Green Book Revisited: Unpacking the Complexities of Race and Friendship

Abstract

This study intends to investigate how friendship and race are portrayed in Peter Farrelly's Green Book movie. The study inquires whether the film depicts racism simplistically or accurately depicts the relationship between individuals from different racial backgrounds. This study's importance rests in its potential to advance the current dialogue regarding race and representation in popular culture. To respond to the research question, the researchers gathered primary sources of information from the screenplay and reviews of the movie Green Book, which were then analyzed qualitatively to identify and explore themes and characters related to race and friendship. In addition, the researchers gathered secondary data from online journals of English literature, e-books, and other sources. The information was then categorized, examined, debated, and presented to the readers. In this paper, the researchers include the historical and sociological contexts of the movie, the lives of Dr. Shirley and Tony Lip, and racism in America. The application of Critical Race Theory enriches the discussion of the movie. The study found that Green Book depicts the gradual close relationship between two different individuals from different racial backgrounds and the simplified portrayal of racism.