Frances McDormand: An Underrated Icon

The fact this woman has won an Oscar and also has 3 nominations to her name should suggest that she is most certainly not underrated, however I feel otherwise. Frances McDormand may have been recognised for her talents by critics on numerous occasions, and The Academy obviously has a great deal of respect for her acting ability (Oscars are not just handed out to anybody who delivers a half-arsed performance)  however, I still feel McDormand is overlooked. The people who do not truly understand the talent of this woman are us, the people who go out and buy the tickets to see the films.

Frances McDormand has been a personal favourite actress of mine ever since I saw her gem of a performance in 'Fargo'. Never before had I seen a performance like it, I felt a real connection to her character Marge, you really cared for her and always wanted her to be alright. It takes a lot to deliver a performance with this level of heart, but McDormand knocked it out of the park and more than deserved the Oscar for her efforts. The character of Marge Gunderson is a key figure in the world of cinema. as never again has there been a character like her. Frances McDormand managed to play the character of a police chief with both a steely nerve and fearlessness combined with a big-hearted motherliness. Clearly the part was brilliantly written but without McDormand's insight into characterisation the character could have easily been looked over.

'Fargo' is one of very few occasions in which McDormand has been given a meaty leading part to play, as most of her other notable work has been done in supporting roles, 'Almost Famous' is a prime example of this. In this wonderfully heart-filled movie McDormand provides a character which although is only in it for a small portion, provides a significant impact within the whole movie. McDormand is the overly caring mother who tries to keep her son away from the big bad world, but fails as his adventurous spirit gets in the way. McDormand clearly understands what it is to be a mother, as she shows this in the way she can make the viewer really believe that her character cares so deeply for the son. It is very subtle and brief moments in the film when this is most notable, particularly in the moment in which she lets her son leave home for the first time. The sadness which radiates from her as she sits and contemplates what has just happened is so deeply affecting to watch, and the fact she does it with such subtlety is highly commendable.

McDormand has even proven herself as a very talented comedic actress, with a wicked sense of comic timing in the Coen Brothers' 'Burn After Reading'. In this she brought to the screen a character whose naivety led her into the most insane situations. Despite the fact these situations were so massively over the top it was still easy to identify with her and understand how she got so caught up in them. It is roles like this which show McDormand brings a great deal of balance to her performances, which is probably down to a knack for observing human behaviours and bringing this understanding into her acting.

These are only 3 of many brilliant performances by Frances McDormand, so this is why I feel it is a shame she is so overlooked by movie watchers. She has such a skill for delivering such naturalistic and human performances, and these kind of portrayals so often go unnoticed by people who cannot see the skill that lies within actors whose names aren't at the top of the highest earning list. It is a shame the typical movie goer does not go into a film to be impressed by talent but instead goes in to watch a 'name'. I feel it is a pity that people who enjoy watching movies aren't always willing to watch underrated acting talent simply because they are not familiar with them, it is an attitude like this which limits you from seeing some of the best films out there. Frances McDormand is currently in the process of filming Transformers 3, which she has a part in. Perhaps a film like this is what it will take to get more people to notice her, however it will not be the kind of film which will allow her to unleash her true potential.  To people unfamiliar with Frances McDormand, I urge you to go out and watch some of her wonderful back catalogue, you will not be disappointed.