Philadelphia Film Critics point the finger at 'Knives Out' for Best Picture

The first big Best Picture surprise of the short season came today as the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle named Rian Johnson’s blockbuster whodunnit Knives Out as the best film of the year. Johnson also took the group’s Best Script prize.

Adam Driver (Marriage Story) won Best Actor and Lupita Nyong’o (Us) continued to streak of wins in Best Actress.

Florence Pugh managed the hat trick of winning Breakthrough Performance and Supporting Actress for Little Women and Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) and Joe Pesci (The Irishman) shared honors as Supporting Actor.

Here is the full list of winners and runners-up from the 2019 Philadelphia Film Critics Circle awards.

Best Picture: Knives Out (Runner-up: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, The Irishman (Runner-up: Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Best Actor: Adam Driver, Marriage Story (Runner-up: Eddie Murphy, Dolemite Is My Name)
Best Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, Us (Runner-up: Saoirse Ronan, Little Women)
Best Supporting Actor (tie): Joe Pesci, The Irishman and Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Best Supporting Actress: Florence Pugh, Little Women (Runner-up: Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers)

Best Script: Rian Johnson, Knives Out (Runner-up: Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Best Animated Film: Toy Story 4 (Runner-up: Frozen II)
Best Documentary: Apollo 11 (Runner-up: The Kingmaker)
Best Foreign Film: Parasite (Runner-up: Portrait of a Lady on Fire)

Best Directorial Debut (tie): Joe Talbot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco and Olivia Wilde, Booksmart
Best Breakthrough Performance: Florence Pugh, Little Women (Runner-up: Thomasin McKenzie, Jojo Rabbit)

Best Cinematography: Jarin Blaschke, The Lighthouse (Runner-up: Roger Deakins, 1917)
Best Soundtrack: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Runner-up: Us)

Elaine May Award: Harriet
Steve Friedman Award: Joker