The Screen Actors Guild Awards are coming up, honor the best acting in movies and television from the past year. While individual awards are handed out, the big award of the night for movies goes to the Best Ensemble which highlights the movies that featured the best work from an entire cast.
While only one movie will walk away with this top prize on the big night, their reception among critics might offer an indication of who the winner will be. From the movies that received mixed critical reactions to the hugely acclaimed projects, Rotten Tomatoes offers a look at the ratings among the Best Ensemble nominees.
5 Don't Look Up (56%)
Given the star power involved in Adam McKay's satire Don't Look Up, it's not all that surprising the movie earned a Best Ensemble nomination. It stars the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, and Jonah Hill in one of the most talked-about movies of last year. DiCaprio and Lawrence play a pair of scientists who discover a comet heading towards Earth and attempt to warn the public only to be met with indifference and ignorance by those in charge.
Despite the impressive ensemble of actors involved, Don't Look Up ranks the lowest of the SAG nominees according to Rotten Tomatoes. While some felt it was a hilarious ride with an important message, others felt McKay and his team fumbled the intriguing idea with an unsubtle approach. It remains one of the most divisive movies of the year and will be interesting to see how it ends up performing during the end of the awards season.
4 House Of Gucci (62%)
Ridley Scott released two big movies in 2021, and while The Last Duel was acclaimed yet overlooked, House of Gucci has received some more love at the awards. The movie tells a grand saga of the Gucci family dynasty who developed one of the most well-known fashion brands in the entire world. However, in-fighting among the various Gucci family members struggling for power leads to a deadly end to their reign. It is another movie backed with impressive actors with Lady Gaga and Adam Driver headlining along with a supporting cast that includes Jared Leto, Al Pacino, and Jeremy Irons.
This is another big title from the end of the year that divided critics. Many critics praised the performances, especially Lady Gaga and Jared Leto who were nominated for individual SAG awards as well. However, others felt that the shifting tones throughout the story prevented the movie from really clicking with viewers.
3 Belfast (87%)
After directing big blockbusters like Thor and Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh directed perhaps his best movie as well as a very personal story. Belfast is loosely based on Branagh's own childhood in Ireland. Young Jude Hill gives a charming performance as Buddy who lives with his working-class family as his neighborhood descends into chaos amidst the Troubles of the 1960s. Caitriona Balfe also earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role as Buddy's mother, while Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, and Ciaran Hinds play the rest of his loving family.
Belfast was an early standout in the film festival season and its buzz has continued since then. The crowd-pleasing coming-of-age tale seemed to have charmed critics as much as audiences. While Branagh's deeply personal script and his directing skills were praised, most critics found that it was the performances that helped make Belfast one of the best movies of the year.
2 King Richard (90%)
A good sports story is hard for any movie-goer to resist and King Richard focuses on two of the most accomplished athletes of all time while also featuring a strong performance from one of Hollywood's biggest stars. King Richard stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams, played by Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton, respectively. The movie follows Richard's drive to allow his daughters to achieve excellence while also being wary of them operating in a cutthroat world like professional sports.
Smith received acclaim from critics for his lead performance with some calling it the best of his career. The movie itself was regarded by many critics as an engrossing and entertaining real-life sports story while also rising above the usual offerings of the genre with a more unique story. Smith also received a Best Actor nomination along with the ensemble's recognition.
1 CODA (96%)
Every now and then there is a small indie movie that strikes a chord with critics and becomes an unlikely contender for the major awards. This year, CODA fits that bill as the Sundance hit has become one of the most acclaimed movies of the year. It tells the story of Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) a high school student who is also the only non-deaf person in her family. As she helps her father, mother and brother maintain their fishing business, her own dreams of becoming a singer begin to take shape.
The intriguing premise sets the stage for an emotional, uplifting, and powerful story that critics have been raving about. It follows a fairly standard coming-of-age plot yet the familiarity of the story is outweighed by the unique family story it tells, the mix of humor and drama, and the amazing cast. Tony Kotsur, who plays Ruby's father, received a Best Supporting Actor nomination as the first male deaf performer to do so.
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