Award season is approaching its climax, and some of the years best films were honored at the 76th Golden Globes. Hosted by “Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s” Andy Samberg and Sandra Oh of “Killing Eve” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” the event was unusually tame, with none of the acerbic wit of past hosts like Ricky Gervais.
The show was not without its drama however, as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” directed by Bryan Singer took home both Best Drama and Best Actor in a Drama. Singer has been marred by accusations of sexually assaulting a minor, and his receiving the award prompted (unsurprisingly) a strong backlash on social media. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was something of a surprise itself, with few anticipating any major awards for the Freddie Mercury biopic. However, the Golden Globes have now established “Bohemian Rhapsody” as a strong contender for other major awards.
Another surprise was that “A Star is Born” failed to make a stronger impression on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, taking home just one award, that of Best Original Song. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga lost out on Best Actor and Best Actress, and the film itself was bested by “Bohemian Rhapsody” for Best Drama. Critics had seemed to prefer “A Star is Born,” but it appears that the immense popularity of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was able to give it some momentum.
Glenn Close won Best Actress for a drama with her powerful performance in “The Wife,” while Olivia Colman won Best Actress in a comedy, for her portrayal of Queen Anne in “The Favorite.” Christian Bale’s performance as Dick Cheney in “Vice” landed him Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. The gulf between film critics and most fans was laid bare, with popular films like “The BlacK Klansman,” “Black Panther” and “A Quiet Place” made no impact whatsoever.
In television, “The Americans” won Best Drama, beating out “The Bodyguard” and “Killing Eve.” Over its final season, “The Americans” dominated, with extraordinarily high reviews from fans and critics alike. Best Comedy went to the Netflix original series, “The Kominsky Method,” which enjoyed enormous popularity in its first season and was renewed on the day of the awards.
Best Actor for a television drama went to Richard Madden for his mercurial performance in “The Bodyguard.” Madden was superb in the challenging role of a personal bodyguard suffering with family problems and PTSD, assigned to protect a government official he dislikes. Sandra Oh won Best Actress in a Drama for her role in “Killing Eve,” in which she plays an intelligence agent tasked with tracking down a psychopathic assassin.
All told, the Golden Globes have set the stage for the Oscars and Emmy’s in dramatic style. With some unconventional choices, the voters have given legitimacy to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which could make a run at major awards. In contrast, “A Star is Born” now finds itself vulnerable and open to being passed over by the Academy. Only time will tell, but the competition between these films is likely to dominate the discussion leading up to the Oscars Feb. 24.