Tribute: Philip Seymour Hoffman

I was quite shocked when I saw the breaking news on Super Bowl Sunday that actor Philip Seymour Hoffman was dead. He was no doubt one of the top dramatic performers in the biz, in the prime of his acting career. I enjoyed many of his movies and characters. It's such a shame to lose him at only 46.

He won an Oscar for his performance in  Capote as well as three other nominations for Charlie Wilson's War, Doubt, and The Master. Each of his characters were complex, conflicted, and extremely emotional which separates a good actor from a great actor.

It's my understanding that he also had some great Broadway theater work as well.  I've enjoyed many of his performances throughout the years. My favorite of his film performances will always be his portrayal of Lester Bangs, the famed rock and roll critic, in Almost Famous. He will be missed, yet his legacy will live on through his work. Here are same of my favorite characters/films of his.


Greatest Performances

Movie: Almost Famous (2000)
Role: Lester Bangs

Performance: Seymour Hoffman nails the famous rock journalist, Lester Bangs, who also happened to die of a drug overdose. His character plays a great mentor to the young aspiring journalist in this story. Hoffman's character is honest, loose, fun, and a passionate music junkie who describes himself as one uncool dude.

Key Line: "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we're uncool."

Movie: Capote (2005)
Role: Truman Capote

Performance: He truly embodied the famous author of Cold Blood and Breakfest at Tiffany by portraying a delicate and unusual character. The story is quite unique in establishing a sharp contrast of Capote's flamboyant, urban, gentle character in a rural conservative setting. This role won Seymour Hoffman the Academy Award and truly stamped his legacy as a top quality lead actor.

Key Line: "Ever since I was a child, folks have thought they had me pegged, because of the way I am, the way I talk. And they're always wrong."

Movie: The Savages (2007)
Role: Jon Savage

Performance: This independent film, depicts a brother and sister having to reunite after drifting apart for several years, as their father is about to die. Its a very realistic depiction of two working adults living in the city, each with problems of their own, yet reunited by their blood.

Key Line: "We're not in therapy now- we're in real life."

Movie: Charlie Wilson's War (2007)

Role: Gust Avrakotos 

Performance: This is a great political-historic movie about Charlie Wilson's covert war with Russia-Afghanistan. One of the key players in this covert war, was CIA operative, Gust Avrakotos, played ingeniously by Seymour Hoffman. This character is coarse, blunt, rude, witty, and dis-likable yet his passion for his country is the true takeaway here. Another solid performance and Oscar nod for Seymour Hoffman.

Key Line: "There's a little boy and on his 14th birthday he gets a horse... and everybody in the village says, "how wonderful. The boy got a horse" And the Zen master says, "we'll see." Two years later, the boy falls off the horse, breaks his leg, and everyone in the village says, "How terrible." And the Zen master says, "We'll see." Then, a war breaks out and all the young men have to go off and fight... except the boy can't cause his legs all messed up. and everybody in the village says, "How wonderful."

Movie: Doubt (2008)
Role: Father Brendan Flynn

Performance: In this great dramatic film, set in 1960s Bronx, NYC, Hoffman portrays a priest accused of sexual molestation. Hoffman gives a riveting performance as a likable priest, in contention with a very unlikable yet righteous nun, played by Meryl Streep. Whether he's right or wrong, one cannot deny this powerful performance that led to another Oscar nod for Hoffman.  

Key Line: "You have no right to act on your own! You have taken vows, obedience being one! You answer to us! You have no right to step outside the church!"

Movie: The Ides of March (2011)
Role: Paul Zara

Performance: This is a great political thriller, that gives an inside look at the corruption and scandals that happens behind campaigns. Seymour Hoffman plays the sharp and experienced campaign manager, who is challenged by the new up-and-coming junior manager played by Ryan Gosling. This movie demonstrates how some people will do whatever it takes to win and move ahead in the ruthless sport of political-campaigning.

Key Line: "There's only one thing I value in this world and that's loyalty. Without it your nothing"

Movie: A Late Quartet (2012)

Role: Robert Gelbart

Performance: In this independent film, a highly respected quartet is approaching their 25th anniversary and it's potential finale due to the illness of one of its members. Each of the four musicians have a unique back-story and conflict of their own, yet share a masterful passion in their musical craft. Seymour Hoffman's character is married to Catherine Keener', the sole female of the group. He finds himself conflicted between her love and being the best violinist of the group.

Key Line: "Did you love me, or was I just convenient?"

Movie: The Master (2012)
Role: Lancaster Dodd

Performance: I've yet to see this film, and it's high up on my watch list, as it got several Oscar nods, including best supporting actor for Philip Seymour Hoffman. All I know about the plot outline is that Hoffman plays a prophet in the 50s leading a religious movement. Sounds like great dramatic stuff. 

Other notable roles:

Twister  (1996)

Boogie Nights (1997)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
Patch Adams (1998)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

Punch Drunk Love (2002)   

Cold Mountain (2003)
Along Came Polly (2004)

Mission Impossible III (2006)

Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (2007)

Synecdoche New York (2008)

The Boat that Rocked (2009)

Moneyball (2011)

Hunger Games (2013,2014)