7) Jack Reynor – Glassland
Hollywood might not have figured out what to do with Jack Reynor yet – so far, he’s been a prop for Michael Bay in Transformers: Age of Extinction and thanklessly played one of Vince Vaughn’s many children in Delivery Man – but back home in Ireland he continues to be an at-times shockingly talented performer. This year we’ve already had two further reminders of that: Sing Street, and Gerard Barrett’s Glassland.
As in his breakthrough movie What Richard Did three years ago, Reynor is savagely affecting in Barrett’s addiction drama. As a young taxi driver made old beyond his years by a mother who can’t shake her alcoholism (Toni Collette, also great in a small role), Reynor once again proves why he’s one of the most exciting new actors around. No move, no line seems rehearsed; with Reynor it feels like we’re watching life unfolding.