Slumdog Millionaire began what could very well be a six-week awards run tonight, picking up five Critics’ Choice awards from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. The only other films to score multiple prizes were The Dark Knight, which won Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger and Best Action Movie, and Milk, which was recognized for Best Actor for Sean Penn and Best Ensemble. Meanwhile, one of the two films that went into the night with the most nominations, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, went home empty-handed. The night’s most interesting outcome was in the Best Actress category, which ended up as a tie between Doubt’s Meryl Streep and Rachel Getting Married’s Anne Hathaway. Add Revolutionary Road’s Kate Winslet—who won Best Supporting Actress for The Reader but was left off the BFCA Best Actress list—to the mix, and we’ve got a great three-way race for the Oscar. A complete list of winners is below.
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn, Milk
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married, and Meryl Streep, Doubt
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Young Actor/Actress: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Ensemble: Milk
Best Composer: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Best Song: "The Wrestler" by Bruce Springsteen, The Wrestler
Best Action Film: The Dark Knight
Best Comedy Film: Tropic Thunder
Best Animated Film: Wall-E
Best Documentary: Man On Wire
Best Foreign Film: Waltz With Bashir
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I’m a little disappointed that Benjamin Button went away with nothing
Could this hurt its Oscar chances? And I find it pretty hard to believe that Frost/Nixon will end up on that final shortlist. I mean, how many #1 votes could it possibly get? It’s racked up a ton of nominations, but it hasn’t won anything major, right?
I still say IRON MAN is better than DARK KNIGHT.
Am I the ONLY person on this earth that does not get the big deal about Slumdog Millionaire?
Best Actress race is the most exciting in years. At this point, anyone could feasibly take it (Hathaway, Streep, Winslet). BFCA didn’t help at all in helping steer us in a direction.
I loved Slumdog Millionaire but even I’m susprised by all the critical hoopla. I’m sure Owen Glieberman must be crying like a little girl right now.
WarOnTara, I agree with you. I thought Slumdog was good. And maybe deserves a spot as a nominee. But I’m a little surprised that it swept these awards. I would have much rather seen a different film win.
And in regards to the Best Actress race, I was a little surprised that with there being 6 nominees, Kate Winslet was not one of them for Revolutionary Road. Well, at least she won for The Reader!
i love you, dev!
call me!
Winslet deserves her award for THE READER, not Revolutionary Road. She was unbelievable in the former film–with her subtle acting and accent, almost reminiscent of early Streep.
Go MILK for Best Actor and Best Picture at the Oscars!
Winslet won’t win for Revolutionary Road because DiCaprio actually managed to out act her throughout the film. Her character was so poorly written that I actually felt bad for Winslet. Revolutionary Road was such a let down. Benjamin Button was a good film. But I can see why it isn’t picking up major awards. It’s just a good film. Also remember that Fincher has a reputation for being “difficult”. Voters always remember these things. That’s why Rourke didn’t win last night. I doubt any major awards will go to him because of who he is. Nevermind that his role in The Wrestler is the best male acting performance of 2008. For anyone saying Slumdog Millionaire was overrated, I think they just haven’t seen the film. Milk is overrated. Not Slumdog. Slumdog has a touching story, it’s expertly directed and doesn’t ever look filmed on a soundstage. And the film sheds light on the bad situation in an ignored part of the world that is just now becoming an unexpected force in the global economy.
Also, my Best Supporting Actress race is between Marisa, Viola, Taraji, and Amy Ryan in Changeling. Cruz was OK. Winslet in Reader is overrated. I love Winslet. I think it’s a shame we live in a world where Charlize, Halle, and Witherspoon all own an Oscar, while Winslet doesn’t have one. But I don’t think this is her year. And I hate when more deserving people lose out to overlooked veterans just because the Academy tries to make good. It’s stupid. And I like Hathaway, but that speech? Come on now. Meryl is the HBIC.
WOW!!!. Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep winning together!. That would be fantastic in the Oscar!.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought Hathaway’s speech was bad. That was the most condescending, obnoxious, classless acceptance speech I’ve seen in a LONG time. It’s no wonder Angelina looked like she wanted to reach out and strangle her. Rather than coming off as humbled to share the award with the “great Meryl Streep” she came off like she deserved it over the other actresses: that it was “fitting.” I think that speech could have just destroyed her shot at winning an Oscar.
If Slumdog doesn’t win the Best Picture, then the Oscars will totally lose all credibility with me. I haven’t felt so emotionally involved in a film in years. It was truly the best. It deserves every award. I’m so glad Dev won – he was wonderful!
i have to register my love of Angela Bassett’s dress….so elegant and modern….anyone else tired of bare arms?????
