12 Most Desperate Oscar Grab Movies Of 2016

Another film dismissed as Oscar bait by Samuel L. Jackson, David Frankel’s Collateral Beauty stars Will Smith as formerly successful advertising executive overcoming grief after the untimely death of his young daughter.

That sounds suspiciously similar to Manchester By The Sea but whereas Lonergan’s movie was showered with critical acclaim Frankel’s film was almost universally panned, flopping at the box office and scoring a pitiful 12% on Rotten Tomatoes. True, they’re both ultimately sad movies but where Manchester by the Sea is heartbreakingly honest, Collateral Beauty drifts into mawkish territory – a poor man’s Manchester by the Sea, if you will, and not exactly the kind of movie that’ll have other Oscar hopefuls quaking in their boots.

Nevertheless, it’s got all the ingredients of Oscar bait and boasts an award-studded supporting cast including three-time Oscar nominee Edward Norton, one-time Oscar winner Kate Winslet and the grand dame of acting herself, Helen Mirren. It’s just a shame it’s so bad.