Jim Caviezel, “The Passion of the Christ” (2004)
Both this film and its director, Mel Gibson, stirred up their share of controversy, but it should not take away from the caliber of Caviezel’s performance. Not only is the film almost entirely in Aramaic, but Caviezel delivers an intensely physical performance that requires him to spend the majority of the film being horribly brutalized. Comedian Louis CK probably described it best when he said, “Have you seen that movie where they beat the sh*t out of Jesus?” Regardless of its politics, “The Passion” is a brutal film and Caviezel’s performance made it possible for many believers to see the suffering of their savior in his haunted eyes.
(Netflix)
