93rd Academy Awards: A strong Adapted Screenplay race
Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 6:35PM by Eric Blume
We have our strongest list of contenders for the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar that we’ve had in years…I’d argue one of the strongest ever. These five films represent vastly different stories and emphasize different screenwriting strengths, and involve an array of intelligent decisions from the writers in delivering the best cinematic experience possible based on their source material...
There are many writers involved in the screenplay for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (eight for screenplay; four for story). The film is nominated in this category because Oscar’s rule dictates that any movie featuring the same characters from an existing movie are considered adaptations. Looking at the original source material (the first film), the writers made some smart choices in bringing back their titular (anti?)hero.
Borat as a character, property, and film is incredibly divisive. I know folks who can’t even watch it because it makes them too uncomfortable, and there are others who aren’t able to see through the improv element to see the masterful artistry of what this creative team is doing. For this sequel, they needed to bring back a very unlikable character who was originally rooted in a very specific cultural and political time, in a way that felt fresh, relevant, and funny in a new way.
Their adaptation focused on the introduction of Borat’s daughter, which gave us a breathtaking, highwire performance from Maria Bakalova, and gave Sasha Baron Cohen a new arc to play…the relationship allowed Borat to become more human and have some dimension, while putting the two of them in a series of awkward comedy set pieces that remain true to the original tone and energy of the film. The writers retooled the piece to comment brutally upon Trump-era grossness, doubling down on exposing American stupidity and false patriotism. This Borat film is as much expose as comedy, and it’s more finely structured and beautifully shaped than the first iteration.
Finally, it’s easy to assume that improv is never “written”, when in fact it’s often pre-organized to capture certain moments, push certain jokes, etc. I’ve written many improv beats for comedy actors, so they aren’t flailing when they put themselves out there. In this film, the writers are not unafraid to place Cohen and Bakalova in insane and dangerous situations, but they give the actors enough support in the improv points and beats to steer them…they’re armed with direction on how to keep the focus of the scene, but also armed with different ways to pivot. It’s an very ambitious effort from everyone involved.
I wrote the review here for The Father, so I won’t belabor my initial praise too much. But I will say that Florian Zeller further proves his worth as an artist on this picture purely by having the good sense, tact, and lack of ego to have brought in Christopher Hampton to co-adapt the screenplay of Florian’s own play. Think about it: you’re a world-famous playwright who gets to make your first movie, an adaptation of your own acclaimed play. Many artists wouldn’t say, “who should I bring in to help me write the screenplay?”…they’d just adapt it themselves, as they know it best. But Zeller must have spent some time carefully watching Dangerous Liaisons and Atonement, both stunning adaptations from Hampton, and realized the value of bringing another creative partner onboard.
Zeller and Hampton pull off a minor miracle in the film version of The Father, because they are somehow able to maintain the heightened theatrical language of the play…along with its purposefully confusing structure and wicked sleights-of-hand…in a way that feels right for cinema. This team, too, doubles down, here on the intimacy of the piece. They trust to never take us out of their hermetically-sealed universe, but also know that in order to do that, they need to be compelling enough for us to climb into their little coffin so they can keep tightening the screws.
Our presumptive Best Director winner, Chloe Zhao, has received so much rightful attention for her helming of Nomadland that it’s easy to overlook her contribution as a writer to this contemporary masterpiece. The film is based on a non-fiction book by journalist Jessica Bruder. From this text, Zhao created all original characters, all original arcs, all original scenes. She took the essence of the source material and fleshed out a very concrete world based on other peoples’ real experiences.
It’s a work of tender absorption, storytelling skill, and wondrous imagination. Zhao was able to distill a journalistic undertaking into a narrative journey that reflected and honored the flesh-and-blood human travails of the book. Frances McDormand’s Fern and David Strathairn’s Dave are original creations, and Zhao avoids the biggest trap of a project like this: the characters never feel like representations…they’re fully thought-through and complicated. The script shows us several angles of the nomad existence, and nothing feels oversimplified or politicized, even though it is a film about politics on some level. Basically, Zhao as a writer set up Zhao the director for success. Her screenplay laid the groundwork for Zhao the director to come in and tell the story poetically, and to burrow straight into the humanity of the characters she created.
Kemp Powers adapted One Night in Miami from his own play. It’s the rare play-to-movie adaptation that doesn’t come from Broadway or off-Broadway, or from a famous production where we have preconceived notions. Powers’ script is slightly more “opened-up” than The Father, especially in the first third when we’re introduced to each of the four icons.
But as is true of most good stage-to-film adaptations, the film is strongest when the characters are just in a room talking, especially when your piece has such big ideas in it, and you have the quartet of actors to put it across so powerfully. Powers breaks up his scenes smartly, though, giving the opportunity for the four actors to interchange with each other, and knowing when to bring them together for a bigger punch. It’s a well-judged, canny adaptation that allows the actors to scale some notes and keep the audience focused on the characters and the themes. Extra points for its funny, light touch whenever possible.
