James Gray’s Paper Tiger, a crime thriller starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller, is set for a major awards campaign by distributor Neon, marking the first time the director’s film has received such a focused push. The $15 million movie, which premiered to critical acclaim at Cannes, will open the New York Film Festival on Friday, with Neon planning to submit it for six Oscar categories, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. The film, inspired by Gray’s own experiences, follows a blue-collar family drawn into a perilous business venture with Russian immigrants, culminating in a confrontation with the mafia.
A Film Rooted in Gray’s Worldview
Gray’s Paper Tiger is steeped in the director’s signature themes of familial tension and moral ambiguity. The film centers on the Pearl brothers—Irwin (Miles Teller), a cautious engineer, and Gary (Adam Driver), a charismatic but reckless operator—who get entangled in a scheme to help Russian immigrants comply with environmental regulations. The plot thickens when their work attracts the attention of the mafia, placing their family, including wife Hester (Scarlett Johansson) and children, in danger. Gray, known for blending genre elements with intimate character studies, described the film as a parable about the pitfalls of the American urge to get rich quick,
a theme echoed in the script’s dialogue and the characters’ choices.
The film’s 1986 setting, during the waning days of the Soviet Union, underscores its exploration of capitalism and corruption. Gray drew parallels between the era’s deregulated business practices and modern-day greed, noting in an interview that the film’s title, “paper tiger,” was a phrase used by Soviet leaders to describe the West. The director also emphasized the film’s visual contrasts, from the grimy industrial landscapes of the Gowanus Canal to the opulent interiors of mob boss meetings, which he said reflect the two systems of power
at play.
Neon’s Strategic Awards Push
The distributor has committed to promoting Teller for Best Actor, Driver for Best Supporting Actor, and Johansson for Best Supporting Actress, with additional bids in technical categories.
The campaign includes a series of festival premieres, starting with the New York Film Festival, where Gray will participate in a conversation with Martin Scorsese. Neon has also organized private screenings for Academy members, a tactic that has proven effective for similar films. The distributor’s confidence stems from the film’s strong critical reception, including a rave from The Hollywood Reporter at Cannes, and its alignment with current Oscar trends favoring character-driven dramas with A-list stars.
Gray’s Legacy and the Road Ahead
For Gray, Paper Tiger represents both a creative and commercial milestone. Neon’s commitment to his vision, however, has been unwavering, with the company acquiring the film last April after its completion but before its Cannes debut.
The film’s release strategy includes a limited theatrical rollout starting November 13, followed by a wider release on November 20. The distributor’s focus on both critical and commercial appeal suggests a calculated effort to position Paper Tiger as a contender in the Oscar race, a feat no previous Gray film has achieved.
Neon’s campaign will intensify in the coming months, with the film set to play at multiple fall festivals, including Mill Valley, Hamptons, and London. The distributor’s efforts will be closely watched by industry observers, who see the campaign as a potential turning point for Gray’s career. If successful, Paper Tiger could finally secure the director an Oscar nomination, a milestone he has long sought despite his critical acclaim.