Written by Matthew McConaughey, published in 2020. Summary and review.
Alright, alright, alright. Greenlights is a memoir, an autobiography, a selection of self-stories, a collection of snippets from the diary of Matthew McConaughey. Yes, that McConaughey. Mr. Interstellar, True Detective, Dallas Buyers Club, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, The Wolf of Wall Street, Magic Mike, Dazed and Confused… I could go on.
McConaughey shares insights into his upbringing and life from journal entries he’s made throughout his life from early childhood to fairly recent, post massive success, times. A book that starts a bit philosophical and off note comes into its own shortly after and never looks back in that review mirror, presumably in a ’77 Chevelle review mirror.
Pre-Scribe!
McConaughey takes us on a journey of wild home life in rural Texas in the 70’s. Mom and Pop fight, bicker, divorce and remarry (3 times!). Though he insists the house was filled with love. It doesn’t quite feel that way with mom wielding a kitchen knife and breaking pop’s nose with the phone receiver. And while only a cliff note, barely mentioned… this man apparently was molested at 18 by a man in the back of a van. This I did not know. He was a child of different times (and different circumstances)… a wonder how he managed to morph into the world of Hollywood later on.
Greenlight!
He takes us on a journey to Australia, the land down under, men without hats, home to venomous snakes and spiders, Crocodile Dundee and The Croc Hunter, where at 18 he embarked on a study abroad trip. Only to land with a crazy, backwoods family that supposedly lived in Sydney, but come to find out lives way, way, way outside the city limits. But it’s here he finds growth and introspection through cultural differences and unique challenges not faced in the States – namely a cool car, popularity, freedom, and girls. Good on him. A trip I wouldn’t want to take myself, least not the version he experienced in kangaroo-land.
Bumper Sticker!
Life takes you on a ride, you think you have control but that’s merely an illusion. McConaughey said early in life he wanted to be a lawyer. We know how well that turned out, don’t we? Fantastic! He’s the damn Lincoln Lawyer! Amazing his pa, who seemed like a pretty rough and tough jerk-of-a-man (perhaps your stereotypical 70’s father), took the news of McConaughey switching majors mid-UT to film studies. Lord knows I’d be a little ruffled by that. Of course, we again know how that turned out.
Note to self!
When presented an opportunity, you’re best off saying yes. Through a series of events, happenings, ongoings, wheelings, dealings, interactions, connections, and friendships, our hero lands his first major movie role – Dazed and Confused. He took that opportunity, of a few lines in one scene, and managed to expand his character to ultimately impact the world of pop culture forever. Finding the true essence of his character, their motivations, logic, thinking, interests, hobbies, goals, wants, and needs… McConaughey was able to create not 1, but several iconic characters most of us have enjoyed, at least in some part.
Prescription!
We ultimately see an evolution of a child to man, from nobody to superstar. But a person with a singular goal. Family. Fatherhood. As one about to become a father for the first time himself, this resonated strongly with me. What’s most important to you may change, and likely will, with the addition of a little one to look after. While McConaughey’s end goal was the same from a young age, it’s clear he changed once he got there.
Greenlight!
TLDR: McConaughey’s Greenlights is a fun, wild, exciting, sad, funny, shocking, unusual yet aw-inspiring collection of stories from his life. Bonus points for anyone who listens to the audiobook as it’s narrated by the sultry-voiced actor himself. Other than an odd start, and a lot of adjectives, descriptors, adverbs and verbs, ways to explain, elaborate, retell, iterate, unwind, breakdown, unfold, unwrap, and examine… Would Recommend. 4/5 Stars.
