Bob Hoskins: Five Films for Newcomers
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
Bob Hoskins would have been eighty-one years old today. We lost the beloved Suffolk actor in 2014, but his fierce, loveable ways will never fade. A major star back in the eighties and nineties, Hoskins was known for his thick accent, booming presence, and hints of heart that rendered him an easy character to love, no matter what he starred in. He had a lot of supporting roles that left their mark (my favourite of these is in Brazil, where Hoskins is a gruff heating engineer who embodies every maintenance person who has ever overstayed their welcome) and even some cameo appearances that left you surprised (even a split second in Spice World left a smile on my face), but I want to instead focus on the films where Hoskins really shined. So, yeah. No Super Mario Bros., which is an all-in-all awful film. No matter how much Hoskins makes this film even remotely watchable (he can only do so much). If you aren’t familiar with the late actor, now is the time to get familiar with a fan favourite. Here are five films for newcomers to the works of Bob Hoskins.
5. The Honorary Consul
While not the greatest film in Hoskins’ filmography, he holds his own as Colonel Perez in The Honorary Consul (released as Beyond the Limit in America) including his peers Michael Caine (who worked with Hoskins on numerous other projects), Richard Gere, and Elpidia Carrillo. Hoskins’ scenes here are worth it if you are a big fan and looking for those one or two roles you have yet to come across in your cinematic journey.
4. The Long Good Friday
The better of the two films that Hoskins and director John Mackenzie worked on (the other being The Honorary Consul), Hoskins shines as Harold Shand in this gangster classic: a man of crime who is trying to make a new name for himself, only to be caught in the life he already created for himself. Exhilarating and dangerous, Hoskins is a force to be reckoned with here.
3. Felicia’s Journey
Arguably the most underrated performance in Hoskins’ career is in Atom Egoyan’s Felicia’s Journey, where he plays factory manager Joseph Hilditch with so much mystery and intrigue. For a performer who usually puts everything at the forefront of his work, Hoskins is hypnotically secretive here as he only opens up so much while leaving you to wonder about the rest of his character and its history.
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Hoskins is amazing as Eddie Valiant in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He is still as tough as ever, but here he comes off both as threatening (but not too threatening in a lighter motion picture) and hilarious; we take him seriously, but we also see what a goofball he is. Most shockingly of all, Valiant is tender because of Hoskins’ hints of respect and empathy throughout this live-action/animation opus. Don’t sleep on this one: Hoskins is magnificent in this film.
1. Mona Lisa
There’s only one real place to start if you’ve never seen a Bob Hoskins film: his award-worthy turn in Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa. He performs a juggling act with Jordan and David Leland’s demanding dialogue, the tonal shifts, the barrage of tension, and his own character’s internal conflicts, all in front of us as if the city of London is his stage. Textured, uncompromised, intense, and monumental, Hoskins delivers a decade-defining performance here that cannot be missed. If you have yet to see Hoskins in top form here, this has to be the next film you watch.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.