A biographical drama that came under fire despite winning the Oscar for best picture is now streaming for free in the UK.
Originally released in 2018, Green Book was inspired by a 1962 tour of the Deep South by African American pianist Don Shirley, played by Mahershala Ali, and Italian American bouncer and later actor Frank ‘Tony Lip’ Vallelonga, played by Viggo Mortensen, who served as Shirley’s driver and bodyguard.
Set during the time of Jim Crow America in 1962, the unlikely duo embark on a road trip at a time of intense racial inequality, three years before the abolition of Jim Crow laws.
The name of the film came from a special guidebook created in the 1930s to help African Americans travel across what was then an incredibly racist region of America. It was called The Negro Motorist Green-book, named by its publisher, the Harlem based Victor H Green.
Directed by Peter Farrelly, Green Brook grossed $321million (£244million) worldwide and was largely praised by critics.
It also swept the Oscars, winning best picture, best original screenplay and best supporting actor – for Ali. The actor also won Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and BAFTA Awards for best supporting actor.
This week it was added to BBC iPlayer, where viewers can now tune in for free from home.
At the time of its release, critics largely threw their support behind the movie.
‘A touching and meaningful look at race and class in America, the likes of which studios rarely produce anymore,’ IndieWire wrote in its review.
‘Green Book is a savvy and super effective piece of popular entertainment,’ The Los Angeles Times commented.
However, The New York Times said: ‘There’s not much here you haven’t seen before, and very little that can’t be described as crude, obvious and borderline offensive, even as it tries to be uplifting and affirmative.’
‘With its insistence on the pretence of loving our way into racial harmony, the movie exists almost exclusively to allow white moviegoers to nod sagely about how far we’ve come,’ Jezebel added.
But, Green Book did also draw criticism for its depictions of race and musician Shirley.
After its release, Shirley’s family called it a ‘symphony of lies’ – specifically the claims the musician was estranged from his family, and that he didn’t consider Tony a close friend, but instead an employee.
There were also reports that Spike Lee was furious when the film won the top Oscar.
Some at the awards ceremony said that the director turned his back to the stage as the Green Book team made their acceptance speech after being ‘visibly angry’ and trying to storm out of the Dolby Theatre when it was announced as the winner.
Other criticisms levelled at the filmed included claims it was presenting a ‘white saviour’ story, the focus on Vallelonga rather than Shirley, and Mortensen using the N-word while promoting the film.
A year later, Mortensen addressed the backlash. ‘Much of the criticism that was levelled at that movie was not only unreasonable, but it was inaccurate, mendacious, and irresponsible,’ he told The Independent.
‘It’s based on an axe to grind and little else. Does it affect what I’m doing, or how people perceive me as an actor? Maybe it does. But I can’t really do anything about that.’
After being called out by Shirley’s family for his portrayal of the musician, Ali also once said he wanted to ‘move on’.
‘I will say that my job is always the same and I have to look at what I’m responsible for doing and all the prayers, the energy, the time, the work, I am not one who is going to necessarily through all that away over things I had no control over and had nothing to do with,’ he said.
‘I respect the family, I respect Dr Shirley and his family, and I wish them well. I have a job to do, and I have to continue to do my job as I move onto my next project and treat everyone I work with them respect.’
Green Book is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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