Sorry! I just don't think he did, unless all the other nominees were seriously unworthy (although I doubt Philip Seymour Hoffman phoned it in on Doubt). It was obvious that everyone was sad, and obviously sorry that his life and promising career are over, and I'm right there with them. But...giving him an Oscar? For acting crazy? That's like awarding a Nobel Literature Prize for a book that ends in "...and it was all just a dream." A "crazy" role is the biggest cakewalk of an actor's career--just ask Natalie Portman in Garden State. No loose ends to tie, no depth to reveal, no responsibility to reality or continuity. Easy and fun!
The difference between Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight and Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is that McMurphy also had to be a human and like, show emotions and vulnerability and shit. He also had to be real. The Joker did not have to be real or feel emotions or have responsibility. Just crazy!
What I watched of the awards last night was at a friend's house, and when the Ledgers took the stage somebody said "I bet you'd feel like such a jerk if you'd won instead of Heath." I had to hold my tongue big-time because I knew I'd be outnumbered. But really: why should anyone feel like a jerk for winning that award? Because he's dead? If somebody else deserved it more, they deserved it more. I almost feel like I'm missing something, like everybody knows something I don't. If anyone can fill me in on why the Joker was such an amazing blessing of a part, I'd like to hear it.
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