Less is More

"Knowing when to do nothing is one of the least appreciated of an actor's skill, here's one who learned it early."

Many may scratch their head when they read that Jake was included in Esquire's Performances of the Year for his role in Rendition. "What the heck did he do? He just sat there for most of the movie." Precisely. But sometimes less is more. But how is that a performance? The performance is the subtly of restraint. To convey something from nothing. Many actors can go all out and go over the top to make their characters larger than life, but it is true talent to resonate in the quietness of a character.

Jake has been seen crafting this in his last three films, Brokeback, Zodiac, and Rendition. For all of the bravado of Jack Twist, it was the restraint and quietness of Jack that spoke much more. Heath received praised for his role at Ennis, and rightfully so, but many missed how Jake brought Jack Twist to the screen. Many thought that his performance was less than Heath's but if you look back you can see that Jake is doing much more with the character than just what you see on your first look at Jack.

Zodiac found him using restraint and introspective quietness to portray Robert Graysmith. Again first looking at Zodiac you are drawn to watching Robert Downey Jr.'s performance. Jake's performance at first passing doesn't seem like how you should play a lead, but a secondary part. Then watching interviews with Graysmith you realize wow, Jake found his Graysmith, he captured the essence of this cartoonist. The power of his restraint comes through again.

In Rendition you find him spending most of the movie in a darken room observing. You see Douglass Freeman almost detracted from the rest of the characters, and see Jake's performance an antithesis to his fellow actors. He doesn't want to be there, not wanting to participate, both as Douglas and as Jake. But that is exactly what the audience is supposed to be feeling. While you are busy watching the torture of Anwar, done so well by Omar Metwally, you become frustrated because you want Jake to do something, anything. What has he done? And right there he has caught you - he made you react to character out of doing nothing. You have been brought into the story in another way. And then you see Douglas reach his breaking point and finally doing something to save Anwar. Time, patience and restraint to create the performance.

Jake is creating performances that lend themselves to second and third looks to get the true sense of them. They are so layered that are to be watched over again to be peeled back and discovered.

It is easier to go broad, you can hide more your of weaknesses as an actor, but it is when you hold back and give just enough that you leave the door open for everyone to see the true essence both the performance and the actor. The audience just have to stop and take the time to look.