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Get on the Bus

Get on the Bus

History · Adventure · Drama · 1996

Fifteen Black men gather in South Central LA to take a cross-country bus trip to attend the Million Man March in Washington, DC in October 1995. Among the attendees are an eclectic set of characters, including a laid-off aircraft worker, a man whose at-risk son is handcuffed to him, a Black Republican, a former gangsta, a Hollywood actor, a cop of mixed racial background, and a white bus driver. All make the trek discussing issues surrounding the March, including manhood, religion, politics, sexuality, and race.

Movie details

Get on the Bus

“On October 16, 1996, the one year anniversary of the Million Man March, Spike Lee invites you to lift your head, raise your voice, and...get on the bus.”

1996 History · Adventure · Drama 2h 1m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

Fifteen Black men gather in South Central LA to take a cross-country bus trip to attend the Million Man March in Washington, DC in October 1995. Among the attendees are an eclectic set of characters, including a laid-off aircraft worker, a man whose at-risk son is handcuffed to him, a Black Republican, a former gangsta, a Hollywood actor, a cop of mixed racial background, and a white bus driver. All make the trek discussing issues surrounding the March, including manhood, religion, politics, sexuality, and race.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Get on the Bus?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Spike Lee

Written by

Reggie Rock Bythewood

Richard Belzer

Richard Belzer

Rick

De'Aundre Bonds

De'Aundre Bonds

Evan Thomas, Jr. / 'Smooth'

Andre Braugher

Andre Braugher

Philip 'Flip'

Thomas Jefferson Byrd

Thomas Jefferson Byrd

Evan Thomas, Sr.

Gabriel Casseus

Gabriel Casseus

Jamal

Albert Hall

Albert Hall

Craig

Hill Harper

Hill Harper

Xavier 'X' Moore

Court is in session

Put Get on the Bus on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.