The State of the Race: Truthiness
What does it mean to tell the true story of someone?¬† To tell the truth you have to admit the truth.¬† We all have our own ideas about our lives, about who we really are and whom we’d most like to be.¬† The truth, it sometimes seems, is vulnerable to interpretation.¬† Once you go down that road, of course, it depends on whose version is being told whether or not it resonates for you.¬† Some people like to hear certain parts of stories, and others might be fascinated by minor details.
This year, we have the major films so far heading into the Oscar race as true stories, or to borrow a Stephen Colbert term, truthy stories.¬† Their truth isn’t so much in the details, but rather in the broader context; what these themes mean to us, the people out here living our trivial lives.¬† You might think that King George VI’s speech impediment on route to becoming the reluctant King of England would have nothing to do with you.¬† If you’ve ever had to struggle with a disability you will appreciate Firth’s inner and outer struggle to hide what he has been conditioned to be ashamed of. His legs were crooked and had to be straightened.¬† He wrote with his left hand; they made him write with the right.¬† He couldn’t speak without stammering.¬† So he just didn’t.
It was a good thing, then, that his brother Edward seemed destined to take the throne when his father finally died.¬† Edward, though, had a longing he couldn’t suppress.¬† It was either bigger than his sense of duty to serve or else he didn’t particularly want to be King either.¬† This is an interpretation of factual events.¬† One might protest the film’s depiction of Wallis Simpson, who is portrayed as a kind of stupid ho-bag.¬† The friendship between King George and his speech therapist was enhanced to the point where the film became what In Contention’s Guy Lodge called a “romantic comedy” – what he means, of course, is boy meets boy, boy loses boy, boy gets boy back and they all live happily ever after.
The King’s Speech will be one of the more pleasurable couple of hours you’ll spend in the theater all year and because of that, you will never stop to think whether it portrays the raw truth; it hardly matters because you are watching a movie that is so good it takes you happily back to your own life, and all of the gratefulness that comes with it.¬† Does it pierce the image of the Royal Family?¬† Sure it does.¬† And who doesn’t enjoy a little skewering of the Royals?¬† But I’m sure if you asked them if it was true, they would smile and say, “parts of it.”
I don’t think anyone would object to having their own mundane life transformed into something of a myth.
In 127 Hours, Danny Boyle’s pitch-perfect meditation on our need to survive at all costs — make no mistake, this is not Into the Wild where a man exiled himself into the wilderness with no clear knowledge of what it would take to survive — this is a story that is about someone who knew how to survive but found himself in a situation where his good luck finally ran out.¬† But did it?¬† Aron Ralston says that if he had cut off his arm earlier in the process he might not have survived because he might have bled out while trying to reach his truck.¬† It was dumb luck he happened to run into hikers who helped him, in the end.¬† Parts of the Boyle version of Ralston’s odyssey are true; parts are enhanced for the medium.¬† We accept this because we have not been cheated out of our experience, and because we leave the theater with so much more than we came in with.
Does it sell out the main character because it doesn’t include the scene where he stabs his hand to let the gas out once he realizes his arm is decomposing while he’s trapped there?¬† Of course not.¬† A talented and intelligent artist like Boyle will know what to keep and what to cut because this isn’t a documentary; this is art.¬† There is a big difference between the two.¬† And if you’ve ever stared at a painting that interprets life, or the strange and haunting imagery that reminds us of moments, you will understand why there was never a need to paint things accurately in art; it is about interpretation and deeper meaning.
