2010 SAG Award Predictions
Best Actor
George Clooney (with Anna Kendrick), Up in the Air
Why George Clooney?
Reason #1: He is George Clooney, a well-liked, well-respected actor who has often used his name to push projects that have something say, e.g., Syriana, Good Night, and Good Luck., The Men Who Stare at Goats, and most recently Jason Reitman's dramatic comedy Up in the Air, in which Clooney plays a corporate-downsizing expert whose job is to ensure that thousands of other people lose theirs.
Before you begin hating his character, consider this: It could have been much worse. Clooney's Ryan Bingham could have been a banker or a politician, doing his utmost to destroy the lives of millions instead of mere thousands. Also, he does meet Vera Farmiga and rediscovers there's more to life than frequent-flyer miles and pink slips.
Reason #2: The buzz surrounding Clooney's performance has been extremely positive, with some calling it his most natural, most appealing characterization to date.
Reason #3: Up in the Air will probably become a hit, something that in itself will call more attention to Clooney's performance.
Reason #4: Clooney's strongest competition, Jeff Bridges, is the star of a very small movie. True, SAG Award voters will surely get screeners so they can watch Bridges at home, but Crazy Heart hasn't been getting the kind of strong buzz that has greeted Up in the Air, the winner of numerous awards in the last few weeks. That can make a big difference — unless voters decide to honor Bridges for his career.
The other nominees — Colin Firth in A Single Man, Morgan Freeman in Invictus, and Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker — don't seem to have much of a chance. Of the three, Firth is the only one who could emerge as an upset winner. And that would be quite an upset.
Photo: Dale Robinette / Paramount