George Clooney, Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air (Dale Robinette / Paramount)
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner's screenplay for Up in the Air is the #1 winner among North American critics groups, with Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds coming in second place.
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber's (500) Days of Summer, a boy meets girl tale in which things don't quite go as planned, has been a favorite as well. Other screenplays that have received more than one nod from critics are Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach's Fantastic Mr. Fox and Joel and Ethan Coen's A Serious Man.
Although The Hurt Locker has been the critics' top film and Kathryn Bigelow their top director, Mark Boal's screenplay only topped the list of one critics' group: it won best original screenplay in Chicago. Clearly, critics see the Iraq War drama as a director's film.
There are quite a few titles listed below because some critics' groups have original and adapted screenplay categories. Included are North American critics' groups (the list will be updated as more results are announced in the next several weeks), in addition to the Satellite and National Board of Review awards; and Golden Globe and Spirit Award nominations.
Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air – National Board of Review, Indiana, Toronto (tie), Southeastern, Phoenix, Oklahoma, Houston, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Chicago, Austin, plus Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds – Washington, Toronto (tie), San Francisco, San Diego, New York Online, Austin, plus Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Scott Neustadlter and Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer – St. Louis, Southeastern, Satellite, Oklahoma, Las Vegas, Florida, plus Critics Choice, Spirit nominations
Joel and Ethan Coen, A Serious Man – National Board of Review, National Society of Film Critics, Washington, Los Angeles, Boston, plus Critics Choice nomination
Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach, Fantastic Mr. Fox – Utah, San Francisco, San Diego, plus Critics Choice nomination
Pete Docter, Bob Paterson, Up – Phoenix, plus Critics Choice nomination
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker – Chicago, plus Critics Choice, Golden Globe nominations
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche – In the Loop – New York
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious – Satellite, plus Critics Choice nomination
Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, District 9 – Golden Globe nomination
Nancy Meyers, It's Complicated – Golden Globe nomination