Spike Lee has returned to his cinematic roots here, his cinematic flair not disguised by his own sense of self-righteousness.
Get on the Bus (1996)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:37
Fresh:32
Rotten:5
Average Rating:7.5/10
Synopsis: Released on the one-year anniversary of the Million Man March, GET ON THE BUS follows nearly 20 African Americans as they ride a bus cross-country to attend the historic event in Washington, DC.... Released on the one-year anniversary of the Million Man March, GET ON THE BUS follows nearly 20 African Americans as they ride a bus cross-country to attend the historic event in Washington, DC. The passengers--a diverse group of Los Angeles-based men--include a bickering gay couple, a pompous (and disliked) Republican, a Spike Lee-esque film student, a vain actor, and a quarrelsome father and son who are literally shackled to each other by court order. The fascinating and enlightening discussions between the men shed light on numerous issues concerning the African American community and enrich their lives in the process. Lee chose to shoot his film on super-16mm stock, giving it a grainier, more documentary-like feel--which, when combined with the naturalistic performances from the ensemble cast, makes an impact that is all the more immediate. Lee's camera and the actors breathe fervor into Reggie Rock Blythewood's screenplay. Standout performances include Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Andre Braugher, De'Aundre Bonds, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Richard Belzer (as the white bus driver). Once again Spike Lee delivers a poignant commentary on the state of African American affairs at the end of the 20th century. [More]
Starring: Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Andre Braugher, De'Aundre Bonds
Starring: Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Andre Braugher, De'Aundre Bonds, Roger Guenveur Smith, Isaiah Washington, Harry J. Lennix, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Richard Belzer
Director: Spike Lee
Director: Spike Lee
Screenwriter: Reggie Rock Bythewood
Reviews for Get on the Bus
It all has an artless, ephemeral feel, and 20 years from now people will marvel at the fashions, the landscapes and the attitudes it captures like fragile bugs in amber.
A vital regeneration of a filmmaker's talent as well as a bracing and often very funny dramatization of urgent sociopolitical themes...
Bythewood's script offers sharp insights into the male psyche, and the fine actors play off one another with real assurance.
Though Lee's deft expertise keeps things pacy and (mostly) plausible, the material can't avoid a certain predictability and, in the end, a preachy sentimentality.
A stirring, heartfelt entertainment from the first frame to the last.
Get on the Bus may well be the best film Spike Lee's made since Do the Right Thing.
While the film assembles a full array of black male stereotypes and conines them to what is essentially a talky one-set play, Mr. Lee stylistically jump-starts this small, earnest film in every way he can.
Enough lively banter and music, good humor and serious issues are aboard...to make the 3,000-mile journey worth joining.
One of Lee's best -- save for the didactic opening credits, he's rarely been less preachy and more insightful
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