All signs were pointing to this in recent days, and now it's official: Lionsgate has sent word that it will host regional sneak preview screenings of its epic, gritty MMA/family drama Warrior this weekend nationwide. Obviously that's nothing new in the grand scheme of release strategies, but what makes this special is the endgame: Oscar night.
At least one Oscar observer is over the moon about Gavin O'Connor's film, calling it a prime candidate for Best Picture, Director, and several acting nominations for leading men Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton and Supporting Actor near-lock Nick Nolte. Other early reviews are impressive across the board, with many supporters placing the story of two estranged brothers' (and their estranged father's) ascent to mixed martial arts supremacy in the canon of emotional, ready-made fighting classics like Rocky and The Fighter.
I'm not going to argue with them; Warrior is good overall (if a little long) and exquisitely directed and shot. But I'm not the one who needs convincing. For better or worse it remains a genre film tumbling out of the gate in early September -- not exactly prime time for awards candidates to make their debuts anywhere outside the Toronto Film Festival. But! While the Oscar cognoscenti is nice to have in your corner (ahem), little speaks louder than a full-blown, late-year box-office phenomenon.
Enter the sneak previews, which will screen far and wide on Sept. 4 -- just in advance of Warrior's Sept. 9 nationwide opening. The ensuing word-of-mouth -- if any -- will be absolutely critical to Lionsgate's awards-season hopes: If it's clamorous and sincere, then full speed ahead. If it's lukewarm and submissive to the more conventional seasonal buzz around the Oscarsphere and the box office at large, then at least they tried. Not sure Labor Day Weekend was the best call for a stunt like this, but knowing what's on the line (and the film for which the studio is trying it) I can't help but hope they pull it off. This season needs any shot -- or punch, or kick -- in the arm it can get.