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Review: Jack Foley
Bowling for Columbine, the hard-hitting documentary about US
gun control by Michael Moore, has been named as best original
screenplay in the Writers’ Guild of America awards, marking
the first time a documentary has won the accolade.
Guild members praised the film for being "highly innovative"
and claimed that members appreciated Moore’s "clever,
humorous and personal storytelling", claiming it was a "tribute
to his vision and the power of the subject matter".
The film takes the form of an essay on America’s obsession
with firearms and was told in the wake of the Columbine School
massacre. It sought to expose the hypocrisy which surrounds much
of the country’s gun culture and featured an eye-opening
interview with Charlton Heston, one of the pro-gun lobby’s
biggest supporters.
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The film, which has taken $18m (£11.2m), has made more
money than any other documentary in US history and edged out bigger
budget movies, Gangs of New York
and Far From Heaven, as
well as audience favourite, My Big
Fat Greek Wedding, and Denzel Washington’s directorial
debut, Antwone Fisher.
Moore said he was "shocked and honoured" to have been
chosen.
In the best adapted screenplay category, the guild went for David
Hare's The Hours, making it the clear favourite to win at the
Oscars. It beat the likes of Chicago,
About Schmidt, Adaptation
and About A Boy.
The Writers’ Guild of America represents writers in the
movie, TV and new media worlds.
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