I am a bit late to the Greenlights party as apparently this was the must read biography of 2020. If you want a light hearted memoir, that has a lot of bumper stickeresque to it, from a too-handsome actor from Texas then this will definitely appeal. I listened to this as an audio book read by McConaughey which also had an added appeal for me, oh that Texas drawl.
Greenlights is not your typical celebrity biography that reveals all but it does follow Matthew’s life in chronological order. He recalls growing up in rural Texas with a father who is a pipe salesman and onetime draftee of the Green Bay Packers. He has some interesting money making schemes, one of which was recruiting Mathew’s brother for a urinating contest and, when Matthew had a bad acne reaction to skin cream wanted to sue the company claiming emotional distress, only to have the case dismissed when Matthew was presented, in court, with a photo naming him the most handsome man at his high school. Interesting that the urine contest was won and got him more money than the legal suit. With Greenlights, McConaughey wants us to understand, through his own life journey, that you can catch more greenlights by simply identifying where the redlights are in our life and changing our life course to hit fewer of them. He did not convince me that this is very simple though he gave it a red hot try.
He comes across as very self-effacing while being very comfortable with himself and his life choices. He has travelled into very interesting places, (Africa, the Amazon to name two), and experienced the tracks less travelled on nothing more than the suggestion from a wet dream. This willingness to uproot himself, for months and sometimes years reflects his film choices too. Just say yes to the opportunity and see where it leads. It wasn’t until he made some, for an actor, challenging decisions to turn down the rom-com roles to attract more challenging acting roles and ultimately an Oscar winning role that you see the willingness to trust in himself and to change his acting career brand to feel more fulfilled in his job.
"An enjoyable read that can bring a laugh, some surprises and some easy life advice if you want to be guided by bumper sticker statements"
- Jane Cowell
The one life philosophy, and he shares many, that struck me was this: “When you can, ask yourself if you want to”. After landing an agent and parts in two movies McConaughey rents a guesthouse in Tucson, Arizona which comes with a maid, who cooks and cleans. He cannot believe his good fortune and he exclaims to a friend “ She even presses my jeans!”. His friend says something he says he has never forgotten. “That’s great Matthew, if you want your jeans pressed.” I’d never had my jeans pressed before,” he writes. “I’d never had anyone to press my jeans before. I’d never thought to ask myself if I wanted my jeans pressed … Of course I wanted my jeans pressed. Or did I? “No, actually. I didn’t.”
We also hear how he has always wanted to be a father and how he loves being the father to his three children and building a family with his partner Camila Alvez. While it is a biography and he shares some deeply personal experiences, I don’t feel that he has shared deeply of himself. It is an enjoyable read that can bring a laugh, some surprises and some easy life advice if you want to be guided by bumper sticker statements. There are a few rumours around him entering state politics in Texas so it will be interesting what his next life choices are.