Another Star Burns Out


The story of Icarus is a cautionary tale. It's about a boy whose father makes him wings so he can escape his life. But he fails to heed warnings, flies too close to the sun, falls into the sea, and dies. The modern equivalent seems to be actors.

All too often we lose men and women of incredible talent, often because their own demons push them too close to the sun. On Sunday that happened again as Phillip Seymour Hoffman was found dead of an apparent overdose. It was a shocking announcement, and a blow to anyone who is a fan of fine performances and fine films.

There has been a lot said about him and his tragic death, and much more will probably be said as we approach the Academy Awards. Thinking back, I will miss what he brought to his roles. He was an Academy Award winner and was nominated three additional times. Many people have their favorite of his film roles, but below are mine.

1. Doubt (2008) Father Brendan Flynn — I loved this movie. It earned Seymour Hoffman a nomination, in fact all the four lead actors earned nominations. I loved his performance here. He gave such a powerful, and at times beautiful performance in a fascinating film.

2. Charlie Wilson's War (2007) Gust Avrakotos — Just such a fascinating performance in a movie that's under rated. Seymour Hoffman got some of the more fun, showy moments in this film, largely overshadowing star Tom Hanks.

3. Capote (2005) Truman Capote — This is the one that he won his Academy Award for. It's not a great film, but his work in the role is magical. It is an incredible transformation.

4. Mission Impossible III (2006) Owen Davian — This is the best of the "Mission Impossible" films, and it is largely because of the work of Seymour Hoffman as the villain. His presence in the film was unexpected, and also helped make it a cut above the average action film.

5. Twister (1996) Dustin Davis — This isn't a great movie, but I love what a young Seymour Hoffman brings to the role. This is one of my favorite movies, and his character cracks me up every time I watch it.

There are many more memorable roles, which is what makes his loss a shame.

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