Cover Tom Hooper, director of "The Kings Speech, has his winning Oscar engraved at the Governors Ball following the Oscars on February 27, 2011 (Photo by Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Tom Hooper, director of "The Kings Speech, has his winning Oscar engraved at the Governors Ball following the Oscars on February 27, 2011 (Photo by Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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Oscar bait films are designed to capture the Academy's attention and secure coveted nominations. These movies often combine powerful storytelling, complex characters and significant social or political themes
An Academy Award is a benchmark of outstanding performance or production. Almost every actor, director, writer or producer aspires to win that coveted Oscar—so much so that many take on projects specifically designed to appeal to the Academy.
While the Academy doesn’t explicitly outline what it looks for in a winner, beyond a few technicalities like duration of appearance or release date, keen-eyed observers have noticed patterns in the Academy’s preferences. For instance, social-issue dramas tend to have a better shot at Best Picture nominations, while animation, family-friendly adventures and genre films are often overlooked. In acting categories, biopic performances, dramatic physical transformations or roles involving sexuality often lead to higher chances of success.
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However, tapping into the Oscar formula doesn’t always guarantee a hit. UCLA professors have pointed to the 1990 film Come See the Paradise as an example of a movie formulated to attract awards attention but failing. Despite positive reviews and starring then-popular actors Dennis Quaid and Tamlyn Tomita, it didn’t resonate with the Academy and the box office.
Still, Oscar-baiting is often successful. Though cinephiles may view it as a crutch to win over the Academy, some of these films are considered masterpieces. Here are some of the most successful films designed to be awards darlings—and, for better or worse, triumphed.
1. ‘Crash’ (2004)
The star-studded ensemble cast and prejudice theme seemed primed for awards success. In hindsight, however, critics have deemed Crash the worst Oscar Best Picture of all time. It’s partly because it beat the much more groundbreaking (and equally Oscar-bait-y) Brokeback Mountain, but also because of its performative interpretation of systemic racism.
Critics argue that Crash reduces complex social issues to dramatic coincidences and character arcs that oversimplify racism. It also ended up reinforcing the stereotypes it supposedly challenged.
2. ‘Green Book’ (2018)
This film won çhis second Best Supporting Actor. His first, ironically, was for the sleeper Oscar hit Moonlight.
Green Book went for a tried-and-tested formula that the Academy loves: a feel-good story and an unlikely friendship amid racial tension. Remember Driving Miss Daisy? The Blind Side? The Help? All of these films discussed complex issues in a soft, non-confrontational way. Green Book was also criticised for using the white-saviour trope, focusing on Tony Vallelonga’s (Viggo Mortensen) perspective over Ali’s Dr Don Shirley.
3. ‘Coda’ (2021)
Coda is a heart-warming story about a girl who is the only hearing member of a deaf family. After discovering a passion for singing, she must find a way to reconcile music with her familial duty.
Coda tugs at the Oscars’ heartstrings with its inspirational underdog story and theme of representation and inclusivity. It also featured a predominantly deaf cast, aligning with the Academy’s interest in recognising films that champion diversity and authenticity. Oscar bait? Perhaps. Wonderful? Absolutely. Rather than feeling formulaic, the film’s sincere approach earned it respect and adulation.
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4. ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010)
Here’s another film whose esteem diminished over time. While no one is questioning Colin Firth’s Oscar-winning turn as King George VI, many have wondered how this Tom Hooper project managed to beat the clearly superior The Social Network.
The King’s Speech fits the Oscar mould with its biographical style, historical significance and an ensemble of talented actors delivering heartfelt performances. The film also includes themes of overcoming personal struggles and leadership during times of crisis, which resonate well with the values that the Academy often applauds.
5. ‘The Shape of Water’ (2017)
Guillermo del Toro’s opus isn’t the most obvious Oscar bait film. After all, fantasy doesn’t have a good track record with the Academy; The Shape of Water is only the second in the genre to win after The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. However, stripping that aspect and you have a menu that the Oscars thrives on. (Read: a love story that the jury can swoon over.)
The Shape of Water is about a mute woman who forms a bond with a mysterious aquatic creature held in captivity. It’s part romance, part science fiction and part social commentary. But its win is likely from how del Toro manages to package a made-for-the-pictures-love-story and discrimination with high art.
6. ‘The Artist’ (2011)
The Academy loves a good love letter to, well, itself. It has had a long history of celebrating films that pay tribute to the industry’s past, especially when they evoke a sense of cinematic history and legacy. Movies about Hollywood, such as La La Land, All About Eve, The Fabelmans and Birdman always get recognised even without winning the top prize outright.
The Artist went all in as it’s set in the transition period from silent films to talkies in the late 1920s. Not only is it a homage to the golden age of cinema, but the black-and-white aesthetic also heightened its arthouse, ultra-cultured feel.
7. ‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)
Robert Zemeckis’ adaptation of the Winston Groom novel remains one of the most beloved movies of all time. Forrest Gump is a great film, but it’s also a very awards-driven one.
The way the film weaves real historical events into the protagonist’s life is endearing, and the Academy often recognises films that thoughtfully incorporate historical, social and political moments. By blending the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement and the Watergate scandal through the eyes of a simple man, the story feels both witty and clever. The movie also maintains a feel-good tone without being overly simplistic or performative.
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