If Casey Affleck doesn't get a Golden Globe and an Oscar Nomination for either Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor in one of this two roles this year, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford or Gone Baby Gone then the film critic world must have flown to another planet. Casey has presented us with two dazzling performances in one year.

I haven't seen either of these movies yet, but I am not surprised by your praise. I loved him in Lonesome Jim and in Gerry.

Gerry was mostly improvised (the dialogue, anyway)...I think the best actors are able to do that well. It's related to method acting, I guess. Casey Affleck was very good in Gone Baby Gone--way better than I ever thought he could do when I first saw him as the doofus in Ocean's 11.

Thanks wilsonna, I haven't seen Gerry since it was first out. I think I'll Netflix it. The ending is painfully sad and haunting.

Did you see Lonesome Jim? It was directed by Steve Buscemi (also watch his Trees Lounge, if you haven't seen that) and has probably Casey's best lead performance. Of course, I have not yet seen the two that opened this thread yet, but they are on my Netflix queue.

Lonesome Jim requires Casey to carry the whole movie and he does so impressively, I think.