2015 Golden Globes: The Morning After The Night Before!
No one network or film dominated the 2015 Golden Globes last night, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler went out on top with a satisfying mix of soft, hard and curveball pitches – and yes, their Cosby jokes landed pretty hard. Somehow, they managed to sting as hard as Ricky Gervais – without using his scattergun approach. The result was that their digs landed well and generally caught the audience off guard.
But the Golden Globes is about the drinking the awards, so let’s take a look at them.
Best TV Series, Drama: The Affair
Using an affair to examine marriage – its structure, its expectations, its meaning – through an affair might be gutsy, but then looking at the affair and its repercussion from the points of view of its cheating couple is new. The problem is that the show then brings in a murder and, as the season progressed, the his/her POVs got so radically different they didn’t even feel like they were in the same show.
With the exception of Downton Abbey, any of the other nominations would have been a preferable choice (personally, I’d have gone with Game of Thrones).
Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama: Ruth Wilson, The Affair
No weak choices in this category – though I am a bit surprised that Viola Davis didn’t win. Despite the weird directions her show went, Wilson was spectacular.
Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama: Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
The best choice won. I thought James Spader might have snuck in here – his role is much showier than even Spacey’s – but good one, HFPA!
Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy: Transparent
Transparent’s only real competition here was Jane the virgin (Orange is a drama, dammit!). The HFPA went with the more important – and better – show.
Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy: Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Absolutely. Also, Rodriguez’s acceptance speech was perfect.
Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy: Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent
Ditto. Also, Tambor’s speech was brilliant.
Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: Fargo
As much as I loved True Detective, I’d have voted for Fargo – it took a classic movie and created a new chapter that felt as right as the original.
Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Honourable Woman
For my money, it was a coin toss between Gyllenhaal and Fargo’s Allison Tolman. No complaints here.
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television: Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo
Thornton aced a particularly odd role with such ease that had he lost I would have been surprised.
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Miniseries or TV Movie: Matt Bomer, The Normal Heart
This was a strong category but Bomer’s win could not, in any way, have been considered a surprise.
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Miniseries or TV Movie: Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Wait! What? Huge upset here. I figured Uzo Aduba had this one locked. Still, Froggatt gave such a heartfelt acceptance speech that when she was done, I totally got why she had been selected.
Best Motion Picture, Drama: Boyhood
As good as Boyhood is, it would have been my fourth choice in this category. Selma is at least as accomplished – and historically hugely important – and the same could be said for The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything. I would have chosen Selma, but Boyhood’s brave, unique approach won the day.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama: Eddie Redmaybe, The Theory of Everything
No quarrel here. Redmayne did an amazing job detailing Professor Hawking’s physical deterioration while his mind and humor remained sharp.
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Moore’s was the only performance in this category I hadn’t seen, so I can’t comment on the HFPA’s choice except to say that there were, clearly, no weak choices here.
Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Again, no easy choices here. Any one of these films could have won. I have a fondness for Wes Anderson’s unique, incredibly detailed worlds, so I can only approve.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Michael Keaton, Birdman
Keaton earned this with a spectacularly real performance of a character with some some serious rality issues. His acceptance speech was also delightful.
Best Director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Brave, humane and original, Linklater’s Boyhood was the kind of experiment that gives one hope for the continued existence of support for the indie film. Again, no easy choices. Heckuva year for movies!
Best Foreign Language Film: Leviathan
I haven’t seen Leviathan so I can’t comment.
Best Screenplay: Birdman
Consolation prize for losing best film, comedy or musical.
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
As brave as it was for Richard Linklater to make a movie over twelve years, it took even more to play the role of single mom doing her best to get by over the same period. Kudos to Ms. Arquette.
Best Animated Film: How to Train Your Dragon 2
No. Any of Big Hero 6, The Book of Life or The LEGO Movie were better choices – better written, better directed, more fun. I’d have chosen either of The Book of Life or The LEGO Movie – both were more original and more thoughtful.
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: Amy Adams, Big Eyes
No quarrel here. Adams was quietly magnificent in Big Eyes.
Best Original Song in a Motion Picture: “Glory,” Selma
Personally, I preferred Lorde’s Yellow Flicker Beat from Mockingjay Part 1, but Glory was good, too.
Best Score in a Motion Picture: The Theory of Everything
I was kinda partial to birdman’s all percussion score – it added an urgency to the film that underscored the personal upheavals of Riggan Thomson’s life. You can’t win ‘em all.
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Easiest choice in any category. I’m glad the HFPA got it right.
Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: George Clooney
Recipient of not just the lifetime achievement award but also of one of the best punchlines in the opening monologue, George Clooney showed himself to be a class act in many ways during his acceptance speech. From assuring those who did no win a Globe that they had still grabbed the brass ring; from acknowledging the people who were important to him – including his new bride (whose accomplishments are already the stuff of legend) – to standing up for Charlie Hebdo, he hit every note beautifully.
Je suis Charlie, indeed.