Why Doesn't Benicio Del Toro's Character in 'Sicario' Talk More?
The calm and collected guy winds up being the linchpin of the entire story.
'Sicario'
One of my favorite movies of the 2010s is Sicario, a brutal and realistic crime thriller about the hopelessness of the drug war on the American and Mexican borders.
The movie is full of strong performances, but the one that stands out to me the most is Benicio Del Toro's nearly silent portrayal of a cartel insider who is working with the CIA and hiding something from us as well.
Del Toro recently opened up about his process of creating the character.
Let's dive in.
Benicio Del Toro on Sicario
The video here is from Josh Horowitz Clips, and I do recommend the longer interview if you want to hear more about Del Toro's other movies and roles.
In the above clip, Del Toro revealed that he was so impressed with the combined power of the music, cinematography, and tension in Sicario that he felt his character would be more impactful with fewer lines. He even surprised cinematographer Roger Deakins by asking to have some of his lines cut out of the movie.
This decision is one rooted in confidence and just knowing exactly how his character would and should behave in these situations.
He's playing someone with a deep trauma, and who has a very sordid past. Del Toro explained that people who have endured such experiences often don’t speak about them, especially not with strangers. He felt it would be inauthentic for his character to open up to Emily Blunt's character.
Director Denis Villeneuve agreed, and instead, Josh Brolin's character was given the task of explaining the Sicario's backstory, a move that Del Toro believes made more sense in the context of the film.
And that gave more of a mystique around his character, providing an aura that gets explained in the final, violent act of the movie.
I love stories like this one because it shows a great collaboration between the director and actor in finding the role. It also shows an actor getting inside the mind of their character and making choices that actually might be humbling, but that help give the movie more gravitas later.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
