Gavin Logan asks whether David O. Russell and American Hustle are realistically in the running for Best Director and Best Picture…
Over the past 85 years the two categories at the Oscars that seem to go undeniably hand in hand with each other more than any other are Best Picture and Best Directing. In the last twenty years alone all but four winning Directors would later that night go on to see their Picture also pick up the coveted golden statue. The exceptions being Steven Spielberg for Saving Private Ryan (lost to Shakespeare in Love), Steven Soderbergh for Traffic (lost to Gladiator), Roman Polanski for The Pianist (lost to Chicago) and Ang Lee twice winning for Directing on Brokeback Mountain (lost to Crash) and last years Life of Pi (lost to Argo).
However despite the above mentions, I’m inclined to believe that this year will be no different from the norm and will not be another exception to the “rule”. Whoever wins for Directing will also see their movie go on to win Best Picture. By this reasoning, that only leaves five Best Picture nominees – Nebraska, The Wolf of Wall Street, American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave and Gravity. Out of these five I can really only see two of the directors also winning. Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave and Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity.
“But what about David O. Russell for American Hustle?” I hear you all screaming in tandem!
In recent years David O. Russell has become somewhat of a darling in the Academy’s eyes. Okay maybe that’s going a bit far but he’s obviously been ticking all the right boxes. The praise he and his movies has received is certainly justified. The Fighter was a phenomenal story with equally phenomenal performances from Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. The latter two both winning Oscars for their respective Supporting roles. Even more praise was heaped on his shoulders for 2013’s Silver Linings Playbook which was nominated for an impressive tally of 8 Academy Awards becoming the first movie since Warren Beatty’s Reds to be up for the “Big Seven” (Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay). Even though it ended up only winning one of the those five (Jennifer Lawrence, Lead Actress) everyone was waiting with baited breath on O. Russell’s next project. And when it was announced that Lawrence, Adams, Cooper and Bale would all be re-teaming with the director, Hollywood began to get goosebumps and what followed was the brilliant American Hustle.
American Hustle is without question a movie worthy of recognition. The writing and acting are spot on. Bale especially is channelling his inner young De Niro and doesn’t fail to deliver. The rest of the ensemble are all at their very best and it’s clear Russell brings something extra out of each of them. But for me, it doesn’t ever venture into the same league as 12 Years a Slave or Gravity. It’s the personality picture of this year’s Oscars. It’s like that one person at the party that everyone really likes but would never get off with. And this is why I don’t think it will be a realistic runner for BEst Picture.
So that makes it a two horse race. An epic dog-fight between Steve McQueen / 12 Years a Slave and Alfonso Cuaron / Gravity for both Director and Picture. In a perfect world, both men would share the accolade but that’s not going to happen. Although I would rather see McQueen and 12 Years win both awards, I have a distinct feeling it’s going to go the other way. And who could blame the Academy. Cuaron boldly went somewhere audiences weren’t fully prepared to go but in a strange twist became engrossed by both his intimate and boundless vision.
But who knows? The Academy have made some strange choices over the years and if they do give Russell and Hustle the nod, then I feel it will only be a decision made out of sheer benevolence and a blatant attempt at redemption on account of their lack of winning votes last year. Surely the Academy aren’t that political, are they? Well that’s another topic for another day.
Gavin Logan – Follow me on Twitter and A-Z Movie Challenge.
Originally published February 17, 2014. Updated April 11, 2018.
