Russell Crowe Stuns Critics in Powerful Nuremberg Role
Academy Award winner Russell Crowe has put himself firmly back in the awards conversation with a critically acclaimed performance in the new World War II drama Nuremberg. Film critics are overwhelmingly predicting that the 61-year-old actor will secure his fourth Oscar nomination, more than twenty years since his last nod.
A Towering Performance Divides Critics
Directed by James Vanderbilt, Nuremberg focuses on the psychological battle between US Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, played by Rami Malek, and accused Nazi war criminal Hermann Göring, portrayed by Crowe. While the film itself has received mixed reviews, holding a 73 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, Crowe's performance is being hailed as a unanimous triumph.
Matthew Creith of TheWrap described Crowe as taking "Göring to heights unseen by the actor’s film career in quite some time." He praised the portrayal for capturing the complex duality of the Nazi leader as both "a sinner and a saint."
Echoing this sentiment, Zachary Lee of Roger Ebert lauded the "towering, subtly frightening performance," noting Crowe's ability to make Göring appear "dangerously charming, humble, and suave" while his colossal ego remained ever-present.
Crowe Outshines in Psychological Showdown
Although Brian Truitt of USA Today found Malek's portrayal "effective," he declared Crowe to be "even more superb — and ready to crash awards season." This view was nuanced by Owen Gleiberman of Variety, who observed that while Malek brought a "weird insecurity" to his role, Crowe acted with "consummate command."
Lindsey Bahr of The Associated Press went a step further, labelling the work "some of [Crowe’s] best work in years," perfectly suited to his talents for playing a "charismatic, larger-than-life egoist." The AV Club's Matthew Jackson highlighted that "Crowe understands the bombast it must have taken to keep a man like that going."
A Long-Awaited Return to Awards Contention
This wave of acclaim marks a significant moment for Crowe's career. His last Oscar nomination for Best Actor was in 2002 for ‘A Beautiful Mind’, a year after he won the coveted award for his iconic role in ‘Gladiator’. His first nomination was for ‘The Insider’ in 2000.
Following that prolific period, Crowe starred in major films like ‘Robin Hood’ and ‘Les Misérables’, but has more recently been associated with smaller, less celebrated projects. The buzz surrounding Nuremberg, which premieres in cinemas on Friday, signals a powerful return to form for the veteran actor.
