In Character: Marisa Tomei

What a long, great, twisty career Marisa Tomei has had. She started in the sitcom world, took a while to find her footing in film, won an Oscar, hit the indie film scene, refound her footing, got nominated for more Oscars, and has now transitioned to wonderful character roles in which she steals scenes from some of best people in the business. I’ve always been a great admirer of her work; no matter what she’s in or when she’s in it, I’m there.

Five Essential Roles

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Mona Lisa Vito

Tomei’s film career started somewhat slow, but in March of 1992, a small movie called My Cousin Vinny joyously announced Tomei as a comedic powerhouse. Let’s get the politics out of the way first: for her work as Mona Lisa Vito, Tomei eventually won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, which was highly contested at the time. The award was destined to go to Judy Davis (for Husbands and Wives) or Vanessa Redgrave (for Howard’s End). But Jack Palance (himself a semi-surprise winner the year before for City Slickers), read Tomei’s name, and the rest is history.

Now, Oscar politics aside, Tomei is simply incredible in My Cousin Vinny. Her Mona Lisa Vito is insanely quotable, fiercely intelligent, and proudly herself. It is such a sneakily great turn, one that I can watch repeatedly. 

Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)

Rita

Slums of Beverly Hills is one of those unapologetic, fringe ‘90s comedies that was weird when you were a kid, but resonates profoundly as an adult. In the film, Tomei plays Rita, the niece of a bumbling loser named Murray (Alan Arkin), who is desperately trying to keep his family afloat. Rita is an absolute mess: she’s young and aimless, a drug addict and liar. There is a certain manic charm Tomei brings to the role that you can’t take your eyes off of. She’s a woman lost on her own, with virtually no direction to guide her. And then things change; not for Rita, but for us. In the film, without warning, writer/director Tamara Jenkins offers us some insight as to why Rita is the way she is. It’s a haunting moment, the type of scene that makes you revisit a movie with a completely different perspective. I’ve always appreciated how much depth Tomei is able to bring to her characters. 

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007)

Gina

I think Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a modern crime masterpiece. One that showcases some of the best respective work of Sidney Lumet, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, and, of course, Marisa Tomei. The Wrestler is often regarded as Tomei’s big screen comeback, but I think it started with Gina in this film. Gina is so lost and scared; her identity is so tightly wrapped between two deeply troubled men. One of my favorite scenes of Tomei’s career is her final scene in this movie, when she and Hoffman have a quiet, devastating conversation of betrayal, and goodbye. When Gina leaves the movie, I want to follow her. I want to know where she goes and how she lives. She’ll have a lot of catching up to do in life. A great performance always leaves you wanting more.

The Wrestler (2008)

Cassidy

The Hooker (or in the case, Stripper) with a Heart of Gold is a difficult role to pull off. There is so much built-in criticism to those types of performances that it takes a really good performer to elevate the role beyond character stereotype. But that is exactly what Tomei does here. Cassidy is a fierce, loyal, selfless single mother who befriends Randy (Mickey Rourke) because she cares about him. These are two broken people who attempt to find each other through mutual appreciations of ‘80s nostalgia, their children, and an unlikely kinship between them. The full impact of Tomei’s work can be found in her final scene, when her character fully and finally reveals herself to Randy, making Randy’s refusal that much more heartbreaking. 

The Ides of March (2011)

Ida Horowicz

I love the new, character-driven turn Tomei’s career has taken recently. She keeps popping up for a scene or two in fine films, stealing the moments from other veteran actors. I’m talking about her roles in The Lincoln Lawyer, Crazy, Stupid, Love., Love Is Strange, The Big Short, Empire, May Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and so on. The peak of this character work is her fiery turn as New York Times reporter, Ida Horowicz, in The Ides of March. What a joy it is to watch Tomei go toe-to-toe with (and repeatedly take down) the likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ryan Gosling. Ida exudes confidence; she carries a type of no bullshit professionalism that is required when you battle against career politicians. And I can never look away.

The Best of the Best

In the Bedroom (2001)

Natalie Strout

Todd Fields’ In the Bedroom is grief. Very few movies understand, and are able to so accurately convey, what grief does to us. The grief in In the Bedroom is shared by the main characters involved, but it manifests itself differently in each individual person. Natalie Strout’s grief is some of the worst kind, that which is consumed in guilt and shame. After her younger boyfriend is murdered by her ex husband, Natalie can hardly endure. She isn’t fully responsible for her boyfriend’s death, but she is partly to blame. And she carries it. She carries it on her tear-stained and swollen face, in her tense shoulders, in her shamed confusion. 

Natalie’s grief is just one facet of Tomei’s performance, as the work she does before the murder is a genuine mix of youthful delight, and frightened intimidation. But ultimately, In the Bedroom remains such haunting and unforgettable work. The last time we see Natalie, she’s stammering through an earnest apology to her slain boyfriend’s mother. It doesn’t go well, and Natalie exits, completely defeated. And to think, where does she go from here? Mona Lisa Vito gets married and lives happily ever after, Cassidy leaves the wrestling match and quietly goes back to her life. But where the hell does Natalie go? And I wonder.

Other Notable Roles

in The Big Short

A Different World (1987-1988)

Oscar (1991)

Chaplin (1992)

The Paper (1994)

Only You (1994)

Four Rooms (1995)

Happy Accidents (2000)

What Women Want (2000)

Someone Like You (2001)

Anger Management (2003)

Alfie (2004)

Factotum (2005)

Rescue Me (2006)

War, Inc. (2008)

Cyrus (2010)

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Love is Strange (2014)

The Big Short (2015)

Empire (2015)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)