Sunday Scaries: ‘Weapons’ May Be Launching Amy Madigan into the Oscar Race

The Sunday Scaries are upon us once again! Yes, as the weekend concludes, most of us feel an oncoming sense of anticipatory dread about the week ahead. Anxiety about work manifests itself into a feeling that’s known as the Sunday Scaries. However, we at Awards Radar are here to combat that, by taking back the name. Now, we want you think about a horror-centric piece on the site when you hear the term. So, let us continue on with another installment of the Awards Radar Sunday Scaries! Today, we’re talking about a very interesting and organic Oscar campaign that might be brewing for a horror character…

Weapons has already proven to be a hit, both critically and commercially. For most horror films, that would be enough. However, a movie like this, which defies and expands upon expectations, is showing that could have upward mobility, even into awards season. We discussed earlier this year (here) how Sinners is very much in the Oscar conversation. Today, it’s Weapons, and specifically for the supporting turn by Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys.

In my review of the film (here), I said the following about the cast, specifically being vague about Madigan:

The cast, especially the central ones, essentially get to each have their own short film to be showcased in, with appropriately effective results. Josh Brolin and Julia Garner are the closest thing the movie has to leads, though it’s very much an ensemble piece. Brolin does a wonderful job of mixing determination with grief, leading to some very bad decisions, as well as some potentially heroic ones as well. It’s a great use of not just his stature, but his talents as well. Garner does very strong work, slowly revealing some of her character’s flaws and struggles. The way the town sees her and the way she is winds up being a through line that envelops several characters, with surprising results. If there’s a supporting MVP, it’s Austin Abrams, who is both funny and tragic as the desperate junkie. Alden Ehrenreich is very good as well, while the aforementioned Cary Christopher and Benedict Wong certainly get their moments. The rest of the large cast includes Toby Huss, Amy Madigan, June Diane Raphael, and more.

Now, I said nothing about Madigan in order to preserve the mystery, but now I can say how phenomenal she is. Her performance is a discovery in terms of the movie, though it’s no surprise that she’s this good. Still, her singular work here elevates the third act of the flick into horror classic territory.

What’s so fun about Madigan’s organic early awards push is just that…this is driven by lovers of the movie, not studio machinations. Audiences, alongside critics, have taken notice of Gladys as an instant horror icon and elevated her into the race. This is the type of character, as well as the type of performance, that we just don’t see enough, in horror or otherwise. So, Madigan being put forth here in the summer as someone worthy of awards attention is to be taken note of.

The Best Supporting Actress race is always a very fluid one, with this year proving to be no exception. So far, there are no obvious contenders, though the impending fall film festival season will surely change that. However, this does given Madigan a head start. No one is necessarily suggesting that she should win the Oscar, though that would be amazing. This is just giving her, and the performance, an actual fighting chance at a nomination.

Time will tell if Madigan and Weapons can make it through awards season, though some early precursor citations would be clutch for both. Sinners and Weapons are both hoping to get the Get Out treatment this year, and while multiple fright flicks getting cited by the Academy is very rare, stranger things have happened. Regardless, Madigan is being launched into the Oscar race, on the strength of her work, as well as genuine love for the film, and that’s great.

Stay tuned for another Sunday Scaries installment next week!