It’s Michael Fassbender’s birthday! To mark the occasion, here are five of his overlooked or lesser-known performances. Check some of these out!
Frank (2014)
Only Michael Fassbender could play a role in which he is masked behind a giant papier-mâché head for the majority of the film, yet still have all the magnetic attraction and charisma of an A-list superstar. A black comedy that follows an aspiring songwriter (Domhnall Gleeson) who somehow falls in with the most eccentric bad you’re ever likely to meet. We follow their adventures as they seek to land a record deal. There are plenty of ups and downs and if you stick with it you will be rewarded with a super weird but heartwarming few hours, full of dry humour.
The synopsis for Shame might seem laughable at first glance, but there’s no doubt that after watching it you won’t find anything humorous about the subject matter. Fassbender plays Brandon, an addict who’s particular vice happens to be sex. It’s not a movie to watch with your parents or for anyone who is particularly prudish. There are some explicit scenes but in playing the struggling addict, Fassbender gives one of the greatest performances of the last decade, in what for me is director Steve McQueen’s best film so far.
Fish Tank (2009)
Fish Tank follows a volatile and socially isolated 15-year-old girl, who lives in a rundown London estate. Her Mother’s new boyfriend Connor (Fassbender) is a bit of a rogue with an undeniable charm. The two build a close relationship and throughout its runtime Fish Tank is an engrossing watch. There are some disturbing scenes that made me feel uncomfortable, but also some memorable ones and the use of Bobby Womack’s version of California Dreaming throughout is magnificent.
I’ll start off by saying I’m not a Terence Malick fan. Yet I seem to keep giving him a chance, assuming that I must be missing something in his work. Looking at the cast for Song to Song, it was hard to resist giving it a go. Ryan Gosling, Natalie Portman, Rooney Mara and many more. I didn’t particularly enjoy the film overall, but Fassbender’s performance really stood out. He plays a slimy record producer with all the egotistical arrogance you could ever hope to see. Although I can’t really recommend the movie itself, it’s worth watching for the performance alone. And if you are a Malick fan you’ll love it.
Eden Lake (2008)
If you look up the definition of tension in the dictionary, you should find Eden Lake. It starts out as Jenny (Kelly Reilly) and boyfriend Steve (Fassbender) set off on a romantic getaway in the English countryside. They soon run into a group of delinquent teenagers and to say they spoil the couples fun would be putting it mildly. Things quickly get out of control and what we are left with is an excruciatingly tense and bleak horror film. I’m still unsure how I feel about the ending but the journey to get there is most certainly worth it.
What are some of your favorite films to feature birthday boy Michael Fassbender?