Diane Kruger
It’s never easy to convincingly play characters with mental health problems, especially when they’re subtle enough for the character to be roughly functional in the real world (just ask Claire Danes). But Diane Kruger has managed to breathe incredible life into Sonya Cross, a police detective with Asperger Syndrome that lets her assess criminal activity with objective logic even as she struggles to connect with those around her. Cross’ apparent detatchment hides her inner desire to increase her emotional I.Q., even when she can’t quite understand the nuances of human behavior. Because Cross has a mild case, Kruger must play it pretty straight but with just enough “off” behavior that we understand her inner pain. She pulls it off skillfully, never letting her performance detract from the thickening plot. Bravo!