The film Jonah Hill called “one of the best movies ever made”
Jonah Hill has had one hell of a career. His early success with films like Knocked Up, Superbad and Get Him To The Greek was such that he became a household name in Hollywood, not as a leading man but as the affable shmuck. Then, sometime around 2010, something unusual started to happen. Over the next few years, Hill did all he could to throw off the character trope he’d worked himself into, demonstrating his range and versatility in films like Moneyball and The Wolf Of Wall Street, both of which earned him Academy Award nominations.
And even though he’s kept his hand in the more bad-mouthed side of cinema with the likes of Sausage Party and This Is The End, Hill has also managed to develop a reputation as a talented writer and director. In 2018, Hill unveiled his directorial debut Mid-90s, which follows Stevie, a thirteen-year-old living in Los Angeles in the 1990s who finds himself mixing with a group of new friends he meets at a skate shop on Motor Avenue.
The film earned modest reviews but cemented Hill as a one-to-watch. However, in 2020, his directorial ambitions were thwarted by the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. Around that time, Hill sat down with GQ to offer some movie recommendations – an important task for a world under lockdown. The extensive list of 20 films includes Oscar-winners like Moonlight and overlooked gems like the 1993 female gangster movie Mi Vida Loca.
But there was one film in particular that Hill was especially enthusiastic about, 1976’s Network: “Arguably the greatest screenplay of all time by Paddy Chayefsky. It’s just one of the best movies ever made,” Hill gushed. “Any director you love, this is in their top five favourite movies. It has that famous line, like, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore.” It really is about feeling fucked over by the system and not being down for it anymore. It’s truly the best screenplay ever.”
Directed by Sidney Lumet, Network tells the story of a veteran anchorman who is forced to resign from his post. After receiving the news, he announces to viewers that he will kill himself during his farewell broadcast. As a result, the Network executives are forced to reconsider their decision after this shocking news causes ratings to soar. On release, Network was lauded as a masterpiece, with stars like Peter Finch receiving particular praise for their performances.
The film was nominated for no less than ten Oscars at the 49th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Finch), Best Actress (Faye Dunaway), Best Supporting Actress (Beatrice Straight), and Best Original Screenplay. You can check out the original trailer below.
