MovieChat Forums > Green Book (2018) Discussion > Viggo's New York "accent"

Viggo's New York "accent"

posted 5 years ago by Bazzz (59)
14 replies | jump to latest

I'd love to see this film but Viggo's terrible attempt at a New York accent ruins it for me.

Yes -- couldn't get past the cartoonish quality of the characters and Linda's accent in particular made me cringe.

[–] [email protected] (1288) 4 years ago

Yes his acting and accent was a bit far fetched. Now Goodfellas is a movie that surpasses this film. This tried hard, but its average at best.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

It sounded convincing to me but I'm no New Yorker. And everyone speaks differently!

[–] brux (14666) 5 years ago

A lot of New Yorkers speak just like that. My late uncle had a thick accent like that ... like some black people like to exaggerate their black-English some New Yorkers love to ham up their accents. Anyway, I enjoyed the movie and thought his accent was not something that distracted me a bit. My best picture of the year nomination.

[–] roreyking (558) 5 years ago

@brux: agreed. Obviously the first 2 posters haven't spent much time in New York. I'm a native New Yorker and spent my colleage years working with Italian-Americans. There's nothing exaggerated or phony about Viggo's accent. It's on the money.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I think Viggo is playing an archetypal sort of NY character so they wanted a heavy accent.

[–] Who (5146) 2 years ago

New Yorkers from that era had stronger, borough-specific accents. These have toned down over time.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I saw it more as a wise guy accent rather than a New York accent.

[–] roreyking (558) 5 years ago

LOL! Please Henry Higgins, differentiate for us. How does a "wise guy" speak vs. a guy from the Bronx?

[–] Moonglum9 (10711) 5 years ago

for wise guys the "eh to oh" ratio is higher for the ehs, but Bronxians have a higher oh ratio.

[–] Tuggers1986 (5) 5 years ago

I’m not American but I thought his Italian-American accent sounded bang on to me compared to how I’ve heard it in other movies and TV shows

[–] onemanarmy82 (1764) 5 years ago

Viggo's accent sounded fine! For those disagreeing, either 1 of 2 things: 1. They're simply not from New York or 2. They are around a lot of millennials/hipsters who sound like they take it in the ass!

[–] Ace_Spade (9348) 3 years ago

Eh, fuggedaboudit.

[–] Keelai (31885) 2 years ago

I thought the working-class New York Italian dialect from that era was excellent especially Viggo and the wife. Not everyone can pull it off.