Best Best Adapted Screenplay Winner

[kaytodd]

I had to go with No Country. I was not a fan of the book but I am a fan of the film. I thought every change the Coen's made was an improvement.

[barrybrooks8]

Damien, thanks for that opinion of Sideways. I always thought I was the only one.

[dws1982]

I considered Traffic, which seems like the most ambitious script in terms of its detailed, sprawling narratives.

If I hadn't watched that again recently, I might have considered it. But the unconvincing portrayal of the Catherine Zeta-Jones character, as well as the generally dubious moral stance of the piece puts it in the bottom half for me.

I'll never be convinced that Ang Lee was the right director for Brokeback Mountain, but as a piece of screenwriting, it was excellent. I also strongly considered The Pianist, and The Departed as well, but ultimately went with No Country For Old Men, one of the few cases of an excellent book turned into an excellent film.



Edited By dws1982 on 1270136268

[The Original BJ]

I could have gone a number of different ways. I considered Traffic, which seems like the most ambitious script in terms of its detailed, sprawling narratives. I also considered Sideways, for being the most writer-centric of these pictures (especially when it comes to dialogue.)

But I ultimately picked No Country, both for being the best overall film of this bunch, and as decade-wide recognition for the Coen brothers' writing.

[Damien]

It's pretty amazing that, given that these are the Academy's picks, there are only 3 stinkers in the group. (They would be Sideways, No Country For Old Men and, of course, the execrable Beautiful Mind.)

As for the others, they are all solid, but I think that in terms of adaptation Brokeback Mountain is the finest achievement.

[Mister Tee]

It came down to No Country or Sideways for me, and, recalling some of the anti-Sideways sentiment here, I decided Payne and Taylor needed my support more.

I'll have no difficulty picking the worst in this crowd.

[Big Magilla]

I voted for The Departed.

It's that rare Hollywood remake of a foreign film that actually improves upon the original.

[OscarGuy]

My ranking (and, amazingly enough, I've seen all of them):

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Brokeback Mountain

Traffic
Sideways
No Country for Old Men
The Departed
The Pianist
Slumdog Millionaire

Precious
A Beautiful Mind


I broke them into three groups. There's the ones I think are fantastic adaptations (Return of the King took a long, windy book and turned it into a breezy, breathtaking film. The award was as much a reward for the entire franchise as it was for the single film; and Brokeback Mountain is a fantastic work. Having read the short story, it's amazing how much life and vigor they managed to draw out of the story).

There's the middle set which I find middling-to-good, but none are great adaptation.

Then there's the oh crap group. These are the screenplays whose Oscars just boggle my mind and make me wonder what the fuck the Academy was thinking.

[Sabin]

I think only No Country..., The Departed, and The Pianist deserved their Oscars over the competition. I choose Joel & Ethan.