Green Book explores the issue of racism through the unlikely friendship of Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) and Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen). The film was briefly overshadowed by a comment made by Mortensen in an interview, where he used the "N" word. To be fair, Mortensen used the word in context, not as an epithet. It is unfortunate. The comment was literally "no one uses the word n****r anymore." I think he did it for a bit of shock effect, but also as a statement. He obviously did not do it to hurt anyone. We have become so oversensitive to this issue, that the statement could cost Mortensen (as well as the film Green Book) Oscar consideration. There is a difference between discussing a word academically and using a word as a racial slur. Green Book is an excellent film. I hope this issue does not cost the film any consideration it might otherwise have had for the Oscars.
The title of the film comes from a pamphlet called the "green book" that was a AAA for non-white travelers in the deep south. It provided names and locations of hotels where black travelers were permitted to stay. It is a concrete reminder of segregation and was an excellent choice to tether the name of the film to the topic. Dr. Shirley is a musician. He has a concert tour with the "Don Shirley Trio" scheduled to begin in the midwest before circling back into the deep south, finishing in Alabama shortly before Christmas. Dr. Shirley is black. He and his record label have concerns about his safety and welfare while he is traveling through the south on an eight-week tour. Their search for someone to organize his affairs and offer an element of protection lead them to Tony "Lip" Vallelonga. The unlikely duo spend a lot of time together on the tour, leading to an unlikely friendship that explores the boundaries of issues of race and touches briefly on sexuality as well.
Green Book is witty. It was written by Vallelanga's son, Nick Vallelonga along with Brian Hayes Curry and Director Peter Farrelly. Tony Lip did quite a bit of film after his journey with Dr. Shirley, which included an extended stint on The Sopranos. His son, Nick, has been in numerous films as an actor and has written a few screenplays as well. None of his writing stands out to me. Currie is another actor who has only written one other screenplay more than a decade ago. Farrelly has written numerous titles, many of them forgettable. But he has written some decent comedies like There's Something About Mary and Shallow Hal. He has a fairly long list of comedies he has written for, which makes sense. Green Book has brilliant dialogue, with a very sharp sense of humor. The circumstances created fertile ground for strong comedy. But the drama wasn't forgotten here. This is not a comedy, it is a statement on race. It is also an examination on how interpersonal relationships transcend issues like race. It is done extremely well. The balance results in a film that moves you. It is funny, sharp, intelligent and dramatic. The film also speaks to us visually at times, using images to say more than dialogue alone could accomplish.
Going in to this film, I thought Mortensen was an interesting choice to play Tony Lip. Mortensen is Danish. He was born in New York, which may help explain why he was able to nail this role. Someone from the Bronx might be able to pick apart his delivery, but to my untrained eye, he was full-on New York I-talian. His performance and transformation in the film were exceptional. Ali is a lesser known actor that was another interesting casting choice. While he won an Oscar for Moonlight in a supporting role, he is still relatively unknown. Moonlight was more an independent film. I would imagine Green Book will have a broader audience. Ali was spot on. He could very well move from Best Supporting Actor to Best Actor in a Leading Role. He should get a nomination. But competition will be thick and I have seen better performances this year. And that's before we even get to see Christian Bale as Dick Cheney, which (based on the trailers) would be my current favorite to win this year. Most importantly, Mortensen and Ali were solid together. They created a genuine sense of growth both personally as well as in their friendship. The rest of the cast was solid. A typical hodge-podge of Hollywood wise guys. Great casting plus great writing equals a likely nomination for an Oscar. While not my pick to win, the nominations list is long and this film should be on it.
Green Book delves into some sensitive issues. However, the film navigates these issues with finesse, earning a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. The rating stems from some adult themes, several racial slurs (to include other races), smoking , drinking and violence. There was also a scene in the YMCA where two characters are naked, suggesting a sexual act. Overall, the thematic material was handled with subtlety rather than graphically. The rating seems fair based on the material. Taking the totality of the film into consideration, I probably wouldn't restrict this film by age, but would be prepared to have the race discussion with younger viewers. The film has a run time of two hours, nine minutes.
Green Book is the type of film Hollywood likes to congratulate itself for. But it is the rare film that audiences like as well. This film checks the boxes. It addresses social justice, which Hollywood can't get enough of. But the writing speaks to those of us outside the Hollywood echo chamber. It is honest. The dialogue was rich, the characters were engaging and the story was touching. Rather than brooding, the film examines a sensitive issue with a healthy dose of humor to keep the film light and relatable. While it dosn't sugar coat the issue of racism, the films often opts for subtlety and visual cues to expose it. I enjoyed this film. It is not the best film of 2018, but it is definitely a "don't miss it" film. It is worth seeing at the theater.
Trailer and images subject to copyright.
