Joey Magidson
Riz Ahmed cuts a striking profile in the industry. Not only has he been bandied about as an unconventional choice to potentially play James Bond, he’s been invited into the Jason Bourne and Star Wars franchises. It’s a tribute to his talent that Ahmed has broken down the doors in Hollywood to become a reliable presence that still feels very much on the upswing. With his version of Hamlet hitting theaters this weekend after a festival run, it feels like a good time to run down some of Ahmed’s best work to date. After all, his Oscar nomination for Sound of Metal, his Academy Award in Best Live Action Short Film for The Long Goodbye, and his stirring turn last year in Relay, Ahmed seems on the cusp of reaching an even bigger level.
In my review of Relay (here), I praised Ahmed like so:
Riz Ahmed spends a lot of this film silent, so it’s a credit to his eyes and overall presence that the performance feels so three dimensional. Plus, he does an excellent job of showing how good Tom is at this. He does his job well, coming off as much like a spy as a broker.
Previously, I raved about him (here) in Sound of Metal in the following manner:
Riz Ahmed is amazing here, doing easily the finest work of his career so far. He’s intense and stubborn, just like you’d expect a heavy metal drummer to be. At the same time, he slowly lets you in, giving Ruben extra layers. Plus, the way he depicts having lost his hearing is not just moving, it feels accurate to the situation.
Below, you can see how Ahmed stacks up for me. I think he’s never been better than in Sound of Metal, which is just a remarkable performance. Next in line would actually be a TV performance in The Night Of, which I have in a Special Citation spot since I’m focused in on film, as opposed to television. Then, it’s Relay, which rules. There’s also underrated turns in Fingernails, Nightcrawler, and of course, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Where does Hamlet debut? Find out next…
Here now is my ranking of the best of Riz Ahmed so far. Behold:
Special Citation: The Night Of
10. The Sisters Brothers
9. Four Lions
8. The Reluctant Fundamentalist
7. Encounter
6. Hamlet
5. Fingernails
4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
3. Nightcrawler
2. Relay
What are your favorite Riz Ahmed performances? Let us know!
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