Deep and beautifully written.

Spike Lee presents a tale of discovery and self-learning During the Million Man March in Washington DC 12 African American men board a shuttle to take part But first they have to break down what makes them a part of the black identity while also confronting their own issues Although the group begins the trip as strangers, their shared stories and experiences unite them as their discourse builds a portrait of what it means to be black in America Amazing cast comprised of Andre Braugher, Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Hill Harper, Isaiah Washington, Richard Belzer, Wendell Pierce, Bernie Mac, and Harry Lennix Each passenger has their own take on the topic of race, identity, language, destination, gender, manhood, crime This appears like a documentary yet is a big dramatization of urgent sociopolitical themes The director himself doesn't have to be in this to make the messages clear Is there such thing as atonement? Even though slavery is gone is it really over? What makes black black? Is one community supposed to fix everything that has happened in our history? Who do we have to blame for all the oppression, denigration, and suffering? Why leave out the female influence during a struggle for equality? It's important everyone should have a voice being a part of the same group man or woman Terrific actors making these men confront one another putting their issues on the table when it comes to masculinity, racism, discrimination, their roots, linguistics, homophobia, sexual preference, their portrayal in the media, law enforcement, and where they stand A movement is one thing but the real march in life has yet to begin to stop crime, start loving, and being better, we have got a lot of work to do Spike Lee makes one of his best, finest, and most honest flicks in his filmography The issues from back then are still present today holding so much relevancy

While it's preachy and schmaltzy, it's also evocative. Dreamy, trippy cinematography to support a story mostly set on a bus. Theatricality compensates stagnation; it's supposed to feel stagey. If it were realism, it'd be boring. Lots of interesting techniques employed here. Brilliant circumstances. Multidimensional; so many perspectives and ideologies represented. Ultimately, a film about unity.

I wanna see this movie over and over again I love it

Here Spike Lee tackles black history as always, but this time presents more rounded arguments and opinions.

Fictionalized account of the million man march is marred by slow pacing and one dimensional stock characters.

Looking through the movies that I like, Get On The Bus is probably not a title you would think to find on a list of movies that I really like. Not only did I really enjoy this movie as a drama with what I found to be good writing along with good very authentic acting but I felt like a came away learning something. Maybe learning is not the best word, but came away with a better understanding of what the movie touched on. I am from Philadelphia I walk the same streets and breathe the same air everyday with African American men. I am friendly with just about everyone I come across, only being somewhat close to a few in my life though. I felt like a gained some knowledge and a better understanding in my eyes of in my opinion a somewhat misunderstood group of people in American society. A group full of black men on their way to the million man march? How could a movie about this be interesting at all without being overly preachy and "pro black." Well put what you feel like you may think about this movie aside and give it a chance, and you just may enjoy it like me. You get all aspects on this bus trip. From a distant father who is trying to teach his son some culture and history, but with a twist he has his son handcuffed to him because he is a criminal. The old school guys in the back of the bus who like to reminisce about the old day sand sing old tunes acapella, and overall want to have a good time. Then you also have the reformed gangbanger who has tried to turn his life around, there are many layers to this drama. It is interesting what these men come to argue about, and how relationships and bonds are made and broken on this journey to the march. But regardless of their differences it is a story of brotherhood and unityin the face of adversity.

A cross-section of African-American men travel cross-country by bus to the Million Man March. There are films that rise above their politics, films that promote a particular political ideology but also tell an intimate, human story. In literature, I think of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle as a representative example. This is not one of those films. Spike Lee's Get on the Bus is so pat and obvious in its politics that it doesn't get a chance to breathe on its own and its characters never rise above the types they represent. Lee's talent keeps the film afloat, and his camera tricks give the film an energy that we've come to expect from a "Spike Lee Joint," but the real problem remains in the script. This is not Lee or writer Reggie Rock Bythewood debating with himself; if you're confused about the film's politics, Charles S. Dutton lays it all out at the end for you. Overall, I don't have a lot of opinions about the political statements themselves, but I can say that the film is confined by its message.

Pretty good but not my favorite Spike Lee movie.

One of the best movies of the 90's, spike lee's profound understanding of his culture is depicted well in this african-american masterpiece.

Another winner from Spike lee, with a great cast and a great story to tell.

Comme d'habitude, Spike Lee nous sert un film touchant, drole, humain, bien plus intelligent qu'il ne le laisse paraitre au premier abord. Interprete par un ensemble cast fabuleux, Get on the Bus est mis en scene avec genie par Spike Lee, qui utilise les filtres de couleur avec la dexterite d'un Soderbergh ou d'un Oliver Stone, et se voit magnifie par une bande-son de haute volee. Get on the Bus est un film indispensable.

I always heard Spike Lee is a huge black power kinda guy and this movie really shows it. It's a group of black men on their way to the million man march. Partially the whole movie takes place on a bus, with tons of pretty interesting conversation but it does get old after awhile. The characters were pretty interesting but it gets a little dumb when you find out their back stories that seem to be a bit far fetched. This offered a few good laughs and kept you entertained but lost me toward the end.