Other films this year also deal with true stories — Conviction, Secretariat, Made in Dagenham — but only one so far is getting some flack for its version of what went down at Harvard University in 2003, when TheFacebook was invented.¬† The film takes a direct point of view, not unlike Reversal of Fortune where you never really know if Sonny Von Bulow was murdered by Claus or whether it was an overdose.¬† What a terrible movie it had been if it had pretended to know.¬† What is remarkable about The Social Network, which is still far and away the best film of 2010 so far, is that Aaron Sorkin, David Fincher and Jesse Eisenberg are interpreting what might have happened.¬† In addition to that story, there is a wealth of resources on the founding of the site and Zuckberg himself.¬† Look, you don’t get 500 million friends and not expect a few of them won’t stick up for you.¬† Funnily enough, the residual effect of this portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg is that he has been nudged into infamy, and that’s because Sorkin wrote him a lot more complex than he actually is.¬† I don’t think Zuckerberg is complaining – I think he loves the attention, frankly. This is the guy who put his face on the masthead of Thefacebook.¬† Every page.
The complaints seem to be we didn’t get a generous enough portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg himself, and of course, there is the continual complaint as to the truthiness of how the women are portrayed: weren’t there female coders?¬† Weren’t there female computer geeks? Why are the Jewish boys only attracted to Asian women?¬† Do we stick to the truth or do we alter the truth to fit the political correctness of our time? Do we answer those objections while we’re writing a story because the truth might be too offensive?¬† You see, the truth isn’t always the preferred option, is it?¬† We color the truth when it suits us — but we betray who we are now when we do that.¬† Films about World War II are very much American propaganda films, just as those sanctioned by Hitler promoted their hateful ideas.¬† We want the truth but we want it dressed up as a better version of our world, don’t we?¬† Just don’t make it a less flattering one, because that is bound to offend some.
Is The Social Network true?¬† Is All The President’s Men true?¬† Is Titanic true? Was Citizen Kane the true story of William Randolph Hearst?¬†¬† Parts are true.¬† If you’re Woodstein the greatest thing that ever happened to you was that they hired Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman to play you in the film version of your story.¬† Orson Welles was unkind to Marion Davies, by all accounts.¬† Did everyone still believe that he threw over his wife for a know-nothing hick?¬† They probably did.¬† Will many people walk out of the Social Network believing Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker fucked over Eduardo Saverin?¬† Of course they will.¬† But they also have to conclude that they might have done the same thing.¬† If success is your aim, you will likely step on people along the way.¬† These moments are backed up by facts — Zuckerberg DID make a decision to cut Saverin out of the site’s stock options, and he took his name of the masthead.
The part about him not having a girlfriend? Well, that might have been made up.¬† The part about him building TheFacebook because he wanted to create a network of friends and woo the one who got away?¬† It’s an interpretation of the story, and an analysis of Zuckerberg.¬† We allow for this because it’s necessary to make a great film.
The question is whether truthiness will be a factor in this year’s Oscar race. If that is the best they have against The Social Network that isn’t much at all.¬† The year isn’t complete.¬† We still have a few films yet to go – and we have the critics, the guilds and the top ten lists.¬† Stuff will shift and we’ll get a better idea what films will be celebrated this year.¬† A Beautiful Mind still won, even though it had to face down the negative campaigning that the life of John Nash was altered.¬† They did drastically change who he was. They buried completely his forays into bisexuality – he may have even been gay — and they whitewashed a lot of the bad things he did.¬† Was it a good movie?¬† Yes, it was.
To believe that The Social Network will be hurt by this stuff is to assume it’s the frontrunner to win. And right now, I can call it the best film of 2010, with Inception running a very close second, and 127 Hours right up there – and of course, The King’s Speech.¬† Therefore, Best Picture TO ME looks like this:
The Social Network
127 Hours
Inception
The King’s Speech
Winter’s Bone
Toy Story 3
The Kids are All Right
Another Year
Black Swan (Aronofsky seems a sure bet for a DGA nod)
And the ones I’m holding a place for but haven’t been seen:
True Grit
The Fighter
The Way Back
That may be your ten right there.  Other films in the conversation in a big way:
Blue Valentine
Hereafter (I’m sticking with it until the bitter end)
Love and Other Drugs
Made in Dagenham
How to Train Your Dragon
Get Low
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Matthew Durham says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:09am
I had Winter’s Bone in my weekly predictions last week since it did fantastic at the Gotham’s a lot of predictors told me that the Gothams were to be taken with a grain of salt though. So it fell off this week.
