Being There

It is a long-held belief that if an actor plays a mentally handicapped character in a film they are guarenteed are Oscar nod. While not always true, Cuba Gooding Jr please stand up, it is accurate more often than not. However, to quote Robert Downey Jr. as Lincoln Ossirus in Tropic Thunder, "You never go full retard." How politically correct. How true.
Being There is the story of simpleton gardener named Chance, who by chance (no pun intended) finds himself the focus of popularity. Some actors have a way about them that they can succeed in any number of comedic roles. Peter Sellers is one of the best. He plays Chance in an honest, even style. This isn't a Forrest Gump-type of simpleton - he doesn't openly engage others and charm their pants off. Chance is pleasant and off-handily appreciative. He speaks when spoken to and answers with a polite, "Thank you. Thank you." Somehow this betrays his basic ruminations as statements of profound insight. Sellers plays it that way. The character doesn't have any idea that what he is saying or doing is confused for something greater. That's just how he is. This eventually gets him involved with the President, foreign emissaries, and late night talk shows.
It's a shame Sellers did not win an Oscar for his role. Granted, 1980 was a stacked year (Roy Schider arguably could have won for All That Jazz and eventual winner Dustin Hoffman justifiably took home the statue). It feels that Sellers as Chance is more important a character somehow. A deeper looker at people in general. We go about our lives trying so hard to impress that we are not always ourselves. We are different people at work, at home, with friends, or family. In the end, life is perception.