Get on the Bus | | Cast : | Andre Braugher, Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton | | Director : | Spike Lee | | Studio : | Columbia Tri-Star | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | October 16, 1996 | | DVD Released Date : | January 30, 2001 | | Language : | Unknown (Subtitled), English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | April 27, 2004 | | Summary | Spike Lee at his best and worst... | Content
 | His best: social journalism. Nobody brings perennially pressing issues to the screen as consistently and vitally as Spike Lee---love or hate his films as you may, there's no argument that he does a superb job of provoking debate and reflection. Here it's Lee's two favorite topics, racial history/injustice/relations and (less prominently but still significant) gender/sexual issues...treated with a vast amount of humor and often insight. His worst: at times some of his films implode when Lee gets on his soapbox and goes too heavy-handed---the Message blots out the Movie. This happens towards the last one-third, with the last 10 minutes especially preachy and contrived. The film craft breaks down, characters and dialogue that before had been pretty much spot-on suddenly verge into labored allegory and caricature. It's like Lee drew up a laundry list of Pressing Societal Problems (brings to mind Larwence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon") and tried to allot 5-10 minutes for each one. Sometimes he does so with grace and wit, but sometimes he stumbles into glibness and stereotyping. I was a little disappointed that Lee didn't show more of the actual Million Man march, maybe explore the controversial Louis Farrakhan a little bit more deeply. I was however pleasantly surprisd that Lee does take a fairly mature, gutsy stand on homosexuality and homophobia absent in some of his earlier films. Had Lee made this film more as a straight (or pointed) documentary rather than trying to turn it into a heavy-handed inspirational treatise, I'd gladly give it 5 plus stars. Even in its current form it's well worth watching. |
| Rating | | | Date | March 09, 2004 | | Summary | A thoughtful film | Content
| Get on the Bus is one of Lee's best works. Poignant, funny and introspective, it tells the tale of various black men from various walks of life; a father and his estranged, angst-ridden son, a gay couple, an arrogant actor, an ex-Crip turned Muslim, a half white cop and Ossie Davis as the "spiritual grandfather/moderator" type. They travel from California to DC for the Million Man March, and along the way come to terms with prejudice and hatred they have felt without as well as within. Some may criticize the "stereotypical" treatment of the white characters, but this may be a bit much. The Jewish Bus driver is an honorable character, and in a scene with him and Charles Dutton, director Lee let's him speak his side of the story "OK, I may have some problems with blacks....but no more worse than the problems you have with whites. I don't have anything to prove to these guys". Randy Quade's redneck cop may have been over the top, but suffice to say, there are people in parts of America who still treat people that way. Overall, I think this film is definitely Lee's most underrated work. |
| Rating | | | Date | January 29, 2004 | | Summary | Black men on thr rise - one love | Content
| Most of the reviews i've read about this movie,has been hogwash.Spike Lee,who happens to have one of the finest minds in the industry,did a masterful job.All i can say is "My hat's off" to spike,his brilliance has delivered again.
One Love |
| Rating | | | Date | July 24, 2003 | | Summary | Why Get Sidetracked..??? | Content
| Let me first say that I love and admire the work of Spike Lee.He is one the few directors that have the courage to say whats on his mind and could care less who does or who does'nt like it.However this film is an insult to any Blackman that attended the Million Man March and the premise was awful.Why write a film about a great event and never capture the essence of that event.? Over one million Blackmen came to the March and the feeling of love , peace, brotherhood was as easy to feel as taking a deep breath. There are some "dummies" that feel as though the March did nothing , well I know for a fact that there have been several business alliances that were created from meeting brothers at the March. And there was not ONE incident of violence during that wonderful day unlike this film that seems to center around conflict and confusion. And there have been other "million" style marches since then. Another question I had with this film is why write a film about a bunch of guys that NEVER MAKE IT TO THE MARCH...???? One million plus other guys got there so where is their story..??? Black people need to embrace any and all positive moments ( Like the Million Man March) here in America..There are enough negative things to worry about, so let our "achievements" remain "achievements" |
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