Viola Davis Ranked

Welcome to the latest edition of "Ranked", where I rank the franchise or the filmography of an actor/director and hand out related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Viola Davis. 

Viola Davis' Filmography Ranked:

15.Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (D+)

14.State of Play (C+)

13.Fences (C+)

12.Knight and Day (B-)

11.Ender's Game (B-)

10.It's Kind of a Funny Story (B)

9.The Help (B)

8.Widows (B)

7.Suicide Squad (B)

6.Disturbia (B+)

5.Law Abiding Citizen (B+)

4.Get on Up (B+)

3.Out of Sight (B+)

2.Doubt (A-)

1.Prisoners (A-) 

Top Dog: Prisoners (2013)

Denis Villeneuve wasted no time making an impression in the world of English language cinema. The French Canadian director showed off his special gifts for crafting engrossing mysteries and building slow-mounting dread with the remarkable Prisoners. It's an exceptionally grim thriller that boasts some stunning twists, several unbelievable performances (Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Melissa Leo, Davis) and a perfect ambiguous ending that has inspired heated debate among some viewers.

Low Light: Extreme Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)

This corny, boring and deeply forgettable melodrama about a kid (Thomas Horn) trying to cope with the death of his father (Tom Hanks) on 9/11 by going on a hunt for a key that he set up prior to his death should be shot into space forever. It's nothing but pure fucking emotional manipulation with an A-list cast that shamelessly uses its serious themes (grief, loss, impact of 9/11 on New York City) as calculated plot devices to get the audience to blow through a box of tissues while watching it. How this managed to get a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars when it received lukewarm reviews and no recognition from any of the other major awards shows is completely beyond me. 

Most Underrated: Doubt (2008)

Doubt picked up 5 Oscar nominations yet has kind of faded into obscurity in the nearly 12 years since it was released, which is a shame because it's a really powerful, important and unique film. Through its commanding performances (Meryl Streep, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Davis-all of whom picked up Oscar noms) and layered script, Doubt tackles allegations of pedophilia at a Catholic Church-run elementary school in 1964 NYC from multiple perspectives (the accused, the alleged victim, co-workers of the accused, mother of the alleged victim) with heartbreaking honesty while providing no easy answers to the many questions posed.   

Most Overrated: Fences (2016)

Prior to criticizing Fences, I'll acknowledge that the acting here is top-notch. Everybody from Denzel Washington to Davis-who won her first Oscar for this role-down to the bit players like Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo and Mykelti Williamson are just sensational. So where does Fences go wrong? Simple: It's a stage production that doesn't translate particularly well to the film medium. All of the impassioned line delivery and fiery monologues full of figurative language that feel natural in a theater have a stilted, almost robotic quality to them on a filmed production-which in turn makes the film very grating to watch.    

Best Bit of Acting in a Non-Awards Caliber Project: Law Abiding Citizen (2009)

Davis is as decorated of an actor as we've seen in the last couple decades with 3 SAG Awards, 2 Tony's, a Golden Globe, an Emmy and an Oscar to her name. Don't let that impressive awards shelf fool you-she isn't just some prestige actor. Over her 20+ years of silver screen acting, Davis has refused to be put in a box as a "serious" performer by appearing in everything from goofy blockbusters (Suicide Squad, Knight & Day) to down-and-dirty genre flicks (Disturbia, Lilla & Eve). Her finest hour away from her usual home in serious fare came in a bit part in the twisty vigilante thriller Law Abiding Citizen. She brings gusto and no bullshit toughness to the part of the Philadelphia mayor who is one of the targets of a man (Gerard Butler) going on a vengeance-seeking killing spree against the members of the justice system that allowed the men who killed his family to receive reduced sentences in a plea deal that helps add to the high quality ensemble acting that fuels this great piece of B-filmmaking.