With the Oscar’s premiering next Sunday, February 24th, I figured I should check out some of the movies up for awards. Films like Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, Roma and A Star Is Born have dominated multiple categories, including Best Picture.
Related: Oscar Nominations: the Surprises, the Snubs and the Race to Gold
One film I hadn’t heard much about was Green Book. All I knew was that Mahershala Ali was being driven around by someone. So, when my parents wanted to go see this the other night, I figured it couldn’t be too bad, especially since it’s nominated for so many awards.
The movie is about Dr. Don Shirley, a renowned black pianist, who is embarking on a tour in the South during the Jim-Crow era in 1962. The title comes from the travel book of places blacks were allowed in the segregated South. Shirley needs a driver, who can also double as a bodyguard. So, Tony Lip gets the job, a tough (and racist) Italian-American. The movie follows their journey together and their unlikely friendship as they overcome many challenges together.
After watching leaving the movie, I had not expected to be laughing and enjoying it as much as I did. Green Book ended up being one of my favorite movies I had seen in years. The character chemistry, subject matter, humor and relatability of the movie all left lasting impressions on me. I really loved it.
However, I soon realized how this movie was under fire for glossing over the real history and racism that was taking place in pre-civil-rights America. There was also a lot of criticism about the fact that Shirley’s storyline is portraying Tony’s character as a white hero in a movie about racism. This is important to take into consideration while watching this film.
After reading a lot of these criticisms, I realized that although Green Book has some problematic characteristics but it’s still worth watching. This film helps shine a light on issues (past and present) that many white people might not be aware of. Even though this movie wasn’t a true depiction of racism in the ’60s, it was still a great film with an amazing script and great acting. I would recommend everyone see it.