Rhiteek Chatterjee
Cinema over the years has missed the opportunity to grow as an art form by underestimating several artists’ talents and capabilities, and Liev Schreiber is one hidden gem. An almost unrecognizable face in the Hollywood circuit, filmmakers have often missed his true potentials, and as a result the actor does not have a formidable list of works. A reputed personality on stage, the actor certainly possesses the raw flair of the art. With his rugged look and a calm baritone, the man is something apart. While Hollywood boasts of big stars, Liev Schreiber is an underrated artist who should be in the big leagues. A respected figure of theatre, a man perfectly donning on Sir William Shakespeare’s definitive characters, Liev Schreiber is the unprecedented brilliance in cinema.
For this list, I have taken in account the performances of Liev Schreiber, rather than focusing on the movies principally. Frankly speaking, researching about his performances was quite tedious, given his limited screen-time. Nonetheless, I’ve done my best to articulate the actor’s acting prowess. So, here’s the list of top 10 Liev Schreiber movies and TV shows.
10. Hamlet (2000)
A modern take of Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, the Michael Almereyda directed drama is set in New York City, where Ethan Hawke’s Hamlet takes on himself to avenge the death of his father’s murder. While Hawke’s performance was unusually lukewarm, Liev Schreiber did complete justice to his character, Laertes. The actor balanced the inner psyche of human personality – from showcasing a man concerned for his friend’s well-being to plotting a murder to eventually avenge his father’s murder, the actor brought out the gradual fall in a person’s character.
9. Scream 2 (1997)
Liev Schreiber does not really have a trustworthy appearance – with his coy smile and unsettling calmness; and the actor utilized this to the utmost befits in the ‘Scream’ franchise. Portraying Cotton Weary through the course of three films, he doesn’t really appear until the second film. While his character is wrongly accused of rape and murder, Schreiber brilliantly showcases a deceitful conduct; making the actor stand-out quite distinctly from the others. The unique characteristic portrayal helped Schreiber slowly penetrate into mainstream cinema with the Wes Craven directed flick.
8. Salt (2010)
Chosen for his performance in ‘Defiance’ (2008), Liev Schreiber held a buried emotional appearance, adding a psychological nuance to the action thriller. Directed by Phillip Noyce, ‘Salt’ traces the accusation on a CIA operative of being a Russian Spy. While Schreiber isn’t remotely close to being an important character, he certainly provides a fitting support to Angelina Jolie’s Evelyn Salt, making her different for archetypical spy characters. An example for his famous portrayal of “grey” characters, the actor successfully transformed for being a good-natured friend of the titular character, to being a treacherous miscreant, showcasing his deft skill.
7. Defiance (2008)
While the film received a lukewarm response from critics and audience, the actors showcased an emotionally demanding performance. Acting as the burning wicks for each other, Liev Schreiber beautifully complemented Daniel Craig, completing a “character circle” for each other.
6. Goon (2001)
A viciously violent comedy film, ‘Goon’ is about Seann William Scott’s Doug “The Thug” Glatt, a former bouncer, who through a gruelling journey of achieving his aim to become a hockey player, develops a new art of sport by brutally beating anyone who comes in his way. Essaying the famous and respected Canadian hockey pro Ross “The Boss” Rhea, Liev Schreiber bestrides a calm level-headed cool character an annoying notorious arse of a man. Acting as an antagonist, the actor shows a certain yet comical vulnerability with Ross; making him a lovable goof.
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5. Pawn Sacrifice (2014)
While Tobey Maguire stole the show in 2014’s ‘Pawn Sacrifice’, Liev Schreiber acted as a villainous emotional foil to Maguire’s Bobby Fischer. Directed by Edward Zwick, chronicles the story of American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer, who amongst an arduous psychological struggle finds himself in a laborious scuffle with the Soviet Union. Representing Soviet Union’s own Chess sensation, Borris Spassky; the actor conveyed a certain evil foundation to itself. With Leiv Shcreiber’s superb acting, the film could heighten Bobby Fisher’s legacy as one of the endearing greats of the game.
4. Spotlight (2015)
An Academy Award winner, ‘Spotlight’ chronicles Boston Globe’s historic covering and investigation of the infamous scandal of child molestation. The film portrays the covering-up of the crime within the local Catholic Archdiocese which shook the entire Catholic Church to its core. Showcasing the “Spotlight” team of Boston Globe, Liev Schreiber essays the role of Marty Baron, the new head editor of the oldest operating newspaper investigative journalist unit in the United States.
The actor brought a heightened performance of the investigative journalist, a quality for which the 2015 flick received quite the praise. Schreiber understood the essence of Baron, who was the primal reason for this new venture. He showcased the innate humanity of a person, while keeping in mind the analytical thought process of a journalist. The Tom McCarthy directed earned immense appreciation for its screenplay, winning the “Best Original Screenplay” at the Academy my Awards. The writing helped the actors catch their respective characters with an artistic ripeness, which ultimately won them an award in the “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture” category.
3. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
While ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ is a tediously cheesy film, the actor strangely gave out quite entertaining performances. Directed by Gavin Hood, this 2009 film takes on the legendary Wolverine in his early life, before he came to be known as an “X-Man”. Essaying the clawed man’s half-brother, Victor Creed, Liev Schreiber looked just perfect actor to essay the role. Replacing the quite dull Tyler Mane, Schreiber flawlessly portrayed the canine. He maintained a formidable appearance, keeping a humiliating persona. Often beating the crap out of Hugh Jackman’s Logan, the actor almost seems to be enjoying the role. While the performance of the aforementioned Mane was forgettable, Schreiber kept a brutal iconicity to Sabertooth.
2. Ray Donovan (2013)
Following the long tradition of transitioning from film to television, Liev Schreiber showcased his underutilised acting capabilities. Created by Ann Biderman, ‘Ray Donovan’ traces the titular character, a professional “fixer” for the opulent and famous in LA. With a masterful grasp on his job, he seems to be able to solve all problems, yet fails miserably to solve the issues created by his family.
The actor adeptly coloured the zone of human prejudice, bring out the grey side. A “golden choice”, as said by The ‘Hollywood Reporters’ film critic Tim Goodman, Schreiber’s performance is intense and wonderfully humiliating, where he brings out the agonizing pride of success.
1. RKO 281 (1999)
An underrated flick, ‘RKO 280’ is the underrated perforce of Liev Schreiber, a role which prove the actor’s brilliance. Knitting the plot with ‘Citizen Kane’ (1942), the film follows the director, Orson Welles’ efforts to direct the legendary epic whilst dealing with production denial from the opposing parties. The actor rendered a distinctly clear voice, capturing the arrogance and a burning desire for stardom, which defined the classic director.
Heightening genies of the young man, the actor showcased a forceful demeanour and resilient determination, adding a tinge of innate anxiousness which made Welles such a multi-faceted man. Liev Schreiber cerebrally essayed a certain “imitation” of Orson Welles, which made the film so distinctive among other historical dramas. The actor masterfully grasped the enigmatic man, essaying it to perfection.
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