As expected, Matt Damon won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy last night. The entire room knew that Leo was going to take Best Actor Drama. So his goal was to use his speech to present himself as an alternative to the Academy. Hey, you put me up on stage, and this is what I can do. Remember, America loves me too. My movie made a lot of money and I was the draw. Remember, I’ve been the Sexiest Man Alive. I’m Jason Bourne. How you like them apples?
So he opens humble – I’ve made some bad movies. And then he gives all credit to Ridley Scott, reminding everyone that Fassbender and Leo have also worked with him – and unlike Alejandro G Inarritu, Ridley does not have an Oscar for directing. Then he goes for the one thing Leo doesn’t have, the one shout-out Leo won’t be able to give:
Family and kids.
His kids are at home watching. They shouldn’t be up so late. That’s a reminder: I’ve been happily married for years, raising four children. I am not in St Bart’s riding water slides and models.
It’s a good strategy. It was a good speech. But it wasn’t great. It wasn’t enough. And Leo has a HUGE lead. At this point, it’s almost insurmountable. Almost. Let’s see how many total nominations The Martian and The Revenant receive on Thursday when the Academy makes its announcements. If The Martian comes up as much as The Revenant, there’s, maybe, juuuuust enough time for Matt, but only if he makes an aggressive, aggressive to the point of gross, sprint.