It was satisfying to see Ramin Bahrani snare a nod for his adaptation of The White Tiger. Aravind Adiga’s novel was a stone cold masterpiece of broiling rage, particularly strong because of Adiga’s specific prose style, giving his murderer protagonist a voice of vicious bile. Bahrani was smart to temper the intensity of the main character…he has allowed for a more complete arc for the main character, allowing lead Adash Gourav a chance to ease the audience into his plight with a persuasive and moving journey. Bahrani saves the original earned malignity for the film’s second half, once we’re fully aligned with the various injustices.
Globalization is a primary theme in the novel, whereas Bahrani turns it into a secondary theme, another smart decision, as Bahrani’s concern is the human drama and an examination of slave mentality and oppressive power structures. He doesn’t dwell on the novel’s framing device, which are letters from the protagonist to the Chinese Premier. Bahrani is more concerned with contrasting visual environments that display economic disparities and the multiple sides of the beautiful, intense country of India. Bahrani focuses his screenplay so it deep-dives us into a world that feels both foreign and familiar.
This category is quite frankly an embarrassment of riches. We were really lucky to get these five films this year. My vote would go to The Father, but any of these films make a worthy winner. Who gets your vote?
OTHER CATEGORY REVIEWS
- Adapted Screenplay
- Cinematography
- Costume Design
- Makeup and Hair
- Original Song
- Sound
- Visual Effects
- Documentary Feature
- Shorts, Animated
- Shorts, Doc
- Shorts, Live Action
plus
- Um... who is winning best actress?
- Double acting nomination complications
- How often does Best Actor go to a non-Best Picture nominated film?
- New Oscar records
- History of Posthumous Oscars
- Oldest Best Actor Nominees of all time (two are from this year!)
Reader Comments (28)
Eric, the source material for Borat is not the first film (which, as you may or may not remember, was also nominated for Adapted Screenplay), but the Borat character who originated on Da Ali G Show (actually before that, but that's where the character was originally established as "Borat").
I have not seen White Tiger, but any of the other three are infinitely more deserving of the Oscar than Nomadland (the presumed frontrunner?), IMO. Zhao's film's strength is in the direction and the moods she evokes from the non-pro cast. You hit the highlights of the others already, but my vote would probably go to either Miami (for opening up the play in just the right way) or Father (which beautifully plays with time and perception).
I would vote "Borat" of the nominees. So clever and such a trenchant takedown of American idiocy in the years of Cheeto Mussolini.
However, "First Cow" should have been nominated and won.
It bothers me to no end that Borat, an improve, seat-of-their-pants, entirely original comedy, is considered "adapted".
This may really be a strong lineup, but it's hard to tell. I think we perceive it as a strong lineup because we (audiences and Academy voters) are biased toward adapted scripts that either feel original or are vast improvements over well-known source material. In this case, all five nominees feel original:
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is an entirely new story that is only technically adapted because it uses an existing TV/movie character.
The Father</I> and One Night in Miami are self-adapted by the writers of the source plays. (I include Christopher Hampton here, as he translated the stage play of Le Père into English for the NYC production.) While not new stories, each is the continuation of an original vision, with no breaks in the chain of custody.
Nomadland takes a nonfictional blueprint and builds a new fictional framework, from which an original story emerges. It is mostly an adaptation in name only.
The White Tiger looks like the most straightforward adaptation of the group, where the story and characters were born out of an existing novel, a Booker Prize winner and bestseller. But I wonder how many Netflix viewers and Academy members have read the book, or knew anything about it. If you have no point of reference to make a comparison, you can't easily tell what was altered, and so it all feels new.
the father gets my vote - i am completely in awe of its structural genius
Did Jesus Alonso hack the beginning of this article? :P
I hope BORAT wins.
Will be The Father or Nomadland.
Florian Zeller should be among the nominees for Best Direction. The White Tiger deserved to be in the place of The Trial of Chicago Seven in Best Picture and other categories. A surprisingly wonderful film.
@Jennifer, no. But this text comes from someone that clearly has analyzed all the complexity that a project like Borat Subsequent Moviefilm presents... a huge challenge and delivered to perfection... trust me, the film (and the performances) win with repeated viewings and deeper thought both on its themes but also on the challenges it faced to be completed.
It’s a strong race, no doubt, still I miss First Cow
Defintely The Father.
Kudos to writers for not giving it for "Ma Railey" when (at least) 5 better dcreenplay were on offer. The same with "Mank" in adapted.
*5 better screenplays
**"Mank" in original.
(Sorry!)
