Pattinson’s Male Friends Amplify His Oscar Chances

It just might be the sleeper hit of the year. The Lighthouse, a film which centers around a male-bonding nightmare of epic proportions, has been drumming up a lot of Oscar buzz. At the center of the storm is actor Robert Pattinson, with whom many audiences are only familiar with due to his performances in the Twilight franchise. In fact, American audiences especially have been keen to dismiss Pattinson’s acting chops. His casting in Batman was largely controversial because so many movie enthusiasts on Twitter seemed unsure that Pattinson could handle the complexities of the role. His turn in The Lighthouse will likely remedy that. As Ephraim Winslow/Tom Holland, Pattinson reaches an emotional crescendo in this role. And he’s not the only actor in the film being buzzed about these days.

Willem Dafoe’s turn as Tom Wake is also causing many to cite him as an early contender for the Best Supporting Actor spot. With his characteristic boldness, he attacks this role with relish. Affecting what is essentially a pirate accent, Dafoe’s character makes the audience question whose side they should join. While neither man is necessarily likable, Dafoe’s 1890s lighthouse keeper seems to be the most emotionally balanced of the two — at least for the first half of the film. Eventually, though, it is his drinking — and his insistence that Winslow should drink alcohol — that leads to the characters staying stuck on the little lighthouse island much longer than they ever imagined. In their increasing paranoia, it quickly becomes obvious that both characters are in extreme danger. Or are they? Pattinson’s Winslow has the audience wondering whether his co-worker Wake is perhaps a figment of his imagination. A storm rages outside — and inside — as Wake continues to deny Winslow access to the light at the apex of the building in which they’ve been toiling. Throughout the film, this denial torments Winslow. A mermaid also serves as a solid motif throughout the movie.

Although the plot may not be typical Hollywood fare these days, it would appear that Pattinson’s male friends have been supporting him. With Chris Evans and Rami Malek stepping up to host screenings of the film, more and more industry insiders have been seeing it. In the coming weeks, it will be interesting to see how this impacts his Oscar chances.