Catherine Keener comes off as a very strong and reliable supporting actress a lot of the time and can step up and be a lead if she really needs to be since she has a very strong sense of self, as it would appear, and is just forceful enough in her delivery that people are going to pay attention. There are movies in which she comes off as a witch with a capital B and then movies where she’s one of the most likable characters on the screen so it’s easy and very fair to state that she’s highly skilled and knows what she’s doing when she’s on set. Having been around since the 80s that’s a boon since otherwise she might have faded into obscurity at this point. She’s been a part of many movies that haven’t done quite as well as others but she’s also been a part of some that have been insanely well-accepted and are still memorable to this day.
Here are the five best movies from her career.
5. Capote
Capote is what happens when a writer becomes too heavily involved with a story and doesn’t maintain the kind of distance that is needed to retain and maintain their sanity. Many might think that the joke about a sane writer being a myth is just that, a myth, but Capote puts forth the kind of obsession that makes a reality out of the myth since to fall so headlong into a tale, fictional or non-fictional, is to lose yourself to the madness that lies just beneath the words that is waiting to force upon any individual caught in such a trap the most vile thing any writer could experience. Unfortunately for each person this is always bound to be a little different.
4. Into the Wild
There’s a certain nobility in wanting to get out and experience the world and life as it is, not as humanity has made it, but there are also times when better sense needs to prevail since Chris didn’t really know enough to survive. That might seem harsh but then so is the world if you’re going to loiter too long in one place without realizing that time and the world will move on without you the moment that you stumble. While the story might sound beautiful and tragic to some it could possibly appear to be kind of a waste to others considering that as inspirational as it was at points, it was also about loss on a level that many people just can’t understand.
3. Get Out
Remember what I said about Keener being able to play the part of a bad person? This is one of those times since on the outside she might seem sweet and kind of detached, but just past that facade she’s as devious and evil as the rest of her family since she’s on board with the whole thing and has been for a while. Obviously she’s not the physical type that has to step in to subdue Chris, but her method is a lot more subtle and just as effective as any strap that could be used to hold a person down. When you think of how the mind is so easily conditioned and swayed in so many ways it’s kind of terrifying really.
2. The 40-Year Old Virgin
Here’s where we get to see her being the cool individual that has her own history since she does have daughters and a granddaughter, but she’s also a level-headed individual that falls for the guy that has serious intimacy issues considering that he’s never had sex and is in his 40s. Come on now, that’s an accomplishment or a stigma depending on how you look at it in this day and age and any woman that’s willing to put up with this isn’t exactly a saint but they’re definitely more understanding than the average individual since a guy remaining a virgin for so long is usually subjected to the idea that there’s something wrong with him.
1. Being John Malkovich
Talk about your odd movies, this is one that deserves to be talked about a lot more than it has been since going inside the head of John Malkovich might actually be stranger than this considering all the roles he’s played throughout the years. But as a lesser-known movie it was one that didn’t capture a lot of attention other than to point out how grungy and dirty Cameron Diaz appeared since she’d been so glamorous for so many other roles. Getting away from that however it was kind of a trip considering what the story was all about when it was finally revealed and the ending was kind of strange to say the least.
She’s proven herself many times over, but it’s actually better that she’s more low-key as this is where she thrives.
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