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Upon researching the film In America, I discovered that Sarah and Mateo’s actors were both nominated for Academy Awards, Leading Actress and Supporting Actor, respectively. While Samantha Morton’s performance as Sarah was definitely riveting, one thing that definitely stood out about the movie was Djimon Hounsou’s performance as Mateo. Presumably never having been in Mateo’s shoes, Hounsou somehow manages to truly become his character and immaculately portray a man teetering on the brink of imminent death. However, as close as his death may be, we get to watch Mateo’s dynamic character blossom through his character arc. In the beginning, when he is only known by the eerie title of “the man who screams”, Mateo is a mere concept of a man. He is a distant entity, an apparition of hate, feared and shunned. He loves the people and the world surrounding him so much, yet because he is afraid that he will never get the chance to express his love he chooses to hate. He becomes so infuriated and hateful that literally all he can do is scream into the void and paint his feelings of despair into reality. However, when presented with the innocent, naive friendship of a child, his barriers are broken down and Mateo chooses to love. He is welcomed into the family as they learn to love as Mateo does. He carries himself still with a wistful air as if he is looking back upon the present through a lens of nostalgia, but even in the presence of only Johnny, Mateo chooses to appreciate the moment he is currently in rather than fixate on past regrets or a fleeting, uncertain future. Even on his deathbed, Mateo greets the girls as he always has. While being rushed to hospitals and put on life support he tells them stories in their final moments together. I personally have never cried during a movie, but when he was saying goodbye to the girls, that was rough. For such a unique character in such a heavy situation experiencing so many varying emotions, taking up such a role would be quite the task for any actor. It is mind-boggling for me the amount of skill that would be required to play Mateo by anyone, but Hounsou rises to and beyond the challenge, his performance granting qualities to the character that a script could never provide. The movie was great overall, but Hounsou’s performance as Mateo really stole the show for me.
I see your point Adam and do think that Mateo does seem like an outsider. He is distant from others, feared and avoided by others. I like the line where you wrote, “when presented with the innocent, naive friendship of a child, his barriers are broken down and Mateo chooses to love.” It’s interesting to note the difference between the children’s acceptance and the adult’s reluctance of Mateo. But I’m glad that through the innocence of children, Mateo was able to have a meal with their family, engage in a conversation, and be accepted after being avoided for a long time.
I agree with both you and Cory in this case. Hounsou’s portrayal of Mateo is fantastically done with emotional depth not usually given to a supporting role. As Cory and yourself have pointed out, Mateo’s interaction with the children sees a noticeable change in his demeanor. All the hate and fear he has felt seems to wash away upon seeing the gleeful fun that the girls have, even whilst living in such a depressing situation. From his interactions with the two, it seems that Mateo is being confronted with the person he used to be before his illness: a young man enjoying life for what it is and not what society makes of it. The emotional depth that is brought to the character by Hounsou is incredible and one of the highlights of the film for me as well.
I agree with you that Matteo provided a very emotional performance, elevating the movie through his acting in a way that “a script could never provide”. I think that the movie would have been better had more focus been given to Matteo’s backstory and to him in general. I think that a better script would have given his character much more depth and would make his performance even better. A great performance needs a great actor and a great script and I think Matteo’s role only possessed the former. His frustration due to being an empath with no one to love speaks to a universal human truth that people need people in order to be happy. If this family had never come along, which would have been extremely likely, he would have died alone. If he reached out to other artists then he could have lived a more fulfilling life. While he couldn’t control his physical health, he could have gotten therapy and reached out to people with similar interests.
Hey Adam,
Thanks for bringing up the info about the academy awards; it’s cool to know that Djimon Hounsou got credit for the amazing work he did. Mateo is a truly dynamic character, rising and falling to the beat of his burdens. His metamorphosis was carefully crafted and his progression towards death truly resonated with the characters on screen and the audience. At first it was almost a relief to watch his fiery energy peter out; the introduction of Mateo’s patient and heartfelt nature glazes the movie over in warm tones. Those feelings quickly dissipated with the revelation of his diagnosis. Mateo became the embers of a once bright inferno. To put it frankly, the amount of technique and flexibility this would require to execute must be insane. This was a brilliant performance and display of emotional range.So far I loved everything everyone has been saying. Mateo is beautifully executed on-screen and the emotions of how he makes everyone feel can be felt. Although he comes off as this closed-off eccentric person, when he meets the two daughters he turns into this loveable approachable person. His character is so sweet and genuine that it makes me want to go hug him. Mateo could’ve ended up alone but it was his path to meet the two little girls. They’re insistent knocking for trick or treat candy is what started it all and created this beautiful friendship.
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