Failed Oscar Campaigns: "The Meyerowitz Stories" (2017)

Scene from The Meyerowtiz Stories

As awards seasons pick up, so do the campaigns to make your film have the best chances at the Best Picture race. However, like a drunken stupor, sometimes these efforts come off as trying too hard and leave behind a trailer of ridiculous flamboyance. Join me on every other Saturday for a highlight of the failed campaigns that make this season as much about prestige as it does about train wrecks. Come for the Harvey Weinstein comments and stay for the history. It's going to be a fun time as I explore cinema's rich history of attempting to matter.

The Meyrowitz Stories (2017)

Directed By: Noah Baumbach

Written By: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Adam Sandler, Grace Van Patten, Dustin Hoffman
Genre: Comedy, Drama

Running Time: 112 minutes

Summary: An estranged family gathers together in New York City for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father.

The Movie

There is a certain type of cinephile who is experiencing a heavy case of deja vu this Oscar season. For the first time since 2006, Eddie Murphy is being considered for his work in Dolemite is My Name. However, there's another Saturday Night Live alumn that appears to be coming for that glory. One could argue that it's part of a bigger narrative that has been building over the past few years. Yes, for many Uncut Gems feels like a con not because it could be a great movie, but because this is the second time in three years that Adam Sandler has been taken seriously for an Oscar. The comedian best-known for his lowbrow comedies (often maligned by critics) has taken on serious projects with more consistency. Similarly, those who love Noah Baumbach may be very familiar with his type of deja vu, which has existed on a wide spectrum for almost the whole decade. The director is currently getting career-best reviews for the Netflix drama Marriage Story.

Of course, those who remember their recent history will know that things haven't worked out for either of them. Sandler has had a casual affair with Oscars since his unexpected turn in Punch Drunk Love, though he has never cracked their inner circle. Then The Meyerowitz Stories happened and it looked like things could be changing. It wasn't his first dramatic role in 15 years, but it was probably his most acclaimed. It was a film that played with his comedic sensibility while having him dive into drama in organic measures. It was the type of role that made many think that he was heading for a turn in his career. Was he about to become one of his generation's best actors? Similarly, it could be the breakthrough that Baumbach had been waiting for.

There was only one issue that has ironically plagued every Netflix movie since Beasts of No Nation: theatrical releases. It's a story that especially shot The Meyerowitz Stories in the foot since its premiere at Cannes in 2017. Forget the good reviews or the four-minute standing ovation. It wasn't seen as a film because of how quickly it would go to streaming. In a pre-Roma era, Netflix had yet to figure out how to run a campaign that didn't end with something holding them back. Still, there was a shining moment when Sandler and Baumbach were going to be part of a 2017 class of Oscar contenders from Netflix that included such buzzy titles as Okja, Mudbound, and First They Killed My Father. While things are looking a whole lot better for everyone involved in 2019 (save for a Dustin Hoffman scandal), it's hard to predict if things will be different this time. The Meyerowitz Stories set the table, now it's time to see if Uncut Gems and Marriage Story can feast on glory. 

The Campaign

Part of The Meyerowitz Stories' effectiveness came from Sandler and Baumbach's reputations going into the film. Prior to 2017, Sandler was considered a hack comedian who was on the outs. Between 2012 and 2016, he received 13 Razzie nominations and won 5 of them. He partnered with Netflix, starting in 2015, to release his comedies such as The Ridiculous 6 and The Do-Over that were once again maligned. Baumbach, by comparison, was getting some of his career-best reviews for work he did with wife Greta Gerwig such as Frances Ha and Mistress America. He was more inclined to awards consideration, but he never gained the traction necessary to be nominated. In fact, he only had one Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay from 11 years prior for The Squid and the Whale. As implausible as it seemed that the two's path wouldn't cross, there were signs from Sandler. The comedian had been taking serious projects with Oscar-nominated directors like Jason Reitman (Men Women & Children) and Tom McCarthy (The Cobbler), but alas no true sign of him breaking through could be seen.

