Green Book is not the Best Picture

(L to R) VIGGO MORTENSEN and MAHERSHALA ALI star in Participant Media and DreamWorks Pictures' "Green Book." Photo Credit: Patti Perret

While Roma was the film that many of us thought would win Best Picture, the tide took a turn when Green Book took home the award.

I’ll be honest.  In my initial review, I gave Green Book a positive review.  This being said, my thoughts begin to evolve throughout the awards season.  This is because I of all the articles that I read over the past few months.  I’m one to admit in all seriousness that I really got it wrong on the first attempt.  For this, I apologize.  While I cannot change the past, I can only move forward into the future.

While I don’t deny that there were some very fine performances in the film, I take the most issue with the script.  When Dr. Don Shirley’s family start to pen up with their thoughts on the film, I listened to what they had to say.  It made me realize that my initial take on the film is wrong.  While I saw a film, it was one that did not tell the true story.  I know that filmmakers often say that biopics are not documentaries.  The thing is, when you’re making a biopic, you don’t really have much license to stray from the truth.

What we saw tonight is a travesty.  In essence, Green Book is the new Driving Miss Daisy.  When people talk about films with a White Savior narrative, Green Book is the main film sitting on top of the list.  It’s also a film that basically ignores the book in the title.  Like really?  You name the film after one of the single most important books for people of color during a dark time period for American history and essentially throw it in the back seat.  That book alone deserves more importance in the film.  Yet they choose to ignore it for a different narrative altogether.

It’s been a very long awards season.  To top everything off, the Oscars win gets dedicated to the late Carrie Fisher.  I’m sorry but this is simply unacceptable.

Danielle Solzman

Danielle Solzman is native of Louisville, KY, and holds a BA in Public Relations from Northern Kentucky University and a MA in Media Communications from Webster University. She roots for her beloved Kentucky Wildcats, St. Louis Cardinals, Indianapolis Colts, and Boston Celtics. Living less than a mile away from Wrigley Field in Chicago, she is an active reader (sports/entertainment/history/biographies/select fiction) and involved with the Chicago improv scene. She also sees many movies and reviews them. She has previously written for Redbird Rants, Wildcat Blue Nation, and Hidden Remote/Flicksided. From April 2016 through May 2017, her film reviews can be found on Creators.