Dominik says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:11am
I would definitely include “Another Year”, Sasha! Would be very surprised if it misses a Best Pic-nom.
Sasha Stone says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:12am
ACK! Thanks Dominik. My brain is fried.
amanda says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:14am
I dont know about Winter’s bone. To say “look how many Gothams it got” it wrong because many of the other big films weren’t eligible for many of the awards. Blue Valentine couldn’t get breakthrough director or actor. Same for Black Swan. So while it’s a great thing, I wouldn’t point to it as a determining factor.
bill says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:18am
i agree with you on everything, except that A Beautiful Mind is a good film, my least favorite best picture winner by far, what a bore. But Im excited to see the year play out
Ryan Adams says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:18am
I think the thing working to the advantage of Winter’s Bone is that it’s been in the Best Picture discussion for 9 months already — and now, just when other unseen hopefuls are being released, and many are faltering, Winter’s Bone gets the boost of some very impressive re-certification. The timing is priceless.
Hunter Tremayne says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:18am
Oh, Sasha, Sasha, Sasha. I wish I could hold you and hug you and spell the truth out to you slowly, over a glass of good wine. In between your sobs I will point out that Academy voters aren’t cool towards the Facebook movie because of “truthiness.” They are cool towards it because it IS cool. And trendy. And smart.
But it doesn’t reach their hearts. It doesn’t make them cry. It doesn’t MOVE them. They don’t care about Zuckerberg; but, my God, they care about King George.
Dominik says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:24am
“But it doesn’t reach their hearts.”
Of course, “Social Network” is not in the least as heart-warming as “Hurt Locker” and “No country for old men”!
Good argument, Hunter!
Ryan Adams says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:28am
but, my God, they care about King George.
The movie that made me “care” in the weepiest way last year? Marley & Me.
Bernard says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:29am
Is Love and Other Drugs really in the conversation more than How Do You Know these days? Where the buzz for Love has turned kind of mediocre in recent days, How Do You Know seems to be bolstered by some award buzz surrounding Paul Rudd. Plus it has Academy beloved Nicholson in the cast.
Unrelated but I’m ridiculously excited that Winter’s Bone Blu-Ray shipped from Netflix today…
Hunter Tremayne says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:31am
@ Ryan.
I’m calling BS on that, cat lover.
Too Many AJs says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:38am
I’m not convinced Winter’s Bone is a Best Picture contender. Part of that is its meager $6 million gross. Sure, we’ve seen all financial expectations shattered by The Hurt Locker’s win and An Education and A Serious Man’s nominations last year, but that all those movies at least had established directors, some big-name cast, or political relevance (Hurt Locker had all three), whereas Winter’s Bone doesn’t have any of that and it made less than half of Hurt Locker or An Education’s box office.
I say the only way Winter’s Bone sneaks in is if most of the unseen films are big disappointments. And I doubt that happens.
Ryan Adams says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:53am
(ha, Hunter. Busted!)
(you’ll notice I cared so much about Marley & Me that I waited over a year to see it.)
mickey says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 10:57am
Great analysis, Sasha. The Social Network
IS the best film of the year, and once all the critics groups acknowledge that, the Academy will. And over the weekend the twins went public saying the film IS close to the truth.
James says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 11:21am
What The Social Network got behind and hopefully so will the other films featuring true stories, were themes and ideas. You’re conveying a story. Whether its true doesn’t matter. You have to take liberties to make the best film that you can. Now of course we have seen plenty of films that take liberties, make something far more conventional, while the real true story is far more interesting.
The Social Network is not that case. So what if a character like Erica didn’t exist in Zuckerberg’s life? She still holds a great purpose to our main character. So many people though perceive what they see on a screen as absolute truth, but in the case of The Social Network it doesn’t matter, because whatever liberties they took they might have made a far better film than being 100 percent truthfully honest to Zuckerberg’s life.