So to see Sandler use his Netflix influence to get a Baumbach movie released was a blessing in disguise. While the streaming service was still working on building a reputation with quality movies, having people on board like Baumbach would help to improve their image. After all, 2017 was the first year that Netflix began to work with high profile artists like Bong Joon-ho (also getting Oscar traction in 2019 for Parasite) with Okja, and Angelina Jolie with First They Killed My Father. The slow rise to glory had to start somewhere, and Baumbach got on board fairly quickly. In fact, he joined them on a trip to Cannes that would prove to be disastrous for everyone who was not the dog named Einstein.

That year's president was Pedro Almodovar, who was very critical of Netflix's place at the ceremony. The biggest story from the streaming service was news that screenings of Okja featured booings when the Netflix logo appeared. There were also two films that received technical difficulties. While The Meyerowitz Stories received a four-minute standing ovation and was in Palme d'Or contention, it wouldn't come to pass. The big conversation was one that Cannes always lives for: what is cinema? Why should they give the prize to a film that will not be seen theatrically? To be fair, there would still be screenings, but without The Meyerowitz Stories playing theatrically in France, it didn't make sense to give any Netflix film the top honor. As a result, the rules were put into place that no film could be in contention for the Palme d'Or unless it doesn't play on a streaming service for 36 months. Netflix couldn't compete with that rule, which excised them from the competition. However, things weren't all bad. Einstein the dog from The Meyerowitz Stories did walk home with the Palm Dog award. 

The film wasn't even out and the controversy surrounding the film was one that might hurt its chances. Considering that no Netflix film to this point had earned major Oscar nominations, what would separate Baumbach and Sandler? You couldn't fault the streaming service for trying, as their campaign began with the type of buzz you'd want. The early word was that the film was one of Sandler's best. It caused many to wonder if underneath these lowbrow comedies that he was actually a great actor. Maybe this act of caring and encouragement would lead him to do more fulfilling projects. It was the one consensus among critics throughout the campaign, believing that Punch Drunk Love was not just a fluke. He could deliver something powerful, especially opposite a cast that included Ben Stiller and Dustin Hoffman. In the build-up of awards season, Hoffman and co-star Elizabeth Marvel also received contention for their roles as family members. There were those who even hoped that the original song, "Genius Girl," would lead to a win. Considering that part of Sandler's charm was writing funny ditties, it fits almost too perfectly into his narrative when "Genius Girl" had a sad subtext.

While it didn't seem like it would directly impact the film, the Fall season also had a dark turn for Hoffman. The acclaimed Oscar-winning actor was accused of sexually harassing a 17-year-old intern on the set of the 1985 TV version of Death of a Salesman. While this lead to awareness of other poor behavior on Hoffman's part (notably with his abuse towards Meryl Streep on Kramer vs. Kramer), this was the definitive scandal that could hurt Hoffman's career. In a noteworthy moment from the Tribeca Film Festival, host John Oliver had a chance to discuss the allegations with Hoffman directly, and it didn't go well. Hoffman didn't take it well and many praised Oliver for tackling the hard questions. Considering that the film wasn't going to get much Oscar buzz anyways, there's no certainty how much of an impact it had on the actual campaign.

Still, the rest of the campaign seemed to be going well. While no figures were officially released by Netflix, Indiewire claims that theatrical releases drew in $20,000. Those numbers were pretty good given that it was also available on streaming at the same time. The film remained a consistent hit. Sandler and Marvel were considered potential awards contenders. The film was praised for its raw look at a dysfunctional family, managing to find the comedy and sweetness within the same frame. People like Nerdwriter1 would deconstruct how realistic the use of language was. Others, like Chris Osterndorf of The Daily Dot, would praise Baumbach by claiming that:

"Noah Baumbach has successfully usurped Woody Allen’s title as the greatest living director of New York comedies. He builds upon Allen’s legacy of neurotic, witty character studies set in that most cinematic of cities."

