Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Frozen River (2008): Courtney Hunt—Joel’s Pick

Happy-Go-Lucky (2008): Mike Leigh

In Bruges (2008): Martin McDonagh

Milk (2008): Dustin Lance Black

WALL-E (2008): Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon

I think it is always a little tricky to evaluate what is an Oscar-worthy script since it is hard to evaluate a script independent of the film that is produced from it. Is it the script or the actors or the direction or something else that is deficient if the film doesn’t work? Conversely, was there something about the production that elevated the script into a special film? Interestingly, there’s only one of the best picture nominees based on an original script: Dustin Lance Black’s screenplay for Milk. Some might think that would give it a leg up on its competition, and that may be how the voting turns out. Milk has eight Oscar nominations, so it has gained what one would expect would be fairly broad based support from Academy voters. The other films have garnered only this nomination in a category such as those that I am addressing in this article that evaluate the film’s merit as a complete work of art. Oscars awarded for cinematography, costuming, art direction, visual effects, etc., are focusing on aspects of the completed whole film production. It is possible for a film to excel in these aspects and yet for the film to fail as a whole.

A single nomination in a category like screenplay category provides the Academy with the opportunity to reward a film that they may feel has otherwise been overlooked. WALL-E was lionized ecstatically when it was released over the summer, but it has only this Oscar or the one for Animated Feature to be given what many would say is its due as one of the best films of 2008. My guess would be that the Academy will recognize WALL-E in the Animated Feature category. Happy-Go-Lucky is the latest film from Mike Leigh, who is credited with writing the film. Leigh’s filmmaking process makes “writing the script” rather a different proposition from the typical script development. Leigh develops a premise for a film and then has a prolonged rehearsal period in which his actors develop their characters. In essence, the screenplay is taking the input from the actors and fitting it all together into a script. The more typical process would be for the script to be written as a completed entity from which to start, though it may be tweaked and rewritten along the way, including on the fly as it is being filmed. Leigh’s unique approach might not be accepted by Academy voters. The dark horse candidates that might benefit from receiving Oscar recognition are Martin McDonagh’s hitmen-on-vacation film In Bruges and Courtney Hunt’s Frozen River. Both are engaging films, but my choice would be Frozen River, which is very well written, well acted, and addresses real problems on the American political agenda.

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Roth, Robin Swicord

Doubt (2008/I): John Patrick Shanley—Joel’s Pick

Frost/Nixon (2008): Peter Morgan

The Reader (2008): David Hare

Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Simon Beaufoy

Once again, my comments on the difficulties inherent in evaluating original scripts also apply to Screenplays Based on Material Previously Produced or Published as original scripts. Slumdog Millionaire has gained almost juggernaut status in sweeping a boatload of high profile film awards. Simon Beaufoy’s adaptation of Vikas Swarup’s novel has already won the Golden Globes, The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts), and Writer’s Guild of America awards in this category. There’s really nothing that I can offer that would indicate that it is unworthy of winning this Oscar since I share the impression that it would be a well-deserved award. It is probably clear by now that I did not fall in love with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, though I am curious as to how much of the script was an original creation of the writers (Eric Roth and Robin Swicord) and how much came from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story. My guess would be not much more than the premise of a man aging in reverse. The Reader and Frost/Nixon scripts were the foundation material for very good films. It is interesting that every other film in this category except for Doubt is a finalist in the best director and best film categories.

Having seen the stage play on which Doubt is based, I can appreciate how this very intimate, small cast stage play has been opened up as a film. It does not feel constrained and static like a filmed stage production as some theater adaptations do. More noteworthy is the fact that it has garnered four nominations for its actors. Though its cast includes two of the most lauded actors (Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman) of their generations, this is not simply a function of having better actors than the other films-this is a function of excellent writing. If there is one award that Doubt deserves more than any of the others for which it is nominated, it is this one. It also shows yet another anomaly of the Academy’s nomination process in which a film that warrants all these actor nominations is neglected in the overall best director and best film categories.

Best Achievement in Directing

Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)—Joel’s Pick

Stephen Daldry for The Reader (2008)

David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon (2008)

Gus Van Sant for Milk (2008)

This could get repetitive because the same candidates are featured in both this best director category and the best film category. With wins at the Golden Globes, BAFTA’s, and Directors Guild of America already in hand, Danny Boyle would certainly seem to be the prohibitive favorite going in. The other films are very good but really don’t take the audience on the same kind of journey that is as perilous on the one hand and then as viscerally satisfying as where Boyle leads the Slumdog Millionaire audience. So the winner, and deservingly so as well, is Danny Boyle.

Best Motion Picture of the Year

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Ceán Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall

Frost/Nixon (2008): Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Eric Fellner

Milk (2008): Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks

The Reader (2008): Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti, and Redmond Morris

Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Christian Colson—Joel’s Pick

Slumdog Millionaire takes its audience on a wild ride that ultimately has a feel-good ending, but it travels some very perilous byways. I found the film somewhat reminiscent to Fernando Meirelles’s City of God in that it features children in the duress of dire poverty and, more important, had a similarly high-energy, propulsive cinematography and editing. It is engaging throughout, features strong ensemble performances, and is quite satisfying in its denouement. Although there have been rumors floated about ill treatment of its child cast members and the Indian codirector Loveleen Tandan, these seem to be the barking of jackals desperate to derail the Slumdog Millionaire juggernaut. These have been effectively refuted by the filmmakers and by Tandan herself. Therefore, it seems highly unlikely that Slumdog Millionaire, which has collected the major prizes at the Golden Globes, Producers Guild of America, Writers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, and BAFTA, won’t win the big prize on Oscar night. I can’t think of any justification for giving the award to one of the other films. However, based on its box office impact, The Dark Knight may well be the film for which most film viewers will remember 2008. It would not be my choice, but it clearly resonated with a broad audience, and it will likely have a full harvest of statuettes in addition to Heath Ledger’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar following Oscar night.

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