Will "Wind River" Find a Second Life?
Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at 5:01PM by Nathaniel R
Last night word spread round that this summer's sleeper success Wind River, about a rape/murder investigation on an reservation, had possibly found a new lease on life. It was a Weinstein Company release this summer -- their only "hit" this year actually -- and that connection was thought to have obviously doomed its chances this awards season following Harvey Weinstein's banishment from Hollywood after the numerous sexual harrassment and rape allegations.
If you remove that associative stain, though, the film is, in essence, a non-genre sleeper hit aimed squarely at adults and thus theoretically Oscar compatible...
Whether or not it can manage awards traction is another matter entirely but why not try? It's shut out from the Spirit Award nominations this afternoon (it easily qualified under their budget restrictions) is not a promising sign but maybe not the end of the world given the film's reviews and sleeper hit status.
The good news, whether or not the film can find any awards traction is that the film is now financially backed by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and Acacia Entertainment will fund the awards campaign. Even better news: all future proceeds will go to the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center.
Given the performances of Jeremy Renner and Gil Birmingham (the film's MVP who was also such a wonderful contributor to Best Picture nominee Hell or High Water) why not try to find a new life in awards season? The film is currently available to rent on Amazon and iTunes and also on DVD and Blu-ray if you haven't yet seen it.
Reader Comments (11)
I just saw Wind River earlier today! Jeremy Renner is very good, very subtle, but the competition for Best Actor is very tough in much "showier" roles. As you rightly say, I think Gil Birmingham is Oscar worthy, too.
I sure hope so. I think Wind River is the most underrated film this year.
I loved this movie!!!!?
Me too but thank god Renner put his talents elsewhere and good on the director for taking a chance,only Olsen's badly written character spoiled it,should've got K/Stewart.
I saw it a few months ago. Great film with Jeremy Renner deserving of an Oscar nod.
I certainly hope so! Renner's performance is one of my favorites so far this year, and Gil Birmingham is great, too.
I have to see this movie- Renner looks good in cowboy gear- kind of reminds me of "Brokeback Mountain"
Renner is very very good in this film.
Loved Renner in this!
I loved this film. I hope at the very least the film score is up for Awards - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Warren Ellis did an incredible job.
I thought this movie was one of the best of the year. I told people immediately after I saw it this past summer that it should get nominated for Best Picture (from what I've seen, it should win, too) and Renner should get a nomination for Best Actor.
@markgordanuk - as to your comment about getting Kristen Stewart instead of Elizabeth Olsen ... hopefully, you were joking. If not, you should never, ever, under any circumstances, be allowed to see another movie.