Best Original Screenplay

Thus far in our walkthrough of the Oscars, we’ve looked at some miscellaneous technical categories and some higher-profile technical fields. Now we’re getting to the good stuff, beginning with the screenplays.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

NOMINEES
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs—Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
BlacKkKlansman—Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott, and Spike Lee
Can You Ever Forgive Me?—Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
If Beale Street Could Talk—Barry Jenkins
A Star Is Born—Eric Roth, Bradley Cooper, and Will Fetters Read More

Yesterday, the Manifesto analyzed the technical categories. Today, we’re looking at the screenplays and the supporting actor/actress awards. You can find the latter here; for the former, read on. Read More

Unlike with the supporting actor and actress fields, both screenplay categories are a bit trickier to predict this year. Let’s get to it.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

NOMINEES
Birdman—Alejandro González Iñárritu et al.
Boyhood—Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher—E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel—Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler—Dan Gilroy

WILL WIN
It’s tempting to view this as a duel between the two Best Picture favorites in Birdman and Boyhood. But Academy voters tend to broaden their scope a bit with this category, which makes me lean away from the prizefighters and toward The Grand Budapest Hotel. It triumphed at the BAFTAs, and it defeated Boyhood at the Writers’ Guild (Birdman was deemed ineligible). It’s also more writerly than the other two screenplays, with snappy dialogue and a quirky time-jumping structure. Given that the two heavy hitters have failed to separate from one another, I don’t think either has the tidal wave of support that would bring this award in with the tide. The Grand Budapest Hotel bags yet another trophy.

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