Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: Peter Farrelly, DreamWorks and Participant Media, M 130 Minutes.
Despite a few disappointing films Peter Farrelly has now directed one of the best feel-good movies this year based on the true story of two men from opposite sides of the cultural divide taking a road trip together.
This uplifting story is set in 1962 and opens with Italian-American Tony-Lip Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen –‘Captain Fantastic’) working as a no-nonsense bouncer in New York’s Copacabana nightclub until he finds himself unemployed for two months while the club undertakes renovations.
Tony is soon hired as a chauffeur to drive Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali –‘Moonlight’) a successful black classical pianist on an eight-week tour of the deep south, promising his wife Dolores (Linda Cardellini –‘Daddy’s Home’) to be home by Christmas.
As they travel deeper into the Southern States there is no denying the depth of racism being levelled at Shirley’s African-American background amidst the pretext of respectability amongst the wealthy white members of American society.
This is demonstrated when Shirley (as a black man) is refused to use his concert organiser’s dining room or even the household toilet, requiring Tony to drive him back to his hotel prior to the start of his concert.
Furthermore, during their visit to various concert locations, Tony has to use his tough-guy tactics on a few occasions to salvage Shirley’s dignity which did not stop him helping Tony keep his promise to his wife Dolores.
By the conclusion of the tour both Tony and Shirley have put aside their own cultural difference and remained close friends until their deaths in 2013.
Farrelly’s fantastic film is due to Tony Vallelonga’s son Nick co-writing the stimulating script with Brian Currie and Farrelly himself, adopting the Negro Motorist Green Book – a black traveller’s guide through the segregated South – as the title of the movie.
Although some comparison can be made to Bruce Beresford’s ‘Driving Miss Daisy’, one cannot overlook the well-structured storyline or the perfectly pitched performances of Ali and Mortensen, particularly the chemistry between them, especially those memorable scenes dealing with racism.
Green Book’ has already been nominated for 5 awards at this year’s Oscars having won Best Motion Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali at this year’s Golden Globes.
Vic’s Verdict: 4 ½ Stars
