They Shoot Oscar Prognosticators, Don't They?

AFI Does Nothing to Clarify Best Picture Race

By J. Don Birnam

November 17, 2015

Be as charming as you want. I'm still not telling you how to pronounce my name.

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And do not get me started on complaints about historical accuracy. Did anyone else see Argo? Basically nothing that happens in that movie actually happened in real life. Did you see The King’s Speech? Spoiler: King George’s stutter was a tenth of what is portrayed there. It cannot be that we hold screenwriters to this impossible double standard: give us exact historical accuracy, but make the protagonist a likable guy, or we will hate him. Some people exist and triumph in this world being evil, for a certain moral code anyway. That is not the fault of the screenwriter.

When these goggles that compel us to see everything as inherently good or bad are removed from the equation and one sees Steve Jobs for what it is - a fictionalized dramatization, a prosaic and theatrical representation, one is able to witness it in all its brilliance. Jobs’ conniving, master plan for revenge plays itself out in unexpected ways over the three acts; each character reappears and is used smartly by Sorkin to explore a different facet of his personality (his conscience - Winslet, his ego - Daniels, his heart - his daughter, his brain - Rogen, playing Steve Wozniak). Each vignette represents the evolution of a man and of ideas, and the unapologetic exposition of a basic American truth: if you build something successful, we will like you, even if it is begrudgingly so. It's Wolf of Wall Street-esque, in a sense, not to mention, of course, The Social Network.

My humble advice, indeed, my urgent beg to you: do not miss the brilliance of this script and of the actors who deliver it because of whatever atrocities the real Steve Jobs committed during his life. It is not the filmmakers’ fault. And it is not yours.




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As for predicting the Oscars: Perhaps someone will hear my pleas, but, for now, it is unarguable that Steve Jobs has fallen in the Best Adapted Screenplay race. Still, I fully expect it to be in the conversation because of how respected Sorkin is, but a win now seems a harder call. At the same time, the writing is clearly on the wall that Drew Goddard’s adaptation of the immensely popular novel will net him a nod for The Martian. Beyond that, the picture is murky, because there are several contenders with a real shot at a nod. Room, of course, is based on an also popular novel, and I think this movie is resonating across the industry. The 1950s companion pieces, Carol and Brooklyn, also should both have decent shots, as the dialogue in both is profound and memorable, aided by the delivery of the talented actresses that perform it.

The Revenant is the likely the real wild-card, as the movie may end up one of those sink or swim, all-or-nothing propositions for movies that debut late in the Oscar year. I still think that The Danish Girl has a better than decent shot, but we will know more when the movie finally hits theaters in coming weeks.

All of that said, the writers’ branch of the Academy are known for their quirks, and a dark horse candidate, from Trumbo to Concussion to The Big Short of Beasts of No Nation, should not be discounted. Check out here our updated Best Adapted Screenplay power rankings.


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