MovieChat Forums > Green Book (2018) Discussion > The theme of this movie is not racism bu...

The theme of this movie is not racism but human dignity

posted 6 years ago by halomaniac88 (1736)
2 replies | jump to latest

Let's analyze the characters and their motivations. Dr. Shirley is a talented, well educated man who is stuck between two worlds,he is sick and tired of all the bs he has to deal with. Yet, he confronts his fears and repulsions and chose to tour in the American south to "educate people". Tony on the other hand is an uneducated vulgar blue collar white man who has to serve a black man. Fellow white men look down on Tony for serving a black man, but he deeply respects Dr Shirley for his integrity. They both have to maintain dignity and self-respect in a racist society.

[–] RichardBlaine (303) 6 years ago

Excellent. I thought this was what the film was about, too. I see a lot of criticism about it because it presumably sermonized on race or wasn't nuanced enough about race or didn't solve any racial problems, etc., etc., etc. I'm not sure what these people were watching. I watched a film about two men ultimately coming to respect each other despite their (many) differences and learning a thing or two about dignity along the way.

[–] slimone (7996) 5 years ago

Good observation. I wish more people learned to respect each other the way these two did.