If there was an issue with the Meyerowitz Stories' campaign, it was that the taboo of streaming services still left a stink on Netflix. It's an odd thing to consider, especially since Amazon Studios had just won Casey Affleck a Best Actor and Kenneth Lonergan a Best Original Screenplay statue for Manchester By the Sea. What was making Netflix an easier group to bully? To contradict this point, director Dee Rees' Mudbound was actually breaking through to awards groups during the same period. It wasn't entirely Netflix's fault it seemed, though the Cannes titles were having the most difficulty. For those who thought that The Meyerowitz Stories had an issue getting anywhere, just look at Okja or First They Killed My Father to see a bigger absence from the season. 

Things were good in terms of critical acclaim, but with a crowded group of contenders, The Meyerowitz Stories needed a wing and a prayer to get through. Sandler may have been giving a greater than usual role, but he was still the man who released Sandy Wexler a few months prior (which earned a 27% rating on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes), who still had the Razzies stink on him. Baumbach wasn't as prominent as an Oscar force to demand a nomination. With no nominations from major awards branches, it seemed like things were all but over for Baumbach and Sandler. They would have to settle for being the unexpectedly good film with a great cast. Any glory for Netflix would have to wait until next year with Roma.

The Payoff

With exception to Boston Society of Film Critics Awards' Best Ensemble Cast win, the only real winner that year was Einstein the dog with his Palm Dog win. There were plenty of nominations, but The Meyerowitz Stories failed to make it anywhere in the awards race. Some could see it as a response to being a streaming release and not theatrical, but it could just be that the field was crowded. However, things weren't over for Netflix at the Oscars that year. Mudbound would earn a few nominations including Best Original Song, which proved that audiences were starting to warm up to them. In hindsight, expecting a Sandler film to dominate with such a quiet release was always foolish. Still, to not have anything at all felt a bit disappointing.

This is why it's humorous to hear the reappraisal of The Meyerowitz Stories in the week following Marriage Story's more pronounced release on Netflix. For starters, the 2019 film had a full month of a theatrical release prior to streaming. However, it has lead people on Twitter to argue about what made Baumbach's latest more of an awards contender. Both films are arguably great, but The Meyerowitz Stories is clearly lacking that extra oomph. Maybe it's just how the cards have played in a post-Roma era, but even in the early run Marriage Story has major nominations, such as leading The Golden Globes overall. It also doesn't hurt that Baumbach has the additional (albeit ironic) narrative that he's competing with his wife Greta Gerwig's Little Women over who uses Laura Dern better. There's more buzz around the film, and based on Twitter memes, it seems more resonant. 

Meanwhile, Sandler has had quite the career boost since The Meyerowitz Stories reminded audiences why they love him. In the year following this film, he did quieter comedies like The Week Of as well as earning two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor on Saturday Night Live and for his variety special 100% Fresh. If nothing else, he seems to be giving off the sense that he cares about his work again. Also, co-directors Josh and Benny Safdie have been gaining acclaim for their gritty crime dramas, notably Good Time, and the idea of teaming with Sandler seemed insane before anyone saw the film. While The Safdie Brothers are just as much of an outsider to the race as Baumbach was in 2017, it somehow seems more plausible in 2019 that they could make things work. Still, Sandler missed out on the Golden Globe nomination. It's not the death sentence, but just a reminder of how far he needs to climb to be taken as seriously as cohort Eddie Murphy, whose career is just as spotty as his.

In 2019, The Meyerowitz Stories plays like deja vu for the awards season. While it is the definition of a Failed Oscar Campaign, many could say it's one of the most underrated films of the decade. It was the one that proved that Sandler could make a comeback and produce great work. It proved that Baumbach deserved to be taken more seriously. Everything about the film established a great indie hit. Unfortunately, it was part of a strategy that was overshadowed by what Netflix wasn't and how The Academy needed to update its rules of qualification. Still, it's too early to see if history repeats itself and, at least for Baumbach, it doesn't look like that will be the case. Even Sandler seems to be butting into a few more circles than he did last time. Still, will Uncut Gems and Marriage Story make a dent at all at the Oscars? Only time will tell.