OVP: Best Adapted Screenplay (2005)
The Nominees Were...
Larry McMurtry & Diana Ossana, Brokeback Mountain
Dan Futterman, Capote
Jeffrey Caine, The Constant Gardener
Josh Olson, A History of Violence
Tony Kushner & Eric Roth, Munich
Dan Futterman, Capote
Jeffrey Caine, The Constant Gardener
Josh Olson, A History of Violence
Tony Kushner & Eric Roth, Munich
My Thoughts: We move into the writing categories today for the 2005 Oscar race, amid a sea of Best Picture nominees and films that were clearly almost in that race. The strange thing looking at the 2005 Oscars is how staid the nominations were. While we saw some unusual categories (particularly Best Editing), the story seemed to be roughly the same dozen films over-and-over-again, and so it's not a surprise as we move into the Big 8 categories that we're discussing films that we've already tackled before, in a technical way. Here, though, we're going to get into the story, and we're also going to find out that I didn't like one of these movies, namely...
Capote. My screening of Capote is one of the weirdest moments I've ever had in a movie theater. It was at an AMC theater at really rundown mall near St. Paul, Minnesota (one that closed long before Covid so AMC could go in a shinier mall down the street), and the heat went out in the theater during the movie. Capote is a cold film, so it kind of worked, but literally by the end of the film everyone in the theater had put on their coat-and-gloves since they were freezing (I still miss that theater-I love movie houses with character). But even with my body temperature dropping, I could tell that Capote was too clinical, and too reliant on Hoffman's mannerisms carrying the film. The movie isn't badly-written (it has strong dialogue), but it's also dull & repetitive, and really needs you to buy into the frigid aesthetic, which I didn't enjoy paired with Hoffman's scenery-chewing. Maybe time would be kinder to this one for me, but based on my notes at the time I just didn't feel like the script meshed at all with Hoffman's performance, and both suffer as a result.
Another film I saw in that same theater was A History of Violence (the heat was working fine for that one). This movie also relies really heavily on a cold, calculating script...but the performances match. Mortensen is terrific in the lead as a man who may-or-may-not be the quiet diner owner he seems, and the movie unfolds in a way that keeps you guessing (logically) as it moves forward. There are times when the movie takes detours I didn't like (I don't think that Ed Harris' character feels scripted in a way that avoids some of the bigger reveals of the ending), but overall this is a well-constructed thriller, one with a lot of heat that matches the rest of the artists (actors, director, editors) in the room.
The Constant Gardener is also a thriller, though not in the same prototypical film noir way that A History of Violence is. The first half plays out with an unlikely love story, the back half has a man trying to avenge his wife's death, and learning in the process who she was (and what the people in his world are capable of). Again, this is a movie that never quite feels like a full story (it's hard to compare this with the more complete tale that won the Oscar here), but it's really taut and organized, and I'll admit-I loved it, probably more than most people do in hindsight (it was the kind of movie that definitely would've been nominated for Best Picture a few years later in an expanded field).
Munich is also a thriller, but one whose technical achievements occasionally get in the way of the story. It may seem nitpicky (with the exception of Capote, I liked all of these films, but when you throw" best of the year" onto the plate you have to get picky), as the script is meandering and occasionally convoluted, getting in the way of the action and morality of the movie. The film doesn't have enough time for some of its characters (is the only way to show that Eric Bana is plunging into a panic by having him wake up in a cold sweat?), and while the action sequences are penned with precision, the character work isn't vested enough.
Which brings us to the winner, and a movie that probably won this category the day it came out considering who was writing it and its Best Picture perch. Brokeback Mountain takes a short story (one of I've read several times) and expands & nurtures it, bringing it fully into a movie without taking away the quiet shortness of the romance. I don't have a criticism about the script of Brokeback, I think it's an all-timer in this category, and not just because I love the movie-the story flows flawlessly, and makes every second count. The dialogue, the pacing, the urgency-it's all there in a truly sensational script.
