‘Green Book’ Named Best Picture by National Board of Review

Green Book (Credit: Universal Pictures)

Green Book just jumped to the front of the awards season race after being named best film of 2018 by The National Board of Review.

The New York-based film group announced the selection Tuesday, and also named Green Book star Viggo Mortensen as best actor of the year.

The awards should give the film a much-needed shot of attention.

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After expanding nationwide last weekend, the racial road trip comedy-drama struggled to break out at the box office. It landed in ninth place behind a string of newcomers and holdovers, after taking in $5.5 million over three days at 1,063 theaters.

Among the other films receiving honors from the National Board of Review are A Star Is Born and If Beale Street Could Talk.

A Star Is Born won the best director award for Bradley Cooper, best actress for Lady Gaga and best supporting actor for Sam Elliott.

Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk was singled out for Jenkins’ adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel, and for Regina King’s supporting performance. The awards will be handed out at a gala in New York on January 8.

Below is the full list of winners.

Best film: Green Book
Best director: Bradley Cooper, A Star Is Born
Best actor: Viggo Mortensen, Green Book
Best actress: Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
Best supporting actor: Sam Elliott, A Star Is Born
Best supporting actress: Regina King, If Beale Street Could Talk
Best original screenplay: Paul Schrader, First Reformed
Best adapted screenplay: Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Best animated feature: Incredibles 2
Breakthrough performance: Thomasin McKenzie, Leave No Trace
Best directorial debut: Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade
Best foreign-language film: Cold War
Best documentary: RBG
Best ensemble: Crazy Rich Asians
William K. Everson Film History Award: The Other Side of the Wind and They’ll Love Me When I’m Dead
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: 22 July
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: On Her Shoulders

Top films (in alphabetical order)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
Black Panther
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Eighth Grade
First Reformed
If Beale Street Could Talk
Mary Poppins Returns
A Quiet Place
Roma
A Star Is Born

Top 5 foreign-language films (in alphabetical order)
Burning
Custody
The Guilty
Happy as Lazzaro
Shoplifters

Top 5 documentaries (in alphabetical order)
Crime + Punishment
Free Solo
Minding the Gap
Three Identical Strangers
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Top 10 independent films (in alphabetical order)
The Death of Stalin
Lean on Pete
Leave No Trace
Mid90s
The Old Man & the Gun
The Rider
Searching
Sorry to Bother You
We the Animals
You Were Never Really Here