Nomadland is probably the frontrunner, but I could see this one going to The Father since it may be the only opportunity to give it an award (well, this or Editing, which I think is more competitive). Somewhat unusually, while I think Nomadland is nearly a lock to win Picture and an even bigger lock to win Director, those are the only two categories it seems like a safe bet in. This might be a “spread the wealth” kind of year with no movie winning more than maybe 3 Oscars. Even Nomadland’s maximum is probably only 4.
I keep being baffled by the Borat praise. I think I saw a different movie. I get the joy one gets from seeing it making a fool out of Giuliani and the points the movie (tries) makes but all I see is just bad third rate stereotypical uncomfortable offensive unfunny comedy.
I truly do not get the love for Borat 2. Sure, it’s full of anti-Trump and anti-conservative fun, but there’s so little nuance. I think the Tutar stuff mostly works, but it feels like the filmmakers kind of lucked into that rather than truly setting it up. Overall, though, major parts are just unfunny.
I’d love to see any of the other 4 win. I could easily see White Tiger or The Father Winning if voters are looking for a nomad land alternative.
Ha, I do agree with you on the film Jesus, just with your constant optimistic predicting of the film in categories it was never going to make this year, effusive praise for the film being linked to you is a TFE inside joke. Enjoy it buddy, you've made it with the greats like Three Artful and Nathaniel (ka)R(ma) [before Nathaniel turned stroppy].
mmm... I don't "predict" anything, that is a misconception about me. I analyze and judge that film was being overlooked and gave reasons why. That's not predicting. I am no clairvoyant... I was quite confident that Bakalova was on the verge of a nomination, and also that there are strong reasons on why - pending of who's nominated - she might win (her performance clearly is way more different in all levels to the rest). Borat 2 is a love it or hate it film, but we aren't talking about critics, we're talking about the industry... Bakalova has been backed by both, but the film is being only backed by the industry, and it was quite obvious that the professionals could really consider the challenges that the film faced to be successful and how brilliantly SBC and his team reinvented not only the character, but the franchise by adding Tutar to the equation.
Of course the film has people who passionately hate it and also those who simply don't get what we see in it (way beyond the attack on Trump, that's only a part of what the movie is, it is way more than that). I'd say that, all things considered, if Nomadland doesn't win Adapted (becuase AMPAS decides to not give FOUR Oscars to Zhao) it is a really close race between The Father and Borat for the win there.
On Supporting Actress, Bakalova is slightly in the lead now - thanks to the CC - but we need to see what happens with SAG and BAFTA to confirm it. Even if she won both, there's still a huge chance that Close's dueness or Youn's being in a Best Picture nominee could prevail. But I've seen all 5 performances and the only one that I would deem as an instant masterwork to be examined in acting schools is Bakalova's, huge range there, and the gigantic pressure to do it in one take without ever breaking character...
Regarding Borat, Hollywood loved anything that is anti republican. Look at how well Vice did and that wasn't anything other than a weak movie and a takedown of Cheney.
I hope The Father wins Best Adapted Screenplay. I was in awe of the movie the whole way through. Full of surprises. I realized early on I needed to stop trying to guess what was going to happen next, and just enjoy the ride. Anthony Hopkins was wonderful. All the cast was.
Not a fan of the Borat sequel either- adapted screenplay? Looks like they turned the cameras on and did improv. It is funny and offensive - yes! But this awards season love- I do not understand.
The Adapted rule mentioned is a bit stupid. I mean, CHICAGO 7 and BLACK MESSIAH feature characters that have been in other movies, so why aren't they considered adaptations? Because it sounds ridiculous, as is the categorisation of SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM.
I think THE FATHER should and will win.
As for BORAT, Hollywood clearly loved that a movie was able to really take hold during COVID and it is also *about* COVID as well as anti-Trump and yeah they clearly like Cohen so I'm not surprised its here even if people are like "but wasn't it improvised?!?" which is about the same as people who asked similar questions about THE ARTIST ("but it's silent?!?").
Damn, who knew Jesus couldn't laugh at himself. Wait, everyone did. What a douche, just lighten up and have some fun brah.
@ "Chad"
Anonymous author, when I click on your "profile". Same as most of the insults and attacks I've had here... changing names.
It's easy to consider that you're one only troll, so now that you're identified - you've been for a while - my suggestion is that you use your probably valuable time in doing some more constructive stuff, because it's been long ago since trolling stopped affecting me, been on this game for over 20 years and even moderated a forum... all your hate just slips over my skin, down to the ground. Hugs.
So many people are weighing in on the Oscars in particular and race specifically while admitting that they have't seen "The White Tiger". I haven't either, but will be making up for that tonight. I'd humbly suggest everyone else try to do that, too. The reviews are great. Let's just hope the voters all see it and fairly consider it, too. It must have gotten this nomination, and all those laudatory reviews, for a reason. It certainly isn't be a coattails nomination.
^^^ I need to stop posting things I can't go back and polish the moment I wake up ^^^