Capote. My screening of Capote is one of the weirdest moments I've ever had in a movie theater. It was at an AMC theater at really rundown mall near St. Paul, Minnesota (one that closed long before Covid so AMC could go in a shinier mall down the street), and the heat went out in the theater during the movie. Capote is a cold film, so it kind of worked, but literally by the end of the film everyone in the theater had put on their coat-and-gloves since they were freezing (I still miss that theater-I love movie houses with character). But even with my body temperature dropping, I could tell that Capote was too clinical, and too reliant on Hoffman's mannerisms carrying the film. The movie isn't badly-written (it has strong dialogue), but it's also dull & repetitive, and really needs you to buy into the frigid aesthetic, which I didn't enjoy paired with Hoffman's scenery-chewing. Maybe time would be kinder to this one for me, but based on my notes at the time I just didn't feel like the script meshed at all with Hoffman's performance, and both suffer as a result.
Another film I saw in that same theater was A History of Violence (the heat was working fine for that one). This movie also relies really heavily on a cold, calculating script...but the performances match. Mortensen is terrific in the lead as a man who may-or-may-not be the quiet diner owner he seems, and the movie unfolds in a way that keeps you guessing (logically) as it moves forward. There are times when the movie takes detours I didn't like (I don't think that Ed Harris' character feels scripted in a way that avoids some of the bigger reveals of the ending), but overall this is a well-constructed thriller, one with a lot of heat that matches the rest of the artists (actors, director, editors) in the room.
The Constant Gardener is also a thriller, though not in the same prototypical film noir way that A History of Violence is. The first half plays out with an unlikely love story, the back half has a man trying to avenge his wife's death, and learning in the process who she was (and what the people in his world are capable of). Again, this is a movie that never quite feels like a full story (it's hard to compare this with the more complete tale that won the Oscar here), but it's really taut and organized, and I'll admit-I loved it, probably more than most people do in hindsight (it was the kind of movie that definitely would've been nominated for Best Picture a few years later in an expanded field).
Munich is also a thriller, but one whose technical achievements occasionally get in the way of the story. It may seem nitpicky (with the exception of Capote, I liked all of these films, but when you throw" best of the year" onto the plate you have to get picky), as the script is meandering and occasionally convoluted, getting in the way of the action and morality of the movie. The film doesn't have enough time for some of its characters (is the only way to show that Eric Bana is plunging into a panic by having him wake up in a cold sweat?), and while the action sequences are penned with precision, the character work isn't vested enough.
Which brings us to the winner, and a movie that probably won this category the day it came out considering who was writing it and its Best Picture perch. Brokeback Mountain takes a short story (one of I've read several times) and expands & nurtures it, bringing it fully into a movie without taking away the quiet shortness of the romance. I don't have a criticism about the script of Brokeback, I think it's an all-timer in this category, and not just because I love the movie-the story flows flawlessly, and makes every second count. The dialogue, the pacing, the urgency-it's all there in a truly sensational script.
Other Precursor Contenders: The Globes combine their writing categories so there is no adapted or original distinction, and thus we only have two adapted nominees in their five choices: Brokeback Mountain (which was victorious) and Munich. The BAFTA's split, but nearly went for a carbon copy of Oscar's list-we have Brokeback winning again, and then Munich getting bumped for Pride & Prejudice. WGA went with something similar, also dumping Munich and giving it to Brokeback, but in this case picking Syriana as the fifth nominee. Syriana ended up winning a nomination in Original, so logic pretty clearly states that Pride & Prejudice was in sixth place here.
Films I Would Have Nominated: Like I said, while I'm picky about this list, it's not a bad one, and I enjoyed all but Capote of these movies. Therefore, I'm only name-checking one movie that I think could have been included, and that's King Kong, which I think is well-constructed (though occasionally overlong), and adds a lot to the myth of the beast.
Oscar's Choice: Well, at least Brokeback was unstoppable for this category (maybe Tony Kushner in second considering the prestige behind his work?).
My Choice: Easily Brokeback-this isn't playing fair as it's one of my favorite movies, but even objectively the other scripts can't compete. I'd follow it with Violence, Constant Gardener, Munich, and Capote.
Those are my thoughts-what about you? Does anyone dare argue that Brokeback didn't earn this trophy, and if so, with what movie? Does anyone want to try and change my mind about Capote? And was any other film close to this category other than Pride & Prejudice? Share your thoughts below!
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