Even

On the Basis of Sex

This Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic was one of the last Oscar contenders to remain unseen, finally debuting as the opening-night film at AFI Fest last week. Reactions were mixed: Ginsburg superfans seem to love it, but critics like Variety’s Pete Debruge are casting some side-eye at the movie’s “intensely hagiographic tone.” (The screenplay was written by the justice’s nephew.) No one’s yet gone broke selling Ginsburg in 2018 — RBG is the year’s second-highest-grossing documentary — and as with Green Book, it’s possible that, if the rest of the dish is tasty enough, voters might not mind some cheese. One question: Can a biopic get a Best Picture nom without an accompanying acting nod, or is everything riding on Felicity Jones?