Javier Bardem won a best actor nomination for his role in Biutiful. The last time an actor in a non-English-language film gained an acting nomination was in 1998 when Roberto Benigni won for Life is Beautiful. . Bardem is excellent in his role as Uxbal, a man with a lot of problems. To begin with, he’s separated from his unstable bipolar wife and is trying to raise his 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son in the midst of the urban poverty of Barcelona. He makes his living as a low-level criminal, an agent and protector for African immigrants who illegally sell bags and watches on the street and for Chinese immigrants who work in a sweat shop. Did I mention that he is also addicted to drugs and on the short end of terminal cancer? Yes, Bardem is impressive, but before you settle in to see Biutiful, keep in mind that it is 2 ½ hours of bleak and depressing. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu previously earned best picture and best director nominations for Babel.
