F. Murray Abraham rises far above the rest

Rating: 10/10 (8 December 2011)

As a professional actor in Los Angeles for many years now, I can honestly state that I have never seen a finer acting performance than that presented here by F. Murray Abraham as Italian composer Antonio Salieri.
When there's no fanfare, special effects, or 'kiss-n-chase' element drowning the actor in a boisterous facade, when the actor must endure in medium and close-up shots armed only with the integrity of the script and his own innate ability to convey it, that is the hardest acting of all, and Abraham is nothing less than absolutely perfect in his role, projecting the most delicately controlled nuances of expression and mannerism.
Abraham's astounding performance makes this a proverbial must-see for aficionados of the acting profession.