Want to know what is green book? Soon after we tune into the movie, Tony Vallelonga throws out water glasses since black repairmen used them. However, by the end of the movie, he is the one inviting a black man, Dr Don Shirley, into his house.
Green Book true story is a movie that we all need to see. With Tony’s son Nick being one of the writers for this movie, the green book is a story about racism from past to present. You should read a few essays on racism and look for free essay samples before you delve into this movie to understand it a bit better.
It is a healing story of two men overcome their social differences and become very unlikely friends. While on the one hand, we have Tony who is crass, prejudiced, and poor, we have Shirley on the other who is wise, uptight, and wealthy. Both of them change by listening to each other.
Tony teaches the uptight Dr Shirley how to let loose and enjoy while he learns how to be more accepting those who are not like him.
Why the criticism?
This movie has racked up awards but has received a fair share of backlash as well from critics on how the film handles the issue of racism by downplaying Green book racist importance. Many critics say that the movie water downs the racism that the black people had to face at the hands of the white folks and continue to face to some extent even to this day.
The movie doesn’t provide the student of history today a good education on racism from past to present. Racism from past to present has been rampant in the US. Both the performances by Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali are applaud-worthy; however, the movie favored the emotional journey of the white character and laid heavy emphasis on his humanity.
Even though Tony and Shirley end up becoming friends, Tony fails to understand how hard and difficult life in a racist world is for the pianist. What is green book about, if not a portrayal of injustices faced by the blacks, right? However, the green book has been used as a mere prop in the movie.
A lot of people don’t like how it seems like a white person’s movie since it has been told from the perspective of a white man. However, other people say that the movie has been portrayed from this angle since it is more palatable for the audience. But a lot of critics find green book racist and pro-white.
Why love from cinemagoers?
Green Book true story should be given another chance before being termed as a ‘white-savior’ movie. This is because both the characters learn from each other and ‘save’ one another. The movie is not trying to make a huge statement; the whole idea behind the movie is that even though their experiences and backgrounds may separate them to some extent, black and white people need to understand each other and where they come from a little bit better.
Critics may disapprove of the way the story is told, but cinemagoers have loved it and think that green book racist ideas show the true face of history. This film speaks to people to come together and break stereotypes. This is a huge reason that Green Book has fared so well in various awards. The message and warmth in Green Book true story are what has garnered so much love from the general audience.
The idea of ‘White man’s burden.’
The depiction of ‘white man’s burden’ is what makes this movie so conflicting. There is a long list of Hollywood movies that depict how a white man rises up to protect a black man. This is largely because most of the studios in Hollywood producing these pictures are white men; white men who either are unable to accurately portray the troubles faced by blacks or, for the most part, don’t want to.
Whitewashing and stereotyping of blacks has been rampant in Hollywood. It’s not only the blacks who have depicted incorrectly in Hollywood films: Latinx, Native Americans, Asians, have all had their fair share of negative portrayal as well.
However, the Green Book does raise important issues and reminds people of the dark chapter of history. And if you don’t see the history, how can you try to be better in the future?
Green Book- Not a mere prop
With a few minor changes, the movie could have been made a lot better, especially on how the movie handles racism and the problems blacks had to face. Green Book was not a mere prop for the black people: it was a lifeline to many when they entered areas of ‘white-segregation’. What is green book about goes down the drain by its imperfect depiction in the movie.
This is a point that the movie fails to make and has been a major cause of outcry from the critics since it fails to show racism from past to present clearly.
