For all of the whining you hear about Hollywood being out of good, original ideas, the Academy is always able to create a stellar list of nominees in the best original screenplay category. With five best picture nominees filling up the lineup, Academy members have no excuse for missing out on any of these five scripts in action.
The field is led by the year-long frontrunner, “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” This is one of the most grandiose scripts you’ll find, synthesizing the heart of an indie with the scope of a blockbuster. The real highlight is the way in which writers Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert fused together so many different genres and universes to create something coherent and touching. Truly one of the standout screenplays of the year.
The biggest challenger to “Everything Everywhere” at face value is “The Banshees of Inisherin,” written by Martin McDonagh, one of the most respected screenwriters in the game. Many expected McDonagh to snag an Oscar in this same category a few years back for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” but that award ended up going to Jordan Peele for “Get Out.” This is something of a redemption tour for McDonagh, but he is yet again competing with an intensely imaginative screenplay.
Steven Spielberg worked with frequent collaborator Tony Kushner and got the rare writing credit for “The Fabelmans.” Spielberg had to dig into his own memory banks to find the story of “The Fabelmans,” which is very closely based on his younger years. I’m interested in the working relationship between Spielberg and Kushner on this film specifically. Spielberg provided the memories, while Kushner provided the screenwriting expertise.
“Tár” is not a heavily written film in terms of dialogue, but what is written is very insightful. Many have debated its merits on subjects like so-called cancel culture and power dynamics, and that the conversations even exist in the first place is a badge of honor in the film’s corner. “Tár” was assumed to be a biopic by many commentators, so the revelation that Cate Blanchett’s titular character is a fictional creation was a shocker. Todd Field clearly tapped into something very real in order to make this resonate.
“Triangle of Sadness” took the final spot. I’ve long described this film as a cross between “Gilligan’s Island” and 2021 best picture nominee “Don’t Look Up.” After actually seeing it, I feel like that assessment was at least semi-accurate. This takedown of the 1% is not subtle at all, but subtlety is not a prerequisite for a strong screenplay. “Triangle of Sadness” opts for a cutting social commentary and a high concept. For entertainment purposes, this angle is appreciated.
Original screenplays are not based on any one particular source material, but they do pull from the author’s experiences and influences. In that way, they are an interpretation of thoughts and feelings that are difficult to express in any other creative medium. It takes a lot of creativity to make any original screenplay, so to make one that gets nominated for an Oscar is a truly incredible achievement.
To read more of Sam Zavada’s Oscar coverage, click here.
