Jeremy Strong’s status as one of the industry’s most talented actors has risen dramatically in the last few years, largely thanks to his Emmy award-winning role as Kendall Roy on the HBO drama seriesSuccession. While Strong had delivered memorable work in acclaimed films such asThe Trial of the Chicago 7andThe Big Short, starring in one of themost heralded drama shows of all timesignificantly boosted his fame. The conclusion ofSuccessionleft Strong in an interesting position, as it was always going to be challenging for him to deliver performances in which audiences were not thinking about Kendall the entire time. However, Strong showed a more nuanced side with his heartbreaking performance in the dark coming-of-age dramaArmageddon Time.
What Is ‘Armageddon Time’ About?
Armageddon Timewasinspired by director James Gray’s real experiencesgrowing up in New York City during the 1980s, where he was forced to confront bigotry and economic upheaval in his community. Strong stars as the Jewish father Irving Graff, who raises his young son, Paul (Banks Repeta), with high expectations. Irving has a caring relationship with his wife, Esther (Anne Hathaway). His strict parenting style is starkly juxtaposed against that of his father-in-law, Aaron (Anthony Hopkins), who approaches his relationship with Paul with a calm and measured gentleness. Aaron was a survivor of antisemitic genocide in Ukraine but tends to be more idealistic about how Paul will grow up. While Irving respects Aaron’s experience and morally upstanding qualities, Irving wants Paul to have more realistic expectations about what he can accomplish during a difficult period in American history.
‘Succession’: Jeremy Strong’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes
Beyond Kendall Roy.
Strong is able to capture the struggle of a man who wants what’s best for his family but is caught in the turmoil a rapidly changing world brings. This has put a significant burden onhis paternal relationship with his son.For instance, while Aaron encourages Paul’s dreams of being an artist, Irving and Esther believe Paul would be better suited to finding a more traditional line of work. When criticizing his son’s desire to be an artist, it would have been quite easy for Irving to come off as entirely callous in this scene; however, Strong uses nuance and depth to voice how his anxieties are all based on fear. Irving has lived to see his own dreams disappear, and doesn’t want to see Paul experience the same mismanagement of expectations as he grows to become a young man. While Irving recognizes that Paul may be more open in his relationship with Aaron, he is willing to be slightly more aggressive if it will benefit their family in the long run.
Jeremy Strong Shows the Complex Side of Fatherhood
Armageddon Timeisa devastating analysis of regret, as Paul begins to feel shame after allowing his African-American best friend Johnny (Jaylin Webb) to face the consequences for a crime that they committed together. Although Paul feels that the anxiety that he is facing is entirely unique, Irving gives him some much-needed advice in a powerful scene in which the two finally have a heart-to-heart. Irving discusses his own frustrations with the bigotry in America, and tries to explain to Paul how he has attempted to remain focused on securing the safety of his own family. Strong is able to show true empathy by exploring the weight that has been on Irving’s shoulders the entire time; this explains some of his more caustic behavior early on, and makes Paul’s evolution even more heartbreaking.
Strong does very subtle but captivating work inArmageddon Time, asthe scenes between Repeta and Hopkinswere always going to be more inherently uplifting. While not necessarily as showy as his work onSuccession, and not nearly as flamboyant as his performance as Roy Cohn inThe Apprentice, Strong’s role inArmageddon Timeis further evidence that he is among the best actors of his generation, making this a role worthy of attention.
Armageddon Time
Armageddon Timeis currently available to stream on Starz in the U.S.
WATCH ON STARZ
