During an Oscar ceremony studded with commercials for Rolex watches featuring famous directors, another brand got the biggest shout-out.

"Shinola watches! Unbelievable! They're saving Detroit!" said "Green Book" director Peter Farrelly as he pointed at his wrist while accepting the award for best original screenplay.

The comment provoked a mixed reaction on Twitter — and skepticism at a luxury retail brand being credited with single-handedly reviving the city's economy.

Among those voicing displeasure with the message was U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit.

Farrelly, Brian Currie and Nick Vallelonga won for their script about the friendship that developed between African-American classical/jazz pianist Don Shirley and his white driver, Tony Vallelonga, as they toured the segregated South in the early 1960s.

"Green Book" also took home the best picture prize. Mahershala Ali, who portrayed Shirley, won best supporting actor.

In a statement to the Free Press, Shinola congratulated Farrelly on his Oscar wins — describing him as "a friend of the brand for years" — and said the shout-out for the watches was "completely unplanned and unexpected."

Shinola also tried to put some context into Farrelly's compliment, saying, "While we are so thankful for the love we did want to make it clear that without the city of Detroit, there would be no Shinola. The city gave our brand life and it’s something we will never take for granted."

Five years ago, the Shinola brand popped up in a comedy by brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly, "Dumb and Dumber To," in a scene where Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels attend a business conference.

At the time, a spokesman for Shinola told Crain's Detroit Business that "Peter Farrelly has been following Shinola's progress since the very beginning and even visited the factory," said then-marketing director Bridget Russo.

Farrelly's Oscar reference was part of a laundry list of thanks that began with Rhode Island, his home state.

The Detroit-based Shinola has become internationally famous for its high-end watches and its much-publicized image as a symbol of the city's economic revival. Its celebrity fans also include former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

It also has stirred some controversial coverage for being the "$225 million experiment in fake authenticity," as Inc. magazine put it in 2016. The company was launched in 2011 by Texas mogul Tom Kartsolis, who had no previous ties to Detroit.

The Shinola mention at the Oscars was greeted positively by some on Twitter. But the part about "saving Detroit" sparked some angry reaction — especially coming from the director of a movie that has been criticized by some for using a “white savior” theme to tell a story about overcoming racism.

Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.