Sertan says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 11:57am
I hope The Social Network will not tutn to be this year’s Hurt Locker in this site! People who dont like it as much as others will not be called names or attacked when the voting season arrives!
David says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 12:15pm
I think the idea that The Kids Are Alright is indeed going to be nominated for an Oscar for either Picture or Actress (supporting or Lead) does not really have any traction.
It was an ok movie. Well acted and enjoyable, but far from resonant.
Every actor in it has done better work, and the movie itself is good, but certainly not great. Just my opinion, and I will indeed be eating crow if it does get nominated, but as of right now I personally dont see it being anything but sentimental to a small, small audience.
Ivan says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 12:18pm
- I want the truth!
- You can’t handle the truth!
The “True Story” play better in the acting categories (Brocovich,Woolf,Szpilman,Wuornos,Charles,Carter, Capote,ElizabethII,Amin,Piaf,Milk,Tuohy) than best picture & director. Last decade only A Beautiful Mind get goldie and in the 90´s Schindler´s List and Braveheart.
Lies bring better screenplays.
nic says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 12:28pm
i think the list is of potential noms is bigger than that. I highly doubt The Blind Side would have made this list.
The Town- It is too early to tell until the precursors how people feel about the film. It could do well or be shut out. The strong reviews and box office should at least keep it in the convo
Somewhere- Another one that could be interesting but still a big question
Shutter Island- High pedigree and potential across all catagories don’t under estimate this one
Fair Game- This site recently posted an article about this one and its potential
Country Strong- I thought the trailer to this looked good and they liked Crazy Heart last year
Conviction- looks more like North Country then the Blind Side, but even that scored some noms
Those are just a few omissions i noticed.
and also i really dont see How to Train Your Dragon getting in with Toy Story 3.
And i get kind of a 500 Days of Summer vibe from Love and Other Drugs
andres says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 1:05pm
maybe what you mean to say, Sasha, is that there is a big difference between documentary and narrative film. Or fiction and non. Documentary is an art as well.
Gerold says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 1:40pm
I still don’t see Winter’s Bone getting a best pic nom. I see it more as a Frozen River situation. Actress gets the nom but not the film. Its too small and too much of a downer that most people can’t really identify with. The Hurt Locker was small and also a downer but it was about war, which is something most people relate to in some way or at least have strong feelings towards.
m1 says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 2:00pm
21-Frozen River scored a screenplay nod too. Winter’s Bone could WIN screenplay if it has the buzz.
It is too early to establish ‘The Blind Side’ slot as a term in a year to ten.
Stephen Holt says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 2:02pm
ok, JUMPING into the fray here…I just saw ANOTHER unspoken of so far movie(at least here, at least recently) and it’s going to figure in the Oscar race, if Roadside Attractions has anything to do with it.
It’s the long-awaited “I Love You, Phillip Morris” and I’m not supposed to review it until DECEMBER or something, when it opens, but I will say this, I LOVED IT!
And it’s Jim Carrey’s Best Serious Oscar-seeking performance to date. Will he get there? Well, it’s a broad comedy. A romantic comedy, even. A GAY romantic comedy…And will they nominate the never-nominated Carrey this year? With all the stiff SERIOUS competition…a comedy with serious undertones is a long shot…
But I think the BIG OSCAR news that’s coming down the pike with this one is Ewan McGregor’s beautiful,heart-rending perfomance of Phillip Morris. Yes, that’s his character’s real name…in the movie…
He’s just glorious. And playing a part VERY unlike himself.
In a category that is shakey,Supp. Actor, I think, given the right campaign he could knock out the very ordinary Ruffalo in TKAAR and/or the DOR “Conviction”s Sam Rockwell, sadly.
