Oscars 2022: 5 Best Performances By Andrew Garfield

Andrew Garfield doesn’t have a massive filmography, but he is an actor whose name is recognizable. Most people will know him as Spider-Man, but he has been in many smaller movies that really show off his acting prowess. In 2021, the actor had a fantastic year that cements him as one of the best actors in the business.

The actor has a serious chance to win Best Actor at the Academy Awards on Sunday so it’s worth looking at some of the best performances in his career so far. Here are the 5 best performances by Garfield.

Sam – ‘Under the Silver Lake’

Under the Silver Lake is an underrated gem in Garfield’s filmography. The film is a noir thriller that stars Garfield as Sam, a curious man living in Los Angeles who develops a relationship with his neighbor, Sarah (Riley Keough). When Sarah disappears, Sam investigates and uncovers a seedy, underground world hidden in LA. 

Garfield’s performance here really fits the somewhat fantastical and bizarre tone that this movie has. It feels like classic Hollywood noir but in a modern setting. His genuine desire to find Sarah makes him a likable hero, especially as he begins to get in over his head. Garfield carries this movie on his back alone and his performance as this character is what invests you in this narrative. 

Sebastiaro Rodrigues – ‘Silence’

In Martin Scorsese’s Silence, Garfield plays a Portuguese priest who goes on a mission to find a fellow priest in Japan. Throughout the film, Rodrigues questions his faith as he witnesses horrible crimes and threats towards other Christians. 

Garfield doesn’t have a ton of dialogue in Silence but he delivers plenty of emotion through his expressions. It’s a challenging performance as we watch him struggle to hang on to his faith in the face of imminent danger. We often want him to take the easy way out, but his internal struggle makes it understandable why he has such a tough time letting go. It’s an underrated Scorsese film and worth watching for Garfield’s performance alone. 

Desmond Doss – ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ 

Garfield’s first Best Actor nomination came in Hacksaw Ridge. He plays the real-life soldier, Desmond Doss, who took a vow of non-violence and spent his time in the war getting injured soldiers to safety. Similar to Silence, Garfield plays a dedicated, religious character whose determination to be peaceful leads to a lot of confrontation with others.

However, Garfield brings such charm and compassion in his performance that it’s hard to root against him. Even in the midst of a battlefield, you don’t want him to pick up a gun, even if it would help. Watching him struggle to save everyone is inspiring and Garfield does a brilliant job at bringing out Doss’ determination. 

Eduardo Saverin – ‘The Social Network’

When The Social Network came out in 2010, all eyes were on Jesse Eisenberg for his performance as Mark Zuckerberg, the inventor of Facebook. However, many have been praising Garfield’s performance in the film as the friend of Zuckerberg who ends up being betrayed. 

Saverin becomes a tragic figure as he is slowly kicked out of Facebook, despite helping Zuckerberg invent it. Garfield is fantastic as someone who is genuinely hurt by these actions. Yes, he wants the money, but he mainly wants justice from someone who he thought was a friend. The scenes where he recounts certain details become infinitely more intriguing through his narration. He didn’t get nominated for this performance, which is another betrayal by the Academy. 

Jonathan Larson – ‘Tick, Tick…Boom!’

Yes, this is one of Garfield’s most recent performances, but it is his most impressive. He plays Jonathan Larson, the creator of Rent who died at a tragically young age. The film is a semi-autobiographical musical that captures the pressure Larson feels as he tries to write his first musical before he turns 30. 

Garfield shows off impressive versatility. Not only is he acting, but he is also doing his own singing and he learned how to play the piano. He has a beautiful singing voice and he is able to bring the emotions of the character to these songs. His character is erratic and often pretentious, but Garfield still makes him so likable through his passion and charisma. Garfield has a strong chance at winning the Academy Award, and if he does, it will be well deserved.