Best Original Screenplay preview – 2015 Oscars

A Grand favourite

The original screenplays feel genuinely original this year, well except for Foxcatcher. Foxcatcher is taken completely from a real life crime, which to me would be the definition of adapted, but that’s not how this category works apparently. Anyway, in this category there is a split-personality driven actor trying to hold together a Broadway play; a concierge trying to stay classy in his hotel as World War II closes in; a kid growing up over 12 years, literally; a Olympic wrestler battling his own expectations and the expectations of his mad sugar daddy; and a psychopath inserting himself into crimes to try and get the best angle for the news. It’s a loaded category, full of wild situations and great monologues, but somebody has to win.

Who else could have been nominated

If we are going to be honest, Foxcatcher and Whiplash could swap categories. Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash was based on his own short film, which seems more original than being based on a real crime, but this record is fast becoming broken. J. C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year couldn’t crack the Academy this year and Selma (officially written by Paul Webb but rumoured to be heavily re-written by Ava DuVernay) struggled to get involved with most of the awards. Christopher and Jonathan Nolan’s Interstellar was incredibly inventive, but the Nolan’s more prestigious films didn’t get much Academy love so Interstellar missing out wasn’t a surprise.

Who was nominated

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman – Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guiness – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Gilroy – Nightcrawler

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo

Why they will win: Birdman is perhaps the best speech film in the category and that is always a great way to get your screenplay noticed. Every actor gets their own scene to monologue and some of them – particularly for Emma Stone and Edward Norton – are terrific. Birdman also took out the Golden Globe for screenplay, which considering that encompassed both original and adapted, is an impressive win.
Why they wont win: The key problem with Birdman is its screenplay. Half of the characters that are introduced and fleshed out are completely forgotten in the third act, which is not good when trying to sell a screenplay. Birdman appears to be in second place right now.

Richard Linklater

Why he will win: Linklater boasts the most inventive and outstanding idea of the bunch. He displayed a great commitment to the film and was happy to adjust it on the fly. Linklater manages to fill Boyhood with answers and questions about growing up and becoming a man, a difficult task. Linklater has been nominated in a writing category twice before, but is without a win and the Academy may look to reward him.
Why he wont win: Rewriting over 12 years may be impressive, but it also gives the vibe of improvisation. Sure, the themes and the discussions are impressive, but Mason’s negativity begins to grate, and many characters come and go. The rotating characters didn’t bother me much, but it does lend itself to the improvisation vibe.

E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman

Why they will win: Yeah, I’m not sure how. Foxcatcher lends itself to some great performances, but that doesn’t really mean anything either.
Why they wont win: There’s really nothing going for Foxcatcher, it’s a really dark, brooding story that generally doesn’t go down well with the Academy. It hasn’t won anything of note and despite being nominated in some key categories – Best Actor, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor – it doesn’t look like it will win anything.

Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness

Why it will win: The Grand Budapest Hotel is a truly inventive, original picture. It balances multiple timelines, adds humour to dark situations and is simply a joy to watch. It won the Writers Guild of America award, which is generally a great tell in this category and certainly feels like the front runner.
Why it wont win: A bunch of characters are introduced and ignored throughout the film, it’s not a major problem, but it becomes a distraction. Quirkiness can feel like a drain sometimes, but really it doesn’t here so that’s no excuse.

Dan Gilroy

Why he will win: Nightcrawler is a surprising, exhilarating film. It blends thriller and dread in a way that only Foxcatcher did in this category, and it may have the best lead role of the bunch. Gilroy knows what Nightcrawler is and doesn’t stretch it too far, it commentates on media but doesn’t lay it on too thick, which makes it impressive.
Why he wont win: Nightcrawler and Foxcatcher sort of blend into each other as dark crime films. It’s unfortunate; Gilroy’s screenplay is excellent and just about the best in the category, but it failed to force its way into awards conversations this year.

Anderson and Guinness’ screenplay looks like the winner, despite a Golden Globe win in this category for Birdman, I’m going to have to go Grand this year.

Who should win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, Dan Gilroy
Who could win: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo
Who will win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness

For more coverage of the 87th Academy Awards, click here.