1. Overnight (2003)
If there were ever a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of ego and "knowing your place," this is it.
Overnight is the perfect title for this awkward and often horrifying documentary about Troy Duffy, who you may or may not know as the screenwriter and director of the relative cult classic
The Boondock Saints. Duffy was just a bartender when his script for
Saints was bought by Miramax for $300,000 and he was hailed as something of a revelation, akin to the likes of Quentin Tarantino. But unlike Tarantino, Duffy had something dark and destructive lurking under his skin: an ego the size of twelve international airports. You won't believe what happens. Over the course of this highly revealing and personal documentary, we watch as Duffy slowly goes from being the hero of his friends and neighbourhood to a loserish nobody. Seriously. Watch in shock as Duffy slowly alienates everybody in Hollywood, and constantly fights with his well-meaning friends and family. Thing is, Duffy genuinely believes that he's the next big thing in Hollywood and has the right to do or say what he wants - he also fails to understand that he has no power at all. Then Harvey Weinstein decides to put Duffy in his place and assigns him to "the black list." Endlessly fascinating (in that "watching a car crash" kind of way) and ultimately rather sad,
Overnight is essential viewing for anybody who dreams about making it as a writer in Hollywood (if possible, watch this movie the night
before you sell your script).
Know of any documentaries that would be great for aspiring screenwriters? Let us know in the comments section below.