Best Adapted Screenplay
PICTURE
 DIRECTOR

 ACTOR
 ACTRESS
 SUP. ACTOR
 TECH
 STAND-ALONE
SUP. ACTRESS
 ORIGINAL S'PLAY
THE FIVE FRONTRUNNERS:
FINAL UPDATE FEBRUARY 2
THE WINNER:
ABOUT A
BOY
PAUL & CHRIS WEITZ,
PETER HEDGES
ADAPTATION

CHARLIE &
DONALD KAUFMAN
CHICAGO

BILL CONDON
THE PIANIST

RONALD HARWOOD
THE HOURS

DAVID HARE
FOR IT:
 FOR IT:
 FOR IT:
 FOR IT:
 FOR IT:
Some are calling it one of
the best adapted
screenplays of all time.  
It's being singled out as
the film's strongest trait.
 The witty stage satire
was brought to the
big screen with its
perfect cynicism
intact.
 Its powerful subtlety
was almost universally
praised.  It scored
unexpectly well with the
major critics groups.
 A surprise Writers Guild
nom indicates that there
was indeed support for
this comedy after all.  
Will it go all the way?
 The most literary script
of the bunch, it deflty
weaves through time,
spanning the minds of 3
conflicted women.
If Oscar voters are
going to reward a
comedy, it's going to be
the more critically
popular "Adaptation."
THE LOWDOWN:
"The Pianist" claims victory over predicted winner "The Hours."  The dialogue-sparse Holocaust drama comes from
behind -- no Golden Globe win or even Writers Guild nomination -- to surpass "The Hours" and "Adaptation" in the home
stretch.  "Adaptation" scribe Charlie Kaufman will hopefully have a chance at next year's show for "Eternal Sunshine of
the Spotless Mind," which comes out in the fall and stars Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, and Mark Ruffalo.
DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT THIS YEAR:
ABOUT SCHMIDT
JIM TAYLOR & ALEXANDER PAYNE
It's a Golden Globe-winning script that
should touch the hearts of older voters
who can identify with Jack.
THE TWO TOWERS
FRAN WALSH, PETER JACKSON,
PHILIPPA BOYENS, STEPHEN SINCLAIR
The "Lord of the Rings" group may not
sneak in here even if the pic scores.
25TH HOUR
DAVID BENIOFF
If there's one place where Oscar
voters will recognize a Spike Lee
film, it'll be in the screenplay category.
CONFESSIONS OF A
DANGEROUS MIND
CHARLIE KAUFMAN
Could Kaufman score two noms in the
same category this year?  Unlikely.
THE QUIET AMERICAN
CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON,
ROBERT SCHENKKAN
A sudden surge by this Miramax
drama bodes well.
CATCH ME
IF YOU CAN
JEFF NATHANSON
Prior work doesn't indicate
Oscar-caliber material.
ROAD TO PERDITION
DAVID SELF
It was damp, moody, and had
sparse dialogue, but it did develop
the characters well.
 INSOMNIA
HILARY SEITZ
The film drew raves upon its release and
had good box office; will it perform like
Pacino's 1999 "The Insider"?
ORIGINAL PREDIX 4/12/02... HOURS - ADAPTATION* - PERDITION - GANGS - CAT'S MEOW
LABOR DAY PREDIX 8/25/02... HOURS - ADAPTATION - SCHMIDT* - GANGS - GREEK WEDDING
EARLY SEPT. PREDIX  9/3/02... HOURS - ADAPTATION - SCHMIDT* - GANGS - GREEK WEDDING
LATE SEPT. PREDIX 9/19/02... PERDITION - ADAPTATION - SCHMIDT* - GANGS - GREEK WEDDING
EARLY OCT. PREDIX 10/6/02... PERDITION - ADAPTATION - SCHMIDT* - GANGS - GREEK WEDDING
HALLOWEEN PREDIX 10/31/02... PERDITION - ADAPTATION - SCHMIDT* - CHICAGO - GREEK WEDDING
NOVEMBER PREDIX 11/18/02... PERDITION - ADAPTATION* - SCHMIDT - CHICAGO - GANGS
EARLY DEC. PREDIX 12/6/02... PERDITION - ADAPTATION* - SCHMIDT - HOURS - GREEK WEDDING
LATE DEC. PREDIX 12/19/02... CHICAGO - ADAPTATION* - SCHMIDT - HOURS - PIANIST
EARLY JAN PREDIX 1/7/03... CHICAGO - ADAPTATION* - SCHMIDT - HOURS - PIANIST
LATE JAN PREDIX 1/20/03... CHICAGO - ADAPTATION* - SCHMIDT - HOURS - PIANIST
FINAL PREDIX 2/2/03... CHICAGO - ADAPTATION* - SCHMIDT - HOURS - PIANIST


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Quirky screenplays -- like
last year's brilliant
"Memento" -- have been
overlooked for the award
in the past.
AGAINST IT:
But is the writing its
strongest element?  
Bob Fosse nearly
perfected the material
himself in 1975.
AGAINST IT:
Large portions of the
film are essentially
nonverbal; it's Brody's
performance that holds
the picture together.
AGAINST IT:
AGAINST IT:
The script is talky, and
could be hit-or-miss with
voters.  They'll really
have to love "The Hours"
to give this the win.
AGAINST IT: