No Small Parts
The Odyssey is finally in theaters and it is absolutely crushing at the box office. A monumental achievement of technical mastery from Christopher Nolan, the cast is almost as big as the story being told. It is easier to list who’s NOT in The Odyssey than it is to run down everyone who is, and with such a star studded cast it can be very hard to stand out. While there is no real weak link in the film, there are some supporting standouts that deserve special praise. So let’s take a look at a few smaller performances that steal the show and make the most of every brief moment they have in The Odyssey.
Elliot Page – Sinon
Little was known about Elliot Page’s character in the lead up to the film. Many falsely assumed he was playing Achilles or some stand in version of the famed warrior. But Page actually plays Sinon, the first soldier we see in The Odyssey and a major catalyst for the emotional wreckage that plague Odysseus on his voyage. Without spoiling his overall significance, Sinon does not survive the siege of Troy and is later given the opportunity to confront Odysseus when he travels to Hades.
It is here where Page shines, giving a career best performance in less than 5 minutes of screentime. It’s genuinely on of the most emotionally propulsive and revelatory scenes in the film, one that seems small in the larger context but has long last implications on everything. I was blown away but what Page is doing here, and he deserves all the flowers for his work in The Odyssey.
Samantha Morton – Cerce
There’s almost never a time where Samantha Morton does heat check a scene, and The Odyssey is no exception. Another performer given maybe 5 minutes or less of screen time, Morton makes an absolute meal as the mysterious and trickster witch. What Nolan does here is astonishing, adding a new wrinkle of body horror to his filmmaking prowess and letting Morton cook (literally and figuratively) in the few moments we see her. She conveys so much with so little and lifts the character off the page with her own soft and deep touch. It’s always been a talent of hers – a true ‘no small parts just small actors kind of performer – and Nolan appears fully aware of Morton’s abilities and lets her shine bright in a short but pivotal scene. She’s excellent in The Odyssey.
Himesh Patel – Eurylochus
A quieter character and the very definition of a supporting role, Himesh Patel’s Eurylochus isn’t given nearly the amount of moments to shine as his counterparts on this list. He is often in the background or secondary to Damon’s Odysseus, and is never given monologues or solo screentime. And yet, Patel imbues so much into an otherwise forgotten character, layering a soldier torn between duty and doubt with incredible complexity. The Odyssey leaves Patel reacting to things around him more than proactively engaging, and somehow he manages to make that standout on every ship and new terrifying encounter. Patel makes the most of an otherwise thankless role, and the long journey of The Odyssey just wouldn’t be as effective if it wasn’t for the work he’s doing here.
John Leguizamo – Eumaus
Perhaps the biggest surprise and biggest standout in the supporting category, John Leguizamo as Eumaus may be my number one favorite. He’s an emotional anchor for the entire film, and even as a blind man he sees all aspects of his character and knows exactly what to do to make him stand out. The Odyssey’s emotional undercurrent is supercharged through Leguizamo’s portrayal of a broken man fueled by loyalty and hope of a better world, a true believer in Odysseus’ return.
His relationship to everyone he encounters is immediately conveyed – good or bad – and Leguizamo disappears entirely into Eumaus. It’s such a tender, beautiful, moving performance and he does it all in a constant supporting portrayal. He exists to further the stories of the main cast and in doing so your mind and eye gravitate towards him without ever fully taking away focus. Very few actors can give everything they have to making someone else look good and keeping themselves memorable at the same time. Leguizamo nails this in The Odyssey, and I am so serious when I say we should start his supporting actor nomination campaign right now.
The supporting category of The Odyssey is going to be hard to beat with these highlights, and there’s plenty more we didn’t even mention. Do you have a favorite? Who is it and why?
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