar (we know the Globe is hers, at least), she's arguably the face of 2012 -- and that's with an Oscar nomination and established indie credibility already under her belt. The world is hers, and I'm happy with that.
Durling agrees: “Ms. Lawrence impressed us earlier this year in The Hunger Games, but has now left us moonstruck with her career-defining performance in Silver Lining Playbook – recalling classic turns by Lombard, Stanwyck and Colbert. Naming her our Outstanding Performer of the Year is an understatement.” Some of you will doubtless call that hyperbolic praise, but I already invoked Stanwyck's name in my own assessment of her "Playbook" performance, so I'm no position to talk.
2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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Login or create a HitFix account Login Signupjmp
November 28, 2012 at 10:58AM EST Reply to CommentI truly wish Jessica Chastain ( or any other deserving actress) wins over the undeserving Jennifer Lawrence. I just don't understand the profound love for Lawrence's performance in Silver Linings Playbook. It is only decent- not Academy worthy.
astro @JMP-Sorry but her performance was exceptional. And you haven't even seen Zero Dark Thirty, so what exactly do you know? Put it this way: Chastain at 35 could not pull off what Lawrence did in SLP at 21. Doesn't mean Chastain isn't a good actress and maybe she truly nailed the role in Zero Dark Thirty, although it sounds like the Oscar bait role of the century where the role plays the actor. She playing "the girl who got Bin Laden." It's a dream role.
November 28, 2012 at 11:39AM ESTMark A. She isn't "undeserving"....she was great in both THG and SLP; two completely different characters and she nails both of them. She proved herself worthy with her first Oscar nomination 2 years ago for Winter's Bone and she has impressed me with her performances in just about everything (except that that total crapfest, House at the End of the Street....no actress could have saved that). Jessica Chastain would be an okay choice too....equally, but certainly not more deserving.
November 28, 2012 at 11:40AM ESTWill never understand the dislike for Jennifer Lawrence that I see on some of these message boards....she's extremely talented, plus she has a great personality.
angie May be you have shitty taste lol
November 28, 2012 at 11:48AM ESTWhat's undeserving about her performances?
she is only 22 yrs old and already has an oscar nomination and is on the verge of getting a second one, she got raves for both SLP and Hunger games which is rare for someone so young to be able to carry a blockbuster (which is both a critical hit and box office sucess) and in the same year, get raves for performance in another movie and being frontrunner and all
i mean she has talent it is undeniable, critics and people in the industry seem to think so and they are the one who are more knowledgeable about those things JMO.
angie May be you have shitty taste lol
November 28, 2012 at 11:48AM ESTWhat's undeserving about her performances?
she is only 22 yrs old and already has an oscar nomination and is on the verge of getting a second one, she got raves for both SLP and Hunger games which is rare for someone so young to be able to carry a blockbuster (which is both a critical hit and box office sucess) and in the same year, get raves for performance in another movie and being frontrunner and all
i mean she has talent it is undeniable, critics and people in the industry seem to think so and they are the one who are more knowledgeable about those things JMO.
DylanS
November 28, 2012 at 12:32PM EST Reply to CommentJust because Jennifer Lawrence was the star of "Hunger Games" and that "Hunger Games" made a lot of money doesn't really mean that she's "a box-office player to be reckoned with". People didn't go see the movie to see her, they went because it was a popular book. What it announced was that she had potential for movie star box office clout. If "Silver Linings" becomes a hit than that could change things.
red_wine
November 28, 2012 at 2:14PM EST Reply to CommentGuy do you know when Sight and Sound might do their yearly Top 10?
