Worst 21st Century Film to Win Best Picture?

This morning, I had a friendly argument with a well-known NYC film critic. She kept honing on about how “Green Book” was the worst Best Picture winner of her lifetime. I disagreed. “It’s “Crash, I replied, “and it’s not even close.”

Before and, especially, after it won Best Picture, “Green Book” was slammed. Anybody that liked the film must have been a racist. The NAACP’s president agreed with that sentiment. Viggo Mortensen had to step in to claim that accusations of racism were “unfair’” and “dangerous”. The winter of 2019 was a wild time to cover the Oscars.

Spike Lee was in agreement that “Green Book” was racist, calling it a “white savior” and “magical negro” movie. When “Green Book” finally won Best Picture, it bested its toughest competitor, Lee’s “BlackKlansman,” which prompted a visibly angry Lee to turn his back to the stage in protest.

Sure, “Green Book” might not be a great movie, but it was a fairly easy one to like, especially with its two terrific lead performances, from Viggo Mortensen and Mahersala Ali. It was safe entertainment and reminded me of old-school Hollywood buddy comedies that just aren't made anymore (think "Planes, Trains and Automobiles").

Steven Spielberg also loved “Green Book,” it was his “favorite buddy comedy since “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (although I would vehemently disagree with him on that).

“Spielberg watched [“Green Book”] at 8AM and called me at 10AM,” said Farrelly. “He flipped and said it was his favorite buddy movie since “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.”

Oscar-nominated “Green Book” editor Patrick J. Don Vito added that Spielberg loved the movie so much “he watched it five times over two weeks.” The pic was on a DCP which has a code, and Spielberg called every time he wanted to watch “Green Book.”

The amount of media vitriol that the film garnered was wild. The L.A. Times’ Justin Chang wrote a piece with the headline: “‘Green Book’ is the worst best picture winner since ‘Crash.’” Chang wrote:

“Green Book” is insultingly glib and hucksterish, a self-satisfied crock masquerading as an olive branch.” Calling it “an embarrassment […] It reduces the long, barbaric and ongoing history of American racism to a problem, a formula, a dramatic equation that can be balanced and solved.

However, no, “Green Book” is not nearly in the same mediocre league as 2006 Oscar winner “Crash.” It’s also better than other 21st century winners such as “Coda,” “EEAAO,” “Chicago,” “The Artist,” and “Argo.”

In fact, if “Green Book” has had a tough time with critics, it is still fairly well-loved by movie audiences and has had a healthy shelf life these last five years. Its 8.2 IMDb user rating and A+ CinemaScore are indicative of a massive divide between audiences and critics.