DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Why Does ARGO Keep Winning?
© NaimaLett.com/blog
© Warner Brothers, ARGO
“And the award goes to… ARGO!”
Why does this film keep winning?
That’s the million dollar question heard round Hollywood yesterday after Ben Affleck’s ARGO seized top honors from the SAG Awards and Producers Guild Awards over the weekend, adding to its Golden Globe and Critic’s Choice Awards for Best Picture and Directors Guild, Writers Guild and Academy Award® nominations.
“I am really amazed and stunned,” admitted Affleck, SAG Award in tow.
He’s not the only one.
Why so stunned?
ARGO is an award-winning film, as stated in my review, ARGO: Political Thriller with a Dose of Fun.
Its director, producer and star is Academy Award® winner Ben Affleck. Ben enlisted his buddies to produce as well: Academy Award® winning actor/director George Clooney and Academy Award® nominated producer/writer Grant Heslov.
So, why are folks so surprised that ARGO keeps pulling away with the Best Picture Award?
Because…
Because, more than once, that’s the only award it has received for the whole night. Folks see all these other films winning for best actor in leading role, best actor in supporting role, best actress in leading role, best actress in supporting role, best screenwriter, etc., and then fast forward to the last award of the night, “And the winner is…ARGO”?
That would be like our American gymnastic team winning no individual medals but walking away with all-around GOLD for BEST TEAM. That’ll definitely turn some heads!
Why is it winning?
My theory is that ARGO is winning because, in the film, Hollywood is the unsung hero. I know everybody outside Hollywood thinks the film says that our military operatives are the heroes, but Hollywood walks away thinking “We saved the day!” Who in Hollywood wouldn’t vote for that?
I also argue in my previous review that Hollywood loves a comeback and Ben Affleck has a huge comeback-kid, redemption story this season. I explain that people love redemption, and we, as Christians, especially identify. (Romans 8:11, Paul describes the new life that we live through God’s Spirit, “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you…” We know a comeback when we see it.
LA Times bestselling author and awards reporter, Steve Pond, has a different theory. He says, “People just like ARGO.” And in our popularity-contest-awards-race, likability wins. Sometimes, it’s just that simple.
And the Moral of the Story…
We can learn a lesson from this adventure, Fam. Whether we’re in Hollywood or not, before we pour thousands of hours creating, writing, producing and working on our next project, let’s ask one simple question, “Will the people we want to love this project really like it?”
If the answer is “YES!”, we’re likely on to a winner.
Naima
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