Alternate Best Actor 2020: Kingsley Ben-Adir in One Night in Miami

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Kingsley Ben-Adir did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Malcolm X in One Night in Miami. 

Usually when I broach a performance that is depicting someone who has been previously portrayed in some major ways the comparisons become rather obvious. This depiction compared to Malcolm X in the same name film by Denzel Washington couldn't be more different in so many regards, and I think speaks towards that film's more epic depiction of an icon style tone. That Malcolm X, who has a dominating presence, while also feeling intangible in some regards, is almost setup as more so someone who is one of a kind. This is a far cry from the depiction of the man in this film and by Kingsley Ben-Adir in this film. I will say first off Ben-Adir doesn't have that star presence of Denzel Washington, but he doesn't need to. Now on the surface we do get much of what you might expect from a Malcolm X performance. This as Ben-Adir delivers on this kind of distinct diction of the man. This manner that is very assured and also very particular in his upright stance. This conveying a man with a message and also a degree of confidence at least from the outside in. This is what we see in kind of his entry way relationship which is with then Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), where he's essentially his spiritual guide into the Nation of Islam. There Ben-Adir speaks with confidence but also a notable warmth in the role. This in as he guides Clay through prayer, Ben-Adir projects a real sense of support and camaraderie with Clay. This is essential in creating the sense of the belief in the friendship and path for him, particularly since this will be questioned as the story goes on. This as we follow the story as other notable African Americans, he, Clay, football player Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) and singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) meet up for Clay's title bout against Sonny Liston. 

There's an aspect in this that I think should be covered most, which you won't find anywhere in the previous depictions of Malcolm, which is a lack of pretense. This in the scenes of watching the boxing fight and taking pictures, Ben-Adir actually is quite endearing in just projecting a boxing fan who wants to see his friend succeed. His actual whole photography angle is a great humanizing quality we find here within the story, which Ben-Adir does a lot with. This in the moments around that he just presents just the most genuine enthusiasm. This in doing so well to show as much as Malcolm is a man with kind of history itself  laying on his shoulders, he is also just a boxing and photography fan. I love how lacking in any sense of greater importance that Ben-Adir actually brings in these moments that do a fantastic job in making Malcolm all the more relatable. An especially great one coming in at a point in the party where the other three guys mess with him by messing with his expensive camera. Ben-Adir naturally shows Malcolm very much forgetting himself as any essential public figure and just a guy angry and upset with his friends as he tries to protect his camera. This in losing his distinct manner of speaking and any sort of natural grace. Ben-Adir effectively using the moment not to show that Malcolm is in some way phony, but rather just revealing the genuine person behind all that he is carrying with him. This in a way making Malcolm here tangible in this film in a way that typically is not how he has been portrayed in other films. 

Now this isn't to say there isn't the force to Malcolm as you'd expect there to be. Ben-Adir certainly delivers on that as we see him in his moments of conflict between himself and Cooke, as the two come to verbal blows through their differing views with how to handle facing the system. Ben-Adir manages that certain specific kind of intensity. This bordering on smugness in the controlled intensity of his arguments. This as Ben-Adir speaks so well with this particular sense of certainty as he delivers his arguments against Cooke with an uncompromising attack. Ben-Adir showing that even as Malcolm technically is having his own crisis behind the scenes, still shows the way the man can weaponize language as he has one argument after another against Sam not doing enough. This with that sort of callousness though within the argument itself showing the man who doesn't mince words and doesn't mind giving offense. Ben-Adir though effectively balances this though in a moment afterwards, being pressed on his attacks by Brown, and Ben-Adir reveals more overtly his passions in a rawer sense. Ben-Adir showing the man no longer in the attack mode revealing more so his very earnest sense of belief in what Cooke could do. Also worth noting though in these arguments, where Cooke presses Malcolm on his potential manipulations of Clay, his words on the Kennedy assassination, and his lack of a "real job". Ben-Adir is terrific in his reactions showing the words do hit him at times, some harder than others, particularly the questions about Clay, where he shows a moving sense of real concern that his good intentions in that regard might be misinterpreted. 

So much of what works about this performance is any and all of the interactions with the other guys. This as he captures both a sense of affable camaraderie, just as he also presents the certain distance at times regarding his faith compared to the rest. I like actually the certain awkwardness that Ben-Adir brings when bringing out ice cream for their treats or speaking to the lack of alcohol. This as Ben-Adir brings a lack of awareness effectively by presenting so straight forward as this belief just being what this man sees as the only thing one could possibly need, as that is all that he needs. This though naturally works in the moments of genuine appreciation of each other, such as Malcolm's description of Cooke turning around a potentially disastrous performance. Ben-Adir exudes an eager sense of warmth of a man who truly does care for his friends despite his confrontational style. Now as much as Ben-Adir is very good, he perhaps leaves the strongest impression with the material most expanded from the original play, that being Malcolm's personal struggles as he intends to leave the nation of Islam. In the scenes with his wife Ben-Adir creates the sense of the potency of his frustrations and anxieties. This even as he speaks in an assuring way to his wife, there is an underlying sense of defeat and fear at times of a man who knows he could be facing his death. This being an undercurrent Ben-Adir quietly carries in key moments powerfully in his work, just in moments of that desperation falling upon him as a man tries to live his life knowing dangers are awaiting him for his choice. There are a few nice contrasting moments where he speaks to his daughter, and Ben-Adir is wonderful in these few moments of just as this true tenderness. Ben-Adir projecting in eyes the sincerest sense of love of the man for his family despite his troubles. The film ends with Malcolm essentially reflecting on his fate, that seems growing ever closer as his house is attacked. There's a true power in his final moments then afterwards watching Cooke sing his ballad "A Change is Gonna Come", this as Ben-Adir's expression captures the real pervasive sense of distress as the man faces his death, but also just this poignant glint of hope. This is a terrific performance by Kingsley Ben-Adir, as he doesn't seek to craft the icon that is Malcolm X, rather he let's us just see the man within the icon.

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