Tony Vallelonga, a bouncer in a New York City night club, was hired by African-American pianist Dr. Don Shirley to be his driver and bodyguard for an 8-week concert tour that would take them into the "Deep South," states which were still observing racial segregation during that time in 1962. Shirley was appalled at Tony's profane language and crude habits, and tried to refine his behavior. Tony was appalled at the way Shirley was discriminated upon by his white hosts, and stood up in his defense.
"Green Book" was a film about a friendship that developed between two men with vastly different backgrounds and personalities during a long road trip. The title "Green Book" referred to an actual booklet (by Victor Hugo Green) that listed down motels and restaurants who accepted African-Americans into their establishment. Dr. Shirley was acclaimed and applauded when he was performing the piano onstage, yet he was still subjected to the same awful policies and restrictions as other African-Americans during their long road trip.
Here Viggo Mortensen became a hefty Italian tough guy, who spoke as if he had that thick New York accent his whole life. Becoming an international star only in his 40s when he was cast as Aragorn in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, Mortensen was one of those actors who can disappear into his roles, like his Oscar-nominated turns as a Russian mobster in "Eastern Promises" (2008) and as an unconventional father in "Captain Fantastic" (2017). His Tony was brusque, uncouth and violent, yet oddly endearing and even delightful, especially in his relationship with his wife (played by Linda Cardellini).
Mahershala Ali was also already 40 when he gained widespread recognition with his Oscar-award winning performance as a fatherly drug-dealer in "Moonlight" (2016). Just a couple of years later, here he is again as the practical lock to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor again in "Green Book." I would not exactly call his role as "supporting" though. They were co-leads, and should have been considered like Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy, who were both nominated as leads in "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989). Ali's class and finesse as a classically-trained pianist on-stage, as well as his struggle to preserve his dignity off-stage, was mesmerizing to behold on the big screen.
The simplicity and warmth of the story is charming and engaging. The picture it painted about the hypocrisy extant in the segregationist Southern USA during those times was tense and powerful. The two lead actors Mortensen and Ali both gave down-to-earth, sincere and captivating transformative performances. The original screenplay by Nick Vallelonga (Tony's son), Brian Hayes Currie and director Peter Farrely seems to be Oscar-bound. The lack of a Best Director nod for Farrely though may not bode too well in its Best Picture bid, but definitely this is one of the year's most outstanding films. 9/10.
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