None of these guys has ever been nominated before. And McGregor’s body of work is ASS-tounding…
But “ILYPM” has now got to be seriously considered ~ in all categories…
Especially Best Supp. Actor
Sertan says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 2:57pm
I saw I love you Philip Morris on plane, coming back from Paris. It was a disappointment for me, maybe disconfirmation of expectation. i was expecting more. Jim Carrey was trying too hard to be serious! Ut is a fun movie, but not very good imo,
Sertan says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 3:02pm
Last couple of days, there is a big push for FOR COLORED GIRLS…Tyler Perry already went to Oprah and cried, a great timing to talk about his past. ANd this morning both Good Morning American and the View announced that movie as ” the movie with the most powerful women in Hollywood”. I believe they forgot to say “the most powerful black women in Hollywood”,
But i believe if that movie gets decent reviews it can make the cut for Top 10. And Janet JAckson could make the cut for suppoorting actress. As we know every black actor and actress will vote for something about this movie! Already there are people complaining that all possible nominees are white only! So For Colored Girls could be their “diversity” choice!!!
Dave L says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 3:42pm
I saw Made in Dagenham over the weekend. No chance. It’s enjoyable enough, but it’s nothing substantial. It’s no Norma Rae, that’s for sure.
I think we can safely cross it off our Oscar lists.
Jake G. says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 4:14pm
Shutter Island is going to get Best Picture nomination!
Ryan Adams says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 4:15pm
He’s just glorious. And playing a part VERY unlike himself.
Problem for me with Ewan McGregor’s performance is that instead of playing Phillip Morris as a gay man he’s playing it as if he’s a girl.
“ILYPM” has now got to be seriously considered ~ in all categories…
ha-ha. No.
Not even the acting categories.
Ryan Adams says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 4:26pm
By the way, Stephen, I find it downright bizzare and actually borderline disturbing that you’ve been proclaiming for weeks than Annette Bening and The Kids Are All Right have no chance because the Academy is ruled by elderly straight men and grandmothers.
And now you’re saying a grotesque gay minstrel show like I Love You Phillip Morris is a contender “in all categories”. Good Lord, get a grip.
Are you saying the Academy can’t tolerate a loving lesbian couple and their healthy relationship with their kids, but they’ll adore a movie about lying cheating felonious gay men? Grossly stereotypical gay men who refer to themselves as “faggots! faggots!” in the movie?
RichardA says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 4:42pm
I’m betting that The Social Network will be this year’s Up In The Air.
It’s just a gut feeling. Just as thought the UITA will be that year’s UITA.
Dave says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 5:02pm
My God, i can’t wait for Black Swan!!!!!
Ryan or Sasha- did you see it yet?
Any thoughts?
Natasha says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 5:26pm
Well, I’m looking forward to renting Winter’s Bone tomorrow when it comes out to be able to converse about it….Kids Are All Right and Toy Story 3 out soon…..I’ve only seen Inception, How to Train Your Dragon, The Social Network….can’t WAIT for Black Swan and am looking forward to most of these others.
I respect your decision to stick with Hereafter, Sasha…..
Reichdome says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 6:43pm
Well Sasha im disappointed i thought you were an advocate for genuine groundbreaking filmmaking and Inception is the one i thought you of all commentators wanted to see Inception win.
It a shame really the oscar season commentary seems to put on a pedestal the new generation misrepresented artistic value of social commentary representation rather than the philosophical abstract social realism that comes in UInception and as part of the family of innovative films over the past decades tyhe once revered true tradition of oscar frontrunner come winners in the true visionary artsitic and story wise and this is why I put Inception way above the Social Network.