JJ1
November 28, 2012 at 3:23PM EST Reply to CommentOk, I just got back from Silver Linings Playbook. Wow. I found the movie to be so "okay". I didn't care for the treatment of bipolar. I definitely laughed at various scenes. But the tone? The performances? I just didn't get it. De Niro was better than he has been in a long time, but it wasn't amazing. I think Cooper is overhyped here, yet it's clearly the best performance he's given. And Jennifer Lawrence? I found her to be sexy and solid, but nothing awards worthy. I'm kinda stunned by the fall festival acclaim and most of the critical acclaim/buzz that has amassed. That said, I do see how people could fall for its kind of messy, imperfect energy. It is ORussell after all.
JJ1 And for what it's worth (not much, haha), I absolutely loved The Fighter.
November 28, 2012 at 3:24PM ESTJLPatt Strange. It was easily one of the most satisfying theatrical experiences I had all year. It's just so damn charming, I can't imagine most people not being won over by it in some way.
November 28, 2012 at 4:28PM ESTJJ1 Well, the trailer never got me excited. But plenty of trailers disappoint me and then I love the movie. I also really enjoy a lot of the people involved with the movie. AND, Im an unapologetic lover of romantic comedies.
November 28, 2012 at 6:58PM ESTSo I, too, was surprised to leave the theater feeling ... okay about it all, but not over-the-moon. I think it was just a bit too messy for me (tonally), and so I couldnt dig in and care much for the characters.
Devlin
November 28, 2012 at 4:06PM EST Reply to CommentJennifer Lawrence is amazing in Silver Linings Playbook and completely deserving of the praise. Jennifer Lawrence is able to show the kind of skill/range that most actresses aren't capable of achieving until they reach their 30's. One thing is for sure, Jennifer Lawrence will be nominated again, for Best Actress after being nominated only a couple of years ago. Not bad for a 22 year old to have that much acclaim and respect in the industry.
Jempy
November 28, 2012 at 4:38PM EST Reply to CommentLawrence was good, but she didn't come close to the two french goddesses.
Not even her fault, the part just isn't oscar-y enough, I'm really not seing what so special about it, the same way I won't ever understand why Bullock, Paltrow or Hunt won.
/3rt Bullock won because she's Bullock. Paltrow won because people like Shakespeare in Love. Hunt won because Jack Nicholson her co-star was also winning.
November 28, 2012 at 8:19PM ESTGuy Lodge And because Hunt's also really good in As Good As It Gets -- better than Nicholson, for my money.
November 28, 2012 at 9:48PM ESTJJ1 Completely agree, Guy
November 28, 2012 at 9:57PM ESTjmp
November 29, 2012 at 4:46AM EST Reply to CommentAngie, we are all entitled to our opinions. I am not badmouthing your taste. I disagree with your taste, but I am not trashing your taste.
Astro, it is presumptuous and ridiculous, for you to judge Jessica Chastain's acting talent at the age of 21. But, I will say, currently, Chastain has more acting talent and range than Ms. Jennifer Lawrence. The New York Times referred to Jennifer's performance in The Hunger Games as " bland." I couldn't agree more. I still feel Saoirse Ronan should have been cast as Katniss Everdeen. She would have poured her heart and soul in that role, and brought much complexity to the role. I don't see any major dislike for Lawrence on the message boards.
ANGIE do you not how to read? i said JMO at the end
November 30, 2012 at 12:18PM ESTand did i ever in my statement judge jessica chastain? i did not even mention jessica chastain in my answer, it's you who sound judgmental and think your opinion is the one that counts even though you are just an internet user not even a critic and also, strange you take the negative opinion of one critic which coincidentally is in line with your negative opinion of her over a hundred or so of many other critics which have raves about her performance in HG. Saoirse was not good enough to win the audition and so, was not chosen as katniss everdeen, she may be a talented actress but she has not proven herself yet.Jennifer Lawrence has also as much talent as Saoirse but she too has also much to learn but you dismiss her because you are bias and wants people to know she is undeserving of the praise she is getting, who are you to say that anyway? there are many varied opinions out there of what constitute good acting! just cause her acting is not up to your standard does mean other people better equipped to judge acting ability can't praise her when they seem fit.