Good reviewers trashed this film for trading in racial stereotypes—which is true, it does—but the Motion Picture Academy begs to differ with them, having just awarded Green Book its Best Picture Oscar. So even though we not only showed it as our Sneak Preview at this year’s FilmColumbia Festival to a standing ovation but also ran it nightly in January for two weeks, we’re bringing it back again. If you’ve avoided or ignored it, by all means see it now. If you’ve already seen it, see it again. As several reviews have noted, it is particularly welcome in the current climate, when dog whistling is out and up-front racism is in. The picture won three Golden Globes, one for Best Screenplay, one for Best Supporting Actor that went to Mahershala Ali, and one for Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy). It was co-written and directed by Peter Farrelly and is so good it makes me want to revisit Dumb and Dumber. Maybe I missed the subtext! — Peter Biskind
“Green Book fires on all cylinders, creating the kind of satisfying mainstream moviegoing experience that many observers thought Hollywood had forgotten how to make.” — Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
“I have to confess that in the current, insanely divisive political climate, I enjoyed Green Book’s spoon-feeding mightily.” — David Edelstein, New York Magazine/Vulture
“Green Book is a savvy and super effective piece of popular entertainment.” — Kenneth Turan, L.A. Times
Peter Farrelly
Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly
Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini, Sebastian Maniscalco
English, Italian, Russian, German
Universal Pictures