You would probably have to go back to the ’70s to find another year with so many strong female performances… Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Sally Hawkins, Kristen Scott Thomas and Anne Hathaway all gave award-worthy performances… and the supporting roles were also incredible with Kate Winslet (again), Viola Davis, Amy Adams, Rosemarie DeWitt, Marisa Tomei…
as to the actual films….Slumdog was good, not great; Button was a bore, am off to see Milk, Doubt this weekend….p.s. Anne Hathaway should check herself
WarOnTara, i’m 100% with you. it was a good movie. but the best of the year? not even close. but the academy tends to award subpar movies best picture. crash, anyone?
I know this is going to come out totally wrong, but I’ll say it anyways.
I kinda think (with a few exceptions over the years of amazing first-time young winners) that you have to “earn” your oscar. (Just hear me out) Establish yourself in movies that show you’re a great actor/actress, then find that “one role” that really lets you show how talented you are. Meryl Streep has shown this. Angelina has. Kate Winslet MOST definitely has.
While I’ve seen and I totally admire Anne’s performance in “Rachel”, I think she needs to be around longer before she gets her oscar. I think Angelina was better in “Changeling” to be honest…Meryl is always riveting, and Kate Winslet deserves an oscar already! Come on now!
Slumdog might not be a great film but it is atleast better than the other movies nominated for the best picture
I don’t get the Slumdog hatred either. I thought it was a very moving film about a very harsh, often tragic situation in India. It’s a fairy tale about overcoming a very real problem in the world.
Slumdog and The Dark Knight were the most moving and riveting films I saw this year – I’d be happy if either won the Oscar. I think this BFCA Award is a huge bonus for Slumdog – if it wins the Globe on Sunday, I think an Oscar Best Pic win is pretty much cemented.
I wish “The Dark Knight” would have won best picture last night. It was t he best picture of 2008. Period. Heath Ledger’s performance was THE performance of 2008 and the movie was crisply written and acted and took action movies to an entirely new level. It is about time that a big budget movie won best picture. Look at the Lord of the Rings movie in 2004. Just because the movie made lots of money doesn’t make it a masterpiece. “The Dark Knight” will be remembered well over 20 years from now as a truly exceptional film. Will anyone even REMEMBER the films nominated at the Oscars last year. All downers. I would also love to see “Wall-e” nominated for best picture at the Oscars this year. A truly inspiring film. However I don’t see it happening, which would be a shame.
Slumdog Millionaire is brilliant and sweet. Deserves every bit of the attention it can get – it’s not a made-for-Oscars film and it’s not vapid. Also, Hellboy II is better than Iron Man and Dark Night.
It doesn’t get much better than SDM. You might have to go back to Satyajit Ray’s classic Apu Trilogy to find more a moving film that takes place in India.
I was thrilled to see that such a small, basically foreign film could come out on top. Slumdog Millionaire deserves every award it gets. Congrats to Dev and Danny, and to Freida for being by far the hottest woman there. Also loved seeing Anne win because I love seeing anyone getting hysterical up there. And she will get the Charlize/Julia/Halle Oscar for being an in demand actress who can play against type. Bradgelina got NOTHING, and Angie didn’t look too happy about it!
Am I the only one that had no problem with Anne Hathaway’s speech? Jason called it condescending and classless. How so? She didn’t say that it was fitting she won the award over the other actresses. She said it was fitting she won it with Meryl Streep. I took this comment to mean that for her first major award, she couldn’t have imagined sharing it with anyone else. They just worked together a few years ago. She looks up to Meryl. And to win an award for the first time, and it be alongside one of the most respected actresses of our time, that’s what she felt was fitting – to share her award with one of her idols. Nothing classless about paying tribute to Meryl Streep. Don’t take her words out of context to make her seem like an ungrateful person.
I don’t get how people think it’s not Kate Winslet’s year. It’s NEVER her year and she has two very powerful performances. If this year isn’t her year, it never will be. And I will flip if she doesn’t at least win for one of these films. I am a HUGE Kate fan and have been dying to see her win one of these years. I’m hoping this IS her year. And I LOVED Slumdog Millionaire, so I’m thrilled it won. Same with Milk and Sean Penn.
I created a Critic’s Choice package some ten years ago in Denver for the Beacon Grill, a 16th st. Mall restaurant. Could someone enlighten me a bit about the history of these awards? GS
Slumdog Millionaire was a good movie (not sure I think it’s the BEST of the year) but for the life of me I can’t understand all the hoopla around Dev Patel’s performance. There was nothing to it! Blank stares and quiet speaking, that’s about it. Strange.
Matt, could not agree more with you on Dev Patel getting an award. The youngest kid who played jamal was much better than Dev
Jolie’s performance is “Changeling” is very underrated as is the movie itself. “Changeling” is a great film. And Jolie’s performance was excellent. I don’t see why she’s getting ignored in favor of Hathaway who essentially played some piece of trash girl who ruins a wedding. And again, it isn’t Kate’s year. I love her, but it aint gonna happen this year. And she can blame Mendes for that.