This is one of Spike Lee's best films. Charles S. Dutton's performance was outstanding. Even the entire black male cast really impressed me with their own performances as well. Even Michael Jackson's opening song was empowering. This is worth seeing again and again.

This is one of Spike Lee's best films. Charles S. Dutton's performance was outstanding. Even the entire black male cast really impressed me with their own performances as well. Even Michael Jackson's opening song was empowering. This is worth seeing again and again.

Another SPIKE LEE classic !

Most films can't give you one 3-dimensional black male character. This film gives you at least 8 of them and allows them to share differing views on a number of important social and political issues while honoring the ways that each of their unique stories has shaped their view of the world. It's not a flawless movie. It just gives us Real people. Real conversations. Real challenge. Which is real rare in Hollywood.

As the saying goes, "One has to kiss a lot of frogs before finding a handsome prince." Likewise, reviewers often have to view a lot of turkeys before finding a film that makes one sit up and take notice. Get On the Bus is just such a film. That makes it all the more distressing that on the night of my viewing, I was an audience of one. There are many probable reasons for this: the film's lack of advertising, the restrictive rating, the "serious" subject matter, or perhaps, Spike Lee's perceived status as a director of "Black" films. Whatever the cause, it is a shame that this film won't get the exposure that it deserves. Not only is it a balanced and perceptive piece of writing on today's African American culture, (one which affords a window of understanding for those unexposed to it firsthand), but it is an important piece of filmmaking. Writer Reggie Rock Bythewood and director Spike Lee have semi-documented a piece of history, made a brave attempt to define a significant segment of the population and acknowledged the shortcomings of their subjects in the process. More important, they have demonstrated that many of the limitations impeding their characters are not problems of race, but imperfections of the human condition. Get On the Bus follows roughly a dozen Black men traveling from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. to attend 1995's Million Man March- a gathering designed to illustrate Black solidarity. Traveling by bus, the trip offers plenty of opportunity for this diverse group to get to know one another. Previously strangers, the participants form a cross-section of society. The riders include an L.A. cop, who happens to be half-White, a college film student, an aspiring actor, an older gentleman, a pair of gay men, a father and his troubled son, a born-again former gang member and a middle-class bus driver. Drawn together by the occasion, the start of the trip is full of enthusiasm and a sense of unity. Yet as the miles wear on and the members get to know more about their fellow travelers, that sense of commonality becomes strained by the reality of their true diversity. Before long, storm clouds are raised by gay-bashing and charges of homophobia; definitions of "What (or who) is Black?" instigate quarrels, and differences in moral philosophies chip away at the group's cohesiveness. Though each is using this event to help them in their personal search for identity and as a way to connect to a greater whole, they find that their first challenge is going to be the need to develop understanding of themselves and overcome personal prejudices. It's a powerful illustration of how people's ideals and support for worthwhile concepts collide head on with the reality of a situation's complexity. For them (and us) the issues of race, religion, politics, sexuality, education, background and age all come into play as they try to define solutions to their problems. And those problems cover topics that affect all of us in various ways; ranging from single-parenting to discrimination to gang violence to how to be a better person. Spike Lee makes some deliberate choices -such as the frequent use of a hand-held camera, and extra grainy film stock for exterior scenes- which are distracting at first, but eventually are justified in the down-to-earth quality that they bring. This is a story that would lose its sense of reality if it were as smooth and slick as your average Hollywood production. The film's exploration of culture and personal values means that there are instances when the topic of conversation is on the controversial side. Occasionally, the language is crude. While it can be uncomfortable, it is never gratuitous- making it much more justified than ninety-nine percent of today's action pictures. Still, its inclusion brings the film an R rating and prompts the need for an evaluation of a viewer's ability to handle the material. Leading a very natural cast, veterans Ossie Davis and Charles S. Dutton are outstanding in their respective roles as the older generation and the working class everyman. A nomination for either of them come Oscar time would not be unwarranted. Offering insight into the human condition, a greater awareness of social consciousness, and a fuller understanding of Black culture, Get On the Bus succeeds on many levels. It stands as a fine example of the ability of good filmmaking to communicate much more than we often see in today's product.

Spike Lee may be loved by some and reviled by others, but this film about a group of diverse men going to the Million Man March in Washington D.C. is a film that will make you think.

Very underrated film by Spike Lee. This was his first hit since Malcolm X four years before so it had to feel good for him. Also great about this film? No Spike Lee acting in the film. Really strange to see Bernie Mac, Isaiah Washington, and others in this film before they became stars. The stories in the film were very captivating and Ossie Davis, as usual, stole every scene he was in. The scene with Richard Belzer and Charles Dutton in Memphis was one of the best I have seen from Lee. Very in-depth character study and the only film about the Million Man March I have seen so I guess it has the monopoly on that.