The Films of Alexander Payne - C/D

Frisco script is here.

Read the first 40 pages and not seeing much, other than cynical, wise-cracking central character thrown together with 15 year old.

Some of the “line by line transpositions” in that document are a real stretch

Note that: 1. The scene begins with Paul/Wills in a library/quiet carriage 2. Paul/Wills is doing something relaxing, andhas a mug/cup. 3. The third action line sentence consists of Paul/Willis performing two body-based actions. 4. Paul/Wills' fist line is an exclamation that features a religious-based curse. 5. The surprise means he will be stuck alone with Angus/Amy. 6. The physical mechanism by which this occurs is a mode of transport train/helicopter).

yeah my kid read all of this to me out loud yesterday and it sounds bad until you actually read the details. 'line by line' is an utterly false statement.

I might seek out the other ones.

I still say it's all downhill after Election but yes, there's a lot worth seeing.

This seems pretty damning

https://variety.com/2024/film/news/the-holdovers-accused-plagiarism-luca-writer-1235935605/

― Piedie Gimbel, Sunday, 10 March 2024 4:52 AM (nine hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

i’m guessing you didn’t read it

I liked Sideways better than Election.
I remember disliking parts of About Schmidt but at the time I was pretty sick of that whole indie film/comics aesthetic of glum guys staring at the screen. Kathy Bates had a decent part in it.

didnt realise he was about schmidt

maybe the most vapid message ive ever seen in a movie

Sense of place, sense of character, sense of humor, sense of tragedy of failed lives: he knows what he's doing, if these things matter to a viewer. Knows it on the level of Chekhov in Sideways, The Descendants, and The Holdovers.

Note how the two scenes unfold on a near line-by-line basis:
1. Paul/Wills is working in his room/on the ward.
2. A messenger interrupts him to tell him his boss wants him.
3. Paul/Wills self-importantly tells the messenger to tell his boss he is busy.
4. The messenger tells Paul/Willis he actually must go now.
5. Paul/Wills reluctantly acquiesce

These are all like unbelievably stock scenes that you can find “line by line transpositions” of in films from the 1920s. I almost feel worse for this guy than I would if his movie really had been plagiarized, the deeper you go into detailed examples the more sad/pathetic it seems. Payne-esque, even!

Yeah at first I was willing to give it credence because he's not just a random loon but an actual produced screenwriter, but the more you see it it's ridiculous.

Paul/Wills is called to adventure.
Paul/Wills refuses the call.
Paul/Wills embarks on a road of trials.

The but where he’s like “clearly they used software to do this” 🫣

Also is the character called fucking Wills or Willis, in the holdovers the guy has the same name all the way thru

The Plagiarism Today blog has a thoughtful backgrounder on this:
https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2024/03/11/why-the-holdovers-is-not-a-plagiarism/

Though it contains a qualifier of note:

My Analysis

Note: I have not seen The Holdovers nor have I read Frisco. This analysis is based solely on the allegations provided by Stephenson and the follow ups shared by other screenwriters.

Saw "The Holdovers." I thought it was really well directed and acted, but the story and writing ultimately didn't transcend its more familiar/predictable beats.

Yeah my take too. Also nice to see snow, albeit in a movie.

I keep thinking of him saying "your toes would curl!"