Golden Globes 2020: Ricky Gervais bores, Tom Hanks soars and an honest review of the rest
Should the 2020 Golden Globes have brought the notorious Ricky Gervais back as a host? Did the right movies and TV shows win the awards? Who made the best speech? USA TODAY TV Critic Kelly Lawler breaks down every winner, loser, presenter and gag at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
Gervais lost his shock and awe
Was Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais even trying in his fifth time at the Globes microphone? With a glass of beer on the lectern, Gervais looked a little tired when he opened the show, reminding viewers he didn't care anymore (and never really did). He had a lackluster, lazy parade of jokes about Baby Yoda and Joe Pesci (the internet has beat him to much better jokes on the tiny alien), Felicity Huffman making license plates (the audience definitely wasn't with him there), "Cats," Martin Scorsese's height and movies about pedophiles.
There were a few chuckles to be had, but even fans of Gervais' harsh brand of humor would likely be disappointed. There weren't many barbs to his supposedly sharp humor, merely a few weak jabs at Apple and political celebrities. More than anything else, it was dull.
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But as Gervais said, "They're just jokes, we're all gonna die soon, and there's no sequel." Glad to know Gervais is really done after this time.
The unsung winners
Honestly, the best part of the awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the small organization that votes on the Globes, is that sometimes it helps shine a light on small films and TV shows that could use a boost. This year the lucky recipient was the great Ramy Youssef, the star and creator of Hulu's "Ramy," who knew that this big room of Hollywood heavy hitters hadn't seen his show. But they'd better now.
Another underdog with a big win was "The Missing Link," which edged out "Frozen 2" for the best animated film award. The film comes from Laika Studios, which was behind the incredibly animated "Coraline" and "Kubo and the Two Strings." Their films don't sell as many toys as Elsa and Anna, but they are beautiful to behold.
Eyebrows, raised
Have eyebrows ever been thanked at an awards show before? Stellan Skarsgard, who won best supporting actor in a limited TV series or movie for HBO's "Chernobyl," helped kick off the night with an excellent and incredibly surprising speech. Sure, he thanked the series' director, writer and usual suspects. But he also thanked the man who made the prosthetic eyebrows for his character. It was funnier than anything Gervais said all night. Hopefully it starts a trend. Can't wait for someone to thank their fingernails.
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Bong Joon-ho schools Americans on subtitles
The director of one of the year's most acclaimed films, South Korea's "Parasite," accepted the award for foreign language film with this biting missive: "Once you get over the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films." May we all heed his words of wisdom.
Kate McKinnon makes her case for next Globes host
Ellen DeGeneres won the Globes' Carol Burnett Award for excellence in television, and although she had her own acceptance speech, she was overshadowed by "Saturday Night Live" star Kate McKinnon's introduction. McKinnon was funny (listing all the clothes she wore doing her DeGeneres impressions) and deeply moving as she recalled how DeGeneres boosted her confidence as a young gay woman. "She risked her entire life and her entire career to tell the truth," McKinnon said. That mix of hilarity and heart is exactly the kind of thing an awards-show host needs. Maybe McKinnon will step up next year.
DJ Ansel?
Presenter Ansel Elgort didn't say much when he presented best original song to Elton John and Bernie Taupin, but boy, did he sing! It was a little weird, but at least it was on pitch. Perhaps some guerrilla marketing for his upcoming role in Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" remake? Sure, why not!
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The ever-charming Olivia Colman
"The Crown" actress Olivia Colman really wasn't prepared to win, and she admitted it flat out on stage. "I've honestly gotten a little boozy, because I didn't think this was going to happen," she said to knowing laughter. Her rambling speech was still adorable, with a shout-out for her other show, "Fleabag," which took the best comedy award earlier in the night. "Yay, 'Fleabag'"! Yay, Olivia!
Tom Hanks brings America's Dad to the show
With a cold and a few jokes about his clip reel including a scene from "The Love Boat," Tom Hanks accepted the Cecil B. DeMille award in true Hanks fashion, with grace and humility, and choked up when talking about his family. Hanks paid tribute to actors, writers, directors and craftsmen he worked with, naming some, like his "Captain Phillips" co-star Barkhad Abdi, and even nodding to Skarsgard's eyebrow artist. He championed being on time. His speech made the pursuit of acting and filmmaking feel like a noble one, captivating the audience in the room and at home.
Speeches that actually said something
A funny acceptance speech is always welcome, but so are those that elevate "thank you to the HFPA" to something deeper. Michelle Williams, Jared Harris, Patricia Arquette and even Russell Crowe – in a statement all the way from Australia – got political and moving in their speeches, without a hint of exploitation or grandstanding.
Golden Globes 2020: The winners list
Golden Globes 2020: Live updates on the night's biggest wins
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Golden Globes 2020: A brutally honest review of the show