But true to my prior commentary as i make what i increasingly regard as a tedious and most uneventful opscar season- why not oscar will ensure it by showing that art in filmmaking now = most lliteral socialised representation of the world- only dialogue matters to them mnot pushing cinematic gorund we been there before guys ahven’t we?
last year when the slightly overrated and smear campaign lead ‘Hurt Locker’ won the oscar because Charlie the dud producer put oscar on the spot in a mpove of sneaky and tricky manipulation to AMPAS but that aside yes i said ‘locker’ had merit but even that took troo literally the social tension in Iraq if it werent a war sewt film (thought ti lacked the scope to be a epic war film more like a obsucre scenario war film- but even then last year as we know infamously charlie launched a thinly veilied attack on ‘avatar’ and as a consequence true innovative revbolutionary cinema in its medium was sacrificed unwisely and to the certain ruin of AMPAs original intended role in giving the right film the oscar of a year. but once again, we jhave the imminent predictable outcome where the film most talked about with critics is one released closer to awards season and carries on the tradition of the last few years bar one exception- the departed’s win to inevitably mislead us the true fans of genuine artsitic boundarie pushign and genre breakthroughs in ‘Inception’ that in reality ewill likely onyl win technical nods.
and win techcategories does it deserve this little honour?
i think not
now i make clear i will go to work nude:P if indeed Inception wins best picture i will pinch myself and bash my head against a brick wall 3 times over if against all odds i believe the true innovative genre bender revolutonary film this year abnd nolan win picture and director.
But ym scepticism of AMPAs is seriously immearably deep.
I said in an earlier post the Social Netowrk is a hot button issue and it is does that mean that this film is more invaluable than inception in contributing to redefging our the audiences perception fo literally what possible in film as in ;incpetion’?
It will be interesting to see how little favour and recognition ‘incpetion’ gets at the end of all this.
But my warning to AMPAS IS SIMPEL ‘BEWARE THE GHOST OF SNUBS PAST NAMELY THIS YEAR ‘THE DARK KNIGHT’ – THE WHOLE REASON AS MUCH AS AMPAS WOULD LIKE TO DENY IT THEY EXPANDE4D THE FIELD TO 10 BEST PIC NOMINEES AND HERE IS THEIR CHANCE TO ATONE- IF THEY DARE
Stephen Holt says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 7:40pm
Ryan. There are some men who feel that they are the opposite sex and are trapped in the wrong body. They are considered extremely effeminate and stereotypical, but that’s the way the are. Ewan McGregor is playing a part that hadn’t occured to me he was so, well, so effeminate. It just seemed extremely accurate to me.
I know because I am one of those gay men.
And I think the Academy is majorly homophobic. I wish they weren’t. But I still think the majority are.
AMPAS’s rate of change is glacial, but last year showed promise, with a small indie “The Hurt Locker” winning. AND the first female director.
A film with a stable lesbian couple at the center of it like TKAAR is something that I think is more threatening to those AMPAS members than Ewan McGregor’s beautiful, heartful performace.
And I think it deserves to be mentioned, and discussed.
Which is what we’re doing.
Ben says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 7:57pm
Sasha—
What about the town!!!!??? I got so much love when it premiered and is one of the top reviewed of the year, what do you think? Also anyone have any thoughts on Blake lively?? I was not expecting that performance and was incredibly and happily surprised by it.
Renae says:
Monday, October 25, 2010 at 11:10pm
“We color the truth when it suits us — but we betray who we are now when we do that.”
Very insightful piece. Thanks Sasha.
Pierre de Plume says:
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 12:14am
“They don’t care about Zuckerberg; but, my God, they care about King George.”
I think I’ll cuddle up with my cat Sniffles, a jug of hot cocoa, and watch Out of Africa.
Pilgrim says:
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 9:49am
Just got around to reading this. What an insightful, eloquent piece, Sasha. Am always amazed by the quality and quantity of well-thought out content here everyday.
menyc says:
Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at 8:29pm
Wow that SH pMorris rant was the most delusional thing in ages. That was ’0ut of AFRIKA’ speak.
Brian says:
Saturday, October 30, 2010 at 12:50pm
I think the most unpredictable category in recent years has been the makeup category. Crazy things have happened in this category.
Remember this was where Norbit got nominated!
Imagine if in this category, True Grit and Inception lost to MacGruber?