Welcome toFor Your Consideration, the Collider show that breaks down awards season with hostsScott Mantz,Perri NemiroffandJeff Sneider, who offer their Best Original Screenplay predictions. Not only is this category competitive this year, but it’s also fairly wide open, with no clear frontrunner in sight.
Since, acting-wise,Romais led by women andGreen Bookis led by men, those two films won’t square off against each other in any of the acting races, but this is the category where they’ll clash before Best Picture is given out. Oscar winnerAlfonso Cuaróndoes a wonderful job chronicling a year in the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City in the early 1970s, and he’s been nominated in this category once before forY tu mamá también. Meanwhile,Peter Farrellywent solo to directGreen Book, which is a major crowdpleaser that is all but assured two acting nominations. He co-wrote the script withBrian Hayes CurrieandNick Vallelonga, the latter of whom is the son of the film’s main characterTony Vallelonga, who’s played byViggo Mortensen. All three of the hosts feel most confident in these two films, but if there’s a third most-likely nominee they agree on, it’sBo Burnham’sEighth Grade.
Burnham is a standup comic by trade, but he also happens to be a natural filmmaker with a good ear, doing a remarkable job of capturing the language and existential crisis of being a teenage girl. Of course, he had a little help from gifted newcomerElsie Fisher, but his achievement is no less impressive. A24 will be campaigning this one hard and there will be plenty of love from Film Twitter, which loves to boost awards underdogs like this one.
From there, it’s anyone’s guess.The Favouritewas written byDeborah DavisandTony McNamara, and the period film is dripping with delicious dialogue, but Jeff questions whether it will be everyone’s cup of tea. It’s certainly a unique picture that will have many passionate supporters.
Speaking of passionate supporters, count Scott and Perri among those who thinkA Quiet Placewill score an Oscar nomination in this category. A directing nomination may be just outsideJohn Krasinski’s grasp, but the Academy could look to honor him here, as he earned writing credit along with original scribesScott BeckandBryan Woods. They all did a great job of making a movie with an original hook, and creating a world with rules of its own in that movie. It’s one of Jeff’s favorite films of the year, but he’s not sure he fully trusts the Academy to recognize the brilliance of that genre film. Sure,Get Outwas nominated in this category, but its themes were a bit more politically relevant, and Jeff fears that may be what voters are looking for here.
Instead, Jeff sticks his neck out forAdam McKay’sVice, sight unseen, as the Academy previously nominated him for adaptingThe Big ShortwithCharles Randolph. The trailer already features some juicy lines, and you couldn’t ask for a better cast thanChristian Bale,Amy Adams,Steve CarellandSam Rockwell. Scott agrees with Jeff that, barring catastrophe,Vicewill be among the final five nominees.
In the end, Scott, Perri and Jeff come to a compromise regarding their predictions, so tune in to see where they settled, and watch through the end of the episode to see Jeff rattle off some additional contenders in the mix for Best Original Screenplay. To keep up with all thingsFor Your Consideration, follow the gang on Twitter and Instagram at @MovieMantz, @PNemiroffand @TheInSneider. Stay tuned next week for more awards talk, and we’llFYC-ya later!
