Readers React: What the pundits trashing ‘Green Book’ completely miss about the movie

To the editor: How shameful for critics of the best picture-winning film “Green Book” to deride the movie for supposedly being about a “white savior.”

Clearly the critics have completely misunderstood this remarkable film, which is a story of two men who saved each other. Don Shirley saved Tony Lip from living a life of racism and ignorance. Lip saved Shirley’s life physically and taught him how to loosen his personal life boundaries.

This is a film about expanding one’s consciousness, the importance of lifelong friendships and two things this country desperately needs in this time of hatred: Hope and understanding.

“Green Book” is a film about the importance of people being open to listening to each other abandoning their prejudices.

Robert Deutsch, North Hollywood

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To the editor: The L.A. Times editorial board seems to be saying that the Oscars’ mixed message comes from the selection of “Green Book” as best picture because it defies the politically correct world of today.

That a movie based on real life events could dare to show a white protagonist defending a black concert pianist in the racist South is deemed as perpetuating the “white savior trope.” Even worse the movie had many white male producers, which of course is unacceptable — even though highly respected Octavia Spencer, who is black, was a co-producer.

As far as the movie’s alleged feel-good “Hollywood ending,” the film never even insinuated that the deep wounds caused by racism were healed. To me, “Green Book” showed just how insidious and vicious racism was in the South in those days.

Robert Newman, West Hills

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