The inspiring talent of Olivia Colmana woman with rare acting ability in both the comedic and dramatic realms, recently blessed audiences with the theatrical arrival of The roses. Directed by Jay RoachLaugh-A-Minute comedy also starred the hilariously talented Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Ncuti gatwa, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jamie Demetriou, Zoë ChaoAnd Kate McKinnonyet it was, unsurprisingly, Colman who shone brightest.
After proving herself one of the best comedy actresses on British television in the 90s, Colman’s move to Hollywood felt inevitable. Then came a series of fantastic performances, each proving that it could be both funnier and more emotionally gripping. Finally, in 2019, Colman was recognized by the Academy, Winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The favorite. All that being said, which of the less-discussed Colman projects deserves much more attention? Here are seven underrated Olivia Colman movies you probably haven’t seen.
7
‘Wicked Little Letters’ (2023)
Colman’s comedic expertise makes her one of the funniest British actresses, with her on to have a wonderful showing in 2023 Little nasty lettersdirected by Thea Sharrock and written by Johnny Sweet. With Jessie Buckleythe film plays out like a Twitter feud in a quaint English village as a woman receives increasingly dirty letters and a scandal erupts.
Desperately funny and perfectly British, Little nasty letters feels like a quintessential colman film. From his penchant for hilariously vulgar language to his sorrowful British mannerisms, Colman’s off-screen charm is on full display in this performance – one perfectly accompanied by Buckley, Gemma Jones, Malachi Kirby, Lolly Adefope, Eileen AtkinsAnd Timothy Spall. Little nasty letters It may not be the most visually captivating film, but, like any good story, it is sure to entertain its audience from start to finish.
6
“Locke” (2013)
Anyone who has heard of Locke will know that the film stars Tom Hardy in a singular physical performance, with the rest of the ensemble playing vocal roles as the Venom Actor Ivan Locke engages in phone calls during a car trip from Birmingham to London. One of Ivan’s callers, and arguably Hardy’s greatest scene partner, is Colman’s Bethan, a co-worker with whom Ivan cheated and conceived a baby seven months prior.
Unlike anything a viewer has likely seen before, Locke has an exceptional character study from Hardy, as he uses the trapped boundaries between him and the viewer to showcase his impressive acting range. However, Hardy simply wouldn’t be able to perform his heart out without the triumph of his co-stars, highlighted by Colman, who has the unenviable task of providing emotional depth from the other side of a phone. A gem from the Hardy and Colman catalog, Locke’s $2 million worldwide box office performance is a perfect showcase of how sadly underrated she is.
5
‘I Give It a Year’ (2013)
Another great comedic performance from Colman is supported by an equally hilarious ensemble in I give it a year. After the year-long marriage of advertising director NAT (Rose Byrne) and struggling writer Josh (Rafe Spall), the film details the breakdown of their relationship – one predicted by their friends and loved ones, as they each realize their hearts belong to another instead.
From Stephen MerchantThe laughter of the best man laughing at the final meeting at the station, I give it a year Don’t waste a single scene, delivering laugh after laugh with a simple but still effective premise. As a cog in an ever-changing comedic machine, Colman delivers a breathtaking performance as the wildly inept marriage counselor, making incredible use of her very short screen time and providing a sense of perspective for viewers who view Nat and Josh as irredeemably toxic.
4
“Tyrannosaur” (2011)
As the 2010s rushed on, Colman’s Reclaimed as a comic actress grew into the comedic and dramatic reputation she is known for today. It is thanks in no small part to Tyrannosaurusdirected by Paddy Considerwhich stars Colman as charity shop worker Hannah, who comes to the aid of a self-destructive man, Joseph (Rock Mullan), offering him a second chance at life. However, there is much more beneath the surface of Hannah, as dark secrets begin to spill out and the horrific consequences are met by her and Joseph.
As Hannah, Colman delivers an emotionally devastating performance that could easily be considered his best to date. Winning five Best Actress awards for her role, including a Sundance Award for Breakout Performance, Colman’s Turn as Hannah firmly put her on Hollywood’s radar. Without this superb performance and gutwrenching, Colman’s Academy Award win probably would never have happened.
3
‘The Lost Daughter’ (2021)
Maggie GyllenhaalDebut of director, The lost girlbased on the 2006 novel of the same name by Elena Ferranteis a divisive film that still divides opinion four years ago. However, due to the mixed discourse surrounding the film, Colman’s lead performance fell under the radar. Colman plays Leda, a middle-aged woman with a dark past whose unpretentious beach vacation forces her to face her demons.
So often, mothers in films are portrayed as evil or saintly. In The lost girlColman’s Leda is beautifully balanced between the two. As a woman with a questionable past, making often irremediable choices, Leda is extremely complex and makes for a fascinating character study. Does every emotional beat and director choice land The lost girl? Not quite. But it still acts as the perfect canvas for Colman to paint his Oscar-winning acting ability, and it’s good enough for the most part.
2
‘Empire of Light’ (2022)
A film about films, something Hollywood loves a lot this decade, with the likes Babylon And The Fabelmans, Empire of Light Follows Hilary, director of Colman’s struggling cinema, who faces personal and professional conflicts. However, after hiring Stephen (Ward Micheal), the two become unlikely keys to each other’s futures as they discover a sense of belonging.
A touching story about the power of community and shared experiences, Empire of Light Was built up as one of the must-win Oscar contenders in 2022, but it didn’t quite live up to its promise. For this reason, the film fell to a mixed reception that does not reflect its authentic quality, highlighted by another superb performance from Colman. Both written and directed by Sam Mendes, Empire of Light earned an Oscar nomination for veteran Roger Deakins’ signature cinematography But perhaps deserved even more love from the Academy.
1
“Ron Gone Bad” (2021)
In 2021, Colman provided his voice for two critically acclaimed animated films. The first, The Mitchells against the machinesbecame Netflix’s biggest animated film of all time, leaving the door open for the second, Ron Gone Wrongto fall under the radar. In truth, the latter is arguably better than the former, more so than getting its 94% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator.
Made by London-based locksmith animation CGI Animation Studio, this underrated visual delight is one of the best animated films of its year. Winning Best Feature Film at the 2022 British Animation Awardsthe film earned warm praise from its field, but it certainly deserved more widespread praise. A tender story that perfectly captures the importance of friendship, Ron Gone Wrong is a true gem of this current decade – and which, were it not for factors beyond its control, would certainly have been even more successful.
- Release date
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October 22, 2021
- Execution time
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107 minutes
- Director
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Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine
- Writers
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Peter Baynham, Sarah Smith
