DreamWorks
Director Cameron Crowe (“Say Anything”) won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for “Almost Famous,” a warmly nostalgic memoir of his adolescence years, when he was a gifted and aspiring journalist, tasked with writing a music piece for the “Rolling Stones.”
However, in order to get his assignment done, William Miller (Patrick Fugit) needs to get the consent of his mother, an overprotective and domineering Jewish mom (splendidly played by Frances McDormand in an Oscar-nominated turn).
The second part of the tale, which is yet another classic coming-of-age saga, depicts the bus tour that William takes with the Rolling Stones in various American cities.
The film’s two best performances are rendered by Philip Seymour Hoffman as the Rock critic Lester Bangs, and Kate Hudson (Goldie Hawn’s daughter, who looks and sounds like her mom when she was her age), as Penny Lane, Russell’s personal assistant and groupie, with whom he falls in love, thus violating several codes of behavior.
The film is always enjoyable and in moments sharply observed, conveying an inside, vastly entertaining look at what it takes to be a young and brilliant journalist in awe of your subject matter and the people you write about.
Oscar Nominations: 3
Original Screenplay: Russell Crowe
Supporting Actress: Frances McDormand
Supporting Actress; Kate Hudson
Oscar Awards: 1
Original Screenplay
Oscar Context
The winner of the Supporting Actress Oscar was Marcia Gay Harden for the biopic “Pollock,” directed by and starring Ed Harris.
Cast
Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup)
Elaine Miller (Frances McDormand)
Penny Lane (Kate Hudson)
Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee)
William Miller (Patrick Fugit)
Anita Miller (Zooey Deschanel)
Young William (Michael Angarano)
Dick Roswell (Noah Taylor)
Ed Vallencourt (John Fedevich)
Larry Fellows (Mark Kozelek)
Credits
Produced by Cameron Crowe and Ian Bryce
Directed and written by Cameron Crowe
Camera: John Toll
Editor: Joe Hutshing, Saar Klein
Music: Nancy Wilson
Art Direction: Clay A. Griffith, Clayton R. Hartley, Virginia Randolph-Weaver
Costumes: Betsy Heimann
