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Five men were nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in 2004. Jamie Foxx for Ray, Johnny Depp for Finding Neverland, Don Cheadle for Hotel Rwanda, Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby, and Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator. Katie Winslet received a nomination for her work in Eternal Sunshine, and the writers won for the script they wrote. Neither the script nor Winslet's performance would have been as applauded if it weren't for Carrey's multi-layered portrayal of lovesick Joel Barish.

There is a scene in Eternal Sunshine where Carrey is watching himself inside the doctor's office as he is asking for the procedure. The idea is that he is watching a memory be erased. When viewing the special features on the DVD, you will learn that Carrey played two different versions of himself in the same scene without the camera cutting or the director stopping tape. Carrey is in one frame, and then the camera slowly pans over as Carrey is off-screen ripping off his hat and getting into place and character for the rest of the scene while the camera is filming him close-up. The role becomes both physically demanding and mentally draining, as he must juggle two sides of character in an instant. Many dramatic actors would be able to handle the emotional shift that the scene requires, while comedic actors would surely be capable of the physical alterations, but Carrey is able to handle both in a perfectly grounded way. Think of the other performances nominated. How many of them are as raw?

Most people think of high concepts and big expressions when they think of a Jim Carrey film. His ability to morph his facial construct has helped him achieve commercial success in films like Ace Ventura ($72 million domestic) and Dumb and Dumber ($127 million domestic). In Eternal Sunshine, he has a quiet control over his facial movements. That isn't to say they aren't put to good use. Throughout most of the film he is wearing a beanie covering his forehead. Furthermore, Carrey doesn't do any crazy things with his nose or open his mouth in a non-human way, but he does use his eyes to convey everything that the character is thinking. When sad, the eyes look like a puppies begging for a treat. When happy, his eyes portray a child-like glee. There are very few actors who can say as much with their eyes as he can. Flip through the channels on a Sunday night and you will see five Desperate Housewives who are forced to emote with their hands as the botox paralyzes their faces. Keep the same channel on and watch Sally Field display raw human emotion on her beautifully un-cut face. This is the difference between an actor and a great actor.

The other performances nominated in 2004 are certainly valued. Jamie Foxx deserved the Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles. However, upon further review, there is no way that Jim Carrey didn't out-act Clint Eastwood (an Academy favorite) or Johnny Depp (who was still riding high on love from Pirates of the Caribbean). He brought a quiet energy that the audience hadn't seen before, and showed that he was more than just a comedian. Jim Carrey proved once and for all that he is an acting force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, great material hasn't found him since (although I Love You, Phillip Morris is looking promising). If you get the chance, take a second look at Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It is an amazing film that gets more interesting each time it is viewed.

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